Construction device

A device for securing a work object on a concrete structure in cooperation with a form used in pouring the structure, the device having an anchor member with a head portion; and a fastening member having portions for individually interconnecting the head portion of the anchor member and the form in a first attitude prior to pouring and the head portion and the work object in a second attitude subsequent to pouring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field Of The Invention 
The present invention relates to a construction device and more 
particularly to such a device which is useful in securing work objects to 
concrete foundations and the like operating in one attitude precisely to 
position an anchor member for embedding in the concrete at the time the 
concrete is poured and in a second attitude to secure the work object, 
such as a post, column, framing, or the like, to the anchor member after 
the concrete has been poured. 
2. Description Of The Prior Art 
It is frequently necessary in construction to secure structures such as 
posts, columns, pillars, framing or other work objects on concrete 
foundations or similar structures. Prior art practice calls for bolts, 
conventional brackets, or the like to be embedded in the concrete at the 
time the concrete is poured for use thereafter in securing the work 
objects to the foundation. This practice presents considerable and 
heretofore unresolved difficulties with conventional devices since precise 
positioning of such bolts or brackets is essential if the work objects are 
to be precisely positioned and properly mounted. 
Nowhere is this problem more acute than in home and building construction. 
Conventional practice calls for exterior wall frames to be assembled on 
the ground adjacent to the concrete foundation and subsequently to be 
erected on the foundation by the extension of bolts, embedded in the 
concrete, through holes drilled in the frames. Since no convenient means 
exists for precisely positioning the bolts, they are often not properly 
positioned. Since the bolts project above the upper surface of the 
foundation, they are frequently bent or otherwise damaged during 
construction to such a degree as to make them unusable. Furthermore, since 
the frame is assembled a distance away from the foundation, it is 
extremely difficult precisely to position the holes for receipt of the 
bolts. The result is that the bolts are often not used in a manner 
consistent with acceptable building practices and the framing is weakened 
by improperly positioned and excessive numbers of holes. In any event, the 
effect is that of weakening the overall strength of the structure, of 
increasing the costs of contruction, of delaying construction and of 
generally interferring with construction. 
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have a 
construction device which permits the precise positioning of anchor 
members to be embedded in concrete foundations and the like and which can 
be used thereafter for rapidly securing work objects to the anchor members 
without the need for painstaking adjustment or in any way compromising the 
structural integrity of the structure being built. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
construction device. 
Another object is to provide such a device which is adaptable for use in 
virtually any situations in which a work object must be secured to a rigid 
structure formed by solidifying a flowable mass. 
Another object is to provide such a device which can be operated in 
cooperation with construction forms precisely to position an anchor member 
relative to the form, which is adapted to receive poured concrete 
thereabout so as to position a connective portion thereof at the surface 
of the concrete structure so formed, which can thereafter be modified to 
anchor a work object to the connective portion in the precise position 
desired and which has an operational strength superior to any conventional 
device of comparable cost. 
Another object is to provide such a device which in a first attitude serves 
precisely to position the anchor member for the pouring of concrete 
thereabout and simultaneously forms a groove in the concrete structure so 
formed leading from the edge thereof to the connective portion of the 
anchor member for receipt of a portion of a fastening member employed in 
interconnecting the connective portion and the work object. 
Another object is to provide such a device which can readily be modified to 
increase the restraining capability of the device at minimal expense and 
difficulty. 
Another object is to provide such a device which facilitates the assembly 
and erection of wall frames on concrete foundations and the like. 
Another object is to provide such a device which has superior structural 
characteristics and yet can be sold at a price competitive with 
conventional devices. 
Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements and 
arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is 
dependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishing its 
intended purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring more particularly to the drawings, the construction device of the 
present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The device is 
shown in its first attitude in FIG. 1 wherein a construction form 11 has 
an upper edge surface 12. The form has an exterior side surface 13 and an 
opposite interior side surface 14. It will be understood that the form is 
secured in the upright position shown in FIG. 1 using suitable metal 
stakes or the like, not shown, in accordance with conventional practice. 
A concrete slab or foundation 15 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as having been 
poured within the form 11. The foundation has an upper surface 16 which is 
substantially coplanar with the upper edge surface 12 of the form. The 
foundation has a lateral edge 17 formed by facing engagement with the 
interior side surface 14 of the form. As will hereinafter be described, a 
groove or channel 18 is formed in the upper surface 16 of the foundation 
extending from the lateral edge 17 to a position inwardly therefrom. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the construction device 10 is disposed in a second 
attitude. A wall frame 19 is erected on the upper surface 16 of the 
concrete foundation 15. The wall frame is composed of a sill or horizontal 
piece 20 on which are mounted a plurality of upright studs, such as 
indicated at 21. 
As can best be seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the construction device 10 of the 
present invention has an anchor member 30. The anchor member is 
constructed of a rigid metal strap 31 which is bent to form the operative 
portions of the anchor member. The strap has a connective or head portion 
32. The head portion has a central, substantially flat segment 33 having 
an upper surface 34. Four concrete nail holes 35 are extended through the 
central segment in spaced relation to each other and preferably in the 
pattern visible in FIG. 3. A central hole 36, preferably of somewhat 
smaller diameter than the holes 35, extends through the segment 33 
substantially centrally thereof. The strap 31 has convergent segments 37 
forming part of the head portion 32. The convergent segments each have a 
pair of concrete nail holes 38 extending therethrough which are 
individually axially aligned with a corresponding pair of the nail holes 
35 of the central segment. The convergent segments and the central segment 
define a receptacle or slot 39 extending through the head portion 
substantially parallel to the upper surface 34 of the central segment. 
The metal strap 31 of the anchor member 30 is individually bent at the 
convergent segments 37 of the head portion 32 to form divergent legs or 
leg portions 45 extending to remote end portions 46. Between the 
convergent segments 37 and the end portions 46, each leg portion has a 
pair of apertures 47 extending therethrough. Corresponding apertures of 
the leg portions are preferably aligned along axes substantially parallel 
to the upper surface 34 of the central segment 33 for purposes 
subsequently to be described. The strap 31 is bent to form lateral 
segments 48 individually extending outwardly from the end portions 46 of 
the leg portions. 
The construction device 10, in addition to the anchor member 30, has a 
fastening member 60. The fastening member is preferably formed from a 
metal strap 61 which is bent to from the various portions of the fastening 
member. The fastening member thus has a central segment 62 which is 
dimensioned to be fitted over the upper edge surface 12 of the 
construction form 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The fastening member has a 
first portion or projection 63 extending substantially at right angles 
from the central segment to a remote end 64. The metal strap 61 of the 
fastening member is bent on the opposite side of the central segment from 
the first projection to provide an offset segment or portion 65. The 
fastening member has a second projection 66 integral with the offset 
portion and substantially parallel to the central segment 62. Thus, the 
second projection is substantially right-angularly related to the first 
projection 63. The second projection extends to a remote end 67. The 
fastening member has a plurality of nail holes 68 extending through the 
central segment 62, first projection 63 and second projection 66 thereof, 
as best shown in FIG. 8. 
For purposes of illustrative convenience, the first attitude for the 
construction device 10 is indicated by the numeral 69 in FIG. 1. 
Similarly, the second attitude for the construction device is indicated by 
the numeral 70 in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, nails 71 are employed 
in the use of the construction device as will subsequently be described. 
OPERATION 
The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is 
believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. 
Prior to pouring of the concrete foundation 15, the construction device 10 
is disposed in the first attitude 69 shown in FIG. 1. In this attitude the 
central segment 62 of the fastening member 60 is fitted over the upper 
edge surface 12 of the construction form 11 to position the first 
projection 63 in facing engagement with the exterior side surface 13 of 
the construction form. This orients the second projection 66 so as to 
extend inwardly from and at right angles to the interior side surface 14 
of the form. One or more nails 71 are driven through the holes 68 and into 
the form temporarily to hold the fastening member in position. It will be 
noted that because of the offset portion 65 of the fastening member, the 
second projection is disposed slightly below the upper edge surface 12 of 
the form. 
The head portion 32 of the anchor member 30 is slidably fitted on the 
second projection 66. This is accomplished by sliding the head portion 
about the second projection so that the second projection is received in 
the slot 39 with the leg portions 45 disposed below the head portion. The 
anchor member is positioned precisely as desired relative to the interior 
side surface 14 of the construction form. The anchor member is normally 
spaced inwardly from the interior side surface approximately one inch 
[2.54 cm.]. A nail 71 is then driven through the central hole 36 of the 
central segment 33 of the anchor member and through the desired nail hole 
68 of the fastening member. This temporarily secures the anchor member in 
the selected position relative to the construction form. All of the 
construction devices employed in the operation are mounted in the first 
attitude in this same manner. Subsequently, concrete is poured within the 
form and finished in the conventional manner. There is virtually no danger 
of dislodging the anchor members from the desired positions during the 
pouring and finishing operation because they are securely mounted in 
position. 
It will be noted that when the construction device 10 is positioned in this 
first attitude 69 and the concrete is poured into the form 11 to position 
the upper surface 16 of the concrete foundation 15 so formed substantially 
in coplanar relation to the upper edge surface 12 of the form, the upper 
surface 34 of the central segment 33 of the head portion is automatically 
positioned in substantially coplanar relation to the upper surface of the 
foundation. Similarly, since the second projection 66 is slightly below 
the upper surface of the form, the channel 18 is created in the foundation 
leading from the lateral edge 17 of the foundation to a point beyond the 
anchor member. The apertures 47 of the leg poritons 45 permit the concrete 
to flow through the leg portions so as to establish an even more positive 
mounting of the anchor member within the foundation. Where the anchor 
member is to be under unusually great upward pull, reinforcing rods, not 
shown, can be inserted through corresponding apertures 47 of the leg 
portions to offer still greater resistance to dislodging of the anchor 
member from the foundation. The lateral segments 48 of the leg portions 
offer resistance to dislodging of the anchor member from the foundation 
and permit the anchor member to be constructed of thinner metal. This 
permits reduction of the cost of the construction device to be reduced to 
a minimum clearly competitive with the cost of bolts conventionally used 
in construction. 
When the concrete foundation 15 has been permitted to set sufficiently, the 
nails 71 are removed from the central holes 36 of the anchor members 30 
and from the holes 68 of the fastening members 60. Subsequently, the form 
11 and fastening members 60 are removed from the foundation to draw their 
respective second projections 66 from the channels 18 in the foundation 
while leaving the anchor members 30 permanently secured in the selected 
positions in the foundation. Thereafter, the fastening members 60 are 
removed from the form. 
The fastening members 60 are then individually positioned with the first 
projections 63 individually slidably received and the channels 18 and 
slots 39 of the anchor members 30. The second projections 66 of the 
fastening members are disposed in the upright attitudes and positions 
shown in FIG. 2 appropriate for securing the wall frame 19 on the 
foundation. It will be seen that since the first projections 63 are 
effectively shorter than the second projections 66, the channels 18 are 
sufficiently long to accommodate virtually any adjustments of the 
fastening members on the foundation. When the precise positions for the 
fastening members are achieved, nails 71 are individually driven through 
the holes 35 of the central segments 33, the holes 68 of the first 
projections of the fastening members and the holes 38 of the convergent 
segments 37 and into the concrete foundation 15. This permanently affixes 
each fastening member in the selected upright position on the anchor 
member and foundation. 
Subsequently, the wall frame 19 is positioned in the desired upright 
position on the upper surface 16 of the foundation. A suitable number of 
nails 71 are driven through the nail holes 68 of the central segment 62 of 
each fastening member into the horizontal piece 20 and through the second 
projection 66 into the stud 21 of the wall frame. This permanently secures 
the wall frame in the precise desired position on the foundation without 
need for drilling any holes in the frame, or laborious adjustment and 
readjustment of various portions of the wall frame as required with 
conventional devices. Since the upper surface 34 of the central segment 33 
of the anchor member 30 is substantially flush with the upper surface 16 
of the foundation, the anchor member does not interfere with positioning 
of the wall frame or any other structure mounted thereon. 
Therefore, the construction device of the present invention permits the 
erection of wall frames, posts, pillars and the like on concrete 
structures such as foundations rapidly and with a precision not heretofore 
achieved in conventional practice while simultaneously affording a device 
which possesses a strength superior to that of any comparable conventional 
device and an adaptability to use in virtually any environment in which a 
work object must be anchored to a concrete structure. 
Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is 
conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is 
recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the 
invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details 
disclosed.