US2057378A - Bracing system for concrete forms - Google Patents

Description

A. W. HECKER BRACING SYSTEM FOR CONCRETE FORMS Oct. 13, 1936.

Filed Feb.- 28, 1933 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 .31.:

I UNITED (STATES PATENT QFFICE BRACING SYSTEM" FOR CONCRETE FORMS Arthur W. necks, shaken Heights, Ohio Application February 28, 1933, Serial No. 659,011

r 4 claims; (cll zsgni) I This invention relates in general to concrete and2 represent wall forms which are spaced construction, but has reference more particularly apart so as to define a space of the required dito a bracing system for the forms used in'such mensions into which the concrete in the plastic construction. state is to be poured, these forms consisting 01 In the erection-of forms for casting or molding planks 3 or equivalent formsplaced on edge one concrete structures, such as walls and the like, abovetheother. The forms are adapted to be it is common practice to temporarily secure the maintained in properly spaced relation by means forms in place and to take them down after the of nuts i of frusto-conical or other form which are concrete has sufficiently set. Thus in building threadedly secured to the ends of tie rods 5, the walls, abutments and the like, such forms ortie rod and nuts constituting what is usually redinarily consist of a series of planks or other conferred to in the art as spreaders. crete retaining members which are placed on edge The nuts 4, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one abovethe other so as to define a space of the are provided with thin fiat U-shaped members 6, required dimensions into which the concrete in which preferably extend centrally from and are plastic state is then poured. It is important that formed integrally with the head of the nut. The such planks or equivalent forms should be readily Spreaders are so disposed that the members 6 removable when they have fulfilled their function extend through the joints between the edges of Without damage either to the concrete in the the planks 3, thereby avoiding substantially percourse of setting or to themselves, if such forms forating or otherwise mutilating the planks as is are to be used over again. common in many systems now in use. It will be An object of the invention, accordingly, is to u d stoo t the member although of Sufl provide a simple bracing system for thus securing cient thickness to posse the t e t required in place forms of the kind described whether used for the s r sses to which it is subj ct is not so in the construction of walls, floors, ceilings, sidethick as to prevent e ub a tial abutment of walks, roadways or any structure adapted to b the planks between which it passes, and that the made of concrete by pouring the same into a slight amount of flas fo y the ment temporary form or mold. Another object of the zin u tw the planks a be readily invention is to provide improved clamping devices scrape 0 for temporarily securing in position the bracing In order to prevent the wall forms from bulging members of the aforesaid system. To the actw y during the pouring 0f the Co crete, I complishment of the foregoing and related ends, provide studs or vertically extend bracing said invention, then, consists of the means herebers, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are preferinafter fully described and particularly pointed ably in the form of T-rails 1. These T-rails exout in the claims. tend upwardly between the arms of the U-shaped The annexed drawing and the following demembers 6 and are maintained in engagement 5 scription set forth in detail certain mechanism with the wall forms by mea of p ng deembodying the invention, such disclosed means vices 8. The clamping devices 8 comprise flat constituting, however, but one of various mechan- U-shaped members, the arms 9 of which are proical forms in which the principle of the invention vided with pins, studs or hooks which a may be used. adapted to be entered in elongated openings l l In said annexed drawing: in the arms of members 6. After the members 6 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical transverse secand 8 are caused to engage in this manner, set tion through a composite form of the type ordiscrews 12 which are in threaded engagement with narily used in constructing concrete walls, etc., the member 8 may b adjusted to engage e head my improved bracing system and clamping device of the T-rail I, thus holding these rails firmly in being shown as in use to retain the parts of the engagement with the wall forms form in proper place; Fig. 2 is a plan view of It will be particularly noted that by providing one of the clamping devices for securing the studs separable clamping devices 8, that the T-rails l or vertical brace members in position; Figs. 3 and may be properly positioned by simply placing 4 are cross-sectional views of other rolled structhem against the forms with a minimum of hantural members which may be used instead of the dling, whereas, if the devices 8 were integral rails as bracing members; and Fig. 5 is a fragwith the members 6, the rails would have to be mentary cross-sectional view, showing a modified threaded through the vertically aligned openform of spreader nut. ings thus formed, a procedure which would in- Referring more particularly to the drawing, I volve a considerable amount of labor. It will also be noted that the use of set screws I2 permits a variety of sizes of rails to be used, as any loose play of the rails within the clamping devices may be readily taken up by these set screws.

Instead of bracing members in the form of T- rails, as described, I may without substantial modification of the clamping devices described, use rolled structural members, such as the H- beam 29 and the I-beam 30, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively.

Instead of spreader nuts of frusto-conical form as described, I may employ hemispherical nuts 4 which, as shown in Fig. 5, are in threaded engagement with the tie-rod 5 and are provided with integral flat members 6', which are similar in all respects to the members 6.

It will be readily apparent that the use of a form bracing system such as I have described not only is labor saving in its erection and disassembling, but is also attended by a minimum degree of injury to the forms. After the concrete has set and the forms have been removed, the nuts 4 may be unscrewed from the tie-rods 5, the members 6 of such nuts serving as a means for manually rotating the nuts, thereby dispensing with the use of wrenches and other tools commonly employed for this purpose.

It will be seen that the bracing system consists of metallic members which may be easily handled and may be used almost indefinitely without substantial injury thereto or to the forms in conjunction with which they are used.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:-

1. As an element of a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nut having a flat U-shaped member integrally secured to the head of said nut.

2. In a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nut having a fiat U-shaped member integral with the head of said nut, and a clamping device removably secured to said fiat member.

3. In a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nut having a flat U-shaped member extending from the head thereof, and a U-shaped clamping member removably secured to the arms of said first U-shaped member.

4. In a bracing system for concrete forms and the like, a spreader nut having a fiat U-shaped member extending from the head thereof, a U- shaped clamping member removably secured to the arms of said first U-shaped member, and a set screw in threaded engagement with said removable clamping member.

ARTHUR W. HECKER.

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