Articulated shoring cup
An articulated shoring cup comprises a cup member 42 having a recess 45 for receiving the upper shore member of a shore, and a channel member 43 joined in pivoting relation to the cup member 42, the channel member having a channel 52 for capturing the bottom stringer member of falsework to be supported at an oblique angle.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/735,318 filed Nov. 10, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shoring devices, and in particular to an articulated shoring cup which fits on the top or bottom of one of the shoring members used to construct a shore.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shoring is generally erected as a temporary support structure for falsework during construction of a structure such as a concrete building or parking garage. Falsework generally consists of a horizontal structure used for support of workers and equipment or as a form for concrete work, or an inclined structure for construction of ramps or staircases. Shores are usually vertical, or nearly vertical, members which support the falsework. A typical shore is constructed of timbers comprising a lower shore member and an upper shore member of equal size, but perhaps different lengths, connected by two shore clamps. In a common practice, the lower shore member is first positioned on a support surface. Then two shore clamps, such as those available from the Ellis Manufacturing Company, known as Ellis® shores, are attached to the upper portion of the lower shore member. A shore clamp typically comprises two plates sized to fit the dimension of the timber selected, connected by two sturdy lengths of steel rod. One plate is attached to the lower shore member with the lengths of steel rod extending obliquely downward across the member. Next, the upper shore member is slipped between the steel rods inside the other plate and lifted up until its top is brought into contact with the falsework above, leaving a lower portion of the upper shore member in sliding engagement with an upper portion of the lower shore member. Since the plate on the upper shore member is lower than the plate on the lower shore member, downward pressure on the upper member increases inward pressure on the plates, thereby pressing the upper and lower shore members firmly together along their overlapping surfaces.
Finally, the top of the shore is generally affixed to a bottom stringer member of the falsework with a cleat, the bottom portion of the cleat being nailed to the upper shore member, and the upper part of the cleat being nailed to the stringer. If the falsework is being used for construction of a concrete stair, necessarily the falsework will be built according to the incline of the stair. Therefore, the shore will meet either the support surface or the falsework at an oblique angle. In this circumstance, it is considered good practice to supplement the connection between the shore and the stringer with a wooden block inserted in the angular gap between the top of the upper shore member and the stringer as an extra measure to guard against slippage of the shore and to ensure tight support of the falsework by the shore.
Construction of a proper shore at an angle to the falsework is time consuming and occasionally dangerous. Typical erection of a shore at an angle to falsework involves one, or, more likely, two workers to hold the lower shore member in position on the supporting surface while raising the upper shore member to bring it into contact with the falsework. Then one worker must usually ascend a ladder to nail the cleat in place and wedge and nail the block in position. Many construction situations do not easily lend themselves to placement of a ladder, as, for example, when building the upper levels of a stairway.
Erection of shoring was eased with the availability of shoring cups, which are useful when erecting shoring beneath horizontal falsework. In normal usage, the shoring cup is attached to the falsework at a desired spacing before raising the falsework into place. Thereafter, the upper shore member can be raised into the shoring cup, obviating the need for a cleat. The shoring cup, however, does not lend itself to shoring when the shore is built at an angle to the falsework or the supported surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn articulated shoring cup according to the invention is comprised of a cup member and a channel member joined in pivoting relation. A recess defined by the cup member is sized for receiving the upper end of an upper shore member. The channel member defines a channel for capturing the bottom stringer member of supported falsework. The articulated relationship between the cup member and the channel member thus facilitates shoring up falsework being erected at an oblique angle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS
A typical shore is generally indicated by numeral 10 in
An articulated shoring cup according to the invention, indicated generally at numeral 40, is illustrated in
A second embodiment of the invention, similar to that seen in
With reference again to
The advantage heretofore enjoyed by use of shoring cups applicable only for supporting horizontal falsework is thus now available by use of an articulated shoring cup when erecting shores at an angle to falsework. Moreover, the articulating relationship between the channel member 43 and cup member 42 permits placement of the lower end of the lower shore member 12 on an uneven surface with ease and eliminates the requirement that a worker clamber up a ladder to complete the attachment of the shore to the falsework. This allows the lower shore member 12 to be positioned in locations where it may be difficult to place a ladder, such as on a stair of an elevated stairway. It is not necessary to nail the upper shore member 14 into the cup member 42 because the upward force of the upper shore member 14, once inserted into the cup member 42, will prevent its lateral displacement out of the cup member 42. It will be appreciated that demolition of the shore is made much easier by use of the invention in that the upper shore member 14 need merely be lowered until it clears the cup member 42. The shore 10 may then be lowered and disassembled and the articulated shoring cup can be removed after the falsework is taken down.
It is seen in
With reference now to
A fourth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
With particular reference to
An articulated shoring cup according to the invention reduces the need for labor, makes a more positive connection to the falsework, eliminates the need to connect the upper shore member to the falsework with cleats and blocks at a height requiring a ladder, and makes demolition easier and safer. Thus, the invention makes erection of shores at an angle to falsework easier, substantially faster, and safer.
There have thus been described certain preferred embodiments of an articulated shoring cup. While preferred embodiments have been described and disclosed, it will be recognized by those with skill in the art that modifications are within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications.
Claims
1. An articulated shoring cup for use with a shore for supporting falsework, the shore having an upper shore member and a lower shore member, and the falsework having a bottom stringer member, the articulated shoring cup comprising:
- a cup member having a recess for receiving the upper shore member, and
- a channel member joined in pivoting relation to said cup member, said channel member having a channel for capturing the stringer member, said channel and said recess facing generally in opposite directions.
2. The articulated shoring cup of claim 1 wherein:
- said cup member has a bottom plate and four walls extending generally perpendicularly from said bottom plate, said bottom plate and said walls forming said recess,
- and said channel member having a base plate and two generally parallel side walls extending upwardly from said base plate, said base plate and side walls forming said channel.
3. The articulated shoring cup of claim 2 wherein:
- said channel member is joined with said cup member about a pivot pin, said pivot pin forming a pivot axis,
- said channel disposed in perpendicular relation to said pivot axis.
4. The articulated shoring cup of claim 2 wherein:
- said channel member is joined with said cup member about a pivot pin, said pivot pin forming a pivot axis,
- said channel disposed in parallel relation to said pivot axis.
5. The articulated shoring cup of claim 1 wherein:
- said cup member has at least two upwardly extending flanges, each said upwardly extending flange tapered to form a narrow upper portion, each said upper portion having an aperture,
- said channel member has at least two downwardly extending flanges, each said downwardly extending flange tapered to form a narrow lower portion, each said lower portion having a cooperating aperture, and
- a pivot pin is inserted in said apertures of said upwardly and downwardly extending flanges forming a pivot axis about which said channel member and said cup member move in pivoting relation.
6. The articulated shoring cup of claim 5 wherein:
- said pivot pin is removably inserted in said apertures.
7. The articulated shoring cup of claim 6 wherein:
- said pivot pin comprises a head, a shank, and a fastener, said head having a diameter larger than one of said apertures, said shank having a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said head affixed to said first end of said shank, said shank inserted in said apertures, said fastener removably affixed to said second end, and said apertures disposed between said head and said fastener.
8. An articulated shoring cup for use with a shore for supporting falsework, the shore having an upper shore member and a lower shore member, and the falsework having a bottom stringer member, the articulated shoring cup comprising:
- a cup member having a bottom plate and four walls extending generally perpendicularly from said bottom plate, said bottom plate and said walls forming a recess for receiving the upper shore member, said cup member further having at least two flanges extending upwardly from said bottom plate, each said flange tapered to form a narrow upper portion, each said upper portion having an aperture, and
- a channel member joined in pivoting relation to said cup member, said channel member having a base plate and two generally parallel side walls extending upwardly from said base plate, said base plate and side walls forming a channel for capturing the stringer member, said channel member further having at least two cooperating flanges extending downwardly from said base plate, each said cooperating flange tapered to form a narrow lower portion, each said lower portion having a cooperating aperture, said lower portions of said cooperating flanges in overlapping parallel alignment with said flanges of said upper portions, and
- a pivot pin inserted in said apertures forming a pivot axis about which said channel member and said cup member move in pivoting relation.
9. The articulated shoring cup of claim 8 wherein:
- said pivot pin is freely movable in said cooperating apertures of said lower portions of said cooperating flanges.
10. The articulated shoring cup of claim 8 wherein:
- said pivot pin is freely movable in said apertures of said upper portions of said flanges.
11. The articulated shoring cup of claim 8 wherein:
- said side walls of said channel member are disposed in parallel relation to said pivot axis.
12. The articulated shoring cup of claim 8 wherein:
- said side walls of said channel member are disposed in perpendicular relation to said pivot axis.
13. The articulated shoring cup of claim 1 further comprising:
- a ball and socket mechanism joining said cup and channel members in pivoting relation.
14. The articulated shoring cup of claim 1 further comprising:
- a neck, said neck having proximal and distal ends, said proximal end attached to said base plate of said channel member,
- a rigid ball secured to said distal end of said neck, said ball having a convex curvature, said neck and said ball defining a central axis,
- a stanchion securely attached to said bottom plate of said cup member, said stanchion having a lower surface having a concave curvature conforming to said convex curvature of said ball,
- a collar removably attached to said stanchion, said collar having a lower portion having an inwardly facing annular surface, said annular surface having a concave curvature conforming to said convex curvature of said ball, said annular surface together with said lower surface of said stanchion defining a socket capturing said ball, said ball freely movable in said socket such that said cup member is rotatable about said central axis with respect to said channel member, and so that said cup member pivots with respect to said channel member about said ball.
15. The articulated shoring cup of claim 14 wherein:
- said stanchion has exterior threads, and said collar has cooperating interior threads.
16. The articulated shoring cup of claim 14 wherein:
- said cup member is movable with respect to said channel member between an axially aligned position and a fully pivoted position, and
- said lower portion of said collar has an oblique annular surface, in said fully pivoted position said oblique annular surface in abutting engagement with said neck thereby limiting further pivoting motion of said cup member.
17. The articulated shoring cup of claim 16 wherein:
- said lower portion of said collar has an outwardly facing angled surface, in said fully pivoted position said outwardly facing angled surface in abutting engagement with said base plate of said channel member thereby further limiting pivoting motion of said cup member.
18. An articulated shoring cup for use with a shore for supporting falsework, the shore having an upper shore member and a lower shore member, the falsework having a bottom stringer member, the articulated shoring cup comprising:
- a cup member having a recess for receiving the upper shore member,
- a channel member joined in pivoting relation to said cup member, said channel member having a channel for capturing the stringer member of the falsework, said channel and said recess facing generally in opposite directions,
- a neck, said neck having proximal and distal ends, said proximal end attached to said base plate of said channel member,
- a rigid ball secured to said distal end of said neck, said ball having a convex curvature, said neck and said ball defining a central axis,
- a stanchion securely attached to said bottom plate of said cup member, said stanchion having a lower surface having a concave curvature conforming to said convex curvature of said ball,
- a collar removably attached to said stanchion, said collar having a lower portion having an inwardly facing annular surface, said annular surface having a concave curvature conforming to said convex curvature of said ball, said annular surface together with said lower surface of said stanchion defining a socket capturing said ball,
- said ball freely movable in said socket such that said cup member is rotatable about said central axis with respect to said channel member, and so that said cup member pivots with respect to said channel member about said ball.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 10, 2006
Publication Date: May 10, 2007
Inventor: Robert Newell (Fiddletown, CA)
Application Number: 11/595,565
International Classification: A47B 96/06 (20060101);