Method for formwork, and dismantling of formwork, of walls of poured material raised above a reference surface, and means for employment of this method

A method for assembly and disassembly of formwork for walls (1) of poured material raised above a reference surface (2) using boards (3) each including a shuttering face (4) and equipped with wheels (31, 32) at their base. Assembly includes from an unshuttered position, rocking toward the wall (1) to be shuttered of at least the base (29) of the shuttering face (4) of the board (3) by rotating about an axis defined substantially by the support points (10) of the wheels (31) on the reference surface until the lower edge (35) of the shuttering face (4) is made to rest on the reference surface (2). The rocking is continued toward the wall (1) to be shuttered of at least the base (29) of the shuttering face of the board (3) by rotating about an axis substantially defined by the lower edge (35) of the shuttering face of the board (3) until the wheels (31) are raised from the reference surface. For disassembly, the rocking about the two axes is performed in reverse.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a method for formwork, and dismantling of 
formwork, for walls of poured material raised above a reference surface, 
and means for employment of this method. 
More particularly it applies to making free-standing or load-bearing walls 
and internal partitions of buildings. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
At present, for formwork and dismantling formwork of building free-standing 
or load-bearing walls, boards (French Patent Disclosure A 1.277,437) are 
generally used, each including a shuttering face formed by one of the 
faces of a plate which is provided on its opposite face with 
reinforcements disposed along directions perpendicular to one another, in 
order by its rigidity to guarantee the geometric correction of the 
shuttered wall. 
The shuttering face generally has a height substantially equal to the 
height of the wall to be poured, and a width as great as possible while 
remaining sufficiently slight to limit the weight of the board and as a 
result, for each face of the wall to be shuttered, use is generally made 
of a plurality of boards disposed longwise of one another and assembled 
together by means that assure continuity of the shuttering face. 
Accordingly, these boards have their shuttering faces placed vertically 
facing one another, and they are braced against one another with a spacing 
between them corresponding to the thickness of the wall. 
On at least one of their ends, they are provided with closure panels that 
shutter the vertical edges of the walls, or at least assure that the 
poured material will not escape at the sides. 
To guarantee the verticality of their shuttering faces, these boards are 
associated, by their stiffeners, with a structure that affords the board 
at least one point of possibly adjustable support on the reference 
surface, at a certain distance from the shuttering face. 
In the case where the free-standing or load-bearing walls are poured 
separately from horizontal walls joining the upper edges of two successive 
walls, the structure is generally formed by triangular trusses provided at 
a suitable distance with a support on the reference surface (French Patent 
Disclosure A 1,277,437). 
In the most general case, where contrarily it is desirable, simultaneously 
with the vertical walls, to pour the horizontal wall that extends between 
the upper edges of those successive vertical walls, such as the ceiling 
slab of two free-standing or load-bearing walls of the same cubicle as a 
part of a building, the boards are disposed vertically with their 
stiffened faces facing one another, with a spacing between them 
corresponding to the distance between the vertical walls of the same 
cubicle and joined to one another: 
first, in their upper part, by flooring in one or more parts, having a 
shuttering face, formed by the upper face of a plate whose lower face 
cooperates with stiffeners disposed in two directions perpendicular to one 
another, to guarantee the geometric correction of the wall, and 
second, by adjustable crossbeams near their base. 
In this case, each board thus associated with the other board directly 
makes the structure that affords the other board the support point 
guaranteeing its verticality. 
The associated vertical and horizontal shuttering faces lend the entire 
formwork apparatus the shape of an inverted U, commonly called a tunnel. 
As for the flooring or at least one of its parts, it is known to associate 
it with a support structure on the reference surface that lends it the 
form of a table (French Patent Disclosure A 1,345,570). 
It is also known to make the shuttering part of the board inseparable from 
the shuttering face of at least one part of the flooring. 
In one known embodiment (French Patent Disclosure A 1.180,699), the 
flooring, properly stiffened by itself in two perpendicular directions, is 
cut into at least two lengths that are rejoined along the planes of joints 
parallel to the boards, and each length of flooring adjoins a board by its 
shuttering face associated with that of the board and by its transverse 
stiffeners articulated to the vertical stiffeners of the boards, so that 
the parts, generally called half-shells, of the tunnel-like formwork 
apparatus can be dismantled by deforming the dihedral angle between the 
length of flooring and the board. 
In another known embodiment (French Patent Disclosure A 1.512.440), the 
flooring is not stiffened, at least locally, by itself except in a 
direction parallel to the boards, and at the time the formwork is done, in 
order to have the requisite evenness, it rests freely on crossbeams 
associated with the stiffeners of the boards. 
To permit dismantling of the formwork, these support crossbeams of the 
flooring are each constituted by at least two profile sections articulated 
on the one hand to one another under the middle part of the flooring and 
on the other, by one of their ends, to the stiffeners of one of the 
boards. 
The profile sections of these crossbeams, commonly known as scissors, can 
be maneuvered so as to form an angle between them that turns its concave 
side toward the flooring, thus at least locally depriving the flooring of 
its transverse stiffeners, so that by its own weight or by traction it can 
sag and thus assure dismantling of the horizontal wall, but also of the 
top of the vertical walls, by inclination of a few degrees, because of the 
reduction in the spacing that the maneuvering of the scissors induces in 
the upper portion of the tunnel. 
In these two tunnel-type embodiments, and it is understood for pouring 
horizontal walls, such as closure panels provided on the boards, the 
flooring elements are equipped on their edges with slab-type stop panels, 
whose height is at least equal to the thickness of these horizontal walls, 
to prevent the poured material from escaping at the sides. 
Regardless of the type of board used to finish off the dismantling of the 
formwork, its base is also, in a second period of time, disengaged from 
the wall by action on the structure provided on the back of the boards. 
Although by itself the reference surface allows correct positioning of the 
boards both in height and in verticality, it does not allow determining 
the position of the base of the shuttering face of the board in the plane 
of this reference surface. 
For that purpose, benchmarks provided with vertical faces rising to a low 
height are provided on the reference surface, each defining the position 
of the plane of one face of the wall to be erected, and against which the 
basis of the shuttering faces of the boards can then be made to abut. 
To facilitate handling of these boards and the structures with which they 
are associated, the boards are currently equipped with wheels on their 
base that each rotate generally freely about an axis perpendicular to the 
shuttering face and supported by a cover attached directly to the back 
face of the shuttering plate, at a height such that the lower part of each 
wheel is located at a lower level than the lower edge of the shuttering 
face when the shuttering face is at least substantially vertical. 
The lower edge of the shuttering face of the board can thus, with play and 
hence without friction on the reference surface, enable displacement of 
the board in a direction parallel to itself. 
Since being supported by the wheels on the reference surface does not 
guarantee a definitive position of the board in its plane nor its 
immobilization, so that correct support is given to the boards in the 
formwork process, their wheels must be disengaged from the reference 
surface, and to that end, jacks are provided on the base of the boards, 
with a vertical axis and the lower end of which is provided with a runner 
for support on the reference surface. 
Thus in the embodiments known at the present time, for pouring, the lower 
edge of the shuttering faces of the boards is always raised by the initial 
play increased by the height of disengagements of the wheels from the 
reference surface. 
The corresponding interstice necessitates the provision, on the reference 
surface and/or on the boards, of means with a view to preventing the 
poured material from being capable of escaping. 
To that end, it is known to provide a removable panel on the base of the 
boards for closure of the aforementioned interstice, but this panel, 
commonly known as an underlay block, and its means for articulation to the 
board make the board more complicated and require that additional 
maneuvering be done on the building site, which has a deleterious effect 
on the cost. 
Another known solution consists in making positioning stops on the 
reference surface, which extend over the entire length of the boards and 
thus form footings of free-standing or load-bearing walls. 
To make these footings at the same time as the walls and the ceiling slab 
on the lower level, it is necessary to provide not only the means 
associated with the boards on the lower level but also formwork angles for 
the footing and means for flanging them in the required position, which 
also increases the cost of the building site equipment and the cost for 
construction. 
Moreover, the support of the shuttering face of the board on such a footing 
is never perfect, and hence defects in surface evenness appear on the 
formwork wall. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
One of the objects the invention seeks to attain is a method for formwork 
and dismantling thereof that assures perfectly tight sealing at the base 
of the boards, without requiring the provision of underlay blocks or 
footings for free-standing or load-bearing walls. 
Another object the invention seeks to attain is a board that is simple and 
easy to use. 
To this end, its subject is a method of the type described above 
characterized in particular in that: 
for the formwork: 
from the unshuttered position, by rocking toward the wall to be shuttered 
of at least the base of the shuttering face of the board, to that end 
rotating about an axis defined substantially by the support points of the 
wheels on the reference surface, the lower edge of the shuttering face is 
made to rest on the reference surface, and then 
continuing the rocking toward the wall to be shuttered of at least the base 
of the shuttering face of the board but to that end rotating about an axis 
substantially defined by the lower edge of the shuttering face of the 
board, the wheels are raised from the reference surface, and conversely, 
for dismantling the formwork: 
from the shuttered position, by rocking of at least the base of the 
shuttering face of the board in the direction of its spacing apart from 
the shuttered wall, by rotating about the axis substantially defined by 
the lower edge of the shuttering face, the wheels are made to rest on the 
reference surface, and 
continuing the rocking in the same direction but rotating now about the 
axis substantially defined by the support points on the reference surface, 
the lower edge of the shuttering face is raised from the reference surface 
.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The shuttering face 4 has a height substantially equal to the height of the 
wall. 
For formwork for a free-standing or load-bearing wall, these boards 3 are 
placed vertically with their shuttering faces 4 facing one another and 
joined to one another by spacer races (not shown) that between them 
maintain a spacing equal to the thickness of the wall. 
To guarantee the verticality of the boards 3, the boards are associated by 
their stiffeners 7, 8 with a structure 9 offering at least one, optionally 
adjustable, point of support 10, 11 on the reference surface 2, at a 
certain distance behind said board. 
In the case where the vertical walls 1 are poured separately from 
horizontal walls 12 joining the upper edges 13 of two successive walls, 
the structure (not shown) may be formed by triangular trusses provided 
with a suitable distance from a support on the reference surface. 
In the more general case where contrarily, simultaneously with the vertical 
walls 1, one wishes to pour the horizontal wall 12 extending between the 
upper edges 13 of these successive vertical walls 1, such as a ceiling 
slab 12, the boards 3 are disposed vertically, with their strengthened 
faces 5 facing one another, with a spacing between them corresponding to 
the distance between the vertical walls 1 of the same cubicle and 
connected to one another: 
on the one hand, in their upper portion 14, by flooring 15 in one or more 
parts, having a shuttering surface 16 formed by the upper face of a plate 
17, whose lower face 18 cooperates with strengtheners 19, 20 disposed in 
two perpendicular directions, so as to guarantee the geometrical 
correction of the horizontal wall at the time of the formwork, and 
second, by adjustable crossbeams 22 near their base 21. 
In that case, the boards 3 thus associated each directly make the structure 
9 that offers the other board the support point that guarantees its 
verticality. 
The shuttering faces 4, 16 thus combined lend the overall formwork 
apparatus the shape of an inverted U, known as a tunnel. 
The flooring 15, or at least one of its parts, may be associated with a 
structure (not shown) for support on the reference surface. 
Generally, the shuttering face 16 of the flooring is made inseparable from 
the face 4 of at least one of the boards. 
For example (FIG. 6), the flooring 16 is cut into at least two lengths that 
are joined together along joint planes parallel to the boards 3, and each 
length adjoining one board has its shuttering face 16 thus associated with 
the shuttering face 4 of the corresponding board, and has its transverse 
stiffeners 20 articulated to the vertical stiffeners 7 of the boards 3, to 
enable dismantling the formwork by deformation of the dihedral angle 
formed by the shuttering faces 4, 16 in question, for example by acting 
upon a prop 23 associated with the free end of the flooring part 15. 
In a variant embodiment (FIGS. 4 and 5), the flooring 15 is not stiffened 
at least locally by itself except in a direction parallel to the boards 3, 
and at the time of the formwork (FIG. 4), in order to have the requisite 
flatness, it rests freely on crossbeams 20 associated with the stiffeners 
of the boards. 
To enable the dismantling of the formwork, these crossbeams supporting the 
flooring are each constituted by at least two profile sections 20 
articulated about an axis 24 parallel to the boards: 
first, between them, under the median portion of the flooring, and 
second, at one of their ends 25, to the stiffeners 7 of one of the boards 
3. 
The profile sections of these crossbeams 20, commonly called scissors, may 
be maneuvered in such a way as to form an angle between them that turns 
its concavity toward the flooring 15, thus depriving the flooring of its 
transverse stiffeners so that by its own weight or by traction it can 
curve inward (FIG. 5), and to assure the dismantling of the formwork for 
the horizontal wall 12 but also of the top of the vertical walls 1 by 
inclination by several degrees, because the reduction in the spacing that 
maneuvering the scissors beings about in the upper portion, hence the 
designation "retractable tunnel" that is conventionally given to it. 
On this reference surface 2 (FIG. 2), benchmarks 26 are provided, which 
have vertical faces 26b rising to a low height, each defining the position 
of the plane of one face 48 of the vertical wall 1 to be erected and 
against which the bases 29 of the shuttering faces 4 of the boards can 
then be made to abut to determine the position of the case of their 
shuttering face in the plane of said reference surface, but also to afford 
firmer support than on the freshly poured concrete when the formwork is 
dismantled. 
These benchmarks 26 may, in a known manner, be formed of concrete crosses 
of any arbitrary thickness, but with a width of the vertical and 
horizontal arms, 27 and 28, respectively, corresponding to the width of 
the vertical and horizontal walls to be shuttered. 
Between the boards 3 shuttering each vertical wall 1, crosses are then 
simply engaged by one of their vertical arms until their horizontal arms 
abut the top of the boards so that above the horizontal arms or above the 
ceiling slab 12 that is to be poured, the upper vertical arm 27 of the 
cross forms the necessary benchmark 26 for the wall 1 that will then be 
shuttered at the higher level. 
The remainder of the cross 26 will be embedded in the poured walls. 
To facilitate the manipulation of these boards 3 and of the structures 9 
which are associated with them, these boards 3 are equipped with wheels 
31, 32 at their base, each rotating generally freely about an axis 33 of a 
cap 34 associated with the board in such a manner that in the position for 
dismantling the formwork, with the board ready for displacement, it rests 
on the reference surface 2, while the lower edge 35 of the shuttering face 
4 is spaced apart from the surface 2. 
The board is furthermore provided with means 36, which at the time of the 
formwork contrarily keep these wheels above the plane of the reference 
surface 2. 
For the formwork, instead of raising the board 3 and its wheels from the 
reference surface 2 by maneuvering support jacks on the reference surface 
for that purpose and employing means for closure of the interstice thus 
created on the lower edge of the shuttering face, either beforehand or 
afterward depending on the nature of these closure means, according to an 
essential characteristic of the method that is the subject of the 
invention: 
for the formwork: 
from the unshuttered position (FIG. 3), by rocking at least the base 29 of 
the shuttering face 4 of the board 3 toward the wall 1 to be shuttered, 
rotating it to that end about an axis defined substantially by the support 
points 10 of the wheels 31 on the reference surface, the lower edge 35 of 
the shuttering face 4 is made to rest on the reference surface 2 (FIG. 2), 
and then 
continuing rocking at least the base 29 of the shuttering face of the board 
3 toward the wall 1 to be shuttered but to that end rotating it about an 
axis substantially defined by the lower edge 35 of the shuttering face of 
the board 3, the wheels 31 are raised from the reference surface (FIG. 1), 
and conversely, 
for dismantling the formwork: 
from the shuttered position (FIG. 1), by rocking of at least the base 29 of 
the shuttering face 4 of the board 3 in the direction of its spacing apart 
from the shuttered wall 1, by rotating about the axis substantially 
defined by the lower edge 35 of the shuttering face 4, the wheels 31 are 
made to rest on the reference surface 2 (FIG. 2), and 
continuing the rocking in the same direction but rotating now about the 
axis substantially defined by the support points 10 on the reference 
surface 2, the lower edge 35 of the shuttering face 4 is raised from the 
reference surface 2. 
In a first operating mode that is more precisely but not exclusively 
applicable when the horizontal walls are poured independently of the 
vertical walls, rocking actions are done while preserving the flatness of 
the shuttering face of the board. 
In a preferred mode of operation (FIGS. 4-6), the rocking actions are done 
in one direction and in the other, respectively, by cradling and 
uncradling the shuttering face to lend it, in profile, a concavity 
oriented toward the wall during the dismantling, and contrarily during the 
formwork to cancel this concavity and have the requisite flatness. 
One of the essential advantages of the method is indeed that of avoiding 
recourse to footings of free-standing or load-bearing walls or to underlay 
blocks, since there is no longer any interstice to be plugged under the 
lower edges of the shuttering faces. 
Another major advantage of the method, according to which the rocking is 
done by cradling/uncradling, is an ease of manipulation of the slab in the 
cubicle because of the resultant reduction in height for the board. 
In the case where the boards are used independently of any shuttering 
flooring, they can nevertheless advantageously be used as a support for 
the prefabricated slab, thus allowing the simultaneous pouring of the 
ceiling and of free-standing or load-bearing walls, regardless of the 
absence of flooring. 
The means for employing this method include in combination: 
rollers 31 for support, at the time of formwork dismantling, on the 
reference surface 2, which are associated with the shuttering face 4 at a 
distance and height such that in the shuttered position, these rollers 
will be located entirely above the level of the lower edge 35 of the 
shuttering face 4, 
means 37 for controlling the rocking actions of at least the base of the 
shuttering face of the board. 
In a preferred embodiment, the rocking control means include means for 
alternatingly controlling the cradling, at the time of the formwork 
dismantling, and cradling, at the time of the formwork, of the plate 6 of 
the shuttering face in a direction lending the shuttering face, as seen in 
profile, at the time of the formwork dismantling, a concavity turned 
toward the wall 1. 
To this end, the horizontal longitudinal stiffeners 8 of the plate of the 
board 3 having the shuttering face 4 are solidly joined to the back face 5 
of this plate 6 having the shuttering face 4, in such a manner as to 
constantly assure its longitudinal rigidity, the vertical stiffeners 7 in 
turn being independent, at least in their median portion, of the plate 6 
and of its horizontal stiffeners 8 and constituted by cross beams, which 
in the shuttered position simply assume support against the horizontal 
stiffeners 8, these crossbeams 7 being constituted by at least two profile 
sections, on the one hand articulated to one another in the manner of 
scissors about a horizontal axis 38 behind the shuttering plate 6, 
substantially halfway up that plate, and on the other, connected at one of 
their ends 39 at least indirectly to the upper 40 and lower 41 edges of 
the board 3 respectively. 
Preferably, although not shown except in FIG. 6, in the various 
embodiments, beyond their common axis, the profile sections constituting 
the scissor arms are extended on the side opposite their end associated 
with the board, so that this extension cooperates with the stiffening of 
the plate. 
To the same end, the brace (not shown) joining the shuttering boards on the 
two sides of the same free-standing or load-bearing wall will then 
preferably be supported on a flange solid with this extension of one of 
the blades of the scissors, which flange, in the shuttered position, will 
in turn be supported on the other blade of the scissors. 
The board also includes a means 37 for maneuvering the scissors, such as a 
screw jack or hydraulic jack. 
Since the weight of the plate does not assist the plate in its cradling, 
advantageously, the board may include linkage means between the panel, or 
at least one of its horizontal stiffeners, and the scissors. 
To control the simultaneous cradling of the boards of the same tunnel, the 
scissors of opposed boards are joined by an adjustable-length crossbeam 
37, such as a screw jack or hydraulic jack which during the pouring also 
assures the restoration of the hydrostatic pressure of the concrete. 
The support on the reference surface 2 of the lower edge 35 of the 
shuttering face 4 may advantageously be effected by way of a sealing 
gasket, so as to absorb any irregularities due to roughness of the 
reference surface. 
The fact that the boards 3 are designed as claimed above will be understood 
not to present any hindrance to the simultaneous formwork, in at least one 
cubicle, they include a third vertical wall, perpendicular to the 
preceding two, a bottom panel (not shown) whose peripheral sealing 
tightness at the time of the formwork is assured by an inflatable cushion, 
and which at the time of dismantling of the formwork may be placed in an 
inclined position along the diagonal of the cubicle and leaving the 
cubicle on a carriage, for example. 
It will be understood that any accessory means known at present, such as 
closure panels and slab stops, may be combined with the aforementioned 
means.