Method and Apparatus for Using Foam Panels As Forms For Making Concrete Walls
A foam panel concrete form is provided for using concrete reinforcement rods which extend on each side of a joint in the foam panel concrete form and into complementary shaped openings in ties which hold two adjacent panels in a spaced and parallel relationship. The concrete reinforcement rod can pass into the openings in adjacent ties with little resistance in a first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod. When the concrete reinforcement rod is rotated to a second rotational position within the openings the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the openings for helping to hold adjacent ties and the adjacent foam panels in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the foam panels, thereby also serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
The present invention relates generally to ties for concrete wall forming systems of a type using foam panels; and more particularly to a special tie utilized to secure adjacent panel sections together.
BACKGROUNDWhile wall forming systems have been in use for many years, the last two decades has seen considerable development in this industry in the use of expanded polystyrene panels as forms for poured concrete walls. After the concrete has hardened, the panels may be left in place on the walls to serve as permanent insulation, or they may be stripped off to reveal the exposed concrete.
Upon introduction of this new wall forming system, it was found that it was unnecessary to use small “building blocks” to create the form panels to build a form system for receiving poured concrete. Rather, larger and larger panels are now being utilized to create the concrete forms. Developments in this field include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,765,109 and 4,916,879 to Boeshart, which show how to make right angle corners and “T” intersections, which patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Adjacent sections of foam panels have pre-formed mating tongue and groove connections that hold them together on the main portions of the foam panel sections. But sometimes these tongue and groove portions need to be trimmed off to make a foam panel form that is shorter than the length of a standard foam panel length. When this occurs it is necessary to find another way to hold adjacent foam panels together during the time that the concrete is being poured and cured. Solving this problem in the industry has been difficult and labor intensive, with many proposed solutions being not sufficiently reliable. Accordingly there remains a need for solving this difficult problem.
SUMMARYThe present invention relates to a foam panel concrete form using concrete reinforcement rods which extend on each side of a joint in the foam panel concrete form and into complementary shaped openings in ties which hold two adjacent panels in a spaced and parallel relationship. The concrete reinforcement rod can slide into the openings in adjacent ties with little resistance in a first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod. When the concrete reinforcement rod is rotated to a second rotational position within the openings, the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the openings for helping to hold adjacent ties and the adjacent foam panels in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the foam panels, thereby also serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,
Hinge portions 19 allow the concrete forms to pivot to a position wherein the portions 14 and 13 of the tie will be more or less parallel to the interior walls of the foam panels 22. When the form is desired to be used on the job site, it can be folded out to the position shown in
Referring now to
The other braced portion in the corner of
Referring now to
Looking at
Referring now to
More importantly to the invention at hand, it is noted that the ties 11 are in place so that a reinforcement rod 21 can be utilized to further hold the joint of the form together by extending the tie 21 through openings 16 sequentially as shown in
Referring now to
Member 610 is attached at one end to member 603 and at the other end to member 611. Member 612 connects members 610 and 613 together. Similarly, member 620 is attached at one end to member 603 and at the other end to member 621. Member 622 connects members 620 and 623 together.
Member 630 is attached at one end to member 631 and at the other end to member 635. Member 632 connects members 631 and 633 together. And on the other side, similarly, Member 630 is attached at one end to member 631 and at the other end to member 645. Member 642 connects members 641 and 643 together. Member 646 connects member 641 to member 603 and member 647 connects member 631 to member 603. This structure 600 allows for one course of foam panels 22 to be held in place at a corner and further allows an additional course to be added to the top of the structure 600 shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Once the opening 503 has been cut and the plug 505 pushed inside the wall, a person would reach through the opening 503 and insert a concrete reinforcement rod 21 through the openings 16 in the exact same manner as shown sequentially in
Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
Claims
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a concrete reinforcement rod having a longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional shape includes at least one diameter thereof which is larger than another diameter thereof;
- a first foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a first plane;
- a second foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane which is substantially parallel to the first plane;
- a first tie having one portion thereof disposed in the first foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in the second foam panel;
- a first opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod can pass into the first opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod;
- a third foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the first plane;
- a fourth foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the second plane;
- a second tie having one portion thereof disposed in the third foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in the fourth foam panel;
- a second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod can pass into the second opening with little resistance in the first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod; and
- the concrete reinforcement rod having a second rotational position within the first and second openings wherein the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the first and second openings of the first and second ties for helping to hold the first and second ties and the first, second, third and fourth panels to be held in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising:
- a second concrete reinforcement rod having a longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional shape includes at least one diameter thereof which is larger than another diameter thereof;
- a third opening disposed in the first tie, said third opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete second reinforcement rod whereby the second reinforcement rod can pass into the third opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the second concrete reinforcement rod;
- a fourth opening disposed in the second tie, said fourth opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the second concrete reinforcement rod whereby the second concrete reinforcement rod can pass into the fourth opening with little resistance in the first rotary position of the second concrete reinforcement rod; and
- the second concrete reinforcement rod having a second rotational position within the third and fourth openings wherein the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the third and fourth openings of the first and second ties for helping to hold the first and second ties and the first, second, third and fourth foam panels to be held in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during the time when concrete is poured between the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 including means on a top portion of the first and second ties for holding at least one additional concrete reinforcement rod in alignment between the first and second and third and fourth foam panels while concrete is being poured and to serve to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 including at least two spaced apart members extending upwardly from each one of the first and second ties and having at least one additional concrete reinforcement rod disposed between the said at least two spaced apart members on each of the first and second ties while concrete is being poured and to serve to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further having a corner section comprising:
- a fifth foam wall having one side in substantially the same plane as the first plane and being disposed against the first foam wall;
- a sixth foam wall having one side in a plane substantially transverse to the first plane, the sixth foam wall being disposed against the one side of the fifth foam wall;
- a third tie being disposed at least partially in the fifth foam wall and having a first corner opening therein that is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
- a fourth tie being disposed at least partially in the sixth foam wall and having a second corner opening therein that is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
- a fifth tie being having a third corner opening in one end thereof and a fourth corner opening in the other end thereof, both of the third and fourth corner openings being approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
- a first fastener disposed through the first corner opening in the third tie and the third corner opening in the fifth tie; and
- a second fastener disposed through the second corner opening in the fourth tie and the fourth corner opening in the fifth tie.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first, second, third and fourth corner openings are approximately the same shape as the cross sectional shape of the a first opening disposed in the first tie and wherein the first fastener has one portion thereof with a cross sectional size and shape similar to the cross sectional shape of the first reinforcement rod, the first fastener having an intermediate portion that is smaller in an intermediate portion another portion that will not fit through the openings in the first, second, third and fourth corner openings and whereby the one portion of the first fastener is in abutment with one of the third, fourth and fifth ties when installed through the first, second, third and fourth corner openings and the another portion of the first fastener is in abutment with one of one of the third, fourth and fifth ties when installed through the first, second, third and fourth corner openings.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 having a fifth foam wall having one side in substantially the same plane as the first plane and being disposed against the first foam wall;
- a sixth foam wall having one side in a plane substantially transverse to the first plane, the sixth foam wall being disposed against the one side of the fifth foam wall;
- a third tie being disposed at least partially in the fifth foam wall and having a first corner opening therein that is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
- a fourth tie being disposed at least partially in the sixth foam wall and having a second corner opening therein that is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie; and
- a first fastener disposed through the first corner opening in the third tie and the second corner opening in the fourth tie.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first and second corner openings are approximately the same shape as the cross sectional shape of the a first opening disposed in the first tie and wherein the first fastener has one portion thereof with a cross sectional size and shape similar to the cross sectional shape of the first reinforcement rod, the first fastener having an intermediate portion that is smaller in an intermediate portion another portion that will not fit through the openings in the first and second corner openings and whereby the one portion of the first fastener is in abutment with one of the third and fourth ties when installed through the first and second corner openings and the another portion of the first fastener is in abutment with one of one of the third and fourth ties when installed through the first and second corner openings.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:
- a sixth tie being disposed at least partially in the fifth foam wall and having a fifth corner opening therein that is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie;
- a seventh tie being disposed at least partially in the sixth foam wall and having a sixth corner opening therein that is approximately the same size and shape as the first opening disposed in the first tie; and
- a third fastener disposed through the fifth corner opening in the sixth tie and the sixth corner opening in the seventh tie.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fifth and sixth corner openings are approximately the same shape as the cross sectional shape of the a first opening disposed in the first tie and wherein the third fastener has one portion thereof with a cross sectional size and shape similar to the cross sectional shape of the first reinforcement rod, the third fastener having an intermediate portion that is smaller in an intermediate portion another portion that will not fit through the openings in the fifth and sixth corner openings and whereby the one portion of the third fastener is in abutment with one of the sixth and seventh ties when installed through the fifth and sixth corner openings and the another portion of the third fastener is in abutment with one of one of the sixth and seventh ties when installed through the fifth and sixth corner openings.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
- a fifth foam panel having at least one side disposed in a third plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and in abutment with the first foam panel;
- a sixth foam panel having at least one side disposed in a fourth plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane and in abutment with the third foam panel; and
- wherein the concrete reinforcement rod extends through the third and fourth planes.
12. A method of constructing a concrete form comprising:
- placing a first tie having one portion thereof disposed in a first foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a second foam panel;
- placing the first foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a first plane;
- placing the second foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane which is substantially parallel to the first plane;
- providing a concrete reinforcement rod having a longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional shape includes at least one diameter thereof which is larger than another diameter thereof;
- placing a first opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod can pass into the first opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod;
- providing a second tie having one portion thereof disposed in a third foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a fourth foam panel;
- placing the third foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the first plane;
- placing the fourth foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the second plane; arranging to have a second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the concrete reinforcement rod whereby the rod can pass into the second opening with little resistance in the first rotary position of the concrete reinforcement rod;
- placing the concrete reinforcement rod into the first and second openings of the first and second ties respectively in the first rotary position thereof; and
- rotating the concrete reinforcement rod to a second rotational position within the first and second openings wherein the reinforcement rod is in a tight frictional fit in the first and second openings of the first and second ties for helping to hold the first and second ties and the first, second, third and fourth panels to be held in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the rotating of the concrete reinforcement rod from the first to the second position thereof is done by access from above the first and second foam panels.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the placing of the concrete reinforcement rod through the first and second openings is done by first cutting an access hole cut in the side of one of the foam panels and inserting the concrete reinforcement rod through the access hole and placing the concrete reinforcement rod into the first and second openings.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the rotating of the concrete reinforcement rod from the first to the second position thereof is done by accessing the concrete reinforcement rod and then rotating the concrete reinforcement rod from the first to the second position thereof.
16. The method of claim 15 including blocking the hole and pouring concrete between the first, second third and fourth foam panels.
17. Apparatus comprising:
- a dowel having a circular cross sectional shape having a first diameter;
- a first tie adapted to be disposed in a first foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a second foam panel;
- a first opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the whereby the dowel can pass into the first opening with little resistance;
- a second tie having one portion thereof adapted to be disposed in a third foam panel and a second portion thereof adapted to be disposed in a fourth foam panel;
- a second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the dowel whereby the dowel can pass into the second opening with little resistance;
- a first resilient block having an opening therein which is of a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter of the dowel whereby the dowel can be disposed in tight frictional contact within the opening in the first resilient block to hold the first resilient block attached to one end of the dowel;
- a second resilient block having an opening therein which is of the second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter of the dowel whereby another end of the dowel can be disposed in tight frictional contact within the opening in the second resilient block to hold the second resilient block attached to the other end of the dowel; and
- whereby the first and second ties are disposed between the first and second resilient blocks for shipping purposes.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second resilient blocks are comprised of rubber.
19. Apparatus comprising:
- a connector having a longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional shape includes at least one cross sectional dimension thereof which is larger than another cross sectional dimension thereof;
- a first foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a first plane;
- a second foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane which is substantially parallel to the first plane;
- a first tie having one portion thereof disposed in the first foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in the second foam panel;
- a first opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the connector whereby the connector can pass into the first opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the connector;
- a third foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the first plane;
- a fourth foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the second plane;
- a second tie having one portion thereof disposed in the third foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in the fourth foam panel;
- a second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of the connector whereby the connector can pass into the second opening with little resistance in the first rotary position of the connector; and
- the connector having a second rotational position within the first and second openings wherein the connector is in the first and second openings of the first and second ties for holding the first and second ties and the first, second, third and fourth panels in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby also serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
20. A method of constructing a concrete form comprising:
- placing a first tie having one portion thereof disposed in a first foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a second foam panel;
- placing the first foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a first plane;
- placing the second foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in a second plane which is substantially parallel to the first plane;
- providing a connector having a longitudinal axis and having a cross sectional shape transverse to the longitudinal axis, which cross sectional shape includes at least one cross sectional dimension thereof which is larger than another cross sectional dimension thereof;
- placing a first opening disposed in the first tie, said first opening being large enough whereby the connector can pass into the first opening with little resistance in a first rotary position of the connector;
- providing a second tie having one portion thereof disposed in a third foam panel and a second portion thereof disposed in a fourth foam panel;
- placing the third foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the first plane;
- placing the fourth foam panel having at least one side disposed substantially in the second plane;
- arranging to have a second opening disposed in the second tie, said second opening being approximately the same cross sectional shape as the first opening whereby the connector can pass into the second opening with little resistance in the first rotary position of the connector;
- placing the connector into the first and second openings of the first and second ties respectively in the first rotary position thereof; and
- rotating the connector to a second rotational position within the first and second openings wherein the connector is in the first and second openings of the first and second ties for holding the first and second ties and the first, second, third and fourth panels to be held in a fixed relationship with respect to each other during a time when concrete is poured between the first and second and the third and fourth foam panels and thereby serving to re-enforce the concrete after the concrete has cured.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 9, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 15, 2009
Inventor: Patrick E. Boeshart (Sioux City, IA)
Application Number: 11/774,707
International Classification: E04B 2/10 (20060101); E04B 2/08 (20060101);