US2626444A - Flexible form for integral concrete curbs and gutters - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 27, 1953 A. s. WOLF ET AL 2,626,444

FLEXIBLE FORM FOR INTEGRAL CONCRETE CURBS AND GUTTERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 24 Filed Aug. 26, 1947 INVENTORS flnf/wny 5. Wolf and Carl (1 2195/7 Jan. 27, 1953 A. s. WOLF ET AL FLEXIBLE FORM FOR INTEGRAL CONCRETE CURBS AND GUTTERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 26, 194'? P Wm NZ mm r g. a

Patented Jan. 27, 1953 FLEXIBLE FORM FOR INTEGRAL CONCRETE CURBS AND GUTTERS Anthony S. Wolf, Pittsburgh,

and Carl J. Zigan,

Etna, Pa., assignors to Blaw-Knox Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 26, 1947, Serial No. 770,618

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a form for an integral curb and gutter of poured concrete for streets and roads and, in particular, to a flexible form capable of being bent to various curvatures, for use at street intersections or on curving roadways. Forms for an integral curb and gutter as known heretofore have usually comprised a flat wall of metal plate defining the inner edge of the gutter slab, a similar but higher wall defining the outer edge of the curb secured in spaced relation thereto and an intermediate wall spaced from the second-mentioned wall, defining the exposed face of the curb. (The terms inner and outer have reference to the center line of the street or road.) The intermediate wall has a rounded lower edge to form a fillet connecting the top of the gutter slab and the exposed face of the curb, and slopes outwardly at the top. Thus, while the inner and outer walls may be made thin enough to flex readily to a curved contour, the shape of the intermediate wall precludes any substantial bending thereof. For this reason it has generally been the practice to provide a plurality of relatively rigid, curved. intermediate walls of the various radii most frequently required, and select the one which most nearly fits the curvature desired at a given location, the outer walls being bent to conform and held in properly curved condition by stakes driven in the ground.

We have invented a novel form for an integral curb and gutter, having an intermediate wall composed of flat, segmental plates with curved lower edges, disposed end-to-end and pivotally connected for universal movement whereby it may be fiexed to various curvatures, thus eliminating the necessity for a plurality of rigid, intermediate walls of different curvatures. In a preferred embodiment, the segmental plates have eyes adjacent their ends, and a pivot member extends through the eyes of adjacent plates. This member is preferably flexible and-common to all the plates. Specifically, a length of flexible cable has the plates strung thereon by passing the cable through the eyes. The .plates are maintained in assembled relation by tensioning the cable and securing it after they have been set to give the desired curvature.

A complete understanding of the invention may b obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodiment. In the drawings,

Figure l is a plan view of our bent to a circular curvature;

Figure 2 is a perspective view thereof;

improved form I Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the segmental plates of which the intermediate wall is composed;

Figure 4 is an end view thereof;

Figure 5 is an elevation of one of the dividing plates which maintain the inner and outer walls of the form in properly spaced relation; and

Figure 6 is an elevation of a so-called false dividing plate serving to space each segmental plate of the intermediate wall from the outer wall of the form.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the form indicated generally at Ill comprises an inner wall ll, an outer wall l2 and an intermediate wall it composed of segmental plates. The inner wall H defines the edge of the gutter slab. The outer wall l2 defines the outer face of the curb. The wall 13 defines the exposed face of the curb. The walls H and 12 are composed of steel plate of suitable width and of a thickness permitting them to be readily bent to desired curvature after which they may be secured in place by stakes I4 driven through brackets 15 spaced along the walls. The walls II and i2 are maintained in properly spaced relation by division plates IE5 spaced therealong. These plates, as shown in Figure 5, have hooks l'l adapted to fit over the edges of the walls I I and I2. They also have lugs 18 for a purpose which will appear shortly.

The wall I3 is composed of a, plurality of segmental plates l9 shown in Figures 3 and 4. These plates are fiat for the most part but are curved at their lower edge as indicated at lQa to form a fillet between the curb proper and the gutter slab. Each plate has a central, vertical slot 29 and eyes 2| at the upper corners thereof. The intermediate wall l3, as stated, is composed of a plurality of the plates 19 disposed end-to-end, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Adjacent plates are pivoted together for universal movement relative to each other so that each plate is self-adjusting when the wall as a whole is bent to any given curvature. This universal pivotal connection between adjacent plates is preferably afforded by a length of cable 22. The plates I!) are strung on the cable by passing it through the eyes 2|. One end of the cable is provided with a terminal clamp 23. An adjustable clamp 24 is secured to the other end when the cable has been drawn taut.

In order to maintain the wall 13 properly spaced from the wall I2, we employ a plurality of false division plates 25, one for each of the segmental plates l9, except those engaged by division plates IG. As shown in Figure 6, the false division plates are similar to the upper portion of the division plates [6 except that they have a slot 26 for receiving the outer wall l2. They have a lug l8 similar to the lug I8 of the division plates.

As shown in Figure 1, these lugs I8 and I8 extend through the slots of the plates I9. The lugs have slots therethrough to accommodate wedges 27 which serve removably to secure the plates l9 to the division plates 16 and 25.

In using the form of our invention, after bending and securing the walls I I and I2 as previously described, with the plates 16 extending therebetween, the plates I 9 and are then set up loosely and the wedges 21 driven tight. The plates 25 are then adjusted to truly radial positions and the cable 22 is finally tightened and the adjustable clamp 24 secured in place. When thus assembled, the plates l9 are in abutment at their upper corners and are slightly separated at their lower corners. There is no bending of the individual segmental plates but the universal pivotal connection therebetween permits the intermediate wall l3 as a whole to be bent to exactly the desired curvature. The segmental plates remain in abutment at their upper edge regardless of the curvature since the universal connection therebetween permits them to assume the correct position for all conditions of curvature.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention provides a form for an integral curb and gutter which is readily flexible not only as to the outer and inner walls but also as to the inter mediate wall, while retaining the outward slope of the exposed face of the curb toward the top and the fillet between the curb proper and the gutter slab. The invention thus makes it unnecessary to provide a plurality of rigid, intermediate walls of different curvatures, eliminating the cost of the extra walls and the trouble of handling and transporting them. Our improved flexible intermediate wall may be designed so as to conform readily to the various degrees of curvature encountered in ordinary road construction. It will be apparent, of course, that the center of curvature may be on either side of the wall for the pouring of the curb on the outside of a curve in the roadway as well as the inside.

Although we have illustrated and described but a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a removable construction form for a curb or the like including a generally upright exposed face, a flexible supporting wall bent into the predetermined shape of said curb or the like, said supporting wall having a generally vertical molding surface extending in the direction of said exposed face, a plurality of generally rectangular segmental plates in end-to-end relationship, said segmental plates having a molding surface conforming to said exposed face, said last mentioned molding surface being in a substantially directly opposed relation to said molding surface of said supporting wall, relatively rigid members connecting said segmental plates respectively to said supporting wall at a predetermined distance,

therefrom, and at least one flexible member flexibly and closely connecting said segmental plates substantially by their respectively adjacent ends in relatively short, chordlike relation to define a continuous form for said exposed face.

2. In a removable construction form for a curb or the like including a generally upright exposed face, a flexible outer wall adapted to be bent into the predetermined shape of said curb or the like, a plurality of generally rectangular segmental plates in end-to-end relationship and suspended a predetermined distance from said outer wall, a plurality of platelike members respectively extending substantially directly between said segmental plates and said outer wall, said platelike members being connected to said outer wall, said segmental plates being substantially rigidly mounted on saidplatelike members relatively centrally of said segmental plates, and a flexible member flexibly connecting said segmental plates to one another'substantially by their respectively adjacent ends to provide a universal pivotal connection between adjoining segmental plates, said flexlble member being so connected above the respective connections between said segmental plates and said platelike members, whereby when said flexible member is tightened, a continuous and firmly connected form is provided for said exposed face of correct curvature, slope and grade.

3. In a removable construction form for a curb Or the like including a curved generally upright exposed face, a flexible supporting wall, a plurality of spaced substantially radial plates connected to said supporting wall and extending generally directly toward and normal to the direction of said exposed face, a plurality of generally rectangular segmental plates substantially rigidly and respectively connected to said radial plates in generally normal relation thereto, said segmental plates being disposed in end-toend and generally abutting relationship and having eyes adjacent their respective ends, and a taut flexible member extending through said eyes and connecting adjoining segmental plates end-toend.

4. In a removable construction form for a curb or the like including a curved generally upright exposed face, a flexible supporting wall forming a part of said form. a plurality of spaced substantially radial plates supported by said supporting wall and extending generally normal to the direction of said exposed face, a plurality of segmental plates substantially rigidly and re spectively supported by said radial plates in generally normal relation thereto and at a predetermined distance from said supporting wall, said segmental plates being relatively centrally supported relative the respective surfaces of each thereof and disposed in end-to-end relationship to one another, and a taut flexible generally horizontal cable connecting said segmental plates substantially by their respectively adjacent ends in relatively short, chordlike relation to define a continuous form for said exposed face.

5. In a removable construction form for a curb or the like including a curved generally upright exposed face, a flexible supporting wall forming one part of said form and held flexed to a predetermined curvature, a plurality of spaced substantially radial plates supported by said supporting wall and extending generally normal to the direction of said exposed face, said substantially radial plates and having a substantial portion of each thereof positioned below the top of said curb or the like, a generally radially extending slotted lug projecting from each of said substantially radial plates and generally in the plane thereof, said lugs being generally equidistant from said supporting wall, said substantially radial plates further having an edge adjacent said lug generally conforming in slope to the predetermined slope of said exposed face, a plurality of segmental plates having a face conforming to said exposed face, each segmental plate being generally straight between the ends thereof, said segmental plates further having a slot relatively centrally positioned therein to fit over said respective lugs of said radial plates, a plurality of wedges engaging the respective slots in said lugs to substantially rigidly hold said respective segmental plates in end-to-end relation against said respective radial plates at the slope defined by said respective edges, eyes on said segmental plates adjacent the respective ends and top of each thereof, a flexible member threaded through said eyes of segmental plates.

6. In a removable construction form for a curb or the like including a generally upright exposed face, a flexible supporting wall, said supporting wall having a generally vertical molding surface extending in the direction of said exposed face, a plurality of generally rectangular segmental members in end-to-end relationship, said segmental members having a molding surface conforming to said exposed face, said last-mentioned molding surface being in a substantially directly opposed relation to said molding surface of said supporting wall, a plurality of division plates extending substantially normal to and directly between said molding surfaces, said division plates being removably mounted on said supporting wall adjacent one end and supporting said segmental members a spaced distance from said one end,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 965,979 Young Aug. 2, 1910 968,905 Weber Aug. 30, 1910 1,116,770 Warne Nov. 10, 1914 1,275,313 Shriner Aug. 13, 1918 1,601,347 Church Sept. 28, 1926 1,615,178 Moss et al. Jan. 18, 1927 2,260,447 Forbes Oct. 28, 1941

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