The present invention relates generally to devices for forming concrete forms for pouring concrete slabs and the like. More particularly, it relates to a concrete form system that includes a plurality of brackets for supporting concrete forms.
A typical prior art concrete form system uses wooden or metal stakes attached by nails to wooden boards (such as 2×4 or 2×6 planks) that are used as forms. A typical prior art concrete form system consists of a plurality of stakes inserted vertically into the ground and flush against a concrete form board so as to abut the concrete form board.
Once the concrete form board is properly positioned, nails are used to secure the stakes to the concrete form board. When using metal stakes, such stakes are provided with one or more transverse holes that extend through the stake so that nails can be inserted through the holes and driven into the concrete form board, thereby securing the concrete form board to the stakes.
Once the stakes are nailed to the concrete form board, it is difficult to vertically adjust the concrete form boards without removing the nails that secure the stakes to the concrete form boards. That is, in a typical prior art concrete form system, the nails that are holding the stakes to the concrete form board must be removed before the concrete form board can be raised or lowered relative to the stake. Also, depending on the vertical distance the concrete form board needs to be moved, the stakes may need to be removed from the ground, after which the stakes must be driven back into the ground at another location or height and reattached to the concrete form board with nails.
When using typical prior art metal stakes containing nail holes as previously discussed, it is often the case that such holes become filled with hardened concrete that makes subsequent use of such metal stakes difficult or impossible without first taking time to remove the hardened concrete. In addition, when using wood stakes, such stakes have a limited number of times they can have nails driven into them before they split. Also, the cost of nails, which can typically only used once, becomes expensive over time.
Thus, there exists a need in the art to provide a concrete form system that allows for easy vertical adjustment of the concrete form board once attached to a stake, that is reusable and does not require the use of nails to secure the concrete form board to the stake.
The present invention provides a concrete form system comprising a plurality of concrete form board brackets. The plurality of brackets includes brackets for securing the concrete form board to a conventional type metal or wood concrete form stake without the need of nails. The plurality of brackets also includes concrete form board end brackets for securing the ends of adjacent concrete form boards together that allows for a range of angles to be formed between two adjacent concrete form boards from nearly zero degrees to 180 degrees. The present invention also includes flexible sections of concrete forms configured to be coupled to the brackets that allow for forming curved concrete edges.
The brackets for securing the concrete form boards to stakes are generally C-shaped brackets configured to wrap around three sides of a concrete form board and include recesses for securing the brackets to the stakes. Once attached, the brackets bias the concrete form board against the stake to securely hold it in place.
The brackets for securing adjacent board ends together are provided with interlocking features that allow two identical adjacent brackets to interlock and pivot relative to one another.
The flexible section of concrete forms are formed from thin strips that are provided with laterally extending tabs that can be received within holes in the brackets to secure the flexible concrete forms to the brackets using the C-shaped brackets previously discussed.
In one embodiment of the concrete form system in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of concrete form board retaining brackets, a plurality of concrete form stakes and at least one concrete form board. Each of the plurality of concrete form board retaining brackets are configured to retain the at least one concrete form board to a respective on of the plurality of concrete form stakes. Each concrete form board retaining bracket has an upper and lower stake retaining portion that bias the respective concrete form stake against an outer surface of the at least one concrete form board. The upper and lower stake retaining portions each defining a recess that engages an outer surface of the concrete form stake to hold the stake relative to the bracket.
In another embodiment, the plurality of concrete form board retaining brackets comprise a generally rectangular plate having a back wall, an upper wall depending from a top edge of the back wall at a first obtuse angle from the back wall and a lower wall depending from a bottom edge of the back wall at a second obtuse angle from the back wall, the top and bottom walls depending from a front side of the back wall so as to extend from the back wall in generally a same direction.
In another embodiment, a distance between the first wall and the second wall at the back wall is configured to be approximately equal to a width of a concrete form board when the concrete form board is abutted against the front side of the back wall.
In still another embodiment, the upper wall extends upwardly and away from a top surface of the concrete form board when in a resting position of the concrete form bracket and wherein the lower wall extends downwardly and away from a bottom surface of the concrete form board when in the resting position.
In yet another embodiment, the upper stake retaining portion is comprised of a first recess having a first stake receiving opening along a portion of a first side of the upper wall and a first stake retaining portion configured to retain a first portion of an elongate concrete form stake therein. Likewise, the lower stake retaining portion is comprised of a second recess having a second stake receiving opening along a portion of a first side of the upper wall and a second stake retaining portion configured to retain a second portion of the elongate concrete form stake therein when the respective one of the plurality of concrete form stakes extends through the first recess and the second recess.
The upper wall and lower wall are compressible toward one another when the upper wall is forced toward the lower wall and the back wall is abutting against a concrete form board positioned between the upper wall and lower wall to allow the respective one of the plurality of concrete form stakes to be positioned between the at least one concrete form board and outermost edges of the upper and lower stake retaining portions. The upper and lower stake retaining portions are biased away from one another to hold the respective one of the plurality of concrete form stakes against a surface of the concrete form board.
In one embodiment, the concrete form system comprises at least one pair of concrete form board end joining brackets, each configured to extend over a respective end of adjacent concrete form boards and interlock in a hermaphroditic manner.
The concrete form board end joining brackets form a hinge to allow the adjacent concrete form boards to pivot relative to one another until held in position with the plurality of concrete form retaining brackets.
Each concrete form board end joining bracket wrap at least partially around the respective end of the concrete form board and comprise a stop positioned adjacent the respective end of the concrete form board to position the respective concrete form board relative to the respective concrete form board end joining bracket.
In another embodiment, the concrete form board is comprised of a curved form coupled to and between the plurality of concrete form board retaining brackets.
In yet another embodiment, the back wall of the concrete form board retaining bracket defines an aperture and the concrete form board comprises a bracket retaining member extending therefrom. The bracket retaining member is received within the aperture to position the at least one concrete form board relative to the concrete form board retaining bracket.
In still another embodiment, the upper wall, lower wall and back wall of each of the plurality of concrete form brackets are each inwardly curved in a resting position.
The following detailed description of the illustrated embodiments is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments which illustrate what is currently considered to be the best mode for carrying out the invention, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instruments disclosed. In the drawings:
In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. Thus, the full scope of the invention is not limited to the examples that are described below.
With reference now to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the several views,
As will be described in more detail, once the stakes 16 are driven into the ground G and the form board 14 is secured to stakes 16 with brackets 12, the brackets 12 and thus the form board 14 can be vertically adjusted relative to the stake 16 without having to raise or lower the stake 16. This is accomplished by manually squeezing the end portions 18 and 20 of the bracket 12 toward each other until they are approximately parallel, which loosens the engagement of the bracket 12 with the stake 16 and allows the bracket 12 to be vertically adjusted by sliding it up or down relative to the stake 16. When the end portions 18 and 20 are released, the end portions 18 and 20 reengage with the stake to hold the bracket 12 relative to the stake 16.
A pair of substantially identical concrete form board corner brackets 30 and 32 each have a generally C-shaped configuration and are sized to slide over respective ends 34 and 36 of concrete form boards 14 and 38, respectively. The corner bracket 30 includes a pair of interlocking tabs 40 and 42 for engaging with corresponding interlocking tabs 44 and 46, respectively, of corner bracket 32. The engagement of the interlocking tabs 40 and 42 with interlocking tabs 44 and 46 connect the corner brackets 30 and 32 together in a hermaphroditic manner that allows the two corner brackets 30 and 32 to be pivotable relative to one another, thereby allowing the formation of an angle A between form board 14 and form board 38 to form a corner of concrete slab 50 having a desired angle A.
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Spanning between the concrete form boards 114 is a flexible concrete form member 130 that is held between the brackets 112 and the form boards 114. The flexible member 130 is formed from a thin sheet of flexible material, such as sheet metal or plastic. The flexible member 130 is thick enough, however, to hold its shape once positioned between the ground fixed stake brackets 112 so as to allow for curved edges 132 to be formed in the resulting concrete pad 150.
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It is contemplated, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification, drawings, and examples that modifications and/or changes may be made in the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that the foregoing are only illustrative of certain embodiments and modes of operation, not limiting thereto, and that the true spirit and scope of the present invention be determined by reference to the appended claims.
While the present invention has been described with reference to certain illustrative embodiments to illustrate what is believed to be the best mode of the invention, it is contemplated that upon review of the present invention, those of skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and combinations may be made to the present embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the claims. The claims provided herein are intended to cover such modifications and combinations and all equivalents thereof. Reference herein to specific details of the illustrated embodiments is by way of example and not by way of limitation.
Thus, aspects and applications of the invention presented here are described in the drawings and in the foregoing detailed description of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons including, without limitation, combinations of elements of the various embodiments. Various representative implementations of the present invention may be applied to any tie down cargo restraining system.
Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. It is noted that the inventor can be his own lexicographer. The inventor expressly elects, as his own lexicographer, to use the plain and ordinary meaning of terms in the specification and claims unless they clearly state otherwise in which case, the inventor will set forth the “special” definition of that term and explain how it differs from the plain and ordinary meaning. Absent such statements of the application of a “special” definition, it is the inventor's intent and desire that the simple, plain and ordinary meaning to the terms be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims.
The inventor is also aware of the normal precepts of English grammar. Thus, if a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed in some way, then such noun, term, or phrase will expressly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the normal precepts of English grammar. Absent the use of such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers, it is the intent that such nouns, terms, or phrases be given their plain, and ordinary English meaning to those skilled in the applicable arts as set forth above.
Further, the inventor is fully informed of the standards and application of the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Thus, the use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description of the Invention or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for” and the specific function (e.g., “means for heating”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material or act in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for . . . ” or “step for . . . ” if the claims also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means or step, or that perform the recited function, then it is the clear intention of the inventor not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are invoked to define the claimed inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the illustrated embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function as described in alternative embodiments or forms of the invention, or that are well known present or later-developed, equivalent structures, material or acts for performing the claimed function.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/536,695 filed on Jul. 25, 2017, the entirety of which is incorporated by this reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62536695 | Jul 2017 | US |