Method for progressively constructing a wall of cementitious material

Claim 1

A method for prograssively constructing a plurality of substantially vertical walls of hardened cementitious material in successive, vertically incremental castings, said method comprising: I. providing a plurality of pairs of formwork sections in a first casting position, each pair comprising a substantially vertical frost formwork section and a facing substantially vertical second formwork section, at least on pair of formwork sections associated with each wall to be built, wherein said formwork sections define at least in part a cavity for an incremental casting which is to be made, while supporting said formwork sections by at least one retractable support from a completed incremental casting of first hardened cementitious material, Ii. interlocking said first formwork sections and interlocking said second formwork sections, and therafter casting second hardenable cementitious material in said cavity and permitting same to harden, Iii. thereafter disengaging said framework sections from the second hardened cementitious material, and moving each entire said first formwork sectio laterally and horizontally away from the second formwork section at least a distance to permit a person to pass between the first and second formwork sections, Iv. raising said plurality of pairs of formwork sections simultaneously from the first casting position to a vertically higher second casting position by raising a common, rigid support structure, from which all of said formwork sections are suspended, from a first support position to a second vertically higher support position while A. supporting said common support structure on said second hardened cementitious material, B. disengaging said retractable support from supporting contact with said hardened cementitious material, C. interlocking said second formwork sections in a structurally rigid and stable assembly, and D. guiding said interlocked second formwork sections by contact with at least one hardened incremental wall section of cementitious material, to maintain alignment of and to stablize said second formwork sections, and V. repeating the above steps until the desired wall height has been achieved.

Claim 2

A method for prograssively constructing a plurality of substantially vertical walls of hardened cementitious material in successive, vertically incremental castings, said method comprising: I. providing a plurality of pairs of formwork sections in a first casting position, each pair comprising a substantially vertical frost formwork section and a facing substantially vertical second formwork section, at least on pair of formwork sections associated with each wall to be built, wherein said formwork sections define at least in part a cavity for an incremental casting which is to be made, while supporting said formwork sections by at least one retractable support from a completed incremental casting of first hardened cementitious material, Ii. interlocking said first formwork sections and interlocking said second formwork sections, and therafter casting second hardenable cementitious material in said cavity and permitting same to harden, Iii. thereafter disengaging said framework sections from the second hardened cementitious material, and moving each entire said first formwork sectio laterally and horizontally away from the second formwork section at least a distance to permit a person to pass between the first and second formwork sections, Iv. raising said plurality of pairs of formwork sections simultaneously from the first casting position to a vertically higher second casting position by raising a common, rigid support structure, from which all of said formwork sections are suspended, from a first support position to a second vertically higher support position while A. supporting said common support structure on said second hardened cementitious material, B. disengaging said retractable support from supporting contact with said hardened cementitious material, C. interlocking said second formwork sections in a structurally rigid and stable assembly, and D. guiding said interlocked second formwork sections by contact with at least one hardened incremental wall section of cementitious material, to maintain alignment of and to stablize said second formwork sections, and V. repeating the above steps until the desired wall height has been achieved.

Claim 10

A method of progressively constructing at least one substantially vertical wall of hardened cememtitious material in successive, vertically incremental castings, including the steps of supporting a formwork support structure means on a completed incremental casting by jack means with said formwork support structure extending over said at least one wall and forming a common, rigid supporting assembly for a plurality of pairs of formwork sections, at least one pair of formwork sections associated with each wall to be built, each pair of formwork sections comprising a first formwork section and a facing second formwork section, said first formwork section being suspended from said formwork support structure means in a substantially vertical position, and said second formwork section being suspended from said formwork support structure means in a substantially vertical position, raising said formwork support structure means by said jack means to lift all of said formwork sections simultaneously substantially vertically upward from a first casting position to a second casting position, engaging retractable support means with at least one completed wall section of hardened cememtitious material to support said formwork support structure therefrom, and disengaging said jack means from said completed incremental casting and moving said jack means to a vertically upper position while supporting said formwork support structure on said retractable support means, moving at least one formwork section of a pair into a position relative to the other section of the pair to provide a cavity thereinbetween for receiving cementitious material, the top of the previous incremental casting defining the bottom of said cavity, introducing a quantity of cementitious material into said cavity, allowing the cementitious material in said cavity to solidify to form a subsequent incremental casting, and disengaging said second formwork section from the hardened cementitious material in said cavity, and moving each entire said first formwork section laterally and horizontally away from the second formwork section at least a distance to permit a person to pass between the first and second formwork sections, associating the jack means and the retractable support means so that there are alternate periods wherin said formwork support structure means and formwork sections are exclusively supported by said retractable support means and other periods wherein same are exclusively supported by said jack meaans; provided, however, that during progressive wall construction, at least one of said jack means or said retractable support means supports said formwork support structure means, and interlocking at least one of the formwork sections of a pair with a formwork section of another pair to produce a structurally rigid and stable assembly of formwork sections during the lifting of said formwork sections between said first casting position and said second casting position, and guiding at least some of the interlocked formwork sections from at least one completed wall section of hardened cementitious material to maintain alignment and to stabilize same during lifting between said first casting position and said second casting position.

Claim 11

A method of progressively constructing at least one substantially vertical wall of hardened cememtitious material in successive, vertically incremental castings, including the steps of supporting a formwork support structure means on a completed incremental casting by jack means with said formwork support structure extending over said at least one wall and forming a common, rigid supporting assembly for a plurality of pairs of formwork sections, at least one pair of formwork sections associated with each wall to be built, each pair of formwork sections comprising a first formwork section and a facing second formwork section, said first formwork section being suspended from said formwork support structure means in a substantially vertical position, and said second formwork section being suspended from said formwork support structure means in a substantially vertical position, raising said formwork support structure means by said jack means to lift all of said formwork sections simultaneously substantially vertically upward from a first casting position to a second casting position, engaging retractable support means with at least one completed wall section of hardened cememtitious material to support said formwork support structure therefrom, and disengaging said jack means from said completed incremental casting and moving said jack means to a vertically upper position while supporting said formwork support structure on said retractable support means, moving at least one formwork section of a pair into a position relative to the other section of the pair to provide a cavity thereinbetween for receiving cementitious material, the top of the previous incremental casting defining the bottom of said cavity, introducing a quantity of cementitious material into said cavity, allowing the cementitious material in said cavity to solidify to form a subsequent incremental casting, and disengaging said second formwork section from the hardened cementitious material in said cavity, and moving each entire said first formwork section laterally and horizontally away from the second formwork section at least a distance to permit a person to pass between the first and second formwork sections, associating the jack means and the retractable support means so that there are alternate periods wherin said formwork support structure means and formwork sections are exclusively supported by said retractable support means and other periods wherein same are exclusively supported by said jack meaans; provided, however, that during progressive wall construction, at least one of said jack means or said retractable support means supports said formwork support structure means, and interlocking at least one of the formwork sections of a pair with a formwork section of another pair to produce a structurally rigid and stable assembly of formwork sections during the lifting of said formwork sections between said first casting position and said second casting position, and guiding at least some of the interlocked formwork sections from at least one completed wall section of hardened cementitious material to maintain alignment and to stabilize same during lifting between said first casting position and said second casting position.