Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENT I ON
The invention relates to an insulated construction form
element, and in particular to a construction form element
which is a hollow block member made of thermal insulation
material, which is adapted to receive and form castable
construction material such as concrete or the like therein,
and to a frame for incorporation in such a form element.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In conventional construction techniques, a wall made of
castable concrete material is usually first of all defined
by two panels of formwork erected side by side. A castable
material such as concrete is then poured in the formwork and
allowed to cure. In most cases the formwork is then
removed. If it is desired, as in many cases, to apply
thermal insulation to the wall, this is usually applied by
attaching a layer of insulation material to the concrete,
either on the inside of the wall, or in some cases on the
outside of the wall, or in rare cases on both.
Naturally, within reason the more insulation
that is applied, the better will be the insulation of the
building. However it is well known that the application of
insulation materials directly to a poured concrete surface
can be a tiresome job. In some cases it is necessary to
apply wooden studs, and then to support the insulation
between the studs. In other cases, more complex systems
exist for applying thermal insulation using strips of metal,
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through which fastenings can be applied, which then pass
through the insulation material into the wall. However, it
is apparent that whatever system is used for applying
insulation, it involves the use of skilled trades people,
and further time and materials, beyond that require to
erect the formwork and to pour the wall itself.
Accordingly, it has been proposed in the past to
provide hollow blocks made of thermal insulation material.
The blocks were then simply erected one above the other and
secured in position. If required, reinforcing rods were
placed in the hollows in the blocks. Concrete was then
poured down through the hollows defined within the blocks,
and was allowed to cure. In this way, the blocks actually
defined the formwork enclosing the concrete, or other
materials. Thus it was no longer necessary to first of all
erect formwork and then remove it. In addition, since the
blocks were formed of thermal insulation material, once the
wall had cured, it was fully insulated both inside and out.
This system had numerous advantages, since it reduced
substantially the time spent by skilled tradesmen.
However with certain of these proposals there have been
unforseen problems. At first sight it appears that the
solution to the problem is to mould a hollow open ended
- block out of an integral structure of insulating material.
Typically the insulating material will be a mouldable
thermoplastic having insulation properties. Expanded
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polystyrene bead materials are particularly suitable since
they have high R values, and are relatively low in cost, and
are easy to manufacture in a wide variety of moulded shapes.
It is of course apparent that in the design of any such
block there will be inner and outer block walls, and the
block walls must define a hollow space between them. It is
also apparent that there must be some junction structure
extending transversely through the block, at least at
intervals, so as to hold the two block walls together. In
the past, all of this structure, both the inner and the
outer block walls, and the transverse junctions, have been
moulded integrally of thermoplastic insulation materials.
This structure allows for relatively high speed production
techni~ues, and minimizes costs. However, there is a
serious drawback.
Once the blocks are erected, and concrete is poured
through the hollow interior and allowed to cure, it is
apparent that there will be openings extending completely
through the concrete, at numerous points where the
transverse junctions of the blocks extend through from one
side to the other. If water leakage is a problem, it will
be most likely to find it's way through the wall at these
openings. A more serious disadvantage however is that these
openings, being filled with thermoplastic insulation
- material, constitute a fire hazard. Most of such
thermoplastic insulation materials are inflammable to some
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extent or another. Conse~uently, the presence of these
transverse junction portions of thermoplastic insulation
materials, at spaced intervals in the wall, provide pathways
through which fire can travel from one side of the wall to
the other. Various attempts have been made to provide fire
resistant insulation materials. However while fire
resistant insulation materials do reduce the fire problem to
some extent, they are not totally reliable, and the
resulting fire hazard is simply not acceptable. Accordingly,
in U.S. Letters Patent 4,731,968, inventor D. Obino, Issued
March 22, 1988, it has been proposed to manufacture separate
inner and outer wal 15 block walls, and then to join the
separate inner and outer walls together by inserts of sheet
metal such as steel. This does provide a solution to the
problem of the fire path created through the wall by the
previous form of blocks moulded with integral transverse
walls of insulation material. However, the use of sheet
metal itself creates further problems.
Obviously, the sheet metal components must be
fabricated and stamped out separately from the manufacture
of the plastic components. It is apparent that the use of a
number of sheet metal transverse walls, extending from the
inside to the outside of each block, provides a large number
of heat transfer paths, through which heat will travel from
one side of the wall to the other. This then tends to
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defeat the purpose of insulating the wall in the first
place.
From the viewpoint of providing a short term solution
to the problem, ie. to assist in erecting the blocks and to
hold the blocks together while the concrete it setting, the
sheet metal inserts, if they did not produce any of the
other problems, would be acceptable, apart from the extra
cost. However, it is apparent that from the viewpoint of a
long term solution, the use of sheet metal transverse walls
is unnecessary. Once the concrete or other poured material
has cured and set hard, it is structurally rigid and will
bear the load of the remainder of the structure on top of
it.
From that time onwards, the inner and outer walls of
each of the thermoplastic blocks are simply providing an
insulation function and nothing more. In other words, once
the poured material has set, the requirement for providing
formwork, and containment of the flowable poured material
with transverse metal junctions through the wall, is no
longer present. All that is required is to provide the
necessary degree of insulation.
For this insulation purpose, all that is reguired of
the transverse junction portions of the blocks, is that they
shall assist in holding the inner and outer walls of the
blocks against the respective inner and outer surfaces of
the cured wall. They no longer perform any structural
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function. Consequently, the use of sheet metal transverse
junctions, once the wall has set hard, appears to be an
unnecessary degree of "over-engineering".
Further disadvantages resulted from the light weight of
the blocks. This factor caused the blocks to "float" in the
concrete. Tying methods of some kind were required to
overcome this.
BR I EF SUMMARY OF THE I NVENT I ON
With a view to overcoming these conflicting problems
the invention comprises a hollow construction form element
for use in the erection of construction components of poured
flowable construction materials, said element acting as
formwork for pouring and containing of said materials and
thereafter acting as thermal insulation for said
construction component, said element comprising, an inner
formwork panel, an outer formwork panel, at least one of
said inner and outer formwork panels being formed of rigid
mouldable thermal insulation material, a plurality of
thermoplastic non-flammable cross members extending between
said inner and outer formwork panels at spaced intervals
therealong and defining inner and outer ends, and top and
bottom edges,inner axial junction strips extending between
adjacent inner ends, and outer axial junction strips
extending between adjacent outer ends, of said plurality of
cross members, embedment formations formed on at least one
of said inner and outer ends of said cross members, said
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embedment formations being embedded in said at least one of
said inner and outer formwork panels, and, hollow spaces
deined between said inner and outer formwork wall panels,
and hollow spaces being defined above and below said top and
bottom edges of said cross members, whereby to permit flow
of said pourable material therearound.
The invention further comprises such a hollow
construction form element and including upper and lower
edges, and end edges, defined by said inner and outer
panels, and interlocking sealing members formed thereon, for
sealing between adjacent said form elements.
The invention further comprises such a hollow
construction form element and including keying formations on
inner surfaces of said inner and outer formwork panels, for
embedment in said cast material whereby to secure said inner
and outer formwork panels to said cast material.
The invention further comprises such a hollow
construction form element and including vertical liquid
drain channels formed in the outer surfaces of said outer
formwork panels.
The invention further comprises such a hollow
construction form element and wherein said cross members
define complimentary recesses and abutments shaped to fit
therein whereby to form locking means, locking adjacent
blocks above and below to one another.
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The invention further comprises such a construction
form element wherein said cross members define upper and
lower wall portions, located in respective upper and lower
planes offset from one another.
The invention further comprises such a construction
form element wherein said cross members define a spacing
between said upper and lower wall portions.
The invention further comprises a wall formed of such
construction form elements with said outer panels on the
exterior of said wall, and water permeable mesh material
secured to said outer panel on its exterior side, said mesh
material being adapted to prevent passage of earth and fill
into said vertical liquid drain channels in said outer panel
whereby water permeating said earth and fill may pass
through said mesh material and flow freely down said
channels.
Further features of the invention include a corner form
element having one end wall and an opening in a side wall so
as to form interlocking corners.
The invention also features detents or domes at
predetermined locations along the exterior surface of each
inner and outer panel, to identify points of greatest
strengths for the insertion of asteners.
Another aspect of the invention comprises a support
frame for incorporation in a construction form element in
accordance with the invention, the support frame having a
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plurality of transverse junction portions, and a plurality
of upright bracing struts, the bracing struts preferably
having interlocking fastening means at their upper and lower
ends for securing the courses of blocks together, and the
frame further incorporating axial space apart parallel
bracing members connecting said transverse junction members
and forming the same into an integral frame for
incorporation in a construction form element.
The various features of novelty which characterize the
invention are pointed out with more particularity in the
claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating
advantages and specific ob~ects attained by its use,
reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and
descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and
described preferred embodiments o~ the invention.
I N THE DRAW I NGS
Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a portion of
a wall illustrating the use of one embodiment of
construction form elements in accordance with the invention,
portions being cut away;
Figure 2 is a perspective of a single construction form
element of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of a single
construction form element modified for use to build a
corner;
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Figure 4 is a perspective illustration of a frame, used
for incorporation in the construction form element to hold
the two side panels together;
Figure 5 is a cut-away perspective of the element of
Figure 2;
Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of portions of
the construction form element of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a section along line 7-7 of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a upper plan view looking downwardly along
the upper edge of one side panel of the element of Figure 5;
Figure 9 is an exploded sectional view showing the
upper edge of one side of one element, and the under side of
the next adjacent higher element prior to assembly, and,
Figure 10 is a perspective illustration showing the
manner of interlocking engagement achieved by fitting the
interlocking formations of the two elements of Figure 9
together.
DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
Referring ~irst of all to Figure 1, it will be seen
that the invention is illustrated in this example as a
construction form element or block 10, open at each end,
which elements may be built up to a form a wall structure
indicated generally as W, and in which a pourable cast
material M may be poured, to form the load bearing structure
of the wall.
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It will be appreciated that by this means the shape and
definition of the wall may be first of all laid out by
building up courses of blocks or elements 10, somewhat
similar to the laying of cinder or concrete blocks. However
it will of course be appreciated that there is no
requirement for mortar between the construction form
elements 10, which are held together, in a manner to be
described below, without the use of mortar. As the courses
of construction form elements 10 are laid, reinforcing rods
(not shown) may be laid both horizontally and introduced
vertically in well known manner.
Once the wall of construction form elements 10 has been
erected to the necessary height, a pourable cast material M,
`typically concrete, may be poured into the hollow interior
of the construction form elements, and will flow downwardly
filling the voids and spaces within the blocks or elements
10, and is then allowed to set. The poured material thus
forms the final load bearing wall itself. The form elements
remain in place as exterior and interior insulation, and
also perform other functions described below.
It will thus be seen that by the use of such form
elements, there is no longer any requirement for the
erection of special form work, to contain the poured
material, and the form elements 10 themselves both act as
form work during the pouring and curing of the material and
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also remain in place as thermal insulation once the poured
material has cured.
Also shown in Figure 1 is the mesh screen material 12
attached on the outer side of wall W, and the weeping tile,
or exterior drain T, which function as described below.
Turning to Figures 2, 5 and 6, the construction element
10 will be seen to comprise, in this illustrated embodiment,
an inner ~ormwork panel 20 and an outer formwork panel 22.
In this embodiment, each of the panels are formed of
thermoplastic material having thermal insulation properties.
In this particular case, the panels are formed of expanded
polystyrene beads, being a form of thermoplastic which is
well known in the art, and which has high R values, and
which is easily moulded in relatively low cost shape moulds.
The inner panel 20 has an outer surface 24, and an
inner surface 26 facing towards the interior of the block or
element. The inner surface 26 is formed with a plurality of
spaced apart keying formations 28 (Figure 5), the purpose of
which will be described below.
The outer panel 22 has outer surface 30 facing
outwardly from the element, and an inner surface 32 facing
inwardly towards the interior of the element.
The outwardly facing surfaces 24 and 30 of panels 20
and 22 have groups of generally vertical liquid drainage
channels 34 (Figure 5) formed therein. Drainage channels 34
are of regular dovetail shape along their length. Between
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the groups of channels 34, planar portions 36 are formed for
purposes to be described.
The inwardly facing surface 32 of the outer panel 22
has keying formations 38 (Figure 9) formed thereon similar
to the keying formations 28 on the inner panel 20, for
purposes to be described below.
The panels 20 and 22 define, along their upper edges,
male upstanding sealing formations 40. Sealing formations
40 are of generally continuous sinusoidal shape, along
either side, when viewed in plan, giving the male formations
a generally semi-cylindrical shape.
Along the lower edges of the inner and outer panels,
female sealing recesses 44 are formed.
The recesses 44, when viewed upwardly in plan (Fig. 8),
have a generally sinusoidal shape along their edges,
corresponding to the sinusoidal semi-cylindrical shape of
the male formations 40, and adapted to receive the male
formations 40 in snug sealing engagement.
In this way the lower edges of upper construction
elements 10 may be sealingly interengaged onto the upper
edges of lower construction elements 10, and an effective
liquid tight seal is formed.
Inner and outer panels 20 and 22 also define
substantially vertical end edges. Along the end edges at
one end of the panels, sealing ridges 46 (Figure 8) are
formed and along the opposite end edges of such panels
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sealing grooves 48 are formed adapted to mate with and
frictionally receive the sealing ridges 46 and form a good
liquid tight seal.
Along each of the end edges, additional sealing beads
50 are formed, so that when the ends of the blocks are
squeezed together the beads will be deformed, providing a
still further liguid tight seal.
In order to join the inner and outer panels, to form a
hollow construction element 10 in accordance with the
invention, a junction frame assembly indicated generally as
52 (see Figure 4) is provided, Frame 52 is shown in the
partially cut away view of Figure 5 and the enlarged view of
Figure 6. It will be seen to comprise transverse junction
cross members indicated generally as 60 are located between
respective inner and outer panels 20 and 22, and extend
transversely therebetween at spaced intervals. In the
illustrated embodiment, the block is 120 cm (or about 4
feet) long, and there are illustrated four such transverse
junction members 60 equally spaced apart, by equal
distances. However such transverse junctions 60 may also be
used in some cases at each end of the block. The endmost
junction cross members (as illustrated) are spaced from
their respective ends by a distance equal to one half the
spacing between members 60.
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In this way, when the blocks are assembled in courses,
the junction members 60 will all be equally spaced
throughout the blocks or elements 10.
It will be appreciated however that this is merely one
preferred arrangement, and that other arrangements and other
dimensions of the block may be suitable in other
circumstances.
The transverse junction members 60 comprise upper
junction portions 62 and lower junction portions 64. Each
of the junction portions 62-64 is of generally planar
construction, and the two portions 62 and 64 are located in
vertical planes which are spaced apart axially along the
length of the block relative to one another and define
spaces 66 therebetween.
Generally V-shaped recesses 68 are formed in upper
junction portions 62 to act as guides for reinforcing rods
(not shown) of steel or the like. A stiffening rib 70
(Figure 6) extends generally vertically on one side of the
upper and lower portions 62-64 to act as reinforcement.
At each end of the portions 62-64, they are integrally
formed with angled reinforcement portions 73, which join
with generally Tee-shaped elongated upper and lower
embedment formations 72- 74, extending along vertical axes
offset from one another (Fig.7). The locations of the
formations 72-74 is such that they will lie in a location
which is essentially median to or offset slightly towards
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the exterior of the thickness of each of the panels 20 and
22 respectively.
The embedment formations 72-74 are in turn united along
either side of the block by means of buttresses 76, flanges
77 and generally horizontal bracing strips 78. The bracing
strips 78 and the embedment formations 72-74 and flanges 77
and the upper and lower portions 62 and 64 are all moulded
integrally of fire resistant thermoplastic material having a
fire rating appropriate to the type of building for which
the blocks are intended, and in any event superior to the
fire rating of the panels 20 and 22. The manufacture of the
blocks or construction form elements 10, will now be seen to
be essentially a two-stage process.
In the first stage, the frames comprising the junction
members together with their embedment formations and bracing
strips are first of all typically injection moulded in a
single mould out of an appropriate fire resistant plastic
material. They are then placed in a larger mould, of the
type designed for forming the two side panels 20 and 22 out
of polystyrene bead plastic material. The polystyrene
material is then filled into the mould, and the two side
panels 20 and 22 are then formed around the embedment
formations 72,74 and bracing strips 78 of the frames.
It will be understood that the moulds or forms for the
two side panels would be so designed that the outer surfaces
of the inner and outer side panel are provided with flat
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planar portions 36, already referred to. These planar
portions 36 are located so as to register with the locations
of the upper and lower embedment portions 72 and 74.
From Figures 5, 8, and 9 it will be seen that the upper
embedment portions 72 are located so as to register
centrally with the male sealing formations 40, and the lower
embedment formations 74 are located so as to register with
the female sealing recesses 44.
In order to hold the blocks together in courses, the
upper embedment formations 72 are provided with locking
detents 80 and the lower embedment formations 74 are
provided with interlocking recesses 82. Stop bars 84 are
formed on the upper embedment formations 72 adjacent the
detents 80.
As best shown in Figures 9 and 10, when an upper block
is placed in engagement with a lower block, the detent on
the upper embedment formation 72 of the lower block is
adapted to yield on one side, while the lower embedment
formation 74 on the underside of the upper block is adapted
to yield in the other direction, thereby permitting the
detent 80 to pass into it's associated recess 82 and make a
locking fit.
A further feature which is advantageous is the
provision of indexing marks on the exterior of the block
along the outside of each of the inner and outer panels.
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These indexing marks comprise a series of larger domes
90, located centrally with respect to the planar portions
36, and smaller domes 92 located along the ridges defined
between the channels 34.
The domes, both larger and smaller, are all located
along a common axis.
This axis registers with the location of the bracing
strips 78.
The larger domes 90 register with the buttresses 76 at
the intersection between the bracing strips 78 and the upper
and lower embedment formations 72-74.
Thus the larger domes indicate the point of maximum
strength in this structure, to enable a contractor to insert
fastenings in the most secure manner.
As shown in Figure 3 corner blocks 96 are formed,
having two block portions formed together at 90 and
defining a wall corner.
Corner blocks 96 would be moulded in two sizes, so as
to accommodate the interlocking courses of the regular
blocks, at each corner.
In operation, the frames are first of all moulded separately
in an injection moulding plant. They may then be shipped to
a block moulding plant, of which there may be several
located at strategic points around a market area, all being
served by one injection moulding plant moulding the frames.
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The frames, in view of the offsetting between the upper
and lower embedment formations (Figure 7) are nestable, and
consequently may be shipped in a reasonably economical
manner.
The block form elements 10 themselves when moulded and
removed from the polystyrene moulds will of course be
somewhat less economical to ship. Consequently it is
desirable to have polystyrene moulding plants at various
strategic locations for servicing a market area in an
economical manner.
Once at the building site, the footings may be poured
in the conventional way, and the construction form elements
10 will be laid up somewhat in the manner of large blocks,
in courses (Figure 1). Corners may be formed using the
corner blocks 96 of Figure 3. Reinforcing bars (not shown)
will be inserted where necessary.
The castable material, i.e. concrete, will then be
poured in the cavities between the inner and outer panels of
each of the form elements, until they are filled up.
The hydrostatic pressure created by the height of the
concrete within the wall will be such that it can readily be
resisted and retained within the panels, by means of the
transverse junction members and embedment formations of the
frames.
Once the concrete is set and cured, a contractor may
then wish to apply an exterior mesh filter screen S (Figure
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1) to the outer surface of the outer panels, and also of
course install the usual weeping tile.
The purpose of the mesh filter screen is to prevent
backfill and earth from filling the channels 34 in the outer
surfaces of the outwardly facing panels.
The backfill or earth is then filled in around the
wall, if the wall is being installed as a basement wall for
example and building can continue above grade, either using
further blocks and concrete, or by other forms of
construction.
As moisture penetrates the earth and fill, and reaches
the outer surface of the outer panels, it will pass through
the filter mesh screen S and into the channels 34 in the
outer surface of the outer panels. In these channels the
water can freely run down the exterior of the panels until
it reaches the drainage tile and/or pipe T, at which point
it may be carried off to a suitable drainage site away from
the building.
This process ensures that the exterior surfaces of the
panels will be kept as far as possible free from build up of
ground water accumulated around the wall.
When finishing the interior wall, the contractor can
simply apply drywall or other finish directly to the outer
surface of the inner panels. If installing drywall for
example, then he may wish to apply furring strips to the
wall, in order to accommodate electrical services.
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Alternatively, he may simply apply the drywall or other
finish directly to the outer surface of the inner panel. In
either case, the furring strips, or the drywall, or other
material, may simply be attached to the outer surface of the
inner panel, by using suitable fasteners passing through the
high strength locations indicated by the domes 90 and 92.
Where cement parging, stucco, or plaster are used (inside or
outside) the vertical dovetail drainage channels 34 enhance
the anchoring of the cement parging, stucco, or other
architectural coatings to the interior, or exterior, wall
surface.
The foregoing is a description of a preferred
embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of
example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited
to any of the specific features as described, but
comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the
scope of the appended claims.
