Abstract:
A tool for concrete construction has a base provided with downwardly open channel for receiving an expansion joint with movement of said tool effecting straightening of expansion joint. Generally upwardly directed flanges are structured to be cooperating with a straight edge for facilitating straight movement of tool during straightening of expansion joint. The tool may also be employed to establish control joints. Related methods arc provided.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/984,912, entitled Expansion Joint Straightener/Control Joint Tool, which was filed on Apr. 28, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a tool for facilitating the straightening of expansion joints in concrete construction and establishment of control joints therein along with related methods. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    When pouring concrete slabs, expansion joints are needed for expansion and contraction that occurs in response to temperature changes in the weather and control joints are needed to help control cracking of the concrete as it cures. 
         [0006]    Setting an expansion joint is a difficult aspect of concrete construction. In order to make the finished product look professional and attractive, it is essential that the expansion joint be straight, without any kinks, curves, or slants in it over its entire length. This “straightening” of the expansion joint has traditionally been done visually. This requires the worker to stand to look at the expansion joint, then bend to tap it into place at various locations, standing to look at it again, going back on his or her knees to tap it into place this way or that, standing to look at it again, back down on your knees to make any further adjustments, standing again, until the desired result is achieved. This is an iterative process that could go on for five to ten cycles before the expansion joint is only visually straight, but may not be truly straight, thereby resulting in an aesthetically inferior expansion joint set. 
         [0007]    There remains, therefore, a very real and substantial need for an improved means of providing a straight expansion joint in concrete construction and to provide appropriate control joints. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The tool of the present invention also eliminates the iterative and inefficient process of getting up and down multiple times by providing a perfectly straight expansion joint. With one pass of the tool forward and one pass backward, a straight expansion joint is achieved, giving the concrete work a beautiful, professional appearance. The tool has a manually engageable handle secured to an underlying base. The base has a downwardly open elongated, generally centrally located expansion joint receiving channel and a pair of generally upwardly projecting parallel flanges adjacent to the lateral edges thereof. 
         [0009]    The tool and related method of the present invention also provides an efficient means of establishing a control joint by placing an insert piece into the tool and effecting tool movement. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an expansion joint straightener tool and associated method which facilitates providing a straight expansion joint. 
         [0011]    It is another object of the present invention to provide such a tool and associated method which facilitates employing a tool insert piece to create straight control joints. 
         [0012]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a tool and associated method wherein a downwardly projecting expansion joint guide channel and upwardly projecting straight edge guide flanges contribute to achieving the desired straight expansion joint. 
         [0013]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a uniquely configured control joint insert for use with the tool and associated method of the present invention. 
         [0014]    These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention on reference to the illustrations appended hereto. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the expansion joint straightener tool of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is right side elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a left side elevational view of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of a concrete slab in combination with the tool of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a cross-sectional view of a concrete slab with the tool of the present invention having a control joint establishing insert in position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of a control joint tool of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a left side elevational view of the control joint insert of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , there is shown the hand tool of the present invention which provides an efficient means for a straightening an expansion joint in a newly poured concrete slab. The hand tool has a handle  20  which, in the form shown, has a pair of openings  38 , 39  for receipt, respectively, of bolts  22 , 23  which pass through the openings respectively, and have their lower ends secured to plate  26  as by welds  19 , 21 , for example. Plate  26  is, preferably, made from steel, such as a stainless steel. The upper portions of bolts  22 , 23  pass through the openings  38 ,  39 , respectively, and are secured in position by nuts  24 , 25 . 
         [0026]    To facilitate manual engagement by the user, the handle  20  has a generally downwardly concave configuration, to provide space between the handle and plate  26  for manual engagement thereof. 
         [0027]    The free ends of the handle  20  are tapered generally outwardly as identified by reference number  40 , 41 . The tapered portions  40  and  41  of the handle  20  serve as a centering guide to visually assist in centering the tool over the expansion joint. 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIG. 7 and 8 , it will be seen that the outer surfaces of generally parallel flanges  34 , 35  are structured to engage straight edges positioned exteriorly thereof, such as straight edge  44  which has surface  45  in contact with the outer edge of flange  35  as shown in  FIG. 7  and straight-edge  52  having outer surface  53  in contact with the outer surface of flange  34  ( FIG. 8 ). In this manner, through the use of at least one such straight edge  44 , 52  which is positioned generally parallel to the expansion joint and are normally or otherwise restrained against movement. The straight edge  44 , 52  may be a wooden  2  by  4 , for example. The hand tool may be moved in a straight line with the expansion joint received within channel  36  in a first direction to straighten the expansion joint and reciprocally moving back toward the starting point to further straighten the expansion joint. This creates an efficient means of rapidly creating the desired straight configuration for the expansion joint without having to engage in the burdensome prior art practices. 
         [0029]    The tool has a downwardly open expansion joint guide channel  36  which receives the expansion joint  49 . This channel is defined by flanges  32 , 33  of respectively elements  28 , 29  which are preferably secured to the underside of plate  26  by any suitable means such as welds  30 , 31 , for example. At the other side of channel defining plates  28 , 29  are a pair of generally upwardly directed parallel flanges  34 , 35  which provide straight edges for guiding the hand tool. The curved transitions  37 , 43  disposed between the generally straight portions  47 , 48  of channel defining plates  28 , 29  and their respective flanges  32 , 33  serve to define the contour of the finished edge of the concrete on opposite sides of the expansion joint. These may be of any desired radius depending upon the desired finished appearance. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , concrete slab  46  has an upper surface  48  which is structured to support the tool of the present invention as it moves through the expansion joint  49  which is received with channel  36  between flanges  32 , 33  in order to straighten the joint. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , concrete slab  50  has upper surface  51  which supports the tool of the present invention for relative sliding movement thereof. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , reference will be made to an additional feature of the present invention wherein a control joint which is well known in concrete construction is established in a unique manner employing the tool of this invention. A control joint serves to resist undesired cracking of the concrete. In the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the tool of the present invention has a downwardly open channel  36  which is structured to receive a control joint piece  60  for positioning within concrete slab  50 . Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , certain details of the control joint piece  60  will be considered. The tool has a generally flat upper surface and two surfaces  68 , 70  tapering toward the bottom. The leading edge  64  is curved so as to facilitate movement thereof through the concrete and the trailing edge is generally flat. This enables the tool to function in one mode as an expansion joint guide for straightening the expansion joint and, in another mode, where it is desired to create the control joint, the tool for creating the same by inserting the control joint piece  60  followed by moving the tool through the concrete where the control joint is desired to be established. 
         [0033]    Whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details may be made without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.