MXPA97007488A - Interconectab formwork elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A modular assembly to create a formwork for casting vertical concrete structures is characterized by elongated, generally concave elements (1) which are placed in a side-by-side relationship in two facing rows (4, 5 and 6, 7), and which are retained simultaneously in a side-by-side relationship and in relation confronted by connection members (8). The connecting members have separate edges (18) that allow the flow of concrete through the plane of the connecting member (

Description

INTERCONECTABLE FORMWORK ELEMENTS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to shuttering for casting vertical concrete structures such as walls. The forms of the invention are elongated modular elements which are adapted to interconnect with one another along their longitudinal sides to create a total formwork for casting concrete to form a wall or other vertical structure.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND It is known from the prior art how to provide modular formula elements, which can be stacked end-to-end and where a plurality of horizontal courses overlap one another to create a formwork wall. Examples of such elements are described in US Pat. No. 2,172,052 to Robbins and United States Patent 3,788,020 to Gregori. It is also known how to provide elements of modular form consisting of a plurality of essentially closed and vertical shapes which can be nested side by side to create a series of adjacent concrete columns. The American Patent 5,216,863 for REF: 25529 Nessa et al. describes such elements having generally circular or octagonal cross sections. In the Nessa octagonal cross section mode, the cross section of shape elements comprises the general shape of an octagon on one side to create an open side. The adjacent free edges of the open side are provided with retention means which are designed to cooperate with complementary retention means mounted on the back of an adjacent element. Therefore, a plurality of elements can be secured to others, type "bets" to create a formwork of columns into which concrete can be poured. There are a number of desirable objectives in relation to the elements in a modular way. Where it is intended to leave the form in place after casting the concrete, it is desirable to provide a shaped element that allows easy application of the finished wall coverings to the surface thereof. An important feature is the ability to allow concrete to flow between interconnected elements to provide strength and rigidity to the concrete structure. It is also desirable to be able to insert reinforcing rods into the formwork. The formwork must be watertight to prevent corrosion of the reinforcement elements submerged in the concrete. It is also desirable that the finished formwork offers insulating properties. Several methods of the prior art achieve some of those objectives, but with varying success. For example, in the case of US Patent 5216863 it is difficult to provide insulation or liner within the form, mainly because of the essentially closed nature of the octagonal or circular form, and the structure of the form tends to impede the flow of concrete between adjacent forms. In addition, the resulting formwork lacks structural rigidity and when the formwork is filled with. concrete, suffers from a "banana effect" which causes the walls of the elements of the form to buckle. This makes it difficult to secure finished and wall coverings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to one of its aspects, the invention comprises a modular formwork assembly having an elongate, generally concave element and an elongated connection member and two longitudinal edges connected by spaced apart edges. The connecting member is provided with coupling means on each edge each of the coupling means which allow the connection of the arranged elements in end-to-end relationship around an edge of the connecting element. The elements are provided with coupling means along their longitudinal edges to cooperate with the connecting means of the connecting members. The coupling means of the elements and those of the members are adapted to cooperate by sliding coupling. The connection element therefore acts to simultaneously connect two elements facing each other, as well as to connect two elements presented in end-to-end relation to each other. The generally open or concave shape of the elements allows the application of insulation or coatings to the internal surface thereof and / or nesting the elements for easy transport, while the modular appearance of the elements and connection members allow easy assembly for the worker. The resulting assembly provides a formwork which substantially maintains its shape when filled with concrete and does not suffer from the "banana effect". The spacing of the flanges of the connecting member provides pathways for the insertion of the reinforcing rod formwork, and also allows for the integral formation of horizontal lengths of concrete along the guides formed by the spaces aligned between the flanges of adjacent elements.

In another aspect, the invention is a method for erecting the formwork using the assembly described above, comprising the steps of erecting first of one side of the formwork providing a plurality of connection members, wherein the means of couplings on a single common side of the plurality of connecting members are coupled in the coupling means of a plurality of the elements to retain the plurality of elements in edge-to-edge relationship. The next step is to install reinforcing rods in the spaces between the flanges of the connecting means, then install a plurality of elements in edge-to-edge relationship in engagement with the coupling connection means on an opposite side of the connecting members. to complete therefore a second side of the formwork wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING MODALITY Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure and description of the preferred embodiment and from the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic, plan view of a formwork assembly illustrating the connecting members , elements and end pieces of holes according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of an element according to the invention, including an insulation on the internal surface thereof; Figure 3 is an end view of a modality of a connection member according to the invention; Figure 4 is a front view of a length of the connection member shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an end view of an embodiment of a connection member according to the invention, including coupling means for a hollow termination part. Figure 6 is a front view of a length of the connection member of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an end view of a connection member according to another embodiment of the invention for closing one end of a course of elements; Figure 8 is a front view of a length of the connection member of Figure 7; Figure 9 is an end view of a hollow termination part according to the invention; Figure 10 is an end-to-end view of an angular piece according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 11 is an end view of an element with anchors according to the embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST PREFERRED MODE AND MODALITY OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1, a plurality of elements of generally elongate concave shape 1 are provided. The elements are preferably made of a material such as polyvinyl chloride like the other components described herein. The elements have a surface 50 which may be three sides or may have more sides, be round or in any other suitable manner, provided that the elements are essentially open so that the edges do not close together. In this description and the claims, such forms are known for their simplicity, "concave". The use of such shapes gives an appearance similar to that of a column to the formwork. The concavity also allows easy access to the inner face 2 of the element 1 for the placement or joining of various types of insulation or coating within the inner face of the element before the erection of the formwork or at the time of manufacturing the elements 1. foam-type insulation is used as in 3 or a composite insulation or thin coating can be attached to the inner surface of the element. Alternatively, the element can be used without any insulation or coating. The open concave shape of the elements also makes it possible to nest a plurality of elements for compact and easy transport, thereby reducing transport costs. The formwork wall is created by placing a course of elements 1 adjacent to each other in a flange relationship, as between elements 4 and 5 in Figure 1, placing a second course of elements adjacent to each other in edge-to-edge relation, as between elements 6 and 7 in Figure 1, and interconnecting the elements by means of the members of connection, as described later. Referring to Figure 2, the longitudinal edges 9, 10 of the elements 1 are provided with coupling means 12, 14. In the preferred embodiment, the coupling means is in the form of a female portion of a T-connector. connection 8 according to the invention is illustrated in Figure 3 and Figure 4. A series of ridges 18 extend in the central portion 23 along the length of the connecting member 8 between the longitudinal edges 19, 21. Coupling means 20, 22 are provided on each edge 19, 21 of the connecting members 8. In the preferred embodiment, the coupling means 20 in turn consist of two male portions 28, 30 of a T connector positioned opposite each other. yes in relation to the central portion 23. The same arrangement is provided for the coupling means 22. Each of the male portions of the T-connector are dimensioned to cooperate with the female portions 12, 14 of the T-connector which is part of the element 1. Referring again to Figure 1, the coupling means 20, 22 of the connecting member 8 can be placed in relation to the coupling means 12, 14 of four elements 4, 5, 6, 7 , then sliding towards engagement with them along the length of the connecting member 8 and elements 4, 5, 6, 7, (ie towards the plane of Figure 1). The connecting member 8 therefore acts as a separator for the fastening elements 5 and 7 and the elements 4 and 6 a controlled separation distance from each other. In this way, also due to the fact that the concrete can flow laterally between the flanges 18 of the connection members, the buckling out of the interconnected elements is prevented once the concrete is seen in the formwork. It should be appreciated that the connecting member 8 acts not only to keep the facing elements 5, 7 and 4.6 at a certain distance from each other, but also to secure the laterally adjacent elements 4, 5 and 6, 7 in edge-to-edge relationship between yes. Once the connecting member is slidably coupled with a first set of four elements, another connecting element can slide towards the coupling with the coupling means on the end of the opposite elements of the connecting member which is already installed. In this way, a formwork wall can be gradually erected. Since the coupling between the connecting members and the elements is by sliding one, the formwork on any connecting member can be easily disassembled, as long as no concrete has been poured. As noted above, the connecting member 8 is provided with ridges 18. The ridges 18 are spaced apart from each other a sufficient distance to ensure a minimum impediment to the flow of concrete through the central portion 23. The spaced ridges 18 also allow the introduction into the spaces (24, 25, 26) of reinforcing rods extending along the lateral length of the wall, for example between the connecting elements 8, 11. The reinforcing rods can in fact be placed in any orientation within the plane of the concrete wall, with the only limitation being the existence of a linear array of spaces between the flanges 18 of the adjacent members along the path to be followed by the reinforcing rod. In this way the rods can be arranged either horizontally or diagonally according to the regularity and separation of the flanges in the adjacent connecting members. It is possible according to the invention to erect only one side or face of the formwork by connecting the connecting members to a plurality of elements but leaving the opposite edge of the free connection members. With the proper shoring of the resulting structure it is then possible to install reinforcing rods in the paths defined by successive spaces between the flanges of the connecting members. Only one side of the formwork will have been erected, the total pattern of the reinforcement rods is visible from the side of the formwork allowing an evaluation of the stability of the reinforcement scheme. One sees that the reinforcing rods are installed satisfactorily, the complementary side of the formwork can be erected by sliding a plurality of elements in the coupling means on the free edges of the connecting members. Also, there may be provided of bearings 48, 49 which project into the surface 50 of the element as shown in Figure 11 to couple the concrete after it is poured to provide additional stiffness to the structure. An advantage of the assembly according to the invention is that if a thin layer of insulation 3 is provided on the internal surface of the element 1 it is possible to provide cuts in the shape and insulation to provide a cavity for the installation of electrical boxes and the like. Even after the concrete hardens in the form, it might still be possible, if necessary, to cut a portion of the element 1 and its associated portion of insulation to provide the necessary cavity. The external appearance of a course of elements joined by connecting members will be from a row of columns projecting as can be seen considering the total view offered in Figure 1. However, in some cases, it will be desirable to present a flat exterior or interior surface to Wall. This can be achieved with elements as described herein by the use of an elongated hollow-termination part 13, seen in Figure 1 and illustrated more particularly in Figure 9. The hollow-termination part 13 consists of a surface substantially flat 17 and a projection 27 extending from the flat surface 17. The hole completion piece can be positioned to cover the gap 29 created by the walls 31, 32 of the adjacent elements. The projection 27 of the hollow termination piece 13 is provided with an end in the form of an arrowhead 33. To retain the hollow termination piece 13 in place over the hollow 29, a different embodiment of a hinge member was used. connection to that described above, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, although such a member may be incorporated in the formwork assembly as seen in Figure 1. Extending directly outward from each edge 34, 35 of member 36 are provided coupling means 37, 38 consisting of receptacles in the preferred embodiment. Such connecting element 36 is also illustrated in Figure 1. The receptacles 37, 38 and the arrowhead-shaped end 33 of the projection 27 are sized to cooperate with each other in a ball-and-socket type connection. The hollow termination piece 13 can therefore be retained to cover the gap 29 by applying pressure to insert the end 33 into the receptacle 37 or 38. Another embodiment of a connecting member (42) is illustrated in Figure 7. Such embodiment includes coupling means 39, 40 on one side only of connecting member 42. The central portion of the connecting member is also continuous and substantially planar to the edges of the member. As a result, the connecting member 42 can be used to close the end of a course of elements at 43 in Figure 1. It should be appreciated that several complementary components can also be used in association with the components described above but have not been described in detail. . For example, the curved piece 44 (which can be flexible) can be used to define a curve in the wall, and the flat piece 45 having angled coupling means 46, 47 as illustrated in Figure 10 can be used to negotiate corners and other changes of wall structure directions. Although the coupling means of the preferred embodiment have been described in some detail, variations may be practiced on the specific structure of the coupling means within the scope of the invention., provided that there is a slidable coupling between the coupling means the cooperation of the elements and the connecting members allow the easy erection of the formwork. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other variations of the preferred embent may also be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (6)

REGVINDICATIONS

1. A modular formwork assembly for casting concrete to form vertical structures, characterized in that it comprises: an elongate element having a surface extending from a longitudinal edge of the element to the opposite longitudinal edge of the element to define a generally concave cross section having a inner surface and an outer surface and wherein the longitudinal edges are provided with coupling means extending substantially along the length of the edges to releasably interconnect the element with a connecting member; an elongate connection member comprising a central portion defined between a first and opposite longitudinal edges of the member, a plurality of flanges extending between the longitudinal edges along the length of the member and which are spaced at a sufficient distance from each other to allow the flow of concrete through the central portion, and wherein each of the longitudinal edges of the member is provided with coupling means adapted to cooperate longitudinally sliding engagement with the coupling means of each of a pair of such elements when the elements are presented in edge-to-edge relationship to be connected around opposite sides of the member coupling means; whereby the connecting member is adapted to simultaneously couple each of a first pair of elements presented in edge-to-edge relationship about one edge of a member and each of the second pair of elements presented in edge-to-edge relationship around the edge opposite of the member.

2. A modular formwork assembly for casting concrete to form vertical structures, characterized by: an elongate element having a surface extending from a longitudinal edge of the element to the opposite longitudinal edge of the elements to define a generally concave cross section, and where the longitudinal edges are provided by coupling means extending substantially along the length of the edges to releasably interconnect the element with a connecting member; an elongated connecting member comprising a continuous flat portion extending between a first longitudinal edge and the member and an opposite longitudinal edge of the member, wherein the longitudinal edges on one side of the member are provided with coupling means each of the which coupling means are adapted to cooperate with the longitudinal slidable coupling with the coupling means on only one side of the elements and wherein the longitudinal edges on the opposite side of the member have a flat surface which is substantially continuous with the portion flat

3. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in addition the elements are provided with inward projections from the surface thereof, to anchor the element to elongate concrete in the formwork by interconnecting a plurality of such elements.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that the elements are provided with insulating material on the internal surface of the element.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, further characterized in that the connecting member further includes coupling means extending from at least one longitudinal edge of the member in the plane direction of the central portion and is adapted to cooperate the slidable coupling with a hollow-termination piece, and by the assembly including a given elongated hollow part comprising a substantially planar surface, a projection extending from the planar surface and coupling means at the projection end wherein the means of Couplings are adapted to be snapped into engagement with such coupling means.

6. A method for assembling the assembly according to claim 1, characterized by the steps of: erecting only one side of a formwork wall providing a plurality of connection members, wherein the connection means on a single, common side of the plurality of connecting members are coupled in the coupling means of a plurality of such elements to retain the plurality of elements in edge-to-edge relationship; install reinforcing rods in the spaces between the edges of the connecting members; and installing a plurality of such elements in edge-to-edge relationship in engagement with the coupling means on an opposite side of the connecting members to complete a second side of the formwork wall.