Corner assembly

A construction form 10 for forming a concrete wall having an acute female corner 26 includes an outer wall 14, an inner wall 16, an intermediate wall 18 defining an inside corner 20 and an outside corner 22. The form 10 includes a corner assembly 12 mounted to the inner wall 14 by fasteners 30 which allow separation of the inner 14 and outer 16 walls from the corner assembly 12. Thereafter, the corner assembly 12 is movable in any radial direction within the female corner 26.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to construction forms for pouring concrete and, more particularly, to wall forms having corners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Form assemblies for pouring concrete walls, and brick seats are well known. Typically, a form assembly includes a pair of forms spaced apart and linked by form ties. Liquid concrete is poured between the forms and allowed to cure or harden, thereby forming a concrete wall. The thickness of the concrete walls can be adjusted by the selection and utilization of form ties of appropriate length. Typical forms are constructed of plywood, steel or aluminum and are stripped from the concrete wall after the concrete has cured.

Typically, prefabricated form components are used in the construction of a form assembly. Generally, it is understood by those skilled in the art that the size of the form component used to construct form assemblies vary depending on the application for which the form assembly will be used.

In conventional concrete wall construction, the form assembly is assembled at a job site. These form assemblies are often custom-built from wooden studs sheathed with plywood for one-time use. Advantageously, on larger construction sites, reusable mobile form assemblies are used, typically ganged together and shifted as the height and length of the concrete wall is increased.

When the structure wall is irregular to present an inside corner, the form assembly to define that inside corner is often complex but more importantly, it is frequently difficult to remove the construction form from the inside corner. In other words, after the structure wall is self supporting where the construction form can be removed, the corner assembly of the form frequently has an interference fit, thereby making it difficult to remove the construction form from the structure wall. In particular, the forces created at an inside corner of a form, such as when pouring a concrete wall having a pier or a column, may be significant, thereby causing the removal of the corner assembly from the structure to be time consuming and labor intensive. In addition, constructing a structure having an inside corner generally requires several components configured together in order to achieve the desired configuration of the structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

The subject invention provides a corner assembly for a construction form. The assembly includes an outer wall and an inner wall spaced from the outer wall. An intermediate wall extends between the outer wall and the inner wall and defines an inside corner at the juncture thereof with the intermediate wall. The intermediate wall also defines an outside corner at the juncture thereof with the inner wall. Portions of the intermediate wall and the inner wall define a corner assembly separable from the outer and inner walls to allow the outer and inner walls to be removed from a female corner in a formed construction wall formed therein without removing the corner assembly from the acute female corner of the construction wall.

The corner assembly of the present invention enables a construction form to remain intact and be easily removed from a structure formed therein having the female corner, thereby substantially reducing labor, time and materials required to erect, remove, and re-erect the construction form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a construction form is generally shown at10and includes the corner assembly of the subject invention, generally indicated at12.

The construction form10includes an outer wall14and an inner wall16that is parallel to and spaced apart from the outer wall14. An intermediate wall18extends between the outer wall14and the inner wall16to define an inside corner20at the juncture of the intermediate wall18and the outer wall14. The intermediate wall18may extend perpendicularly from the outer wall14or any other suitable angle. The intermediate wall18also defines an outside corner22at the juncture of the intermediate wall18and the inner wall16. The intermediate wall18extends from the inside corner20at the outer wall14to the outside corner22at the inner wall16. The outer wall14may be integrally formed with the inner wall16or the outer and inner walls14,16may be built separately and mounted together.

Portions of the intermediate wall18and the inner wall16define the corner assembly12which is separable from the outer and inner walls14,16along a diagonal interface24. Also that portion of the inner wall16defining the corner assembly12is equal in length to the entire length of the intermediate wall18; however, it is to be understood that the length of the portion of the inner wall16defining the corner assembly12may be equal to, longer or shorter than that portion of the intermediate wall18defining the corner assembly12. The corner assembly12is independent from and separates from the inner and outer walls16,14along the diagonal interface24extending between the intermediate wall18at the inside corner20and the inner wall16. In other words, the diagonal interface24is disposed at a forty-five degree angle and consumes all of the intermediate wall18, as shown, but may be at different angles to vary the length of the relative portions of the intermediate18and inner walls16which define each corner assembly12. Although the corner assembly12includes the entire intermediate wall18from the inside corner20at the outer wall14to the outside corner22at the inner wall16, it will be appreciated that only a portion of the intermediate wall18need be included in the corner assembly12, i.e., the diagonal interface24would be spaced from the inside corner20. The corner assembly12, may be integrally formed with either one of the inner or outer walls16,14or both. Moreover, the corner assembly12may be removably mounted to either one of the inner and outer walls16,14or both.

The assembly10includes a lost motion device comprising a plurality of fasteners30interconnecting each corner assembly12and the outer wall14. The fasteners30may include a plurality of threaded bolts, screws, and nuts or the like. Each fastener30is disposed through the rear of the outer wall14so as to be accessible therefrom. The fastener30extends through the interface24and into the associated corner assembly12. As shown inFIG. 3, concrete is poured into the construction form10to form a concrete wall28having an acute female corner26, as formed and defined by the corner assembly12. Each fastener30interconnects a corner assembly12and the outer wall14such that the corner assembly12may be removed from being wedged into the acute female corner26of the concrete wall28after the outer wall14is disconnected via the fasteners30from the corner assembly12. As will be appreciated, the lost motion device30may be a slideable member or any other suitable type of quick disconnect (not shown) interconnecting the walls14,16and each corner assembly12.

During the fabrication of the construction form10, the fasteners30are tightened to hold each corner assembly12and the inner and outer walls16,14together. Once the concrete wall28is set, the fasteners30are loosened to allow the corner assemblies12to remain wedged in the acute corner26of the concrete wall28thereby permitting the outer and inner walls14,16to be pulled away. Once the outer14and inner16walls are free and spaced from the concrete wall28, the corner assembly12is free to move in any direction within the acute angle of the acute corner26in the concrete wall28.

In the arrangement ofFIGS. 1-3, the corner assemblies12are disposed at opposite ends of the inner wall16, i.e., the corner assemblies12face away from one another. In the arrangement ofFIG. 4, a pair of corner assemblies12are spaced from one another and are mirror images of one another. In yet another arrangement as shown inFIG. 5, corner assemblies12are disposed on the construction form10with a complimentary corner component34so as to define a recess in the concrete wall. The corner assemblies12ofFIG. 5may be placed on the custom corner components34and are connected thereto with the lost motion fastener30.

The outer14and inner16walls are structurally part of a form wall, generally indicated at38, comprising horizontally extending backing boards or plywood sheets40and vertically extending stringers42. Horizontal planks or channels45extend between the boards40and the outer14and inner16walls. In the arrangement ofFIGS. 1-3, two such form walls38are parallel and spaced from one another to define a space for receiving concrete and forming the concrete wall28. The ends of the form walls38are interconnected by end walls44. The arrangement ofFIGS. 4 and 5differ by utilizing only one form wall38with the corner assemblies12attached thereto and a plain back wall46. The corner assembly12, the outer and inner walls14,16and the intermediate wall18and/or the entire form wall38may comprise wood, steel, plastic or any other suitable material. A tie48is disposed between the spaced form walls38to hold the construction form10together. The back wall46is spaced from the outer14and inner16walls to define a forming cavity therebetween. However, as shown inFIGS. 1-3, instead of a plain back wall46two form walls38may be spaced apart to define cavities by the outer14and inner16walls facing one another. In either case, ties48having first and second ends are disposed between one of the inner16and outer14walls and the back wall46or like form wall38to retain the spaced walls. A tie48is disposed between the spaced form walls38to hold the construction form10together.

Once the construction form10is fabricated, the concrete or other structural material is disposed in the cavity against the inside of the walls14,16,18to form a structure wall28. The structural material may be liquid concrete, bricks or any other suitable material. As the structural material is introduced into the construction form10and cures to form the structure wall28, a wedging force is exerted on the corner assemblies12which inhibits removal of the corner assemblies12. Accordingly, the fasteners30are loosened which allows the outer14and inner16walls to be moved a slack distance from each corner assembly12leaving the corner assembly12wedged into the acute angle26of the formed concrete wall28. With the inner14and outer16walls spaced from the corner assembly12, the corner assembly12may be moved in any direction radially within the acute angle of the acute corner26for easy removal.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than limitation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the amended claims.