Formwork for erecting reinforced concrete walls, including concrete walls with textured surfaces

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented foamed plastic panel members having inner surfaces laminated with a plastic film and defining a form space there between;
• said panel members having respective outer opposed surfaces;
• (b) a spacer comprising at least one transverse tie member secured to and extending between said first and second panel members, said transverse tie member having a first end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a first connector to mount said spacer to first panel member, said transverse tie member having a second end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a second connector to mount said spacer to said second panel member;
• said first connector being operable to be released from said first panel member to assist in facilitating the removal of said first panel member from said tie member;
• and wherein said first connector comprises a connector assembly for use in securing a panel member to said spacer with said transverse tie member, said connector assembly comprising:
• (i) a cap member having a flange cap portion and a shaft portion, said shaft portion with an end having an opening adapted to be interconnected to an end portion of said tie member;
• and
• (ii) a bushing member having a flange portion and an axially aligned shaft portion with an end opposite to said flange portion, said bushing member having a continuous cavity formed in and passing through said flange portion and said shaft portion,
• said shaft portion of said cap member being receivable axially into said continuous cavity of said bushing member through said flange portion toward said end of said shaft portion so as to be able to engage said end of said transverse tie member extending through said end of said bushing member into said continuous cavity
• wherein said first panel member is held between said flange portion of said cap member and said flange portion of said bushing member and wherein said cap member is axially moved toward said transverse tie member, such that a panel member is compressed between said flange portion of said cap member and said flange portion of said bushing member to provide a rigid connection between said connector assembly, said first panel member and said transverse tie member.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) a first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented foamed plastic panel members each of said first and second panel members having inner surfaces laminated with a plastic film and defining a form space there between;
• (b) a spacer comprising at least one transverse tie member secured to and extending between said first and second panel members, said transverse tie member having a first end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a first connector to mount said spacer to first panel member, said transverse tie member having a second end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a second connector to mount said spacer to second panel member said first connector being releasable from said transverse tie member to assist in facilitating the release of said first panel member from said tie member;
• wherein said first connector comprises a connector assembly for use in securing said first panel member to a transverse tie member, said connector assembly comprising:
• (i) a cap member having a flange cap portion and a shaft portion, said shaft portion with an end having an opening adapted to be interconnected to an end portion of a tie member;
• (ii) a bushing member having a flange portion and an axially aligned shaft portion with an end opposite to said flange portion, said bushing member having a continuous cavity formed in and passing through said flange portion and said shaft portion;
• said shaft portion of said cap member being receivable axially into said continuous cavity of said bushing member through said flange portion toward said end of said shaft portion for releasable engagement with said end of said tie member extending through said end of said bushing member into said continuous cavity;
• and
• said flange portion of said bushing having at least one aperture passing there through, said aperture and having an opening for permitting the fluid communication of flowable concrete into said aperture, said aperture being configured such that when concrete flows into and hardens in said aperture, said hardened concrete in said aperture which is integrally connected to hardened concrete outside of said aperture provides an anchoring device to hold said bushing member in said hardened concrete.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) first and second panel members being made from foamed plastic and spaced apart in a transverse direction to define a form space there between, said first panel member having an inner surface facing an inner surface of the second panel member;
• said first and second panel members each having outer surfaces, each of said outer surfaces being opposed to respective said inner surfaces of said first and second panel members;
• said inner surface of said first panel member having non-adhesive properties in relation to hardened concrete held in said form space;
• (b) a spacer transversely disposed between said first and second panel members and holding said panel members in generally spaced parallel relation to each other, said spacer comprising:
• (i) first and second spaced transverse tie members oriented generally in a transverse direction and each having a first end and an opposite second end, each said first end being adapted for securing said respective transverse tie member to a respective first connector mounted to said first panel member, and each second end being adapted for securing said respective transverse tie member to a respective second connector mounted to said second panel, said connectors mounted to said first panel being adapted to be removed from said tie members from said outer surface when said form space is filled with concrete;
• (ii) first and second spaced rod members oriented generally orthogonal to said transverse direction and said first and second rod members being secured to and extending between said first and second tie members, said first and second rod members being in generally spaced, parallel and planar relation to each other, wherein said first rod member is in abutting relation with each of said first connectors and second rod member abuts with the inner surface of the said second panel member;
• wherein said first and second connectors are connected to said first and second tie members such that said first and second panel members are held in slight compression between first and second rod members and the respective first and second connectors, resulting in the formation of a rigid panel unit wherein the said panels are held in a substantially rigid position relative to the said spacer.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) a first panel member made from a foamed plastic having an inner surface and an opposed outer surface said inner surface of said first panel member having non-adhesive properties in relation to hardened concrete held in said form space and said inner surface being laminated with a suitable plastic film;
• (b) a second panel member made from a foamed plastic and spaced apart in a transverse direction to define a form space between said first panel member and said second panel member, said inner surface of said first panel member facing an inner surface of said second panel member;
• (c) a spacer generally being transversely positioned between said first and second panel members, said spacer holding said first and second panel members in generally transversely spaced relation to each other, said spacer comprising:
• (i) a transverse tie member having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a first connector mounted to said first panel member and said second end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a second connector mounted to said second panel member;
• (ii) first and second rod members interconnected to and oriented generally orthogonally to, said transverse tie member;
• wherein said second connector, said transverse tie member and said second rod member are configured such that said second panel member is held in compression between and by the interaction of said second connector and said second rod member thereby holding said second panel in a rigid or semi-rigid position relative to said spacer.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) first and second panel members being made from a foamed plastic and spaced apart in a transverse direction to define a form space there between, said first panel member having an inner surface facing an inner surface of said second panel member;
• said first and second panel members each having outer surfaces, each of said outer surfaces of said first and second panel members being opposed to respective said inner surfaces of said first and second panel members;
• (b) a spacer transversely disposed between said first and second panel members and holding said first and second panel members in generally transversely spaced relation to each other, said spacer comprising:
• (i) at least one transverse tie member oriented generally in a transverse direction and having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end being connected to a first connector mounted to said first panel member and said second end of said being connected to a second connector mounted to said second panel member;
• (ii) first and second spaced rod members oriented generally orthogonal to said transverse direction and said first and second rod members being secured to said at least one tie member, said first and second rod members being in generally spaced, parallel and planar relation to each other, wherein said first rod member is in abutting relation with said first connector and second rod member abuts with the inner surface of the said second panel member positioning said second panel orthogonally to said tie member;
• wherein said first and second panel members are held in compression by the interaction of said spacer and each of said first and second connectors respectively to assisting in providing a substantially rigid panel unit.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) first and second panel members being made from a foamed plastic and spaced apart in a transverse direction to define a form space there between, said first panel member having an inner surface facing an inner surface of said second panel member;
• said first and second panel members each having outer surfaces, each of said outer surfaces of said first and second panel members being opposed to respective said inner surfaces of said first and second panel members;
• said inner surface of said first panel member having non-adhesive properties in relation to hardened concrete held in said form space;
• (b) a spacer transversely disposed between said first and second panel members and holding said first and second panel members in generally transversely spaced relation to each other, said spacer comprising:
• (i) at least one transverse tie member having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a first connector mounted to said first panel member and a second connector secured to said second end of said at least one transverse tie member, said first connector being adapted to be removed from the tie member from said outer surface when said form space is filled with hardened concrete, wherein said first end of said tie member being located within close proximity of the said inner surface of said first panel member and having non-adhesive properties against the hardened concrete, and the second end of said tie member is positioned between the inner and outer surfaces of said second panel member;
• (ii) first and second spaced rod members oriented generally orthogonal to said transverse direction and said first and second rod members being secured to said at least one tie member, said first and second rod members being in generally spaced, parallel and planar relation to each other, wherein said first rod member is in abutting relation with said first connector and second rod member abuts with the inner surface of the said second panel member positioning said second panel orthogonally to said tie member;
• wherein said first and second connectors are connected to said at least one transverse tie member such that said first and second panel members are held in slight compression between first and second rod members and the respective first and second connectors, resulting in the formation of a substantially rigid panel unit wherein the said panels are held in a substantially rigid position relative to the said spacer.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) first and second panel members, said panel members being spaced apart and oriented generally in a first longitudinal direction, said panel members defining a form space there between;
• (b) a spacer comprising:
• (i) at least one transverse tie member generally oriented in a second transverse direction that is orthogonal to said first direction, said tie member being secured to and extending between said first and second panel members, said at least one transverse tie member having a first end and an opposite second end each said end being adapted for securing said transverse tie member to a connector to mount said spacer to said first and second panel members;
• (ii) first and second rod members having first portions mounted to said tie member and said first and second rod members being oriented generally in a third direction that is orthogonal to both said first and second directions, said first and second rod members being spaced apart in said second transverse direction and said first and second rods being in generally spaced, and generally parallel relation to each other, each of said first and second rod members having end portions that extend from said first portions in a fourth and fifth direction respectively that are oriented at a first angle and a second angle respectively that are between said first and third directions;
• (iii) a first transverse rod member secured proximate to or at said end portion of said first and second rod members and extending generally in said second transverse direction between said first and second rod members;
• (iv) a second transverse rod member secured to said end portions of each of said first and second rod members, said second transverse rod member being spaced in said first and third directions from said first transverse rod member, and said second transverse rod member extending generally in said second transverse direction between said first and second rod members;
• wherein said first and second rod members, and said first and second transverse rod members define and provide there between a retaining cell, for receiving there through and retaining an elongated reinforcement member that may be oriented generally in said first or third directions.

A panel unit for use as part of a concrete form for a concrete wall, said panel unit comprising:

• (a) a first panel member having an inner surface and an opposed outer surface;
• said first panel member made from a material comprising a rigid foamed plastic strengthened with a plastic film laminated to at least said inner surface of said first panel member;
• said plastic film laminated to said inner surface of said first panel member having non-adhesive properties in relation to hardened concrete, said first panel member having first and second spaced apertures extending from said inner surface to said outer surface of said first panel member;
• (b) a second panel member made from a material comprising a foamed plastic and said second panel being spaced apart in a transverse direction from said first panel member to define a form space between said first panel member and said second panel member, said inner surface of said first panel member facing an inner surface of said second panel member;
• (c) a spacer generally being transversely positioned between said first and second panel members, said spacer holding said first and second panel members in generally transversely spaced relation to each other, said spacer comprising:
• (i) first and second transverse tie members each having a first end and an opposite second end, said first ends of each of said first and second transverse tie members being adapted for securing respectively said first and second transverse tie members to said first panel with a first connector and a second connector, mounted in respective said first and second apertures of said first panel member;
• said first connector and said second connector being adapted to be removable from the first and second transverse tie members after said form space has been filled with concrete and said concrete has hardened;
• said material of said first panel member being in a compressed state caused at least in part by interaction of said spacer and said first connector, to provide assistance in establishing a substantially rigid and geometrically stable panel unit.