Patent Publication Number: US-6220564-B1

Title: Concrete column forming tube

Description:
The present invention relates to improvements for a concrete column forming tube, the improvements more particularly facilitating the reshaping of the flat tub from a convenient-to-handle non-use condition into a three dimensional configuration as required at a construction site to achieve the end purposes intended. 
     Example of the Prior Art 
     In the construction art, in which concrete is poured into a circular void of a column forming tube to produce, after the concrete cures, a support for a concrete floor, outdoor porch or patio or the like, that a rigid tube bounding the shape-imparting void is not a handling problem at the site of use. However, at a site of sale, or in warehouse storage, the three dimensional tube size, typically 48 inches long and 13 inches in diameter, takes up valuable space, as well as complicating transit from a remote site to the site of use location. 
     Solutions addressing the problem abound in the patent literature, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,142 for Concrete Column Forming Tube issued to Weekers on Jul. 12, 1994. In the &#39;142 patent, the cardboard construction material in strip form is helically wound on a mandrel-like roller, shipped in such condition presumably to a site of use, and then unwound preparatory to being constructed into a three dimensional concrete molding configuration. 
     In the &#39;142 patent and in all other known patents, in respect to the non-use condition of the forming tube at a site of sales, a very significant location and occurrence in the travel of trade of the product from a manufacturer to the ultimate consumer, said non-use condition does not adequately display the product with a consumer cognitive appreciation of its ultimate utility in the construction process. The helically wound strip of cardboard put up on supply roll of the &#39;142 is a case in point. 
     Broadly, it is an object to provide a concrete column forming tube overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
     More particularly, it is an object to embody a concrete column forming tube of cardboard construction material with a flat configuration in non-use, and readily reshaped, using folds, an expedient of choice of cardboard constructed articles of manufacture, into an effective three dimensional configuration, by the mere unfolding of the folds, at a site of use, all as will be better understood as the description proceeds. 
    
    
     The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a concrete column, i.e., circular shaped, forming tube in a compact flat storage or non-use condition; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the concrete column forming tube of FIG. 1, as seen in the direction  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial view of the FIG. 1 concrete column forming tube with a portion thereof broken away to illustrate internal constructural features; 
     FIG. 4 is a view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3, illustrating in full line and phantom line positions of movement of a ring component in the reshaping of the tube from a flat nonuse storage condition of FIG. 1 into a three dimensional in-use condition at a site of use; and 
     FIGS. 5,  6  and  7  are perspective views of the three dimensional in-use condition of the FIG. 1 concrete column forming tube illustrating in sequence how it is typically put to use at a construction site. 
    
    
     As know by common experience, concrete structures such as concrete floors, a plywood deck or the like, are supported on concrete columns that are formed or molded into their circular column shape using a correspondingly circular void in a circular shaped form. The shaping form at the site of use is, of course, of three dimensional shape that poses no problem because there is no space limitations at the site of use. However, at a site of sale or in storage, the three dimensional shape of the shaping form is a significant problem and inconvenient, particularly in handling and transport from a site of manufacture to sites of sale and use. 
     As a solution to the problem noted, use is made of a concrete column forming open ended tube, generally designated  10 , of cardboard construction material which in-use, as depicted in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 , has a circular configurated shape, as noted at  12 , imparted to the tube body  14 . Plural longitudinally oriented folds, individually and collectively designated  16 , are circumferentially spaced about the body, in this case being ten in number, five in a front wall  18  and five in a rear wall  20 , and, as is generally known each fold  16  is a construction which when unfolded in the direction  22  will project the walls  18  and  20  in separating movement  24  and into the three dimensional body shape of FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 . The use of unfolding folds is in common use in structures of cardboard construction material, such as the attaching means of choice of attaching opening and closing panels of a cardboard shipping box. 
     Prior to the unfolding of the folds  16 , body  14  has a flat configuration, denoted at  26  and as best depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the walls  18  and  20  bound an opening  28  into a compartment  30 . The size of opening  26  is shown slightly exaggerated in FIG. 2, but in practice will consist of the two plies constituting the walls  18 ,  20  and delimiting a nominal thickness  32  in the flat configurated FIGS. 1,  2  body shape which contributes to a noteworthy desirable compact condition for storage, point of sale display, ease of transport and other benefits. As best understood from FIG. 1 a glue flap  34  is adhesively secured beneath a border along an edge of the blank of the tube to convert the blank into a closed loop configuration. 
     To reshape the body  14  from its FIG. 1 storage condition into its in-use FIGS. 5,  6  and  7  circular condition, use is made of a ring  36  having a diameter  38  approximately the size of the width  40  of the FIG. 1 depicted body  14 . In any appropriate manner, the ring  36  is attached as at  42  at a distance  44  in which it is conveniently reachable to a user inserting a hand  46  through the opening  28  and grasping the ring  36 . As best understood from FIG. 2, the attachment at  42  is preferred to be achieved using a simple adhesive patch  48  which allows for a pivotal traverse  50  in the grasped ring  36 . Thus, in the pivotal traverse, an initial position of movement  52  projects the front wall  18  in a clearance distance  54  in front of the rear wall  20 , and in the subsequent portion of the pivotal traverse projects the front wall  18  the additional distance  56 , so that in a horizontally oriented position of movement, as at  58 , the full clearance distance  60  is approximately equal to the diameter  38  of the ring  36 . Preferably, the diameter  38  of the ring is slightly oversized with respect to the clearance distance  60  so that there is frictional resistance to movement at the site of contact  62  which, in practice holds the ring  36  in place. 
     In addition to use of the installed ring  36  in the compartment  30  adjacent the opening  28 , it will be understood that a similar ring, similarly installed, adjacent the bottom opening  64  is recommended, but not essential to the forming of the concrete column forming tube  10 . 
     For completeness sake, the circular configurated tube  14  of FIG. 6 is put to use by being filled, as depicted on FIG. 7 with concrete via a chute  66  or other conveyor system, into the open circular void or shaping compartment  30 . The concrete C is then allowed to cure, and the tube  10  is then removed from the formed concrete column  68 . Such removal may be effected by simply cutting the tube with a knife, as illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     As described, the concrete column  68  is formed on an external surface  70  adjacent a column-receiving footing opening (not shown), but the forming thereof can readily be achieved insitu. 
     While the apparatus for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.