NZ763516A - Recess Former for Cast Plate - Google Patents

Abstract

A recess former 10 is shown in which an internal space 30 is fully enclosed or an open cavity. The recess former 10 is adapted to engage with a cast plate 70. The recess former 10 includes: a case 20 having outer panels 22-29, including base or bottom panel 22, optionally a top panel 24, and end and side panels 26 - 29. The outer panels define an internal cavity 30. A connecting member 40 is adapted to attach the recess former 10 to the cast plate 70. side panels 26 - 29. The outer panels define an internal cavity 30. A connecting member 40 is adapted to attach the recess former 10 to the cast plate 70.

Description

RECESS FOR CAST PLATE FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a recess former. More particularly, this invention s to a recess former for a cast plate.

BACKGROUND ART The following references to and descriptions of prior proposals or ts are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, ents or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

Recess former for a cast plates have been described. Cast in plates are a traditional method for creating a heaving duty connection between concrete members. Prior attempts describe a plate that is cast into each member at adjoining locations and a piece of steel is welded between the 2 cast in plates. The plates may be used in precast and tilt—up concrete members to create a connection between a concrete member and one of the following: an adjacent concrete , a floor slab, a suspended slab or structural steel for a building.

In prior attempts, a cast plate may be recessed into the concrete of the member.

Once a steel piece is welded into position, grout can be used to fill in the remaining spaces of the ed area, hiding the plate and the steel piece. The result may be a finished wall that is flat, making it more aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, this gives some tion against corrosion.

Prior recesses or voids may created be using any one of the following methods: 1. Solid plastic block. These are quite ive and tend to deteriorate quite quickly in concrete. The concrete sticks to them and is very hard to remove. 2. Polystyrene material that may be taped to the cast in plate. They tend to break apart when a user attempts to remove them and can create a mess. 3. Timber fill can also be used. However, this has a limited number of uses and can also be quite time-consuming and expensive to get to the correct shape.

An object of the present invention is to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art or to at least e a useful alternative thereto.

STATEMENT OF ION The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. ingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided: A recess former for a cast plate sing: a case having outer panels, including base, end and side panels, the outer panels defining an internal cavity; and a connecting member adapted to attach the recess former to the cast plate.

CASE Base Panel The base panel is preferably adapted to face the cast plate. The base panel and the cast plate are preferably adapted to oppose each other in parallel planes. The base panel and the cast plate are preferably adapted to lie in superimposed relationship, such that they substantially share the same footprint when viewed in plan.

The case panel is preferably substantially planar shape. The base panel is substantially rectangular in shape.

In on to the base panel, the case may also have a top panel to fully close of the cavity and to form a predominantly hollow internal space. The top panel may be spaced from the base panel. The top and bottom panels are preferably configured to lie in substantially parallel planes. The base panel and the top panel are preferably adapted to lie in mposed relationship, such that they substantially share the same footprint when view in plan.

Side and End Panels The end and side panels may be adapted to lie in planes that are substantially normal to the plane of the base panel.

The end and side panels may be in the form of walls. The end panels may be in the form of front and rear walls.

A panel, such as an end or side wall, may be tapered. The tapering of the panel may allow easier removal of the recess former from the cast plate and the concrete in which the cast plate may be set.

One panel, such as a side or end wall of the recess , may have a chamfer.

This may conform to the profile of a concrete member. The chamfering of the panel may allow it to fit flush with formwork.

Reinforcement The case may include at least one internal structure ing between two or more of the . The reinforcement may extend between the top and bottom panels to reinforce the case.

The reinforcement may comprise elongate al ribs or partitions. The partitions may form an internal grid. The internal structures may be aligned parallel to either the side or end walls. The internal structures may extend from the base panel to the upper limit of the cavity or to the top panel.

TING MEMBER Projection (Extruded member) The recess former may include at least one connecting member to connect the case to the cast in plate. The connecting member may be in the form of a projection.

The connecting member may be adapted to lie or extend substantially normal to the top or bottom panel. The connecting member may be an ed section. The connecting member may include surface features. The surface features may include ribs or contours. The connecting member may be inserted in a complementary female recess. The complementary recess may be located in the case, and preferably in the plate. The complementary recess may engage with the projection in an erence fit. The recess may be located in the plate.

The surface features may be adapted to hold the recess former in position relative to the plate.

Spigot (Bolt) The ting member may include a separate spigot. The spigot may be received in a bore of the plate or nut in an interference or threaded fit. The spigot may be a bolt.

The bolt may be received or be engaged in the recess. The recess may be in the form of a hole. The hole may be adapted to engage with the bolt. The connecting member may extend through the recess former and be threadably engaged in a threaded bore of the cast in plate.

Magnet The cast plate may include ferromagnetic material. The connecting members may also e at least one magnet. The magnet may be used in, on or around the recess former to join the former by means of the ferromagnetic material in the cast plate.

The magnet may be located in the recess former. The magnet could be used to connect the recess former to the plate. The magnet may even be used to hold an entire ly of the recess former and cast plate to a steel cast bed.

LOCATING MEMBERS The connecting members may e an alignment member adapted to facilitate location or registration of the recess former relative to the cast plate.

The alignment member may include outer joining members, such as Clasps, clamps or tabs. The joining members may be sprung or ise resiliently deformable. By the nature of the material by which they are formed, the joining members may be capable of tion to ride over a surface and grip the same or a different surface by a clamping force caused by the inherent spring bias. . The recess former may therefore be clipped to the outside edges of the plate.

The joining members may be in the form of tabs. The tabs preferably orientate the recess former case around the outside of the plate to keep the case and the former in the correct orientation relative to each other.

CHANNEL The case may include a manipulation feature or device. The manipulation feature or device may include a recess or protrusion for a lation tool to engage with.

The manipulation feature or device may include at least one channel. Preferably, the bottom panel of the case may include the l. The channel may define an elongate recess adapted to receive corresponding one or more manipulation tools.

The manipulation tool may be lever or rod adapted to be inserted between the case and one facing surface of the cast plate. The channel may facilitate lation and/or removal of the recess former relative to the cast plate once the concrete has been set.

CTURING PROCESS The former case may be produced by moulding the case as a single piece. The two or more component pieces forming the case may be pre-moulded separately. The panels may be moulded as separate components and fastened, glued, d, clipped or ise joined together in a post— moulding step. The ng process may involve injection moulding. The case may be formed in one moulding step, for example, by blow moulding.

One or more small channels on the cast in plate side of the recess former so that a device such as a screwdriver or dedicated bar could be fed in to lever out the recess former. These channels would be exposed once the formwork is removed.

The recess former is ably made of plastic. The recess former may be formed from robust materials for le or repeat use. The recess former may be made from acetal or metallic materials such as steel and/or aluminium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a joining plate according to a first embodiment shown in situ joining a pair of adjacent concrete members; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of a joining plate according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 shown in situ joining a pair of adjacent te members; Figure 3 is a sectional perspective View of a joining plate ing to a second embodiment shown in situ in a concrete member; Figure 4 is a nal perspective View of the joining plate according to the first embodiment shown in situ during the moulding stage of the te member; Figure 5 is a sectional end View of the joining plate and the recess former according to a third embodiment shown in situ during the ng stage of the concrete member; Figure 6 is a perspective View of the recess former according to a third embodiment showing an extruded section and channels; Figure 7 is a ghosted perspective view of the recess former according to a fourth embodiment; Figure 8 is an exploded perspective View of a recess former according to a fifth embodiment; Figure 9 is a perspective View of the recess former according to the fifth embodiment; Figure 10 is a perspective View of the recess former according to a sixth embodiment; Figure 11 is an exploded ctive view of a complete assembly including a cast plate and a recess former according to a seventh embodiment; Figure 12 is an end sectional view of an assembled cast plate and recess former ing to the third embodiment; Figure 13 is a an end sectional View of an assembled cast plate and recess former according to the seventh embodiment; Figure 14 is a perspective View of an assembled cast plate and recess former according to an eighth embodiment; Figure 15 is a perspective View of a recess former according to an eighth embodiment showing an open die body; Figure 16 is a perspective View of the recess former shown in Fig. 15 showing interposing members; Figure 17 is a sectional ctive view of the joining plate according to the eighth embodiment shown in situ during the moulding stage of the concrete member in which the open die body is filled with concrete; and Figure 18 is a perspective View of a recess former according to the eighth embodiment shown against a former beam atory to a concrete pour.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features of the present ion will now be described with paiticular nce to the accompanying gs. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with nce to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention, except as may be recited in the claims accompanying this specification.

In Figs. 1 — 14, a recess former 10X is shown in which an internal space 30X is fully enclosed, and in Figs. 15 - 18, in which the internal space 30i is an open . The recess former 10 is adapted to engage with a cast plate 70. The recess former 10 includes: a case 20 having outer panels 22—29, including base or bottom panel 22, optionally a top panel 24, and end and side panels 26 — 29. The outer panels define an internal cavity 30. A connecting member 40 is adapted to attach the recess former 10 to the cast plate 70. 2O Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, there is shown a finished product, namely a pair of adjacent concrete wall members 1,2 joined together by joining plate 71 bolted to a pair of cast—in plates 70. The joining plate .71 is affixed by the bolts 72 extending through and threadably engaged to a bore 73 in each of the cast—in plates 70. The recess former defines a recess 5 corresponding to a space occupied by each recess former 10 during concrete casting of each of the wall members 1,2.

The concrete wall members 1,2 are shown in Fig. 1 with the recess formers vacated from the recess space 5. The recess former 10 is easily removed, by releasing the connecting member(s) 40. The body of the case 20 is d inwardly or downwardly from a top panel 22 to a bottom panel 24, so that the case 20 body is frusto—pyramidal in shape. This facilitates easy removal of the recess former 10 once concrete casting of the wall member 1,2 is complete. The side walls 26—29 taper dly and are widest at the al e of the concrete member 1,2. Once the surfaces of the walls 26- 29 abutting the concrete are initially disengaged or separated from the recess 5 walls 26-29, removal outwardly in a direction normal to the plane of the top panel 22 is facilitated.

In Fig. 2, the cast—in plates 70 are shown from a plan perspective. Each of the cast—in plate 70 comprises a solid planar plate 74, typically made of steel, and at least one interposing member 75. Advantageously, the cast in plate 70 may include one or more osing members 75 which may be in the form of L— or hook— shaped structures.

The osing member 75 is preferably adapted to define an facing surface spatially opposing a rearward surface 77 of the plate 74 to ensure that concrete material is trapped within the interstitial space 76a between the opposing surface 76 and the rearward face 77. In the embodiments shown, the interposing member 75 is pair of rearwardly extending, horse shoe-shaped, interposing members 75. The pair of interposing members 75 define a loop 75a into and around which concrete may be poured and to strongly set the cast-in plate 70 in the concrete wall member 1, 2. The interposing member 75 may be made from short, bent sections of reinforcing steel.

The, each or one of the ends of the interposing member 75 may be welded to the rearward surface 77.

The recess former 10 ensures that a clear recess 5 is ed as a void on an outer surface 78 of the planar plate 74. This gives an operator external access to the planar plate 74 so that the g plate 71 can be installed in the recess or gap 5 to join adjacent concrete wall members 1, 2.

As shown in Fig. 4, the recess former 10 is positioned such that its outer casing 22,27 is oned to lie flush with an upper surface 3 and front surface 4 of the concrete wall member 1. To this end, front edge formwork 6 is attached to the front side of the remainder of the main rectangular form work (not shown) preparatory to casting the concrete wall member 1. The form work 6 defines a generally flat facing surface to form the front side 4 of the wall member 1, and has inwardly inclined top and bottom flange surfaces 8 ing along its length that are adapted to form bevel edges 9 along the lengths of front surface 4 of the member 1.

In the following description of the preferred embodiments of the ion, like reference numerals will be used for like es, plus an alphabetic designation a - h, referring to the first — eighth embodiments, respectively.

In Fig. 3, there is shown an concrete wall 2 assembly sing a recess former 10b mounted by a protruding interference fit spigot 4 lb atop a a cast—in plate 70b.

Referring to Figs. 5-6 and 12, a recess former 10c is shown. The recess former 10c includes an outer casing 20 comprising outer panels, including top panel 22c, bottom panel 240, rear wall 260, front wall 270, right side wall 28c and left side wall 290. The recess former 100 includes a ting member 40 in the form of a downwardly depending projection 410. The projection 410 includes a substantially cylindrical shaft 420. The shaft includes, on its outer surface, interference surface features 45 e, such as knobs, protrusions, ridges, grooves or the like that are suitable for creating an interference fit with a corresponding al surface of a bore 430. The bore 430 is formed in the planar plate 740. A downwardly depending hollow cylinder or elongate nut 420 is attached centrally to the internal face of the planar plate 74c in registration with the bore 430. The registered holes 420,430 are adapted to receive the spigot 41c formed centrally on the internal facing surface 210 of the bottom panel 240.

On or in the internal e 21c, a manipulation feature, in the form of a pair of parallel channels 510 located either side of the spigot 410, is provided on the lower panel 24 e of the case 20. The channels 510 are d to cooperate with a corresponding or complementary manipulation tool having one or more elongate engagement member 440 adapted to engage or be operably received in one or both of the channels 510. The elongate engagement member 44c can be a rod or lever operable to cooperate with each channel 510.

The locating member 50 may include inwardly extending tabs 52c spaced about the edge of the bottom panel 24c and extending substantially in line with the ponding side wall 260, 280-290. There are no tabs 52c on the front wall 270, so that, pie—casting, recess former 10c, minus the spigot 410, may be slid sideways onto the cast—in plate 70 after the concrete wall member 1,2 is formed, using the manipulation tool 440 to engage with the channels 51c, thus facilitating removal once the concrete walls members 1,2 are set. The tabs 52c are suitable to locate the recess former 100 in superimposed n over the corresponding footprint of the cast—in plate 700. The tabs 52c may be wider at their base and may be adapted to deflect outwardly beyond the footprint of the recess former 10c to ride over the outer edge of the plate 24c and to grip the side edges thereof. Alternatively, the tabs 52c are less inclined to deflect and simply provide a e on function for registering the respective footprints of the recess former 100 and the plate 24c.

Fig. 7 shows an arrangement in which the connecting member 40d is in the form of an array of magnets 46d. The s 46d are cylindrically doughnut-shaped and cooperate with corresponding cylindrically toroidal-shaped cavities 47d defined by a central pin and an outer cylindrical wall. The magnets 46d can be inserted in the cavities 47d from the “top” side, that is through openings formed in the top panel 22d, and/or via a central g 47d formed in the mouth of the cavity 47d ing through the bottom panel 24d. The recess former 10d may include a manipulation e 50 in the form of ls 51d and a locating member in the form of tabs 52d, in a manner similar to that of the third embodiment.

Turning to Figs. 8 — 9, a recess former 106 is shown in which the bottom panel 24e is a plain rectangular panel with the exception of a single aperture 31e adapted to recess and trap a flared bifurcated spigot 32e. The spigot 32e has a plurality of legs 33c adapted to radially flex to receive therewithin a cooperating male spigot 43c, as well as to inwardly flex to permit the legs 33e and the bifurcated spigot 32e as a whole to enter and be trapped in the aperture 31e. Each leg 33c terminates at its free end in an outer lip that resists removal of the bottom panel 246 from the bifurcated spigot 32e.

Preferably, the double bifurcated spigot 32e has two or more legs 33e separated by two or more osed slots that facilitate radial deflection.

The internal space 30c of the recess former lOe comprises one or more reinforcing features, such as lateral and longitudinal partitions or ribs 34e, 35e. The reinforcing structures 34e,35e resist the compressive forces associated with a concrete pour and preserve the integrity and dimensions of the internal space 30e.

The recess former 10e es locating members 50 in the form of peripheral tabs 52c. The tabs 52e are located around each of the edges of the bottom panel 24e, extending from each of side walls 26e — 2%.

Instead of tabs, the recess former 10f shown in Fig. 6 es clasps 53f. The clasps are aligned in similar fashion to the aforementioned tabs 52. r, the clasps 53f comprise a main leg 55f extending in co-planar relationship with the corresponding side wall 26f—29f. The legs 55f are resiliently defonnable to permit outward flexing.

The legs 55f include inwardly directed detents 54f on the free end of the clasps 53f, so that the planar plate 24f can be positively engaged about its side edges by the recess former 10f.

In Figs. 11 and 13, the recess former 10g is adapted to be bolted to the corresponding cast—in plate 70g using a ed bolt 72g that engages corresponding threaded female members 43g in the planar plate 24g and the cylindrical shaft 42g. The bolt head rests in a well 15g in the top panel 22g. The channels 51g may be left void and cannot be accessed by concrete during the pour as the front mouth of each channel is blocked by formwork 6. In the post-cast product, the recess former 10g may be easily lifted out of the cavity 5 by insertion of lifting rods 44g into the channels 51 g. The lifting rods 44g may form part of a hand-operated tool. 2O In Fig. 8 a completed recess former 10h and cast-in plate 70h assembly are shown.

The loops 75h are shown to e surface features such as curved ribs 79h for ed adhesion to the concrete during pouring and setting. The clasps 53f are shown to grip the underside surface of the planar plate 24h to both locate and lock the recess former 10h on to the cast-in plate 70h.

Figs. 15 - l8 relate to an eighth embodiment in which a recess former 10i is shown having an open casing 20i with an al space 30i. The case 20i is similar to the previously bed formers 10x, with the exception that the case 20i is open-topped and does not include an upper panel 24, Whilst including a bottom panel 22i and side panels 26i-29i.

During a concrete pour, the internal space 30i may be filled with concrete 1i.

However, upon the former 10i being removed by a tool engaging one or both channels Sli, the concrete filled into the internal space 30i is removed with the former 10i to leave a recess in a manner similar to that described with reference to Fig. l, leaving a cast-in plate 70i inset into the poured and set concrete 1i.

Fig. 18 shows the recess former 10i and cast—in plate 70i as it may be positioned in relation to front rk 6i. Once the concrete li has set, the formwork 6i may be removed and a tool used to remove the recess former 10i, by ng the channels 51i.Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or es that it directly nces, but also other components, steps or features not specifically , unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

In the t specification, terms such as “apparatus”, “means”, “device” and “member” may refer to singular or plural items and are terms intended to refer to a set of properties, functions or characteristics med by one or more items or components having one or more parts. It is ged that where an “apparatus”, “means”, “device” or r” or similar term is described as being a unitary object, then a functionally equivalent object having multiple ents is considered to fall within the scope of the term, and similarly, where an “apparatus”, “assembly”, “means”, “device” or “member” is described as having multiple components, a functionally equivalent but unitary object is also considered to fall within the scope of the term, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or ment will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the top panel 22 uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein t departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (1)

1. The claims: 1. A recess former for a cast plate comprising: a case having outer panels, including base, end and side panels, the outer panels defining an internal cavity; and a connecting member adapted to attach the recess former to the cast plate. The recess former as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the case has a top panel that closes off the cavity to form a predominantly hollow internal space. The recess former as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the base panel includes a channel extending from the bottom edge of the front panel toward the rear. 10 The recess former as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the channel defines an te recess adapted to receive corresponding one or more lation tools. The recess former as claimed in any one of the us claims, n the connecting member is in the form of a projection adapted to extend 15 substantially normal to the base panel. The recess former as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the connecting member is an extruded section. The recess former as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the connecting member es surface features in the form of ribs or contours. 20 The recess former as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the connecting member is be insertable in a complementary female recess located in the plate. The recess former as d in Claim 8, wherein the complementary recess engages with the projection in an interference fit. 25 10. The recess former as claimed in any one Claims 7 - 9, wherein the surface features are adapted to hold the recess former in position relative to the plate. 11. The recess former as d in any one of the previous claims, wherein the connecting member includes a separate spigot. 12. The recess former as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the spigot is receivable in a bore of the plate or in a nut in an erence or threaded fit. 13. The recess former as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, wherein the spigot is a bolt 5 adapted to be ed or be engaged in the recess. 14. The recess former as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the connecting member is adapted to extend through the recess former and be threadably engaged in a ed bore of the cast-in plate. 15. The recess former as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the cast 10 plate includes ferromagnetic material and the connecting member es at least one magnet. 16. The recess former as claimed in Claim 15, n the magnet is positioned on or around the recess former to join the former by means of the ferromagnetic material in the cast plate. 15 17. The recess former as claimed in Claim 15 or 16, wherein the magnet is adapted to hold an entire assembly of the recess former and the cast plate to a steel cast bed. 18. The recess former as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the connecting member includes an alignment member adapted to facilitate location 20 or registration of the recess former relative to the cast plate. 19. The recess former as claimed in Claim 18, wherein the alignment member includes outer joining members in the form of clasps, clamps or tabs. 20. The recess former as claimed in Claim 19, wherein the recess former is clipped to the outside edges of the plate. FIG. mm4a 7(J FIG.