Finishing plug

Abstract

A finishing plug is pre-cast from a mixture of Portland cement, sand, and water and is shaped similarly to plastic cones of the type used to position wall forms during the construction of concrete walls. The finishing plug has a flat end surface and is mounted in a hole remaining in a concrete wall following the removal of a plastic cone from the wall with the end surface of the plug flush with the wall surface. This is preferably accomplished by first coating the finishing plug with a liquid cementuous material and then inserting the plug into the hole. The finishing plug is shorter than the plastic cone so as to accommodate a tie rod portion which may project into the hole.

Parent Case Text

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of co-pending application Ser. No. 365,711, filed May 31, 1973, which in turn is a division of my application Ser. No. 264,013, filed June 6, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,208.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to finishing plugs, and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for forming flush wall surfaces on concrete walls.

It is common practice in the construction industry to maintain a predetermined spaced relationship between opposed wall forms by means of tie rod assemblies. These assemblies comprise steel tie rods having opposed shoulders and weakened sections adjacent the shoulders. A pair of rigid plastic cones are mounted on each tie rod on opposite sides of the shoulders.

In use, tie rod assemblies are installed between opposed wall forms and include portions projecting through the forms. Wedging apparatus is then positioned between the projecting ends of the tie rods and the wall forms and is utilized to force the wall forms inwardly. This causes the wall forms to engage the plastic cones and the plastic cones to engage the shoulders on the tie rods. By this means there is formed a very rigid assembly characterized by the desired spaced relationship between the opposed wall forms.

After all of the tie rod assemblies have been installed between a pair of opposed wall forms, concrete is poured into the space between the forms. The concrete is allowed to set whereby a concrete wall is formed between the forms. The wedging apparatus and the wall forms are then removed and are retained for subsequent utilization.

After the forms have been removed, the projecting ends of the tie rod assemblies are broken away. This is easily accomplished by simply twisting the projecting ends of each tie rod, whereby the tie rod snaps at its weakened sections. The projecting ends and the plastic cones are then pulled out of the wall and are discarded. At this point the wall comprises opposed wall surfaces which are substantially flat but which have holes in them corresponding in size and shape to the plastic cones of the tie rod assemblies.

Heretofore it has been the practice to fill the holes remaining in the concrete wall following the removal of plastic cones from the wall with a concrete mixture. There are several disadvantages to this procedure. Thus, union regulations require that the holes be filled by a relatively highly paid laborer known as a "finisher". It may also be necessary to employ an additional laborer merely to keep the concrete mixture at the proper consistency. The net result is that the costs involved in filling holes in concrete walls by this procedure are relatively high.

Another disadvantage to the present procedure is that due to shrinkage, each hole must be filled twice. That is, each hole is initially filled with the concrete mixture which is then allowed to set. As the concrete sets a dimple is formed which must subsequently be filled in order to provide a completely flush wall surface. The necessity of filling each hole twice causes the work of filling the holes to proceed quite slowly. By way of example, a finisher/laborer team is typically able to finish an average of only about twenty holes per hour.

The present invention comprises an improved method of and apparatus for filling holes resulting in concrete walls from the removal of the plastic cones therefrom. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, there is provided precast concrete finishing plugs which are similar in shape to the plastic cones. Following removal of the plastic cones from the wall the finishing plugs are mounted in the holes, whereby the holes are filled and a flush wall surface is formed.

In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, the finishing plugs are identical in shape to the outer portions of the plastic cones, but are substantially shorter than the plastic cones. By this means there is provided a void space at the inner end of each hole in the wall which accommodates any portion of the tie rod assembly that may project into the hole. The plugs are preferably installed by first coating the plugs with a liquid cementuous material and then tapping the plugs into the holes in the wall. After the liquid cementuous mixture sets, the plugs are permanently retained.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a wall form assembly which is utilized prior to the present invention to construct a concrete wall;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a concrete wall constructed by means of the wall form assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a finishing plug incorporating the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the results obtained by means of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the Drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a wall form assembly 10 which is utilized prior to the present invention to construct a concrete wall. The wall form assembly 10 includes a plurality of tie rod assemblies 12 each comprising an elongate central portion 14 and a pair of end portions 16. The central portion 14 is provided with opposed shoulders 18 and the end portions 16 are connected to the central portion 14 at weakened sections 20 located adjacent the shoulders 18. The end portions 16 extend to heads 22 comprising the opposite ends of the tie rod assembly 12.

Each tie rod assembly 12 further includes a pair of rigid cones 24 which are slidably received on the end portions 16 on the opposite sides of the shoulders 18. The cones 24 are typically formed from plastic and have the cross-section illustrated in FIG. 1. However, it will be understood that the cones 24 may comprise other cross-sections and may be formed from materials other than plastic, if desired.

In addition to the tie rod assemblies 12, the wall form assembly 10 includes opposed wall forms 26. The forms 26 are typically formed from wood or steel and are provided with spaced apertures 28. The diameters of the apertures 28 are such that the heads 22 of the tie rod assemblies 12 pass through the apertures 28 but the cones 24 do not.

In the use of the wall form assembly 10, the wall forms 26 are erected in spaced relation and the tie rod assemblies 12 are mounted between the forms 26 with the end portions 16 projecting through the apertures 28. A pair of wooden blocks 30 are then positioned adjacent each aperture 28 and a wedge 32 is engaged with each end portion 16 of each tie rod assembly 12. Each wedge 32 comprises a keyhole shaped slot 34 including a large diameter portion 36 which receives the head 22 at one end of a tie rod assembly 12 and a narrow portion 38 extending angularly outwardly from the large diameter portion 36.

After the wedges 32 are engaged with the tie rod assemblies 12 they are driven downwardly (FIG. 1). This applies an outwardly directed force to the tie rod assemblies 12 and an inwardly directed force to the blocks 30 and the wall forms 26. By this means the wall forms 26 are urged into engagement with the rigid cones 24, and the cones 24 are urged into engagement with the shoulders 18. Thus, when all the wedges 32 of the wall form assembly 10 have been fully seated the component parts of the wall form assembly 10 comprise a rigid structure which functions to maintain the wall forms 26 in the desired spaced relationship.

Upon completion of the foregoing procedure concrete is poured into the space between the wall forms 26. The concrete is allowed to set, whereupon the wedges 32, the wooden blocks 30 and the wall forms 26 are removed and are retained for subsequent use. The end portions 16 and rigid cones 24 of the tie rod assemblies 12 are then removed by twisting the end portions 16 to break the tie rod assemblies 12 at the weakened sections 20 and then pulling both the end portions 16 and the rigid cones 24 out of the concrete wall.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the result of the foregoing steps is a concrete wall 40. The wall 40 comprises opposed wall surfaces 42 having conical holes 44 formed in them. The holes 44 in the wall 40 correspond in size and shape to the rigid cones 24 of the tie rod assemblies 12. It will be noted, however, that ends of the central portions 14 of the tie rod assemblies 12 may extend into the holes 44.

In many instances the holes 44 in the wall 40 do not present a problem. Thus, if a particular wall surface 42 will be unexposed, or if a wall surface 42 will be covered with bricks, paneling, etc., the holes 44 in the wall surface are simply left unfilled. On the other hand, if a particular wall surface 42 will be painted or will be covered with wallpaper or the like, the wall surface must be completely flush. Heretofore this has been accomplished by filling the holes 44 in the wall surface 42 with wet concrete mixture.

The use of wet concrete to fill holes in a concrete wall is disadvantageous for a number of reasons. First, the concrete must be hand packed into the holes by a relatively highly paid laborer known as a "finisher." Second, it is necessary to employ a second laborer merely to maintain the concrete mixture at the proper consistency. Third, due to shrinkage, the initial quantity of concrete in each hole 44 forms a dimpled outer surface of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 by the dashed line 46. It is therefore necessary to refill each hole with additional concrete in order to provide a completely flush wall surface.

Because of the foregoing factors, the average rate at which holes in concrete walls can be filled by each finisher/laborer team is about 20 holes per hour. Due to the wages that must be paid to the finisher and to the laborer, the resulting cost of filling each hole is more than $1.00. It will therefore be appreciated that in a case of a typical concrete wall, the cost of filling the holes in the wall adds materially to the overall cost of finishing the wall.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a finishing plug 50 comprising the present invention. The plug 50 is precast from a mixture of Portland cement, sand, and water and is substantially identical in shape to the rigid cones 24 of the tie rod assemblies 12 that were used in forming the concrete wall 40. More particularly, the finishing plugs 50 are identical in size and shape to the outer portions of the holes 44 in the wall 40, but are substantially shorter than the holes so as to accommodate the ends of the central portions 14 of the tie rod assemblies 12 which may extend into the holes. Each finishing plug 50 comprises a flat, circular end surface 52 which is identical in diameter to the diameter of the holes 44 at the wall surface 42.

In the practice of the invention, the finishing plugs 50 of the type shown in FIG. 3 are manufactured at a facility remote from the construction site and are thereafter transported to the construction site in bulk. Prior to installation the finishing plugs 50 may be pre-soaked in water, if desired. Also prior to installation there is prepared a liquid cementuous material comprising one pint Grace Darweld C or equivalent, about one quart water depending on temperature, and one gallon Portland cement. The resulting mixture is stirred to the consistency of paint, whereupon 50 to 100 finishing plugs 50 are placed in the material. The finishing plugs 50 are then placed in the holes 44 of the concrete wall 40 and are tapped into the holes until the end surfaces 52 of the finishing plugs 50 are flush with the wall surface 42 of the wall 40. The liquid cementuous material is then allowed to set, whereupon there is provided a completely flush wall surface.

The results of the use of the invention are illustrated in FIG. 4. Each finishing plug 50 is snugly engaged with the interior of its corresponding hole 44 in the wall 40, and the end surface 52 of each plug 50 extends flush with the wall surface 42 of the wall 40. However, the innermost portion of the hole 44 is left open so as to accommodate the end of the central portion 14 of the tie rod assembly 12 which may project into the hole 44. The open interior of the hole 44 also creates a partial vacuum which tends to retain the finishing plug 50 in the hole 44 until the liquid cementuous material is set.

When finishing plugs 50 have been installed in all of the holes 44 in a particular wall surface 42 and the liquid cementuous material that was utilized in installing the finishing plugs has set, the wall surface 42 is sanded. It has been found that following sanding it is impossible to distinguish the portions of the wall surface 42 comprising the end surfaces 52 of the finishing plugs 50 from the remainder of the wall surface. On completion of the sanding operation, the wall surface is ready for further finishing, such as the application of wall paper, painting, or the like.

The use of the present invention results in numerous advantages over the prior art. First, the holes in a wall may be filled about twenty times faster by means of finishing plugs incorporating the present invention than by means of packing the holes with concrete. Thus, the wall surface is ready for sanding and final finishing much more quickly than would otherwise be the case. Second, although it is necessary to employ a finisher to install the finishing plugs, it is not necessary to employ a laborer to assist the finisher. These factors result in an overall reduction of the cost of filling each hole in a concrete wall by at least 80 percent. This in turn materially reduces the overall cost of finishing the wall surface.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the present invention is readily adaptable to various particular requirements. Thus, the shape of the finishing plugs may be altered in order to match the shape of particular plastic cones. The mixture used in casting the finishing plugs may also be altered, if desired. Finally, any suitable rigid cementuous material may be used in installing the finishing plugs.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

a concrete wall of the type formed by positioning assemblies including tie rods having opposed shoulders and plastic cones mounted on the opposite sides of the shoulders between forms with the plastic cones engaging the forms and the shoulders of the tie rods to maintain a spaced relationship between the forms, pouring concrete into the space between the forms, setting the concrete to form a wall, and then removing the forms and the plastic cones to expose at least one wall surface having a plurality of conical holes therein each corresponding to a removed plastic cone;

each of said conical holes in the exposed wall surface having a predetermined diameter at the wall surface, a predetermined conical taper and a predetermined depth; and

a plurality of precast concrete plugs each filling one of the conical holes in the wall surface to provide an entirely flush exposed wall surface of the concrete wall;

each of said precast concrete plugs having a flat circular end surface positioned flush with the exposed wall surface of the concrete wall and being substantially equal in diameter to the diameter of the conical holes in the wall at the wall surface, having a conical taper substantially equal to the conical taper of the conical holes in the wall, and being substantially shorter than the conical holes in the wall and thereby accommodating tie rod portions extending beyond the shoulders into the conical holes in the wall.