Abstract:
A concrete floor system used in a building structure and a method of making floor components used with the floor system. The concrete floor system, if installed on grade, provides for expansion and contraction due to expansive soils and eliminates cracks, which heretofore occurred in poured concrete slab floors. The concrete floor system includes a plurality of parallel concrete beams. The beams can be made up of hollow concrete blocks for reduced weight and receiving a tension cable therethrough. Also, the beams can be either solid pre-cast beams, solid pre-cast, pre-tension beams or solid pre-cast, post-tension beams. Opposite ends of the cable are held on end plates inside recessed ends of each hollow beam. The ends of the beams are adapted for mounting next to the inside of the sides of a building foundation wall. The beams can be in a range of 5 to 20 feet and greater in length depending on the dimensions of the concrete floor. A top portion of the each parallel beam is adapted for receiving a plurality of angular shaped floor panels. The floor panels interlock next to the top portion of the beam. The floor panels and concrete blocks, used in making up one of the embodiments of the concrete tension beams, are readily adapted for making in a standard high production concrete block machine.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a concrete floor system and method of making components used in the floor system and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a floor system having a plurality of pre-cast beams, or pre-tension beams or post-tension concrete beams used for receiving a plurality of interlocking concrete floor panels. The concrete floor system eliminates the use of building concrete forms, eliminates the pouring of a concrete floor in place and eliminates cracks commonly found when a concrete slab floor is poured on grade and due to the expansion and contraction of expandable soils under the concrete slab. 
     (b) Discussion of Prior Art 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,497 to Wilmer et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,457 to Hart, a clamp with rod is illustrated for holding a plurality of concrete blocks together and a method of forming a pre-stressed concrete plank or beam made up of a plurality of blocks. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,375 to Boux, a floor building system is disclosed. The building system includes concrete slabs with concrete infill along with forms for holding the slabs in place. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,629 to Azimi and U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,357, two different ways of modular pre-cast construction are described for joining blocks together. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,801 to Hereford, a roof truss and decking system is disclosed using multiple blocks placed in compression. 
     None of the above-mentioned prior art patents specifically disclose the unique features, combination of structure, function and advantages of the subject concrete floor system as described herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is a primary objective of the subject invention to provide a unique concrete floor system, which eliminates the use of concrete forms and pouring a concrete floor in place at the building site thereby reducing cost of labor in building the floor. The concrete floor system is easily adapted for mounting next to the inside of the sides of the building&#39;s concrete foundation walls and supported on steel or concrete lentals attached to the sides of the foundation walls. 
     Another object of the floor system is the floor components can be fabricated off site and delivered on site when the foundation walls are completed. Also, the floor components can be easily removed and replaced. Further, removing floor components allows access under the floor. 
     Yet another object of the floor system is the use of different types of concrete beams, which can be cut to a desired length. The beams can be solid pre-cast concrete beams. Also, the beams can be solid pre-cast, pre-tension beams. Further, the beams can be solid post-tension beams. Still further, the beams can be post-tension beams made of a plurality of hollow concrete blocks compressed together. The hollow beams made up of concrete blocks reduce the overall weight of each beam. The ends of solid and hollow concrete beams include recessed end plates, which allow the beams to be cut to size for custom installation. Also, interlocking concrete floor panels can be cut to size for custom installation. The use of individual concrete floor panels, when the floor system is on grade, provides for expansion and contraction due to expansive soils. This feature eliminates cracks, which heretofore occurred in poured concrete slab floors. 
     Still another object of the floor system is certain components of the floor system can be produced in a high production standard concrete block machine for reducing the cost of making the components. 
     The concrete floor system includes a plurality of parallel concrete beams. The beams can be made of a plurality of hollow concrete blocks for reduced weight and receiving a tension cable therethrough. Also, the beams can be either solid pre-cast beams, or solid pre-cast, pre-tension beams or solid post-tension beams. Opposite ends of the cable are held on end plates inside recessed ends of each beam. The ends of the beams are adapted for mounting on steel or concrete lentals attached to the sides of the foundation walls. The beams can be in a range of 5 to 20 feet and greater in length depending on the dimensions of the concrete floor. A top portion of the each parallel beam is adapted for receiving a plurality of angular shaped floor panels thereon. The floor panels and concrete blocks, used in making up one of the embodiments of the concrete beams, are readily adapted for making in a standard high production concrete block machine. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with various types of concrete floor systems and methods of making concrete components in a concrete block machine and concrete beams when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they can be precluded by the prior art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention according to the best modes presently devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the subject concrete floor system being installed inside a building foundation and mounted next to the sides of foundation walls and on foundation steel or concrete beams. The floor system includes a plurality of parallel concrete beams and a plurality of angular shaped floor panels mounted on top of the concrete beams. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one end of a hollow post-tension concrete beam with a tension cable having one end attached to an end plate mounted inside a recess area in the end of the beam. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial side view of the hollow post-tension concrete beam shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one end of a hollow post-tension concrete beam made up of a plurality of individual concrete blocks held against each other in compression by a tension cable. One end of the cable is shown attached to an end plate mounted inside a recess area of a concrete end block. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial side sectional view of the hollow post-tension concrete beam made up of individual concrete blocks shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of opposite ends of a pre-tension, pre-cast concrete beam having a tension cable therethrough. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one end of a pre-cast beam, which is not placed in pre-tension or post-tension. The pre-cast beam includes a rebar disposed in a lower portion of the beam and along it&#39;s length. 
         FIG. 8  is a side sectional view of the concrete floor system taken along lines  8 — 8  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is another side sectional view of the concrete floor system taken along lines  9 — 9  shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a concrete block machine female mold used in a concrete block machine for forming a plurality of hollow concrete blocks. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another concrete block machine female mold used for forming a plurality of concrete floor panels. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the concrete block machine with attached female mold in a lowered position. A male mold is shown in a raised position above the female mold. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of the concrete block machine with the male mold in a lowered position and inserted into an upper portion of the female mold for compressing concrete inside the female mold. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the concrete block machine with the male and female molds in a raised position and a completed hollow concrete block placed on a conveyor pallet ready to be sent to a kiln for heating and curing. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the subject concrete floor system is illustrated and having a general reference numeral  10 . The floor system  10  is shown being installed inside a building foundation  12  and mounted next to the sides of foundation walls  14  and on a foundation beam  16 . The foundation beam  16  can be a metal “H” or “I” beam, a concrete beam or like. 
     The floor system  10  broadly includes a plurality of parallel concrete beams  18  and a plurality of angular shaped concrete floor panels  20 . The beams  18  can be solid pre-cast beams without tension placed thereon, solid pre-cast, pre-tension beams, solid post-tension beams, or post-tension beams made up of a plurality of hollow concrete blocks. The different embodiments of the beams  18  are shown in  FIGS. 2–7 . The floor panels  20  are mounted next to each other in an interlocking relationship and on top of a portion of the concrete beams  18  as shown in this drawing. Opposite sides of each floor panel  20  engage the top of adjacent beams  18 . The beams  18  can vary in length from 5 to 20 feet and greater. The floor panels  20  typically have a thickness of 2 to 2½ inches, a width in a range of 7 to 8 inches and a length in a range of 23 to 24 inches. Obviously, the floor panels  20  can come in different sizes depending on the floor application. The floor system  10  can be used as a basement floor, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a main level floor, placed on grade or suspended above grade and used in other concrete floor applications. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a perspective view of a first embodiment of one of the concrete beams  18  is shown in the form of a solid pre-cast post-tension concrete beam  22 . The post-tension beam  22  includes a tension cable  24  received through a plastic or rubber sleeve  26  along the length of the beam. Opposite ends  28  of the beam  22  include a recess area  30  for receiving an end plate  32 . A portion of one of the ends  28  of the beam  22  and a portion of the plastic or rubber sleeve  26  have been cut-away in the drawing to show the recess area  30  and the internal cable  24 . Both ends  28  of the beam  22  can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The recess area  30  shown in concrete tension beams  18  provides for the cutting off of a portion of the end of the beam for a custom fit during the assembly of the system  10 . 
     Post-tension is applied to the cable  24 , after the beam has been poured and cured, using a hydraulic cylinder attached to a cable end  34 . Tension is then applied to the cable  24 , as indicated by arrow  36 . When sufficient tension has been applied to the cable  24  for holding loads to be placed on the beam  22 , wedges  38  are inserted inside the end plate  32  to prevent the cable end  34  from slipping through the end plate  32 . The hydraulic cylinder is then removed from the cable end  34 . The hydraulic cylinder is not shown in the drawings. 
     In  FIG. 3 , a partial side view of the hollow post-tension concrete beam  22  is illustrated. In this drawing, the beam  22  is bowed or cambered upwardly toward the center of the length of the beam. The cambered beam  22  allows for a slight downward deflection of the beam as the top of the beam is loaded with the weight of the floor panels  20  placed thereon. Also, as the beam  22  is loaded, additional tension is placed on the cable  24 , as indicated by arrows  36 , and additional strength is provided to the beam. 
     In  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of another embodiment of one of the concrete beams  18  is shown in the form of a hollow post-tension concrete block beam  40 . The concrete block beam  40  is made up of a plurality of hollow concrete blocks  42  compressed together by the tension cable  24  received through an opening  42 , shown in dashed lines, in the blocks  42 . 
     The beam  40  also includes end blocks  46  at opposite ends of the beam. The end blocks  46  include the recess area  30  for receiving the end plate  32 . A portion of one of the end blocks  46 , shown in this drawing, has been cut-away to show the recess area  30  and an opening  48  for receiving a portion of the internal cable  24  therethrough. Both of the end blocks  46  can be seen in  FIG. 5 . 
     Post-tension is applied to the cable  24 , after the proper amount of concrete blocks  42  are placed side be side, using a hydraulic cylinder attached to the cable end  34 . Tension is applied to the cable  24 , as indicated by arrow  36 , similar to the tension placed on the cable  24  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . When sufficient tension has been applied to the cable  24  for holding loads to be placed on the beam  40 , wedges  38  are inserted inside the end plate  32  to prevent the cable ends  34  from sshoulderping through the end plates  32 . The hydraulic cylinder is then removed from the cable end  34 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , a partial side view of the hollow post-tension concrete beam  40  is illustrated. In this drawing the beam  40 , similar to beam  22 , is bowed upwardly toward the center of the length of the beam. The bowed beam  40  allows for a slight downward deflection of the beam as the top of the beam is loaded with the weight of the floor panels  20  placed thereon. Also, the bowed beam  40  includes a center block  50  with a cable opening  52  therethrough for receiving a portion of the cable  24 . Because of a drape along a length of the cable  24 , the center block  50  helps to hold down the cable  24  as the cable compresses the blocks  42  together. The cable  24  is shown held in tension by the end plates  32 , as indicated by arrows  36 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , a partial perspective view of still another embodiment of one of the concrete beams  18  is shown in the form of a solid pre-cast, pre-tension concrete beam  54 . The opposite ends of the pre-tension concrete beam  54  are shown in this drawing. In this example, the cable  24  is placed in tension, using a hydraulic cylinder or the like, prior to pouring concrete around the cable and forming the beam  54 . The concrete beam is then allowed to cure and the tension is released on the cable  24 . When the tension is released, the concrete beam is placed in compression. The beam  54  can also be slightly bowed upwardly, similar to beams  22  and  40 , for compensating for live loads placed thereon. 
     When viewing the ends of the beams  22 ,  40  and  54 , it should be mentioned that the beams can have an “I” beam shaped profile to help reduce weight. Also, other types of profiles can be used equally well. The beams include a top portion  56  with a crown  58  and shoulders  60  on opposite sides of the crown  58 , a center portion  62 , which receives the cable  24  therethrough, and a lower portion  64 , which arts as base for the beam&#39;s receipt on top of the foundation beam  16 . In  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  6 , a dashed line  66  is shown to represent the center portion  62  having the same width as the lower portion  64  rather than being flared inwardly to form the “I” beam profile. 
     In  FIG. 7 , yet another embodiment of the concrete beam  18  is shown as a solid pre-cast beam  67  without pre-tension or post-tension placed thereon. In this drawing, one end of the beam  67  is shown with a rebar  69  received in a lower portion of the beams and along it&#39;s length. The rebar  69  is placed inside a concrete mold when the beam is pre-cast in the mold. In this example, the rebar  69  has a ⅞ inch diameter. The size of the rebar  69  can vary in size depending on the loads placed on the beam and it&#39;s application. The beam  67  can be cast in 20 foot lengths and greater and then cut to size during the installation of the floor system  10 . The beam has a width in a range of 3 to 5 inches and a height in a range of 10 to 20 inches. The sides of the beam  67 , from top to bottom, are tapered downwardly and inwardly. This feature allows the beam to be removed easily from it&#39;s concrete beam mold after being pre-casted. 
     Also shown in this drawing are a pair of floor panels  20 . The panels include lower ends with notch portions  71  therein. The notch portions  71  are used for aligning the ends of the floor panels on top of the beam  67  and holding the panels  20  in place when building the floor system  10 . 
     In  FIG. 8 , a side sectional view of the concrete floor system  10  is illustrated and taken along lines  8 — 8  shown in  FIG. 1 . In this view, the hollow, post-tension beam  22  is shown in the drawing with a plurality of the floor panels  20  resting on the beam  22  and disposed next to each other. While the beam  22  is shown, it should be kept in mind that the other beams  40 ,  54  and  67  can be used equally well for building the floor system  10 . 
     In this drawing, one end of the beam  22  is shown received on the top of a concrete lintel  68 . The lintel  68  is secured to a side of the concrete foundation wall  14  using anchor bolts  70 . An opposite end of the beam  22  is shown received on a wall shoulder  72  formed in a top portion of the inside of the foundation wall  14 . The wall shoulder  72  and concrete lintel  68  are shown to illustrate two of a number of ways of securing the beam  22  to the side of the foundation wall  14  when using the subject invention. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 8  is an end view of a beam jack assembly  74  mounted on a concrete pad  76 . The jack assembly  74  is adjustably mounted on the pad  76  for leveling the foundation beam  16 . The foundation beam  16  is shown supporting ends of two of the concrete beams  22 . Obviously, the foundation beam  16  and the jack assembly  74  are used when supporting ends of two different lengths of beams  18  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 9 , another side sectional view of the concrete floor system  10  is illustrated and taken along lines  9 — 9  shown in  FIG. 8 . In this view, opposite ends of the floor panels  20  can be seen resting on the shoulders  60  next to the crown  58  in the top portion  56  of the beam  22 . The height of the crown  58  is the same as the thickness of the floor panels  20 . Also shown in this drawing is the cable  24  extending through the center portion  62  of the beam  22 . 
     In  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a perspective view of a concrete block machine female mold  78  is shown for forming the concrete blocks  42  or concrete floor panels  20  therein using a standard concrete block machine. The concrete block machine is shown in  FIGS. 11–13  having a general reference numeral  80 . 
     In  FIG. 10 , the female mold  78  includes two block cavities  82  for receiving a standard zero slump or a lightweight slump concrete for forming a pair of concrete blocks  42  therein. Obviously, any number of blocks  42  can be formed inside the mold  78  depending on the size of the mold and the size of the blocks. The mold  78  includes a pair of hydraulic cylinder attachment plates  84  on opposite sides of the mold. The plates  84  are attached to a pair of moveable hydraulic cylinders  86  used for raising and lowering the mold on the concrete block machine  80 . The hydraulic cylinders  86  are shown in  FIGS. 11–13 . 
     In  FIG. 11 , the female mold  78  includes four floor panel cavities  88  for receiving the standard zero slump or the lightweight slump concrete therein for forming the floor panels  20 . As mentioned above, any number of floor panels can be formed inside the mold  78  depending on the size of the mold and floor panels. 
     In  FIG. 12 , a side view of the concrete block machine  80  is shown with the attached concrete block machine female mold  78  in a lowered position and attached to hydraulic cylinders  86 . The cylinders  86  are used for raising and lowering the female mold  78 . The concrete block machine  80  includes a moveable head  90  with linkage  92  for raising and lowering the head  90 . Also, the bottom of the head includes a male mold  94  attached thereto for inserting into a top portion of the female mold  78 . Also, the block machine  80  includes a feed drawer  96  disposed under a concrete hopper  98  for receiving the standard zero slump or light weight zero slump concrete and feeding it into the top of the female mold  78 . 
     In this drawing, the linkage  92  has moved the head  90  in a raised position, as indicated by arrow  100  and the female mold  78  is in a lower position, as indicated by arrow  102 . The hopper  908  is shown feeding the concrete into the feed drawer  96 , as indicated by arrow  104 . When the feed drawer  96  has been filled, it is moved above the female mold  78 , as indicated by arrow  106 . At this time, the concrete drops into and fills the block cavities  82 , in this example, as indicated by arrow  108 . 
     In  FIG. 13 , another side view of the concrete block machine  80  is shown with the moveable head  90  in a lowered position, as indicated by arrow  110 . The male mold  94  is inserted into an upper portion of the block cavities  82  of the female mold  78 . The head  90  now compresses and vibrates the concrete in the female mold. The feed drawer  96  is shown moved back and positioned under the concrete hopper  98 , as indicated by arrow  112 . 
     In  FIG. 14 , still another side view of the block machine  80  is shown. In this drawing, the making of the concrete blocks  42  is completed and the moveable head  90  is shown in a raised position, as indicated by arrow  114 . Also, the female mold  78  is shown in a raised position, as indicated by arrow  116 . The completed blocks  42  are shown on a conveyor pallet  118  moved to the left, as indicated by arrow  120 , and away from the concrete block machine  80 . The concrete blocks  42  are now ready to be sent to a kiln for heating and curing of the concrete before being sent to a job site. 
     While the making of the concrete blocks  42  is shown in  FIGS. 12–14 , the concrete floor panels  20  using the female mold  78  are made in the same manner using the concrete block machine  80 . Also, it should be mentioned that any number of different types of concrete floor system components, depending on their size, can be made equally well in the concrete block machine  80 .