US2713190A - Building construction form - Google Patents

Description

July 19, 1955 G. M. RErrTl-:R 2,713,190

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FORM Filed NOV. 6,v 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 19, 1955 ,6. M. REITTER` 2,713,190

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BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FORM Filed Nov. s, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 3 MMM July 19, 1955 G. RErrrERV 2,713,190

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b 2 ff /NviA/m@ 650,96; M. Pin-rse i TTOP/Vf .United States Patent Olice 2,713,190 Patented July 19, 1955 BUmDlNG CONSTRUCTION FORM George M. Reitter, Sacramento, Calif. Application November s, 1952, smal No.' 319,063

2 claims. (cl. 25-131) My invention relates to sectional or reusable forms light weight aggregate walls integrally cast with wire mesh reinforcement.-

'I'he trend in home and building construction is characterized by an expanding variety of building materials and a continuing search for the best techniques and methods for using these materials.

Light weightconcrete comprising an aggregate having a low density, owing to a multitude of entrapped air bubbles, furnishes a building material having many desirable characteristics, particularly suitable for wall construction. Preferably, a wall constructed from such low density mix is reinforced not'only by columns of ordinary concrete at intervals along the wall perimeter but also by other stilening members such as wire mesh and reinforcing rods.

Customarily, concrete forms for piers or columns are individually assembled and then completely disassembled after the column has hardened. Or, if the forms are intended for reuse, such forms often completely surround the column and are reusable only if tapered to permit the form to be lifted vertically from the hardened column. In the one case, the method is not suitable for large scale, low-cost production; in the other, the technique is not possible where wire mesh is to be integrally cast in column and wall.

Itis therefore an object of my invention to provide a building construction form especially suitable for use in light weight concrete wall construction.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a sectional forrn, for the molding of plastic concrete, usable many times and which is readily assembled and disassembled.

It is another object of my invention to provide a building construction form equally adaptable for use in low-cost, large scale building construction or in smaller, individual projects such as barns, sheds, garages, carports or owner-built dwelling-houses.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a re-usable form for concrete pillars of numerous crosssectional shapes and which may be readily set up either at modular intervals or at locations required by particular wall openings or other structural features.

It is still another object of my invention 'to provide a form construction furnishing a variety of column shapes yet permitting interchangeability between many of the form sections.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a generally improved building form construction.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment of the invention Vdescribed in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a portion of two intersecting walls of a building; the right wall showing, from right to left, a finished wall panel and column Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2, the plane of the view being indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2, and having the top portion of the 'form broken away to reduce the extent of the ligure.

Figure 4 is an end elevation, the plane of which is indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2, the figure being broken to reduce its size.

Figure 5 is a plan of a corner columnar form constructed according to my invention and showing corner foundation boards and falsework construction.

Figure 6 is a plan of a columnar form having one section with a planar face and the other section with a central projection as for an interior partition or plastering ground.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a modied kind of a columnar form showing end walls adjustable to receive and hold a window frame, the section being along a horizontal plane bisecting the window frame.

Figure 8 is a plan of a modification of my columnar sectional form.

Figure 9 is a plan of a modified form of bracket fastening, a portion of the figure being broken away to reduce its extent.

Figure l0 is a perspective of the top of a columnar form showing supporting struts and strut stakes and fastenings, the figure being broken away to reduce its size.

In the construction of homes and other types of buildings it is an almost universal practice to provide a continuous foundation or footing -to support the exterior wall. Where concrete is utilized as a foundation it is a Well-known procedure to dig into the ground 5 along the foundation line 6 a trench 7 lined with an exterior foundation board 8 or form and an interior board 9, defining between the boards, a hollow 11 into which concrete is to be poured, and forming, on hardening,

.an outer or marginal foundation 12 upon which the wall structure is supported.

Suspended in a vertical plane, by means not shown, along the centerline -6 of the foundation and extending from substantially the bottom of the trench 7 vertically to the desired wall height, is a wire mesh 13 serving not only as a reinforcement of the foundation, columns and walls, but acting as well, to integrate these components into a unitary structure.

To increase the compression and bending strength of the walls, columns of regular (not light-weight) concrete are ordinarily poured first, such as, for example, a corner column 14 and a wall column 16 spaced at apropriate intervals around the wall perimeter.

This type of construction has been found very convenient for small builders or persons building their own homes since they are enabled to build the wall in convenient sections. Thus by purchasing or renting but a few of the basic construction forms an entire building may be built as time permits. The right hand wall structure of Figure l, including the corner column, for example, might already have been completed as far as is shown. By fastening contiguous wire mesh sections together such as by wire ties 17, and supporting the mesh along and within vthe left hand wall foundation (by means not shown) the builder is ready to proceed with the next step in constructing the left wall.

i are columnar forms 18 or boxes.

crete column is a side plate 21 or face plate having,

intumed edges 22 or end plates bent from or welded to the face plate. The plates are preferably of metal having a substantial thickness and strength to resist the hydrostatic head or bursting force exerted by fluidconcrete poured into a compartment 23 formed byA the respective form halves open to each other on opposite sides of a wire mesh 13 and on opposite sides of a reinforcing rod 24 fastened to the mesh by wire ties 26.

Plastic .concrete exerts a very considerable pressure, particularly toward the bottom of a column of the fluid having the height, lfor example, of a building wall. To resist this pressure I provide a plurality of pairs of brackets 27, upstanding from opposite edge plates. Sufficient bracket pairs are required and of adequate strength to withstand the force of the hydrostatic head exerted- In orderto locate and hold the bottom of the columnar box form correctly with respect to the foundation, and to augment the clamping force near the bottom of the column while the poured concrete is setting,fI provide on each form half a pair of flanges 31 or foot plates projecting outwardly from the base of the form, perpendicular to the end plates and substantially co-planar with the face plate.

The outer portion of the flange is bent inwardly to form an ear32 beveled on its inner edge to form with the adjacent llange ear a rough V-shape (Figure 4), more easily to permit the entry of a persons hand into a hand hole 33 defined by the end plates, flanges and ears.

The ears are fastened by bolts 34 'or other means to a transverse cross-brace 36 supported by thefoundation boards 8 and 9'and by stakes 37 securely driven into the ground and nailed to the brace. Ihe falsework structure thus secures the form base against motion longitudinally of the foundation, and transversely thereto.

. The bolts 34 are conveniently inserted by hand from the hand hole side of the ears, through the drilled holes in the ears and registering holes in the cross-brace, thus permitting the nuts vto be taken up from the outside.

A quite comparable pair of flanges 38 and ears 39 are also provided at the opposite or top end of each column form (see Figure 10) to permit use of either they are effective to hold the top of the column in its.

appropriate vertical attitude by resisting either transverse or longitudinal forces while the concrete is poured and hardening.

It has been found convenient in the construction of buildings of the present ty'pe to make the comer posts or columns 14 in an L-shape cross-section, each leg of the L being substantially equal in length.

To obtain a column of this shape I provide an. outer corner form 47 and an inner corner form 48. Both, forms have similar intumed end plates 49, pairs of brackets l, clamping bolts 52, pairs of flanges 53, ears 54 and bolted falseworks 56, quite comparable to the structure heretofore more fully described in connection with the planar.

form, but differing in that the opposite ends of the comer column and the attendant end structure are at right angles while in the case of the planar form the corresponding parts are in parallel relationship.'

To form the column faces I provide an outer L-shaped face plate 57 pivoted at the junction by a hinge 58, to

` permit the outer form 47 to be removedafterthe conbuildings having walls atv anotherfangle, either greaterf or less than 90 degrees, to use a form having its respective plates and flanges at such angle and being proportioned to give the required column dimension.

Corner columns are frequently poured using two `or more reinforcing bars 6l, wired to the mesh, for greater strength.

It is often'found useful to provide a wall column with a partition stub 62 as shown in Figure 1, helpful,for example in interior partitioningserving as a ground for plastering, or for ornamental and decorative purposes.

I therefore form in one halfof a planar column form a box-like or other configuration running the entire height of the form-half, or for only a portion of the height of the column, to create a decorative projection from the face of the column, as for example a small shelf. Although not illustrated, it is equally convenient to indent the form-half to produce in the finished column a hollow or a niche, useful, for example, as a telephone niche or other utilitarian or artistic purpose.

Openings in the frame or walls such as doors-and windows are'customarily strengthened by providing a column on each side of the opening.

Figures 1 and 7 are illustrative of the'casement type of windowfrequently used in construction of the present kind. Such window, often aluminum, comprises a rectangular framework 64 of hollow or box-like section and having, preferably, a projection 66 from each corner of the box to form a substantially concave face on each outer side of the hollow box section.`

In order to position the frame, a rectangular section ofv the wire mesh is cut out and the frame wired or spot welded into the cut-out area as at in Figure .7. A column form 67 is then clamped in position on each of the Stiles or vertical sections of the window frame. In many respects this form resembles the planar column form but differs in that on the window end of the form the end walls 68 are stubbed and have formed therein a slot 69 to receive a flat headed clamping bolt 71, whose head fits snugly a beveled hole in an adjustable or sliding end plate The adjustable end'plate 72 may extend either from bottom to top of the form, having in this cas'e a notch to accommodate the window frame, or the plate may be adjustable only over that portion of the end plate which will receive the window frame.

Figure 7 also illustrates a modification of my clamping bracket. Rather than utilizing angle irons fastened to the end plates I provide arms 73 extending from the face plate and being inwardly bent to form an L-shaped angle piece 74 through which extend the usual clamping bolts 76.

When concrete is poured into the window frame mold the concrete fills all vacant spaces therein including the concave portion of the window frame 64 extending into the mold. Thus, when the concrete hardens, the frame is securely locked in the mold.

Still another modification of my column form is shown in Figure 8. A face plate 77 extends between falsework cross-braces 78. End plates 79 along with that 'portion of the face plate 77 lying between the end plates define an open hollow 81 or box mold into which the concrete is poured. Near the b ottom of the column mold is welded a pair ofl ears 82 through which pass ap- .propriate fastenings 83 connecting the ears to the crossbraces 78. Bolts 84, spaced at predetermined locations up and down the column, serve to clamp the two halves together with the wire mesh 86 therebetween. It is to be noted that no concrete is poured into the space designated 87.

While ordinary bolts and nuts are entirely satisfactory in clamping the angle iron type of bracket under most circumstances, I provide a modification which lends itself particularly well to large scale building construction where the saving of time is of the essence. As is lshown in Figure 9, I provide one of the brackets 91 with a pair of ears 92 upstanding from the inner side of the bracket and having drilled through the ears a pair of registering holes. An eye bolt 93 is inserted between the ears and a pin 94- slid through'the ear holes and bolt eye and secured against lengthwise translation as by peening or riveting over each end of the pin. The bolt 93 is free to pivot about the pin and thus may be inserted in a slot 96 in the adjacent bracket 97 and a clamping effect exerted by taking up on a buttery nut 98.

When the columnar forms have been clamped together, and the falseworks and struts attached thereto, concrete can be poured into the mold from the top.` At the same time concrete can be poured and tamped in the foundation. When the concrete has suiciently set, the struts and falseworks can be removed and the brackets unclamped. The two form halves may then be taken olf and moved to the next wall section for further use.

In order to complete the wall panel between adjacent columns, as for example columns and 16 in Figure l, I provide a sheet 101 of plywood or comparable material having a length suicient to span the adjacent columns from center line to center line and preferably of convenient modulator lengths such as eight feet or ten feet, and ordinarily having a width of four feet so that one supported on the other will extend from the foundation to the usual wall height of eight feet. Angle iron stiieners 102 are fastened lengthwise of the sheet to resist the force exerted by the lightweight concrete material 103. A plurality of through bolts 104 clamp the sheets 101 together, the foundation boards supporting the bot- 'tom edge 106 of the sheets. 'Ihe through bolts are removed upon some hardening of the wall and the bolt holes plugged with concrete slurry.

Light weight concrete is ordinarily poured to within about six inches of the top of the wall. After some degree of hardening, the last or top six inches may be poured, using regular concrete, and either with or without a horizontal reinforcing rod for increased beam strength. This top portion of regularconcrete also serves to tie the top portion'of the wall together quite comparably to the function of doubled top plates in a frame Where wall openings such as a window are encountered, separate pours are often made. First, the panel below the window sill is covered by the plywood sheets and concrete poured up to the bottom of the sill. To pour the wall above the top sill, a retaining boardor metal sheet is placed on the top sill (or on Ythe lintel in the cue of a door) the sheets are bolted together, between the columns on each side of the opening, and the pour made.

What is claimed is:

l. A concrete column and wall construction form comprising a foundation form including a pair of longitudinal foundation boards located on opposite sides of a wire mesh disposed within a vertical median plane through said foundation, a plurality of bilaterally symmetrical boxes supported on said foundation boards, each of said boxes including a pair of channels facing each other on opposite sides of said median plane to form a plastic cement receiving compartment, each of said channels having a pair of ilanges at the upper end and atthe lower end thereof, each of said lianges having a rst portion extending longitudinally along the upper surface of the adjacent foundation board in opposite directions from said channel and a second portion extending transversely thereto, falseworks fastened to said second portions of said anges and supported by said foundation boards, each of said channelshaving mounted on opposite edges a plurality of pairs of brackets symmetrically disposed on each side of a horizontal median plane through said channels, said pairs of brackets on one of said channels registering with corresponding ones of said pairs of brackets on the other` of said channels for clamping engagement, and means for clamping together walls supported by a foundation, said columns and said walls being in bilaterally symmetrical relationship with respect to a vertical reinforcing wire mesh projecting upwardly from within said foundation toa height substanitally coincident with the top of said columns and l said walls, said foundation, said columns and said walls comprising in .assembled relation a monolithic structure substantially continuous throughout its length; the method comprising the molding of concrete along and on each side of the lower margin of said wire mesh to form a longitudinal foundation; clamping together on each side of said wire mesh a plurality of bilaterally symmetrical boxes spaced at modular intervals and supported adjacent the top of said foundation; molding concrete within said boxes to form a column disposed vertically above said foundation and supported thereby; removing said boxes after setting of the concrete; clamping together a plurality of pairs of panels each pair extending between adjacent columns and disposed on opposite sides of said columns and said wire mesh; molding lightweight concrete between said pairs of panels and said adjacent columns to a location approximately six inches from the tops of the columns and thetop of the wire mesh to form a lightweight wall; fastening a reinforcing rod to the uncovered portion -of the wire mesh, said rod extending between said adjacent columns; covering with concrete to the tops of said adjacent columns and said pairs of panels the previously uncovered portions thereof, and imbedding therein said wire mesh and said reinforcing rod to form a wall top plate; and removing said pairs of panels after at least partial setting of said lightweight concrete in said wall andsaid concrete in said wall top plate.

References Cited the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,448,883 Hall Sept. 7, 1948

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