Adjustable Telescoping Support Mechanism for Use with Concrete Forming Systems
An adjustable telescoping support mechanism is provided that may be connected between members of two positionally separated and supported truss members for providing support for a concrete-forming surface for fabricating building floors or ceilings. The telescoping support mechanism may be easily positioned adjacent to the location of vertical concrete structures of a building, such as building support columns, stairwells or elevator shafts in order to tie in a concrete floor or ceiling to the vertical concrete structure. The mechanism provides a means for fabricating a floor or ceiling adjacent to a vertical concrete structure either prior to or after the vertical structure has been fabricated, without the need for supporting scaffolding, which impedes normal construction activity and creates safety issues.
The present invention relates generally to concrete forming systems used in the construction industry, and more particularly to means for supporting platform forms for forming reinforced concrete floors and ceilings of buildings under construction. The invention provides a means for supporting horizontal concrete forms for floors and ceilings adjacent and connected to building vertical structures such as building support columns, stairwells or elevator shafts, without the need for scaffolding structures to support the concrete forms.
Systems for implementing concrete forming systems are widely used in the construction industry. They are found in various shapes and sizes in order to meet the requirements of concrete structures. The concrete forming systems or formworks typically include reinforced rebar structure onto which liquid concrete is poured. When the concrete has set up sufficiently, the forming systems are removed, the remaining structure form the internal and external walls, columns, foundations, shafts, etc. that make up the building structure. The removed forming systems are then reused again for the construction of other buildings.
A method widely used today in the construction of reinforced concrete floors and ceilings makes use of a flat horizontal concrete-forming surface material such as plywood or composite material sheets supported by a plurality of primary-support trusses, which may also be fabricated of wood, composite material or steel. The plurality of primary-support trusses may be supported by similar secondary-support trusses positioned orthogonally to the primary-support trusses, and in turn supported by vertical shoring means or jacks. The primary-support trusses may also be directly supported by vertical shoring means or jacks.
Typically, a reinforcing framework of rebar is fabricated on the concrete-forming surface and connected to previously-constructed permanent support structures. Liquid concrete is poured onto the reinforcing framework and concrete-forming surface. The liquid concrete is constrained horizontally by side panels on the horizontal concrete-forming surface. The liquid concrete is allowed to solidify into a reinforced concrete slab to form a floor or ceiling. When the concrete has cured sufficiently, the horizontal formwork, primary-support trusses, secondary-support trusses and vertical shoring means or jacks may be removed. What remains is a horizontal reinforced concrete floor or ceiling supported by previously-constructed permanent support structures. The horizontal formwork, primary-support trusses, secondary-support trusses and vertical shoring means or jacks may be reused at another building construction site.
A difficulty may be encountered when a concrete floor or ceiling must be interconnected with a vertical concrete structure of a building, such as building support columns, stairwells or elevator shafts. The typical method for supporting a concrete-forming surface adjacent to a vertical concrete structure involves the use of a scaffolding structure to support the adjacent concrete forming surface. However, the presence of the scaffolding structure makes access to the area beneath the concrete-forming surface adjacent to a vertical concrete structure difficult, if not impossible, and presents numerous safety issues. This lack of access and safety is compounded if it becomes necessary for construction equipment to be located close to the vertical concrete structure. Another possible difficulty is the maintenance of a fixed positional relationship of the surrounding concrete-forming surface or existing floor or ceiling, and a vertical concrete structure, since it is desirable to not have movement relative to these structures as liquid concrete is introduced onto the horizontal concrete-forming surface for connecting to a vertical concrete structure of a building.
The supporting truss members used with concrete forming systems normally are available only in standard lengths, and are re-usable from job-site to job-site. When a configuration arises where it is necessary to use a non-standard length truss member, it becomes necessary to cut a standard length truss to the desired non-standard length. The result is a non-standard length that cannot readily be used again.
SUMMARYAccording to the present invention, an adjustable telescoping support mechanism may be connected between members of two positionally separated and supported truss members for providing support for a concrete-forming surface for fabricating building floors or ceilings. The telescoping support mechanism may be easily positioned adjacent to the location of vertical concrete structures of a building, such as building support columns, stairwells or elevator shafts in order to tie in a concrete floor or ceiling to the vertical concrete structure. The mechanism provides a means for fabricating a floor or ceiling adjacent to a vertical concrete structure either prior to or after the vertical structure has been fabricated, without the need for supporting scaffolding, which impedes normal construction activity and creates safety issues.
The adjustable telescoping mechanism is capable of interconnecting and spanning distances between trusses arranged in a serial or end-to-end configuration, or interconnecting and spanning distances between trusses arranged in an orthogonal or perpendicular configuration. The telescoping mechanism is adjustable between a minimum and maximum length, and may be configured in different maximum lengths to accommodate varying spanning requirements. The telescoping mechanism includes means for limiting the maximum extension or telescoping length to ensure that the mechanism elements do not become disassembled from one another. Means are provided to secure the truss connection to the mechanism after being satisfactorily positioned.
The adjustable telescoping support mechanisms may be provided in various standard maximum lengths, providing a wider range of usable applications. Use of these support mechanisms eliminates the need for cutting standard length trusses into non-standard lengths that cannot readily be re-used.
An embodiment of the present invention is an adjustable length telescoping support mechanism for connecting to truss members for supporting forming platforms, comprising a first connecting means capable of being supported by a first truss member, the first connecting means being fixed to an outer telescoping channel, a second connecting means capable of being supported by a second truss member, the second connecting means being fixed to an inner telescoping channel, the outer telescoping channel and the inner telescoping channel being arranged in a sliding telescoping relationship with one another for providing a rigid adjustable length support mechanism for supporting forming platforms between the first and second truss members. The configuration of the first connecting means relative to the first supporting truss member may be selected from the group consisting of a serial configuration and an orthogonal configuration. The configuration of the second connecting means relative to the second supporting truss member may be selected from the group consisting of a serial configuration and an orthogonal configuration. The mechanism may further comprise a safety apparatus connected between the outer telescoping channel and the inner telescoping channel for preventing the outer telescoping channel from separating from the inner telescoping channel by limiting the maximum span of the adjustable length. The mechanism may further comprise one or more handling on the outer telescoping channel and one or more handling means on the inner telescoping channel for ease of installation. The mechanism may further comprise securing means in the first connecting means for securing to the first truss member and securing means in the second connecting means for securing to the second truss member. The mechanism may further comprise clamping means for securing a connecting means to a truss member. The mechanism may further comprise a sliding means for securing a connecting means to a truss member. The support mechanism may provide support to one or more trusses that are positioned in a transverse orientation to the support mechanism. The mechanism may further comprise supporting a forming platform positioned on top of the transverse-oriented trusses. The forming platform may be a concrete-forming platform. The support mechanism may provide support for trusses and concrete-forming platforms adjacent to vertical concrete building structures. The first connecting means may be rigidly fixed to the outer telescoping channel and the second connecting means may be rigidly fixed to the inner telescoping channel. The safety apparatus may be a telescoping apparatus affixed between the outer telescoping channel and the inner telescoping channel. The handling means may be selected from the group consisting of handles and knobs. The securing means may comprise holes in the first and second connecting means for inserting fasteners for fastening the first and second connecting means to the first and second truss members.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:
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Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments might occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An adjustable length telescoping support mechanism for connecting to truss members for supporting forming platforms, comprising:
- a first connecting means capable of being supported by a first truss member, the first connecting means being fixed to an outer telescoping channel;
- a second connecting means capable of being supported by a second truss member, the second connecting means being fixed to an inner telescoping channel;
- the outer telescoping channel and the inner telescoping channel being arranged in a sliding telescoping relationship with one another for providing a rigid adjustable length support mechanism for supporting forming platforms between the first and second truss members.
2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first connecting means relative to the first supporting truss member may be selected from the group consisting of a serial configuration and an orthogonal configuration.
3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the second connecting means relative to the second supporting truss member may be selected from the group consisting of a serial configuration and an orthogonal configuration.
4. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a safety apparatus connected between the outer telescoping channel and the inner telescoping channel for preventing the outer telescoping channel from separating from the inner telescoping channel by limiting the maximum span of the adjustable length.
5. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising one or more handling means on the outer telescoping channel and one or more handling means on the inner telescoping channel for ease of installation.
6. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising securing means in the first connecting means for securing to the first truss member and securing means in the second connecting means for securing to the second truss member.
7. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising clamping means for securing a connecting means to a truss member.
8. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a sliding means for securing a connecting means to a truss member.
9. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the support mechanism provides support to one or more trusses that are positioned in a transverse orientation to the support mechanism.
10. The mechanism of claim 9, further comprising providing support to a forming platform positioned on top of the transverse-oriented trusses.
11. The mechanism of claim 10, wherein the forming platform is a concrete-forming platform.
12. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the support mechanism provides support for trusses and concrete-forming platforms adjacent to vertical concrete building structures.
13. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the forming platforms are concrete forming platforms.
14. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first connecting means is rigidly fixed to the outer telescoping channel and the second connecting means is rigidly fixed to the inner telescoping channel.
15. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the safety apparatus is a telescoping apparatus affixed between the outer telescoping channel and the inner telescoping channel.
16. The mechanism of claim 5, wherein the handling means is selected from the group consisting of handles and knobs.
17. The mechanism of claim 6, wherein the securing means comprises holes in the first and second connecting means for inserting fasteners for fastening the first and second connecting means to the first and second truss members.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 2, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 2, 2010
Applicant: El Sacrificio Ventures, LLC (Houston, TX)
Inventors: David Wolf (Houston, TX), Jose Flores (Houston, TX), Armando Velez Santana (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 12/396,134
International Classification: E04B 1/38 (20060101); E04C 5/12 (20060101);