Formwork component

A formwork component for the erection of cast structural walls, particularly for the erection of concrete walls. The formwork components includes a formwork plate with stiffening elements, for example, frames or girders, being mounted at the rear side of the formwork plate. Rails are provided on at least two oppositely located edges of the formwork plate. When several formwork plates are located next to each other or one above the other, the rails are located next to each other. The rails are connected by connecting elements, such as screws, clamps, or braces. Positioning, elements are provided on the rails. The positioning elements are projections and abutments which receive the projections and have a shape corresponding to that of projections.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. The present invention relates to a formwork component for erecting cast 
structural walls, particularly for erecting concrete walls. The formwork 
component includes a formwork plate member and stiffening elements, for 
example, frames or girders, mounted on the rear side of the formwork plate 
member. Rails are provided on at least two oppositely located edges of the 
formwork plate member. When two or more formwork components are mounted 
one above the other or next to each other, the rails of adjacent 
structural components are located next to each other and serve to receive 
connecting elements, such as screws, clamps, or braces. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Formwork components of the above-described type are known in the art. These 
components are used in the erection of large buildings and have 
substantial dimensions. For example, such formwork components may have a 
length of 3 meters and a height of 1.5 meters and, therefore, have a 
substantial weight. They can only be manipulated by means of lifting 
equipment. Formwork components of this type are combined to form large 
surfaces by placing them next to each other and above each other and 
connecting them by means of screws, bolts, and/or wedges in a frictionally 
engaging and positively engaging manner. It is difficult to exactly 
position these formwork components when placing them above each other for 
forming a formwork. Accordingly, it is already known in the art to provide 
wedge-shaped intermediate pieces which are placed in such a way that a 
formwork component which is to be placed on top of another formwork 
component can be moved at a right angle relative to the formwork surface 
in order to adjust the distance from the formwork surface and to avoid the 
formation of steps within the formwork surface. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a 
formwork component of the above-described type which can be exactly 
aligned relative to other formwork components to which it is to be 
connected, without requiring complicated structural features. 
In accordance with the present invention, the rails mounted on the formwork 
component include positioning elements in the form of projections which 
project from the rails and abutments for receiving the projections, 
wherein the abutments and the projections are shaped so as to correspond 
to each other. 
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part 
of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its 
operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are 
illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 of the drawing shows a formwork component according to the present 
invention with a formwork plate 3 which may be formed, for example, by a 
laminated wood plate. A plurality of parallel I-beams 14 are mounted on 
the rear side of the formwork plate 3. The I-beams 14 are, for example, 
formwork girders which may be manufactured of wood. Each I-beam 14 has an 
upper flange 15 and a lower flange 16 and a web 17 extending between the 
flanges. The components forming the I-beam 14 are glued together in the 
conventional manner. Wall tie beams 18 of channel sections are used for 
stiffening. 
The I-beams 14 are slightly shorter than the height H of the formwork plate 
3 and are arranged relative to the formwork plate 3 in such a way that the 
two end faces thereof are slightly recessed relative to the edges 19, 20 
of the formwork plate 3. The space defined by the edges 19, 20 and the end 
faces of the I-beam 14 is occupied by so-called stacking rails 21, 22. In 
the illustrated embodiment, the rails 21, 22 are each formed of two box 
sections 23. Between the webs 17 of the I-beams 14, the box sections 23 of 
the upper stacking rail 21 are connected to each other by means of 
connecting webs 24. The connecting webs 24 support a truncated cone-shaped 
projection 5 which has a central bore 9, as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the 
drawing. The angle defined by the conical portion of the truncated 
cone-shaped projection is approximately 90.degree.. The truncated 
cone-shaped projection is arranged in such a way that it is located 
between the box sections 23. 
The box sections 23 of the lower stacking rail 22 are also connected to 
each other by means of connecting webs 24, similar to the box sections of 
the upper stacking rail 21. The connecting webs 24 support a bushing 10 
with a conical interior constructed corresponding to the truncated 
cone-shape of the projection 5. 
In the embodiment of the formwork component illustrated in FIG. 5, the 
projections and abutments are provided at the upper and lower edges of the 
component, respectively. Of course, it is within the scope of the 
invention to provide corresponding projections and abutments at all four 
edges of the formwork components. 
When formwork components of the above-described type are mounted together 
to construct a formwork, the truncated cone-shaped projections and the 
bushings with the conical interiors engage in each other in a positively 
fitting manner and position the formwork components to be connected in 
longitudinal direction as well as in transverse direction. As a result, 
placement of the formwork components and the construction of an entire 
formwork from such formwork components are substantially simplified. After 
the formwork components have been positioned relative to each other, 
fastening screws are inserted in bores 9, 13 of the positioning elements. 
Instead of conically shaped positioning elements, it is basically also 
possible to use elements having a cylindrical shape. However, at least one 
of the two parts serving for positioning should have a beveled or 
conically shaped edge zone, so that the parts serving for positioning can 
be easily inserted into each other when the framework components are 
placed. 
FIG. 7 of the drawing shows another embodiment of the formwork component 
according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, two formwork 
components are placed on top of each other. The formwork plate 3 of this 
formwork component is formed by a frame 1 in the form of a box section. 
FIG. 7 shows how formwork components which may already be in use can be 
equipped subsequently with positioning elements according to the present 
invention. Thus, the projection 5 is arranged on a side 26 of a L-shaped 
sectional rail 25, wherein this side 26 supporting the projection 5 is 
connected to a rail member at the edge of the formwork component. The 
outer surface of the other side 27 of the L-shaped sectional rail 25 is 
arranged so as to be flush with the outer surface of the formwork plate 3 
which forms the formwork surface. The frames 1 of the structural 
components of the embodiment of FIG. 7 are constructed as box sections. In 
addition, FIG. 7 shows that the height of the side 27 of the L-shaped 
sectional rail 25 which is flush with the outer surface of the formwork 
plate 3, corresponds approximately to the height of the projection 5 or is 
slightly greater than the height of the projection 5. 
In the embodiments discussed above, the positioning elements are truncated 
cone-shaped projections and bushings with conically hollow interiors. The 
projections and bushings are constructed so as to correspond to each 
other. It is within the scope of the invention to provide truncated 
pyramid-shaped projections and hollow pyramids as the abutments or 
bushings. 
Also, in the embodiments described above, the abutment or bushing is 
constructed so as to be circumferentially closed. It is possible to divide 
the abutment or bushing into individual sectors in circumferential 
direction and to provide intermediate spaces between these sectors, so 
that the projections inserted in the abutments do not rest against the 
entire circumference of an abutment surface, but only along individual 
sectors. This configuration of the abutment or bushing is provided in 
order to facilitate cleaning of the abutment or bushing when concrete 
should accumulate in the abutment or bushing. An embodiment of this type 
is illustrated in FIGS. 8-11. As shown in FIGS. 8-11, the projection 5 is 
truncated pyramid-shaped, and the abutment 10 receiving the projection 5 
is formed by four conically shaped locks 28. 
FIG. 12 is a rear view of another embodiment of the formwork component 
according to the present invention. This formwork component has a 
circumferentially closed, rectangular frame 1 composed of U-shaped 
sectional rails or channel sections 2. The channel sections forming the 
frame are arranged in such a way that the open sides thereof face each 
other. A formwork component of this type may have a length of 3 meters and 
a height of 1.5 meters. However, the present invention is not limited to 
formwork components having these dimensions. 
Also, the formwork component illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13 has a plane 
formwork surface. However, it is also possible, as will be described 
hereinbelow, to provide a formwork component of this type with a curved 
formwork surface. 
The actual formwork plate 3 which forms the formwork surface is fastened to 
the front of the frame. This formwork plate 3 may be of metal, wood, or 
plastics material, or of a combination of these materials. As is 
particularly clear from FIG. 13, the edges of the formwork plate 3 may be 
slightly offset relative to the circumferential contour of the frame 1. On 
the side of the frame 1 facing away from the formwork plate 3, i.e. , on 
the rear side of the frame 1, pipe pieces 4 are welded to the comer 
portions of the frame. The pipe pieces 4 have horizontally extending axes 
and serve to receive fastening screws which are used for clamping together 
formwork components which are placed next to each other. In addition, the 
beams or channel sections forming the frame may be provided with cutouts 
through which fastening screws and connecting screws may be passed. 
However, these cutouts are not illustrated in the drawing. A plurality of 
projections 5 are fastened, for example, welded, to the upper horizontally 
extending beam of the frame 1. Specifically, the projections 5 are 
fastened to the side of the upper channel section 2 extending at a right 
angle to the formwork plate 3. The projections 5 are equally spaced from 
each other. 
FIGS. 14, 15 of the drawing show such a projection 5 on a larger scale in a 
cross-sectional view and a top view, respectively. The projection 5 shown 
in FIGS. 14, 15 has a circular base plate 6 which is connected, through a 
short cylindrical transition 7, to a truncated cone 8, wherein the angle 
defined by the side surfaces of the truncated cone is approximately 
90.degree.. A bore 9 extends through the center of the projection 5. The 
diameter at the bottom of the projection 5 is substantially greater than 
the height of the projection 5. 
As described above, bushings 10 which are shaped so as to correspond to the 
above-described truncated cones 8 of the projections 5 are mounted on the 
lower horizontal beam of the frame 1. The bushings 10 are arranged so as 
to be located opposite the projections 5 of another formwork component. As 
illustrated in FIGS. 16, 17, the bushings 10 are composed of a cylindrical 
base portion 11 with a hollow cone 12, wherein the hollow cone 12 is 
connected to a cylindrical bore 13. The axes of the bore 13 and of the 
hollow cone 12 extend concentrically with the center axis of the 
cylindrical base portion 11. The truncated cones 8 and the matching hollow 
cones 12 are mounted so as to coincide with bores which are provided in 
the sides of the sectional rails 2 which support the projections and 
abutments. This is schematically illustrated in the detail of FIG. 18. The 
bores serve as openings for passing fastening screws therethrough. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the positioning elements for the formwork 
components are arranged on the horizontally extending beams of the frame 
1. Of course, it is within the scope of the invention to also arrange the 
positioning elements at the vertically extending beams of the frame 1. 
When formwork components of the above-described type are placed in order to 
construct a formwork, the truncated cones 8 and the hollow cones 12 engage 
positively into each other and, as a result, position the formwork 
components to be connected in the longitudinal direction as well as in the 
transverse direction, so that the placing of such formwork components, or 
the construction of a formwork from such formwork components, is made 
substantially simpler. 
As a rule, the projections and abutments or bushings are mounted on the 
outer sides of the rails. However, it is also possible to arrange the 
abutments or bushings on the inner sides of the rails, not shown in the 
drawing. 
It should be understood that the preferred embodiments and examples 
described are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed 
as limiting the scope of the present invention which is properly 
delineated only in the appended claims.