Patent Application
20200354979
Concrete is used for a variety of construction purposes. In many instances concrete structures, such as walls, are made by erecting forms and filling the space between the forms with concrete. After the concrete cures, the forms are removed, leaving the concrete in place.
Forms for making concrete structures typically have to be supported in place and secured relative to each other to ensure that the concrete will have the desired shape, size and position. A variety of ties and braces have been developed to assist in assembling and supporting the forms on a job site. One drawback to some available ties is that the process of removing them from the forms after the concrete has cured is labor intensive and time consuming. Some existing ties act as a clip received over the edges of the forms. Such clips becomes tightly wedged in place as a result of the concrete pressure between the form panels and removing them is difficult. In some situations a worker tends to damage the form while attempting to separate the clips from the forms.
An illustrative example embodiment of a concrete form clip includes a body including two ends and a plurality of arms. One of the arms is near each of the ends. The arms are oriented transverse to the body. A plurality of projections extend from the body. Each of the projections is spaced from a respective one of the arms with a spacing between the projection and the respective arm to accommodate a portion of an edge of a form panel. At least one tab on at least one of the arms is transverse to the arm. The tab includes a tool receiving surface that facilitates using a tool to manipulate the clip relative to a form panel, which simplifies the task of removing the clip from the form panel.
An illustrative example method of removing a concrete form clip that is received over an edge of a form panel includes engaging a surface on a tab that extends transversely from an arm of the clip received against the panel with a tool. The method includes using the tool to manipulate the tab relative to the panel to move at least the arm away from the panel.
Various features and advantages of at least one disclosed embodiment will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
At least one tab 30 extends from at least one of the arms 24. In the illustrated example, each of the arms 24 includes a tab 30. Each tab 30 is transverse to the respective arm 24. In this example, the tabs 30 are perpendicular to the arms 24 and parallel with the body 22.
The tabs 30 each include a tool receiving surface that facilitates a worker using a tool to manipulate the clip 20 when it is time to remove the clip 20 from a form. In the example of
The position and size of the tabs 30 may vary from those shown in the illustrated examples. The tabs 30 provide at least one reaction surface that facilitates an individual using a tool to manipulate the clip 20 relative to a form. The tabs 30 are useful, for example, during a process of removing the clip 20 from a form panel.
The projections 26 are received against the inside edges of the form panels 40 and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the thickness of a concrete structure, such as a wall, established between the form panels 40. In other words, the distance between the form panels 40 is set, at least in part, by the distance between the projections 26.
In some embodiments, moving the tool 44 as shown at 48 will cause some flexing of the body 22, the arm 24, or both to release the clip 20 from the form panel 40. The pressure within the form caused by the concrete of the structure 42 makes it difficult to remove the clip 20 and the tab 30 with the tool receiving recess 32 simplifies that task. The tab 30 provides leverage to a worker that facilitates manipulating the clip 20 relative to the form panel 40 so the clip can be more easily removed. The tab 30 also reduces a likelihood that the worker will damage the form panel 40 in the area of the clip 20 because the tool 44 can be used without making any contact with the form panel 40.
Although the tool 44 is shown moving in an upward direction in
The technique shown in
A concrete form clip that includes features of the disclosed embodiments is easier to remove once a concrete structure has been formed. The example clips reduce the time and complexity of removing clips. Since many job sites include many clips the disclosed example clips and removal techniques provide substantial labor expense savings. Additionally, with the example clips it is less likely that a form panel will be damaged when a worker attempts to remove the clips.
The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this invention. The scope of legal protection given to this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.
