Method and apparatus for forming a trench

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein said anchoring means comprise: (a) a supporting rod capable of being securely anchored to the ground; (b) a collar attached to said frame member having a vertical opening through its length and capable of being positioned over and securely attached to said supporting rod; and (c) means for maintaining the position of said collar on said supporting rod.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein said vertical opening has a diameter greater than the diameter of said supporting rod to allow for positioning said frames relative to the ground.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2, wherein said collar is attached to said frame member by means of a connecting member.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4, wherein said connecting member is a horizontally extending connecting member.

Claim 7

The device of claim 2, wherein said collar has a threaded bore into which a thumbscrew may be threadingly inserted so as to provide said means for maintaining the position of said collar on said supporting rod when said thumbscrew is tightened.

Claim 8

The device of claim 2, wherein said collar has a plurality of threaded bores into which thumbscrews may be threadingly inserted so as to provide said means for maintaining the position of said collar on said supporting rod when said thumbscrews are tightened.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said form has a groove in registration with said connecting rod for removably holding said form in a fixed position between said frame members.

Claim 10

The device of claim 1, wherein said form has a wire having a first end securely attached to said form and a second end opposite said first end extending above said form so as to provide means for lifting said form from between said frames.

Claim 11

The device of claim 1, wherein said form has a pair of side ends, said side ends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said form.

Claim 12

The device of claim 10, wherein said form has a pair of channels, each said channel in a side end of said form, and further comprising means for removing said form from between said frames provided in said channels.

Claim 13

The device of claim 11, wherein said means for removing said form from between said frames comprise a pair of wires, said first wire having a first end securely attached to said form in said first channel and a second end opposite said first end extending above said form, said second wire having a first end securely attached to said form in said second channel and a second end opposite said first end extending above said form.

Claim 14

The device of claim 11, wherein said form has a pair of lifting members protruding perpendicular to the transverse axis of said form, said first lifting member contained in said first channel, said second lifting member contained in said second channel, said first lifting member having a first end attached to said form and a second end opposite said first end, said second lifting member having a first end attached to said form and a second end opposite said first end.

Claim 15

The device of claim 13, wherein said means for removing said form from between said frames comprise a pair of wires, said first wire having a first end securely attached to said second end of said first lifting member and a second end opposite said first end extending above said form, said second wire having a first end securely attached to said second end of said second lifting member and a second end opposite said first end extending above said from.

Claim 16

The device of claim 11, and further comprising a lifting bar placed longitudinally through said form, said lifting bar having a pair of outer sections protruding perpendicularly to the transverse axis of said form, said first outer section contained in said first channel, said second outer section contained in said second channel.

Claim 17

The device of claim 15, wherein said means for removing said form from between said frames comprises a pair of wires said first wire having a first end securely attached to said first outer section and a second end opposite said first end extending above said form, said second wire having a first end securely attached to said second outer section and a second end opposite said first end extending above said form.

Claim 18

The device of claim 1, wherein said frame members are capable of supporting a grate and each comprise: (a) a horizontal grate supporting member comprising: (i) a generally planar top surface upon which the bottom of a grate may rest; (ii) a bottom surface opposite said top surface; (iii) a rearward edge; and (iv) a forward edge opposite said rearward edge; (b) an upper grate contacting member extending vertically upward from said top surface of said grate supporting member at said rearward edge of said grate supporting member for contacting a side of said grate; and (c) a form contacting member extending vertically downward from said bottom surface of said grate supporting member at said forward edge of said grate supporting member having a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface opposite said front surface; said front surface for contacting said removable form; said first frame contacting said form so that the forward edge of its grate supporting member faces said second frame front surface and said second frame contacting said form so that the forward edge of its grate supporting member faces said first frame front surface so that said grate supporting members form a surface upon which said grate rest; said connecting rod attached at a first end to said first frame front surface and at a second end opposite said first end to said second frame front surface.

Claim 19

The device of claim 1, wherein said form lower surface is coated with a releasing agent.

Claim 20

The device of claim 1, wherein said form is made of expanded polystyrene.

Claim 21

The device of claim 1, wherein said frame members are made of steel.

Claim 22

The device of claim 1, wherein said frame members are made of cast iron.

Claim 23

The device of claim 1, wherein said frame members are made of aluminum.

Claim 24

The device of claim 1, wherein said frame members are made of a polymeric compound.

Claim 25

The device of claim 1, wherein said connecting rod is capable of being removed from between said frame members.

Claim 26

The device of claim 1, wherein said moldable trench composition is cement.

Claim 29

The system of claim 26, wherein each said device has a front end and a back end opposite said front end, said front end and said back end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said device, said front end of a first device abutting against said back end of an adjacent device when said devices are placed adjacent to each other.

Claim 30

The system of claim 26, wherein said forms of said trench forming devices are placed adjacent to each other.

Claim 31

The system of claim 28, wherein each said form of each said device has a front end and a back end opposite said front end, said front end and said back end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said form, said front end of a first form abutting against said back end of an adjacent form when said forms are placed adjacent to each other.

Claim 32

The system of claim 29, and further comprising means for preventing said moldable trench composition from seeping between said abutting forms.

Claim 33

The system of claim 30, wherein said preventing means comprise adhesive tape attached to said shaped lower surfaces of said adjacent forms.

Claim 34

The system of claim 30, wherein said preventing means comprise a lap joint attached to said shaped lower surfaces of said adjacent forms.

Claim 37

The method of claim 33, and further comprising the step of removing said connecting rod from between said frame members after said moldable trench composition has set.

Claim 38

The method of claim 33, wherein said anchoring means comprise: (a) a supporting rod capable of being securely anchored to the ground, (b) a collar attached to said frame member having a vertical opening through its length and capable of being positioned over and securely attached to said supporting rod, and (c) means for maintaining the position of said collar on said supporting rod; and the positioning step comprises anchoring said supporting rod to the ground and securely attaching said collar to said supporting rod to fix the position of said frame members relative to the ground.

Claim 39

The method of claim 33, and further comprising the step of coating said form lower surface with a releasing agent before placing said trench forming device in the ditch.

Claim 40

The method of claim 33, and further comprising the step of placing a grate on said frame members after said moldable trench composition has set.

Claim 41

The method of claim 33, and further comprising the step of placing additional weight on top of said form while said moldable trench composition is setting.

Claim 44

The method of claim 39, and further comprising the step of removing said connecting rod of each said device from between said frame members of each said device after said moldable trench composition has set.

Claim 45

The method of claim 39, wherein said anchoring means of each said device comprise: (a) a supporting rod capable of being securely anchored to said ground, (b) a collar attached to said frame member having a vertical opening through its length and capable of being positioned over and securely attached to said supporting rod, and (c) means for maintaining the position of said collar on said supporting rod; and said positioning step comprises anchoring said supporting rod of each said device to the ground and securely attaching said collar of each said device to said supporting rod of each said device to fix the position of said frame members of each said device relative to the ground and to the remaining devices.

Claim 46

The method of claim 39, and further comprising the step of coating said form lower surface of each said device with a releasing agent before placing said plurality of trench forming devices in the ditch.

Claim 47

The method of claim 39, and further comprising the step of placing a grate on said frame members of each said device after said moldable trench composition has set.

Claim 48

The method of claim 39, and further comprising the step of placing additional weight on top of said form while said moldable trench composition is setting.

Claim 49

The method of claim 39, wherein each said trench forming device has a front end and a back end opposite said front end, said front end and said back end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each said device, and said trench forming device placing step comprises abutting said front end of a first device against a said back end of an adjacent device when said devices are placed in the ditch and adjacent to each other.

Claim 50

The method of claim 39, wherein said trench forming device placing step comprises placing said forms of each said device adjacent to each other when said devices are placed in the ditch and adjacent to each other.

Claim 51

The method of claim 46, wherein each said form of each said device has a front end and a back end opposite said front end, said front end and said back end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each said form, and said trench forming device placing step comprises abutting said front end of a first form against said back end of an adjacent form when said forms are placed adjacent to each other.

Claim 52

The method of claim 47, and further comprising the step of placing a means on said abutting forms for preventing said moldable trench composition from seeping between said abutting forms.