Patent Publication Number: US-2023151622-A1

Title: Form bracket for concrete panel form

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 17/659,517, filed Apr. 18, 2022, which claims the benefit and priority of continuation application of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 16/934,548, filed Jul. 21, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,359,392 which claims benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/882,897, filed Aug. 5, 2019, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to brackets and other devices for supporting concrete forms, and more particularly to brackets for supporting forms that are used to cast concrete slabs and panels, such as a tilt-up and precast panels and the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Tilt-up or pre-cast concrete panels are typically cast horizontally on a casting bed defined by the upper surface of a pre-existing concrete slab formed on the ground. Once the cast panels have reached sufficient strength, they may be lifted or tilted with a crane and positioned, most often in a vertical orientation, on a prepared foundations. Several tilt-up panels are commonly stood next to each other to form a desired wall of a structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a form bracket that may be used to support a boundary wall of a concrete panel form at a casting slab. The supported boundary wall of the concrete panel form may include bulkhead lumber or panels that generally border a perimeter of the concrete panel form in the desired shape of a concrete tilt-up panel that is cast in the form. The form bracket may hold a wall of the concrete panel form in an upright orientation on the casting slab that forms the supportive floor below the concrete panel. The form bracket may include a floor-engaging portion or member and a form-engaging portion or member that are angled relative to each other, such as generally perpendicular relative to each other. Support members or walls may interconnect and support the relative orientation of the floor-engaging member and the form-engaging member, such as to support a lower surface of the floor-engaging member in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a front surface of the form-engaging member. The form bracket may be formed as a single integral piece, (e.g., an injection molded plastic), such as where the shape of the form bracket may be stackable with other form brackets that have a substantially identical shape. Such optional stackability can provide improved shipping capacity and storage options. 
     In some implementations, the form bracket may be oriented for multiple uses, such as by reversing the floor-engaging member and the form-engaging member to adapt the form bracket to support form walls with different heights. Further, the floor-engaging member and the form-engaging member may be configured to be attached to the respective casting slab and wall of the concrete panel form with different or multiple forms of attachment, such as to have openings for receiving mechanical fasteners, such as nails or screws, or to have a surface area configured for receiving an adhesive, such as a sprayed adhesive or an adhesive pad. It some implementations, the form brackets can be used multiple times by being cleaned and used again. 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a form bracket for supporting a wall of a concrete panel form at a casting slab includes a first planar member having a lower surface configured to engage a casting slab. A second planar member is coupled with the first planar member. The second planar member has a front surface disposed perpendicular to the lower surface of the first planar member and configured to engage a wall of a concrete panel form. A pair of support members integrally extend between an upper portion of the first planar member and a rear portion of the second planar member. The pair of support members are spaced apart to define a void that is configured to matably receive a second form bracket with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket in a stacked arrangement. 
     In some implementations of the form bracket, a front edge of the first planar member is integrally coupled with a lower edge of the second planar member. Also, the length of the first planar member may be is less than a height of the second planar member between the lower edge and an upper edge of the second planar member. As such, upon reorientation of the form bracket, the lower surface of the first planar member may engage the wall of the concrete panel form and the front surface of the second planar member may engage the casting slab. 
     Optionally, the pair of support members may extend between outer lateral edges of the first and second planar members, where the front and lower surfaces spanning between the pair of support members. In such an arrangement, the void between the pair of support members may open upward from an upper surface of the first planar member and rearward from a rear surface of the second planar member. 
     In other examples of the form bracket, a slot is defined between inner lateral edges of the first and second planar members, where the pair of support members extend between the inner lateral edges of the first and second planar members. In such an arrangement, an angled brace wall may extend along and interconnects upper edges of the pair of support members, where the void between the pair of support members may open forward from the angled brace wall through the slot. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a form bracket for supporting a concrete panel form at a casting slab includes a first member having a first planar surface that is configured to engage a casting slab or a concrete panel form. A second member is coupled with the first member and has a second planar surface that meets the first planar surface at a corner. The second planar surface is configured to engage the other of the casting slab or the concrete panel form. A pair of support members integrally extend between the first member and the second member to support the first planar surface at a fixed angle relative the second planar surface. The first member has a length between the corner and a distal end of the first member that is less than a length of the second member between the corner and a distal end of the second member. 
     In other implementations of the form bracket, the short planar member may have an outer surface that is configured to engage either the casting slab or the wall of the concrete panel form. Also, the long planar member may have an outer surface that is configured to engage the other one of casting slab or the wall of the concrete panel form. Optionally, the first and second support walls may each be angled outward away from each other as they extend from the first and second lateral edges, such that a second form bracket with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket may stack within the form bracket, such as through an open rear side of its generally triangular prism shape. In further implementations, a mechanical fastener or an adhesive may be used to attach the short planar member or the long planar member to the respective casting slab or wall of the concrete panel form. 
     The details of one or more implementations of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, advantages, purposes, and features will be apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an upper perspective view of an exemplary portion of a concrete panel form supported by form brackets at a casting slab; 
         FIG.  2    is an upper perspective view of another exemplary portion of a concrete panel form supported by form brackets at a casting slab; 
         FIG.  3    is an upper perspective view of a form bracket shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , showing nails spaced away from apertures in the form bracket; 
         FIG.  4    is an upper perspective view of a form bracket shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , showing an adhesive pad spaced away from an attachment surface of the form bracket; 
         FIG.  5    is an upper perspective view of a form bracket shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , showing adhesive being sprayed on an attachment surface of the form bracket and on a floor surface of the casting slab; 
         FIG.  6    is an upper perspective view of the three form brackets shown in  FIG.  1    matably stacked together; 
         FIG.  7    is an upper perspective view of an additional example of a form bracket; 
         FIG.  8    is a lower perspective view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  9    is a side elevation view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  9 A  is a cross-sectional view the form bracket, taken at line A-A in  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  10    is a front elevation view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  11    is a rear elevation view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  12    is a lower perspective view of an additional example of a form bracket; 
         FIG.  12 A  is a cross-sectional view the form bracket, taken at line A-A in  FIG.  13   ; 
         FIG.  13    is a front elevation view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  12   ; 
         FIG.  14    is a rear elevation view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  12   ; 
         FIG.  15    is a bottom elevation view of the form bracket shown in  FIG.  12   ; 
         FIG.  16    is an upper perspective view of the three form brackets shown in  FIG.  12    matably stacked together; and 
         FIG.  17    is a side elevation view of the stacked form brackets shown in  FIG.  16   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a form bracket  10 , such as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , is used to support a wall  100  of a concrete panel form  102  at a casting slab  104 . The casting slab  104  is provided to form a base or floor surface of the concrete panel form  102  or casting bed, such that the casting slab  104  may be poured on the ground and cured prior to assembling and arranging the walls  100  of the concrete panel form  102  on the casting slab  104 . The upper surface of the casting slab  104  is generally planar and has a surface area that is larger than or otherwise extends beyond the perimeter of the walls  100  of the concrete panel form  102 , so that the upper surface of the casting slab  104  outside of the walls  100  may be engaged by the form brackets  10  that are used to the support the walls  100  of the concrete panel form  102 . The walls  100  may include bulkhead lumber or panels or the like that generally define a border of the desired shape of a concrete panel that is cast in the form. The walls  100  may be perpendicular relative to each other, such as shown in  FIG.  1   , to provide a rectangular perimeter shape of the cast concrete panel, which is common for tilt-up concrete panels. However, it is also understood that the walls of the concrete form may be arranged to provide various alternative panel shapes. It is further understood that the wall supported by the form bracket disclosed herein may be a single wall that is supported with one or more form brackets or may be a wall section of a multi-section concrete panel form that is supported by one or more form brackets. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the form bracket  10  may hold the wall  100  of the concrete panel form  102  in an upright orientation on the casting slab  104  that forms the floor of the concrete panel form  104 , such as shown in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to the upper surface of the casting slab  104 . The form bracket  10  may generally include two structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14 , such as a shorter planar member  12  and a longer planar member  14 , which are angled relative to each other and are used to interface with and engage the casting slab  104  and the wall  100  of the concrete panel form  102 . Accordingly, the interfacing members may be generally referred to as a floor-engaging portion or member and a form-engaging portion or member, depending on the orientation that the form bracket  10  is utilized. As shown in  FIG.  1   , the form-engaging member  12  has a planar shape and a front surface  16  that is configured to engage the wall  100  of the concrete panel form  102 , while the floor-engaging member  14  has a planar shape and a lower surface  18  that is configured to engage the casting slab  104 . 
     In some implementations, the form bracket may be capable of being positioned in multiple orientations to support different sized walls, such as the form bracket  10  that is shown in  FIG.  1    being used to support a wall  100  that has shorter height dimension D 1 , such as 5.5 inches, and shown in  FIG.  2    in a different position to support a wall  200  that has a relatively taller height dimension D 2 , such as 9.25 inches. Accordingly, as shown in  FIG.  2   , the shorter planar member  12  may be utilized as a floor-engaging portion or member and the longer planar member  14  may be utilized as a form-engaging portion or member. As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the shorter planar member  12  has a length (or height H 1  in  FIG.  1   ) that is approximately 5 inches and the longer planar member  14  has a length (or height H 2  in  FIG.  2   ) that is approximately 7 inches. Thus, the form bracket  10  is capable of being oriented to position its longer dimensioned side (e.g., the longer planar member  14 ) against a corresponding taller concrete panel form (e.g., wall  200 ) and to position its shorter dimensioned side (e.g., the shorter planar member  12 ) against a corresponding shorter concrete panel form (e.g. wall  100 ). It is understood that other embodiments of the form bracket may have various different dimensions and relative proportions from those illustrated and mentioned above, such as to accommodate taller or shorter concrete panel forms. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the form bracket  10  also includes support members or support walls  20 ,  22  that extend between the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14  to support the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14  at a generally fixed angled orientation relative to each other, such as shown with the shorter planar member  12  being generally perpendicular to the longer planar member  14 . The support members or walls  20 ,  22  may interconnect a rear portion of the floor-engaging member and an upper portion of the form-engaging member, so as to be capable of supporting loads there between, such as outwardly directed loads put on the walls  10  by the concrete poured in the concrete panel form. In use, such as shown in  FIG.  1   , the support walls  20 ,  22  may support a planar extent of the lower surface of the floor-engaging member  14  in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to a front surface of the form-engaging member  12 . 
     The support walls  20 ,  22  may be spaced from each other and may connect between the lateral edges of the structural interfacing members  12 ,  14 , such as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   . Specifically, the first support wall  20  extends along the first lateral edge  24  of the short planar member  12  and extends along the first lateral edge  26  of the longer planar member  14 . These adjacent lateral edges  24 ,  26  may thus be interconnected by the first support wall  20 . Similarly, the second support wall  22  extends along the second lateral edge  28  of the short planar member  12  and extends along the second lateral edge  30  of the longer planar member  14 . These adjacent lateral edges  28 ,  30  may thus be interconnected by the second support wall  20 . 
     As further shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the first and second support walls  20 ,  22  each include a generally planar structure that forms a triangular shape. The upper edges  20   a ,  22   a  of the support walls  20 ,  22  are generally linear and extend at an angle to smoothly interconnect with the outer edges  12   a ,  14   a  of the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14 . For instance, as shown in  FIG.  1   , the upper edge  12   a  of the form engaging member  12  smoothly transitions to the upper edges  20   a ,  22   a  of the support walls  20 ,  22  that extend downward at an angle to smoothly transition to the rear edge  14   a  of the floor engaging member  14 . The generally rectangular shape of the shorter and longer planar members  12 ,  14 , together with the triangular shape of the first and second support walls  20 ,  22 , generally provide a generally triangular prism shape or wedge shape with a hollow or open rear side. 
     To assist with supporting the angled orientation between the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14 , the first and second support walls  20 ,  22  may be structurally reinforced with the inclusion of stiffening features, such as stiffening ridges and/or ribs. As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the generally planar structure of the support walls  20 ,  22  includes stiffening ridges  32  that extend between the shorter and longer planar members  12 ,  14  in general parallel alignment with the corresponding upper edges  20   a ,  22   a  of the support walls  20 ,  22 . As also shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the upper portion of the support walls  20 ,  22  may include reinforcement ribs  34  on the outside surface of the support walls  20 ,  22  that extend between the upper edge  20   a ,  22   a  and the uppermost stiffening ridge  32 . It is contemplated that the support walls in other implementations may have various alternative structural features to provide sufficient tensile loading and support of the engaged walls of concrete panel form. 
     The form bracket  10 , including the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14  and the support walls  20 ,  22 , may be formed as a single integral piece, such as via injection molding or stamping or three-dimensional printing or the like. The form bracket  10  shown in  FIGS.  1 - 6    is an injection-molded plastic material, that is capable of providing and reproducing the shape of the form bracket  10 , including the stiffening ridges  32  and the reinforcement ribs  34 . It is also contemplated that additional implementations of the form bracket may be comprised of metal, fiber reinforced polymers, or other conceivable materials. 
     The form bracket  10  may engage the respective wall  100  of the concrete panel form  102  and the casting slab  104  to provide a rigid and supportive connection. It is desirable for the connection strength between the form bracket  10  and the wall  100  and ground or casting slab  104  to be sufficient to withstand the forces exerted on the form bracket  10  by the wall  100 , such as the outward loads exerted by the concrete poured into the concrete panel form  102 . As shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14  each include apertures  36  disposed through one of the floor-engaging member or the form-engaging member, where the apertures  36  are each configured to receive a mechanical fastener that is used to attach the form bracket  10  to the interfacing wall  100  or casting slab  104 . The apertures  36  may be arranged over the respective shorter and longer planar members  12 ,  14  to disperse loads provided by fasteners, such as the three apertures  36  arranged in a triangular shape. The respective shorter and longer planar members  12 ,  14  may also be reinforced with a collar  38  around each aperture  36 , so that the material of the structurally interfacing members  12 ,  14  can be reduced or optimized in other areas for material mass savings. The mechanical fasteners that engage the apertures  36  may include nails  40 , such as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3   , or may additionally or alternatively include screws, nail-screws, or bolts or rebar or the like. More specifically, the nails  40  may be a steel nail or a plastic nail. It is also contemplated that steel screws or plastic screws may utilized. With the use of a plastic nail or a plastic screw, the head or stem of the nail or screw may be cut off when removing concrete cast in the concrete panel form, such that the remaining tip portion of the nail or screw may remain in and cover the hole in cast concrete panel. To further conceal the hole in the concrete formed by the nail or screw, the plastic material of the nail or screw may be substantially the same as the concrete formed in the concrete panel form, so that the remaining tip portion is generally unnoticeable. 
     In addition to or in the alternative to the use of mechanical fasteners, an adhesive may be used to attach the form bracket  10  to the interfacing wall  100  or casting slab  104 . The surface area of the lower surface of the floor-engaging member and the front surface of the form-engaging member may be sufficiently sized to receive an adhesive that may provide the desired connection strength. As shown in  FIG.  4   , an adhesive pad  42  may be applied to the attachment surface  44  of the shorter planar member  12 . Such an adhesive pad may also be applied to be longer planar member to assist with providing the desired connection strength. Further, as shown in  FIG.  5   , a liquid adhesive  46  may be sprayed onto the attachment surface  44  of the shorter planar member  12  and/or may be sprayed onto the floor surface of the casting slab  104 . Such as spray adhesive may also be applied to be longer planar member or directly the wall to assist with providing the desired connection strength. 
     The support walls  20 ,  22  are angled outward away from each other as they extend from the first and second lateral edges, such that the support walls  20 ,  22  are spaced apart to define a void that opens rearward to matably receive another form bracket with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket in a stacked arrangement. As shown in  FIG.  6   , additional form brackets  10 A,  10 B with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket  10  are stacked within the form bracket  10  through the open rear side of the generally triangular prism shape. The outward angle may of the support walls  20 ,  22  may be at least partially provided with the stiffening ridges  32 , which may act as steps to progressively position the walls at the outward angle. The stiffening ridges  32  may also assist with the stackability of the form brackets  10  by acting as a stopping structure to provide a consistent insertion distance, thereby preventing over-insertion and frictional sticking of stacked form brackets relative to each other. Thus, the shape of the form bracket  10  may be configured to be stackable with other form brackets that have a substantially identical shape. As shown in  FIG.  6   , the generally triangular prism shape is configured to matably stack with additional form brackets with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket through the open rear side of the generally triangular prism shape. Such optional stackability can provide improved shipping capacity and storage options. 
     Also, the form bracket disclosed herein may be adapted for multiple uses, such as by reversing the floor-engaging member and the form-engaging member to adapt the form bracket to support form walls with different heights. Also, the floor-engaging member and the form-engaging member may configured to be attached to the respective casting slab or wall of the concrete panel form with different or multiple forms of attachment, such as to have opening for receiving mechanical fasteners, such as nails or screws, or to have a surface area for receiving an adhesive, such as a sprayed adhesive or an adhesive pad. It some implementations, the form brackets can be engaged in a releasable manner, so as to be capable of being used multiple times. 
     Referring now  FIGS.  7 - 10 A , an additional form bracket  110  is provided that supports a wall of a concrete panel form at a casting slab in the same or similar manner to that shown with the use of form bracket  10  in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . As such, the form bracket  110  is configured to hold a wall of a concrete panel form in an upright orientation on a casting slab that forms the floor of the concrete panel form. The form bracket  110  also includes two interfacing members  112 ,  114 : a shorter planar member  112  and a longer planar member  114 . The interfacing members  112 ,  114  are angled relative to each other and are used to interface with and engage the casting slab and the wall of the concrete panel form, such that the interfacing members may be generally referred to as a floor-engaging portion or member and a form-engaging portion or member, depending on the orientation that the form bracket  110  is utilized. 
     As shown in the orientation provided in  FIGS.  7 - 9   , the longer planar member  114  is orientated as the form-engaging member of the form bracket  110  to orient the planar, front surface  116  in position to engage the wall of a concrete panel form, while the shorter planar member  112  is oriented as the floor-engaging member of the form bracket  110  to orient the planar, lower surface  118  in position to engage the casting slab. As shown in  FIG.  9 A , the shorter planar member  112  has a length L (or height if oriented upright) that is approximately 9 inches and the longer planar member  114  has a height H 3  that is approximately 11 inches. The form bracket  110  is capable of being re-orientated to vertically position the interfacing member  112  and to horizontally position the interfacing member  114  to support a different sized wall, such as a shorter wall, such as a height greater than 9 inches and less than 11 inches. Thus, the form bracket  110  is capable of being oriented to position its longer dimensioned side (e.g., the longer planar member  114 ) against a corresponding taller concrete panel form (e.g., a wall taller than 11 inches) and to position its shorter dimensioned side (e.g., the shorter planar member  112 ) against a relatively shorter concrete panel form. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  7  and  8   , the interfacing members  112 ,  114  each include planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b  that are laterally separated from each other by a slot  152 . The slot  152  is vertically oriented and is centered between the planar sections  150   a ,  150   b  of the longer planar member  114 . Similarly, the slot  152  extends horizontally along the shorter planar member  112  and is centered between the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b  of the shorter planar member  112 . The proximal ends of the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b  integrally connect with the corresponding planar sections  150   a ,  150   b  of the other interfacing member at the corner formed between the interfacing members  112 ,  114 . At the opposing distal ends of each of the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b , a strap section  154  of the respective interfacing member  112 ,  114  interconnects between the respective planar sections. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  7  and  8   , the strap sections  154  have a greater thickness than the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b  of the interfacing members  112 ,  114  and a fastener opening  156  that is reinforced by the increased material thickness surrounding the opening  156 . The fastener openings  156  are each configured to receive a mechanical fastener that is used to attach the form bracket  110  to the interfacing wall or casting slab. For example, the mechanical fasteners may include nails, screws, nail-screws, bolts, or rebar or the like. In addition to or in the alternative to the use of mechanical fasteners, an adhesive may be applied to the lower surface of the floor-engaging member and/or the front surface of the form-engaging member to attach the form bracket  110  to the respective interfacing wall and/or casting slab. The adhesive may be applied in the form of an adhesive pad, a liquid adhesive, an adhesive paste, or a dual-sided tape or the like. 
     The interfacing members  112 ,  114  also have a raised border  158  that extends continuously along the outer lateral edges of the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b  and along the distal ends of the interfacing members to interconnect with the strap section  154 . As shown in  FIG.  7   , the raised border  160  extends upward and rearward from the respective planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b , so that upper edge of the raised boarder  160  is generally aligned with the upper surface of the strap section  154 , providing a generally consistent lip around the edges of the form bracket  110 . 
     The form bracket  110  also includes support walls  120 ,  122  that extend between and support the interfacing members  112 ,  114  at a generally fixed angled orientation relative to each other. As shown in  FIGS.  7 - 9   , the shorter planar member  112  is held by the support walls  120 ,  122  in a generally perpendicular orientation relative to the longer planar member  114 . The support walls  120 ,  122  extend integrally from a rear portion of the form-engaging member  114  and an upper portion of the floor-engaging member  112 . As shown in  FIG.  8   , the support walls  120 ,  122  extend along the inner edges of the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b  of the interfacing members  112 ,  114 . The support walls  120 ,  122  are oriented generally perpendicular to the interfacing members  112 ,  114  to support outwardly directed loads put on the walls of the concrete form that are exerted by the concrete poured in the concrete panel form. 
     The support walls  120 ,  122  are spaced from each other and border the slot  152  that separates the planar sections  148   a ,  148   b ,  150   a ,  150   b  of the interfacing planar members  112 ,  114 . The support walls  120 ,  122  extend from the interfacing planar members  112 ,  114  and integrally connect with an angled brace wall  160  that is generally perpendicular relative to the support walls  120 ,  122 . The angled brace wall  160  linearly extends along the upper edge of the support walls  120 ,  122  between the strap sections  154  at the distal ends of the interfacing members  112 ,  114 , such that the angled brace wall  160  is disposed at angle of approximately 50 degrees relative to the shorter planar member  112 . As shown in  FIGS.  9  and  9 A , the support walls  120 ,  122  each have a triangular shape that is bounded by the angled brace wall  160  and the interfacing members  112 ,  114 . The support walls  120  of the form bracket  110  shown in  FIGS.  7 - 10 A  are smooth and generally void of stiffening ridges and ribs. However it is contemplated that the support walls in additional implementations may include stiffening features or the like. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  10  and  10 A , the support walls  120 ,  122  are angled slightly toward each other as they extend rearward from the planar members  112 ,  114  toward the angled brace wall  160 . In doing so, the support members  120 ,  122  are spaced apart to define a void that is forward facing to matably receive a second form bracket with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket in a stacked arrangement. Specifically, the void between the support walls  120 ,  122  is tapered and capable of receiving the support walls of an identical form bracket  110 . Thus, the shape of the form bracket  110  may be configured to be stackable with other form brackets that have a substantially identical shape to improve shipping capacity and storage options. 
     Furthermore, the form bracket  110  shown in  FIGS.  7 - 10 A  may be formed as a single integral piece, such as via injection molding or stamping or three-dimensional printing or the like. Also, the form bracket  110  is a plastic material, although the entire bracket or portions thereof may include metal, silicone, rubber, or fiber reinforced polymers. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  12 - 17   , another example of a form bracket  210  is provided that supports a wall of a concrete panel form at a casting slab in the same or similar manner to that shown with the use of form bracket  10  in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . The form bracket  210  includes a shorter planar member  212  and a longer planar member  214  angled relative to each other to interface with and engage the casting slab and the wall of the concrete panel form, such that the they may be generally referred to as a floor-engaging portion or member and a form-engaging portion or member, depending on the orientation that the form bracket  210  is utilized. 
     As shown in the orientation in  FIGS.  12  and  12 A , the longer planar member  214  is orientated vertically as the form-engaging member of the form bracket  210  to orient the planar, front surface  216  in position to engage the wall of a concrete panel form, while the shorter planar member  212  is oriented horizontally as the floor-engaging member of the form bracket  210  to orient the planar, lower surface  218  in position to engage the casting slab. As shown in  FIG.  12 A , the shorter planar member  212  has a length L (or height if oriented upright) that is approximately 9 inches and the longer planar member  214  has a height H 4  that is approximately 11 inches. The form bracket  210  is capable of being re-orientated to vertically position the interfacing member  212  and to horizontally position the interfacing member  214  to support a different sized wall, such as a shorter wall, such as a height greater than 9 inches and less than 11 inches. Thus, the form bracket  210  is capable of being oriented to position its longer dimensioned side (e.g., the longer planar member  214 ) against a corresponding taller concrete panel form (e.g., a wall taller than 11 inches) and to position its shorter dimensioned side (e.g., the shorter planar member  212 ) against a relatively shorter concrete panel form. 
     The form bracket  210  includes support walls  220 ,  222  that extend between and support the interfacing members  212 ,  214  at a generally fixed angled orientation relative to each other. As shown in  FIGS.  12 - 15   , the support walls  220 ,  222  extend integrally from a rear portion of the form-engaging member  214  and an upper portion of the floor-engaging member  212 . As shown in  FIG.  8   , the support walls  220 ,  222  extend along the inner edges of the planar sections  248   a ,  248   b ,  250   a ,  250   b  of the interfacing members  212 ,  214  defined by a slot  252  disposed at a generally centered location between the planar sections  248   a ,  248   b ,  250   a ,  250   b  of the respective shorter and longer planar members  212 ,  214 . The support walls  220 ,  222  are spaced from each other and border the slot  252  that separates the planar sections  248   a ,  248   b ,  250   a ,  250   b  of the planar members  212 ,  214 . The support walls  220 ,  222  extend from the interfacing planar members  212 ,  214  and integrally connect with an angled brace wall  260  that is generally perpendicular relative to the support walls  220 ,  222 . 
     As further shown in  FIGS.  12 - 15   , the support walls  220 ,  222  are structurally reinforced with stiffening ridges  232  that are disposed at the generally planar structure of the support walls  220 ,  222 . The stiffening ridges  232  extend between the shorter and longer planar members  212 ,  214  at an angle that is in parallel alignment with the angled brace wall  260  that extends along the upper edges of the support walls  220 ,  222 . The support walls  220 ,  222  are angled inward toward each other as they extend from the corner between the planar members  212 ,  214  to the angled brace wall  260 , whereby the stiffening ridges  232  act as steps between planar sections of the support walls  220 ,  222  to progressively position the walls closer together. For example, as shown in  FIGS.  13 - 15   , the slot  252  near the straps  254  that connect the planar sections  248   a ,  248   b ,  250   a ,  250   b  has a width W 1  between the support walls  220 ,  222  that is less than the width W 2  between the support walls  220 ,  222  near the corner between the planar members  212 ,  214 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  16  and  17   , additional form brackets  210 A,  210 B with a substantially identical shape to the form bracket  210  are stacked within the form bracket  210  through the open slot  252  ( FIG.  12   ) at the front side of the form bracket  210 . The stiffening ridges  232  assist with the stackability of the form brackets  210 ,  210 A,  210 B by acting as a stopping structure to provide a consistent insertion distance, thereby preventing over-insertion and frictional sticking of stacked form brackets relative to each other. Thus, the shape of the form bracket  210  is stackable with other form brackets that have a substantially identical shape. Such optional stackability can provide improved shipping capacity and storage options. 
     Features of the form bracket  210  that are the same or similar to the form bracket  110  shown in  FIGS.  7 - 11    are not described again in detail but are identified with the same reference numbers, incremented by 100. Also, similar to the form brackets  10  and  110 , form bracket  210  is configured to engage a casting slab and wall of a concrete panel from with the use of a mechanical fastener (e.g., through opening  256 ) and/or adhesive (e.g., applied to the lower surface of the floor-engaging member and/or the front surface of the form-engaging member). For example, the mechanical fasteners may include nails, screws, nail-screws, bolts, or rebar or the like. Also, the adhesive may be applied in the form of an adhesive pad, a liquid adhesive, an adhesive paste, or a dual-sided tape or the like. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the term “engage” (in all of its forms, engage, engaging, engaged, etc.) generally means the joining of two components directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature; may be achieved with the two components and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components; and may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature, unless otherwise stated. 
     Also for purposes of this disclosure, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the orientation shown in  FIG.  1   . However, it is to be understood that various alternative orientations may be provided, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in this specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. 
     Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law. The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.