Patent Application
20170107727
The present disclosure relates generally to a concrete form, and more particularly, to an in-place concrete form used to create a poured-in-place headstone support box.
Conventional concrete forms are suitable for creating headstone support boxes. However, such concrete forms are rather expensive and are not easy to use. Moreover, conventional concrete forms are, typically, rendered unusable after the headstone support box is formed, due to the manner in which the concrete forms are removed from the formed headstone support boxes.
As can be appreciated, an in-place concrete form used to create a poured-in-place headstone support box may prove useful in the relevant arts.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the portion that is being described which is further from a user, while the term “proximal” refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to a user.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for forming a support box. The apparatus includes a base and an insert that is attachable to the base. With the insert attached to the base, at least one suitable material is receivable within the base and allowed to harden, thereby forming a support box with at least one space for receiving a headstone.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for forming a support box. The method includes positioning a base around rebar framework, positioning an insert within the base, pouring at least one suitable material within the base, and allowing the at least one suitable material to harden, thereby forming a support box with at least one space for receiving a headstone.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a system for forming a support box. The system includes rebar framework configured to be set into a footing, a base including a pair of L-shape brackets configured to releasably couple to one another, and an insert attachable to the base when the pair of L-shape brackets are coupled to one another. With the insert attached to the base, at least one suitable material is receivable within the base and allowed to harden, thereby forming a support box with at least one space for receiving a headstone.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with references to the drawings, wherein:
Detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
As noted above, an in-place concrete form used to create a poured-in-place headstone support box may prove useful in the relevant arts, and such an in-place concrete form is herein described.
The FIGs. represent a design of a poured-in-place concrete form that can be used in the initial placement of cemetery headstones, as well as in the raising, resetting and realigning of existing headstones. The poured-in-place concrete form consists of a base and an insert that when coupled to one another can used with rebar framework to form a customized (i.e., having various sizes) headstone support box.
For illustrative purposes each of the L-shape brackets 18 and 20 is shown including two spring latches 22, which are located on short sidewall portions 28 and 30 of respective L-shape brackets 18 and 20 and coupled thereto using one or more suitable coupling devices, e.g., bolts, pins, rivets, screw, etc. Positioning the spring latches 22 along the short sidewall portions 28 and 30, as shown in the FIGs., allows for easy access and opening along narrow ends of a formed support box 100.
The latch bars 26 include a generally “hook” or “J” configuration and are configured to couple to a connection member 32, which is disposed on long sidewall portions 34 and 36 of the respective L-shape brackets 18 and 20, thereby allowing the L-shape brackets 18 and 20 to be coupled to one another;
Each of the long sidewall portions 34 and 36 includes a respective rail portion 38 and 40 that includes one or more apertures 42. For illustrative purposes, the rails 38 and 40 are each shown including two apertures 42; however, more or less apertures can be used.
A pair of mounting assemblies 46 and 48 extend laterally across the frame 44. The mounting assemblies 46 and 48 are welded to the frame 44 and each includes a pair of mounting pins 50 that are receivable within a corresponding one of the apertures 42 which allows a user to couple the insert 14 to the base 12 and to set the dimensions and specifications of the space or slot of the support box 100 (
One or more spacers 52 can be provided within the frame 44 and can be used to maintain a specific spacing between the walls that define the frame 44. For illustrative purposes, a top spacer 52, which is centered within the frame 44 and which extends approximately two inches into the frame 44, is shown. As with the mounting assemblies 46 and 48, the spacer 52 can also be welded to the frame 44, or can be attached to the frame 44 via one or more other suitable attaching devices or methods. In embodiments, the frame 44 can be provided without the spacer 52.
The spacer 52 can also be used to support the cover 16 while the cover 16 is being welded to the frame 44. However, in embodiments, the cover 16 can be removably attached to the frame 44. In such an embodiment, a plurality of top spacers 52 can be provided within the frame 44 and used to temporality support the cover 16 on the frame 44.
Regardless of the method used for attaching or supporting the cover 16 to or on the frame 44, the cover 16 is used to prevent concrete, cement, or other suitable material from being introduced into the frame 44 as these materials are being poured into the assembled base 12 to form the support box 100.
The cover 16 includes one or more apertures 54 that are provided thereon to facilitate coupling and removing the insert 14 to and from the base 12.
The base 12 and insert 14 are formed from steel, but other suitable materials can also be used. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 12, in an assembled configuration, has a length of approximately 30 inches, a width of approximately 18 inches, and a height of approximately 15 inches, and the insert 14 is dimensioned so that when coupled to the base 12, the frame 44 is positioned at a center of an interior of the base 12 so as to form a space that is centered within the formed support box 100. As can be appreciated, the overall dimensions of the base 12, the insert 14, and the frame 44 can be varied to accommodate various size support boxes.
Operation of the poured-in-place concrete form 10 is now described. For illustrative purposes, the poured-in-place concrete form 10 is described herein as being used to form a support box 100 that is configured to be set within a National Cemetery, i.e., one used for burying military or other personal that served the United States.
In use, the L-shape brackets 18 and 20 can be positioned around rebar framework 200, which has been previously secured to or set into a pre-existing footing 300 (
The rebar framework 200 includes a plurality of rebar components 202 that have been welded together to form one or more suitable configurations. For example,
Once the L-shape brackets 18 and 20 have been positioned on the footing 300 around the rebar framework 200, the spring latches 22 of the L-shape brackets 18 and 20 can be used to couple the L-shape brackets 18 and 20 to one another (
Thereafter, the concrete, cement, or other suitable material can be poured into the assembled base 12 (
The remaining support boxes 100 can be formed in a manner as described above.
If need be, sand (or other suitable material) can be added between the formed support box 100 and the headstone received therein to maintain the headstone in a relatively fixed orientation with respect to the support box 100.
The poured-in-place concrete form 10 allows a user to form a support box 100 in an easy, expeditious, and efficient manner. Moreover, unlike conventional concrete forms that are, typically, rendered unusable after being removed from a formed support box, the poured-in-place concrete form 10, which includes a base 12 including L-shape brackets 18 and 20 that are releasably coupleable to one another, described herein can be used multiple times.
From the foregoing and with reference to the various figure drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications can also be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the same. For example, in an assembled configuration the insert 14 can be movable with respect to the two L-shaped brackets 18 and 20, thereby allowing a user to adjust a location of the hole (or space) that is created in the support box 100 for receiving the headstone.
Moreover, while the poured-in-place concrete form 10 has been described herein as being used in conjunction with the rebar framework 200, the poured-in-place concrete form 10 can be used without the rebar framework 200.
Furthermore, while the frame 44 has been described herein as including a generally hollow configuration, the frame 44 can have other configurations. For example, the frame 44 can be made of a solid piece of steel (or other metal). In this instance, the cover 16 can be omitted, as the likelihood of concrete or cement being introduced into the frame 44 is eliminated.
Additionally, while the frame 44 has been described herein as having a generally rectangular configuration, other configurations can be used. For example, the frame 44 can have any geometric shape including, but not limited to, a square, circle, triangle, etc.
Also, while the insert 14 has been described herein as including one frame 44, more than one frame 44 can be provided on the insert 14. For example, two, three, four, . . . , frames 44 can be provided on the insert 14 and evenly spaced apart from one another to form a support box 100 with multiple spaces.
While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/243,942, which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 20, 2015, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62243942 | Oct 2015 | US |
