US20130305630A1 - Pre-cast concrete structures - Google Patents
Pre-cast concrete structures Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20130305630A1 US20130305630A1 US13/474,219 US201213474219A US2013305630A1 US 20130305630 A1 US20130305630 A1 US 20130305630A1 US 201213474219 A US201213474219 A US 201213474219A US 2013305630 A1 US2013305630 A1 US 2013305630A1
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- Prior art keywords
- support member
- fork
- plain
- face
- structures
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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- 239000011178 precast concrete Substances 0.000 title description 19
- 239000004567 concrete Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 44
- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000000945 filler Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000012779 reinforcing material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000011449 brick Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004575 stone Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 241000721701 Lynx Species 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000012615 aggregate Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011440 grout Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011493 spray foam Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 7
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000011800 void material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000005266 casting Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007767 bonding agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004035 construction material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000010485 coping Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011150 reinforced concrete Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000000565 sealant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B2/00—Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
- E04C2/02—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials
- E04C2/04—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of concrete or other stone-like material; of asbestos cement; of cement and other mineral fibres
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
- E04C2/30—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure
- E04C2/40—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure composed of a number of smaller components rigidly or movably connected together, e.g. interlocking, hingedly connected of particular shape, e.g. not rectangular of variable shape or size, e.g. flexible or telescopic panels
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
- E04H1/00—Buildings or groups of buildings for dwelling or office purposes; General layout, e.g. modular co-ordination or staggered storeys
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
- E04H17/00—Fencing, e.g. fences, enclosures, corrals
- E04H17/14—Fences constructed of rigid elements, e.g. with additional wire fillings or with posts
- E04H17/1404—Fences constructed of rigid elements, e.g. with additional wire fillings or with posts using building blocks, e.g. from concrete or stone
Definitions
- the present invention relates to pre-cast concrete structures, systems of pre-cast concrete structures and methods of assembling pre-cast concrete structures.
- Pre-cast concrete structures are commonly used in construction applications. They are often preferred over cast-in-situ concrete structures since casting conditions can be regulated at an off-site casting facility. The pre-cast structure can then be shipped and assembled at the site with less labour and less stringent quality requirements. It is also possible to add a number of design features to pre-cast concrete structures such as decorative texturing and structural features.
- Pre-cast concrete structures such as fences, walls, sound barriers, retaining walls are typically cast as full height structures that are then erected on site by means of heavy lifting equipment such as cranes. Due to the need for specialized equipment, the delivery, storage and erection of concrete fences and barriers must be timed precisely to coincide with availability of the heavy lifting equipment on site.
- Pre-cast concrete structures are often cast according to specific construction requirements for height, length and width. This requires exact knowledge of the construction requirements prior to casting and shipping. Should construction conditions change and taller or shorter structures be required, there is no recourse but to re-cast new structures to the amended specifications.
- a system comprising a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces and a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot.
- the system further comprises a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure and a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot.
- the slot has a width sized to receive an end face of the first plain end structure such that the end face of the first plain end structure is disposed adjacent the rigid support member.
- a further system comprising a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces, and a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls extending from a fork end face to a mouth to define a slot.
- the system further comprises a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure and a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot adjacent the fork end face.
- a width of the slot of one or more of the fork ends at the mouth is sized to receive the end face of the plain end structure and the width of the slot increases from the mouth to the fork end face.
- a system of stacked structures comprising one or more stacking structures, each comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and a top face, said top face comprising a top profile and said bottom face comprising a bottom profile.
- the one or more stacking structures are vertically stackable onto each other such that the top profile of a lower structure interfits with the bottom profile of a higher structure in the vertical stack.
- FIG. 1 is perspective view of one embodiment of the present pre-cast concrete structures
- FIG. 2 is a to plan view of one example of the present pre-cast concrete structures
- FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another example of the present pre-cast concrete structures
- FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the pilings and support members of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a system of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a system of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a system of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present pre-cast concrete system.
- FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the present pre-cast concrete system.
- the present invention relates to pre-cast concrete structures and systems of pre-cast concrete structures. More specifically, the present invention relates to pre-cast concrete structures for use as walls, fences, sound barriers, retaining walls, dividers or other well known constructional and structural elements.
- the structures of present invention can be easily and economically formed, transported, erected and stacked as needed.
- the present structures further do not require heavy lifting equipment such as cranes for set up or assembly.
- the structures of the present invention can be made from a number of well-known materials including reinforced concrete or any construction materials composed of aggregates and cementitous materials. Other fluid or semi-fluid materials that can be hardened or solidified may also be used, as well as filler materials joined together with a bonding agent or resin.
- FIG. 1 An example of the system of structures of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 .
- the system comprises a pre-cast plain-end structure 2 and a pre-cast forked-end structure 4 .
- the plan end structure 2 comprises two preferably substantially parallel side faces 6 a, 6 b (collectively referred to as side faces 6 ) that extend horizontally to end in end faces 8 a, 8 b (collectively referred to as end faces 8 ), and extend vertically to end in a bottom face 10 and a top face 12 .
- the side faces 6 may preferably comprise a texture or decorative pattern such as, for example plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block or brick. Such texture or pattern is more preferably bounded horizontally by a plain surface directly adjacent end faces 8 . Further preferably, the texture or pattern may also be bounded vertically by a plain surface directly adjacent top face 12 and bottom face 10 .
- the fork-end structure 4 is depicted in FIG. 3 , and comprises a pair of preferably substantially parallel side faces 14 a, 14 b (collectively referred to as side faces 14 ) that extend vertically to end at a bottom face 16 and a top face 18 .
- the side faces 14 also extend horizontally to end at two fork ends 20 and 22 .
- the side faces 14 may preferably comprise a texture or decorative pattern such as, for example plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block or brick. Such texture or pattern is more preferably bounded horizontally by a plain surface directly adjacent fork ends 20 , 22 . Even further preferably the texture or pattern may also be bounded vertically by a plain surface directly adjacent bottom face 16 and top face 18 .
- Fork ends 20 , 22 comprise a pair of fork walls 24 that extend from the bottom face 16 to the top face 18 .
- the fork walls 24 are connected at a first end to define a fork end face 26 and are open to a mouth 28 at a second end to thereby define a slot 30 .
- the fork walls 24 are preferably substantially parallel to one another.
- a width of the slot 30 as defined by a distance between fork walls 24 , is preferably equal to or greater than a width of the end face 8 , to receive end face 8 and support plain end structure 2 in an upright position.
- plain end structures 2 and fork end structures 4 can be inter-fit to form a system such as a wall, fence, sound barrier, divider or retaining wall.
- Side faces 6 a, 6 b and 14 a, 14 b are shown as being preferably substantially planar and parallel to one another. However it is also possible for the side faces 6 a, 6 b and 14 a, 14 b to define a curved surface, to comprise ridges or projections, or to be wholly or partially non-parallel, to thereby define varying thicknesses between the side faces. These and other variations in side faces 6 a, 6 b and 14 a, 14 b can be envisioned and are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.
- one or both of the plain end structure 2 and the fork end structure 4 may be cast with a reinforcement 38 embedded within the structure for added strength and durability.
- a reinforcement 38 may take the form of a steel plate, rebar, steel mesh and any other well known reinforcing products in the art.
- a base 34 preferably in the form of a cast-in-situ pile, is poured and a rigid support member 36 is embedded into the base 34 .
- the base can be cast by any well known means in the art and may include reinforcing material 46 such as rebar, metal mesh, a wire cage and other well known reinforcement.
- the support member 36 may preferably be reinforced with rebar 46 and placed in a pile hole and then the base 34 may be poured around the reinforced support member 36 .
- rebar 46 is most preferably welded to the support member 36 prior to insertion in the pile hole.
- Many other means of pouring the base 34 , reinforcing the base 34 or embedding a support member 36 in a base 34 would be known and well understood by a person of skill in the art and are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.
- Said support member 36 can preferably be any elongated rigid member including, but not limited to posts, rods, tubes, ‘I’ beams and ‘H’ beams.
- the support member is typically made of steel and is most preferably a wide flange beam such as a steel ‘H’ beam.
- Such support members 36 preferably extend above the base 34 to a final height of the assembled system.
- a fork end structure 4 can be supported on the pile 34 , with the support member 36 being accommodated in an inner portion of the slot 30 near the fork end face 26 , as depicted in the right hand side of FIG. 5 .
- the end faces 8 of a plain end structure 2 can then be received in the slot 30 adjacent support member 36 .
- the support beam preferably comprises one or more flanges on one or more sides, such as, for example a wide flange ‘H’ beam support member 36 .
- one or more of end faces 8 of a plain end structure 2 may be formed with a projection 42 that can be received into said one or more flanges of the support member.
- the fork end face 26 may comprise a further projection 44 to be received into another flange of the support member 36 .
- projections 42 and 44 could be present on the present system without departing from the scope of the present invention and that the support beam may comprise one or more flanges on one or both of its sides.
- any void space between the support member 36 and the slot 30 is filled with filler selected from aggregates, concrete, spray foam, grout or other well-known fillers in the art.
- the filler provides additional rigidity and support to the system and helps to lock the structures of the system in place.
- the void is filled with aggregate such as washed rock.
- Most preferably the void is filled with 3 ⁇ 4 inch (2 cm) washed aggregates.
- a preferred profile of fork walls 24 are shown on fork end 22 , in which the width of the slot 30 increases from the mouth 28 to the fork end face 26 such that the width of the slot at the mouth 28 is still sized to receive and support an end face 8 .
- the increased slot width beyond the mouth 28 can be provided by any known shape or profile of the fork walls 24 .
- the fork walls 24 may angle inwardly from the mouth 28 to the fork end face 26 .
- the fork walls 24 may be substantially parallel to one another at the fork end face 26 and then angle inwardly to form a pair of projections 32 at the mouth 28 , said projections defining a width sufficient to receive and support an end face 8 of a plain end structure 2 .
- Other fork wall 24 profiles are also possible, including a curved fork wall 24 profile, and it would be understood by a person of skill in the art that such profiles are also encompassed by the scope of the present invention.
- the increased width of the slot 30 depicted in alternative fork end 22 may be present on both fork ends of a fork end structure 4 , or may be present on only one end, or alternatively may not be present at all.
- the increased width of the slot 30 resulting from fork end 22 may advantageously accommodate a larger, and preferably therefore stronger, support members 36 .
- the profile of the fork walls 24 of fork end 22 may also advantageously serve to better retain any filler used to fill the void between the support member 36 and the slot 30 .
- fork end structures 4 may be constructed without side walls 14 , in the form of a column.
- the column form of fork end structure may comprises one or more slots 30 formed by one or more pairs of fork walls 24 for receiving one or more plain end structures 2 therein.
- the slots 30 may be formed in line with one another such that a linear fence or wall system may be formed with plane end structures 2 in spaces of small length.
- the slots 30 may be at perpendicular angles to one another such that plane end structures 2 are received therein to form a corner of a fence or wall system.
- a singular slot 30 may be formed in a column form of a fork end structure to form an end piece to a fence or wall system.
- the structures 2 , 4 of the present system may be formed in any dimensions of height, width and depth that are preferred for the formation of systems of sound barriers, fences, retaining walls and other related systems.
- two or more plain end structures 2 and two or more fork end structures 4 may be stacked on top of each other to obtain the desired final system height.
- a profile 40 is formed on each of the bottom face 10 and top face 12 of the plain end structure 2 and on the top face 18 and bottom face 16 of the fork end structure 4 .
- These profiles 40 inter-fit when the structures are stacked to facilitate alignment of the structures 2 , 4 upon one another, such that no strain is place on rigid support member 36 , which extends through stacked slots 30 .
- Profiles 40 also provide a connection between the stack structures 2 , 4 with minimal voids for water or light ingress. In the case of systems of the present structures 2 , 4 being used as sound barriers, the profiles 40 also serve to improve sound insulation.
- the profiles 40 may be of any shape and configuration well known in the art and can include, for example, shiplap profiles, tongue-and-groove profiles, dovetail profiles, and any other profiles that interfit upon stacking, as depicted in FIG. 9 . Since the structures 2 , 4 of the present invention are pre-cast concrete, the profile 40 is more preferably of such shape that can be easily created from a mould or form and cast with minimum distortion or breaking. Most preferably the profile 40 comprises a ship-lap joint, is also depicted in FIG. 9 .
- the structures 2 , 4 of the present system are most preferably cast in heights of 1 foot (30 cm), 2 feet (60 cm) or 3 feet (91 cm). At such heights, the structures 2 , 4 are advantageously easily maneuvered and lifted into place by smaller equipment such as bobcats, forklifts, telescopic handlers and the like, which are commonly found on construction sites.
- the preferred heights of the structures 2 , 4 do not require the use of larger specialty equipment such as cranes for assembly of the present system.
- the support member 36 of the present invention preferably extends above the base 34 to the full height of the present assembled system.
- the support member 36 would extend 9-foot (2.75 m) above the base 34 .
- the depth that the support member 36 is embedded into the base 34 is also preferably increased. This arrangement advantageously improves support of the system against increased wind loads as the height of the system increases.
- the thickness of the support member and its cross sectional size is also preferably increased with increasing height of the stacked system and increased height of the support member.
- the assembled system of the present invention may further comprise a coping (not shown) covering the top faces 12 , 18 of structures 2 , 4 respectively.
- a sealing means may preferably cover fork ends 22 , 24 to prevent ingress of water into voids between the support member 36 and plain ends 8 , and the slot 30 .
- Such sealing means can be any suitable means of sealing the fork ends 22 , 24 including but not limited to caps, concrete covers, flashing, membranes or the use of sealants and the like.
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Abstract
A system is taught comprising a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending horizontally to end in two end faces and a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot. The system further comprises a base and a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot. The slot has a width sized to receive an end face of the first plain end structure such that the end face of the first plain end structure is disposed adjacent the rigid support member. A system of stacked structures is taught, said system comprising one or more stacking structures, each comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and a top face, said top face comprising a top profile and said bottom face comprising a bottom profile. The one or more stacking structures are vertically stackable onto each other such that the top profile of a lower structure interfits with the bottom profile of a higher structure in the vertical stack.
Description
- The present invention relates to pre-cast concrete structures, systems of pre-cast concrete structures and methods of assembling pre-cast concrete structures.
- Pre-cast concrete structures are commonly used in construction applications. They are often preferred over cast-in-situ concrete structures since casting conditions can be regulated at an off-site casting facility. The pre-cast structure can then be shipped and assembled at the site with less labour and less stringent quality requirements. It is also possible to add a number of design features to pre-cast concrete structures such as decorative texturing and structural features.
- Pre-cast concrete structures such as fences, walls, sound barriers, retaining walls are typically cast as full height structures that are then erected on site by means of heavy lifting equipment such as cranes. Due to the need for specialized equipment, the delivery, storage and erection of concrete fences and barriers must be timed precisely to coincide with availability of the heavy lifting equipment on site.
- Pre-cast concrete structures are often cast according to specific construction requirements for height, length and width. This requires exact knowledge of the construction requirements prior to casting and shipping. Should construction conditions change and taller or shorter structures be required, there is no recourse but to re-cast new structures to the amended specifications.
- A need and interest therefore exists in the art to develop improved pre-cast concrete structures and methods of assembling pre-cast concrete structure systems such as walls, sound barriers, fences and retaining walls.
- A system is taught comprising a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces and a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot. The system further comprises a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure and a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot. The slot has a width sized to receive an end face of the first plain end structure such that the end face of the first plain end structure is disposed adjacent the rigid support member.
- A further system is taught comprising a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces, and a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls extending from a fork end face to a mouth to define a slot. The system further comprises a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure and a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot adjacent the fork end face. A width of the slot of one or more of the fork ends at the mouth is sized to receive the end face of the plain end structure and the width of the slot increases from the mouth to the fork end face.
- Finally a system of stacked structures is taught, said system comprising one or more stacking structures, each comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and a top face, said top face comprising a top profile and said bottom face comprising a bottom profile. The one or more stacking structures are vertically stackable onto each other such that the top profile of a lower structure interfits with the bottom profile of a higher structure in the vertical stack.
- The present invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to the following drawings, in which:
-
FIG. 1 is perspective view of one embodiment of the present pre-cast concrete structures; -
FIG. 2 is a to plan view of one example of the present pre-cast concrete structures; -
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another example of the present pre-cast concrete structures; -
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the pilings and support members of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a system of the present invention; -
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a system of the present invention; -
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a system of the present invention; -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present pre-cast concrete system; and -
FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the present pre-cast concrete system. - The present invention relates to pre-cast concrete structures and systems of pre-cast concrete structures. More specifically, the present invention relates to pre-cast concrete structures for use as walls, fences, sound barriers, retaining walls, dividers or other well known constructional and structural elements. The structures of present invention can be easily and economically formed, transported, erected and stacked as needed. The present structures further do not require heavy lifting equipment such as cranes for set up or assembly.
- The structures of the present invention can be made from a number of well-known materials including reinforced concrete or any construction materials composed of aggregates and cementitous materials. Other fluid or semi-fluid materials that can be hardened or solidified may also be used, as well as filler materials joined together with a bonding agent or resin.
- An example of the system of structures of the present invention is shown in
FIG. 1 . The system comprises a pre-cast plain-end structure 2 and a pre-cast forked-end structure 4. With reference toFIG. 2 , theplan end structure 2 comprises two preferably substantiallyparallel side faces 6 a, 6 b (collectively referred to as side faces 6) that extend horizontally to end inend faces bottom face 10 and atop face 12. - The
side faces 6 may preferably comprise a texture or decorative pattern such as, for example plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block or brick. Such texture or pattern is more preferably bounded horizontally by a plain surface directlyadjacent end faces 8. Further preferably, the texture or pattern may also be bounded vertically by a plain surface directly adjacenttop face 12 andbottom face 10. - The fork-
end structure 4 is depicted inFIG. 3 , and comprises a pair of preferably substantially parallel side faces 14 a, 14 b (collectively referred to as side faces 14) that extend vertically to end at a bottom face 16 and atop face 18. The side faces 14 also extend horizontally to end at twofork ends side faces 14 may preferably comprise a texture or decorative pattern such as, for example plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block or brick. Such texture or pattern is more preferably bounded horizontally by a plain surface directlyadjacent fork ends top face 18. -
Fork ends fork walls 24 that extend from the bottom face 16 to thetop face 18. Thefork walls 24 are connected at a first end to define afork end face 26 and are open to amouth 28 at a second end to thereby define aslot 30. In one embodiment, thefork walls 24 are preferably substantially parallel to one another. A width of theslot 30, as defined by a distance betweenfork walls 24, is preferably equal to or greater than a width of theend face 8, to receiveend face 8 and supportplain end structure 2 in an upright position. - In such a manner,
plain end structures 2 andfork end structures 4 can be inter-fit to form a system such as a wall, fence, sound barrier, divider or retaining wall. - Side faces 6 a, 6 b and 14 a, 14 b are shown as being preferably substantially planar and parallel to one another. However it is also possible for the side faces 6 a, 6 b and 14 a, 14 b to define a curved surface, to comprise ridges or projections, or to be wholly or partially non-parallel, to thereby define varying thicknesses between the side faces. These and other variations in side faces 6 a, 6 b and 14 a, 14 b can be envisioned and are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.
- In a preferred embodiment, one or both of the
plain end structure 2 and thefork end structure 4 may be cast with areinforcement 38 embedded within the structure for added strength and durability.Such reinforcement 38 may take the form of a steel plate, rebar, steel mesh and any other well known reinforcing products in the art. - In one method of assembly of a system of the present invention, a
base 34, preferably in the form of a cast-in-situ pile, is poured and arigid support member 36 is embedded into thebase 34. This is depicted inFIG. 4 . The base can be cast by any well known means in the art and may include reinforcingmaterial 46 such as rebar, metal mesh, a wire cage and other well known reinforcement. - Alternatively, the
support member 36 may preferably be reinforced withrebar 46 and placed in a pile hole and then thebase 34 may be poured around the reinforcedsupport member 36. In this embodiment,rebar 46 is most preferably welded to thesupport member 36 prior to insertion in the pile hole. Many other means of pouring thebase 34, reinforcing the base 34 or embedding asupport member 36 in abase 34 would be known and well understood by a person of skill in the art and are encompassed by the scope of the present invention. - Said
support member 36 can preferably be any elongated rigid member including, but not limited to posts, rods, tubes, ‘I’ beams and ‘H’ beams. The support member is typically made of steel and is most preferably a wide flange beam such as a steel ‘H’ beam.Such support members 36 preferably extend above the base 34 to a final height of the assembled system. - Once cured, a
fork end structure 4 can be supported on thepile 34, with thesupport member 36 being accommodated in an inner portion of theslot 30 near thefork end face 26, as depicted in the right hand side ofFIG. 5 . The end faces 8 of aplain end structure 2 can then be received in theslot 30adjacent support member 36. - In an alternate embodiment, the support beam preferably comprises one or more flanges on one or more sides, such as, for example a wide flange ‘H’
beam support member 36. In such cases it is also possible for one or more of end faces 8 of aplain end structure 2 to be formed with aprojection 42 that can be received into said one or more flanges of the support member. One example of this configuration is shown inFIG. 6 . In a further alternative embodiment, thefork end face 26 may comprise afurther projection 44 to be received into another flange of thesupport member 36. It would be understood by a person of skill in the art that one, both or none ofprojections - Preferably, any void space between the
support member 36 and theslot 30 is filled with filler selected from aggregates, concrete, spray foam, grout or other well-known fillers in the art. The filler provides additional rigidity and support to the system and helps to lock the structures of the system in place. More preferably, the void is filled with aggregate such as washed rock. Most preferably the void is filled with ¾ inch (2 cm) washed aggregates. - A preferred profile of
fork walls 24 are shown onfork end 22, in which the width of theslot 30 increases from themouth 28 to the fork end face 26 such that the width of the slot at themouth 28 is still sized to receive and support anend face 8. The increased slot width beyond themouth 28 can be provided by any known shape or profile of thefork walls 24. For example, as depicted inFIG. 7 , thefork walls 24 may angle inwardly from themouth 28 to thefork end face 26. Alternatively, as depicted in the left hand side ofFIG. 5 , thefork walls 24 may be substantially parallel to one another at thefork end face 26 and then angle inwardly to form a pair ofprojections 32 at themouth 28, said projections defining a width sufficient to receive and support anend face 8 of aplain end structure 2.Other fork wall 24 profiles are also possible, including acurved fork wall 24 profile, and it would be understood by a person of skill in the art that such profiles are also encompassed by the scope of the present invention. - The increased width of the
slot 30 depicted inalternative fork end 22, may be present on both fork ends of afork end structure 4, or may be present on only one end, or alternatively may not be present at all. - The increased width of the
slot 30 resulting fromfork end 22, may advantageously accommodate a larger, and preferably therefore stronger,support members 36. The profile of thefork walls 24 offork end 22 may also advantageously serve to better retain any filler used to fill the void between thesupport member 36 and theslot 30. - In a further preferred embodiment,
fork end structures 4 may be constructed withoutside walls 14, in the form of a column. In such an embodiment, the column form of fork end structure may comprises one ormore slots 30 formed by one or more pairs offork walls 24 for receiving one or moreplain end structures 2 therein. Theslots 30 may be formed in line with one another such that a linear fence or wall system may be formed withplane end structures 2 in spaces of small length. Alternatively, theslots 30 may be at perpendicular angles to one another such thatplane end structures 2 are received therein to form a corner of a fence or wall system. Finally, asingular slot 30 may be formed in a column form of a fork end structure to form an end piece to a fence or wall system. - The
structures - In a preferred embodiment, illustrated in
FIG. 8 , two or moreplain end structures 2 and two or morefork end structures 4 may be stacked on top of each other to obtain the desired final system height. Preferably, to aid in stacking, aprofile 40 is formed on each of thebottom face 10 andtop face 12 of theplain end structure 2 and on thetop face 18 and bottom face 16 of thefork end structure 4. Theseprofiles 40 inter-fit when the structures are stacked to facilitate alignment of thestructures rigid support member 36, which extends through stackedslots 30.Profiles 40 also provide a connection between thestack structures present structures profiles 40 also serve to improve sound insulation. - The
profiles 40 may be of any shape and configuration well known in the art and can include, for example, shiplap profiles, tongue-and-groove profiles, dovetail profiles, and any other profiles that interfit upon stacking, as depicted inFIG. 9 . Since thestructures profile 40 is more preferably of such shape that can be easily created from a mould or form and cast with minimum distortion or breaking. Most preferably theprofile 40 comprises a ship-lap joint, is also depicted inFIG. 9 . - The
structures structures structures - The
support member 36 of the present invention preferably extends above the base 34 to the full height of the present assembled system. Thus, for example in assembling a system comprising a stack of three structures, each being 3 feet (91 cm) in height, thesupport member 36 would extend 9-foot (2.75 m) above thebase 34. - As the height of the assembled system increases, and correspondingly the height of the
support member 36 abovebase 34, the depth that thesupport member 36 is embedded into thebase 34 is also preferably increased. This arrangement advantageously improves support of the system against increased wind loads as the height of the system increases. The thickness of the support member and its cross sectional size is also preferably increased with increasing height of the stacked system and increased height of the support member. Some examples of ratios of system height, support member size and embedment depth of a wide flange or I-beam support member are given in Table 1 below: -
TABLE 1 Support Member Size and Embedment Depth as a Function of System Height System Height Base Depth Support Member Size Support Member Range (mm) (mm) (mm) Embedment (mm) 1500-2000 2440 19 mm thickness × 600 100 flange width 2000-2500 2440 19 mm thickness × 800 100 flange width 2500-3000 2440 19 mm thickness × 800 100 flange width 3000-3500 2440 24 mm thickness × 1000 130 mm flange width 3500-4000 2400 24 mm thickness × 1000 130 mm flange width - In a further preferred embodiment, the assembled system of the present invention may further comprise a coping (not shown) covering the top faces 12, 18 of
structures support member 36 and plain ends 8, and theslot 30. Such sealing means can be any suitable means of sealing the fork ends 22, 24 including but not limited to caps, concrete covers, flashing, membranes or the use of sealants and the like. - In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with a specific embodiment thereof; however, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (49)
1. A system comprising:
a) a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces;
b) a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot;
c) a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure; and
d) a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot,
wherein said slot has a width sized to receive an end face of the first plain end structure such that the end face of the first plain end structure is disposed adjacent the rigid support member.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the side faces of the first plain end structure and the second fork end structure comprise a texture or decorative pattern.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the texture or decorative pattern is selected from the group consisting of plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block and brick.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the texture or pattern is bordered by a plain surface directly adjacent the top faces, the bottom faces, the end faces and the fork ends.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base is a cast-in-situ pile.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the cast-in-situ pile is reinforced with reinforcing material selected from the group consisting of rebar, metal mesh and wire cage.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the support member is reinforced with reinforcing material and the pile is cast around the support member to embed said support member.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the support member is welded with rebar for reinforcement.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plain end structure comprises reinforcement embedded within the structure.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the fork end structure comprises reinforcement embedded within the structure.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcement is selected from the group consisting of a steel plate, rebar and steel mesh.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support member is selected from the group consisting of posts, rods, tubes, ‘I’ beams and ‘H’ beams.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the support member is a wide flange steel ‘H’ beam.
14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a filler material for filling voids between the support member and the slot.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the filler material is selected from aggregates, concrete, spray foam and grout.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support member extends above the base to a height equal to a height of the system.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first plain end structures and the second fork end structures have a height from bottom face to top face that is selected from the group consisting of 1 foot (30 cm), 2 feet (60 cm) and 3 feet (91 cm).
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plain end structures and the second fork end structures are assembled by use of equipment selected from the group consisting of bobcats, forklifts and telescopic handlers.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a) one or more of said end faces of said first plain end concrete structure comprise a first projection; and
b) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,
wherein the first projection is received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a) one or more of said fork end faces of said second fork end concrete structure comprise a second projection; and
b) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,
wherein the second projection is received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a) one or more of said end faces of said first plain end concrete structure comprise a first projection;
b) one or more of said fork end faces of said second fork end concrete structure comprise a second projection; and
c) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,
wherein the first projection and the second are received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member.
22. A system comprising:
c) a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces;
d) a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls extending from a fork end face to a mouth to define a slot;
e) a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure; and
f) a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot adjacent the fork end face;
wherein a width of the slot of one or more of the fork ends at the mouth is sized to receive the end face of the plain end structure and the width of the slot increases from the mouth to the fork end face.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the fork walls of the slot comprise projections at the mouth, said projections defining a width sufficient to receive an end face of a plain end structure.
24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the side faces of the first plain end structure and the second fork end structure comprise a texture or decorative pattern.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the texture or decorative pattern is selected from the group consisting of plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block and brick.
26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the texture or pattern is bordered by a plain surface directly adjacent the top faces, bottom faces, the end faces and the fork ends.
27. The system of claim 22 , wherein the base is a cast-in-situ pile.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the cast-in-situ pile is reinforced with reinforcing material selected from the group consisting of rebar, metal mesh and wire cage.
29. The system of claim 27 , wherein the support member is reinforced with reinforcing material and the pile is cast around the support member to embed said support member.
30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the support member is welded with rebar for reinforcement.
31. The system of claim 22 , wherein the plain end structure comprises reinforcement embedded within the structure.
32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the fork end structure comprises reinforcement embedded within the structure.
33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the reinforcement is selected from the group consisting of a steel plate, rebar and steel mesh.
34. The system of claim 22 , wherein the support member is selected from the group consisting of posts, rods, tubes, ‘I’ beams and ‘H’ beams.
35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the support member is a wide flange steel ‘H’ beam.
36. The system of claim 22 , further comprising a filler material for filling voids between the support member and the slot.
37. The system of claim 36 , wherein the filler material is selected from aggregates, concrete, spray foam and grout.
38. The system of claim 22 , wherein the support member extends above the base to a height equal to a height of the system.
39. The system of claim 38 , wherein the first plain end structures and the second fork end structures have a height from bottom face to top face that is selected from the group consisting of 1 foot (30 cm), 2 feet (60 cm) and 3 feet (91 cm).
40. The system of claim 22 , wherein the first plain end structures and the second fork end structures are assembled by use of equipment selected from the group consisting of bobcats, forklifts and telescopic handlers.
41. The system of claim 22 , wherein:
a) one or more of said end faces of said first plain end concrete structure comprise a first projection; and
b) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,
wherein the first projection is received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member.
42. The system of claim 22 , wherein:
a) one or more of said fork end faces of said second fork end concrete structure comprise a second projection; and
b) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,
wherein the second projection is received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member.
43. The system of claim 22 , wherein:
a) one or more of said end faces of said first plain end concrete structure comprise a first projection;
b) one or more of said fork end faces of said second fork end concrete structure comprise a second projection; and
c) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,
wherein the first projection and the second are received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member.
44. A system of stacked structures, said system comprising:
a) one or more stacking structures, each comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and a top face, said top face comprising a top profile and said bottom face comprising a bottom profile,
wherein said one or more stacking structures are vertically stackable onto each other such that the top profile of a lower structure interfits with the bottom profile of a higher structure in the vertical stack.
45. The system of claim 44 , wherein the stacking structures comprise;
a) one or more plain end concrete structures wherein the two side faces extend horizontally to end in two plain ends;
b) one or more fork end concrete structure wherein the two side faces extend horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot;
c) a base for receiving thereupon a lower fork end concrete structure and a lower plain end concrete structure; and
d) a rigid support member embedded in the base and extending to a height equal to the height of the stacked system, said rigid support received within said slot,
wherein said slot has a width sized to receive an end face of one or more first plain end structures such that the end face of the plain end structure is disposed adjacent the rigid support member.
46. The system of claim 44 , wherein the top profile and bottom profile are selected from the group consisting of shiplap profiles, tongue-and-groove profiles and dovetail profiles.
47. The system of claim 46 , wherein the profile is a ship-lap profile.
48. The system of claim 45 , wherein embedment of the support member into the base increases with increasing height of the stacked system.
49. The system of claim 45 , wherein the thickness and cross sectional size of the support member increases with increasing height of the stacked system.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/474,219 US20130305630A1 (en) | 2012-05-17 | 2012-05-17 | Pre-cast concrete structures |
US14/563,068 US20150093203A1 (en) | 2012-05-17 | 2014-12-08 | Pre-cast concrete structures |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US13/474,219 US20130305630A1 (en) | 2012-05-17 | 2012-05-17 | Pre-cast concrete structures |
Related Child Applications (1)
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US14/563,068 Continuation-In-Part US20150093203A1 (en) | 2012-05-17 | 2014-12-08 | Pre-cast concrete structures |
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US20130305630A1 true US20130305630A1 (en) | 2013-11-21 |
Family
ID=49580126
Family Applications (1)
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US13/474,219 Abandoned US20130305630A1 (en) | 2012-05-17 | 2012-05-17 | Pre-cast concrete structures |
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US (1) | US20130305630A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP2017218751A (en) * | 2016-06-05 | 2017-12-14 | 六郎 海野 | Concrete assembly retaining wall |
USD904646S1 (en) * | 2018-12-21 | 2020-12-08 | Dale J. Reed | Landscape edging |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD299170S (en) * | 1986-02-25 | 1988-12-27 | Meheen H Joe | Retaining wall with tie-back elements |
US5368416A (en) * | 1993-09-23 | 1994-11-29 | Cataldo;; Michael | Building component for a noise barrier retaining wall |
-
2012
- 2012-05-17 US US13/474,219 patent/US20130305630A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD299170S (en) * | 1986-02-25 | 1988-12-27 | Meheen H Joe | Retaining wall with tie-back elements |
US5368416A (en) * | 1993-09-23 | 1994-11-29 | Cataldo;; Michael | Building component for a noise barrier retaining wall |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP2017218751A (en) * | 2016-06-05 | 2017-12-14 | 六郎 海野 | Concrete assembly retaining wall |
USD904646S1 (en) * | 2018-12-21 | 2020-12-08 | Dale J. Reed | Landscape edging |
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