Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Liner System for Forming Concrete Panels
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liner system for use in forming
concrete panels used in concrete fences, walls and related structure.
Related Art
Vertically oriented concrete panels have been used for a number of years in
applications including concrete fences, sound walls, partitions, etc. Concrete
panels are
often poured and cured in a central manufacturing area and shipped as cured
panels to job
sites, where the panels can be assembled into a fence or similar structure. It
is often
desirable to apply a textured, decorative finish to such concrete panels to
enhance the
appearance of the panels. Decorative finishes such as pseudo-brick 'finishes,
pseudo-rock
wall finishes, etc., give the concrete panels a more aesthetically pleasing
appearance, and
in some cases, such as in sound wall applications, can increase the
effectiveness of the
concrete panels.
One type of system developed to pour concrete panels utilizes vertically-
oriented
molds between which uncured concrete is poured and allowed to cure. As the
concrete
panels are formed and cured in a vertical Orientation, this type of system is
known as a
vertical pour system. Some such systems, for example the one described in U.S.
Patent
Application Publication No. 20050067551, utilize vertically oriented,
patterned molds
which are secured within a support structure and are filled with uncured
concrete. As the
uncured (or wet) concrete is poured into the mold, the weight of the wet
concrete ensures
that the concrete fills indentations in the patterned mold to accurately form
a pattern in
the finished panel. Such a process produces a decorative pattern on at least
one side of
the panel. Such systems have been found advantageous over horizontal mold
systems
because fewer voids appear in the final product, resulting in an aesthetically
pleasing
product with superior physical integrity.
While systems that pour concrete into vertical forms have been successful in
creating decorative patterns on both sides of the vertical concrete panel, the
forms used to
create such panels have had several operational problems. For example, the
forms are
quite expensive to make because they must be made of a material that i) won't
adhere to
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the cured concrete, ii) won't deform to a great extent under the weight of
uncured
concrete, and iii) is sufficiently pliable so as to be easily removable from
the pattern
created in the cured concrete. Additionally, the forms used to create the
decorative
pattern in the panels are exposed to, and must be able to withstand, severe
environmental
conditions such as frequent cyclical loading between concrete pours, rough
handling
during cured concrete removal, and caustic chemical reactions of curing
concrete.
These environmental conditions have caused liners used in vertical concrete
forms
to prematurely degrade and/or become prematurely separated from adjacent
supporting
framework structure. Consequently, the relatively expensive liners have had a
relatively
short useful life and it has been necessary to produce new forms on a
relatively frequent
basis. Such problems have increased both the material costs associated with
vertical pour
systems, and with the number of labor hours necessary to maintain a constant
fabrication
cycle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop forms for use
in
vertically forming concrete panels that include liner systems that are
physically robust
and that can withstand the severe environmental conditions involved in
vertically forming
concrete panels.
The invention provides a form for creating a pattern in uncured concrete
during a
casting process, including a support frame, and a perforated reinforcing
structure, coupled
adjacent to at least a portion of -the support frame. The perforated
reinforcing structure
can have a plurality of apertures defined therein. A pliable liner can be
disposed at least
partially within the plurality of apertures and also about the perforated
reinforcing
structure adjacent the support structure. The pliable liner can have a
patterned surface
formed thereon for creating a corresponding pattern in uncured concrete poured
adjacent
the form.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a form system for creating
a
pattern in uncured concrete during a concrete casting process is provided
including a
base, and a pair of opposing end wall forms that extend upward from the base
and
defining end wall surfaces of a vertical mold cavity for uncured concrete. A
pair of
opposing side wall forms can extend upward from the base and can define side
wall
surfaces of the vertical mold cavity. Each of the opposing side wall forms can
include a
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perforated reinforcing structure having a plurality of apertures defined
therein, and a pliable
liner, disposed at least partially within the plurality of apertures and about
the perforated
reinforcing structure. The pliable liner can have a patterned surface formed
thereon for
creating a corresponding pattern in uncured concrete poured adjacent the form.
The present invention also provides for a method for making a form for
vertically molding concrete including positioning a support frame to support a
form. A
perforated reinforcing structure that can have a plurality of apertures
disposed thereon can be
coupled to at least a portion of the support frame. A pliable liner can be
disposed at least
partially within the plurality of apertures. The pliable liner can also be
disposed about the
perforated reinforcing structure and the support frame. A patterned surface
can be created on
the pliable liner in order to form a corresponding pattern into uncured
concrete poured
adjacent the form.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a form system for
creating a pattern in uncured concrete during a concrete casting process,
comprising: a base; a
pair of opposing end wall forms, extending upward from the base and defining
end wall
surfaces of a vertical mold cavity for uncured concrete; and a pair of
opposing side wall
forms, extending upward from the base and defining side wall surfaces of the
vertical mold
cavity, the opposing side wall forms each including at least: a perforated
reinforcing structure
having a plurality of apertures defined therein, the perforated reinforcing
structure being
independently attached to the side wall form; and a pliable liner, disposed at
least partially
within the plurality of apertures and at least partially about the perforated
reinforcing
structure, the pliable liner having a patterned surface formed thereon for
creating a
corresponding pattern in uncured concrete poured adjacent the form.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for
making a form for vertically molding concrete, comprising the step of: a)
obtaining a support
frame; b) independently attaching a perforated reinforcing structure to at
least a portion of the
support frame, the reinforcing structure having a plurality of apertures
disposed therein; and
c) after independently attaching the perforated reinforcing structure to the
support frame,
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disposing a pliable liner at least partially within the plurality of apertures
and at least partially
about the perforated reinforcing structure attached to the support frame.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings,
which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical concrete panel form in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front, partially sectioned view of the vertical concrete panel
form of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the vertical concrete panel form of FIG. 2,
taken
along section 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is perspective view of a vertical concrete panel form system in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, shown in a partially
assembled
configuration; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the vertical concrete panel form system of
FIG. 4, shown in an assembled configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the
drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It
will
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nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is
thereby
intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features
illustrated
herein, and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as
illustrated herein,
which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of
this
disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.
Illustrated in FIG. 1 is an example of a form, shown generally at 10, for
creating a
pattern in uncured concrete during a casting process in accordance with one
aspect of the
invention described herein. As discussed in greater detail below, the form 10
can be used
in conjunction with other forms, such as end wall forms and retaining
structure, to form
concrete panels (e.g., 11 in FIG. 4) that can be used in vertical applications
such as
fences, retaining walls, and the like. One exemplary system with which the
form 10 can
be used is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050067551,
filed
September 30, 2003.
Vertical concrete panels 11 created by the form 10 of the present invention
are
used in a variety of applications, including residential and commercial
fencing, sound
wall applications, etc. Additionally, concrete panels formed in accordance
with the
present invention generally require little or no maintenance, provide superior
strength,
and can be relatively quickly assembled on the job site into a fence or other
structure.
Assembly of the panels into a fence structure is generally accomplished by
installing or
forming posts (not shown) which include slot structure into which the panels
are disposed
=
and held securely.
The form 10 can mold a decorative pattern into sides of the concrete panels 11
to
give the concrete panels an aesthetically pleasing appearance such as a rock
wall, a brick
wall, or other such desirable patterns. As used herein, the term "decorative
pattern" is
understood to mean a pattern applied to the concrete panels, and may be
decorative or
functional, or both, in nature. In addition to the decorative pattern applied
to the panel,
the concrete panel can be stained or dyed in a particular color scheme to
enhance the
aesthetically pleasing appearance of the panel. In some embodiments, the terni
"decorative pattern" can refer to a smooth, relatively featureless pattern
that is decorative
in nature.
As illustrated in FIGs. 2-3, the form 10 can include a support frame 12. The
support frame 12 can be a structurally significant material, such as metal,
and can be
sized and shaped to support loading from uncured concrete poured within a mold
system
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as described below. In one aspect, the support frame 12 can be formed
substantially of a
plurality of elongate, tubular members 13 that can be welded or otherwise
coupled to one
another into an integral frame. In one embodiment, the support frame 12 can
also be
formed of relatively flat, sheet-like materials such as reinforced plywood
sheets, metal
5 sheeting, etc. The support frame can be configured in a variety of
manners to ensure that
sufficient support is provided to allow attachment of a liner (discussed in
more detail
below) to the support frame.
The form 10 can also include a perforated reinforcing structure 14. The
perforated
reinforcing structure 14 can be coupled adjacent to at least a portion of the
support frame
12. The perforated structure can include a plurality of apertures 16 defined
therein. The
apertures can take a variety of forms, and can include a variety of cross
sectional shapes,
such as square-shaped, circular, diamond-shaped, etc. Also, the apertures can
be spaced
from one another and arrayed across the reinforcing structure in a variety of
manners and
spatial relationships, in both regular, repeating patterns, and in random
patterns.
The apertures 16 can be holes 18 that extend through the perforated
reinforcing
structure 14 and form the perforations in the reinforcing structure. In one
aspect, the
perforated reinforcing structure 14 can be a sheet of expanded metal. As is
known in the
art of metal manufacturing, expanded metal is a product generally formed from
a single
sheet of metal which is cut or slit and stretched to "expand" the slits into
diamond-shaped
perforations in the metal sheet. A series of "knuckles" are formed at the
edges of each of
the perforations as a result of the stretching and serve to distribute loads
applied to the
metal throughout the sheet. The expanded metal can be formed from a variety of
materials, such as steel, stainless steels, brass, aluminum, etc. As expanded
metal can be
relatively easily manufactured and obtained at a relatively low cost, it has
been found to
an effective reinforcing structure for liner 20 (discussed in more detail
below). Also, as
the expanded metal can be easily tack-welded or otherwise attached to the
support frame
(e.g., stapled in the case where the support frame includes wood), it can be
easily and
securely attached to the support frame.
As discussed above, the form 10 can also include a pliable liner 20 that can
be
disposed at least partially within the plurality of apertures 16. The pliable
liner 20 can
also be disposed at least partially about the perforated reinforcing structure
14 adjacent
the support structure 12. The pliable liner 20 can include a compliant polymer
material, .
such as polyurethane or 2070 SX polymer. In one aspect of the invention, the
pliable
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liner is applied about the reinforcing structure adjacent the support frame
while in an
uncured, liquid state. As the liquid fills between and around each of the
perforations or
apertures 16 when applied adjacent the support frame, an excellent bond is
achieved
between the liner and the perforated reinforcing structure (and between the
liner and the
support structure). In this embodiment of the invention, the pliable liner
substantially
encompasses the perforated reinforcing structure.
As the perforated reinforcing structure 14 can be independently attached to
the
support frame 12, the reinforcing structure aids in retaining the liner 20
securely attached
to the support frame so that repeated casting and tear-down cycles can be
achieved
without requiring that the liner be frequently replaced. It has been found
that the present
invention can produce a form that is capable of sustaining up to 1,000 casting
cycles
before requiring that the liner be replaced or discarded. As the liner need
not be replaced
at frequent intervals, a higher quality polymer, which is generally more
expensive than
lower quality materials, can be used to provide a superior finish to the
concrete panels
without significantly increasing the cost of each concrete panel.
= The pliable liner 20 can also be sufficiently stiff to mold uncured
concrete into a
decorative pattern. The pliable liner can also be flexible to allow the form
10 to flex
when being assembled into a form system, as described below. Advantageously,
the
flexibility of the pliable liner can extend the usable life of the form 10
since the form can
flex instead of breaking during rough handling of the form when during
assembly and
disassembly procedures.
Advantageously, the support frame 12 and perforated reinforcing structure 14
can
minimize the amount of compliant polymer that is needed, such that sufficient
polymer is
present to seal the mold cavity, but is prevented from deforming to an
undesirable level
by the reinforcing structure. In addition to the embodiment shown, the
reinforcing
structure can be disposed on, over, or adjacent to the support gasket to
provide
reinforcement to the support gasket.
The perforated reinforcing structure can also be formed of perforated metal,
woven wire sheets, welded mesh sheets, and the like. As such materials can be
relatively
easily obtained and cut to preferred sizes, they have been found suitable as
reinforcing
structure. In addition, conventional sheet material can also be utilized, with
perforations
formed in the sheet material in a variety of manners, such as drilling,
punching, etc.
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The pliable liner 20 can have a patterned surface 22 formed thereon. The
patterned surface can be an inverse decorative pattern that can form a
corresponding
decorative pattern on a surface of a cast concrete wall. Specifically, the
patterned surface
22 can create a corresponding pattern in uncured concrete poured adjacent the
form 10
when the form is used in a form system as described below. The inverse
decorative
pattern 22 can be of a variety of inverse patterns, including brick, rock, or
other pseudo
structure that provides the concrete panel with a decorative or functional
advantage.
The inverse decorative pattern 22 can be formed on or in the form 10 by a
number
of methods. In one aspect, the inverse decorative pattern 22 is provided on
the form 10
by application of the pliable liner 20 to the form 10. The pliable liner 20
can be formed
by preparing a "master" form in which the support frame and reinforcing
structure can be
disposed. An uncured polymer can be poured over the support frame, reinforcing
structure and master form. The uncured polymer can flow around and through the
support frame and the apertures or perforations in the perforated reinforcing
structure.
When the viscous polymer cures, the resulting pliable liner can be removed
from the
master form and will be bonded or cured around the reinforcing structure. Once
prepared,
the form 10 can be used numerous times to apply the decorative pattern to a
number of
concrete panels poured in cavities at least partially defined by the forms 10.
By preparing
many such forms 10 from the same master form, multiple panels having identical
surfaces
can be concurrently formed.
Thus, in use, as wet concrete is poured adjacent the form 10, the weight of
the wet
concrete ensures that the concrete fills in and around the textured surface of
the inverse
decorative pattern 22. After cure of the concrete, the textured surface
appears in the cured
concrete panel as a decorative pattern, such as a brick wall appearance, a
rock wall
appearance, etc.
The form 10 of the present invention can also be utilized to form concrete
panels
of a variety of sizes. For example, forms can be sized to create concrete
panels with a
length of 12 feet, a height of 6 or 8 feet, and a thickness of 4 inches. As
described in
more detail below, the forms can be used in a form system to create panels of
varied
width, including panels with 4, 5 or 6 inch widths. The forms can be adapted
to fit into
form systems that can create a number of variously sized and shaped vertical
concrete
panels with minimal adjustments to the form system being necessary to
effectuate
formation of differently sized panels.
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Referring now to FIG. 4, a form system, shown generally at 100 is shown with a
pair of forms 10 at Nast partially forming a mold cavity for creating a
pattern in uncured
concrete during a concrete casting process in accordance with the present
invention. The
form system 100 can have a base 130 that is disposable on a support surface,
such as the
ground or a casting floor. The form system 100 can also have a pair of
opposing end wall
forms 140 that each extend upward from the base 130 and define end wall
surfaces 142 of
a vertical mold cavity (150 in FIG. 5) for uncured concrete. The end wall
forms 140 can
have a perforated reinforcing structure 144 with a plurality of apertures (not
shown). A
pliable liner 148 can be disposed at least partially within the plurality of
apertures, and
about the perforated reinforcing structure 144.
A pair of forms 10, described above, can define opposing side wall forms 110
that
extend upward from the base 130. The side wall forms 110 can define side wall
surfaces
112 of the vertical mold cavity. The side wall forms 110 can be spaced a
desired distance
apart, corresponding to a desired thickness of the concrete panel to be
formed. As
described above, each form 10 can have a perforated reinforcing structure 14
having a
plurality of apertures (not shown) and a pliable liner 20 disposed at least
partially within,
or through the plurality of apertures and about the perforated reinforcing
structure 14.
The pliable liner 20 can have a patterned surface 22 formed thereon for
creating a
corresponding pattern in uncured concrete poured adjacent the forms 10.
The form system 100 can also have a lower support gasket 160 disposable over
the base 130 to at least partially define a bottom surface 162 of the vertical
mold cavity.
The lower support gasket can have a perforated reinforcing structure 164 with
a plurality
of apertures (not shown). A pliable liner 168 can be disposed at least
partially within the
plurality of apertures, and about the perforated reinforcing structure 164.
Together the end wall forms 140, the side wall forms 110, and the lower
support
gasket 160 can be operably positionable to form a tetragonal mold cavity 150,
as best
seen in FIG. 5. The vertical mold cavity 150 can correspond to a substantially
vertical
concrete panel. In one aspect, the tetragonal vertical mold cavity 150 can
have a smaller
rectangular cross section across a top surface 152, and a larger rectangular
cross section
across a front surface 154.
Advantageously, the compliant polymer of the pliable liners 20, 148 and 168
can
provide an effective seal between the lower support gasket 160, and each of
the end wall
forms 140 and side wall forms 110. As the mold cavity 150 fills with wet
concrete, the
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various forms are allowed to slightly bend outwardly to form a seal that
increases in
effectiveness with the addition of more wet concrete. Thus, wet concrete can
be held
within the mold cavity 150 even when larger panels are poured that may
generally require
greater amounts of wet concrete.
Referring to FIG. 5, the form system 100 can also have securing structure,
shown
generally at 170, associated with the end wall forms 140 and the side wall
forms 110 that
retains and secures the end wall forms 140 and the side wall forms 110 in the
tetragonal
mold cavity configuration in order to receive concrete in an uncured state
within the
vertical mold cavity 150. The securing structure 170 can include various
tensioning and
restraining devices, as known in the art, to ensure that the mold forms are
not displaced
by the introduction of uncured, or "wet" concrete in the mold cavity. Once
each mold
cavity is defined, and any retaining or securing structure 170 has been
applied, wet
concrete can be poured into each mold cavity. Vibrators or other agitating
devices can be
utilized when pouring the wet concrete to minimize voids and ensure the wet
concrete
fills each cavity to the extent desired.
Thus, the mold cavity 150 can be defined by moveable concrete forms restrained
by the securing structure 170 in order to maintain the vertical mold cavity
150. As an
example of the present invention in use, first side wall form 110 can be
positioned in a
desired location within the securing structure 15. Lower support gasket 160
can be
positioned adjacent the side wall form 110, abutting against the side wall
form 110. End
wall form 140 can then be placed within the securing structure associated with
side wall
form 110. A second side wall form 110 can then be moved into position such
that end
wall form 140 is oriented within the securing structure 170 associated with
the second
side wall form 110. In this manner, the end wall form 140 is secured in place
between the
side wall forms 110 by the securing structure 170.
If desired, additional side wall forms 110 can be similarly positioned with
end
wall form 140 and lower support gaskets 160 forming ends and a bottom,
respectively, of
a vertical mold cavity 150. The width of the concrete panels thus formed can
be easily
altered by the use of alternate end wall forms and lower support gaskets. If a
wider panel
is required, wider end wall forms and support gaskets can be utilized. If a
panel with a
narrower width is required, narrower end wall forms and support gaskets can be
used.
Once each end wall form 140, side wall form 110 and lower support gasket 160
are positioned, the forms can be restrained in position in a number of
manners. Due to
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the substantial weight of uncured concrete, the various forms will tend to
move outwardly
from the defined mold cavity upon introduction of wet concrete into the
cavity. As
discussed above, end wall forms 140 can be secured in place by securing
structure 170.
Further, as illustrated in FIG. 5, side wall tensioning members 240 can be
coupled to the
5 various side wall forms 110 to restrain the side wall forms from moving
in reaction to
forces introduced by wet concrete poured in the mold cavity.
The tensioning members 240 can be a variety of those known in the art, and can
include threaded end 242 which can be secured in place by nut 244. An opposing
threaded end 246 can similarly be secured by nut 248. Each of the nuts 244,
248 can be
10 tightened to tension the side wall forms together. To provide for
variation in the number
of mold cavities formed, threaded end 246 can include a length of threads that
allow nut
248 to be attached in a variety of positions to facilitate tensioning of a
varying number of
concrete forms.
The tensioning members 240 can be disposed outside of the mold cavity so as to
retain the side wall forms in position without displacing the wet concrete in
the mold
cavity: In this manner, the forms are securely held in position without
adversely affecting
the finished panel by introducing foreign matter into the wet concrete and
without leaving
cavities in the concrete, as has been done in previous methods. In this
manner, the
concrete forms are maintained securely in place prior to curing of the
concrete without
compromising either the structural integrity or aesthetic appearance of the
finished
concrete panel.
Thus, in use, as wet concrete is poured into the mold cavity 150 and adjacent
the
forms 10, the weight of the wet concrete ensures that the concrete fills in
and around the
patterned surface of the inverse decorative pattern 22. After cure, the
inverse of the
patterned surface 22 appears in the cured concrete panel as a decorative
pattern, such as a
brick wall appearance, a rock wall appearance, etc. Because the present
invention
advantageously forms concrete panels in a vertical orientation, the wet
concrete can fill
the textured surface of inverse decorative patterns on both sides of the mold
cavity 150
equally well, in contrast to horizontal mold systems which can generally only
apply a
well-defined pattern to a lower surface of the concrete panel.
After pouring, the wet concrete in the form system 100 can be allowed to cure,
after which the various retaining structure and forms can be removed. The
cured panel
can then be removed, and the process can be repeated a number of times to
create a
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number of concrete panels. In the case where the proper concrete mix is used,
the system
can form panels on a one day cycle, that is, panel can be poured in the
morning and
allowed to cure through the night. The following morning, the cured panel can
be
removed, the forms can be reassembled, and the process begun again.
The present invention also provides for a method for making a form for
vertically
molding concrete including positioning a support frame to support a form. A
perforated
reinforcing structure having a plurality of apertures disposed thereon can be
coupled to at
least a portion of the support frame. The perforated reinforcing structure can
include a
substantially planar sheet of expanded metal. A pliable liner can be disposed
at least
partially within the plurality of apertures. The Pliable liner can also be
disposed about the
perforated reinforcing structure and the support frame. A patterned surface
can be created
on the pliable liner in order to form a corresponding pattern into uncured
concrete poured
adjacent the form. The pliable liner can be a compliant polymer that can be
poured into
the plurality of apertures and about the perforated reinforcing structure and
support frame.
The compliant polymer of the pliable liner can be cured to form a mold surface
for
retaining uncured concrete.
= It is to be understood that the above-referenced arrangements are
illustrative of the
application for the principles of the present invention. Numerous
modifications and
alternative arrangements can be devised without departing from the scope of
the
present invention while the present invention has been shown in the drawings
and
described above in connection with the exemplary embodiments(s) of the
invention. It
will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous
modifications can be
made without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as
set forth in
the claims.
