System and method for concrete slab connection

An article of manufacture comprising at least first and second adjacent cast-in-place concrete slabs formed on a preexisting substantially horizontal slab support, said article of manufacture comprising:

• a first poured cast-in-place hardened concrete slab formed on said slab support, said first concrete slab having a substantially horizontal upper surface, a lower surface resting on said slab support and a substantially upright edge formed between said upper and lower surfaces of said first poured concrete slab,
• multiple laterally aligned substantially horizontal transverse precut slots formed along said upright edge of said first poured concrete slab,
• multiple rigid dowel plates having first and second unitary portions, each of said first portions of said dowels being received within each of said precut slots of said first poured concrete slab, said second portions projecting laterally from said upright edge,
• said second concrete slab having been poured and hardened after said precut slots have been formed along said upright edge of said first concrete slab and after said first portions have been received within said slots, and each of said second portions of said slabs having been enclosed within said second concrete slab, said second concrete slab having been cast-in-place after said first cast-in-place concrete slab,
• said second concrete slab having a horizontal upper surface adjacent to and being formed at substantially the same level as said upper surface of said first concrete slab,
• said second concrete slab having a lower surface resting on a slab support member aligned with said first concrete slab,
• an upright edge portion of said second poured concrete slab having been formed against said upright edge of said first concrete slab,
• wherein said concrete slabs being moveable while substantially overcoming internal stresses for avoiding stress relief cracks in said first and second concrete slabs.

A cutting unit for cutting multiple substantially horizontal aligned slots in a cast-in-place first concrete slab wherein dowel plates are provided with first portions to be received in said slots, wherein said concrete slab is of a type that has a base, a substantially horizontal upper surface, and wherein a substantially upright outer edge is formed between said base and said upper surface and wherein said slots are sized and shaped to receive said first portions of said dowel plates and wherein projecting unitary second portions of said dowel plates are to be embedded by a later poured second concrete slab adjacent said first concrete slab, said cutting unit comprising:

• a powerized wheeled member moveable along a path inwardly of said upright edge of said first concrete slab,
• a support member projecting laterally outwardly from said wheeled member and beyond said upright edge of said concrete slab,
• a powerized slot cutting unit moveably mounted on said support member between operative and inoperative positions, and
• a substantially horizontally positioned and operatively mounted saw member driven by said powerized slot cutting unit for forming multiple longitudinally aligned slots at substantially the same predetermined size and shape along said upright edge, said first portions of said multiple dowel plates being sized and shaped to be received within said slots.

In a method of preparing a first concrete slab for receiving multiple planar dowels therein prior to pouring a second concrete slab adjacent to first concrete slab of said first concrete slab, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a first hardened and preexisting concrete slab having upper and lower surfaces and an exposed substantially upright edge between said upper and lower surface,
• b) cutting multiple laterally aligned transverse slots of a substantially uniform size and shape into said first concrete slab at a position intermediate said upper and lower surfaces in predetermined longitudinally aligned intervals along said upright edge,
• c) providing multiple planar dowels each with first and second portions, said first portions of each of said dowels being sized and shaped to be received within each of said slots,
• d) inserting said first portions of said planar dowels into said longitudinally aligned slots, and
• e) projecting said second portions of said planar dowels laterally outwardly from said upright edge of said first concrete slab and into the region where said concrete slab is to be poured.