US20020100857A1

US20020100857A1 - Modular form tube and clamp system

Info

Publication number: US20020100857A1
Application number: US09/839,882
Authority: US
Inventors: Anthony Gallis
Original assignee: Harsco Technologies LLC
Current assignee: Harsco Technologies LLC
Priority date: 2001-01-12
Filing date: 2001-04-20
Publication date: 2002-08-01

Abstract

A clamping device is configured to clamp adjacent modular form members to one another. The clamping device includes an elongated bar and a pair of clamps mounted on the bar. A plurality of gusset plates are disposed on and protrude outwardly from the bar to complementarily engage the perimeter frames of the modular form members. The jaws of the clamps retain the perimeter frames of the adjacent modular form members against the bar, which clamps the form members to one another and retains them in a flush orientation with one another. The bar is generally channel shaped and includes a pair of reentrant legs adjacent a throat. A number of auxiliary attachments are cooperably mountable on the bar.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/759,895, which was filed on Jan. 12, 2001, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to modular form systems for the pouring of concrete walls and other structures and, more particularly, relates to a clamping device for clamping modular form members with one another. Specifically, the invention relates to a clamping device that can clamp one or more modular form members to a tube that is shaped to complementarily receive the modular form member and that is comparable with auxiliary attachments for the building of a wall form into which uncured concrete can be poured to form a concrete wall.

2. Description of the Related Art

Concrete is a well-known building material that has been used for many years. Once particular use of concrete is in the formation of poured concrete walls whereby a hollow form is assembled at a desired location, with concrete then being poured into the form and allowed to harden or cure. As is known in the relevant art, one type of form includes a plurality of panels that are each formed with a retention surface. The panels are affixed to one another such that the retention surfaces together provide an interior surface and an exterior surface that will retain the uncured concrete and that will define the interior and exterior surfaces of the finished concrete wall. Once the poured concrete has cured, the panels are disassembled and removed from the wall and are reused in other applications to build other such walls. While such known modular form systems have been at least moderately successful for their intended purposes, such known systems have not, however, been without limitations.

Such known concrete modular form systems are labor-intensive to assemble as well as to disassemble after the wall has been formed. Moreover, the formation of walls using known modular form systems is expensive in terms of assembly components that remain disposed in the finished wall and thus cannot be reused.

The modular form members typically include a perimeter frame that is formed with a number of slots that receive wedge bolts and/or tie members for assembling the modular form members into a wall form. As is known in the relevant art, wedge bolts typically are roughly triangular plates formed with a longitudinally extending slot. One way in which wedge bolts can be used to assemble adjacent form members to one another is to align the slots of the adjacent perimeter frames and to receive a first wedge bolt in the aligned slots until the wedge bolt is wedged therein. A second wedge bolt is then received in the slot formed in the first wedge bolt to compress the form members against one another. Such assembly practices require the use of numerous such wedge bolts that often must be assembled and disassembled with a hammer, which is extremely time consuming and thus is costly in terms of labor.

Tie members are employed to extend between the form members that will form the interior surface of the wall and the form members that will form the exterior surface of the wall, as well as for other purposes. Such tie members extend directly between opposed pairs of aligned form members and other structures and thus ultimately are disposed within the concrete when the concrete is poured as well as after curing thereof. As such, many such tie members remain disposed internally within a cured concrete wall and thus cannot be reused. Tie members often are attached to the modular form members with additional wedge bolts, which requires substantial increased labor.

After the concrete has cured and the form members are removed from the concrete walls, the ends of the tie members typically protrude outwardly from the wall and must be removed, as by snapping off the protruding portion, which requires further labor. In this regard, it can be seen that the use of tie members extending between the interior and exterior form members requires the attention of a laborer at both of the interior and exterior walls for the application and removal of wedge bolts or other attachment structures.

It is thus desired to provide an improved modular form system that permits adjacent form members to be connected with one another quickly and efficiently with reduced labor required. Additionally, it is desired to provide such an improved system that does not require the usual labor-intensive efforts to install tie members between interior and exterior form members. Still further, it is desired to provide such a system wherein fewer, if any, tie members remain within the concrete wall after curing.

It is also known that modular form members are available in differing heights, typically about in about the range of from three to ten feet in height, and in differing widths in about the range of from one inch to four feet. In the event that it is desired to build a concrete wall taller than ten feet in height, it is necessary to stack courses of modular form members on top of one another such that the combined height of the panels provides the desired height for the finished concrete wall. Since the assembly and disassembly of known modular form members is laborious and cost intensive, it is additionally desirable to provide an improved modular form system that facilitates the vertical stacking of form members on top of one another to reduce the cost of erecting concrete walls that are taller than a single course of form members.

In applications where a concrete wall is to be erected on a sloping grade, such as a hill, the footer upon which the concrete wall is to be erected typically includes one or more steps to compensate for the change in elevation. The use of known modular form members for the construction of a concrete wall atop such a stepped footer is extremely difficult since the modular form members must themselves follow the stepped pattern. Known modular form members are designed to be connected with one another only at the same vertical height or at discrete changes in elevation. As such, the assembly of a wall form atop a stepped footer requires substantially increased labor beyond that which would be required for a similar wall on a horizontal footer due to the additional manipulation and shimming that is required. It is thus desirable that an improved modular form system be provided that would permit continuous vertical repositioning of modular form members with respect to one another in order to facilitate assembly of a wall form atop a stepped footer.

In assembling a wall form out of a plurality of modular form members, it is often desirable to affix auxiliary structures to the modular form members for various purposes. For instance, a waler is typically affixed along a plurality of adjacent form members for the purpose of maintaining alignment of the form members with one another as well as for transferring the horizontal hydrostatic load of the uncured concrete on the form members to the ties that extend between sets of adjacent form members. It may also be desirable to attach a catwalk to the form members to allow workers to stand upon the catwalk while assembling an additional course of modular form members atop the existing form members or for other purposes. It may also be desirable to attach to one or more of the modular form members a support leg that extends between the modular form member and the grade or other support surface for the purpose of supporting the modular form member in a desirable vertical orientation. It is thus desired to provide an improved modular form system that permits the attachment of such auxiliary structures to a wall form without substantial additional labor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, a modular concrete form system employs a clamping device to clamp adjacent modular form members to one another. The clamping device includes an elongated bar and a pair of clamps mounted on the bar, the bar being shaped to complementarily engage the perimeter frames of the modular form members. The jaws of the clamps retain the perimeter frames of the adjacent modular form members against the bar, which clamps the form members to one another and retains them in a flush orientation with one another.

The clamping system additionally includes a pair of clip assemblies mounted on the bar, the clip assemblies each having a slidable tie clip formed with an opening for receiving a portion of a tie therein. The tie is tapered and is nominally of a circular cross section and formed with a plurality of spaced groves at the alternate ends thereof. One end of the tie is receivable in a tie hole formed in the bar as well as in an opening of a tie clip that is aligned with the tie hole, the grooves in the end of the tie being removably lockable in the opening. The opposite end of the tie can be similarly received in another clamping device that is used to clamp modular form members that will define an opposite surface of a concrete wall. The ties are disposed within the wall after the concrete has cured, but the ties are nevertheless removable from the cured concrete inasmuch as the ties are tapered and can be dislodged from the wall with a blow from a hammer delivered to the narrow protruding end of the tie.

One configuration of the clamping device of the present invention includes an elongated bar that is generally channel shaped and that includes a plurality of engagement members in the form of gusset plates that are oriented transverse to a longitudinal axis of the bar, whereby the opposite ends of the gusset plates form the complementary surfaces that complementarily engage corresponding surfaces on the modular form members. The clamping device additionally includes a connection member that is mounted on one end of the bar and that is configured to be received in a void at the other end of a similar second clamping device.

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device having a bar and a clamp that can clamp a modular form member to the bar.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a modular form system that employs ties that are tapered and removable from a cured concrete wall.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device that employs sliding tie clips formed with openings that can receive grooved ends of ties therein.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device having an elongated bar that is formed to complementarily engage a perimeter frame of a modular form member.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device that is compatible with and can be used in conjunction with existing modular form systems.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device and a modular form system that are economical to use.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device that improves the efficiency with which a modular form system can be used.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of constructing a wall form that can be used to construct a wall out of a building material such as concrete.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of forming a wall out of a building material.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device that can be relatively easily vertically stacked so that multiple courses of modular form members can be built up to enable the construction of concrete walls that are taller than the height of the individual form members that are used.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device that permits modular form members to be substantially continuously repositioned along longitudinal portions of a bar of the clamping device.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device having a bar that is generally channel shaped and that permits substantially continuous repositioning of auxiliary attachments along longitudinal portions of the bar.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device having a bar and a plurality of gusset plates oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the bar, the gusset plates having ends that complementarily engage corresponding surfaces on modular form members.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device for retaining a first modular form member in a given orientation with respect to a second modular form member, the first modular form member being formed with a first indentation, the second modular form member being formed with a second indentation, in which the general nature of the clamping device can be stated as including an elongated bar having a first surface and a second surface, at least a first engagement member mounted on the bar, the at least first engagement member including a first edge and a second edge, the first edge protruding outwardly from the first surface, the second edge protruding outwardly from the second surface, the first edge forming a first protrusion that is structured to be engageable with the first indentation, and the second edge forming a second protrusion that is structured to be engageable with the second indentation, and at least a first clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw being structured to removably engage the first protrusion with the first indentation, the second jaw being structured to removably engage the second protrusion with the second indentation.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary attachment for use with an elongated bar formed with an elongated throat and having a pair of legs disposed on opposite sides of the throat, in which the general nature of the auxiliary attachment can be stated as including a bracket and a mounting bolt having an extension member and a cross member, the extension member being structured to extend into the throat of the bar between the pair of legs, the cross member being structured to engage the pair of legs to retain the bracket on the bar.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary attachment for use with an elongated bar formed with an elongated throat and having a pair of legs disposed on opposite sides of the throat, in which the general nature of the auxiliary attachment can be stated as including a bracket including an extension member and a cross member, the extension member being structured to extend between the pair of legs, and the cross member being structured to be engaged with the pair of legs.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a clamping device for retaining a first modular form member in a given orientation with respect to a second modular form member, the first modular form member being formed with a first indentation, the second modular form member being formed with a second indentation, in which the general nature of the clamping device can be stated as including an elongated bar formed with a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion being structured to be engageable with the first indentation, the second protrusion being structured to be engageable with the second indentation, the bar being generally channel shaped and being formed with an elongated throat, and at least a first clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw being structured to removably engage the first protrusion with the first indentation, the second jaw being structured to removably engage the second protrusion with the second indentation.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a wall form structured to receive uncured concrete and to retain the concrete therein during curing to form a cured concrete wall from which the wall form is substantially removable, in which the general nature of the wall form can be stated as including a pair of first modular form members, a pair of second modular form members, each of the first modular form members being formed with a first indentation, each of the second modular form members being formed with a second indentation, a first clamping device, a second clamping device, the first and second clamping devices each including an elongated bar, at least a first engagement member mounted on the bar, and at least a first clamp; each bar having a first surface and a second surface, each engagement member including a first edge and a second edge, each first edge protruding outwardly from the first surface to form a first protrusion, each second edge protruding outwardly from the second surface to form a second protrusion, the first protrusion of the first clamping device being engaged with the first indentation of one of the first form members, the second protrusion of the first clamping device being engaged with the second indentation of one of the second form members, the first protrusion of the second clamping device being engaged with the first indentation of the other of the first form members, the second protrusion of the second clamping device being engaged with the second indentation of the other of the second form members, each clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw removably engaging the first protrusion with the first indentation, the second jaw removably engaging the second protrusion with the second indentation, and one of at least a first tie and a spanning member extending between the first and second clamping devices.

These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description and reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modes in which Applicant has contemplated applying the principles of the invention, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. [0036]
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention to which are connected a pair of modular form members on alternate sides thereof; [0037]
FIG. 1A is a schematic top plan representation of a simple wall form employing the clamping device of the present invention; [0038]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view as taken along line [0039] 2-2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view, partially cut away, of a first clamp of the clamping assembly of the present invention; [0040]
FIG. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of a first clip assembly of the clamping device of the present invention; [0041]
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line [0042] 5-5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a tie in accordance with the present invention; [0043]
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line [0044] 7-7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line [0045] 8-8 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9A is a front elevational view of a first end of the tie received in an opening in the clip assembly; [0046]
FIG. 9B is a view similar to FIG. 9A, except showing the tie rotated such that a retention structure formed in the tie is partially received in a slot formed in the tie clip; [0047]
FIG. 9C is a view similar to FIG. 9B, except showing the retention structure fully received in the slot of the tie clip; [0048]
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 2, except depicting a second embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention; [0049]
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary left side elevational view of a portion of a bar of the second embodiment; [0050]
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the portion of the bar of the second embodiment; [0051]
FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 2, except depicting a third embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention; [0052]
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a bar of the third embodiment; [0053]
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a bar of a fourth embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention; [0054]
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a bar of a fifth embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention; [0055]
FIG. 17 is a fragmentary isometric view of a sixth embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention; [0056]
FIG. 17A is a fractional top plan view of the sixth embodiment engaged with a pair of modular form panels; [0057]
FIG. 18 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the sixth embodiment; [0058]
FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line [0059] 19-19 of FIG. 17;
FIG. 20 is a front view of a portion of a seal apparatus of the sixth embodiment; [0060]
FIG. 21 is a top plan view of a gusset plate of the sixth embodiment; [0061]
FIG. 22 is an exploded isometric view of a portion of the sixth embodiment; [0062]
FIG. 23 is a side elevational view of a connection member of the sixth embodiment; [0063]
FIG. 24 is a front elevational view of the connection member; [0064]
FIG. 25 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the sixth embodiment with the connection member thereof engaged in a void of a bar of a similar second clamping device in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the present invention; [0065]
FIG. 26 is a side elevational view of a lock mechanism of the connection member; [0066]
FIG. 27 is an isometric view of an auxiliary attachment mounted on the sixth embodiment; [0067]
FIG. 28 is a sectional view as taken along line [0068] 28-28 of FIG. 27;
FIG. 29 is a sectional view as taken along line [0069] 29-29 of FIG. 28;
FIG. 30A is a top plan view of a portion of the clamping device with a mounting bolt of an auxiliary attachment being rotated to a first orientation; [0070]
FIG. 30B is a front elevational view of the auxiliary attachment with the mounting bolt in the first orientation; [0071]
FIG. 31A is a view similar to FIG. 30A, except depicting the mounting bolt rotated to a second orientation; [0072]
FIG. 31B is a view similar to FIG. 30B, except depicting the mounting bolt in the second orientation; [0073]
FIG. 32A is a view similar to FIG. 3 [0074] 1A, except depicting a wedge bolt of the auxiliary attachment being tightly received in a wedge slot of the mounting bolt;
FIG. 32B is a view similar to FIG. 31B, except depicting the wedge bolt tightly received in the wedge slot; [0075]
FIG. 33 is an exploded fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the sixth embodiment with a support leg bracket mounted thereon; [0076]
FIG. 34 is a schematic isometric view of a portion of a wall form that incorporates the sixth embodiment; [0077]
FIG. 35 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 34 enclosed by a phantom line; [0078]
FIG. 36 is an isometric view of an auxiliary attachment that can be used in conjunction with the sixth embodiment; [0079]
FIG. 37 is a fragmentary isometric view of the auxiliary attachment mounted on the sixth embodiment; [0080]
FIG. 38 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the auxiliary attachment mounted on the sixth embodiment; and [0081]
FIG. 39 is schematic view of a seventh embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention. [0082]
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.[0083]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of a [0084] clamping device 4 in accordance with the present invention is indicated in generally FIGS. 1-9C. The clamping device 4 is employed to clamp a first modular form member 8 to a second modular form member 12. A plurality of modular form members such as the first and second modular form members 8 and 12, and a plurality of the clamping devices 4, are employed to assemble a wall form 14 (FIG. 1A) into which uncured concrete will be poured to create a finished concrete wall.
The [0085] wall form 14 depicted generally in FIG. 1A is very simple, and it is understood that the modular form members employed to construct the wall form 14, which are indicated generally by the numeral 10, can be of dimensions other than those of the first and second modular form members 8 and 12. The modular form members 8 and 12 depicted in FIG. 1 are presented herein as an example of one application of the present invention.
As is best shown in FIG. 1, the [0086] clamping device 4 includes an elongated bar 16, a first clamp 20 and a second clamp 24 mounted on the bar 16, and a first clip assembly 28 and a second clip assembly 32 mounted on the bar 16. As will be set forth more fully below, the first and second clamps 20 and 24 removably clamp the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 against the bar 16, and the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 cooperate with ties 34 (FIGS. 1A and 6) that extend between and retain opposite clamping devices 4 in a fixed position with respect to one another in constructing the wall form 14. The clamping device 4 may be manufactured out of a metal such as steel, aluminum, or other appropriate metals. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the clamping device 4 may be wholly or partially manufactured out of appropriate non-metallic materials such as plastic, rubber, resinous compounds, and other such materials. Such non-metallic materials may additionally be combined with fibers or other structures of glass, carbon, aramid, or other such materials.
As can be seen in FIG. 1A, a plurality of the [0087] clamping devices 4 and a plurality of the modular form members are employed to construct the wall form 14. The wall form 14, in the example shown herein, includes clamping devices 4 and modular form members 10 to form an interior structure 26 and other clamping devices 4 and modular form members 10 to form an exterior structure 30. After uncured concrete is poured between the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30, the interior structure 26 will define the interior wall of the finished concrete wall and the exterior structure 30 will define the exterior wall.
With reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the first and second [0088] modular form members 8 and 12 are each substantially rectangular members, and it is understood that they are substantially identical to one another. The first modular form member 8 includes a first perimeter frame 36 that extends peripherally about and carries a generally planar first panel 40. The first perimeter frame 36 also includes a plurality of cross members 41 that provide strength and rigidity to the first perimeter frame 36. The second modular form member 12 similarly includes a second perimeter frame 48 that extends peripherally about and carries a generally planar second panel 52, the second perimeter frame 48 including a plurality of cross members 50.
As is best shown in FIG. 2, the [0089] first perimeter frame 36 includes an inwardly directed first indentation 42 that extends substantially continuously along the longitudinal extent of the first perimeter frame 36. The first panel 40 includes a substantially planar first retention surface 44 against which the uncured concrete will be poured during construction of the finished concrete wall.
FIG. 2 further illustrates that the [0090] second perimeter frame 48 is formed with an inwardly directed second indentation 54 that extends substantially continuously throughout the longitudinal extent of the second perimeter frame 48. The second panel 52 similarly includes a substantially planar second retention surface 56 against which the uncured concrete will be poured and will be retained.
It can also be seen from FIG. 2 that the [0091] bar 16 is a hollow member formed with an elongated passageway 60 extending longitudinally therethrough. Depending upon the material out of which the bar 16 is manufactured, it may be desirable to manufacture the bar 16 without the passageway 60, as will be set forth more fully below.
The [0092] bar 16 additionally includes a pair of elongated first embossments 64 on one side of the bar 16 and a pair of elongated second embossments 68 extending along an opposite side of the bar 16. The first and second embossments 64 and 68 extend into the bar 16 and extend substantially continuously along the longitudinal extent of the bar 16. As will be set forth more fully below, however, in other embodiments the first and second embossments 64 and 68 may not extend continuously along the longitudinal extent of the bar 16, and rather may be made up of a plurality of smaller bumps or other forms that are spaced from one another but are aligned with one another along the longitudinal extent of the bar 16. It will also be understood that the terms “embossment” and variations thereof are used herein without limitation as to a specific method of manufacture or forming, as will be set forth more fully below.
The [0093] first embossments 64 define a first protrusion 72 that extends outwardly from the bar 16 and extends substantially along the longitudinal extent of the bar 16. Similarly, the second embossments 68 define a second protrusion 76 that extends outwardly from the bar 16 in a direction generally away from the first protrusion 72 and extends along substantially the longitudinal extent of the bar 16.
As will be set forth more fully below, the [0094] first protrusion 72 is structured to be clampingly and removably received in and engaged with the first indentation 42 formed in the first perimeter frame 36. Similarly, the second protrusion 76 is configured to be clampingly and removably received in and engaged with the second indentation 54 of the second perimeter frame 48. It will be understood, however, that the terms “indentation,” “protrusion,” and variations thereof are not used in a limiting sense, and rather refer to engagement structures on the bar 16 and on the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 that are complementarily engageable with one another. As such, in other configurations of the present invention the bar 16 may be formed with indentations and the perimeter frames 36 and 48 formed with protrusions without departing from the concept of the present invention.
The [0095] bar 16 also includes a generally planar mounting surface 80 extending between the first and second protrusions 72 and 76. The first and second clamps 20 and 24 and the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 are mounted on the mounting surface 80. The bar 16 additionally includes a substantially planar facing surface 84 opposite the mounting surface 80. As can be seen in FIG. 2, when the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 are clampingly mounted on the clamping device 4, the facing surface 84 is flush with the first and second retention surfaces 44 and 56, which advantageously provides a substantially smooth and continuous surface for receiving the uncured concrete that will be poured into the wall form 14 during construction of the concrete wall.
As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the [0096] first clamp 20 includes a first jaw 88, a second jaw 92, and a clamp bolt 96. Inasmuch as the second clamp 24 is of a substantially identical configuration to the first clamp 20, only the first clamp 20 will be described herein, it being understood that the second clamp 24 possesses the same configuration.
The [0097] first jaw 88 includes a first clamping face 98 and a first shank 100 extending substantially perpendicularly from one another. The second jaw 92 includes a second clamping face 102 and a second shank 104 extending substantially perpendicularly from one another. The second shank 104 is formed with a channel 106 extending substantially the length thereof and within which the first shank 100 is slidably received. The sliding adjustment of the first shank 100 in the channel 106 adjusts the distance between the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102, as will be set forth more fully below.
The [0098] first shank 100 additionally is formed with a hole that defines first compression surface 108, and the second shank 104 is formed with a hole that defines a pair of co-planar second compression surfaces 112. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the clamp bolt 96 includes a substantially planar vertical surface 116 that is slidably receivable against the second compression surfaces 112, and further includes a first inclined surface 120 and a second inclined surface 124 that are non-parallel with the vertical surface 116 and are adjustably receivable against the first compression surface 108. The first and second inclined surfaces 120 and 124 are oriented at substantially equal angles with respect to the vertical surface 116, although the first and second inclined surfaces 120 and 124 are offset and non-contiguous with one another for use in different applications, as will be set forth more fully below. It will be understood, however, that in alternate embodiments the clamp bolt 96 may be of a greater length than that depicted herein, and thus be configured with only a single inclined surface that is non-parallel with the vertical surface 116 and includes both the first and second inclined surfaces 120 and 124 thereon, whereby the first and second inclined surfaces 120 and 124 would be contiguous with one another and not offset.
As can be understood from FIGS. 2 and 3, as to the [0099] first jaw 88, that the first compression surface 108 is generally opposite the first clamping face 98. Similarly, and as to the second jaw 92, the second compression surfaces 112 are generally opposite the second clamping face 102. As the clamp bolt 96 is advanced between the first compression surface 108 and the second compression surfaces 112, the angular offset of the first inclined surface 120 with respect to the vertical surface 116 forces the first compression surface 108 away from the second compression surfaces 112. Such action thus has the effect of drawing the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102 toward one another. As such, when the clamp bolt 96 is advanced in the downward direction with respect to FIG. 3, the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102 are clampingly received toward one another.
Such a configuration of the [0100] first clamp 20 is particularly useful with regard to the clamping device 4. As is best shown in FIG. 2, the first perimeter frame 36 additionally includes a first reception surface 128 opposite the first indentation 42 and into which the first clamping face 98 can be received. Similarly, the second perimeter frame 48 includes a second reception surface 132 opposite the second indentation 54 and into which the second clamping face 102 can be received.
In order to clamp the first and second [0101] modular form members 8 and 12 with the clamping device 4, the clamp bolt 96 is removed from the first and second jaws 88 and 92, and the first and second jaws 88 and 92 are slid apart to maximize the distance between the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102. A similar operation is performed with the second clamp 24. The first modular form member 88 is then received against the bar 16 such that the first protrusion 72 of the bar 16 is engaged with the first indentation 42 of the first perimeter frame 36. The second modular form member 12 is then received against the bar 16 such that the second protrusion 76 of the bar 16 is engaged with the second indentation 54 of the second perimeter frame 48. The first and second jaws 88 and 92 are then manually pushed together to bring the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102 toward one another and, more specifically, to receive the first clamping face 98 in the first reception surface 128 and to receive the second clamping face 102 in the second reception surface 132.
The [0102] clamp bolt 96 is then received with the vertical surface 116 disposed against the second compression surfaces 112 and with one of the first and second inclined surfaces 120 and 124 disposed against the first compression surface 108. The clamp bolt 96 is received as such with sufficient force to compressively engage the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102 against the first and second reception surfaces 128 and 132, and thereby to compressively retain the first and second perimeter frames 36 and 48 against the bar 16.
In alternate applications in which only the first [0103] modular form member 8 is to be clamped to the bar 16, such as at the end of a long wall where a bulkhead is to be positioned opposite the first modular form member 8 where the second modular form member 12 otherwise would be, the second inclined surface 124 is provided to take up the additional slack between the first and second clamping faces 98 and 102 in the absence of the second perimeter frame 48. The second inclined surface 124 is also usable in other applications of the clamping device 4.
As is best shown in FIG. 2, the [0104] first perimeter frame 36 includes a pair of first extension members 134 and 135 that are disposed on alternate sides of the first indentation 42 and that extend outwardly therefrom. It can further be seen that the first perimeter frame 36 includes angled or arcuate fillets that form the transition from the first indentation 42 to the first extension members 134 and 135.
When the first [0105] modular form member 8 is compressed against the bar 16, the first extension members 134 and 135 are received in the first embossments 64, and the edges of the first protrusion 72 are engaged with the fillets between the first indentation 42 and the first extension members 134 and 135. Such engagement advantageously resists movement of the first modular form member 8 with respect to the bar 16 that otherwise might permit the first retention surface 44 to become non-coplanar with the facing surface 84.
It can be seen that the depth of the [0106] first indentation 42 is at least nominally greater than the height of the first protrusion 72 such that a first cavity 138 remains between the first indentation 42 and the first protrusion 72 when the first modular form member 8 is clamped against the bar 16. The first cavity 138 advantageously can receive foreign matter therein that otherwise might interfere with the clamping engagement of the first protrusion 72 with the first indentation 42. The reception of the first extension members 134 and 135 in the first embossments 64 with the first cavity 138 extending therebetween thus provides two relatively smaller regions of contact between the first modular form member 8 and the bar 16 instead of having a relatively larger single surface of contact. Such a configuration helps to alleviate the effect of nominal quantities of foreign matter that may be received between the first protrusion 72 and the first indentation 42, which helps to ensure that the first retention surface 44 is coplanar with the facing surface 84 when the first modular form member 8 is clamped to the bar 16.
The [0107] second perimeter frame 48 is similarly formed with a pair of second extension members 136 and 137 and similar fillets that are received in the second embossments 68 and engaged with the second protrusion 76 of the bar 16, with a second cavity 140 remaining between the second indentation 54 and the second protrusion 76. Such a configuration similarly provides two relatively smaller regions of contact between the second modular form member 12 and the bar 16 to ensure that the second retention surface 56 is coplanar with the facing surface 84 when the second modular form member 12 is clamped against the bar 16, and alleviates the effect of nominal quantities of foreign matter that may be received between the second protrusion 76 and the second indentation 54.
It can thus be seen that the first and second [0108] modular form members 8 and 12 can be quickly clamped against the bar 16 by operating the first and second clamps 20 and 24 as set forth above. In this regard, it can be see that the labor involved in operating the first and second clamps 20 and 24 is substantially less than would be required if a plurality of prior art wedge bolts as described above were employed in clamping the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 together. Moreover, the configuration of the bar 16 with the first and second embossments 64 and 68 that define the first and second protrusions 72 and 76 that operate complementarily with the first and second perimeter frames 36 and 48 helps to automatically align the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 with the bar 16 and with one another upon clamping the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 to the bar 16. It can thus be seen that the clamping device 4 quickly and reliably clamps the first modular form member 8 into a desired orientation with respect to the second modular form member 12, whereby the first and second retention surfaces 44 and 56 are coplanar with one another and with the facing surface 84 of the bar 16 to advantageously provide a common planar surface against which concrete can be formed and retained in forming a concrete wall.
As is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the first and [0109] second clip assemblies 28 and 32 are disposed on the mounting surface 80 between the first and second clamps 20 and 24. It is understood, however, that different arrangements of the first and second clamps 20 and 24 and the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 are possible without departing from the concept of the present invention. Inasmuch as the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 are virtually of identical configurations, only the first clip assembly 28 will be described in detail hereafter, it being understood that the second clip assembly 32 is substantially identical thereto.
As is best shown in FIG. 4, the [0110] first clip assembly 28 includes a tie clip 144 and a pair of straps 148 and 149. The opposite ends 150, 151, 154, and 155 of the straps 148 and 149 are fixedly mounted on the mounting surface 80 such as by welding or other attachment methodology. The portions of the straps 148 and 149 between the ends 150, 151, 154, and 155 slidably retain the tie clip 144 against the mounting surface 80. The tie clip 144 is slidable along a sliding axis 152 that is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis 156 of the bar 16.
As is best shown in FIG. 5, the [0111] tie clip 144 includes a substantially planar plate 160, a first ear 164, and a second ear 168. The first and second ears 164 and 168 are disposed at the alternate ends of the plate 160 and protrude perpendicularly outward from the plane of the plate 160 in a direction generally away from the mounting surface 80 of the bar 16. While it can be seen that the tie clip 144 is slidable along the sliding axis 152 with respect to the bar 16, such sliding movement of the tie clip 144 is nevertheless limited by the straps 148 and 149 and, more specifically, by the engagement of either of the first and second ears 164 and 168 with either of the straps 148 and 149. The first and second ears 164 and 168 not only limit the movement of the tie clip 144 with respect to the bar 16, but also protrude outwardly from the plate 160 and thus can receive a blow from an appropriate tool, such as a hammer, at appropriate times should the tie clip 144 become stuck or locked with respect to the bar 16.
With continued attention to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the [0112] plate 160 is formed with a central opening 172 and a pair of diagonally opposed notches 176 and 177. The opening 172 includes an approximately circular central hole 180 from which extend an elongated first slot 184 and an elongated second slot 188, the first and second slots 184 and 188 extending longitudinally along the sliding axis 152 in opposite directions from one another.
As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the [0113] bar 16 is formed with a first tie hole 192 extending therethrough midway between the first and second protrusions 72 and 76. Inasmuch as the bar 16 of the first embodiment is a hollow member formed with the passageway 60 extending longitudinally therethrough, the first tie hole 192 includes axially aligned holes that extend into the bar 16 from the mounting and facing surfaces 80 and 84 to define the first tie hole 192 that extends through the bar 16.
As is best shown in FIG. 4, the [0114] first tie hole 192 extends through the intersection between the sliding axis 152 of the tie clip 144 and the longitudinal axis 156 of the bar 16. It can likewise be seen that the hole 180 of the opening 172 formed in the plate 160 is axially alignable with the first tie hole 192.
The [0115] notches 176 and 177 are receivable against the ends 151 and 154 of the straps 148 and 149 when the hole 180 is aligned with the first tie hole 192. More specifically, and as is shown in FIG. 9A, when the hole 180 is aligned with the first tie hole 192, the tie clip 144 can be rotated slightly in a clockwise fashion to cause the notches 176 and 177, which are angularly undercut into diagonally opposed regions of the plate 160, to engage diagonally opposed ends 151 and 154 of the straps 148 and 149. It is understood, however, that other configurations for the notches 176 and 177 are possible without departing from the concept of the present invention.
Inasmuch as the [0116] tie clip 144 is slidably disposed between the central portions of the straps 148 and 149 and the mounting surface 80 of the bar 16, the engagement of the notches 176 and 177 against the ends 151 and 154 of the straps 148 and 149 retains the hole 180 in substantial alignment with the first tie hole 192 by resisting the tie clip 144 from gravitationally sliding along the sliding axis 152. Such alignment between the hole 180 in the plate 160 and the first tie hole 192 is desirable inasmuch as such alignment permits the tie 34 (FIG. 6) to be received in the first hole 192 and through the hole 180 in the plate 160, as will be set forth more fully below. In this regard, it is understood that the bar 16 is further formed with a second tie hole that is alignable with a similar hole formed in a tie clip of the second clip assembly 32 that is also disposed on the bar 16.
The [0117] tie 34 is depicted generally in FIGS. 6 through 8. In assembling the wall form 14 it is understood that a plurality of the ties 34 will be employed, and as will be set forth more fully below the ties 34 each extend between a pair of opposed clamping devices 4.
The [0118] tie 34 is an elongated member having a nominally circular cross section and including a first end 204, a second end 208, and a central region 212 extending between the first and second ends 204 and 208. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the central region 212 is tapered inwardly from the second end 208 to the first end 204 for purposes that will be set forth more fully below. The second end 208 thus is of a greater diameter than the first end 204. The first and second ends 204 and 208 are each non-tapered, although in other configurations either or both of the first and second ends 204 and 208 potentially can be tapered without affecting the concept of the present invention. It is also understood that the tie 34 depicted in FIG. 6 is exaggerated in width and is shortened in length for purposes of clarity.
With continued attention to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the longitudinally outermost portion of the [0119] first end 204 is a rounded tip 216. The rounded tip 216 facilitates insertion of the first end 204 into the hole 180 and the first tie hole 192 during assembly of the wall form 14. It can also be seen that the longitudinally outermost portion of the second end 208, which is opposite the rounded tip 216, includes a plurality of flats 220 arranged in a hexagonal configuration to receive a wrench or other tool to facilitate rotation of the tie 34 about its central axis. It is understood, however, that the flats 220 could be replaced with other appropriate structures such as an internally wrenching head that can receive an appropriate tool therein.
The [0120] first end 204 is formed with a pair of diametrically opposed first grooves 224, a pair diametrically opposed second grooves 228, and a pair of diametrically opposed third grooves 232. The first grooves 224 thus define a first key 236 on the tie 34, and the second and third grooves 228 and 232 similarly define a second key 240 and a third key 244 (FIG. 7), respectively. In this regard, it can be seen that the first, second, and third grooves 224, 228, and 232 refer to material that has been removed from the first end 204, while the first, second, and third keys 236, 240, and 244 refer to material that remains with the first end 204 and is defined by the first, second, and third grooves 224, 228, and 232, respectively. The keys and grooves define retention structures that are receivable in the openings 172 of the tie clips 144, as will be set forth more fully below.
The first, second, and [0121] third keys 236, 240, and 244 are all of an equal key width 246 as measured across the parallel and spaced apart planar surfaces of the first, second, and third keys 236, 240, and 244. The first, second, and third keys 236, 240, and 244 each also have a key length 248 that is defined by the nominal circular diameter of the first end 204.
The [0122] second end 208 is similarly formed with a pair of first grooves 250, a pair of second grooves 252, and a pair of third grooves 256, the first, second, and third pairs of grooves 250, 252, and 256 defining a first key 260, a second key 264, and a third key 268 (FIG. 8), respectively. It can be seen that the first, second, and third keys 260, 264, and 268 each advantageously are of the same key width 246, as measured across the parallel and spaced apart planar surfaces thereof, as the first, second, and third keys 236, 240, and 244 of the first end 204. The first, second, and third keys 260, 264, and 268 have a key length 270 defined by the nominal circular diameter of the second end 208.
As can be seen in FIG. 1A, in constructing the wall form [0123] 14 a plurality of modular form members 10 are clamped to a plurality of clamping devices 4, and a pair of ties 34 extend between each opposed pair of clamping devices 4. Inasmuch as the insertion of each of the ties 34 between opposed pairs of clamping devices 4 is substantially similar, the insertion of only a single tie 34 will be illustrated herein, it being understood that the insertion process is repeated for additional ties 34 as needed.
While not specifically shown in FIG. 1A, it is understood that the [0124] clamping devices 4 depicted therein are positioned such that the facing surfaces 84 of opposed pairs of the clamping devices 4 face one another, and that the mounting surfaces 80 that carry the first and second clamps 20 and 24 as well as the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 face away from one another. In beginning the installation of the tie 34, it is desired that the tie clips 144 of each clamping device 4 be rotated as shown in FIG. 9A such that the notches 176 and 177 thereof engage the ends 151 and 154 of the straps. The installation of the ties 34 between the opposed pairs of the clamping devices 4, which is described immediately hereafter, is carried out by a laborer standing beside either of the interior or exterior structures 26 or 30, it being substantially unnecessary for a laborer to work from both of the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30.
The [0125] first end 204 of the tie 34 is axially inserted into the hole 180 in the plate 160 and thereafter through the first tie hole 192 of a first clamping device 4. In such condition the tie 34 is partially received in the first clamping device 4, with the rounded tip 216 of the tie 34 extending into the space in the wall form 14 between the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30.
The [0126] tie 34 is further axially advanced toward the second clamping device 4 until the rounded tip 216 of the first end 204 is received through the first tie hole 192 of a second and opposed clamping device 4, with the tie 34 being further advanced until the rounded tip 216 passes through the hole 180 in the opposing tie clip 144. In such condition, the tie 34 extends between the first and second clamping devices 4, with the first end 204 extending through the second clamping device 4 and with the second end 208 extending through the first clamping device 4. In such condition, the tie 34 is rotationally aligned such that the longest dimensions of the first, second, and third keys 236, 240, 244, 260, 264, and 268 lie in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding axis 152 of the tie clips 144.
In order to enhance the versatility of the present invention, the first tie holes [0127] 192 and the holes 180 in the tie clips 144 are sized to receive therein the part of the tie 34 having the largest diameter, which in the depicted embodiment is the second end 208. Such a configuration obviates the likelihood of needing to consciously assemble the wall form 14 with specific parts on the interior structure 26 and other parts on the exterior structure 30, which advantageously simplified assembly.
The [0128] tie 34 must then be translated to a specific longitudinal position with respect to both of the tie clips 144. More specifically, the first, second, and third grooves 224, 228, 232, 250, 252, and 256 are longitudinally spaced from one another along the tie 34 to allow for finished walls having different thicknesses. For instance, the distance between the third grooves 232 and 256 is representative of the minimum wall thickness that can result in employing the tie 34 to build the wall form 14. Similarly, the distance between the first grooves 224 and 250 represents the maximum wall thickness. It must be decided during assembly of the wall form 14 which sets of grooves will be employed on the tie 34 to insure that a consistent and appropriate wall thickness results in the finished wall.
Once the [0129] tie 34 has achieved an appropriate alignment with respect to the tie clips 144 of the clamping devices 4 such that one of the first, second, and third keys 236, 240, and 244 is aligned with the hole 180 in the tie clip 144 of the second clamping device 4, and one of the first, second, and third keys 260, 264, and 268 is aligned with the hole 180 in the tie clip 144 of the first clamping device 4, the tie 34 is rotated about its central axis until the key widths 246 are aligned with the first slots 184 of the tie clips 144. In this regard, the flats 220 may be employed in conjunction with an appropriate tool to rotate the tie 34.
As can be seen in FIG. 9B, such rotation of the [0130] tie 34 in a counter-clockwise direction results in the tie clips 144 being rotated by the rotating tie 34 in a direction that disengages the notches 176 and 177 from the ends 151 and 154 of the straps 148 and 149. Upon such disengagement, the tie clips 144 gravitationally slide downwardly along the sliding axis 152 in the direction of the arrow 274 in FIG. 9B, whereby the appropriate keys are engaged in the first slots 184 of the tie clips 144.
In receiving the [0131] tie 34 in the tie clips 144 as indicated above and as depicted generally in FIG. 9C, it can be seen that each of the first, second, and third keys 236, 240, and 244 has a first dimension, the key width 246, and a second dimension, the key length 248 which is defined by the outer diameter of the first end 204. The first dimension is less than the second dimension, as is evidenced by the first, second, and third grooves 224, 228, and 232 that define the key width 246. In this regard, it can be seen that the width of the first slot 184 in the tie plate 144 is greater than the first dimension (the key width 246) but is smaller than the second dimension (the key length 248), with the result that the keys can only be received in the first slot 184 in a given orientation, namely that depicted generally in FIG. C in which the longer dimension (the key length 248) is substantially aligned with the sliding axis 152. It can thus be seen that the configuration of the tie 34 to have first and second dimensions transverse to the central axis thereof permits the tie 34 to be manipulated such that a rotation of the tie 34 about its central axis to a given orientation results in both of the tie clips 144 simultaneously engaging desired keys of the tie 34. In this regard, it is understood that the first or smaller dimensions of the retention structures at the first end 204 are aligned with the first or smaller dimensions of the retention structures at the second end 208 to permit such simultaneous engagement with the tie clips 144. In this regard, it is further understood that the tie 34 may of numerous other configurations wherein the first and second dimensions may be perpendicular or non-perpendicular with one another, depending upon the specific needs of the particular application.
With one of the first, second, and [0132] third keys 236, 240, and 244 received in the first slot 184 of the tie clip 144 of the second clamping device 4, and with one of the first, second, and third keys 260, 264, and 268 received in the first slot 184 of the first clamping device 4, it can be seen that the opposed clamping devices 4 between which the tie 34 extends are retained in a fixed spatial relation with one another. More specifically, it can be seen that the clamping devices 4 cannot be moved closer to one another or be spread farther apart from one another due to the engagement of the keys and grooves in the first slots 184 of the tie clips 144. Readjustment could, however, be accomplished by disengaging the specific key from the first slot 184 of either or both of the tie clips 144 and re-engaging a different key therein.
The retention of the [0133] clamping devices 4 in a given spatial relationship with one another correspondingly retains the modular form members that are mounted on the clamping devices 4 in the same given spatial orientation. Such integrity in the orientation of the modular form members with respect to one another ensures that the resultant wall form 14 will remain in the desired configuration despite the hydrostatic forces that are inherent in the pouring and retention of concrete within the wall form 14.
While the insertion of only a [0134] single tie 34 between a pair of opposed clamping devices 4 has been set forth above, it is understood that in the embodiment depicted herein a pair of ties 34 extends between each opposite pair of clamping devices 4, and a plurality of clamping devices 4 typically are employed in assembling each of the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30 of the wall form 14. In this regard, it can be seen that the relatively simple operation set forth above, when repeated numerous times, saves substantial labor in assembling the wall form 14 as compared with assembling the wall form 14 with previously known wedge bolts in previously known tie members.
Once the [0135] wall form 14 has been completely assembled, as is generally shown in the example depicted in FIG. 1A, a building material such as uncured concrete is poured between the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30 of the wall form 14 to a desired height. In so doing, the ties 34 are generally submerged in the uncured concrete and thus will remain disposed within the concrete upon curing thereof. The tapered nature of the ties 34 nevertheless advantageously permits the ties 34 to be dislodged and removed from the wall after curing of the concrete.
More specifically, after the concrete has cured, the [0136] wall form 14 is disassembled by first removing the clamp bolts 96 from all of the first and second clamps 20 and 24, and by removing the modular form members 10 from the clamping devices 4. The clamping devices 4 are then removed from the cured concrete wall by first sliding each of the tie clips 144 along its sliding axis 152 until the hole 180 of each is aligned with the associated tie hole, which as depicted herein as the first tie hole 192. In this regard, the second ear 168 may need to receive a blow from a hammer or other appropriate tool to slide the tie clip 144 into such alignment. With the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 of each clamping device 4 aligned as such, the clamping devices 4 can be removed from the first and second ends 204 and 208 of the ties 34 that still protrude from the concrete wall.
After all of the [0137] clamping devices 4 and modular form members have been removed from the finished concrete wall, only the ties 34 remain, the ties 34 being disposed internally within the cured concrete wall and with the first and second ends 204 and 208 at least partially protruding from the wall. Inasmuch as the ties 34 are each advantageously tapered as set forth above, a blow from a hammer or other appropriate tool longitudinally applied to the first end 204 dislodges the tie 34 from the concrete wall and thus leaves a tapered circular hole in the concrete wall. The resultant hole can be sealed with caulking compounds or other appropriate sealants, or can be sealed by receiving a rubber-type plug in the hole to prevent leakage of water and undesirable matter.
The [0138] bar 16 is advantageously configured with a sufficient distance between the mounting and facing surfaces 80 and 84 that none of the grooves is ever disposed in the space between the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30 after construction of the wall form 14 is completed. In this regard, the distance between the first and third grooves 224 and 232, and the distance between the first and third grooves 250 and 256 is less than the distance between the mounting and facing surfaces 80 and 84, whereby the grooves are never exposed to the uncured concrete between the interior and exterior structures 26 and 30.
The [0139] clamping device 4 of the present invention thus quickly and easily permits the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 to be clamped on alternate sides thereof and to be clamped into a specific and fixed coplanar orientation with one another. The clamping device 4 also can receive a portion of a tie 34 therein such that the clamping device 4 can be held by the tie 34 in a fixed spatial relationship with an opposite clamping device 4. The ability of the tie 34 to cooperate with opposite clamping devices 4 provides a retention system that advantageously retains a modular form member of an interior structure in a fixed spatial relationship with an opposite modular form member in an exterior structure, which advantageously results in a finished concrete wall having vertical and evenly spaced interior and exterior walls if desired. The tie 34 is advantageously configured to have numerous grooves to allow the tie to be used in constructing walls of different thicknesses. Moreover, the configuration of the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32 of each clamping device 4 permits a tie 34 to be installed between opposite clamping devices 4 by a laborer working only from the mounting surface 80 of either of the interior or exterior structures 26 or 30 of the wall form 14.
The configuration of the [0140] tie clips 144 to each slide along a sliding axis 152 that is oblique to the longitudinal axis 156 of the bar 16 permits the tie clips 144 to gravitationally engage portions of the ties 34. By configuring each of the tie clips 144 to have both a first slot 184 as well as a second slot 188 opposite thereto, the clamping devices 4 advantageously do not have a specific up or down configuration, meaning that the clamping devices 4 can be used in a given vertical orientation as well as an orientation where the same clamping device 4 is flipped upside-down. In the upside-down configuration, the second slots 188 of the tie clips 144 would engage the grooves and keys of the tie 34.
A second embodiment of a [0141] clamping device 504 in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally in FIGS. 10-12. The clamping device 504 is similar to the clamping device 4, except that the bar 516 is of a different configuration than the bar 16. More specifically, the bar 516 is a substantially hollow member having a first surface 562 and a second surface 566 opposite one another, the first surface 562 having a plurality of first pads 570 thereon, and the second surface 566 having a plurality of second pads 574 thereon.
It can be seen that the [0142] first pads 570 together operate as a first protrusion 572, and the second pads 574 operate together as a second protrusion 576, the first and second protrusions 572 and 576 extending outwardly from opposite sides of the bar 516. It can likewise be seen that the first protrusion 572 providing by the first pads 570 is clampingly receivable in the first indentation 42 of the first perimeter frame 36 of the first modular form member 8, and that the second protrusion 576 provided by the second pads 574 is clampingly receivable in the second indentation 54 of the second modular form member 12.
The first and [0143] second pads 570 and 574 may be made of the same material as the bar 516 or may be made out of a different material. The first and second pads 570 and 574 are mounted on the bar 516 using any of a variety of known methods such as by welding, adhering, fastening with fasteners, and other appropriate mounting methodologies. It is further noted that the first and second pads 570 and 574 can be integrally formed in the bar 516, such as by embossing the first and second pads 570 and 574 on the bar 516, by forming the bar 516 and the first and second pads 570 and 574 together as a monolithic structure, or by employing other appropriate forming methodologies.
The [0144] first pads 570 are longitudinally spaced from one another along the first surface 562 to provide a number of first gaps 634 extending therebetween. The second pads 574 are similarly spaced along the second surface 566 to provide second gaps 638 therebetween. The first and second gaps 634 and 638 advantageously can receive a nominal quantity of foreign matter therein to resist interference by the foreign matter with attachment of the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 to the clamping device 504 and alignment therebetween. It is understood, however, that in other configurations the bar 516 may include only a single first pad 570 extending substantially along the longitudinal extent thereof, and similarly may include a single second pad 574 extending along the longitudinal extent thereof, without departing from the concept of the present invention.
The configuration of the [0145] bar 516 thus provides the advantages of readily clamping and aligning the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 thereto, and provides versatility in the way that the first and second pads 570 and 574 may be formed. The configuration of the bar 516 with its first and second pads 570 and 574 thus potentially may be manufactured less expensively than the bar 16 under various circumstances.
A third embodiment of a [0146] clamping device 804 in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally in FIGS. 13 and 14. The clamping device 804 includes a bar 816 that is removably clamped between first and second modular form members 808 and 812 in a fashion similar to the operation of the clamping device 4. The bar 816 advantageously includes a pair of first bump members 865 extending outwardly from a first surface 862 of the bar 816 that together form the first protrusion 872. Similarly, the bar 816 includes a pair of second bump members 869 extending outwardly from a second surface 866 of the bar 816 opposite the first surface 862 to form the second protrusion 876.
As is best shown in FIG. 14, each [0147] first bump member 865 includes a plurality of first bumps 867 that are spaced from one another and are aligned with one another along the length of the bar 816. The first bumps 867 are thus arranged in a pair of parallel and spaced apart first rows to form the first bump members 865. It is further understood from FIG. 13 that the second bump members 869 are each similarly made up of a plurality of second bumps 870 that are configured and arranged to be substantially similar to the first bumps 867.
As is best shown in FIG. 13, the [0148] first bump members 865 engage the first extension members 934 and 935 of the first modular form member 808. More specifically, one set of the first bumps 867 engages the fillet of the first extension member 934, and the other set of first bumps 867 engages the fillet of the first extension member 935. The second bumps 870 similarly engage the second extension members 936 and 937. It thus can be seen that the first protrusion 872 formed by the first bump members 865 is removably engagable with the first indentation 842, of the first modular form member 808 and that the second protrusion 876 formed by the second bump members 869 is engagable in the second indentation 854 of the second modular form member 812.
As can be seen from FIGS. 13 and 14, the first and [0149] second bump members 865 and 869 are depicted as being formed in the bar 816 such as by roll forming, embossing, stamping, or otherwise forming the first and second bumps 867 and 870 into the bar 816. In this regard, it is noted that the bar 816 depicted in FIG. 13 includes a joint 818 formed by the abutting sides of a sheet of material out of which the bar is made, although the bar 816 may be manufactured in other fashions that do not involve the formation of the joint 818.
It is further understood that the first and [0150] second bump members 865 and 869 may, in other embodiments, extend continuously along the length of the bar 816, and may be of other configurations than that depicted generally in FIGS. 13 and 14. It is further understood that the first and second bump members 865 and 869 can be in the form of structures that are disposed on the bar 16, as will be set forth more fully below.
The configuration of the [0151] bar 816 with first and second bumps 867 and 870 that engage the fillets of the first and second modular form members 808 and 812 provides engagement structures that are limited in size yet permit secure retention of the first and second modular form members 808 and 812 on the bar 816, and further provides larger cavities therebetween into which foreign matter can be received to avoid interference with the clamping function of the clamping device 804. Moreover, the first and second bump members 865 and 869 can be of numerous different configurations which adds a great level of versatility to the clamping device 804 by permitting it to be manufactured in different ways and by making it suitable for use in diverse applications.
A fourth embodiment of a [0152] clamping device 1104 in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally in FIG. 15. The clamping device 1104 includes a substantially solid bar 1116 having a pair of first bump members 1165 extending outwardly from a first surface 1162 of the bar 1116 and a pair of second bump members 1169 extending outwardly from a second surface 1166 of the bar 1116 opposite the first surface 1162. The first and second bump members 1165 and 1169 are formed integrally and monolithically with the bar 1116 as a single structure. The first bump members 1165 form a first protrusion, and the second bump members 1169 form a second protrusion 1176. The first and second protrusions 1172 and 1176 are engagement structures that are removably engagable with complementary structures on modular form members in a fashion similar to the clamping device 804.
The [0153] first bump members 1165 are each in the form of a first bump 1167 that extends continuously along the length of the bar 1116, and the second bump members 1169 are each similarly in the form of a second bump 1170 extending continuously along the length of the bar 1116. As such, the cross-section of the bar 1116 is substantially constant throughout the longitudinal extent of the bar 1116. In other embodiments, however, the first and second bump members 1165 and 1169 may be non-continuous in a fashion similar to the bar 816.
Since the first and [0154] second bumps 1167 and 1170 are formed integrally and monolithically with the bar 1116 as a single structure, the bar 1116 can be manufactured by known methods such as extrusion and the like. In embodiments of the bar 1116 such as that depicted in FIG. 15 in which the bar 1116 is not formed with a space extending throughout the longitudinally extent thereof, the bar 1116 may be manufactured out of a relatively lightweight material such as a plastic foam combined with a strengthening matrix such as fibers of glass, carbon, or aramid, although numerous other appropriate materials may be employed without departing from the concept of the present invention. Moreover, the bar 1116 may also be formed with a space (not shown) extending partially or fully along the longitudinal extent thereof depending upon considerations of strength, weight, and conservation of the materials, as well as other considerations. It is further understood that the bar 1116 could be manufactured out of metal depending upon the above considerations and the requirements of the application. It thus can be seen that the clamping device 1104 provides additional versatility by permitting the bar 1116 to be configured in additional diverse ways and manufactured out of different types of materials.
A fifth embodiment of a [0155] clamping device 1404 of the present invention is depicted generally in FIG. 16. The clamping device 1404 includes an elongated bar 1416 having a pair first bump members 1465 disposed on a first surface 1462 of the bar 1416 and a pair of second bump members 1469 disposed on a second surface 1466 of the bar 1416 opposite the first surface 1462. It can be understood from FIG. 16 that each first bump member 1465 is in the form of an elongated first rod 1471 that is fixedly mounted on the first surface 1462 by welding, adhesion, fastening with fasteners, or by other appropriate attachment methodologies. Similarly, each second bump member 1469 is in the form of an elongated second rod 1473 that is similarly mounted on the second surface 1466. The first rods 1471 thus together form the first protrusion 1472, and the second rods 1473 together form the second protrusion 1476.
The first and [0156] second rods 1471 and 1473 are each advantageously configured with an arcuate outer surface that is configured to engage a fillet of and extension member of a modular form member. If the fillets of the modular form members are themselves arcuate, the curvature of the first and second rods 1471 and 1473 preferably is configured to match the curvature of the fillets, or to at least be of a smaller radius than the fillets to permit engagement therebetween. If the fillets are angled, the first and second rods 1471 and 1473 still provide appropriate engagement structures that can engage the modular form members and resist movement between the modular form members and the bar 1416.
While the first and [0157] second bump members 1465 and 1469 are depicted as being of a substantially circular cross-section, it is understood that in other configurations the cross-sections may be of other configurations such as portions of circles, non-circular arcuate shapes, and polygonal shapes, as well as other shapes, without departing from the concept of the present invention. Moreover, while the first and second rods 1471 and 1473 are depicted herein as being substantially continuous along the longitudinal extent of the bar 1416, it is understood that in other embodiments the first and second rods 1471 and 1473 may be discontinuous in a fashion similar to the first and second bumps 867 and 870 of the bar 816. It is further understood that in still other embodiments the first and second bump members 1465 and 1469 may be integrally formed in a monolithic fashion with the bar 1416 as a single structure or may be formed thereon in other appropriate fashions.
A sixth embodiment of a [0158] clamping device 2004 in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally in FIGS. 17-35. The clamping device 2004 includes a bar 2016 that is generally channel shaped and includes a plurality of bar apertures 2061 formed therein. As can be understood from FIGS. 17 and 18, the bar 2016 includes a longitudinal axis 2156, and the bar apertures 2061 are configured to each receive a gusset plate 2063 therein such that each gusset plate 2063 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2156.
As indicated above, the [0159] bar 2016 is generally channel shaped and includes a first wall 2033 and a second wall 2037 opposite one another, a facing wall 2039 extending between the first and second walls 2033 and 2037, and a mounting wall 2038. As will be understood from FIGS. 17 and 18, the mounting wall 2038 is formed with a throat 2046 that extends substantially the longitudinal extent of the bar 2016 and that gives the bar 2016 its generally channel shaped configuration. The first, second, and facing walls 2033, 2037, and 2039 together define a void 2045 that extends substantially the longitudinal extent of the bar 2016.
As can best be seen in FIG. 19, the mounting [0160] wall 2038 includes a reentrant first leg 2049 and a reentrant second leg 2053 formed therein. The first leg 2049 is substantially parallel with and spaced from the first wall 2033, and the second leg 2053 is substantially parallel with and spaced from the second wall 2037. The first and second legs 2049 and 2053 are similarly substantially parallel with one another, although it is understood that the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 may be non-parallel relationship with one another and/or with the first and/or second walls 2033 and 2037 without departing from the concept of the present invention. The reentrant configuration of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 advantageously provide support structures for mounting an auxiliary attachment 2022 (FIG. 27), an alternate auxiliary attachment 2222 (FIG. 33), as well as another auxiliary attachment 2322 (FIGS. 36-38) that can be used for different purposes in incorporating the clamping device 2004 into a wall form 2014 (FIG. 34).
It can be seen from FIG. 17 that the [0161] clamping device 2004 includes a first clamp 2020, a second clamp 2024, a first clip assembly 2028, and a second clip assembly 2032 mounted on the bar 2016, and thus shares some similarity with the clamping device 4. Inasmuch as the mounting wall 2038 is formed with the throat 2046, the first and second clip assemblies 2028 and 2032 each include a tie clip and a pair of straps that are substantially similar to those of the first and second clip assemblies 28 and 32, except that the tie clip and straps of the first and second clip assemblies 2028 and 2032 are mounted on an attachment plate 2015 which is mounted on mounting wall 2038 of the bar 2016.
The [0162] bar 2016 includes a first end 2057 and a second end 2058 opposite one another. It can be seen from FIG. 17 that a connection member 2139 is disposed in the void 2045 at the first end 2057, and that at least a portion of the connection member 2139 protrudes outwardly from the first end 2057. As will be set forth more fully below, the portion of the connection member 2139 that protrudes outwardly from the first end 2057 is configured to be received in the void 2045 in a second end 2058 of a similar second clamping device 2004, as can be seen generally in FIG. 25.
As can be seen generally in FIG. 21, each [0163] gusset plate 2063 is substantially rectangular in shape and includes an attachment hole 2075 centrally formed therein. Each gusset plate 2063 additionally includes a first edge 2082 and a second edge 2086 opposite one another. The first and second edges 2082 and 2086 are depicted in the accompanying figures as being substantially parallel with one another. For reasons that will be set forth more fully below, however, it may be desirable to configure the first and second edges 2082 and 2086 to be non-parallel with one another.
The [0164] attachment hole 2075 is depicted in FIG. 21 as being substantially circular in cross section. The attachment hole 2075 not only reduces the weight of the gusset plates 2063, but also provides a point at which safety harnesses and the like can be securely fastened to the clamping device 2004 without the use of frictional fasteners such as known wedge bolts and the like. It is thus understood that the attachment hole 2075 can be of other sizes and shapes without departing from the concept of the present invention.
As can be understood from FIGS. 17 and 18, the [0165] first wall 2033 includes a first surface 2062 defined thereon. Similarly, the second wall 2037 includes a second surface 2066 defined thereon. It can further be seen that the bar apertures 2061 extend through the bar 2016 between the first and second surfaces 2062 and 2066.
The [0166] gusset plates 2063 are advantageously positioned in the bar apertures 2061 such that the first edges 2082 of the gusset plates 2063 protrude outwardly from the first surface 2062 to together define a first protrusion 2072 that is complementarily receivable in the first indentation 42 of the first modular form member 8. Similarly, the second edges 2086 of the gusset plates 2063 protrude outwardly from the second surface 2066 and together define a second protrusion 2076 that is complementarily receivable in the second indentation 54 of the second modular form member 12. The first edges 2082 align with one another along a first imaginary line, and the second edges 2086 align with another along a second imaginary line, with the first and second imaginary lines being parallel and spaced apart from one another. Such a parallel orientation between the first and second imaginary lines result from the gusset plates 2063 all being of the same length.
In this regard, it can be understood that the first and [0167] second edges 2082 and 2086 of the gusset plates 2063 provide the surfaces that engage with the first and second modular form members 8 and 12. The gusset plates 2063 thus serve as engagement members that engage the first and second indentations 42 and 54 and, with the cooperation of the first and second clamps 2020 and 2024, retain the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 in a given orientation with respect to one another. In this regard, it can be seen that the specific spacing of the first and second walls 2033 and 2037 with respect to one another, as well as the specific parallel or non-parallel relationship therebetween, is relatively unimportant in maintaining the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 in the specific orientation with respect to one another inasmuch as the gusset plates 2063 serve as the engagement members that retain the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 in the desired orientation. The bar 2016, as is depicted generally in FIG. 17, thus can be manufactured less expensively than if the first and second surfaces 2062 and 2066 provided the engagement surfaces that retained the specific orientation of the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 with respect to one another since the bar 2016 can be manufactured in a relatively less tightly controlled process. The cost savings in manufacturing the bar 2016 correspondingly permits the clamping device 2004 to be manufactured relatively less expensively.
The [0168] gusset plates 2063 are received in the bar apertures 2061 and are aligned with one another using an appropriate fixture, and the gusset plates 2063 are then fixedly attached to the bar 2016 such as by welding, adhering, or other appropriate fixing methodology. Once the gusset plates 2063 are fixedly aligned with one another such that the first and second edges 2082 and 2086 line up along parallel and spaced apart first and second imaginary lines, the gusset plates 2063 function as the engagement members that can align and retain the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 in the desired orientation with respect to one another.
As can be seen in FIG. 22, the [0169] connection member 2139 is generally channel shaped and includes a pair of side plates 2141 and a cross plate 2143 extending between the side plates 2141. The connection member 2139 is partially received in the void 2045 at the first end 2057 of the bar 2016, and a portion of the connection member 2139 protrudes outwardly from the first end 2057. It can be understood from FIG. 22 that the connection member 2139 is configured to be complementarily received in the void 2045, whereby the cross section of the connection member 2139 is complementary to the cross section of the void 2045.
It can be seen from FIG. 24 that the [0170] cross plate 2143 includes a substantially circular mounting hole 2145 formed therein. The mounting hole can be used for numerous purposes and is particularly suited to cooperating with a spanning member 2147 (FIG. 35) that extends between the mounting hole 2145 of the connection member 2139 and a mounting hole 2145′ of a similar second connection member 2139′. The spanning member 2147 includes a threaded rod 2146 that extends between the connection members 2139 and 2139′ and is at least partially received in the mounting holes 2145 and 2145′. The spanning member 2147 further includes a pair of nuts (not shown) that are cooperable with the rod 2146 and are tightened sufficiently on the rod 2146 to be engaged against the cross plates 2143 and 2143′ to retain the spacing therebetween.
In this regard, it can be understood that the spanning [0171] member 2147 functions as a “dry tie”, that is, it resists the connection members 2139 and 2139′ from becoming spaced farther apart from on another under the horizontal hydrostatic load of uncured concrete poured into the wall form 2014. The spanning member 2147 is advantageously “dry” inasmuch as it remains vertically spaced above the uncured concrete within the wall form 2014, whereby the spanning member 2147 can be quickly removed from the wall form 2014 after the concrete within the wall form 2014 has cured. While the rod 2146 and nuts are described herein as being threadably cooperable, it is understood that spanning member 2147 may be of numerous other configurations employing numerous adjustment systems such as detents, ratchet and pawl arrangements, turnbuckles, and numerous other such systems without departing from the concept of the present invention.
It can further be seen from FIGS. 23 and 24 that the [0172] connection member 2139 includes a pair of axially aligned retention holes 2153 formed in the side plates 2141. The retention holes 2153 are cooperable with a lock mechanism 2157 that is configured to releasably lock the clamping device 2004 with a similar second locking device 2004.
As can be seen in FIGS. 24 and 25, the [0173] lock mechanism 2157 includes a pair of axially aligned pins 2161 that are mounted on a spring 2165 having a generally hourglass/U-shaped configuration. The pins 2161 are of a generally cylindrical configuration and each include a beveled end 2169 opposite its connection with the spring 2165, although in other configurations the pins 2161 can be of other non-cylindrical or non-beveled configurations without departing from the concept of the present invention. While the beveled ends 2169 are depicted as being only partially beveled, it is understood that in other configurations the beveled ends 2169 of the pins 2161 may be circumferentially beveled or otherwise beveled without departing from the concept of the present invention.
The [0174] spring 2165 is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of indentations 2173 formed therein that give the spring 2165 its hourglass shape. The spring 2165 additionally includes a tab 2179 (FIGS. 22 and 26) that extends from each indentation 2173 and that facilitates grasping by a workman to compress the spring 2165 in a fashion that will be set forth more fully below.
As can be seen from FIGS. 24 and 25, the [0175] pins 2161 are disposed in the retention holes 2153 formed in the side plates 2141 of the connection member 2139. The pins 2161 are of sufficient length to protrude outwardly from the side plates 2141.
As is depicted in FIG. 25, the [0176] second end 2058 of each bar 2016 is formed with a pair of axially aligned pin holes 2185 that are configured to receive the beveled ends 2169 of the pins 2161 therethrough when the protruding portion of the connection member 2139 is received in the void 2045 of a similar second clamping device 2004.
In initially receiving the protruding portion of the [0177] connection member 2139 in the void 2045 of the similar second clamping device 2004, the protruding portion of the connection member 2139 is complementarily received in the void 2045. With further advancement of the connection member 2139 into the void 2045, the beveled ends 2169 engage the second end 2058 of the similar second clamping device 2004, which causes the spring 2165 to deflect as the pins 2161 are axially advanced toward one another.
Once the [0178] connection member 2139 has been advanced into the void 2045 sufficiently that the pins 2161 are aligned with the pin holes 2185, the spring 2165 biases the pins 2161 into engagement with the pin holes 2185. In so doing, it is understood that the beveled ends 2169 facilitate the reception of the pins 2161 in the pin holes 2185. In this regard, it is understood that the beveled ends 2169 are depicted herein as being only partially beveled to provide a non-beveled bearing surface 2187 on the pin 2161 opposite the bevel. Once the pins 2161 are received in the pin holes 2185, the bearing surfaces 2187 are engagable against the pin holes 2185 in the event that the two (or more) axially stacked clamping devices 2004 that are connected with one another as set forth in FIG. 25 are vertically lifted from the uppermost clamping device 2004 (such as by a crane) to provide secure and detachable inter-engagement between the clamping devices 2004.
Depending upon the specific needs of the particular application, the [0179] connection member 2139 may provide secure inter-engagement with the similar second clamping device 2004 without employing the lock mechanism 2157. For instance, the connection member 2139 is configured to be complementarily received in the void 2045 at the second end 2058 of the similar second clamping device 2004. Such secure inter-engagement axially aligns the bars 2016 of the clamping devices 2004 with one another. If it is not contemplated that such stacked clamping devices 2004 will be lifted vertically upward from an upper clamping device 2004, the clamping devices 2004 will remain securely inter-engaged with one another even without the lock mechanism 2157. If, however, it is desired to vertically lift the clamping devices 2004, or under other appropriate circumstances, the lock mechanism 2157 releasably locks the clamping devices 2004 with one another.
In order to disengage a pair of stacked clamping devices as shown in FIG. 25, a workman grasps the [0180] indentations 2173 or the tabs 2179 and forces them together in order to compress the spring 2165 and disengage the pins 2161 from the pin holes 2185. The tabs 2179 or indentations 2173 can be grasped manually or with an appropriate tool. It can be seen, however, that if the spring 2165 were substantially U-shaped without the indentations 2173 or the tabs 2179, the non-curved portions of the spring 2165 would rest directly against the inner surfaces of the side plates 2141 and would be extremely difficult to grasp or contact by a workman. The indentations 2173 and tabs 2179 are thus advantageously provided to space a portion of the spring 2165 within the throat 2046 to enable the spring 2165 to be readily grasped by a workman.
In this regard, it is understood that either or both of the [0181] indentations 2173 and tabs 2179 can be provided to achieve such purpose. More specifically, the indentations 2173 themselves provide appropriate surfaces that can be grasped by a workman to compress the spring 2165. Similarly, the spring 2165 can be configured without the indentations 2173 but with the tabs 2179 extending from the non-curved portions of the spring 2165 to achieve the same purpose if the free ends of the tabs 2179 are disposed within the throat 2046, meaning that they are disposed between planes defined by the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. It is further understood that still other configurations of the spring 2165 can be employed without departing from the concept of the present invention.
It can be seen from FIG. 18 that the [0182] connection member 2139 is formed with a securing aperture 2183 that extends between the side plates 2141. The securing aperture 2183 is advantageously configured to receive one of the gusset plates 2063 therein for mounting the connection member 2139 onto the bar 2016. In this regard, during assembly of the clamping device 2004, and prior to installation of the gusset plates 2063 in the bar aperatures 2061, the end of the connection member 2139 in which the securing aperture 2183 is formed is received in the void 2045 at the first end 2057 of the bar 2016 until the securing aperture 2183 is aligned with the bar aperture 2061 closest to the first end 2057. One of the gusset plates 2063 is then received through both the bar aperture 2061 as well as the securing aperture 2183 aligned therewith. Gusset plates 2063 are received in the other bar apertures 2061, and all of the gusset plates 2063 are then aligned with one another as set forth above and affixed to the bar 2016.
The reception of one of the [0183] gusset plates 2063 in both the securing aperture 2183 as well as in one of the bar apertures 2061 securely retains the connection member 2139 to the bar 2016. It is understood, however, that other attachment methodologies may be employed for securing the connection member 2139 to the bar 2016, such as with the use of rivets, interference fit, welding the connection member 2139 directly to the bar 2016, as well as other methodologies, without departing from the concept of the present invention.
As is best shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the [0184] clamping device 2004 includes a seal apparatus 2077 disposed within the void 2045 adjacent a tie hole 2192 formed in the facing wall 2039. Inasmuch as the bar 2016 includes a pair of the tie holes 2192 formed therein, it also includes a pair of the seals apparatuses 2077 that correspond with the tie holes 2192.
Each [0185] seal apparatus 2077 includes a seal 2079 mounted on a seal support 2081. It can be seen from FIG. 20 that the seal 2079 is generally annular or toroidal in shape and thus is formed with a substantially circular seal hole 2083 centrally disposed therein that is axially aligned with the tie hole 2192.
The [0186] seal 2079 is manufactured out of a flexible, resilient material and is configured such that the tie 34 depicted generally in FIG. 6 can be received in the seal hole 2083. In this regard, it is noted that the tie holes 2192 formed in the bar 2016 must be of sufficient size to accommodate the second end 208 of the tie 34 therein inasmuch as the second end 208 is relatively wider than the first end 204 of the tie 34. The seal apparatus 2077 is thus advantageously provided to resist leakage of uncured concrete through the tie hole 2192 when the relatively narrower first end 204 of the tie 34 is received in the relatively wider tie hole 2192. In this regard, the first end 204 is also received in the seal hole 2083, such that the seal 2079 spans the annular gap between the first end 204 of the tie 34 and the tie hole 2192.
Further in this regard, the [0187] seal 2079 is sufficiently resilient to enable the second end 208 of the tie 34 to be received in the seal hole 2083 without damaging the seal 2079. The seal 2079 is thus configured to receive either of the first and second ends 204 and 208 of the tie 34 therein and to resist the leakage of uncured concrete into the bar 2016 through the tie hole 2192.
As can be seen generally in FIG. 19, the [0188] seal support 2081 is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of opposite ends that lie adjacent the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. The seal support 2081 is in the form a strap of resilient material such as a sheet of metal, plastic, or other such material, and is formed with a hole that corresponds roughly in size with the tie hole 2192 and is axially aligned with the seal hole 2083. The seal apparatus 2077 is retained in the position whereby the seal hole 2083 is axially aligned with the tie hole 2192 by engaging the opposite ends of the seal support 2081 against the mounting wall 2038, with one end being disposed between the first leg 2049 and the first wall 2033, and the other end disposed between the second leg 2053 and the second wall 2037. It is understood, however, that other methodologies may be employed for mounting the seal 2079 in sealing proximity to the tie hole 2192.
As indicated hereinbefore, one or more [0189] auxiliary attachments 2022, 2222, and 2322 can be mounted on the clamping device 2004. More specifically, the auxiliary attachment 2022 includes a catwalk bracket 2005 that is mounted on the bar 2016 with a generally T-shaped mounting bolt 2009. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the auxiliary attachment 2222 includes a support leg bracket 2205 that is mounted onto the bar 2016 with a generally T-shaped mounting bolt 2209 that is substantially similar in configuration to the mounting bolt 2009. Still alternatively, or in addition thereto, the auxiliary attachment 2322 includes a whaler bracket 2305 and a compression wedge 2325 that can mount a whaler member 2321 onto the wall form 2014 for purposes of alignment, load transfer, as well as for other purposes, as will be set forth more fully below. It will be understood, however, that other types of auxiliary attachments may be mounted on the bar 2016 in a similar fashion.
The [0190] auxiliary attachment 2022 is indicated generally in FIG. 27. The catwalk bracket 2005 includes an engagement plate 2111 that is engaged against the bar 2016 and a support plate 2117 that extends from the engagement plate 2111 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bar 2016. The engagement plate 2111 is formed with a substantially cylindrical thru-bore 2115 extending therethrough that receives the mounting bolt 2009. Planks or other such supporting structures may be laid upon the support plate 2117 to form a catwalk that workmen can walk upon. A crossbar extends between the engagement plate 2111 and the support plate 2117 to provide strength and rigidity to the support plate 2117.
The [0191] engagement plate 2111 includes an elongated alignment ridge 2119 on the face of the engagement plate 2111 opposite the support plate 2117. The alignment ridge 2119 is configured to be of a width that can be received within the throat 2046 of the bar 2016 with minimal play therebetween. As such, when the alignment ridge 2119 is received in the throat 2046, the catwalk bracket 2005 is substantially incapable of rotation within a plane defined by the engagement plate 2111.
As is depicted generally in FIG. 28, the mounting [0192] bolt 2009 includes a cross member 2013 and an extension member 2017. The extension member 2017 is substantially cylindrical in configuration and is substantially perpendicular to the cross member 2013 to give the mounting bolt 2009 a generally T-shaped configuration.
As can be seen in FIG. 29, the [0193] extension member 2017 is formed with a rectangular wedge slot 2021 extending diametrically through the extension member 2017 and being oriented at approximately a 45° angle with respect to the cross member 2013. The wedge slot 2021 is thus oriented oblique to the cross member 2013, meaning that it is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the cross member 2013. It is understood, however, that the wedge slot 2021 may be oriented at oblique angles other than 45° depending upon the specific needs of the particular application without departing from the concept of the present invention.
As can be seen in FIG. 28, the [0194] auxiliary attachment 2022 further includes a wedge bolt 2025 that functions as a fastener that cooperates with the mounting bolt 2009 to fasten the catwalk bracket 2005 to the bar 2016 of the clamping device 2004. The wedge bolt 2025 is roughly triangular in shape and includes a wide end 2029 and a narrow end 2103 opposite one another. The narrow end 2103 includes a retention member 2107 that resists the wedge bolt 2025 from being fully removed from the wedge slot 2021.
FIGS. [0195] 30A-32B are operational views that depict installation of the auxiliary attachment 2022 onto the bar 2016. It can be seen that the catwalk bracket 2005 additionally includes an alignment stop 2123, a blocking fence 2127, and a pivot stop 2131 disposed on the engagement plate 2111. It can also be seen that the pivot stop 2131 is disposed at the end of the blocking fence 2127. The alignment stop 2123, the blocking fence 2127, and the pivot stop 2131 advantageously control the operation of the wedge bolt 2025 with respect to the mounting bolt 2009 as will be set forth more fully below.
As can be understood from FIGS. [0196] 30A-32B, the mounting bolt 2009 is pivotably mounted in the thru-bore 2115. The auxiliary attachment 2022 is initially positioned on the bar 2016 with the mounting bolt 2009 being pivoted to a first orientation. When the mounting bolt 2009 is in the aforementioned first orientation, the cross member 2013 is oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal extent of the throat 2046 and can be received therein. Moreover, the wedge bolt 2025 is disposed against the alignment stop 2123 when the mounting bolt 2009 is in the first orientation, which assists in aligning the mounting bolt 2009 in the first orientation. It can be understood from FIG. 30B that in such position the wedge bolt 2025 is retained in the wedge slot 2021 by the retention member 2107, and it can further be seen that the blocking fence 2127 substantially resists the wedge bolt 2025 from being advanced into the wedge slot 2021 when the mounting bolt 2009 is in the first orientation whereby the wide end 2029 otherwise would be disposed within the wedge slot 2021.
Once the [0197] cross member 2013 has been advanced sufficiently into the void 2045 that it clears the first and second legs 2049 and 2053, the mounting bolt 2009 is rotated along with the wedge bolt 2025 through an angle of approximately 90° to a second orientation to cause the cross member 2013 to be oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the throat 2046 and to span across the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. In such position, it can be seen that the narrow end 2103 of the wedge bolt 2025 has cleared the blocking fence 2127 such that the wedge bolt 2025 can be advanced into the wedge slot 2021 whereby successively wider regions of the wedge bolt 2025 will be disposed within the wedge slot 2021.
As can be seen in FIGS. 32A and 32B, as the [0198] wedge bolt 2025 is advanced into the wedge slot 2021, the increasing width of the wedge bolt 2025 that is received in the wedge slot 2021 draws the extension member 2017 out of the thru-bore 2115 until the cross member 2013 contacts the free ends of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. In this regard, the increasing width of the wedge bolt 2025 that is received between the engagement plate 2111 and a terminal end 2135 (FIG. 28) of the wedge slot 2021 causes the extension member 2017 to translate in such a direction to cause the cross member 2013 to engage the free ends of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053.
Accordingly, after the mounting [0199] bolt 2009 has been rotated to the second orientation, as is depicted in FIGS. 31A and 31B, the wedge bolt 2025 is advanced, as is depicted generally in FIGS. 32A and 32B, typically via a number of blows to the wide end 2029 with a hammer or other appropriate implement to cause successively wider regions of the wedge bolt 2025 to be received in the wedge slot 2021 and to tightly engage the cross member 2013 against the free ends of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053.
In this regard, it can be seen from FIGS. 28, 31A and [0200] 32A that the cross member 2013 includes a pair of lips at opposite ends thereof that facilitate such engagement by the cross member 2013 and that resist rotation of the mounting bolt 2009 while the wedge bolt 2025 is received in the wedge slot 2021 as indicated in FIG. 32B. Further in this regard, it can be seen from FIG. 32B that when the wedge bolt 2025 is in the advanced position in the wedge slot 2021, the wedge bolt 2025 rests against or is disposed closely adjacent the pivot stop 2131 at the end of the blocking fence 2127. The pivot stop 2131 thus advantageously resists counter-clockwise (from the perspective of FIGS. 30A-32B) rotation of the mounting bolt 2009 from the second orientation back to the first orientation when the wedge bolt 2025 is in the advanced position as depicted generally in FIG. 32B.
The [0201] auxiliary attachment 2022 is thus configured to tightly engage the cross member 2013 of the mounting bolt 2009 against the free ends of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053, which correspondingly tightly engages the engagement plate 2011 against the mounting wall 2038 of the bar 2016. The catwalk bracket 2005 thus is securely retained on the bar 2016, and the configuration of the alignment stop 2123, blocking fence 2127 and pivot stop 2131 together cooperate to ensure that the cross member 2013 is properly received in the void 2045 and does not unintentionally become dislodged from the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 such as by unintended rotation of the mounting bolt 2009.
As can be understood from FIG. 34, a plurality of [0202] auxiliary attachments 2022 are mounted on a plurality of clamping devices 2004 of the wall form 2014, and planks or other such support structures (not shown) can be positioned atop the support plate 2117 of the catwalk brackets 2005 to form a catwalk upon which workmen can stand when working on the wall form 2014. It is understood that the specific configuration of the catwalk bracket 2005 including its support plate 2117 can be varied without departing from the concept of the present invention.
In order to remove the [0203] auxiliary attachment 2022 from the clamping device 2004, the wedge bolt 2025 is withdrawn from the wedge slot 2021 sufficiently to permit the cross member 2013 to disengage from the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 and to permit rotation of the mounting bolt 2009 from the second orientation back to the first orientation. In this regard, the wedge bolt 2025 is withdrawn in the aforementioned fashion by one or more blows with a hammer or other appropriate tool to the narrow end 2103 of the wedge bolt 2025 so as to cause relatively narrower portions of the wedge bolt 2025 to be disposed within the wedge slot 2021. Again, it is understood that the retention member 2107 that is disposed near the narrow end 2013 of the wedge bolt 2025 resists complete removal of the wedge bolt 2025 from the wedge slot 2021.
The [0204] auxiliary attachment 2222 functions in a fashion substantially similar to the auxiliary attachment 2022 except that the support leg bracket 2205 includes a first ear plate 2217 and a second ear plate 2219 instead of the support plate 2117. The first and second ear plates 2217 and 2219 are formed with axially aligned holes that can receive one end of a support leg 2191 therein. The support leg 2191 can be any of a wide variety of support structures that are configured to extend between the support leg bracket 2205 and the grade or other such supporting surface in order to retain the clamping device 2004 in a desirable vertical orientation. In this regard, the support leg 2191 typically is length adjustable such as with the use of a turnbuckle, detents, threaded adjustment, ratchet and pawl devices, and the like in order to facilitate vertical alignment of the clamping device 2004 after positioning the free end of the support leg 2191 against the grade or other support surface.
As can be seen from FIG. 34, one or more of the [0205] auxiliary attachments 2222 are mounted on the clamping devices 2004 and extend therefrom to the grade or other such support surface in order to retain the clamping devices 2004 and the wall form 2014 resulting therefrom in a desirable or vertical orientation.
The [0206] support leg bracket 2205 mounts onto the bar 2016 in a substantially similar fashion to the catwalk bracket 2005, meaning that the mounting bolt 2209 is rotated from a first orientation to a second orientation at which time a wedge bolt is advanced through a wedge slot in the mounting bolt to securely engage the mounting bolt against the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 and to securely mount the support leg bracket 2205 to the bar 2016. In this regard, the movement of the wedge bolt is directed by an alignment stop, a blocking fence, and a pivot stop on an engagement plate of the support leg bracket 2205, with the engagement plate additionally including an alignment ridge on the surface opposite that on which the first and second ear plates 2217 and 2219 are disposed.
The [0207] wall form 2014 is depicted in FIG. 34 in a generally incomplete configuration. The wall form 2014 is depicted as including an interior structure 2026 and an exterior structure 2030. The exterior structure 2030 is further depicted as including a first course 2080 of clamping devices 2004 and a plurality of modular form members 10 connected therebetween that would be disposed against a footer or other such support structure and a second course 2084 made up of clamping devices 2004 and modular form members 10 disposed atop the first course 2080. The clamping devices 2004 of the first and second courses 2080 and 2084 are connected with one another via the connection members 2139 and lock mechanisms 2157 of the clamping devices 2004 of the first course 2080. The first course 2080 is depicted as including a plurality of auxiliary attachments 2222 mounted thereon with support legs 2191 extending therefrom to the grade. The second course 2084 is depicted as including a plurality of auxiliary attachments 2022 upon which planks (not shown) can be placed to form a catwalk. As is more particularly depicted in FIG. 35, spanning members 2147 extend between the mounting holes 2145 of the connection members 2139 of the clamping devices 2004 of the second course 2084.
The [0208] auxiliary attachment 2322 is depicted generally in FIGS. 36-39. As indicated above, the auxiliary attachment 2322 includes a whaler bracket 2305 and a compression wedge 2325 that are cooperable to retain a whaler member 2321 against the clamping devices 2004 and thus against the modular form members 10. The whaler member 2321 is generally an elongated member that aligns the clamping devices 2004 and the modular form members 10 with one another as well as assists in transferring the horizontal hydrostatic load resulting from uncured concrete away from the modular form members 10 and to the clamping devices 2004 and thus to the spanning members 2147. The whaler member 2321 can serve additional purposes as is generally known in the relevant art.
The [0209] whaler bracket 2305 is a generally U-shaped member having a substantially planar support surface 2309 thereon. The whaler bracket 2305 additionally includes a cross member 2313 and an extension member 2317 formed thereon that are cooperable with the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 of the bar 2016. As can be seen in FIG. 37, the whaler bracket 2305 is mounted on the bar 2016 by receiving the extension member 2317 in the throat 2046 with the cross member 2313 being engaged against the free ends of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. In this regard, it is understood that the cross member 2313 and the extension member 2317 function in a fashion similar to the cross member 2013 and the extension member 2017 of the mounting bolt 2009 of the auxiliary attachment 2022. As such, it is further understood that the whaler bracket 2305 is installed on the bar 2016 by pivoting the whaler bracket 2305 about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the bar 2016 to a first orientation (not shown) whereby the cross member 2313 and the extension member 2317 are received through the throat 2046. The whaler bracket 2305 is then rotated about the same axis to a second position (depicted generally in FIGS. 36-39) that receives the extension member 2317 between the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 and engages the cross member 2313 against the free ends of the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. The end of the whaler bracket 2305 opposite the cross member 2313 is turned down to provide a heel that can rest against the mounting wall 2038 of the bar 2016.
After the [0210] whaler bracket 2305 has been mounted on the bar 2016, the whaler member 2321 is placed on the support surface 2309, and the compression wedge 2325 is advanced into holes formed in the whaler bracket 2305 to engage the whaler member 2321 between the compression wedge 2325 and the mounting wall 2038 of the bar 2016. In this regard, it can be seen that the compression wedge 2325 includes a wide end 2329 and a narrow end 2403. The whaler member 2321 is configured such that it is loosely disposed on the support surface 2309 when the narrow end 2403 of the compression wedge 2325 is received in the holes formed in the whaler bracket 2305, but that the whaler member 2321 is tightly interposed and engaged between the compression wedge 2325 and the bar 2016 when the wide end 2329 is received in the holes formed in the whaler bracket 2305. The compression wedge 2325 is typically tightened by a number of blows by a hammer or other appropriate implement to the wide end 2329, and it is removed by a number of blows applied to the narrow end 2403. It can further be seen from FIGS. 36 and 37 that the narrow end 2403 is advantageously flared outwardly to resist the complete removal of the compression wedge 2325 from the whaler bracket 2305.
The generally T-shaped configuration of the [0211] whaler bracket 2305 provided by the cross member 2313 and the extension member 2317 facilitates the simple mounting and removal of the whaler bracket 2305 onto and from the bar 2016. Since the whaler bracket 2305 is cooperable with the first and second legs 2049 and 2053 of the bar 2016, it can also be seen that the whaler bracket 2305 is thus substantially continuously repositionable along longitudinal portions of the bar 2016, except along regions of the bar 2016 where the gusset plates 2063 or other structures are disposed. The auxiliary attachment 2322 thus can be employed in a versatile fashion to install the whaler member 2321 onto the wall form 2014. In this regard, it is understood that the whaler member 2321 typically will extend along a plurality of the auxiliary attachments 23222, although this is not specifically depicted in FIG. 34.
It thus can be understood from the foregoing that numerous other types of auxiliary attachments can be mounted onto the [0212] wall form 2014 via the bars 2016 if such auxiliary attachments include a cross member 2313 and an extension member 2317 that are cooperable with the first and second legs 2049 and 2053. Further in this regard, other types of auxiliary attachments that have a mounting system similar to that of the engagement plate 2111 and mounting bolt 2009 of the auxiliary attachment 2022 may be mounted on the bars 2016. It thus can be seen that the auxiliary attachments 2022, 2222, and 2322 provide examples of structures which can be mounted on the bars 2016 for varied purposes, as well as mounting methods. It thus will be understood that numerous other types of auxiliary attachments can be mounted onto the bars 2016 of the wall form 2014 without departing from the concept of the present invention.
Since the [0213] auxiliary attachments 2022, 2222, and 2322 are substantially continuously repositionable along longitudinal portions of the bar 2016, structures such as catwalk, support legs, and whalers can be mounted at desirable positions on the clamping devices 2004 without having to resort to mounting onto preset holes formed in the bar. As such, the present device is highly versatile and can be assembled with relative ease compared with other previously known concrete form systems.
A seventh embodiment of a [0214] clamping device 2504 in accordance with the present invention is depicted generally in FIG. 36. The clamping device 2504 is substantially similar to the clamping device 2004 but includes a modular form member 10 fixedly mounted thereon, such as by welding, adhering, bolting, or by other attachment methodology. As can be seen in FIG. 36, the modular form member 10 is securely engaged against the gusset plates 2063, thus leaving the opposite edge of the gusset plates available for connection with the free side of a modular form member 10 of a similar second clamping device 2504.
By configuring the [0215] clamping device 2504 to include both a clamping device 2004 and a modular form member 10, the number of separate parts that must be managed at a construction site is correspondingly reduced. Additionally, the labor involved in attaching a plurality of the clamping device 2504 to one another is at least nominally less than the labor required to clamp first and second modular form members 8 and 12 to each clamping device 2004.
The first and second [0216] modular form members 8 and 12, and the modular form member 10 generally, are of various dimensions suited to the construction of concrete walls of buildings and other structures. As such, an example of the nominal dimensions of one instance of the first and second modular form members 8 and 12 and the modular form member 10 are approximately two feet in width and eight feet in height. It is understood, however, that other instances of the modular form members may be of numerous different dimensions that can be assembled in various combinations and orientations to provide a wall form 14 having specific desired dimensions to result in a finished concrete wall having the desired dimensions.
In this regard, it is understood that the method and apparatus of the present invention can be used to construct walls out of a building material such as concrete in commercial, industrial, residential, and public works applications, as well as other appropriate applications. While concrete is illustrated herein as being the building material that is employed with the method and apparatus of the present invention, it can be seen that other appropriate building materials potentially may be employed to create other types of walls without departing from the concept of the present invention. [0217]
While a number of particular embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, it is understood that various changes, additions, modifications, and adaptations may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. [0218]

Claims

1. A clamping device for retaining a first modular form member in a given orientation with respect to a second modular form member, the first modular form member being formed with a first indentation, the second modular form member being formed with a second indentation, the clamping device comprising:

an elongated bar having a first surface and a second surface;

at least a first engagement member mounted on the bar, the at least first engagement member including a first edge and a second edge, the first edge protruding outwardly from the first surface, the second edge protruding outwardly from the second surface, the first edge forming a first protrusion that is structured to be engageable with the first indentation, and the second edge forming a second protrusion that is structured to be engageable with the second indentation; and

at least a first clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw being structured to removably engage the first protrusion with the first indentation, the second jaw being structured to removably engage the second protrusion with the second indentation.

2. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the first and second edges are one of substantially parallel with one another and substantially perpendicular to one another.

3. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces are opposite one another.

4. The clamping device of claim 3, wherein the first and second edges are substantially parallel with one another.

5. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the at least first engagement member is a first gusset plate.

6. The clamping device of claim 5, wherein a first plane defined by the first gusset plate is oriented substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the bar.

7. The clamping device of claim 5, wherein the first gusset plate includes an attachment hole formed therein.

8. The clamping device of claim 5, wherein the first gusset plate extends between the first and second sides.

9. The clamping device of claim 8, wherein the first gusset plate extends substantially continuously between the first and second sides.

10. The clamping device of claim 5, wherein the first gusset plate is welded to the bar.

11. The clamping device of claim 1, further comprising a second engagement member mounted on the bar, the second engagement member including a first edge and a second edge, the first edge protruding outwardly from the first surface, the second edge protruding outwardly from the second surface, the first edges of the first and second engagement members together forming the first protrusion, the second edges of the first and second engagement members together forming the second protrusion.

12. The clamping device of claim 11, wherein the at least first engagement member is a first gusset plate and second engagement member is a second gusset plate.

13. The clamping device of claim 12, wherein the first and second gusset plates are spaced from the ends of the bar.

14. The clamping device of claim 12, wherein the first and second gusset plates are substantially parallel with one another.

15. The clamping device of claim 12, wherein the first gusset plate is of a first length measured between the first and second edges thereof, and the second gusset plate is of a second length measured between the first and second edges thereof, the first length being substantially equal to the second length.

16. The clamping device of claim 12, wherein the first and second gusset plates are substantially rectangular.

17. The clamping device of claim 11, wherein the first edges of the at least first and second engagement members align with one another along a first imaginary line, and the second edges of the at least first and second engagement members align with one another along a second imaginary line, the first and second imaginary lines being parallel with one another.

18. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the first modular form member is fixedly mounted on the bar.

19. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the bar is substantially rectangular in cross section.

20. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the bar is generally channel shaped and is formed with an elongated throat.

21. The clamping device of claim 20, wherein the throat extends along substantially the length of the bar.

22. The clamping device of claim 20, wherein the bar includes a first leg and a second leg adjacent the throat.

23. The clamping device of claim 22, wherein the first and second legs are disposed on opposites sides of the throat.

24. The clamping device of claim 22, wherein the first and second legs extend in a reentrant fashion and are substantially parallel with one another.

25. The clamping device of claim 24, wherein the bar includes a first wall and a second wall, the first surface being defined on the first wall, the second surface being defined on the second wall, the first leg being spaced from the first wall, the second leg being spaced from the second wall.

26. The clamping device of claim 25, wherein the bar includes a mounting wall interposed between the first and second walls, the throat being formed in the mounting wall.

27. The clamping device of claim 26, wherein the first and second legs extend from the mounting wall.

28. The clamping device of claim 22, further comprising an auxiliary attachment including a bracket and a mounting bolt, the mounting bolt being cooperable with the bar to removably retain the bracket on the bar.

29. The clamping device of claim 28, wherein the mounting bolt is cooperable with the first and second legs to resist movement of the mounting bolt with respect to the bar.

30. The clamping device of claim 28, wherein the mounting bolt includes a cross member and an extension member, the extension member extending substantially perpendicularly from the cross member.

31. The clamping device of claim 30, wherein the extension member extends between the first and second legs when the cross member cooperates with the first and second legs.

32. The clamping device of claim 30, wherein the mounting bolt in a first orientation is receivable between the first and second legs, and wherein the first and second legs resist the cross member from being received between the first and second legs when the mounting bolt is in a second orientation rotated from the first orientation.

33. The clamping device of claim 30, wherein the auxiliary attachment further includes a fastener, the mounting bolt being structured to cooperate with the fastener to engage the mounting bolt with the first and second legs.

34. The clamping device of claim 33, wherein the fastener is a wedge bolt.

35. The clamping device of claim 34, wherein the extension member is formed with a wedge slot extending therethrough, the wedge bolt being receivable in the wedge slot.

36. The clamping device of claim 35, wherein the wedge bolt includes a wide end and a narrow end, the auxiliary attachment including a retention member mounted at the narrow end of the wedge bolt and being structured to resist detachment of the wedge bolt from the wedge slot.

37. The clamping device of claim 35, wherein the wedge slot extends through the extension member in a direction oblique to the direction in which the cross member extends.

38. The clamping device of claim 28, wherein the bracket includes an engagement plate formed with a thru-bore, the mounting bolt extends through the thru-bore, and at least a portion of the engagement plate is removably engaged against the bar.

39. The clamping device of claim 38, wherein the bracket includes an alignment ridge, the alignment ridge being removably engaged in the throat.

40. The clamping device of claim 38, wherein the mounting bolt is pivotable in the thru-bore between a first orientation in which the mounting bolt is receivable between the first and second legs and a second orientation in which the first and second legs resist at least a portion of the mounting bolt from being received between the first and second legs.

41. The clamping device of claim 40, wherein the auxiliary attachment further includes a wedge bolt, and the mounting bolt is formed with a wedge slot extending therethrough, the wedge bolt being receivable in the wedge slot, the wedge bolt being moveable in the wedge slot between a clamped position and an unclamped position.

42. The clamping device of claim 41, wherein the bracket includes an alignment stop, the mounting bolt being in the first orientation when the wedge bolt is engaged against the alignment stop.

43. The clamping device of claim 41, wherein the bracket includes a blocking fence that resists movement of the wedge bolt to the clamped position unless the mounting bolt is substantially in the second orientation.

44. The clamping device of claim 43, wherein the bracket includes a pivot stop that resists pivoting of the mounting bolt from the second orientation toward the first orientation when the wedge bolt is in the clamped position.

45. The clamping device of claim 44, wherein the pivot stop is disposed at the end of the blocking fence.

46. The clamping device of claim 45, wherein the wedge bolt includes a wide end and a narrow end, the auxiliary attachment including a retention member mounted at the narrow end of the wedge bolt and being structured to resist detachment of the wedge bolt from the wedge slot.

47. The clamping device of claim 38, wherein the bracket includes a support plate extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bar.

48. The clamping device of claim 38, wherein the bracket includes at least a first ear plate, the at least first ear plate being structured to operatively engage a support leg.

49. The clamping device of claim 28, wherein the auxiliary attachment is substantially continuously repositionable along longitudinal portions of the bar.

50. The clamping device of claim 22, further comprising an auxiliary attachment mounted on the bar, the auxiliary attachment including an extension member and a cross member, the extension member extending between the first and second legs, and the cross member being engaged with the first and second legs.

51. The clamping device of claim 50, wherein the auxiliary attachment includes a bracket, the extension member and the cross member being formed on the bracket.

52. The clamping device of claim 50, wherein the auxiliary attachment includes a whaler bracket and a compression wedge, the whaler bracket including the extension member and the cross member.

53. The clamping device of claim 52, further comprising a whaler member, and wherein the whaler bracket includes a support surface, the whaler member being disposed on the support surface and being engaged between the bar and the compression wedge.

54. The clamping device of claim 20, wherein the at least first engagement member is a first gusset plate that extends at least partially into the throat.

55. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the clamping device is constructed substantially out of metal.

56. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the clamping device is a component of a wall form used to construct a wall.

57. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the bar includes a first end and a second end opposite one another, and further comprising a connection member disposed on the bar, at least a portion of the connection member protruding outwardly from the first end, the connection member being structured to connect the bar with a second bar of a similar second clamping device.

58. The clamping device of claim 57, wherein the connection member is formed with a mounting hole, the mounting hole being structured to at least partially receive a spanning member therein, the spanning member being structured to extend between the mounting hole and a second mounting hole formed in a second connection member of the second clamping device.

59. The clamping device of claim 57, wherein the connection member is generally channel shaped.

60. The clamping device of claim 59, wherein the bar includes a first wall, a second wall, and a facing wall connected with one another in a generally channel shaped configuration, with the first, second, and facing walls together defining a void extending substantially throughout the longitudinal extent of the bar, the connection member having a cross section that is complementary to the void and being disposed at least partially in the void at the first end.

61. The clamping device of claim 60, wherein the portion of the connection member that protrudes from the first end is engageable in a void of a similar third clamping device to provide secure interconnection therebetween.

62. The clamping device of claim 61, wherein the connection member includes a lock mechanism structured to releasably lock the connection member in the void of the similar third clamping device.

63. The clamping device of claim 62, wherein the lock mechanism includes a spring and a pin, and wherein the bar is formed with a pin hole adjacent the second end, the pin being biased by the spring and being structured to engage a pin hole formed on the similar third clamping device.

64. The clamping device of claim 63, wherein the spring is generally U-shaped.

65. The clamping device of claim 64, wherein the pin includes a beveled end.

66. The clamping device of claim 64, wherein the spring includes one of an indentation and a tab formed thereon.

67. The clamping device of claim 59, wherein the at least first engagement member is a first gusset plate, and wherein the connection member is formed with a securing aperture, the first gusset plate being received in the securing aperture.

68. The clamping device of claim 1, wherein the bar is formed with at least a first tie hole extending therethrough.

69. The clamping device of claim 68, wherein the bar includes at least a first tie clip.

70. The clamping device of claim 69, wherein the at least first tie clip is formed with an opening that is structured to at least partially receive a tie therein.

71. The clamping device of claim 68, further comprising a seal disposed adjacent the at least first tie hole.

72. The clamping device of claim 71, wherein the seal is manufactured out of a resilient material.

73. The clamping device of claim 71, further comprising a seal support, the seal being mounted on the seal support.

74. The clamping device of claim 73, wherein the seal support is disposed on the bar.

75. The clamping device of claim 74, wherein the bar is generally channel shaped and is formed with an elongated throat and includes a first leg and a second leg adjacent the throat, and wherein the seal support includes a pair of opposite ends, one of the ends of the seal support being disposed adjacent the first leg, the other of the ends of the seal support being disposed adjacent the second leg.

76. An auxiliary attachment for use with an elongated bar formed with an elongated throat and having a pair of legs disposed on opposite sides of the throat, the auxiliary attachment comprising:

a bracket; and

a mounting bolt having an extension member and a cross member, the extension member being structured to extend into the throat of the bar between the pair of legs, the cross member being structured to engage the pair of legs to retain the bracket on the bar.

77. The auxiliary attachment of claim 76, wherein the mounting bolt in a first orientation is structured to be receivable between the pair of legs, and wherein the cross member is structured to resist being received between the pair of legs when the mounting bolt is in a second orientation rotated from the first orientation.

78. The clamping device of claim 76, wherein the auxiliary attachment further includes a fastener, the mounting bolt being cooperable with the fastener to engage the mounting bolt with the pair of legs.

79. The clamping device of claim 78, wherein the fastener is a wedge bolt.

80. The clamping device of claim 79, wherein the extension member is formed with a wedge slot extending therethrough, the wedge bolt being receivable in the wedge slot.

81. The clamping device of claim 80, wherein the wedge bolt includes a wide end and a narrow end, the auxiliary attachment including a retention member mounted at the narrow end of the wedge bolt and being structured to resist detachment of the wedge bolt from the wedge slot.

82. The clamping device of claim 80, wherein the wedge slot extends through the extension member in a direction oblique to the direction in which the cross member extends.

83. The clamping device of claim 76, wherein the bracket includes an engagement plate formed with a thru-bore, the mounting bolt extending through the thru-bore, and at least a portion of the engagement plate being structured to be removably engaged against the bar.

84. The clamping device of claim 83, wherein the bracket includes an alignment ridge, the alignment ridge being structured to be removably engaged in the throat.

85. The clamping device of claim 83, wherein the mounting bolt is pivotable in the thru-bore between a first orientation in which the mounting bolt is structured to be receivable between the pair of legs and a second orientation in which at least a portion of the mounting bolt is structured to resist being received between the pair of legs.

86. The clamping device of claim 85, wherein the auxiliary attachment further includes a wedge bolt, and the mounting bolt is formed with a wedge slot extending therethrough, the wedge bolt being receivable in the wedge slot, the wedge bolt being moveable in the wedge slot between a clamped position and an unclamped position.

87. The clamping device of claim 86, wherein the bracket includes an alignment stop, the mounting bolt being in the first orientation when the wedge bolt is engaged against the alignment stop.

88. The clamping device of claim 86, wherein the bracket includes a blocking fence that resists movement of the wedge bolt to the clamped position unless the mounting bolt is substantially in the second orientation.

89. The clamping device of claim 88, wherein the bracket includes a pivot stop that resists pivoting of the mounting bolt from the second orientation toward the first orientation when the wedge bolt is in the clamped position.

90. The clamping device of claim 89, wherein the pivot stop is disposed at the end of the blocking fence.

91. The clamping device of claim 90, wherein the wedge bolt includes a wide end and a narrow end, the auxiliary attachment including a retention member mounted at the narrow end of the wedge bolt and being structured to resist detachment of the wedge bolt from the wedge slot.

92. The clamping device of claim 83, wherein the bracket includes a support plate structured to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bar.

93. The clamping device of claim 83, wherein the bracket includes at least a first ear plate, the at least first ear plate being structured to operatively engage a support leg.

94. The clamping device of claim 76, wherein the auxiliary attachment is substantially continuously repositionable along longitudinal portions of the bar.

95. An auxiliary attachment for use with an elongated bar formed with an elongated throat and having a pair of legs disposed on opposite sides of the throat, the auxiliary attachment comprising:

a bracket including an extension member and a cross member, the extension member being structured to extend between the pair of legs, and the cross member being structured to be engaged with the pair of legs.

96. The clamping device of claim 95, wherein the extension member and the cross member are formed on the bracket.

97. The clamping device of claim 95, further comprising a whaler member, and wherein the bracket is a whaler bracket including a support surface, the whaler member being disposed on the support surface and being engaged between the bar and the compression wedge.

98. A clamping device for retaining a first modular form member in a given orientation with respect to a second modular form member, the first modular form member being formed with a first indentation, the second modular form member being formed with a second indentation, the clamping device comprising:

an elongated bar formed with a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion being structured to be engageable with the first indentation, the second protrusion being structured to be engageable with the second indentation;

the bar being generally channel shaped and being formed with an elongated throat; and

99. The clamping device of claim 98, wherein the throat extends along substantially the length of the bar.

100. The clamping device of claim 98, wherein the bar includes a first leg and a second leg adjacent the throat.

101. The clamping device of claim 100, wherein the first and second legs are disposed on opposites sides of the throat.

102. The clamping device of claim 100, wherein the first and second legs extend in a reentrant fashion and are substantially parallel with one another.

103. The clamping device of claim 102, wherein the bar includes a first wall and a second wall, the first surface being defined on the first wall, the second surface being defined on the second wall, the first leg being spaced from the first wall, the second leg being spaced from the second wall.

104. The clamping device of claim 102, wherein the bar includes a mounting wall interposed between the first and second walls, the throat being formed in the mounting wall.

105. The clamping device of claim 104, wherein the first and second legs extend from the mounting wall.

106. The clamping device of claim 102, wherein the bar includes a first surface and a second surface, and further includes at least a first engagement member mounted on the bar, the at least first engagement member including a first edge and a second edge, the first edge protruding outwardly from the first surface, the second edge protruding outwardly from the second surface, the first edge forming the first protrusion, the second edge forming the second protrusion.

107. The clamping device of claim 106, wherein the first and second surfaces are opposite one another.

108. The clamping device of claim 107, wherein the first and second edges are substantially parallel with one another.

109. The clamping device of claim 106, wherein the at least first engagement member is a first gusset plate.

110. The clamping device of claim 109, wherein a first plane defined by the first gusset plate is oriented substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the bar.

111. The clamping device of claim 109, wherein the first gusset plate includes an attachment hole formed therein.

112. The clamping device of claim 109, wherein the first gusset plate extends between the first and second sides.

113. The clamping device of claim 100, further comprising a auxiliary attachment that includes a mounting bolt, the mounting bolt being cooperable with the first and second legs to resist movement of the mounting bolt with respect to the bar.

114. The clamping device of claim 113, wherein the mounting bolt including a cross member and an extension member, the extension member extending substantially perpendicularly from the cross member.

115. The clamping device of claim 114, wherein the extension member extends between the first and second legs when the cross member cooperates with the first and second legs.

116. The clamping device of claim 114, wherein the mounting bolt in a first orientation is receivable between the first and second legs, and wherein the first and second legs resist the cross member from being received between the first and second legs when the mounting bolt in a second orientation rotated from the first orientation.

117. The clamping device of claim 113, wherein the mounting bolt is structured to cooperate with a fastener to engage the mounting bolt with the legs.

118. The clamping device of claim 117, wherein the fastener is a wedge bolt.

119. The clamping device of claim 117, wherein the fastener is threaded.

120. A wall form structured to receive uncured concrete and to retain the concrete therein during curing to form a cured concrete wall from which the wall form is substantially removable, the wall form comprising:

a pair of first modular form members;

a pair of second modular form members;

each of the first modular form members being formed with a first indentation, each of the second modular form members being formed with a second indentation;

a first clamping device;

a second clamping device;

the first and second clamping devices each including an elongated bar, at least a first engagement member mounted on the bar, and at least a first clamp;

each bar having a first surface and a second surface;

each engagement member including a first edge and a second edge, each first edge protruding outwardly from the first surface to form a first protrusion, each second edge protruding outwardly from the second surface to form a second protrusion;

the first protrusion of the first clamping device being engaged with the first indentation of one of the first form members, the second protrusion of the first clamping device being engaged with the second indentation of one of the second form members;

the first protrusion of the second clamping device being engaged with the first indentation of the other of the first form members, the second protrusion of the second clamping device being engaged with the second indentation of the other of the second form members;

each clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw removably engaging the first protrusion with the first indentation, the second jaw removably engaging the second protrusion with the second indentation; and

one of at least a first tie and a spanning member extending between the first and second clamping devices.

121. The wall form of claim 120, wherein the bars of the first and second clamping devices each include a first end and a second end opposite one another, and wherein the bars each further comprise a connection member disposed on the bar, at least a portion of connection members protruding outwardly from the first ends of the bars.

122. The wall form of claim 121, wherein the connection members are each formed with a mounting hole, and in which the spanning member extends through the mounting holes and between the first and second clamping devices to resist the first and second clamping devices from moving farther away from one another than an initial distance.

123. The wall form of claim 121, further comprising a third clamping device and a fourth clamping device similar to the first and second clamping devices, and further comprising a pair of third modular form members and a pair of fourth modular form members similar to the pairs of first and second modular form members, the third clamping device being engaged with one of each of the third and fourth modular form members in a fashion similar to the engagement of the first clamping device with one of each of the first and second modular form members, and the fourth clamping device being engaged with the other of each of the third and fourth modular form members in a fashion similar to the engagement of the second clamping device with the other of each of the first and second modular form members, and wherein the bars of the first, second, third, and fourth clamping devices each include a first wall, a second wall, and a facing wall connected with one another in a generally channel shaped configuration, with the first, second, and facing walls together defining a void extending substantially throughout the longitudinal extent of the bar, the connection members each having a cross section that is complementary to the void and being disposed at least partially in the void at the first end, the portion of the connection member protruding from the first end of the bar of the first clamping device being engaged in the void at the second end of the bar of the third clamping device to provide secure inter-engagement between the first and third clamping devices, and the portion of the connection member protruding from the first end of the bar of the second clamping device being engaged in the void at the second end of the bar of the fourth clamping device to provide secure inter-engagement between the second and fourth clamping devices.

124. The clamping device of claim 123, wherein the connection members of the first and second clamping devices each include a lock mechanism, the lock mechanism of the first clamping device releasably locking the connection member of the first clamping device in the void of the third clamping device, and the lock mechanism of the second clamping device releasably locking the connection member of the second clamping device in the void of the fourth clamping device.

125. The clamping device of claim 124, wherein each lock mechanism includes a spring and a pin, the pins being biased by the springs, and wherein each bar is formed with a pin hole adjacent the second end, the pin of the first clamping device being removably engaged in the pin hole of the third clamping device, the pin of the second clamping device being removably engaged in the pin hole of the fourth clamping device.

126. The clamping device of claim 125, wherein the springs are generally U-shaped.

127. The clamping device of claim 126, wherein the pins each include a beveled end.

128. The clamping device of claim 126, wherein the springs each include one of an indentation and a tab formed thereon that is movable to disengage the pin from the pin hole.

129. The wall form of claim 120, further comprising an auxiliary attachment including a bracket and a mounting bolt, the mounting bolt being cooperable with the bar of the first clamping device.

130. The wall form of claim 129, wherein the bracket includes an engagement plate formed with a thru-bore, the mounting bolt extends through the thru-bore, and at least a portion of the engagement plate is removably engaged against the bar of the first clamping device.

131. The wall form of claim 130, wherein the bracket includes a support plate extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bar.

132. The wall form of claim 130, wherein the bracket includes at least a first ear plate, and further comprising a support leg operatively engaged with the at least first ear plate.

133. The wall form of claim 129, wherein the auxiliary attachment is continuously repositionable along longitudinal portions of the bar.

134. The wall form of claim 120, wherein the bars are each formed with at least a first tie hole extending therethrough and each include at least a first tie clip formed with an opening, and wherein the tie is at least partially received in the at least first tie holes and the openings and extends between the first and second clamping devices to retain the first and second clamping devices a fixed distance apart from one another.