Consumable assembly for forming a concrete wall structure, a concrete wall structure formed with the assembly and a side plate for use in the assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a consumable assembly (10) for forming a concrete wall structure (11). The assembly comprises side plates (12) having major planar sections (13) forming opposite sides of the wall structure (11) and peripheral edge flanges (14, 15, 16, 17) substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections (13) of the side plates (12). The assembly further comprises transverse tie members (18) for interconnecting side plates (12) belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure (11) and hold the side plates (12) in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other. The edge flanges (14, 15, 16, 17) of the side plates (12) are separated from the major planar sections by grooves (19).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a consumable assembly for forming a concrete wall structure; The invention also relates to a concrete wall structure formed by such a consumable assembly and to a tie member and a side plate used in the consumable assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has been disclosed in the prior art that a consumable assembly may be used to form a concrete wall structure. In the context of this application, the term “consumable assembly” should be understood as an assembly that itself will form a part of the completed wall structure and is thus “consumed” when it is used for its intended purpose. Such an assembly is described and illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,349. The assembly described in that patent includes a pair of spaced apart side plates that are in parallel arrangement and interconnected at their respective ends by transverse tie members. A plurality of these assemblies can be united to form building structure walls and then upon completion the assemblies are filled with concrete to complete the wall structure. A similar design is also disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,847. The kind of assembly disclosed in these patents has been used in many practical applications and has proven itself as being a cost-effective and reliable tool for forming concrete walls. However, practical experience of using such assemblies has revealed that they have certain limitations. One such limitation is that it is difficult to form in one step a concrete structure that is higher than about 1.2 m. The reason for this is that, before the concrete has hardened, the wet concrete exerts a high pressure on the side plates. As a result, individual side plates may flex and attain a curved shape instead of the desired planar shape. The pressure exerted by the wet concrete is proportional to the height of the structure and the outward pressure is highest at the bottom of the structure. As the concrete hardens, the pressure gradually decreases to almost zero. Therefore, assemblies of this kind typically use at least a two-step method where a plurality of side plates are first joined to each other to form opposite sides of a wall structure having a height up to about 1.2 m (about 4 feet). Thereafter, concrete is filled into the space between the opposite sides of the structure. When the concrete has hardened, the next level can be formed above the first level. The boundaries between different side plates may also be difficult to seal. Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a consumable assembly that offers improved possibilities to cast relatively high concrete walls in one single step. Another object of the present invention is to provide a consumable assembly where the boundaries between neighbouring side plates may be efficiently sealed. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an assembly that is more flexible and allows builders a higher degree of design freedom. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a consumable assembly for forming a concrete wall structure. The consumable assembly comprises side plates having major planar sections forming opposite sides of the wall structure to be formed. The side plates comprise peripheral edge flanges substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections of the side plates. Furthermore, the assembly comprises transverse tie members for interconnecting side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure and hold the side plates in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one edge flange of a side plate is separated from the major planar section of the side plate by a groove or notch such as a channel-shaped step. In a preferred embodiment, each flange of a side plate is separated from the major planar section of the side plate by a reinforcement groove so that the major planar section is surrounded by such grooves. The groove that separates the edge flange or edge flanges from the major planar section can be accomplished by, for example, a bending operation where a metal sheet used to form the side plate is bent both to form an edge flange at right angles to the major planar section and additionally to form the groove that separates the edge flange from the major planar section. The groove(s) can thus be understood as a profiled or curved part of the side plate that is/are located intermediate the major planar section and the edge flange(s) but does not form a part of the major planar section or of the edge flange. The groove or profiled part of the side plate may have, for example, an L-shaped cross section but other cross sections can also be contemplated. For example, the cross section of the groove may be a curved cross section with a round curve. The inventor has found that such a design where grooves separates the edge flanges from the major planar sections of the side plates becomes stiffer. Therefore, such side plates do not flex or bend as easily as side plates without such a groove. Consequently, it becomes possible to form higher concrete wall structures in one single step.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the side plates are designed such that each edge flange is substantially planar without projections so that the planar edge flanges of two adjacent side plates may be brought into contact with each other and the edge flanges have through-holes such that adjacent side plates can be joined to each other by fasteners extending through the through-holes of edge flanges of adjacent side plates. Preferably, at least some of the side plates are designed such that each edge flange is provided with through-holes and in that the through-holes of each edge flange are spaced at uniform distances such that the through-holes in the edge flange of one side plate can be made to coincide with through-holes in the edge flange of another side plate when one of the side plates is placed vertically on top of the other. Such a design of the side plates can be combined with fastening elements separate from the side plates themselves. An advantage of such a design is that it becomes easier to combine side plates with each other regardless of the orientation of the side plates in relation to each other. If the fastening elements are separate from the side plates and any edge flange on a side plate can be brought into contact with any edge flange of an adjacent side plate, this allows the builder great freedom in combining different side plates with each other.

The transverse tie members used in the consumable assembly are preferably provided with guide structure to hold the side plates and their edge flanges in vertical alignment when the tie members are connected in situ to interconnect side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure. The guide structure comprises supporting extensions designed to extend to an interior surface of the side plate planar section when the tie members are connected in situ. In an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, the supporting extensions are spaced from each other and separated from each other by a cutout or groove in the tie member In this way, a tie member may straddle the edge flanges of two adjacent side plates and allow supporting extensions of one and the same tie member to contact different but neighbouring side plates. It should be understood that the tie member can then be connected to both of the neighbouring side plates. The transverse tie members may be provided with lugs or tabs that can be inserted through the through-holes of adjacent side plates to connect adjacent side plates to each other. The neighbouring side plates thus connected to each other may be side plates on the same horizontal level but may also be side plates vertically stacked upon each other. The tie member is preferably a rigid plate-like member and thus a substantially planar element The tie member or tie members may be formed of, for example, sheet metal. Normally, the tie member will be connected to the side plates in such a way that the body of the substantially planar tie member extends in a vertical plane. The supporting extensions will then be spaced from each other in the vertical dimension when the tie member is connected in situ and straddling two side plates of which one is placed vertically on top of the other.

The transverse tie members may further be provided with structure defining grooves in which insulating panels may be inserted and held between side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure. The insulating panels reduce the amount of heat energy that travels through the wall. The transverse tie members may also be provided with cutouts for holding and supporting concrete reinforcing rods.

The invention also relates to a concrete wall structure comprising a plurality of side plates having major planar sections forming opposite sides of the wall structure between which at least one layer of concrete is placed. The side plates of the wall structure are provided with peripheral edge flanges substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections of the side plates and the wall structure further comprises transverse tie members interconnecting side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure and holding said side plates in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjacent edge flanges of at least two neighbouring side plates are separated from the major planar section of their respective side plate by a groove or notch such as a channel-shaped step in such a way that the grooves of the adjacent edge flanges together form a channel separating the major planar sections of the neighbouring side plates from each other. The channel or channels that separate the major planar sections of neighbouring plates from each other can be used for sealing purposes. A sealing compound can be placed in the channel or channels. The sealing compound may be, for example, curable caulking.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one insulating panel is located in the space separating opposite sides of the wall structure such that the concrete wall structure is a sandwich structure comprising at least one layer formed by an insulating panel and at least two concrete layers separated from each other by the at least one insulating panel. Of course, the wall structure may comprise more than one insulating panel. For example, the wall structure may be a sandwich structure having two insulating panels and three layers of concrete. From one side of the wall to the opposite side of the wall, the structure could thus comprise a side panel, a first concrete layer, a first insulating panel, a second concrete layer, a second insulating panel, a third concrete layer and finally the side panel of the opposite side of the wall. The insulating panels can be made of, for example, polystyrene foam. The thickness of the wall structure may typically be about 200 mm-300 mm although it should be understood that the thickness may be less than 200 mm or more than 300 mm. In fact, a wall structure according to the present invention could have a thickness of no more than about 100 mm. The transverse tie members of the wall structure may be provided with structure such as tabs or lugs that define grooves in which the ends of the at least one insulating panel may be inserted and held between side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure.

Although the invention has been explained in terms of cooperating elements belonging to the same assembly or wall structure, it should be understood that the tie member described above may be used also in combination with side plates different from the side plates described above. It should also be understood that the side plates described above can also be used together with tie members of conventional design.

The major planar section of the side plates may be provided with outwardly projecting louvered slot arrangements in order to provide projections upon which finishing materials may be anchored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a consumable wall forming assembly.

FIG. 2A is front view of a rectangular side plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a view from above of a side plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 2C is a view from below of a side plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 2D is a side view of a side plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 2E is a front view of a metal sheet that intended to be formed to a side plate.

FIG. 2F is a front view of a square side plate.

FIG. 2G is a front view of a metal sheet intended to be formed to a square side plate.

FIG. 3 is an enlargement of a section of FIG. 2D.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a tie member according to a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a metal sheet intended to be formed to the tie member that is shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the tie member shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7A is a front view of a metal sheer intended to be formed to a tie member according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7B is a front view similar to FIG. 7A but showing how lugs of the tie member have been bent to form a 90° angle with the main body of the tie member.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the tie member shown in FIG. 7B.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing how a tie member straddles the edge flanges of two adjacent side plates.

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged part of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11A is a front view of an external surface of a wall structure.

FIG. 11B is a view corresponding to FIG. 10 where a sealing compound has been placed in the channel that separates the major planar sections of neighbouring side plates from each other.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of how a wall may be formed using a consumable assembly.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a consumable assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a wall structure.

FIG. 15 shows a detail from FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 illustrates how the detail of FIG. 15 may be accomplished.

FIG. 17 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a wall structure.

FIG. 18 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the detail illustrated in FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 cross-sectional view from above of yet another consumable wall forming assembly and wall structure.

FIG. 20 is a front view of the wall forming assembly illustrated in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a side plate according to another embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view from above illustrating an embodiment of a concrete wall structure.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view from above illustrating an embodiment of a detail shown in FIG. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 13 illustrate a consumable assembly 10 for forming a concrete wall structure. The assembly comprises side plates 12 having major planar sections 13 that form opposite sides of the wall structure that is formed by using the consumable assembly. The major planar sections 13 have exterior surfaces that do not come into contact with the concrete. The side plates have peripheral edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections 13 of the side plates 12. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the side plates 12 are rectangular side plates 12 having four side flanges 14, 15, 16, 17. However, other shapes than rectangular could be considered. For example, a triangular or hexagonal shape could be considered. The rectangular side plates 12 may have a square shape but non-square rectangular shapes may also be used. A side plate 12 with square shape may realistically have sides of about 200 mm. A rectangular side plate 12 with a non-square shape may have short sides of about 200 mm and long sides of about 400 mm. It should be understood that the dimensions mentioned are only examples of what may be realistic practical embodiments and that the side plates could also have other dimensions. The assembly 10 further comprises transverse tie members 18 for interconnecting side plates 12 belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure 11 and hold the side plates 12 in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other. As best seen in FIGS. 2B-2D and FIG. 3, at least one edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 of a side plate 12 is separated from the major planar section 13 of the side plate by a groove 19. Parallel edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 have parallel grooves such that the grooves 19 of adjacent plates 12 can cooperate with each other in a way that will be explained below. The groove 19 is a reinforcement groove 19 that can be described as a curved section of the side plate 12 that is located intermediate the major planar section 13 and the edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 and forms a transition between the major planar section 13 and the edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17. The groove 19 is inwardly curved such that planar edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 of adjacent side plates 12 can bear on each other and be flush without being obstructed by the grooves 19. The grooves 19 are visible when one looks at the exterior (front) surface of a plate 12. When one plate 12 is placed on top of another plate, the lower edge flange 17 of the upper plate 12 will rest directly on the upper edge flange 15 of the lower plate 12. Therefore, when one side plate is placed on top of another side plate, the grooves 19 of adjacent edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 that are brought into contact with each other will form a channel that separates the exterior (front) surfaces of the major planar sections 13 of neighbouring side plates 12 from each other. It should be understood that the term “exterior surfaces” refers to those surfaces of the side plates that are exterior surfaces when the assembly has been put together. The side plates 12 are preferably rectangular side plates 12 having four edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 and preferably, each edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 of a side plate 12 is separated from the major planar section 13 of the side plate by a groove 19. The side plates 12 can be made of sheet metal, for sheers of galvanizes steel. A suitable thickness for the sheets should preferably be 0.65 mm or more. A certain minimum thickness is desirable for stiffness. It is preferable that each plate has at least a pair of parallel edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 that are separated from the major planar section by grooves 19.

As indicated in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A-2G, the edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 can have through-holes 20 such that adjacent side plates 12 can be joined to each other by fasteners 21 extending through the through-holes 20 of edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 of adjacent side plates 12. The through-holes 20 are suitably shaped as elongate slots 20. The fasteners 21 may be lugs or tabs integral with upper edge flanges 15 of the side plates 12 as indicated in FIG. 2A. However, the fasteners 21 may also be loose elements 21 that are separate from the side plates 12 and shaped as tabs. If this is the case, it becomes easier to combine different side plates with each other regardless of their orientation relative to each other. Fasteners 21, for example fasteners shaped as tabs, can be inserted through the through-holes 20 of adjacent side plates. The fastener 21 is then bent or twisted so that the adjacent side plates become locked to each other. The fasteners 21 are preferably metal fasteners that can be stamped from sheet metal.

At least some of the side plates 12 are designed such that each edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 is substantially planar without projections such that the planar edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 of two adjacent side plates 12 may be brought into contact with each other and in that each edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 is provided with through-holes 20, the through-holes 20 of each edge flange 14, 15,16, 17 being spaced at uniform distances such that the through-holes 20 in the edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 of one side plate 12 can be made to coincide with through-holes 20 in the edge flange 14, 15, 16, 17 of another side plate 12 when one of the side plates 12 is placed vertically on top of the other. If the fasteners 21 are integral with the side plates 12 as indicated in, for example, FIGS. 2A and 2D, one side plate 12 may be placed on top of another side plate such that the lower edge flange 17 of the top side plate is placed on the upper edge flange 15 of the lower side plate. Fasteners 21 integral with the upper edge flange 15 of the lower side plate will then pass through the elongate slots 20 (through-holes) in the lower edge flange 17 of the upper side plate. The fasteners 21 can then be bent or twisted such that the side plates 12 are locked to each other. As indicated in FIG. 2A, the fasteners 21 can also be separate elements. In that case, the side plates 12 can be made without integral fasteners 21. Instead, all edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 have through-holes 20 (such as elongate slots 20) spaced from each other at uniform distances, e.g. at uniform distances from the corners of the side plates. This makes it easier to combine different side plates 12 with each other, for example if it is desirable to combine side plates 12 having different dimensions and/or different orientation. With such a system, the separate fasteners 21 can be used in substantially the same way as integral fasteners, i.e. they are inserted through elongates lots 20 in the edge flanges of adjacent side plates. Thereafter, the fasteners are bent and/or twisted or deformed in some other way. As an alternative to tabs that are bent or twisted, other fasteners can be considered, for example rivets or screws.

As shown in FIGS. 4-9, the transverse tie members 18 are provided with guide structure to hold the side plates 12 and their edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 in vertical alignment when the tie members 18 are connected in situ to interconnect side plates 12 belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure 11, the guide structure comprising supporting extensions 22, 23 designed to extend to an interior surface 24 of the side plate planar section 13 when the tie members 18 are connected in situ and the supporting extensions 22, 23 being spaced from each other and separated from each other by a cutout or groove 25 in the tie member 18 such that a tie member 18 may straddle the edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 of two adjacent side plates 12 to allow supporting extensions 22, 23 of one and the same tie member 18 to contact different but neighbouring side plates 12. In FIGS. 9 and 10, it can be seen how a transverse tie member 18 is placed straddling the edge flanges of two adjacent side plates. The cutout 25 in the tie member allows the tie member 18 to be connected to the side plates 12 without being obstructed by the edge flanges 15, 17 of the adjacent side plates. At the same time, the supporting extensions 22, 23 reach the interior surface 24 of both side plates 12 and keep them in vertical alignment. The transverse tie members 18 are preferably rigid plate-like members 18 and the supporting extensions 22, 23 for holding side plates 12 in vertical alignment are normally spaced from each other in the vertical dimension when the tie members 18 are connected in situ.

It should be noted that FIG. 2E and FIG. 2F illustrates metal sheets that have not yet been completely formed into side plates ready for use. The edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 have not yet been bent to be perpendicular to the major planar section 13 of the side plates 12.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the transverse tie members 18 are provided with lugs 26 that can be inserted through the through-holes 20 of adjacent side plates 12 to connect adjacent side plates 12 to each other. In FIG. 4, FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, it can be seen that the transverse tie members 18 are further provided with structure 27 defining grooves 28 in which insulating panels 29 may be inserted and held between side plates 12 belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure 11. The structure 27 that defines grooves 28 may be pairs of extensions that are integral parts of the tie member 18. The pairs of extension 27 extend substantially perpendicular to the planar surface of the tie member 18 and may be formed by cutting and bending portions of the tie member 18.

As can be seen in for example FIG. 1, FIG. 4, FIG. 7A and FIG. 13, the transverse tie members 18 can be provided with cutouts 30 for holding and supporting concrete reinforcing rods 50. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the transverse tie members 18 can also have a through-hole 500 located between two vertically spaced cutouts 30. This creates a section of the tie members 18 where there is less material through which heat energy can travel. This improves the insulating properties of the wall structure. For reasons of mechanical strength, the through-hole 500 is preferably round, e.g. circular. The through-hole 500 also makes it possible for concrete to flow through the tie members 18.

It should be noted that, in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7A, the tie member 18 is illustrated in a state before the lugs 26 have been bent to be substantially perpendicular to the planar surface of the tie member 18. In FIGS. 6, 7B and 8, the tie member 18 is illustrated in a state after the lugs 26 have been bent to be substantially perpendicular to the planar surface of the tie member 18.

When the consumable assembly 10 has been put together as indicated in FIG. 13, one or several insulating panels 29 may be placed between the opposite sides of the structure. The insulating panel 29 will then be held in the grooves 28 of the tie members 18. The assembly 10 can then be filled with concrete as indicated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12, a method is illustrated where wet concrete is fed from a vehicle 100 through a hose 110 to a consumable assembly 10 to form a concrete wall structure.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 9, 10 and 14. The invention also relates to a concrete wall structure 11 comprising a plurality of side plates 12. The side plates 12 have major planar sections that form opposite sides of the wall structure. At least one layer of concrete 40 is placed between the opposite sides of the wall structure. The side plates 12 are provided with peripheral edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections 13 of the side plates 12. As can be seen in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, side plates are placed on each other in such a way that the lower edge flange of an upper side plate is resting directly on the upper edge flange of a lower side plate. The wall structure further comprises transverse tie members 18 that interconnect side plates 18 belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure and hold the side plates 12 in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the adjacent edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 of at least two neighbouring side plates 12 are separated from the major planar section 13 of their respective side plate 12 by a groove 19 that is externally visible. In such a way, the grooves 19 of the adjacent edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 17 together form a channel 31 that separates the exterior (front) surfaces of the major planar sections 13 of the neighbouring side plates 12 from each other. In the channel 31, a sealing compound may be placed. In this way, it becomes easier to seal the wall structure. In FIG. 11A, a front view of a wall structure is presented where channels 31 separate the major planar sections 13 of neighbouring side plates 12 from each other. In FIG. 11B, it can be seen how a sealing compound 32 has been placed in the channel(s) 31.

As can be seen in FIG. 14, at least one insulating panel 29 is located in the space separating opposite sides of the wall structure such that the concrete wall structure 11 is a sandwich structure. The sandwich structure comprises at least one layer formed by an insulating panel 29 and at least two concrete layers 40 separated from each other by the at least one insulating panel 29.

A further aspect of the invention will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 13-16. As indicated in FIG. 13, the consumable assembly 10 may include a foot block 60 that is placed at the bottom of the structure. The foot block 60 can be made of sheet metal and be provided with edge flanges similar to the edge flanges 14, 15, 16 17 of the side plates 12. The foot block 60 is normally larger than the side plates 12. In a realistic embodiment, the foot block 60 may have a height of about 60 cm and a width of about 240 cm. The relative proportions indicated in FIG. 13 between the side plates 12 and the foot block 60 can thus be regarded as belonging to a realistic embodiment. The foot block 60 has a broad foot 70 that will provide stability for the foot block when the foot block 60 is placed on the ground. The foot 70 may be filled with concrete. The breadth of the foot 70 may be about 10-20 cm. The foot block 60 is preferably integral with the foot 70. The foot block 60 and the foot 70 can be formed from a metal sheet that is bent into the form illustrated in FIG. 13. The foot 70 contacts the ground below with a substantially planar section 80 at the lowest part of the foot 70. The planar section 80 may be provided with a part 90 that has been partially separated from the rest of the section 80. If desired, the part 90 that is partially separated from the rest of the planar section can be bent upwards to form a support 90 for a reinforcement rod 50 as indicated in FIG. 16. In FIG. 15, it can be seen how a reinforcement rod 50 is resting in a supporting groove 95 in the support 90. It should be understood that, at the other end of the foot block 60, there is at least one additional support 90 such that a reinforcement rod 50 can be supported at a certain distance above the level of the planar section 80. The reinforcement rod 50 acts as a reinforcement rod for concrete when the consumable assembly is used to form a concrete wall. The foot 70 of the foot block 60 can then be filled with concrete. In FIG. 15, it can also be seen how a tongue 91 in the planar section 80 that is left after the support 90 has been bent upwards can be used to secure the planar section 80 to an insulating panel 29 placed under the foot block 60. The tongue 91 is preferably a pointed tongue. The pointed tongue 91 is bent downwards and pressed into the soft material of the insulating panel 29. The shape of the pointed tongue 91 corresponds to or mirrors the shape of a part of the support 90.

Reference is now made to FIG. 17. In FIG. 17, a concrete wall structure 11 is illustrated that uses a foot block 60 similar to the foot block 60 illustrated in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. However, in the wall structure illustrated in FIG. 17, the foot block 60 has been turned upside-down such that the foot 70 is now at the top of the foot block 60. In this position, the foot 70 can serve as a support for the next floor of a building that incorporates the concrete wall structure. In FIG. 17, a slab 75 is shown resting on the foot 70. The slab 75 forms a ceiling for one storey in a building that incorporates the wall structure 11 and a floor for the next storey. Just like the foot block 60 of FIG. 14, the foot block 60 shown in FIG. 17 has a support 90 partially separated from a plan top section of the foot block 60. The support 90 can be bent downwards to form a support for a reinforcement rod 50. However, since the foot block 60 illustrated in FIG. 17 is so oriented that the foot 70 is at the top of the structure, the support 90 has been given a shape that differs from the shape disclosed in FIG. 15. The support illustrated in FIG. 14 has a rod-receiving groove 95 in which a reinforcement rod 50 may be placed such that the reinforcement rod 50 is resting on the support 90. The rod-receiving groove 95 is upwardly open when the support 90 is bent upwards from the planar section 80. This structure may provide support for a rod 50 that is resting on the support 90 but it cannot provide support for a reinforcement rod if the foot block 60 is turned upside-down. However, the foot block 60 illustrated in FIG. 17 may have a slightly different shape as illustrated more clearly in FIG. 18. In FIG. 18, it can be seen that the support 90 has a groove 96 that is upwardly open when the foot block 60 is turned upside-down. In this way, the support 90 can be used also when the foot block 60 is turned upside-down. The support 90 illustrated in FIG. 18 also has a groove 95 that is upwardly open when the foot block 60 is oriented such that the foot 70 is at the bottom of the structure. In this way, the support 90 has a support groove in which a supporting rod 50 may rest regardless of whether the foot block 60 is oriented with the foot 70 in a bottom position or a top position. Variations are possible. For example, the grooves 95, 96 illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 18 can be replaced by a hole in the support 90 that shaped in such a way that it completely surrounds the reinforcement rod 50. It should be understood that the idea of using a support 90 that can be bent upwards is an idea that can be used independently of the other features disclosed in this application. Hence, the applicant may claim independent patent protection for that feature.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 19-21. In FIG. 21, it can be seen how a side plate 12 for a consumable wall forming assembly has a major planar section 13 that is covered by strips 120 of double-sided adhesive tape. The strips 120 have a removable liner 121. When the side plates 12 are manufactured, strips 120 of double-sided tape can be applied to the front of the side plates 12 such that an adhesive on the back of the strips will fasten the strips to the side plates 12. Adhesive on the other side of the tape is covered by the liner 121. When the consumable assembly has been used to form a concrete wall structure, the liner 121 may be removed from the strips 120 on the side plate 12 such that an adhesive surface 122 of the tape becomes exposed. It is then possible to use place a covering element against the side plate and secure it such that the double-sided tape on the strips 120 fastens the covering element to the side plate 12. The covering element may be, for example, a gypsum board. In this way, a method for making wall structures is provided which includes the above-mentioned steps of using a side plate with a double-sided tape, removing the liner and adding a covering element. It should be understood that the idea of using side plates with strips of double-sided adhesive tape can advantageously be used in combination with the kind of side plates described with reference to FIGS. 2A-3. However, it should also be understood that any kind of side plate for a consumable wall forming assembly might be provided with strips 120 of double-sided adhesive tape. It should also be understood that patent rights for the use of double-sided adhesive tape for a side plate of a consumable assembly may claimed independently.

Yet another use of double-sided tape will now be explained with reference to FIG. 19 and FIG. 20. Sometimes, it may be desirable to use side plates that are very wide. As has been explained above, a rectangular side plate can realistically have a width of 200-400 mm. However, the side plates can also be much wider. In such cases, the distance between the edge flanges 14, 16 that are used for connecting the side plates by means of tie bars 18 becomes much larger. As a consequence, the tie bars 18 will become more spaced from each other and may become so much separated from each other that they are unable to prevent the side plate 12 from flexing and attain a curved shape when wet concrete is poured into the consumable assembly. To overcome this problem, strips 120 of double-sided adhesive tape can be placed against an interior surface 24 of the side plates 12. The side plates 12 are delivered to the building site with the strips 120 applied to the side plates but the removable liner still covers the tape. During assembly, the liner is removed and angle bars 130 are pressed against the strips 120 and become fastened to the interior surface 24 of the side plate 12. The angle bars 130 can have through-holes 20 similar to the through-holes 20 in the edge flanges 14, 15, 16, 16. Side plates 12 belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure can then be joined by tie members 18 provided with lugs 26 that are inserted in the through-holes 20 of the angle bars 130. As indicated in FIG. 19, the tie members 18 may be provided with structure to hold insulating panels 29. FIG. 20 is a front view of one of the side plates 12 illustrated in

FIG. 19. In FIG. 20, a possible positioning of the double-sided tape is indicated. By using strips 120 of double-sided tape on the interior surface of the side plate 12, it becomes possible to fasten angle irons 130 and hence also to hold together very wide side plates 12 by tie members 18. It should be understood that the term “interior surface” refers to those surfaces of the side plates 12 that are facing each other when the assembly has been put together as indicated in FIG. 19.

A suitable double-sided tape may be, for example, the tape sold by 3M under the name 3M™ VHB™ Tape 4611. The side plate 12 can be, for example, such a side plate that has been described above with reference to FIGS. 2A-2G and FIG. 3. However, the basic idea of using double-sided adhesive tape on an interior surface of a side plate in order to fasten elements such as angle irons 130 can be used on any kind of side plate for a consumable wall forming assembly. Similarly, the idea of using double-sided adhesive tape on an interior surface of a side plate in order to fasten elements such as angle irons 130 can be used in combination with such a tie member 18 as has been described above with reference to FIGS. 4-8 but it can also be used in combination with any kind of tie member for a consumable assembly.

In FIG. 22, a different embodiment of a wall structure is illustrated. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view from above where an empty space 400 has been created inside the wall structure. The empty space 400 can be used for water pipes 200. The empty space 400 can be accomplished by using narrower insulating panels 29N held in the grooves 28 of tie members 18. The same tie members 18 that hold the narrower insulating panels 29N also hold wider insulating panels 29. Lugs 27 of the tie members 28 may actually penetrate and extend into the body of the wider insulating panels 29. The empty space 400 can also be used for other purposes, e.g. electrical cables or ventilation. The empty space 400 can also improve heat insulating properties of the wall structure. It can also suppress sound. The tie members 18 and side panels 12 used in the wall structure illustrated in FIG. 22 are preferably shaped as the side plates and tie members illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2G, FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4-8 but other tie members and side plates can also be used for the wall structure illustrated in FIG. 22.

FIG. 23 illustrates a narrower insulating panel 29N that can be used in connection with an empty space 400 in a wall structure. This narrow insulating panel 29N has a groove 300 so that a large diameter water pipe 200 can be received in the empty space 400.

The various elements described above such as the side plate with the reinforcement grooves, the tie member and the foot block may advantageously be combined with each other but can also be used in combination with conventional elements. For example, the inventive side plates may be used together with conventional tie members and be combined to a wall forming assembly and used to form a wall.

The use of side plates with a reinforcement groove makes it possible to form higher wall structures in one single step without substantial deformation of individual side plates. Furthermore, it becomes easier to apply a sealing compound between adjacent side plates. Since the channel formed by the grooves of adjacent plates is externally visible and accessible after concrete has been poured into the assembly, it is easy to apply a sealing compound. The exterior (outer) surfaces of the plates that do not come into contact with the concrete will thus be separated also by the sealing compound The use of tie members with supporting extensions that can straddle the edge flanges of adjacent side plates makes it possible to increase flexibility and combine side plates with each other in many more ways than otherwise possible. In addition, the same cutouts that enable the supporting extensions to straddle the edge flanges also make it easier for the concrete to flow without being unnecessarily obstructed. The use of a foot block as described above provides a structure with a high degree of stability. Additionally, a foot block can be turned upside down as described to provide support for a slab that forms a floor. The use of double-sided adhesive tape makes it possible to hold together side plates that are very wide. Additionally, the use of double-sided tape makes it possible to secure covering elements such as gypsum board directly on the wall structure to become a part of the wall structure.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A consumable assembly for forming a concrete wall structure, the assembly comprising side plates having major planar sections forming opposite sides of the wall structure and peripheral edge flanges substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections of the side plates, the assembly further comprising transverse tie members for interconnecting side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure and hold said side plates in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other, wherein parallel edge flanges of the side plates are separated from the major planar section of the side plate by grooves, such that, when two side plates are brought together, the grooves of adjacent plates form a channel that separates the exterior surfaces of the two plates and is externally visible.

17. A consumable assembly according to claim 16, wherein the side plates are rectangular side plates having four edge flanges and in that each edge flange of a side plate is separated from the major planar section of the side plate by a groove.

18. A consumable assembly according to claim 16, wherein the edge flanges have through-holes such that adjacent side plates can be joined to each other by fasteners extending through the through-holes of edge flanges of adjacent side plates.

19. A consumable assembly according to claim 16, wherein the transverse tie members are provided with guide structure to hold the side plates and their edge flanges in vertical alignment when the tie members are connected in situ to interconnect side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure, the guide structure comprising supporting extensions designed to extend to an interior surface of the side plate planar section when the tie members are connected in situ and the supporting extensions being spaced from each other and separated from each other by a cutout or groove in the tie member such that a tie member may straddle the edge flanges of two adjacent side plates to allow supporting extensions of one and the same tie member to contact different but neighbouring side plates.

20. A consumable assembly according to claim 19, wherein the transverse tie members are provided with lugs that can be inserted through the through-holes of adjacent side plates to connect adjacent side plates to each other and in that the transverse tie members further are provided with structure defining grooves in which insulating panels may be inserted and held between side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure.

21. A consumable assembly according to claim 20, wherein the transverse tie members are provided with cutouts for holding and supporting concrete reinforcing rods.

22. A consumable assembly according to claim 21, wherein the transverse tie members are rigid plate-like members and in that the supporting extensions for holding side plates in vertical alignment are spaced from each other in the vertical dimension when the tie members are connected in situ.

23. A consumable assembly according to claim 18, wherein at least some of the side plates are designed such that each edge flange is substantially planar without projections such that the planar edge flanges of two adjacent side plates may be brought into contact with each other and in that each edge flange is provided with through-holes, the through-holes of each edge flange being spaced at uniform distances such that the through-holes in the edge flange of one side plate can be made to coincide with through-holes in the edge flange of another side plate when one of the side plates is placed vertically on top of the other.

24. A concrete wall structure comprising a plurality of side plates having major planar sections with exterior surfaces and forming opposite sides of the wall structure between which at least one layer of concrete is placed, the side plates being provided with peripheral edge flanges substantially perpendicular to the major planar sections of the side plates and holding said side plates in a spaced apart substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other, wherein the adjacent edge flanges of at least two neighbouring side plates are separated from the major planar section of their respective side plate by a groove in such a way that the grooves of the adjacent edge flanges together form a channel separating the exterior surfaces of the major planar sections of the neighbouring side plates from each other.

25. A concrete wall structure according to claim 24, wherein at least one insulating panel is located in the space separating opposite sides of the wall structure such that the concrete wall structure is a sandwich structure comprising at least one layer formed by an insulating panel and at least two concrete layers separated from each other by the at least one insulating panel.

26. A concrete wall structure according to claim 25, wherein the transverse tie members are provided with structure defining grooves in which the ends of the at least one insulating panel may be inserted and held between side plates belonging to opposite sides of the wall structure.

27. A concrete wall structure according to claim 24, wherein a sealing compound is placed in the channel or channels separating the major planar sections of neighbouring side plates from each other.

28. A rectangular side plate for a consumable wall assembly, the side plate having a major planar section and peripheral edge flanges substantially perpendicular to the major planar section of the side plate, at least some of the edge flanges having through-holes enabling fasteners to be inserted such that the side plate can be connected to another side plate having an edge flange with a corresponding through-hole or a lug, wherein at least one edge flange of the side plate is separated from the major planar section of the side plate by a groove.

29. A side plate according to claim 28, wherein the major planar section is provided with outwardly projecting louvered slot arrangements in order to provide projections upon which finishing materials may be anchored.

30. A side plate according to claim 28, wherein all edge flanges of the side plate are provided with through-holes.