Foundation construction system
OwnerGerald T. Spudeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A building system and apparatus for forming a wall on a footing. U-shaped channels and H-shaped or T-shaped members coupled at their sides by rigid links hold foam panels in a desired spaced relationship. Vertically oriented panels aligned and connected by T-shaped members or horizontally oriented panels stacked with and connected by H-shaped members are inserted into the U-shaped channels to form a structure of the desired length. Concrete is poured between the panels and members where it hardens to form a structural wall. The planar surfaces of the U-shaped, H-shaped and T-shaped members enable the members to be extruded, thereby substantially reducing member production costs. Furthermore, widely available conventional foam panels can be used, reducing panel production costs.
Claims19
A substantially vertically oriented apparatus for holding forms in a desired spaced relationship until hardenable liquid building material is poured and hardens between the forms, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of elongated members each oriented with a longitudinal axis extending substantially vertically, said elongated members being T-shaped in cross section and including planar surfaces for engaging the forms;
- a plurality of pairs of U-shaped elongated members, the U-shaped members of each pair extending in a substantially parallel spaced relationship, defining substantially parallel spaced channels for receiving bottom edges of the forms, said U-shaped members including planar surfaces for engaging the forms;
- and
- a plurality of substantially rigid links connected to sides of said T-shaped elongated members, said U-shaped members and said T-shaped members retaining the forms in the desired spaced relationship, and said links leaving sufficient open space between said T-shaped members to allow the liquid building material to be poured between said T-shaped members.
A system for forming a structure, said system comprising:
- a plurality of pairs of U-shaped elongated members, said U-shaped elongated members of each pair extending in a substantially parallel spaced relationship, defining substantially parallel spaced channels;
- a plurality of substantially vertically oriented elongated and planar panels laterally spaced by insertion of bottom edges of said panels into said channels defined by said U-shaped elongated members;
- substantially vertically oriented T-shaped elongated members coupled together in pairs by substantially rigid links, said T-shaped elongated members coupling together adjacent ones of said panels at lateral edges of the panels;
- and
- a top cap member defining an inverted substantially U-shaped elongated structure for receiving upper edges of said panels.
A method of erecting a substantially vertically oriented building form system, said method comprising the steps of:
- coupling a plurality of pairs of substantially parallel U-shaped elongated members to a footing with the U-shaped elongated members of each pair extending in a substantially parallel spaced relationship, defining substantially parallel spaced channels;
- orienting substantially vertically a plurality of elongated, substantially T-shaped members coupled together by substantially rigid links;
- inserting bottom edges of said T-shaped members into said channels of said U-shaped members;
- inserting a bottom edge of substantially vertically oriented panels into said channels of said U-shaped members and coupling said panels to said T-shaped members by inserting flanges of said substantially T-shaped members into slots in lateral edges of said panels;
- and
- creating a structure of desired length by alternately inserting said bottom edges of said panels into said channels, and inserting said flanges into said slots in said lateral edges of said panels.
A method of installing a component between inner and outer panel assemblies of a building form system prior to liquid building material being poured between the assemblies, said method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a bottom edge of a first substantially vertically oriented, substantially T-shaped member into a channel of a U-shaped member;
- inserting a bottom of a substantially vertically oriented panel into said channel, and coupling said panel to said first T-shaped member by inserting a flange of said first T-shaped member into a slot in a lateral edge of said panel;
- inserting a bottom edge of a second substantially vertically oriented, substantially T-shaped member into said channel of said U-shaped member, and coupling said second substantially vertically oriented T-shaped member to said panel by inserting a flange of said second substantially T-shaped member into a slot in a lateral edge of said panel;
- raising said panel vertically along tracks formed by said flanges of said first and second T-shaped members, moving the bottom of said panel out of said channel to permit installation of the component;
- and
- lowering said panel vertically along the tracks formed by said flanges of said first and second T-shaped members until said panel is properly seated in said channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.