Pre-fab form for concrete

Claim 2

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, at least one of said walls being reinforced, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a groove opening generally laterally of said form; a locking member; means for mounting said locking member on said second wall; means for moving said locking member generally laterally into said groove to define a locking position in which said first and second walls are interconnected generally along said locking edges and for moving said locking member generally laterally out of said groove to define a releasing position; and the movement of said locking member generally laterally into said groove drawing said locking edges generally toward each other.

Claim 3

A prefab form as defined in claim 1 wherein said groove is a first groove, means on said first wall defining a second groove opening in the same general lateral direction as said first groove, said locking member including an elongated member, and said moving means moving said elongated member into said first and second grooves to define said locking position.

Claim 4

A prefab form as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes a link connected to one of said walls and means for drivingly connecting said locking member and said link whereby pivotal movement of said link draws said locking member into said groove.

Claim 5

A prefab form as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking member includes an elongated member, said moving means includes a plurality of links pivotally connected to said one wall, a plurality of means drivingly connectible to said plurality of links, respectively, and to said elongated member, and a common operating member for pivoting said links together.

Claim 6

A prefab form as defined in claim 4 wherein said means defining a groove defines a plurality of grooves on said first wall opening in the same general lateral direction, said elongated member being received in said plurality of grooves in said locking position, said means for pivotally interconnecting permanently interconnecting said walls.

Claim 7

A form as defined in in claim 1 wherein said means for moving includes an operating member movable between the locking and releasing positions to thereby move the locking member between the locking and releasing positions, the pressure of flowable concrete in said region tends to move at least one of said walls outwardly along a predetermined path and said means for moving includes means responsive to movement of the operating member to the releasing position and the immediate movement of said one wall outwardly along said predetermined path for preventing the disengagement of said locking member and said groove whereby said form remains closed if the operating member is moved to the releasing position before the concrete in said region cures sufficiently to retain the shape of the form.

Claim 8

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, at least one of said walls being reinforced, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a recess; a locking member; overcenter toggle means including a link pivotally mounted on said first wall and connecting means pivotally mounted on said link or drivingly connecting the locking member and the link; and said link being pivotable to a locking position in which said toggle means retains at least a portion of said locking member in said recess, said second wall being engageable with said locking member in said locking position whereby said first and second walls are connected adjacent said locking edges, said link being pivotable to a releasing position in which said walls are allowed to separate along said locking edges.

Claim 9

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, at least one of said walls being reinforced, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a recess; a locking member; overcenter toggle means including a link pivotally mounted on said first wall and connecting means pivotally mounted on said link or drivingly connecting the locking member and the link; and said link being pivotable to a locking position in which said toggle means retains at least a portion of said locking member in said recess, said second wall being engageable with said locking member in said locking position whereby said first and second walls are connected adjacent said locking edges, said link being pivotable to a releasing position in which said walls are allowed to separate along said locking edges.

Claim 10

A firm as defined in claim 7 wherein said first wall includes a panel and a reinforcing member mounted on said panel, said recess being formed in an end portion of said reinforcing member.

Claim 11

A form as defined in claim 7 wherein said locking member is carried by said second wall.

Claim 12

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, said walls being arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which the concrete can be poured; said first wall having a locking edge and said second wall having a locking edge, said locking edges being adjacent when said wall substantially circumscribes said region; means for permanently connecting said walls for relative pivotal movement without connecting said locking edges whereby said walls can be arranged to circumscribe said region and can be collapsed; at least one wall including reinforcing means for reinforcing said one wall; a plurality of overcenter toggle locks mounted on said first wall for movement relative thereto; cooperating means on said second wall cooperable with said toggle locks to releasably connect said first and second walls generally along said locking edges; each of said toggle locks being movable between a locking position in which the toggle locks engage the cooperating means to releasably connect the first and second walls generally along the locking edges and a releasing position in which said locking edges are disconnected; and a common operating member for moving said toggle locks between said positions thereof.

Claim 13

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, said walls being arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which the concrete can be poured; said first wall having a locking edge and said second wall having a locking edge, said locking edges being adjacent when said wall substantially circumscribes said region; means for permanently connecting said walls for relative pivotal movement without connecting said locking edges whereby said walls can be arranged to circumscribe said region and can be collapsed; at least one wall including reinforcing means for reinforcing said one wall; a plurality of overcenter toggle locks mounted on said first wall for movement relative thereto; cooperating means on said second wall cooperable with said toggle locks to releasably connect said first and second walls generally along said locking edges; each of said toggle locks being movable between a locking position in which the toggle locks engage the cooperating means to releasably connect the first and second walls generally along the locking edges and a releasing position in which said locking edges are disconnected; and a common operating member for moving said toggle locks between said positions thereof.

Claim 14

A form as defined in claim 10 wherein said first wall includes means defining a groove and said cooperating means includes a cooperating member, said toggle locks retaining at least a portion of said cooperating member in said groove in said locking position whereby said toggle locks, said cooperating member and said groove cooperate to interconnect said first and second walls generally along the locking edges.

Claim 15

A form as defined in claim 11 wherein one of said toggle locks includes a latch, a link pivotally mounted on said first wall, means for pivotally mounting said latch on said link, said operating member being connected to said link to pivot said link, said cooperating member including an elongated rod, said latch retaining said cooperating member in said groove in said locking position.

Claim 16

A form as defined in claim 11 wherein said toggle locks include means for drawing the cooperating member into said groove with mechanical advantage.

Claim 17

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a Plurality of walls including first and second walls, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a groove opening generally laterally of said form; a locking member; means for mounting said locking member on said second wall; means for moving said locking member generally laterally into said groove to define a locking position in which said first and second walls are interconnected generally along said locking edges and for moving said locking member generally laterally out of said groove to define a releasing position; and the movement of said locking member generally laterally into said groove drawing said locking edges generally toward each other.

Claim 18

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a Plurality of walls including first and second walls, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a groove opening generally laterally of said form; a locking member; means for mounting said locking member on said second wall; means for moving said locking member generally laterally into said groove to define a locking position in which said first and second walls are interconnected generally along said locking edges and for moving said locking member generally laterally out of said groove to define a releasing position; and the movement of said locking member generally laterally into said groove drawing said locking edges generally toward each other.

Claim 19

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a recess; a locking member; overcenter toggle means including a link pivotally mounted on said first wall and connecting means pivotally mounted on said link for drivingly connecting the locking member and the link; and said link being pivotable to a locking position in which said toggle means retains at least a portion of said locking member in said recess, said second wall being engageable with said locking member in said locking position whereby said first and second walls are connected adjacent said locking edges, said link being pivotable to a releasing position in which said walls are allowed to separate along said locking edges.

Claim 20

A prefab form for concrete comprising: a plurality of walls including first and second walls, said first and second walls having locking edges; means for pivotally interconnecting said walls while leaving said locking edges disconnected whereby said walls can be arranged to substantially circumscribe a region into which concrete can be poured, said first and second walls being pivotable to move said locking edges toward and away from each other; means on said first wall defining a recess; a locking member; overcenter toggle means including a link pivotally mounted on said first wall and connecting means pivotally mounted on said link for drivingly connecting the locking member and the link; and said link being pivotable to a locking position in which said toggle means retains at least a portion of said locking member in said recess, said second wall being engageable with said locking member in said locking position whereby said first and second walls are connected adjacent said locking edges, said link being pivotable to a releasing position in which said walls are allowed to separate along said locking edges.