Patent Publication Number: US-7896309-B1

Title: Magnetic alignment tool for foam inserts contained within precast wall panels

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/815,928 filed 24 Jun. 2006. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates, in general, to concrete form systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an alignment tool for positioning foam inserts within a concrete form prior to and during the concrete pouring process. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     It is well-known in the construction industry to use concrete form systems to provide forms for pouring concrete in desired shapes, such as walls, stairs, sides of tanks, etc. Such concrete form systems are often made of a plurality of gang forms. A gang form is conventionally made of several form panels attached together at their edges until a surface of the desired dimensions is achieved. The form panels may be made of wood, metal, or other substances that provide the requisite flat surface and strength to bear the load placed on them by the poured concrete. Modern concrete forming materials now include foam inserts to lighten the weight of precast wall panels while providing insulative properties. Foam inserts are provided as part of the forming materials used to pre-cast concrete walls. A common problem encountered when utilizing foam inserts within a concrete form is keeping the insert positioned while the concrete is poured into the form. The resulting difficulties encountered by the construction workers renders this particular task rather labor intensive and time consuming. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an alignment tool that is inserted within a foam panel and includes a magnet which attaches the foam panel to a form member thereby ensuring the foam member stays positioned within the concrete form during the concrete pouring process. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a reusable alignment tool. 
     It is another object of this invention to reduce the time required to construct precast concrete panels, by eliminating the need for workers to hold foam panels in place during the concrete pouring process. 
     It is another object of this invention to accomplish the foregoing by the use of an alignment tool of this invention which can be easily and inexpensively manufactured. 
     Broader aspects of the invention and devices within the scope of the same will become clearer from a further reading of the specification and claims and a consideration of the drawings. These and other objects will become apparent upon a reading of the following Specification and Claims in which a Magnetic Alignment Tool For Foam Inserts is disclosed for keeping a foam insert positioned within a concrete form during the period concrete is poured into the form. 
     The alignment tool of the present invention comprises a cylindrical coil extending outward from one side of a steel base plate. The opposite side of the base plate includes a raised center lip portion for alignment and placement of a magnet thereon. The magnet includes a partially magnetic steel form attachment surface. The alignment tool cylindrical coil is screwed into a foam panel leaving the partially magnetic side exposed and substantially flush with a foam panel side. One or more alignment tools may be secured to a foam panel depending on the dimensions of the panel. The foam panels are then placed in a concrete form with the alignment tool partially magnetic side attaching to a concrete form steel member. The alignment tool keeps the foam panel secured and stable within the form while the form is being filled with concrete. After the concrete is poured and has cured the precast concrete enveloping the foam panel is separated from the form. The partially magnetic side of the foam panel easily detaches from the steel form member without damaging the foam panel and the alignment tool can now be unscrewed from the foam panel. The precast concrete is next turned over and the side containing the alignment tool is next filled with concrete to complete the precast concrete structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the present invention: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a bottom view of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2  A and  2 B illustrates a top view of the present invention shown with detached cylindrical magnet portion  5 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of subject invention being bored into a foam panel  6  by an alien wrench  4 A and shown with detached cylindrical magnet portion  5 ; 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates the invention of  FIG. 3  with attached cylindrical magnet portion  5  after being bored into foam panel  6 , and ready for use; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of subject invention with detached cylindrical magnet portion  5  and detached threaded screw  3 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a steel form in which the invention of  FIG. 1  is utilized; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the invention of  FIG. 1  placed within a foam panel; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the multiple foam panels of  FIG. 6  placed within the steel form of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the invention of  FIG. 1  utilized to lock a foam panel onto a steel beam. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It should be understood that the following is a detailed description of the invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
       FIGS. 1 through 8  illustrate the magnetic alignment tool  10  of the subject invention. The tool  10  comprises a cylindrical coil  1  with end  1 A and end  1 B secured to a steel baseplate  2 . End  1 A may be sharpened or pointed to facilitate boring into a foam material  6  such as STYROFOAM or the like. Cylindrical coil  1  may be made from any sufficiently rigid material or composite such as steel or the like. The material is chosen such that the coil  1  will retain its shape upon multiple uses. The diameter of the coil  1  and baseplate  2  can be varied according to a particular application. Also the number of turns of coil  1  or the “turn density” may be increased or decreased to achieve different gripping forces of coil  1  when bored into foam  6  or the like. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 3A , magnetic alignment tool  10  is illustrated after being inserted or bored within a piece of foam  6 .  FIG. 3A  illustrates the invention assembled and in place after installation. For illustrative purposes,  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  3  shows magnet  5  separated from the alignment tool  10 . When in use, magnet  5  is attached to baseplate top surface  2 A as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 3A . Base Plate top surface  2 A includes a concentric top surface raised center lip portion  2 AB with the top of said lip being substantially flush with threaded screw head  3 A. Threaded screw head further includes an allen wrench opening  3 AB. Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , threaded screw  3  is secured by locking nut  4  such that turning alien wrench  4 A in a clockwise direction would cause cylindrical coil  1  to bore into foam  6 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , screw head  3 A is countersunk within an interior concave extension  7  extending inward from the top surface of raised center lip portion  2 AB. It is understood that the primary purpose of threaded screw  3  is to provide a means for turning or boring magnetic alignment tool into foam  6  in a clockwise direction via alien wrench  4 A. It is understood that other suitable means may be employed to accomplish this same result. For example, raised center lip portion  2 AB may be a one piece solid or integrally molded surface that includes an allen wrench opening to facilitate turning of the magnetic alignment tool  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  3 , and  3 A cylindrical magnet  5  bottom surface  5 B is fully magnetic and magnetically attaches to and covers the surface of Base plate top surface  2 A for tool  10 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 3A . When assembled, the raised center lip  2 AB extends through the center of magnet  5  and is substantially the same thickness as magnet  5 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The top surface of center lip  2 AB is coplaner to magnetic top surface  5 A, as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . Magnet  5  top surface  5 A includes both a fully magnetic surface  5 A 2  and a partially magnetic surface  5 A 1 , with surfaces  5 A 2  and  5 A 1  being substantially coplanar with each other. Surface  5 A 1  is wrapped with an insulative material such that the overall magnetic gripping force of surface area  5 A 1  would be reduced or eliminated depending on the application. Magnetic surfaces  5 A 1  and  5 A 2  would attach to a steel concrete form resting thereon. The magnetic strength of surface  5 A 1  is reduced therefore reducing the total magnetic hold of top surface  5 A. This would ensure that an attached concrete form would be easily separable from the magnet top surface  5 A such that the pulling of the form would not cause the cylindrical coil  1  to rip through the foam  6 . Magnet  5  may be constructed in any way known in the art such that the magnetic strength of bottom surface  5 B is greater than the magnetic strength of top surface  5 A to achieve the results as previously disclosed herein. For example, two dissimilar strength magnets could be mated together to achieve the same result of providing a magnet top surface with a reduced strength. The magnetic strength of bottom surface  5 B is chosen such that bottom surface  5 B will remain attached to base plate top surface  2 A when an attached concrete form is separated from the magnet top surface  5 A. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 through 7 ,  FIG. 5  illustrates a wall panel form including steel strips  50 A at the base of the form.  FIG. 6  illustrates the magnetic alignment tools  10  placed within the foam panels  6 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the foam panels are then placed in the wall panel form  50  with the alignment tool  10  magnetic top surface  5 A attaching to the steel strips  50 A at the base of the form. The alignment tool keeps the foam panel  6  secured and stable within the form  50  while the form is being filled with concrete. After the concrete is poured and has cured the precast concrete enveloping the foam panel is separated from the form. The reduced magnetic strength of top surface  5 A allows foam panel  6  and alignment tool  10  to easily detach from the steel form member  50 A. The detachment is accomplished without pulling through the foam panel  6  and the alignment tool  10  can now be unscrewed from the foam panel  6 . The precast concrete is next turned over, the alignment tool is removed, and the side which contained the alignment tool  10  is next filled with concrete to complete the precast concrete structure.