Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc. of 3600 West Lake Avenue Glenview ILLINOIS 60026 United States of America Actual Inventor: Alexander Charles Knott Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, I Nicholson Street, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia Innovation Patent specification for the invention entitled: "Sideform component with deformable member" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: C.\NRPotbl\DCC\EJL\4018364_1.DOC- 19/01/2012 SIDEFORM COMPONENT WITH DEFORMABLE MEMBER Field of the Invention 5 The invention relates to a sideform component for forming concrete panels, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a sideform component having a deformable insert to compensate for slack in fitment of the sideform component to another sideform component. 10 Background of the Invention It is known to provide a sideform system for forming concrete panels. In particular, one form of concrete sideform system includes a sideform formed of multiple sideform components which are releasably coupled together. However, the applicant has 15 identified that such existing sideforms may suffer from slack in the fitment of the sideform components which enables unwanted movement between the sideforni components and prevents the rigidity desirable for maintaining specific dimensions. Such sideforms may be constructed from a base sideform component and a sideform cap releasably coupled to the base sideform component, or with the addition of one or more sideform extension 20 components interposed between the base sideform component and the sideform cap. Examples of the present invention seek to provide a sideform component which overcomes or at least alleviates one or more disadvantages associated with previous sideform systems. 25 Summary of the Invention In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sideform component for forming concrete panels, the sideform component having a forming surface, 30 and a coupling arrangement for releasably coupling the sideform component to another C:\NRPortbl\DCC\EJL\4018364_1 .DOC-19/01/2012 -2 sideform component, wherein the coupling arrangement includes a deformable member to prevent or reduce slack in fitment between the sideform components. Preferably, the deformable member extends throughout the length of the coupling 5 arrangement. Preferably, the sideform component is a sideform extension including a first end portion adapted for coupling to an end formation of said other sideform component, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the second end portion being adapted for 10 coupling to a sideform cap, and the forming surface being a wall portion extending between the first end portion and the second end portion, the wall portion being arranged to extend in the same plane as a wall portion of said other sideform component when coupled to said end formation of said other sideform component. 15 Alternatively, the sideform component is a sideform cap including a first end portion adapted for coupling to an end formation of said other sideform component, and said forming surface is arranged to extend at an angle to a wall portion of said other sideform component when coupled to said end formation of said other sideform component. 20 Preferably, the sideform component is in the form of an extrusion having a groove formed along its length, and the deformable member is in the form of a resilient insert which is located in the groove. More preferably, the groove has an entrance slot of reduced dimension such that the deformable member is elastically deformed on passing 25 through the slot, and is thereby retained in the groove. Even more preferably, the groove has a constant C-shaped cross-sectional profile. In a preferred form, the deformable member is a length of resiliently deformable material cut from a roll. 30 C:\NRlonbl\DCC\EJL\4018364_ .DOC-1 9/01/2012 -3 Preferably, the deformable member is arranged to interfere with a receiving surface of said other sideform component when the sideform components are coupled together such that the deformable member deforms on coupling of the sideform components and exerts force against said receiving surface for the duration of the coupling. More 5 preferably, the deformable member is arranged such that the deformable member exerts force against said receiving surface at a location housed inside the sideform component. More preferably, the deformable member is housed within retaining ridges of the sideform component which engage with receiving shoulders of said other sideform component and thereby retain the sideform components together in coupled relationship. 10 In a preferred form, the deformable member extends throughout the length of the sideform component. Preferably, the deformable member is made of rubber, nitrile, silicone or the like. 15 In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sideform for forming concrete panels, including a first sideform component having a wall surface for forming the concrete panel, and a second sideform component having a coupling arrangement for releasably coupling the first and second sideform components, the second 20 sideform component having a forming surface, wherein the second sideform component has a deformable member to prevent or reduce slack in fitment of said first and second sideform components. Bricf Description of the DrawinLs 25 The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a sideform component in accordance with 30 an example of the present invention, shown coupled to another sideform component; C\NRPortb\DCC\EJL\4018364 I DOC-19/01/2012 -4 Figure 2 shows detail of the sideform component of Figure 1 at the location labelled "B"; Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the sideform component, with detailed 5 dimensions; Figure 4 shows detail of the sideform component of Figure 3 at the location labelled "A"; 10 Figure 5 shows a sideform component in accordance with another example of' the present invention, coupled to another sideform component; and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a lower portion of the sideform component of Figure 5. 15 Detailed Description With reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown a sideform component 10 which is provided with a resiliently deformable member 12 to prevent or 20 reduce slack in fitment between the sideform component 10 and another sideform component 14 when the sideform components 10, 14 are coupled together. Advantageously, by preventing or at least reducing the slack in fitment between the sideform components 10, 14, it is possible to achieve a rigid coupling of consistent structure and dimension which is of benefit when using the sideform components 10, 14 to 25 form a concrete panel. Also, because the deformation member 12 achieves a firm coupling between the sideform component 10 and the sideform component 14, it is no longer necessary for other parts of the structure of the sideform component 10 to perform this purpose, which previously posed problems as sideform components of this type are typically formed of aluminium which may not be particularly suitable to repeatedly allow 30 resilient coupling and decoupling from other sideform components.
C\NRPortbl\DCC\EJL\40183641 DOC-19/0112012 -5 More specifically, Figures I to 4 show a sideform component 10 for forming concrete panels, the sideform component 10 having a forming surface 16, and a coupling arrangement 18 for releasably coupling the sideform component 10 to another sideform component 14. The coupling arrangement 18 includes a deformable member 12 to prevent 5 or reduce slack in fitment between the sideform components 10, 14. The sideform component 10 may be in the form of an extrusion which has a constant cross-section along its length, and the deformable member 12 may extend throughout the length of the coupling arrangement 18, and the length of the sideform 10 component. The sideform component 10 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is in the form of a sideform extension which effectively provides a vertical extension to the sideform component 14 below. In particular, the sideform component 10 provides at its upper end a coupling 15 formation which is in the same form as the coupling formation of the sideform component 14 to which it attaches. Accordingly, the sideform component 10 provides the same attachment formation, only at a relatively higher location with a higher wall surface for forming a concrete panel. More specifically, the sideform component 10 includes a first end portion 20 adapted for coupling to an end formation 22 of said other sideform 20 component 14, a second end portion 24 opposite the first end portion 20, the second end portion 24 being adapted for coupling to a sideform cap, and the forming surface 16 being a wall portion extending between the first end portion 20 and the second end portion 24. The wall portion 16 is arranged to extend in the same plane as a wall portion 26 of said other sideform component 14 when coupled to said end formation 22 of said other 25 sideform component 14. The sideform component 10 also includes a fastening formation 28 at a rear thereof for fastening the sideform component 10 to a structure, for example by fastening the sideform component 10 to a magnetic ground surface by way of a magnetic clamp. 30 Although the example shown in the drawings depicts the sideforni component 10 in the form of a sideform extension, it will be understood that the concept of including a C.\NRPorb1\DCC\EJL\4018364 1 DOC-19/01/2012 -6 deformable member 12 to prevent or reduce slack between sideform components may be applied universally to a wide variety of sideform component types. For example, in one alternative, the sideform component may be a sideform cap including a First end portion similar to depicted first end portion 20 for coupling to the formation 22 of said other 5 sideform component 14, and may have the forming surface 16 arranged to extend at an angle to the wall portion 26 of the other sideform component 14 when coupled to end formation 22 of the other side form component 14. In one form, the sideform cap may be used to provide an upper chamfer in the concrete panel, and the forming surface 16 may be formed accordingly at an angle to the wall portion 26. 10 The sideform component 10 has a groove 30 formed along its length, and the deformable member 12 is in the form of a resilient insert which is located in the groove 30. The groove 30 may have an entrance slot 32 of reduced dimension such that the deformable member 12 is elastically deformed on passing through the slot 32, and is 15 thereby retained in the groove 30. As can be seen clearly in the detail in Figure 2, the groove 30 may have a constant C-shaped cross-sectional profile. The deformable member 12 may be in the form of a length of resiliently deformable material cut from a roll. For example, the deformable member 12 may be a 20 length of cord cut to length of a suitable resilient material such as rubber, silicone, nitrile or the like. As can be seen in Figure 2, the deformable member 12 is arranged to interfere with a receiving surface 34 of the other sideform component 14 when the sideform components 25 10, 14 are coupled together such that the deformable member 12 deforms on coupling of the sideform components 10, 14 and exerts force against said receiving surface 34 for the duration of the coupling. The deformable member 12 may be arranged such that the deformable member 12 exerts force against the receiving surface 34 at a location housed inside the sideform component 10. In particular, the deformable member 12 may be 30 housed within retaining ridges 36 or jaws of the sideform component 10 which engage C:\NRPortbl\DCC\EJ.\40183641 DOC-19/01/2012 -7 with receiving shoulders 38 of the other sideform component 14 and thereby retain the sideform components 10, 14 together in coupled relationship. With reference to Figure 1, it will be appreciated that the sideform components 10, 5 14 when coupled together as shown form a sideform for forming concrete panels which benefits from being constructed of modular components but without the disadvantages of existing modular sideforms which typically include or develop an excessive amount of slack between the modular components. 10 Figure 2 depicts an example of an amount of interference which may be desirable between the deformable member 12 and the receiving surface 34 such that the deformable member 12 must resiliently deform and exert a pressure against the receiving surface 34. Figure 3 shows detailed dimensions of the sideform component 10 and Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the groove 30 and the associated dimensions. 15 Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative example which is similar to the example shown in Figures 1 to 4, except in that the sideform component 10 involves a slightly different internal structure wherein the coupling arrangement 18 does not include an internal vertical support 40 (see Figure 1), as sufficient stability of the coupling may be achieved simply by 20 way of the front and rear retaining ridges 36 and the deformable member 12 formed of rubber cord. Otherwise, like features are indicated with like reference numerals. Figure 6 shows the deformable member 12 in the form of a rubber cord extending the full length of the sideform component 10. 25 While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above 30 described exemplary embodiments.
C:\NRPonbI\)CC\EJI\4018364_ .DOC-19/01/2012 The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general 5 knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group 10 of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.