US3329747A

US3329747A - Process and form for making concrete columns

Info

Publication number: US3329747A
Application number: US376663A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy D Veach
Original assignee: Alton Box Board Co
Current assignee: Alton Box Board Co; Alton Packaging Corp; Jefferson Smurfit Corp
Priority date: 1964-06-22
Filing date: 1964-06-22
Publication date: 1967-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1984-07-04

Description

July 4, 1967 R, D. 'VEACH 3,329,747

PROCESS AND FORM FOR MAKING CONCRETE COLUMNS Filed June 22, 1964 I! I INVENTOR. in) .0. ram r United States Patent 3,329,747 PROCESS AND FORM FOR MAKING CONCRETE COLUMNS Roy D. Veach, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Alton Box Board Company, Alton, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 22, 1964, Ser. No. 376,663 Claims. (31. 264-31) This invention relates generally to concrete forms, and particularly to forms for columns, which forms are composed of a plurality of preformed tubes, each of length less than the column and arranged to be abutted end to end so as to produce a composite form for the column.

Concrete column forms of the character above mentioned are in quite common use, and the preformed tubes of which such forms are composed are commercially available in standard lengths and standard cross-sectional shapes and sizes. One type of such tube consists of paper convolutely wound on a mandrel of substantially rectangular cross-section, but such tubes are limited in their commercially available lengths to the length of the mandrel available for producing them; and such length seldom exceeds about five feet. Other such preformed tubes are of circular cross-section, and are made by spirally winding paper or the like. In either event, the interior size and shape of the tube is controllable with greater precision than the exterior size and shape thereof. The latter not infrequently varies from tube to tube as much as an eighth of an inch. In the pouring of a concrete column for use in a building structure, it is more often than not the case that the height of the column is in excess of the commercially available length of preformed tube; and consequently it is necessary to stack the tubes one upon the other with their interior walls in alignment and their ends abutting, in order to achieve the desired column height from such preformed tube forms.

In such stacking of the tubes, a horizontal joint is formed where the upper end of one preformed tube abuts the lower end of the next tube above it. When such is done, however, the exterior surfaces of the preformed tube forms are frequently in slight disalignment at the abutting ends. Some external connection between the superimposed tubes is thus desirable to maintain them not only in proper interior alignment, but to prevent their separation during use, as well as to confine, as much as possible, the fluid concrete which is poured Within them. Heretofore, such a joint connection has been provided in the form of a sheet metal loop about the tubes, so as to overlap the joint. Such a sheet metal loop must be bound together in some way which exerts suflicient force to maintain the connection between super-imposed tubes while they are being filled with concrete, and thereafter while the concrete is setting.

When such sheet metal connectors are used at a joint Where there is external disalignment between abutting tube ends, they cannot, with facility, be made to conform with the requisite snugness to the smaller of the two abutting tube ends without some such expedient as shimming. Moreover, such sheet metal joint connectors are not only diflicult to apply, but difficult to remove and, withal, can be used but once in connection with rectangular tubes because, having been bent during its first use and thus taken on a permanent set, the sheet metal cannot be depended upon to conform itself to the contour of the column, in a second usage, with such snugness as is desirable throughout the circumference of the form. Even in the case of circular forms, Where the second usage of such a sheet'metal joint connection may be attempted on the same size as was its original use, it is frequently 'found to be more costly (the cost of labor being what it is) to go through the tedium of carefully removing the sheet metal joint in order to preserve it for future use than to cut it (and thus destroy it) and use a new one on each occasion.

The object of the present invention, generally stated, is to provide a joint connection, for use with preformed tubular forms of the character aforesaid, which is not only quick and easy to apply, but quick and easy to remove, and, in addition, which may be used and reused time and again.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a joint connector which more effectively inhibits the loss of cementitious fluid through the joint where the ends of superimposed tubes abut than has been accomplished with the joint connectors heretofore employed.

Further objects will appear to those skilled in the art when the following disclosure is read and understood.

The present invention contemplates, generally, a joint connector, for the purpose aforesaid in'which the superimposed preformed tubes which, when joined together, constitute a composite form for a concrete column, in which a highly supple belt surrounds and bridges the joint, and is provided with means for drawing it sufliciently taut thereabout to maintain the superimposed tubes in proper relative position and, at the same time, so snugly engage the end portions of each tube (irrespective of local non-conformities in their external surface) to effectively inhibit the excretion between the abutting tube ends of cementitious fluid. Specifically, the invention contemplates such a belt which has substantially zero resistance to bending not only about axes extending widthwise of the belt (i.e., axially of the column), but also about axes extending lengthwise of the belt (i.e., circumferentially of the column). Particularly, it is contemplated that the belt be formed of material which does not take on a permanent set once it has been bent severely, as, for example, by being folded flat upon itself about a radius approximating the thickness of the belt.

The invention further contemplates the provision on such a belt of a buckle having tightening means of the capstan type, by which the belt may be drawn taut about the joint and maintained so during use, but yet quickly and easily released when desired.

.For an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a composite form for a concrete column consisting of two lengths of preformed substantially square paperboard tubing, said lengths being superimposed one upon the other and their abutting joint bridged by the connector of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the composite form shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2 at the joint area between the ends of superimposed tubes;

FIGURE 4 is a view in side elevation of the buckle employed in the illustrated embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the buckle shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the buckle shown in FIGURES 4 and 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 of FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the form for a concrete column is provided by superimposing a preformed tube 1 upon a like preformed tube 2. The tubes 1 and 2 may, for the sake of illustration, be considered as having a substantially square (albeit with rounded corners) interior cross-section whose dimension may, for example, be on the order of two feet in each direction. The tubes 1 and 2 are arranged so that their ends abut at 3.

About the joint at 3, there is provided a connector which consists essentially of a supple belt 4 and a buckle 5. The belt 4 may be made of any of a variety of materials which are readily bendable without taking a permanent set, and which have sufficient tensile strength for the purpose. For example, leather, leather-like materials, rubber-like materials, and other synthetics, as well as metallic and non-metallic strands interwoven or interlinked into strap-like form, may be employed. Preferably however, the belt is formed of webbing, that is to say, woven material of the general type usually employed for seat belts in aircraft and other vehicles, and in dunnage straps. Such webbing, woven from nylon strands, is ideal for the purpose. Nylon webbing, however, has several advantages. It inherently possesses the slight amount of stretch which enables it not only to conform to the exterior surfaces of both super-imposed tubes 1 and 2 (where there are local disconformities in exterior dimension at the joint) but also to creep lengthwise in the process of tightening so as to equalize the pressure exerted against the exterior surfaces of the tubes adjacent the joint. Its coefficient of friction with the surface of the common preformed tubes is such that lengthwise creeping is permitted as the force on the belt is increased but, with forces low enough to be practical in the field, its grip against such surfaces is sufiicient to prevent accidental displacement of the abutting ends of the tubes.

For best results in general application to the vast variety of sizes of tube forms, nylon Webbing, in the form of straps about three inches wide, a fraction of an inch thick, and long enough to exceed, by five or six inches, the perimeter of the largest form, is recommended. For use on forms for columns having a perimeter of up to eight feet, nylon belt material having the following physical properties:

Minimum load to produce conformation to A5" offset right angle to web face in is capable of reuse ten or more times even under conditions of wetting. Webbing also has the capacity to absorb limited quantities of cementitious fluids exuding through the joint, and by such absorption to form, in situ, a dam which inhibits further exudation thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the buckle 5 consists of a U-shaped frame 6 having, toward the bight end, a pair of opposite J-shaped slots 7, adapted to releasably receive the ends of a pin 8 disposed within fold 9 at one end of belt 4. The pin 8 may be entrapped within the fold 9, as by stitching the fold close to the pin, and providing the pin with suitable locks to prevent its endwise displacement out of the fold, but to leave a length of pin projecting, say, a quarter of an inch at each side of belt 4.

At the open ends of frame 6, a capstan 11 is mounted for rotation relative to the frame. The capstan 11 is provided with a slot 12 of size suflicient to pass belt 4. The slot extends diametrically through the reel part of the capstan, so that when the belt belt projects through slot 12, a half turn of the-capstan will suffice to retain the belt in position therein while under tension. At one end of the capstan, there is provided an acircula-r projection 13 for selective engagement with pawl 14 to restrain the capstan against undesired unwinding. At its opposite end, the capstan is provided with a projection 15 which is preferably polygonal in cross-section in order to adapt it to be engaged by a wrench when desired. Additionally, for use when .a wrench is not at hand, the projection 15 is provided with a pair of right angularly extending

holes

16 and 17 for the reception of a rod or tool or large nail providing the desired purchase for turning the capstan 11 to wind the belt thereon.

In the embodiment shown, the buckle 5 is also provided with an idler roll 18 extending between the legs of the frame 6 adjacent slot 7. Such an idler roll permanently positions that portion of belt 4 which is approaching capstan 11 into closer contiguity which the end of belt 4 at pin 8 than would be the case if the portion of the belt approaching capstan 11 were trained directly over the capstan. Idler 18 is preferably so arranged within frame 6 that the thickness of belt 4 slightly exceeds the distance between the periphery of idler 18 and the adjacent edge of frame 6. Similarly, I-slot 7 and pin 8 are preferably likewise so proportioned and arranged. With such an arrangement of the parts, the inside surface of belt 4 is free to make contact with the exterior surface of tubes 1 and 2 with but a slight increment of joint 3 not covered by the belt.

The buckle may, if desired, be provided with a loop 19 for engagement with a hook, or the like, on a mechanical lift device so that the tubes 1 and 2 may be assembled and connected together on the ground, and then mechanically lifted to an elevated position for placement.

The width of belt 4 must be sufficient to provide it with a gripping interface at the surface of tubes 1 and 2 that accidental separation at joint 3 is prevented while the belt is taut, yet, as mentioned previously, the area of the frictional contact is preferably not so great as to prevent (particularly at the corners of rectangular tubes such as 1 and 2) progressively increasing (from the remotest increment of belt toward the buckle) increments of relative movement during the process of tightening the belt. Otherwise, non-uniformity of tension in the belt may'exist when the belt is initially drawn up taut, and, in the course of time, such non-uniformities will tend to equalize themselves, and thus have the overall effect of relaxing the grip between the belt and tubes 1 and 2. These considerations favor making the belt of the nylon webbing material previously mentioned.

If desired, the belt 4 may be lined with a material which is compressible (thickness-wise of the belt) when it is desired to initially establish and maintain a good seal at joint '3. When the tubular forms are intentionally or unintentionally made with markedly undulating exterior surfaces, such a resilient lining for belt 4 is even more important.

Given a belt 4 of length sufficient to embrace preformed tubes of the largest available dimension, such a belt may be used on any smaller set of tubes, and may be used repeatedly.

A connector of the character hereinbefore described is easily applied about preformed tubes at the joint therebetween, and is readily tightened and locked in position without requiring special tools. It effectively holds superimposed preformed tubes in correct relative position, i.e., with their interiors in alignment, despite the fact that the exterior surfaces thereof (within manufacturing tolerances) may be out of conformity with each other to the extent of about a quarter of an inch (total diagonal or diametrical measurement) on the larger sizes commercially available. The connector, when made of webbing, serves as a filter for cementitious fluid which may exude at the joint, retaining sand and laitance from such fluid to choke further flow. When such a belt is made of nylon webbing, neither water soaking nor the alkalinity associated with cement mixes has a deleterious effect, or any tendency to cause the belt to stretch loose. If desired, the belt may be washed after each use, or after each series of uses. After the concrete in the form has set, the belt connection of the present invention may be released instantaneously by dislodging pawl 14 from engagement with projection 13, and exerting, if need be, a slight tension in the unwinding direction on the belt. The belt 4 may be readily replaced with reference to buckle 5 without the use of tools, and, vice versa, the buckle 5, if damaged, may be readily replaced with reference to a belt whose usable life is not yet exhausted. Thus, it is apparent that the connector may be used over and over again, and as long as a reasonable amount of life (elongation under load and retraction when the load is released) remains in the belt, it serves its function as effectively as when new.

While a complete disclosure of one form of the invention has been given, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the detail of the embodiment disclosed. On the contrary, the disclosed embodiment is susceptible of many variations and alterations which will immediately present themselves to those skilled in the art, and such are contemplated by and within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In the process of making columns of concrete wherein preformed tubes, each having length less than the de sired column, are aligned axially with their ends abutting, temporarily joined to produce a hollow form of the desired length, and filled with concrete, the improvement which comprises, forming the joint between the abutting ends of the tubes by (a) externally looping it with a belt which bridges the joint and laps over the abutted tube ends for a substantial distance, (b) tightening the belt about the joint and (0) locking the belt in tightened position; said belt having substantially zero resistance to bending about axes extending widthwise thereof.

2. In the process of making columns of concrete wherein preformed tubes, each having length less than the desired column, are aligned axially with their ends abutting, temporarily joined to produce a hollow form of the desired length, and filled with concrete, the improvement which comprises, forming the joint between the abutting ends of the tubes by (a) externally looping it with a belt which bridges the joint and laps over the abutted tube ends for a substantial distance, (-b) tightening the belt about the joint and (0) locking the belt in tightened position; the major portion of the length of said belt having substantially zero resistance to bending about axes running widthwise and about axes running lengthwise thereof.

3. In the process of making columns of concrete wherein preformed tubes, each having length less than the desired column, are aligned axially with their ends abutting, temporarily joined to produce a hollow form of the desired length, and filled with concrete, the improvement which comprises, forming the joint between the abutting ends of the tubes by (a) externally looping it with a belt which bridges the joint and laps over the abutted tube ends for a substantial distance, (b) tightening the belt about the joint and (0) locking the belt in tightened position; the belt being formed of nylon webbing and having an adjustable buckle for connecting the belt about the joint, said buckle having releasable means for interlocking with one portion of the belt, and capstan means for interlocking with another portion of the belt.

4. A form for a concrete column comprising, a plurality of preformed tubes each having a length less than that of the column but each having the same interior crosssectional shape and dimensions, said tubes having their ends abutting and their interior Walls aligned axially, and a textile belt externally surrounding said tubes and bridging the joint at the abutting ends thereof.

'5. A form for a concrete column comprising, a plurality of preformed tubes each having a length less than that of the column but each having the same interior crosssectional shape and dimensions, said tubes having their ends abutting and their interior Walls aligned axially, a textile belt surrounding said tubes and bridging the joint at the abutting ends thereof, said belt having a buckle, releasable means for interlocking with one portion of the belt, and capstan means for interlocking with another portion of the belt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,769 1/ 19 11 Eberle 249-48 2,641,817 6/1953 Broadheim 24269 2,750,064 6/1956 Clarke 220 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

G. A. KAP, R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiners.

Claims

1. IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING COLUMNS OF CONCRETE WHEREIN PREFORMED TUBES, EACH HAVING LENGTH LESS THAN THE DESIRED COLUMN, ARE ALIGNED AXIALLY WITH THEIR ENDS ABUTTING, TEMPORARILY JOINED TO PRODUCE A HALLOW FORM OF THE DESIRED LENGTH, AND FILLED WITH CONCRETE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES, FORMING THE JOINT BETWEEN THE ABUTTING ENDS OF THE TUBES BY (A) EXTERNALLY LOOPING IT WITH A BELT WHICH BRIDGES THE JOINT AND LAPS OVER THE ABUTTED TUBE ENDS FOR A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE, (B) TIGHTENING THE BELT ABOUT THE JOINT AND (C) LOCKING THE BELT IN TIGHTENED POSITION; SAID BELT HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY ZERO RESISTANCE TO BENDING ABOUT AXES EXTENDING WIDTHWISE THEREOF.