US3477684A - Concrete form panel with snap-in facing - Google Patents

Description

Nov.l1 A1969 RTMGEL 3,477,684

CONCRETE FORM PANEL WITH SNAP-IN FACING Filed Nov. 24, 1967 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 myE/vmR RICHARD. r. DAG/EL Afrorn ey Nov. 11, 1969 R. T. DAGIEL CONCRETE FORM PANEL WITH SNAP-IN FACING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1967 INVENTOR R/CHARO 7.' G/EL W Afiorney us United States Patent r 3,477,684 CONCRETE FORM PANEL WITH SNAP-IN FACING Richard T. Dagiel, Elk Grove Village, Ill., assignor to Symons Mfg. Company, Des Plaines, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 685,364 Int. Cl. Etl4g 9/02, 17/04; Ell4c 2/26 US. Cl. 249-189 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates generally to concrete form panels and has particular reference to that type of panel which is commonly known as a Steel-Ply panel, is widely used by building contractors in the erection of a concrete wall, a floor slab, or the like, and is manufacturedand sold by Symons Mfg. Company of Des Plaines, Ill.

A Steel-Ply concrete form panel is illustrated and described in United States Patent No. 2,640,249, granted on June 2, 1953 and entitled Wall Form Panel. Such a panel consists essentially of a shallow tray-like structure in the form of a fiat rectangular plywood facing the marginal edges of which are completely encased in a reetangular metallic reinforcing frame (usually of steel) comprising longitudinal and transverse frame members. Such a concrete form panel, when used in a concrete wall or floor slab form, is adapted to be arranged in edge-toedge relationship with similar panels and in such a manner that all the plywood facings lie in a common plane in order that wet concrete may be poured on or against the continuous unbroken concrete-supporting surface that is offered by the plywood facings of the panels.

Steel-Ply panels of the aforementioned type are of sturdy construction and, except when the plywood facings thereof are mistreated, they will last indefinitely, many panels being reused in many different concrete installations or structures. However, under certain circumstances, it becomes necessary to apply nails or other fastening devices to these plywood facings or to cut openings therein in order to accommodate the passage of water or steam pipes or electrical conduits. In such instances, the panels obviously are not reuseable without suitable patching or repair. For these reasons, it has been suggested that Steel-Ply concrete form panels be provided with removable plywood facings and several such panels have heretofore been devised. Invariably, however, to effect panel facing removability, it has been necessary to make provision for separating at least one of the longitudinal or transverse frame members from the adjacent frame members. In addition, rivet cutting and re-riveting of the new panel facing in place may have to be resorted to, depending upon the particular character of the panel undergoing reconditioning.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-noted limitations that are attendant upon the substitution of a new plywood facing in the metallic reinforcing studding of a Steel-Ply panel and, toward this end, the invention contemplates the provision of a novel concrete form panel which does not deviate appreciably from the configuration of a standard. (Steel-Ply panel but 1n which the plywood facing thereof is capable of being snapped into position across the rectangular opening that is provided or formed by the steel or other metal studding. According to the invention, the plywood facing, when in position, is securely retained. against the usual nwardly extending, panel-seating flange of the reinforcmg studding with such force or pressure that the facing will not be inadvertently dislodged by any of the foreseeable contingencies which arise during normal use and handling of the panel. Retention of plywood facing occurs even when the panel is subjected to extremely rough usage, although it is to be understood that dislodgment of the facing for replacement purposes is a voluntary procedure requiring the use of an appreciable degree of force.

The provision of a concrete form panel such as has briefly been described above constitutes the principal obect of the invention and it is a further object to provide such a panel wherein the use of rivets and other permanent facing-retaining devices is eliminated, thus obviating the necessity for perforating the plywood facing and also the deleterious effect which takes place in the use of the panel under conditions of plywood shrinkage or swelling and the consequent loosening of the rivets and the exposure of the rivet countersinks to the poured concrete.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invent1on, not at this time enumerated, will readily suggest themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood from a reading of the following detailed description or specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification, two illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded outside perspective view of a concrete form panel embodying the principles of the present invention, the plywood facing of the panel being shown in juxtaposition with respect to the metallic reinforcing studding preparatory to being installed therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of a panel-retaining latch clip which is employed in connect1on with the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating the manner in which one of the panel-retaming latch clips is initially applied to the plywood facing, and also illustrating the manner in which the facing, with its installed clip, is subsequently applied to the metallic reinforcing studding.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the assembled panel and clip of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. -6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view, similar to FIG. 31 but showing a modified form of panel-retaining latch c ip.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 4, a concrete form panel embodying the present invention is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and includes a rectangular plywood facing 12 and a prefabricated and assembled composite marginal steel reinforcing frame 14 (studding) for the facing. In the exploded portrayal of the panel 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the panel and frame are shown separated preparatory to assembly thereof, but in FIG. 6 the facing and frame are shown in assembled relation. Both the panel 12 and the frame 14 display the general characteristics of a conventional Steel-Ply concrete wall form panel as illustrated and described in aforementioned Patent No. 2,640,249 and reference may be had to such patent for a full disclosure of such a panel. For purposes of comparison herein, it is deemed sufficient to state that the frame 14 includes two spaced apart side frame members 16 and two spaced apart end frame members 18, all of which are channel shape in cross section. A series of angle pieces 20, commonly known as crossbars, have their ends welded to the side frame members 16 and project across the frame at vertically spaced regions, such crossbars constituting reinforcing members which inhibit outward bulging of the plywood panel facing 12 under th' outward thrust of the wet poured concrete. The side frame members 16 and the end frame members 18 are provided with slots 22 and notches 24 in order to accommodate certain concrete wall form hardware such as various forms of tie rods and tie rod anchor devices by means of which opposed panels on opposite sides of a wall form may be maintained in their spaced apart relationship and adjacent panels may be maintained in their proper aligned edge-to-edge relationship, all in a manner well known in the art and 'fully illustrated and described in aforementioned Patent No. 2,640,249. Such tie rods and tie rod anchor devices have not been illustrated herein since they have no direct relation to the present invention. As shown additionally in FIGS. 3 and 7, both the side and end members of the frame 14 are provided with ledgeforming, facing-seating flanges 26 which project inwardly of the included opening of the frame, these flanges, in the assembled reinforcing frame 14, providing a continuous rectangular ledge surface 28 against which the longitudinal and transverse edge regions of the plywood panel facing 12 are adapted to seat when the plywood facing 12 is installed in the frame. When the facing 12 is thus installed in the frame 14, the planar front face of the facing and the inner edges, i.e., the rim, of the frame 14 extend in coplanar relationship and, in combination with the corresponding surfaces of adjacent panels, establish a continuous smooth unbroken surface against which wet concrete is adapted to bear when the same is poured between the wall form sides.

The arrangement of parts thus far described is purely conventional and no claim is made herein to any novelty therein, the novelty of the present invention residing rather in the manner in which the plywoodfacing 12 is removably applied to the metallic reinforcing frame 14 as will now be described in detail.

Removable application of the plywood facing 12 to the frame 14 is effected solely by the provision of a rectangular series of spring steel latch clips 30, the details of which are best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. These clips are designed for permanent application to the side edges of the facing and, after such application, they present displaceable detent portions which are adapted to fit behind the adjacent portions of the facing-seating flanges 26 so as to hold the facing 12in position on the frame 14.

Each latch clip is in the form of a one-piece spring steel stamping and comprises a fiat contact plate 32 along one edge of which there is provided a flange-receiving channel 34. The latter is defined by a flat channel side 36 which extends at a right angle to the contact plate 32, a channel bottom 38 which is joined to the adjacent margin of the channel side 36 and extends laterally therefrom, and a short channel side 40 which is in parallel relation to the channel side 36 and merges with a curved and generally semi-cylindrical detent rib 42. A wood-penetrating prong 44 is struck from the body of the stamping thus leaving a commensurately shaped void 46. Such prong is generally triangular, has a blunt point 48, and is disposed at right angles to the contact plate 32.

Assuming now that the completely assembled reinforcing frame 14 is to have a fresh rectangular plywood facing 12 intsalled therein according to the present invention, the number of latch clips 30 to be employed and their dispos tio a ong the recta gular edg o the acing are first ascertained. Generally speaking, the specific number of clips employed is not critical, but obviously a sufficient number must be employed in order securely to hold the plywood facing 12 in position within the reinforcing frame 14. In addition, the disposition of the clips 30 must be such that a substantially uniform pressure is exerted by the facing on the continuous rectangular ledge surface 28. It has been found that in connection with a concrete form panel of the Steel-Ply type, the side edges of the plywood facing 12 will be adequately captured in the reinforcing frame if two oppositely disposed clips 30 are employed for each included opening between two juxtapositioned crossbars and are positioned mid-way between said two crossbars. With a fairly wide panel, the end edges of the panel will be adequately captured in the frame 14 if two clips 30 are carried or mounted on each end edge, each clip being spaced from an adjacent side frame member 16 by a distance substantially equal to one-third the total or overall width of the adjacent included opening. Where a relatively narrow panel is concerned, a single centrally disposed clip 30 may s uifice for each of the two included openings at the 0pposite ends of the panel. Irrespective, however, of the particular number of clips 30 that are employed, or the specific disposititon of the clips, the essential features of the invention remain substantially the same.

Having ascertained the proper number and disposition of the clips 30, the clips are installed by forcing the prongs 44 thereof into the edges of the plywood facing 12 at the selected locations, suitable relief areas 50 being provided in the rear surface of the facing so that the channel sides 36 of the clips 30 may nest within these recesses and not form obstructions which, otherwise, would prevent the facing edges from seating squarely on the ledge surface 28 that is formed by the facing-seating flanges 26 of the side and end members of the frame 14. Additional relief areas 52 also are provided in the edges of the facing so that the contact plates 32 of the clips 30 likewise may nest therein and insure coextensive nesting of the edges of the facing within the confines of the overall rectangular frame opening so that there will be no gaps between the facing edges and the frame surfaces 54 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) which they normally engage when the facing is in assembled relation with the frame 14. After the prongs 44 have been driven completely into the edges of the plywood facing 12, the various clips 30 assume the positions in which they are shown in FIG. 1, such positions being more readily visualized by projecting the clip 30 of FIG. 3 toward the facing 12.

After all of the clips 30 have been thus installed with their contact plates 32 seated in the relief areas 52 and the channel sides 36 seated within the relief areas 50, the entire facing is bodily and forcibly projected into the rectangular opening that is afforded by the side and end members of the reinforcing frame 14. During such projection the curved surfaces of the semi-cylindrical detent ribs 42 make camming engagement with the ledge-forming flanges 26 and the ribs are deflected inwardly of the frame until such time as they move past these flanges, after which they will snap into position, so to speak, behind said flanges and, thereafter, the flanges will become projected into the channels 34 with a snug fit. The entire camming action is not entirely dissipated and, after the detent ribs 42 have moved past the flanges 26, the spring action of the clips will remain effective to draw the edge regions of the facing 12 hard against the rectangular ledge surface 28 so that the facing will not be loose in the reinforcing frame 14.

It is to be noted that the disposition of the woodpenetrating prongs 44 on the contact plates 32 is such that the prongs overlie at least one of the plywood layers, thus insuring against splitting of the facing and also af-, fording high resistance against lateral shifting of the prongs in the plywood.

Removal of the facing 12 from the frame 14 for replacement purposes may be effected by simply forcing the facing out of the frame against the spring action of the various clips 30, the curved detent ribs 42 yielding to permit such removal. A relatively high degree of force is required to remove the facing, such force being appreciably in excess of any unassisted manual force that may be applied. One convenient method of removing the facing 12 is to use a crowbar or similar tool such as a lever and utilizing the crossbars 20 as reaction members, the facing may be pried from its operative position within the frame 14.

In FIG. 7 a slightly modified form of panel-retaining clip 130 is disclosed. Such clip is substantially identical to the previously described clip 30 and, thus, in order to avoid needless repetition of description, similar reference characters but of a higher order are applied to the corresponding parts as between the disclosures of FIGS. 2 and 7. The clip 130, instead of having a single woodpenetrating prong, is provided with two such prongs 144 and 145. The prong 144 lies in a plane which is parallel to the channel side 136,W111l6 the prong 145 lies in a plane normal to the channel side 136. The two prongs 144 and 145 are of smaller magnitude than the prong 44 of the clip 30. By thus positioning the prongs 144 and 145 in planes which extend at right angles to each other and by spacing the two prongs apart on the conatct plate 132, one prong may penetrate the wood of the facing in a direction parallel to the wood grain while the other prong may penetrate the wood in a direction counter to the direction of the wood grain. The clip 130 is installed in the same manner as the clip 30 and it serves substantially the same function.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, only insofar as the invention is particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a concrete form panel, in combination, an open rectangular reinforcing frame presenting a substantially continuous internal seatingtlange, a rectangular plywood facing having its edge regions confined within said frame and bearing substantially coextensively against said seating flange, and a rectangular series of spring clips removably maintaining the facing in position within the frame and against said seating flange, each of said spring clips being in the formof a metal stamping having a portion thereof overlying at least one of the plywood layers of the panel, said portion including means to removably secure each clip to said panel, and each clip including a detent rib underlying and interlocked with said seating flange.

2. In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 1 and wherein the means to removably secure each clip embodies a wood-penetrating prong embedded in the facing.

3. In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 2 and wherein the wood-penetrating prong projects into a side edge of the plywood facing.

4. In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 3 and wherein each clip includes a contact plate interposed between a marginal edge of the panel and the adjacent portion of the frame and on which contact plate the wood-penetrating prong is formed.

In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 4 and wherein the clip further includes a channel section encompassing said seating flange, one side of the channel section being interposed between the facing and theseating flange, and the other side of the channel sectiqn underlying the seating flange and constituting said detent rib.

6;. In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 5 and wherein the marginal edge of the facing is formed with a relief area within which the contact plate is confined.

I. In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 6 and wherein the edge region of the facing is provided with a second relief area within which the one side of the channel section is confined.

,8. In a concrete form panel, the combination set forth in claim 4 and wherein said contact plate is formed with a second wood-penetrating prong which likewise projects into the side edge of the panel facing, each prong being struck laterally out of the general plane of the metal of the stamping, one of said prongs lying in a plane which extends parallel to said one side of the channel section and the other prong lying in a plane which extends perpendicular to said one side.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,581,843 1/1952 Edwards 287-18935 2,640,249 6/ 1953 Symons 249- X 3,001,748 9/1961 Austin 248-204 X J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner ROBERT D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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