Concrete form panels and locking means therefor

Claim 2

Concrete form apparatus comprising a flat panel having on one side a surface against which concrete can be poured and on the other side a U-shaped channel means extending around and located adjacent to the marginal edges of the panel, said U-shaped channel means having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so that the channel means opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having associated holes therein in axial alignment at spaced longitudinal intervals, and locking means positioned in said U-shaped channel means extending through associated aligned holes for transverse movement with respect to the channel means between retracted and extended positions, each said locking means being operable when in its extended position to provide an extended end which projects beyond the marginal edge so that each locking means can be loCked in a hole of a channel means in a next adjacent concrete form apparatus, and each said locking means including a retainer portion extending cross-wise thereof and located for movement in said U-shaped channel means for abutment against said outer channel wall when the locking means is in said extended position and for operable abutment relative to said inner channel wall when the locking means is in its retracted position so as to preclude removal of said locking means from said U-shaped channel means.

Claim 3

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 1, wherein each said locking means has a slot in its extended end for receiving a lock wedge.

Claim 4

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped channel means comprises an aluminum extrusion of U-shape, and wear plates of relatively harder metal secured at said holes to the interior surface of said outer channel wall.

Claim 5

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped channel means comprises an aluminum extrusion of U-shape, and said base is thicker at said inner channel wall than at said outer channel wall.

Claim 6

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of said outer channel wall has notches formed therein in a direction perpendicular to said flat panel, said notches being located at the holes in the outer channel wall so that flat tie members each with a hole therein can be positioned at each of the holes in said outer channel wall and each associated locking means when in its extended position can pass through the hole of the flat tie member.

Claim 7

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 1, wherein said U-shaped channel means includes U-shaped channel members mounted at each marginal edge of the flat panel and connected at their ends, and transverse brace members are mounted on the flat panel and are connected at their ends to said U-shaped channel means.

Claim 8

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 6, wherein said U-shaped channel members and said transverse brace members are aluminum extrusions.

Claim 9

Concrete form apparatus comprising a flat panel having on one side a surface against which concrete can be poured and on the other side a U-shaped channel means extending around and located adjacent to the marginal edges of the panel, said U-shaped channel means having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so that the channel means opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having associated holes therein in axial alignment at spaced longitudinal intervals, and locking means positioned in said U-shaped channel means extending through associated aligned holes for transverse movement with respect to the channel means between retracted and extended positions, each said locking means being operable when in its extended position to provide an extended end which projects beyond the marginal edge so that each locking means can be locked in a hole of a channel means in a next adjacent concrete form apparatus, each said locking means being a locking key that includes (1) a cylindrical portion at its inner end for sliding and rotational movement in the hole in the inner channel wall, (2) a slot formation at its extended end for receiving a lock wedge, and (3) a retainer portion located in said U-shaped channel means for abutment with said channel walls thereby restricting transverse movement of the key between said retracted and extended positions so as to avoid inadvertent displacement of the locking key from the U-shaped channel means.

Claim 10

Concrete form apparatus comprising a flat panel having on one side a surface against which concrete can be poured and on the other side a U-shaped channel means extending around and located adjacent to the marginal edges of the panel, said U-shaped channel means having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so that the channel means opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having associated holes therein in axial alignment at spaced longitudinal intervals, and locking means positioned in said U-shaped channel means extending through associated aligned holes for transverse movement with respect to the channel means between retracted and extended positions, each said locking means being operable when in its extended position to provide an extended end which projects beyond the marginal edge so that each locking means can be locked in a hole of a channel means in a next adjacent concrete form apparatus, each said locking means being a locking key that includes (1) a cylindrical portion at its inner end for sliding and rotational movement in the hole in the inner channel wall, (2) a slot formation at its extended end for receiving a lock wedge, and (3) a retainer portion located in said U-shaped channel means for abutment with said channel walls thereby restricting transverse movement of the key between said retracted and extended positions so as to avoid inadvertent displacement of the locking key from the U-shaped channel means.

Claim 11

Concrete form apparatus comprising a flat panel having on one side a surface against which concrete can be poured and on the other side a U-shaped channel means extending around and located adjacent to the marginal edges of the panel, said U-shaped channel means having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so That the channel means opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having associated holes therein in axial alignment at spaced longitudinal intervals, and locking means positioned in said U-shaped channel means extending through associated aligned holes for transverse movement with respect to the channel means between retracted and extended positions, each said locking means being operable when in its extended position to provide an extended end which projects beyond the marginal edge so that each locking means can be locked in a hole of a channel means in a next adjacent concrete form apparatus, said locking means including a locking key that has a slot in said extended end for receiving a locking wedge when the locking key is in its extended position, said locking key having a retainer portion for abutment against the channel means to limit the extent of projection of the locking key beyond said marginal edge, and a bracket mounted on the exterior side of said inner wall and having a hole in alignment with the holes in said channel means through which said locking key extends, said hole being limited in size so that said retainer portion will abut against the bracket when the locking key is in its retracted position so as to avoid inadvertent displacement of the locking key from the U-shaped channel means.

Claim 12

Concrete form apparatus comprising a flat panel having on one side a surface against which concrete can be poured and on the other side a U-shaped channel means extending around and located adjacent to the marginal edges of the panel, said U-shaped channel means having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so That the channel means opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having associated holes therein in axial alignment at spaced longitudinal intervals, and locking means positioned in said U-shaped channel means extending through associated aligned holes for transverse movement with respect to the channel means between retracted and extended positions, each said locking means being operable when in its extended position to provide an extended end which projects beyond the marginal edge so that each locking means can be locked in a hole of a channel means in a next adjacent concrete form apparatus, said locking means including a locking key that has a slot in said extended end for receiving a locking wedge when the locking key is in its extended position, said locking key having a retainer portion for abutment against the channel means to limit the extent of projection of the locking key beyond said marginal edge, and a bracket mounted on the exterior side of said inner wall and having a hole in alignment with the holes in said channel means through which said locking key extends, said hole being limited in size so that said retainer portion will abut against the bracket when the locking key is in its retracted position so as to avoid inadvertent displacement of the locking key from the U-shaped channel means.

Claim 13

The concrete form apparatus that is defined in claim 9, wherein said channel means includes an extruded U-shaped channel member which defines said base and inner and outer channel walls, and wear plates of relatively harder metal secured to the interior surface of said outer channel wall at said holes.

Claim 14

In combination, a first concrete form apparatus comprising a vertical flat panel having on one side a flat surface and on the other side a U-shaped channel member located adjacent to the vertical marginal edge of the panel, said U-shaped channel member having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so that the channel member opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having holes therein at spaced longitudinal intervals, the holes in one channel wall being in alignment with associated holes in the other channel wall, and locking keys positioned in said U-shaped channel member at associated aligned holes for transverse movement between retracted and extended positions, each key having portions adapted for sliding movement in the associated holes in the channel walls and a retainer portion extending cross-wise between said portions, said retainer portion being adapted to abut against one or the other of said channel walls so as to restrict transverse movement of the key between retracted and extended positions, the outer end portion of each key having a slot formation for receiving a lock wedge and a second concrete form apparatus constructed the same as said first concrete form apparatus and positioned with its flat panel in the same plane as that of the flat panel of said first concrete form apparatus with a vertical marginal edge in abutment with said vertical marginal edge of the first-named panel, said extended end of each key passing through the corresponding hole of the U-shaped channel member of the second concrete form apparatus, and a lock wedge press-fitted into each said slot formation so as to secure the first and second concrete form apparatus together.

Claim 15

In combination, a first concrete form apparatus comprising a vertical flat panel having on one side a flat surface and on the other side a U-shaped channel member located adjacent to the vertical marginal edge of the panel, said U-shaped channel member having a base affixed to said other side of said panel so that the channel member opens in a direction away from said panel and provides inner and outer channel walls, said channel walls having holes therein at spaced longitudinal intervals, the holes in one channel wall being in alignment with associated holes in the other channel wall, and locking keys positioned in said U-shaped channel member at associated aligned holes for transverse movement between retracted and extended positions, each key having portions adapted for sliding movement in the associated holes in the channel walls and a retainer portion extending cross-wise between said portions, said retainer portion being adapted to abut against one or the other of said channel walls so as to restrict transverse movement of the key between retracted and extended positions, the outer end portion of each key having a slot formation for receiving a lock wedge and a second concrete form apparatus constructed the same as said first concrete form apparatus and positioned with its flat panel in the same plane as that of the flat panel of said first concrete form apparatus with a vertical marginal edge in abutment with said vertical marginal edge of the first-named panel, said extended end of each key passing through the corresponding hole of the U-shaped channel member of the second concrete form apparatus, and a lock wedge press-fitted into each said slot formation so as to secure the first and second concrete form apparatus together.

Claim 16

The combination that is defined in claim 9, wherein said vertical marginal edges have notches therein at said holes in the outer channel walls, and a flat tie member passes through the associated locking key passes.