Abstract:
An adjustable masonry arch form is disclosed. The adjustable masonry arch form comprises a planar base section to support the masonry elements which will comprise the masonry arch, and a plurality of attachment means secured to the planar base for securing the form to a structure. The adjustable masonry arch form is constructed from material rigid enough to support the masonry elements, but flexible enough to be bent to conform to any given arched construction without unwanted buckling of the form. The masonry elements which will comprise the masonry arch are placed directly on the planar base of the form in the desired configuration and secured in the masonry arch by mortar. The form is left in position permanently, obviating the need to build a temporary arch support saving time and expense and obviating waste of materials.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE  
         [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to an improved device for use in masonry applications. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an adjustable masonry arch form to support masonry elements in an arched construction.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    In building projects, such as residential homes and commercial buildings, ornamental masonry elements are often placed over/around various structural features for aesthetic purposes. This is especially common around windows and doors. As used in this specification, masonry elements/masonry shall mean stone, brick, or other earthen materials used for construction purposes, generally using mortar as a bond. The presence of masonry accents in a residential home can greatly increase its resale value, and provides the homeowner with the desired aesthetic look and feel he/she is seeking.  
           [0003]    The process of installing masonry elements over and/or around a desired structural feature varies depending on the shape of the desired structural feature. In some cases, the top of the structural feature will be horizontal (horizontal construction). In other cases, the top of desired structural feature will have an arched component (arched construction). By arched component it is meant any structural feature that has a change in elevation at any point intermediate between the ends of the structural feature. In the case of horizontal constructions, the standard practice is to lay the masonry elements across a supporting horizontal beam (commonly referred to as a lintel) set in place over the structural feature, for example a window. The lintel can be made from steel, wood, or reinforced concrete, depending on the size of opening and weight to be supported. The lintel commonly rests on the masonry that is installed up the sides of the window. The masonry elements are then installed on the horizontal face of the lintel in the configuration desired. The lintel remains a part of horizontal construction above the window or door.  
           [0004]    In arched constructions, this practice cannot be employed. As stated above, the materials that lintels are constructed from (steel, wood, or reinforced concrete) cannot be easily adapted to fit the contours of an arched construction. Therefore, other methods must be used to support the masonry elements that form a masonry arch in an arched construction. Several methods are typically used to support the masonry elements that form a masonry arch. The first method is to build an arch form, which is commonly constructed from plywood and dimensional lumber. The arch form must be constructed to exactly fit the contours of the masonry arch to be constructed, and is supported in place with wooden legs. The arch provides the surface to support the masonry elements forming the masonry arch while the mortar hardens. Once the mortar hardens, the arch form is removed and discarded. In addition, the mortar must generally be scratched or chiseled to conform to the appearance of the mortar forming the remainder of the structure.  
           [0005]    The second method is to drive nails or similar items into the outer edge of the exterior of a structure to support the masonry elements that forms the masonry arch. In order to provide sufficient support for the masonry elements, the nails must be placed close together, which necessitates the use of a large number of nails. Once the mortar hardens, the nails are removed. The removal of the nails leaves multiple holes in the exterior molding that must be repaired by filling the holes and painting the surface  
           [0006]    The third method is to support a section of lumber horizontal to the bottom edge of the masonry arch to be constructed. Once the section of lumber is in place, bricks or other material are stacked on the horizontal section of lumber to support the masonry elements that form the masonry arch. As is obvious, the bricks are placed in a jigsaw fashion until the proper height is reached to support each section of the masonry elements. This requires that the bricks be cut into smaller pieces to support various sections of the arch. In addition to being very time consuming, such a method leads to many bricks being wasted. In addition, the bricks can fall easily requiring the temporary form be reconstructed. Once the mortar hardens, the bricks and the horizontal section of lumber are removed.  
           [0007]    A fourth method to support the masonry elements that form a masonry arch is to use prefabricated arch supports. These arch supports are shipped with the arch structure preformed. However, these items must be specially ordered since the configuration of masonry arches varies from application to application, making a “standard” prefabricated arch form impractical. As a result, these prefabricated supports are expensive. In addition, the prefabricated supports create other problems. Since the supports are prefabricated in the form of an arch, they are bulky to ship and store, further increasing their cost. In addition, these preformed supports are more susceptible to damage during shipping and storage. As a result, if the units are damaged, construction may be delayed while replacement supports are obtained.  
           [0008]    Each of the methods discussed above suffer from several shortcomings. In general, the methods are tedious and time consuming to implement. As a result, the cost of the final construction can be increased dramatically. In addition, the arched constructions lack the strength of the horizontal constructions because of the lack of a solid lintel. In most cases, much of the weight of the masonry arch in supported directly by the structure over which the arch is installed, such as a door or window. This additional weight can cause damage. Therefore, what is needed is a device that will allow a masonry arch to be installed conveniently and economically. The device should be simple to use and not require the creation of complicated temporary structures that are expensive and time consuming to create. In addition, the device should eliminate the need to make costly repairs to the exterior of the structure caused by the installation process. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the adjustable masonry arch of the present disclosure.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable masonry arch form of FIG. 1 being installed over an arched door.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a side, cutaway view of the adjustable masonry arch form of FIG. 1 as installed in an arched construction.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a front, partial cutaway view of the adjustable masonry arch form of FIG. 1 installed over an arched window. 
     
    
     SUMMARY  
       [0013]    The adjustable masonry arch form of the present disclosure is an improvement over current devices available for installing masonry arches. The adjustable masonry arch form comprises a planar base section to support the masonry elements which will comprise the masonry arch, and a plurality of attachment means secured to the planar base for securing the form to a structure. In the embodiment illustrated, the attachment means is shown as a rounded flange. The adjustable masonry arch form is constructed from material rigid enough to support the masonry elements, but flexible enough to be bent to conform to any given arched construction. The adjustable masonry arch form is secured to the exterior of a structure by a securing means, such as screws, nails or staples. The masonry elements which will comprise the masonry arch are placed directly on the planar base of the form in the desired configuration and secured in the masonry arch by mortar. The form is left in position permanently, obviating the need to build a temporary arch support saving time and expense and obviating waste of materials, while providing additional strength to the arched construction. In addition, there is no repair required to the exterior surface of the structure.  
         [0014]    Therefore, it is an object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry arch form that is capable of being installed in any given arched construction at a construction site without the need to create or special order individually configured arch forms. It is another object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry arch form that is permanently installed in an arched construction, thereby obviating the time consuming and wasteful practice of creating temporary forms, and which provide additional strength to the masonry arch. An additional object of the disclosure is to provide an adjustable masonry arch form such that the planar base and/or attachment means will not be deformed as the ach form is bent to conform to the contours of an arched construction. Yet another object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry arch form that is economical to produce and simple to install, decreasing the overall cost of the finished arched construction. It is a further object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry arch form that can be easily shipped, transported and stored, thereby minimizing the risk of damaging the form and avoiding costly construction delays caused by ordering replacement arch forms. It is also an object of the disclosure to provide an adjustable masonry arch form that will prevent damage to the structural features over which masonry arches are installed. Additional objects and advantages will become apparent through the drawings and descriptions that follow.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    The adjustable masonry arch form  10  is illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 4 , where like numbers in the figures refer to like elements. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the form  10  is composed of a planar section  12 . The planar section  12  comprises longitudinal axis  14 , a front side  16  and a rear side  18  parallel to the axis  14 , and two ends  20  and  22 . The width of the planar section  12  is sufficient to support the masonry to be incorporated into the masonry arch. While the width can be varied as determined by individual applications as can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, in one embodiment the planar section  12  is 3 inches wide. For aesthetic purposes, it is desired that the width of the planar section  3  be slightly less than the width of the masonry elements to be incorporated into the masonry arch (as illustrated in FIG. 3). The form  10  can be manufactured in any length desired and can be cut to fit a given installation at the job site. A plurality of attachment means are secured to the rear side  18 . The attachment means are generally perpendicular to the axis  14  of the planar base  12 . In the embodiment illustrated, the attachment means are shown as flanges  22 . The flanges  22  may be of any desired configuration, but in the embodiment shown the flanges  22  are shown with rounded edges for ease of installation and to remove sharp edges which may cause injury to the installer. In one embodiment the flanges  22  each have an opening  24  for receiving a means to secure the form  10  to a structure. It is preferred that the opening  24  be centered on flange  22  for ease of use, but opening  24  may be placed anywhere on flange  22 .  
         [0016]    The flanges  22  are placed at intervals along the planar section  12 . In one embodiment, the flanges  22  are placed 1 inch apart along the length of the form. By spacing the flanges  22  apart from one another, the form  10  can be bent to conform to the contours of a desired arched construction without deforming planar base  12  and/or the attachment means, in this case flanges  22 . In prior devices, when the form is made to conform to the contours of an arched construction, the device would be deformed at undesirable locations in response to the bending force applied. This deformation is often referred to as splaying or buckling. As a result of the splaying or buckling of prior devices, the masonry element could not be installed in a uniform and aesthetically pleasing manner. The spacing apart of flanges  22  along the rear side  18  also allows the form  10  to be bent without requiring excessive bending force to be applied, allowing the form  10  to be installed at a jobsite with no special equipment required. The width of each individual flange  22  is such that the flange  22  can receive a securing means to secure the form  10  to a structure, but narrow enough so that the flange  22  will not interfere with the flexibility of the form  10 . In one embodiment the width of the individual flange is 1 inch. The above spacing distances and flange widths are given as examples only, and other spacing distances and flange widths may be used as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art and should be considered within the scope of this disclosure.  
         [0017]    The device  10  is made of a material that is rigid enough to support the masonry elements comprising the masonry arch, yet flexible enough to be bent to conform to the contours of an arched construction, typically over a window or door. A preferred material for construction of form  10  is 14 gauge steel, however, other materials may be used, including but not limited to high strength plastic or composite materials. Since the form  10  is flexible, it can be bent from its horizontal configuration to conform to the contours of an arched construction and secured in place at the site of use (illustrated in FIG. 2).  
         [0018]    The form  10  can be made by a variety of methods, the following being provided as example only. The form  10  may be formed from a single piece of material, in this example 14 gauge steel. The single piece of steel may be stamp or die cut to form the individual attachment means, in this case flanges  22 , at the desired intervals along the newly formed rear side  18 . Once the flanges  22  are formed, the flanges  22  can be bent upward such that they are generally perpendicular to axis  14  of the planar base  12 . The flanges  22  are illustrated with rounded edges for ease of installation and to minimize sharp edges, however, any configuration of flanges  22  may be produced. Alternatively, individual attachment means, in this case flanges  22 , may be produced individually and secured to the rear side  18  of planar base  12  by any convenient means, such as by welding. The form  10  is produced in a horizontal configuration. The benefits of making the form  10  in the horizontal configuration include ease of transporting, shipping and storing the form  10  as compared to prefabricated forms. Since the arch is not prefabricated, much less space is required to ship, transport and store the form  10 . In addition, because the form  10  is made in the horizontal configuration out of a sturdy material, the form  10  is less likely to be damaged during shipping, transport and storage, thereby eliminating possible delay in construction caused by obtaining replacement forms. Furthermore, since the form  10  can be bent to conform to any arched construction, there is no need to maintain a supply of prefabricated arch forms for use on different types of arched constructions, greatly decreasing the cost of storage and maintaining the proper inventory.  
         [0019]    As illustrated in FIGS.  2 - 4 , the form  10  is placed atop the molding of an arched construction over which the masonry arch is to be installed, illustrated best in FIG. 3 as molding  50 . The form  10  is then bent into shape over the molding  50  to conform to the shape of the molding  50  and provide a flat surface on which to place the masonry elements which will comprise the masonry arch. FIG. 2 shows the form  10  in its horizontal configuration ( 10 A) and after it is bent ( 10 B) to conform to the contours of the arched construction. The form  10  can be manipulated to fit any arched construction by simply cutting the form  10  to the desired length and bending the form  10  to conform to the contours of the desired arched construction. It is preferred that the form  10  be cut to the desired length before being bent to conform to the desired arched construction. Once the form is in place, the form  10  is secured to the exterior sheathing of a structure, illustrated as sheathing  52  in FIGS. 3 and 4, by a securing means. FIG. 3 shows the form  10  being secured to sheathing  50  by a nail  54 , however, other securing means, such as screws, staples, or bolts may be employed. Once the form  10  is secured, the flanges  22  may be covered with the appropriate waterproof construction paper to prevent seepage of water behind the form  10 .  
         [0020]    As discussed above, there are several alternate methods of supporting masonry elements in an arched construction. In most of these methods, the masonry elements are placed directly on the molding of the window or door over which they will be installed. In the case of installation over windows, the weight of the masonry elements stresses the window such that the panes in the window may be damaged. For example, it is not uncommon for the seal in a double-paned window to break under the weight of masonry elements, which are applied directly on the molding of the window. The use of the form  10  removes the weight of the masonry elements from the window or door, thereby preventing damage to these components, further reducing the costs of construction.  
         [0021]    Once form  10  is secured in place, masonry elements are then placed on the planar base  12  and arranged according to the specifications for the given arched construction. While any masonry elements may be used, FIG. 3 illustrates a typical brick  56  being installed on planar base  12 . FIG. 4 illustrates a vertically oriented paver  58  being installed on planar base  12 . The individual masonry elements are then secured in the desired arrangement by mortar or similar material. Once the mortar hardens, the installation of the masonry arch is complete. The form  10  remains as a part of the arched installation and it is not required to remove the form  10 . An additional advantage of the form  10  remaining a permanent part of the masonry arch is the form  10  provides a significant amount of strength to the masonry arch. As a result, the mortar holding the masonry arch together is less prone to crack as a result of normal settling of the structure and other factors. As a result, repair and maintenance cost may be significantly less in arched constructions having the additional strength afforded by form  10 , than in arched constructions without such additional strength. As discussed above, the width of the planar base  12  is les than the width of the masonry elements to be installed on planar base  12  such that planar base  12  is essentially invisible in the finished installation.  
         [0022]    The above has described several embodiments of the adjustable masonry arch form in detail so that the form and its principles of operation may be understood. The above discussion should not be interpreted to exclude additional embodiments of the form. With respect to the above description, it should be considered that the optimal dimensional relationships for the various parts of the form, including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those described above and illustrated in the figures are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative only, and should not be understood to limit the scope of the disclosure to the exact construction and operation discussed and illustrated.