Beam member of concrete forming apparatus having a supported nail strip
A metal secondary beam used to support sheathing in concrete forming apparatus has a support structure for a nailer that is substantially open to allow concrete bleed water, to readily drain away thereby preventing deterioration of the nailer due to extended contact of water with the nailer. In a preferred embodiment, the support structure is a series of bent tabs lanced in the beam member.
The invention relates generally to beam members of concrete forming apparatus and, more specifically, to a beam member of concrete forming apparatus having a channel in which is received a nailing strip that is supported on tabs formed in the side walls of the channel.
Concrete forming apparatus is in wide use in the construction of buildings, bridges, and other concrete structures. A common system for forming concrete structures uses a plurality of modular form components that are adapted to be assembled into a wide variety of configurations to conform to virtually any architectural requirement. Such forming apparatus components are typically made of metal so that they are strong enough to support the heavy weight of poured concrete and durable so that the components can be reused many times.
In horizontal concrete construction, plywood is one of the commonly used sheathing materials for covering a system of support joists. The connection between the plywood and the support joist is critical for providing stability to the forming system. In the past, when concrete forms were constructed from wood, the plywood was nailed to wood support joists to secure the sheathing and the joists into an integral, stable forming system. As form manufacturers started to use metals in formwork, wood strips were added to metal joists to provide a “nailer” for the plywood sheathing. Wood nailers were attached to the top of steel beams and barjoists. Joists or beams made of aluminum were extruded with a trough that received the wood nailer. Nails or screws are used to secure the plywood sheathing to the nailer of the support joist.
The wood nailers attached to the top of steel beams or bar joists are exposed and easily damaged during handling and use of the beams and joists. The extruded aluminum beams protect the wood strip in the trough from external damage by surrounding it on three sides with aluminum. However, the trough trapped concrete bleed water around the wood nailer and resulted in rapid deterioration of the nailer. Accordingly, there is a need for a metal beam member of concrete forming systems that provides a nailer for securing sheathing by the use of nails, screws, and the like that is durable, reusable, and long-lived.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention consists of a metal beam member for use in concrete forming systems. The beam member includes a channel formed in its upper surface which receives a nailer for use in securing sheathing to the beam member by nails, screws, or similar fasteners that penetrate the sheathing and are embedded in the nailer. The channel of the beam member has a pair of opposing, parallel side walls. A plurality of nailer support tabs are formed in the side walls and extend into the channel to provide support for the nailer. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of holes are formed in the side walls of the channel above and between the tabs where crews or similar fasteners are used to attach the nailer to the beam member. Because the tabs do not form a three-walled trough that holds water, any concrete bleed water or other water present will pass easily through the channel and not be held in contact with the nailer.
In the preferred embodiment, the nailer is made of either wood or plastic suitable for the attachment of sheathing by nails or screws. Polyethylene is a plastic with properties particularly suited for use as a nailer in the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a metal beam member for concrete forming apparatus that includes a nailer that is protected from external damage during handling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal beam member for concrete forming apparatus that includes a nailer that is not subject to deterioration through water trapped around the nailer.
These and other objects of the invention will be made apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of this specification, the associated drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Illustrated in
The beam member 12 includes a pair of three-sided channel or side members 20 and 22, each of which has a web section 24 and a pair of flanges 26 and 28. The channel members are arranged in a spaced-apart, back-to-back relationship (
Each of the channel members 20 and 22 are formed with a plurality of flanged openings 36 (
The nailer 4 is preferably made of 1×2 dimensional (¾″×1-½″) lumber or by a similarly sized piece of polyethylene. Both materials provide a suitable substrate for the attachment of sheathing to the beam member 12 by the use of nails, screws or similar fasteners. If wood is used for the nailer 34, it will be appreciated that the support structure for the nailer 34 proved the by the rows of tabs 40 is a substantially open structure in that it will allow water to flow easily past the nailer 34. Note that since the beam member 12 is provided with two rows of tabs 40 and holes 42, the nailer 34 may be attached to the beam member 12 either in the “top” position as illustrated in
The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present inventions. The foregoing embodiments and the methods described herein may vary based on the ability, experience, and preference of those skilled in the art. Merely listing the steps of the method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of the method. The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the claims are so limited. Those skilled in the art that have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A metal beam member for use in concrete forming systems, comprising:
- (a) a pair of longitudinal side members forming a channel and a top surface;
- (b) a nailer received in the channel; and
- (c) an open support structure formed in the side members for supporting the nailer flush with the top surface.
2. A beam member as defined in claim 1, wherein in the open support structure is comprised of a plurality of tabs that extend into the channel.
3. A beam member as defined in claim 2, wherein the tabs are arranged in a row spaced below the top surface.
4. A beam member as defined in claim 1, wherein the pair of side members are arranged back-to-back in a spaced relation.
5. A beam member as defined in claim 4, further comprising a pair of end plates secured at opposite ends of the longitudinal side members.
6. A metal beam member for use in concrete forming systems, comprising:
- (a) a pair of longitudinal side members arranged back-to-back and spaced apart to form a channel;
- (b) flanges of the side members that form a top support surface;
- (c) a plurality of tabs formed in each of the side members and extended into the channel and arranged in a row spaced below the top support surface; and
- (d) a nailer received in the channel and supported on the tabs with an exposed face flush with the top support surface.
Type: Application
Filed: May 11, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 15, 2007
Inventors: Robert McCracken (Urbandale, IA), Eric Taylor (Johnston, IA)
Application Number: 11/432,232
International Classification: E04C 3/30 (20060101);