Apparatus for supporting and moving vertically an erected form assembly

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to an apparatus for supporting and moving vertically an erected form assembly which is used to construct a building.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing how surrounding walls, reinforced horizontal beams and structural posts for a third floor of a building are constructed.

#FIG. 2 is a top view showing an apparatus of this invention for supporting and moving vertically an erected form assembly which is used to construct the building.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an apparatus of this invention is used to support and move vertically an erected form assembly which is used to construct a building. The apparatus includes a form support body 22, a plurality of legs 27 which extend downwardly from the form support body 22, at least one horizontal support bar 21 which is located below and spaced from the form support body 22, and means, connected to the form support body 22 and the horizontal support bar 21, for moving vertically the horizontal support bar 21 with respect to the form support body 22. The form support body 22 has a bottom side and a top side on which the erected form assembly can rest. Each leg 27 has a lower portion associated with a clamping unit (27a). The detailed structure of the apparatus will be further described in the following paragraphs.

#The building described in this embodiment has ten stories. Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 3, concrete wall structures (C) of first and second stories (1st, 2nd) of the building have been constructed. The concrete wall structure (C) includes surrounding walls 1 formed integrally with reinforced horizontal beams 11 and vertical structural posts 12. The reinforced horizontal beams 11 confine an interior space therebetween. The form support body 22 of the apparatus of this invention is positioned on the level of the second story (2nd) and extends across the interior space confined by the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the second story (2nd) by means of legs 27 which extend downwardly and clamping units (27a) which are associated with the legs 27 to clamp releasably the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the first story (1st). The form support body 22 can be a trussed frame and has high strength and low weight characteristics. Each clamping unit 27 includes a pair of spaced opposite seats (27b) projecting from the lower portion of the leg 27 and a pair of hydraulic operated clamp members (27c ) respectively mounted on the seats (27b) in order to clamp releasably one of the reinforced horizontal beams 11. Referring to FIG. 2, each leg 27 has an upper portion, which is connected pivotally to the bottom side of the form support body 22, and is turnable about a vertical axis between a mounting position in which the seat (27b) is shown in solid lines and a released position in which the seat (27b) is shown in phantom lines. A pair of horizontal support bars 21 are mounted on the concrete wall structure (C) of the first story (1st). Each horizontal support bar 21 extends across the interior space confined by the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the first story (1st) and is provided with a hydraulic operated retractable mounting member 23 on two ends thereof in order to mount the same releasably on the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the first story (1st). The moving means of the apparatus of this invention has two mounting seats 24 fixed on each horizontal support bar 21, and a rack-and-pinion mechanism (26a) and two rollers 25 mounted in each mounting seat 24. The rack-and-pinion mechanism (26a) includes a pinion 26 and a rack 28. The rack 28 extends downwardly from the bottom side of the form support body 22 toward the horizontal support bar 21 and has a toothed face 29 to mesh with the pinion 26 and a longitudinal sliding groove for receiving the rollers 25 therein. A supporting frame 34 is mounted on the form support body 22 to hold a modular inner form assembly 31 of the erected form assembly thereon. The modular inner form assembly 31 is set up in a molding position. A modular outer form assembly 32 is set up in a cooperative relationship with respect to the modular inner form assembly 31. An upper connecting means 33 and a lower connecting means 36 are provided to fasten the inner and outer form assemblies 31, 32. Concrete is poured between the inner and outer form assemblies 31, 32 so as to form a concrete wall structure (C1) of a third story (3rd). The concrete wall structure (C1) includes surrounding walls (1) formed integrally with reinforced horizontal beams 11 and vertical structural posts 12. After the formed concrete wall structure (C1) has cured, the inner form assembly 31 is stripped therefrom. In FIG. 3, the clamping units (27a) are released from the reinforced horizontal beams 11 and each leg 27 is turned to the position shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 2 so as to move upward the form support body 22 to the level of the third story (3rd) by the operation of the rack-and-pinion mechanism (26a). The form support body 22 is held rigidly with respect to the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the third story (3rd) by positioning the legs 27 in the mounting position and clamping the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the second story (2nd) with the use of the clamping units (27a). The inner form assembly 31 is set up again in a molding position. The outer form assembly 32 is released from the formed concrete wall structure (C1) of the third story (3rd) and is moved to the level of the fourth story (4th). The outer form assembly 32 is set up again and cooperates with the inner form assembly 31 to form a concrete wall structure for the fourth story (4th). The length of the rack 28 is substantially equal to the height of two stories. After the concrete wall structure (C1) of the fourth story is formed, the horizontal support bars 21 are released from the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the first story (1st) by retracting the mounting members 23. The horizontal support bars 21 associated with the mounting seats 24 are moved upward to the level of the second story (2nd), as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 3, by the rack-and-pinion mechanisms (26a) and are then positioned on the reinforced horizontal beams 11 of the second story (2nd) by the mounting members 23. Afterwards, the clamping units (27a) are released from the reinforced horizontal beams 11, and the form support body 22 is further moved upward to the level of a fifth story. Therefore, by repeating the above described process, the concrete wall structure of an upper story can be formed after the concrete wall structure of a lower story is formed. Finally, the concrete wall structure of an uppermost story of this building is formed.

#Like elements are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.