POURED CONCRETE COLUMN HOLE

Abstract

A form system is provided 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 support system, including a wire support member and an associated base foam ring having an offset center hole corresponding to the centerline of the concrete footing, which is placed at the bottom of the earthen hole. A lower vertical form system, including multiple interlocking pieces, is assembled and joined at one end to an offset disk member. The disk member of the lower vertical form system is then placed onto the base foam ring in abutting engagement. The form system is then plumbed and positioned, e.g., in relation to one or more layout strings. Once the form system is in the correct position, the earthen hole is backfilled, e.g., with dirt or other material, thus holding the properly positioned form system in place. The lower vertical form system is then cut to grade. Reinforcing assemblies, such as rebar, can then be inserted into the lower vertical form system. Concrete can then be poured into the lower vertical form system, thus forming a lower portion of the concrete column or footing. An upper vertical form system can then be used to form the upper portion of the concrete column or footing, e.g., that portion that is above 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 a reinforcing assembly, in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the reinforcing assembly depicted in FIG. 8, in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of a bottom portion of the reinforcing assembly depicted in FIG. 8, in accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present invention;

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

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly depicted in FIG. 11, in accordance with a twelfth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed within the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 7, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a partial broken away view of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed within the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 13, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a partial perspective view of a top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 14, in accordance with a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 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. 14, in accordance with a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 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. 14, in accordance with a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the top portion of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 14 after concrete has been introduced into the vertical form system, in accordance with an eighteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the alternative reinforcing assembly disposed in the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 14 after concrete has been introduced into the vertical form system, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 19, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a twentieth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a partial perspective view of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 19, in accordance with a twenty-first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 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. 19, in accordance with a twenty-second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 19 after concrete has been introduced into the upper vertical form system, in situ in an earthen hole, in accordance with a twenty-third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 24 is a partial perspective view of the upper vertical form system disposed on top of the lower vertical form system depicted in FIG. 19 after concrete has been introduced into the upper vertical form system, in accordance with a twenty-fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A form system for forming a structural element in situ in an earthen hole, comprising: a support member disposed in the earthen hole;a disk member disposed on top of the support member, wherein the disk member includes an area defining an offset aperture formed therein; anda lower vertical form system disposed on top of the disk member, wherein the lower vertical form system includes a wall member having an outer face and an inner face, wherein the wall member defines a throughbore extending from a first end of the lower vertical form system to a second end of the lower vertical form system.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the structural element is comprised of a concrete column or footing.

3. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising a second disk member disposed about either the first end or the second end of the wall member of the lower vertical form system, wherein the second disk member includes an area defining a second offset aperture formed therein, wherein the second disk member and the disk member are operable to be brought into abutting engagement such that at least a portion of the aperture of the disk member and the second aperture of the second disk member are coaxially aligned.

4. The invention according to claim 1, further comprising an upper vertical form system disposed on a surface of the lower vertical form system, wherein the upper vertical form system includes a wall member having an outer face and an inner face, wherein the wall member defines a throughbore extending from a first end of the upper vertical form system to a second end of the upper vertical form system, wherein at least a portion of the throughbore of the lower vertical form system and the throughbore of the upper vertical form system are coaxially aligned.

5. The invention according to claim 4, wherein either the lower vertical form system or the upper vertical form system includes a plurality of interlocking wall portions operable to form a substantially cylindrical member.

6. The invention according to claim 4, further comprising a reinforcement assembly disposed in either the lower vertical support system or the upper vertical support system.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcement assembly includes a first portion and a second portion disposed on the first portion, wherein the first portion comprises a plurality of substantially elongated reinforcement members in fixed relationship to one another, wherein the second portion includes a bracket member fastened to an end portion of at least one of the reinforcement members.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the support member comprises a cage member having a first end and a spaced and opposed second end defining a throughbore therebetween.

9. The invention according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the throughbore of the support member is coaxially aligned with the throughbores of the lower vertical form system and the upper vertical form system, such that a curable material introduced into an open end of the upper vertical form system is operable to flow into the throughbore of the support member and substantially envelop the reinforcement assembly.

10. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the lower vertical form system is disposed entirely within the earthen hole and fully recessed below a grade surface thereof and the upper vertical form system is located above a grade surface of the earthen hole.

11. A method for forming a structural element in situ in an earthen hole, comprising: providing a form system comprising a support member, a disk member, and a lower vertical form system;placing the support member on a floor surface of the earthen hole;placing the disk member on top of the support member, wherein the disk member includes an area defining an offset aperture formed therein; andplacing the lower vertical form system on top of the disk member, wherein the lower vertical form system includes a wall member having an outer face and an inner face, wherein the wall member defines a throughbore extending from a first end of the lower vertical form system to a second end of the lower vertical form system.

12. The invention according to claim 11, wherein the structural element is comprised of a concrete column or footing.

13. The invention according to claim 11, further comprising providing a second disk member, wherein the second disk member is disposed about either the first end or the second end of the wall member of the lower vertical form system, wherein the second disk member includes an area defining a second offset aperture formed therein, wherein the second disk member and the disk member are operable to be brought into abutting engagement such that at least a portion of the aperture of the disk member and the second aperture of the second disk member are coaxially aligned.

14. The invention according to claim 11, further comprising providing an upper vertical form system, wherein the upper vertical form system is disposed on a surface of the lower vertical form system, wherein the upper vertical form system includes a wall member having an outer face and an inner face, wherein the wall member defines a throughbore extending from a first end of the upper vertical form system to a second end of the upper vertical form system, wherein at least a portion of the throughbore of the lower vertical form system and the throughbore of the upper vertical form system are coaxially aligned.

15. The invention according to claim 14, wherein either the lower vertical form system or the upper vertical form system includes a plurality of interlocking wall portions operable to form a substantially cylindrical member.

16. The invention according to claim 14, further comprising providing a reinforcement assembly, wherein the reinforcement assembly is disposed in either the lower vertical support system or the upper vertical support system.

17. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the reinforcement assembly includes a first portion and a second portion disposed on the first portion, wherein the first portion comprises a plurality of substantially elongated reinforcement members in fixed relationship to one another, wherein the second portion includes a bracket member fastened to an end portion of at least one of the reinforcement members.

18. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the support member comprises a cage member having a first end and a spaced and opposed second end defining a throughbore therebetween.

19. The invention according to claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the throughbore of the support member is coaxially aligned with the throughbores of the lower vertical form system and the upper vertical form system, such that a curable material introduced into an open end of the upper vertical form system is operable to flow into the throughbore of the support member and substantially envelop the reinforcement assembly.

20. The invention according to claim 16, wherein the lower vertical form system is disposed entirely within the earthen hole and fully recessed below a grade surface thereof and the upper vertical form system is located above a grade surface of the earthen hole.