Patent Application
20060277840
The present disclosure relates generally to a device for use in masonry applications. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an adjustable masonry form to support masonry elements in masonry construction.
In building projects, such as residential homes and commercial buildings, ornamental masonry elements are often placed over/around various structural features for aesthetic purposes. Structural features commonly include windows and doors. However, other types of structural features may also be included such as but not limited to walls. As used in this specification, a “masonry element” shall mean any element, such as, but not limited to, stone and brick, used for construction purposes, generally using mortar as a bond. A masonry element can be manufactured from any material and can be of regular or irregular shape. The presence of masonry accents in a residential home can greatly increase its resale value, and provides the homeowner with the desired aesthetic look and feel he/she is seeking.
The process of installing masonry elements over and/or around a desired structural feature varies depending on the shape of the desired structural feature. In some cases, the top of the structural feature will be horizontal (horizontal construction). In other cases, the top of desired structural feature will have an arched component (arched construction). By “horizontal construction” it is meant that the structural feature does not have a change in elevation at any point intermediate between the ends of the structural feature. By “arched construction” it is meant the structural feature that has a change in elevation at any point intermediate between the ends of the structural feature. The term “masonry construction” is used to refer to both horizontal and arched constructions. In the case of horizontal constructions, the standard practice is to lay the masonry elements across a supporting horizontal beam or support (commonly referred to as a lintel) set in place over the structural feature, for example a window. The lintel can be made from steel, wood, or reinforced concrete, depending on the size of opening and weight to be supported. The lintel commonly rests on the masonry that is installed up the sides of the window. The masonry elements are then installed on the horizontal face of the lintel in the configuration desired. The lintel remains a part of horizontal construction above the window or door.
In arched constructions, this practice cannot be employed. As stated above, the lintels are generally constructed from steel, wood, or reinforced concrete and cannot be easily adapted to fit the contours of an arched construction. Therefore, other methods must be used to support the masonry elements that form a masonry arch in an arched construction. Several methods are typically used to support the masonry elements that form a masonry arch. The first method is to build an arch form, which is commonly constructed from plywood and dimensional lumber. The arch form must be constructed to exactly fit the contours of the masonry arch to be constructed, and is supported in place with wooden legs or other supports. The arch provides the surface to support the masonry elements forming the arched construction while the mortar hardens. Once the mortar hardens, the arch form is removed and discarded. In addition, the mortar must generally be scratched or chiseled to conform to the appearance of the mortar forming the remainder of the structure.
The second method is to drive nails or similar items into the outer edge of the exterior of a structure to support the masonry elements that forms the masonry arch. In order to provide sufficient support for the masonry elements, the nails must be placed close together, which necessitates the use of a large number of nails. Once the mortar hardens, the nails are removed. The removal of the nails leaves multiple holes in the exterior molding that must be repaired by filling the holes and painting the surface
The third method is to support a section of lumber horizontal to the bottom edge of the masonry arch to be constructed. Once the section of lumber is in place, bricks or other material are stacked on the horizontal section of lumber to support the masonry elements that form the masonry arch. As is obvious, the bricks are placed in a jigsaw fashion until the proper height is reached to support each section of the masonry elements. This requires that the bricks be cut into smaller pieces to support various sections of the arch. In addition to being very time consuming, such a method leads to many bricks being wasted. In addition, the bricks can fall easily requiring the temporary form be reconstructed. Once the mortar hardens, the bricks and the horizontal section of lumber are removed.
A fourth method to support the masonry elements that form a masonry arch is to use prefabricated arch supports. These arch supports are shipped with the arch structure preformed. However, these items must be specially ordered since the configuration of masonry arches varies from application to application, making a “standard” prefabricated arch form impractical. As a result, these prefabricated supports are expensive. In addition, the prefabricated supports create other problems. Since the supports are prefabricated in the form of an arch, they are bulky to ship and store, further increasing their cost. In addition, these preformed supports are susceptible to damage during shipping and storage. As a result, if the units are damaged, construction may be delayed while replacement supports are obtained.
Each of the methods discussed above suffer from several shortcomings. In general, the methods are tedious and time consuming to implement. As a result, the cost of the final construction can be increased dramatically. In addition, the arched constructions lack the strength of the horizontal constructions because of the lack of a solid lintel. In most cases, much of the weight of the masonry arch in supported directly by the structure over which the arch is installed, such as a door or window. This additional weight can cause damage.
In addition, the Applicant has previously described an adjustable masonry form for use in supporting masonry elements in horizontal and arched constructions (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,224). While the device described by Applicant is effective in meeting the needs of the art, it has been found that certain portions of the adjustable arch form are visible when the arched or horizontal construction is viewed from the underside.
Therefore, it would be desirable therefore to have an adjustable masonry form was at least partially concealed in the finished horizontal or arched construction. In addition, it is desirable that such adjustable arch form be simple to use, be installed conveniently and economically without the need for the removal of temporary supports. Finally, it would be desirable if the adjustable arch form eliminated the need to make costly repairs to the exterior of the structure caused by the installation process. Such a device is currently lacking in the art. The present disclosure provides and novel and inventive solution in providing an adjustable arch from to meet the needs of the art.
The adjustable masonry form of the present disclosure is an improvement over current devices available for use in masonry construction. The adjustable masonry form comprises a planar base section to support at least one masonry element which will comprise the masonry arch, a plurality of attachment elements secured to the planar base and at least one horizontal breakaway element located on the planar base to allow adjustment of the width of the planar base. In addition, the adjustable masonry form may further comprise at least one vertical breakaway element located on the planar base to allow adjustment of the length of the adjustable masonry form. The adjustable masonry form is constructed from material rigid enough to support the masonry elements, but flexible enough to be bent to conform to any given masonry construction. The adjustable masonry form is secured to the exterior of a structure by means known in the art, such as screws, nails or staples; suitable adhesives may also be used if desired. The masonry elements which will comprise the masonry construction are placed directly on the planar base of the adjustable masonry form in the desired configuration and secured in the masonry construction, such as by using mortar or similar methods. The adjustable masonry form is left in position permanently, obviating the need to build a temporary support saving time and expense and obviating waste of materials, while providing additional strength to the masonry construction. The adjustable masonry arch may be modified by removing at least a portion of the planar base using the horizontal breakaway elements. In addition, there is no repair required to the exterior surface of the structure.
Therefore, it is an object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry form that is capable of being installed in any masonry construction at a construction site without the need to create individually configured temporary supports for the masonry construction. It is another object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry form that is permanently installed in a masonry construction, thereby obviating the time consuming and wasteful practice of creating temporary forms, and which provides additional strength to the masonry arch. An additional object of the disclosure is to provide an adjustable masonry form such that the planar base and/or attachment elements will not be deformed as the adjustable masonry form is bent to conform to the contours of a masonry construction. Yet another object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry form that is economical to produce and simple to install, decreasing the overall cost of the finished masonry construction. It is a further object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry form that can be easily shipped, transported and stored, thereby minimizing the risk of damaging the form and avoiding costly construction delays caused by ordering replacement arch forms. It is also an object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry form that will prevent damage to the structure to which masonry construction is installed. Furthermore, it is an object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry form that can be modified to conform to the individual dimensions of the masonry construction so as to decrease or eliminate the visibility of the adjustable masonry form. Additional objects and advantages will become apparent through the drawings and descriptions that follow.
The adjustable masonry form 10 is illustrated in
As illustrated in
A plurality of attachment elements 22 are secured to the rear edge 18. In the embodiment illustrated, the attachment elements 22 are shown as flanges (although any configuration of attachment elements may be used). The flanges may be of any desired configuration, but in the embodiment shown the flanges are shown with rounded edges for ease of installation and to remove sharp edges which may cause injury to the installer. In one embodiment the attachment elements 22 each have an opening 24 for receiving an element to secure the form 10 to a structure. In one embodiment, the opening 24 is centered on the attachment elements 22 for ease of use, but opening 24 may be placed anywhere on flange 22. The attachment elements 22 are placed at intervals along rear edge 18 of the planar base 12. In one embodiment, the attachment elements 22 are placed 1 inch apart along the length of the rear edge 18. By spacing the attachment elements 22 apart from one another, the adjustable masonry form 10 can be bent to conform to the contours of a desired masonry construction without deforming planar base 12 and/or the attachment elements 22. In prior devices, when the form is made to conform to the contours of an arched construction, the device would be deformed at undesirable locations in response to the bending force applied. This deformation is often referred to as splaying or buckling. As a result of the splaying or buckling of prior devices, the masonry elements could not be installed in a uniform and aesthetically pleasing manner. The spacing apart of the attachment elements 22 along the rear side 18 also allows the form 10 to be bent without requiring excessive bending force to be applied, allowing the form 10 to be installed at a jobsite with no special equipment required. The width of each individual attachment elements 22 is such that the attachment elements 22 can be secured, but narrow enough so that the attachment elements 22 will not interfere with the flexibility of the form 10. In one embodiment the width of the individual attachment elements is 1 inch. The above spacing distances and widths are given as examples only, and other spacing distances and flange widths may be used as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art and should be considered within the scope of this disclosure.
The adjustable masonry form 10 further comprises at least one horizontal breakaway element 19 on the planar base 12. The horizontal breakaway element 19 may be positioned on the lower surface 17, the upper surface 18, or both as desired. The horizontal breakaway element 19 allows a user to configure the adjustable masonry form 10 to a particular installation by altering the width “W” of the planar base 12. In this manner, the width of the planar base 12 of the adjustable masonry form 10 can be custom tailored to each masonry construction if desired. In one embodiment, the horizontal breakaway element 19 is a groove, designated 19a (
The groove 19a has a depth (indicated by the distance “X” in
In the embodiment illustrated in
The adjustable masonry form 10 may further comprise at least one vertical breakaway element 30 on the planar base 12. The horizontal breakaway element 19 may be positioned on the lower surface 17, the upper surface 18, or both as desired. The vertical breakaway element 30 allows a user to configure the length of the adjustable masonry form 10 to a particular installation easily and efficiently. In one embodiment, the vertical breakaway element 30 is a groove, designated 30a (
The adjustable masonry form 10 is made of a material that is rigid enough to support the masonry elements comprising the masonry arch, yet flexible enough to be bent to conform to the contours of a masonry construction, such as an arched construction as typically encountered over a window or door. A preferred material for construction of form 10 is a plastic such as a high strength plastic. However, other materials may be used provided that such materials are susceptible to being modified along the horizontal breakaway elements 19 as discussed herein so as to customize the adjustable masonry form 10 for a desired masonry construction. For example, the adjustable masonry form 10 may be manufactured from metals, such as aluminum, tin and other light gauge metals, or composite materials. Since the adjustable masonry form 10 is flexible, it can be bent from its horizontal configuration to conform to the contours of an arched construction and secured in place at the site of use (illustrated in
In one embodiment, the adjustable masonry form 10 is manufactured from a plastic. Any plastic material may be used as is known in the art including but not limited to thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers. Exemplary plastics include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, nylon, high density polyethylene, polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyimide, polyester, acrylic and vinyl. When plastic is used, the plastic may be colored by the inclusion of a pigment in the manufacturing process so as to have a characteristic color. The characteristic color may be matched with the color of the masonry elements used in the masonry construction if desired to provide a more pleasing aesthetic impact. In addition, the plastic may be clear/transparent so as to be less visible in the finished masonry construction (for example when an acrylic is used).
The form 10 can be made by a variety of methods, the following being provided as example only. The form 10 may be formed from a single piece of material. For example, when metals are used, the adjustable masonry form 10 may be stamp cut, die cut or laser cut to form the planar base 12 and the individual attachment elements 22 at the desired intervals along the newly formed rear edge 18. Such methods are well known in the art. Once the attachment elements 22 are formed, the attachment elements 22 can be bent upward such that they are generally perpendicular to axis 14 of the planar base 12. The attachment elements 22 are illustrated as flanges with rounded edges for ease of installation and to minimize sharp edges, however, any configuration of attachment elements 22 may be produced. Alternatively, individual attachment elements 22 may be produced individually and secured to the rear edge 18 of planar base 12 by any convenient means, such as by welding. In the case where the adjustable masonry form 10 is produced from a plastic or similar material, the adjustable masonry form 10 may be manufactured using any technique known in the art, such as but not limited to, injection molding, extrusion molding or blow molding. Such methods are well known in the art. The attachment elements 22 may be produced in the molding process or from a precursor sheet as described above using a die-cutting method, a stamp cutting method or laser cutting method.
The adjustable masonry form 10 is produced in a horizontal configuration. The benefits of making the adjustable masonry form 10 in the horizontal configuration include ease of transporting, shipping and storing the adjustable masonry form 10 as compared to prefabricated forms. Since the adjustable masonry form 10 is not prefabricated to a final configuration (such as but not limited to an arch), much less space is required to ship, transport and store the adjustable masonry form 10. In addition, because the adjustable masonry form 10 is made in the horizontal configuration out of a sturdy material, the adjustable masonry form 10 is less likely to be damaged during shipping, transport and storage, thereby eliminating possible delay in construction caused by obtaining replacement forms. Furthermore, since the adjustable masonry form 10 can be bent to conform to any arched construction, there is no need to maintain a supply of prefabricated adjustable masonry forms for use on different types of arched constructions, greatly decreasing the cost of storage and maintaining the proper inventory.
The use of the adjustable masonry form 10 is illustrated in
Once adjustable masonry form 10 is secured in place, masonry elements 58 are placed on the planar base 12 and arranged according to the specifications for the given arched construction. While any masonry elements may be used,
As discussed above, it is desirable that the width of the planar base 12 be less than the width of the masonry elements to be installed on planar base 12 such that planar base 12 is partially concealed in the finished masonry construction. However, when viewed from below, a significant portion of the planar base 12 can be seen in the finished masonry construction. The present disclosure allows the adjustable masonry form 10 to be configured based on the individual masonry construction such that the planar base 12 is essentially invisible (even when viewed from below) in the finished masonry construction.
As best shown in
Alternatively, when the horizontal breakaway element 19 is a scored line 19b, the user simply selects the appropriate scored line 19b and places sufficient pressure along the scored line 19b such that the scored line 19b, with the aid of the cuts 19d, tears along the scored line 19b. The pressure may be applied by hand or as assisted by a device. Depending on which scored line 19b is selected, the amount of planar base 12 remaining can be selected by the user.
A small portion of planar base 12 may be left in the finished masonry construction to aid in supporting the masonry elements 58. However, all or substantially all of the planar base 12 may be removed if desired such that the planar base 12 provide no or substantially no support to the masonry elements 58. In one embodiment, a portion of the planar base 12 is left in order to support the masonry elements 58 in the finished masonry construction. The portion may be in the range of 0.25 to 2 inches. The visibility of said portion of the planar base 12 may be decreased by coloring the adjustable masonry form 10 to match the color of the masonry elements 58 or the surrounding masonry construction, or by manufacturing the adjustable masonry form 10 to be transparent.
As discussed above, there are several alternate methods of supporting masonry elements in an arched construction. In most of these methods, the masonry elements are placed directly on the molding of the window or door over which they will be installed. In the case of installation over windows, the weight of the masonry elements stresses the window such that the panes in the window may be damaged. For example, it is not uncommon for the seal in a double-paned window to break under the weight of masonry elements, which are applied directly on the molding of the window. The use of the form 10 removes the weight of the masonry elements from the window or door, thereby preventing damage to these components, further reducing the costs of construction.
The above has described several embodiments of the adjustable masonry form in detail so that the form and its principles of operation may be understood. The above discussion should not be interpreted to exclude additional embodiments of the form. With respect to the above description, it should be considered that the optimal dimensional relationships for the various parts of the form, including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those described above and illustrated in the figures are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative only, and should not be understood to limit the scope of the disclosure to the exact construction and operation discussed and illustrated.
