POURED CONCRETE COLUMN ALIGNMENT AND PLUMBING TOOL

Abstract

A tool system is provided for aligning and plumbing a poured concrete form (e.g., a lower vertical form portion) for forming a structural column assembly of the type used for erecting building structures and the like, such as a concrete column or footing formed in situ in an earthen hole. The system includes a center line running vertical to the length of the tool and a two-way level system incorporated therein. The tool can be used to line up the lower vertical form portion with a layout string and plumb the lower vertical form portion square. A metering pole that can be locked in place is used to lower and raise the tool into and out of the lower vertical form portion, wherein the tool is completely rotatable about the metering pole. Once the lower vertical form portion is aligned with the tool, the earthen hole is back filled, thus holding the lower vertical form portion in place in the correct position. A hot knife system can be used in conjunction with the metering pole of the tool to cut the top of the lower vertical form portion to grade.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wire support member, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wire support member depicted in FIG. 1, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base foam ring disposed on the wire support member depicted in FIG. 1, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lower vertical form system, in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a bottom portion of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 4, in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom view of the bottom portion of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lower vertical form system disposed on the base foam ring, which in turn is disposed on the wire support member, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an aligning and plumbing tool assembly, in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is another perspective view of the aligning and plumbing tool assembly depicted in FIG. 8, in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial detailed view of the aligning and plumbing tool assembly depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, in accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a metering pole assembly, in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a partial detailed view of a top portion of the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 11, in accordance with a twelfth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a partial detailed view of a bottom portion of the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 11, in accordance with a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the aligning and plumbing tool assembly depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9 mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 11, in accordance with a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a partial detailed view of the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 14, in accordance with a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 14 disposed within the lower vertical form system in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 16, wherein the aligning and plumbing tool assembly has been lowered into the lower vertical form system in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a laser transit assembly operably associated with the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 16, wherein the aligning and plumbing tool assembly has been lowered into the lower vertical form system in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with an eighteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a partial detailed view of the laser transit assembly operably associated with the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 18, wherein the aligning and plumbing tool assembly has been lowered into the lower vertical form system in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a partial detailed view of a hot knife assembly operably associated with the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 18, in accordance with a twentieth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the hot knife assembly operably associated with the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 20, wherein the aligning and plumbing tool assembly has been lowered into the lower vertical form system in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a twenty-first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a partial detailed view of a top portion of the hot knife assembly operably associated with the aligning and plumbing tool assembly mounted on the metering pole assembly depicted in FIG. 18, in accordance with a twenty-second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the hot knife assembly cutting a top portion of the lower vertical form system to grade, in accordance with a twenty-third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a partial detailed view of the hot knife assembly cutting a top portion of the lower vertical form system to grade depicted in FIG. 23, in accordance with a twenty-fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a reinforcing assembly, in accordance with a twenty-fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the reinforcing assembly depicted in FIG. 25, in accordance with a twenty-sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a partial perspective view of a bottom portion of the reinforcing assembly depicted in FIG. 25, in accordance with a twenty-seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of an alternative reinforcing assembly, in accordance with a twenty-eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly depicted in FIG. 28, in accordance with a twenty-ninth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed within the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 24, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a thirtieth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a partial broken away view of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed within the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 30, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a thirty-first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 31, in accordance with a thirty-second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a partial broken away view of the top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 31, in accordance with a thirty-third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a partial broken away view of a bottom portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 31, in accordance with a thirty-fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of the top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 31 after concrete has been introduced into the vertical form system, in accordance with a thirty-fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 31 after concrete has been introduced into the vertical form system, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a thirty-sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of an upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 36, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a thirty-seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a partial perspective view of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 36, in accordance with a thirty-eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 39 is a partial perspective view of a detailed section of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 36, in accordance with a thirty-ninth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 36 after concrete has been introduced into the upper vertical form system, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a fortieth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 41 is a partial perspective view of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 36 after concrete has been introduced into the upper vertical form system, in accordance with a forty-first embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for aligning, leveling or plumbing a vertical form system for forming a structural element in situ in an earthen hole, comprising: a metering pole assembly, comprising: a metering pole member; anda selectively operable fastening system located at a first end of the metering pole member; andan alignment assembly, comprising: a first face member having an area defining a first aperture formed therein; anda second face member having an area defining a second aperture formed therein;wherein the first and second face members are held in fixed relationship with respect to one another such that the first and second apertures are substantially axially aligned;wherein either the first or second face members includes a level system operably associated therewith, wherein the level system is operable to determine a characteristic of the vertical form system selected from the group consisting of level, plumb, and combinations thereof;wherein the first and second apertures are operable to receive a second end of the metering pole member such that the alignment assembly is disposed about and releaseably mated to the metering pole assembly;wherein the alignment assembly is selectively operable to rotate about the metering pole member and travel along a length of the metering pole member;wherein the mated metering pole member and alignment assembly are selectively operable to be received within an annular inner face formed in the vertical form system;wherein the fastening system is selectively operable to deploy a fastening member into the inner face of the vertical form system so as to maintain the metering pole member and the alignment assembly in fixed relationship with the vertical form system.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising: a first disk member disposed about the metering pole member; anda second disk member disposed about the metering pole member, wherein the first and second disk members are spaced apart, wherein the second disk member is located proximate to the first end of the metering pole member;wherein the fastening system is adjacent to the second disk member;wherein either the first or second disks abut against the inner face of the vertical form system.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein the alignment assembly rests upon the first disk member.

4. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a side face member disposed between the first and second face members, wherein either the first or side face members include a centering line disposed on a surface thereof.

5. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a rotatable handle member operably associated with the metering pole member and the fastening system, wherein the rotatable handle member is selectively operable to deploy the fastening member when the handle member is rotated in a first direction and selectively operable to retract the fastening member when the handle member is rotated in a second direction.

6. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a transit system releasably disposed on the first face member, wherein the transit system is selectively operable to determine a grade level for the vertical form system.

7. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting system rotatably disposed about the metering pole member and resting on the first face member, wherein the cutting system is selectively operable to cut an annular top portion of the vertical form system to a grade level.

8. The invention according to claim 7, wherein the vertical form system is either aligned, leveled or plumbed when the alignment assembly is fixed relative to a first height of the vertical form system and the annular top portion of the vertical form system is cut when the alignment assembly is fixed relative to a second height of the vertical form system.

9. A system for aligning, leveling or plumbing a vertical form system for forming a structural element in situ in an earthen hole, comprising: a metering pole assembly, comprising: a metering pole member;a first disk member disposed about the metering pole member;a second disk member disposed about the metering pole member, wherein the first and second disk members are spaced apart, wherein the second disk member is located proximate to a first end of the metering pole member;a selectively operable fastening system adjacent to the second disk member, wherein the fastening system is located at the first end of the metering pole member; andan alignment assembly, comprising: a first face member having an area defining a first aperture formed therein; anda second face member having an area defining a second aperture formed therein;wherein the first and second face members are held in fixed relationship with respect to one another such that the first and second apertures are substantially axially aligned;wherein either the first or second face members includes a level system operably associated therewith, wherein the level system is operable to determine a characteristic of the vertical form system selected from the group consisting of level, plumb, and combinations thereof;wherein the first and second apertures are operable to receive a second end of the metering pole member such that the alignment assembly rests upon the first disk member and is disposed about and releaseably mated to the metering pole assembly;wherein the alignment assembly is selectively operable to rotate about the metering pole member and travel along a length of the metering pole member;wherein the mated metering pole member and alignment assembly are selectively operable to be received within an annular inner face formed in the vertical form system;wherein the fastening system is selectively operable to deploy a fastening member into the inner face of the vertical form system so as to maintain the metering pole member and the alignment assembly in fixed relationship with the vertical form system; anda cutting system rotatably disposed about the metering pole member and resting on the first face member, wherein the cutting system is selectively operable to cut an annular top portion of the vertical form system to grade.

10. The invention according to claim 9, wherein either the first or second disks abut against the inner face of the vertical form system.

11. The invention according to claim 9, wherein the alignment assembly rests upon the first disk member.

12. The invention according to claim 9, further comprising a side face member disposed between the first and second face members, wherein either the first or side face members include a centering line disposed on a surface thereof.

13. The invention according to claim 9, further comprising a rotatable handle member operably associated with the metering pole member and the fastening system, wherein the rotatable handle member is selectively operable to deploy the fastening member when the handle member is rotated in a first direction and selectively operable to retract the fastening member when the handle member is rotated in a second direction.

14. The invention according to claim 9, further comprising a transit system releasably disposed on the first face member, wherein the transit system is selectively operable to determine a grade level for the vertical form system.

15. The invention according to claim 9, wherein the vertical form system is either aligned, leveled or plumbed when the alignment assembly is fixed relative to a first height of the vertical form system and the annular top portion of the vertical form system is cut when the alignment assembly is fixed relative to a second height of the vertical form system.

16. A method for aligning, leveling or plumbing a vertical form system for forming a structural element in situ in an earthen hole, comprising: providing a metering pole assembly, comprising: a metering pole member;a first disk member disposed about the metering pole member;a second disk member disposed about the metering pole member, wherein the first and second disk members are spaced apart, wherein the second disk member is located proximate to a first end of the metering pole member; anda selectively operable fastening system adjacent to the second disk member, wherein the fastening system is located at the first end of the metering pole member;providing an alignment assembly, comprising:a first face member having an area defining a first aperture formed therein; anda second face member having an area defining a second aperture formed therein;wherein the first and second face members are held in fixed relationship with respect to one another such that the first and second apertures are substantially axially aligned;wherein either the first or second face members includes a level system operably associated therewith;wherein the level system is operable to determine a characteristic of the vertical form system selected from the group consisting of level, plumb, and combinations thereof;disposing the second end of the metering pole member through the first and second apertures such that the alignment assembly rests upon the first disk member and is disposed about and releaseably mated to the metering pole assembly, wherein the alignment assembly is selectively operable to rotate about the metering pole member and travel along a length of the metering pole member;disposing the mated metering pole member and alignment assembly within an annular inner face formed in the vertical form system;deploying a fastening member into the inner face of the vertical form system so as to maintain the metering pole member and the alignment assembly in fixed relationship with the vertical form system;causing the vertical form system to be aligned, leveled or plumbed; andbackfilling any space between the earthen hole and an outer face of the vertical form system so as to prevent any subsequent movement of the vertical form system.

17. The invention according to claim 16, further comprising providing a cutting system rotatably disposed about the metering pole member and resting on the first face member, wherein the cutting system is selectively operable to cut an annular top portion of the vertical form system to grade.

18. The invention according to claim 17, wherein the vertical form system is either aligned, leveled or plumbed when the alignment assembly is fixed relative to a first height of the vertical form system and the annular top portion of the vertical form system is cut when the alignment assembly is fixed relative to a second height of the vertical form system.

19. The invention according to claim 16, further comprising providing a rotatable handle member operably associated with the metering pole member and the fastening system, wherein the rotatable handle member is selectively operable to deploy the fastening member when the handle member is rotated in a first direction and selectively operable to retract the fastening member when the handle member is rotated in a second direction.

20. The invention according to claim 16, further comprising providing a transit system releasably disposed on the first face member, wherein the transit system is selectively operable to determine a grade level for the vertical form system.