Foundation construction system

• US 6,026,620 A
• Filed: 09/22/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TF System-The Vertical ICF, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gerald T. Spude
• Inventors: Spude, Gerald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, PHI DIEU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US09/158,229
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 52/275, 52/276, 52/278, 52/279, 52/562, 52/568, 52/426
• US Class Current: 52/275
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2300/002 Concrete
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 2300/0046 Foams
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/02 Flat foundations without substantial excavation E02D27/04, E02D27/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/8652 with ties located in the joints of the forms
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/867 Corner details
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/8688 Scaffoldings or removable supports therefor

Abstract

A building system and apparatus for forming a wall on a footing. U-shaped channels and H-shaped or T-shaped members coupled at their sides by rigid links hold foam panels in a desired spaced relationship. Vertically oriented panels aligned and connected by T-shaped members or horizontally oriented panels stacked with and connected by H-shaped members are inserted into the U-shaped channels to form a structure of the desired length. Concrete is poured between the panels and members where it hardens to form a structural wall. The planar surfaces of the U-shaped, H-shaped and T-shaped members enable the members to be extruded, thereby substantially reducing member production costs. Furthermore, widely available conventional foam panels can be used, reducing panel production costs.

Claims

1. A method for constructing a forming system for building a corner structure having two non-coplanar surfaces connected to one another, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first pair of substantially parallel U-shaped elongated members positioned upon a base;

providing a second pair of substantially parallel U-shaped elongated members positioned upon the base at an angle with respect to the first pair of members, the first and second pairs of members defining an outer channel and an inner channel;

inserting a first end of a corner element into the outer channel;

inserting a first end of a corner panel into the inner channel, the corner element and the corner panel each having lateral edges with substantially vertical slots defined therein;

inserting an outer panel into the outer channel on either side of the corner element;

inserting an inner panel into the inner channel on either side of the corner panel, the outer and inner panels each having lateral edges with substantially vertical slots defined therein;

providing a plurality of elongated members having flanges;

connecting the outer panels to the corner element by inserting the flanges of the elongated members into adjacent slots of the outer panels and the corner element;

connecting the inner panels to the corner panel by inserting the flanges of the elongated members into adjacent slots of the inner panels and the corner panel.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated members are T-shaped, with oppositely-extending flanges received within adjacent slots of the outer panels and corner element and within adjacent slots of the inner panels and corner panel.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elongated members connecting the outer panels and the corner element are connected to the elongated members connecting the inner panels and the corner panel via substantially rigid links.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated members are H-shaped.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elongated members connecting the outer panels and the corner element are connected to the elongated members connecting the inner panels and the corner panel via substantially rigid links.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the U-shaped elongated members are connected together in pairs via substantially rigid links.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing third and fourth pairs of substantially parallel U-shaped elongated members, the third and fourth pairs of members defining an outer channel and an inner channel;

inserting a second end of the corner element into the outer channel of the third and fourth pairs of members;

inserting a second end of the corner panel into the inner channel of the third and fourth pairs of members; and

inserting the inner and outer panels into the inner and outer channels of the third and fourth pairs of members, respectively.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the U-shaped elongated members of the third and fourth pairs of members are connected together in respective pairs via substantially rigid links.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corner element is a post.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corner panel is a panel having a longitudinal angle therein.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pair of substantially parallel U-shaped elongated members is positioned upon the base at a substantially right angle with respect to the second pair of members, thereby defining a right-angled corner structure.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral edges of the inner and outer panels are beveled to orient adjacent panels in an angled relationship with respect to one another.

13. A method for constructing a corner forming system upon a base, comprising the steps of:

providing a substantially vertical corner structure having;

an inner channel define by at least one angled U-shaped elongated member;

an outer channel define by at least one angled U-shaped elongated member in substantially parallel relationship to the inner channel;

a substantially vertical inner corner element having a first end inserted within the inner channel, and lateral edges each having longitudinal grooves formed therein; and

a substantially vertical outer corner element having a first end inserted within the outer channel, and lateral edges each having longitudinal grooves formed therein;

providing a plurality of flanged inner elongated members and flanged outer elongated members, each of the flanged inner an flanged outer elongated members having two flanges;

inserting a pair of inner panels into the inner channel on either side of the inner corner element, the inner panels each having lateral edges with longitudinal slots formed therein positioned adjacent to the longitudinal slots of the inner corner element, the inner panels being positioned in the inner channel in angled relationship to one another;

inserting a pair of outer panels to the outer channel on either side of the outer corner element, the outer panels each having lateral edges with longitudinal slots formed therein positioned adjacent to the longitudinal slots of the outer corner element, the outer panels being positioned in the outer channel in angled relationship to one another;

coupling the pair of inner pane s to the inner corner element via one of the plurality of flanged inner elongated members bet en each of the inner panels and the inner corner element, the flanges of the flanged inner elongated members extending within adjacent slots of the inner corner element and the inner panels;

coupling the pair of outer panels to the outer corner element via one of the plurality of flanged outer elongated members between each of the outer panels and the outer corner element, the flanges of the flanged outer elongated members extending within adjacent slots of the outer corner element and the outer panels.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the flanged inner elongated members and the flanged outer elongated members are T-shaped.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flanged inner elongated members are substantially rigidly coupled to the flanged outer elongated members via links.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the flanged inner elongated members and the flanged outer elongated members are H-shaped.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the flanged inner elongated members are substantially rigidly coupled to the flanged outer elongated members via links.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the step of:

placing a top cap on top of the inner and outer corner elements, the inner and outer panels, and the plurality of flanged inner and outer elongated members.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the top cap includes an, inner channel and an outer channel defined by two substantially parallel elongated U-shaped members.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the two substantially parallel elongated U-shaped members are joined together by substantially rigid links.

21. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inner corner element is L-shaped to define an angle between the inner panels within the inner channel.

22. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the outer corner element is a post.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the outer corner element is a post.

24. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inner panels are oriented in the inner channel on either side of the inner corner element at a substantially right angle with respect to one another, and wherein the outer panels are oriented in the outer channel on either side of the outer corner element at a substantially right angle with respect to one another.

25. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the lateral edges of the inner panels and the lateral edges of the outer panels are beveled to establish an angled orientation between each panel and adjacent panels inserted within the inner and outer channels.

26. A method of constructing a corner forming system, comprising the steps of:

providing a first pair of substantially parallel U-shaped channels defining an inner channel and an outer channel;

providing a second pair of substantially parallel U-shaped channels oriented at an angle with respect to the first pair of channel and further defining the inner channel and the outer channel;

inserting an inside corner element into the inner channel;

inserting an outside corner element into the outside channel;

inserting a pair of inner panels into the inner channel flanking the inside corner element;

inserting a pair of outer panels into the outside channel flanking the outside corner element;

coupling a flanged inner elongated connecting member to and between each inner panel and the inside corner element to couple the inner panels to the inside corner element; and

coupling a flanged outer elongated connecting member to and between each outside panel and the outside corner element to couple the outside panels to the outside corner element.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of coupling a flanged inner elongated connecting member to and between each inner panel and the inside corner element includes the step of inserting flange of each flanged inner elongated connecting member into a respective slot in the inside corner element.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the step of coupling a flanged outer elongated connecting member to and between each outer panel and the outside corner element includes the step of inserting a flange of each flanged outer elongated connecting member into a respective slot in the out side corner element.

29. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of coupling a flanged outer elongated connecting member to and between each outer panel and the inside corner element includes the step of inserting flange of each flanged outer elongated connecting member into a respective slot in the ou side corner element.

30. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of coupling a flanged outer elongated connecting member to and between each outer panel and the outside corner element further includes the step of inserting a flange of each flanged outer elongated connecting member into a slot in an adjacent outer panel.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the step of coupling a flanged inner elongated connecting member to and between each inner panel and the inside corner element further includes the step of inserting a flange of each flanged inner elongated connecting member into a slot in an adjacent inner panel.

32. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the step of coupling a flanged inner elongated connecting member to and between each inner panel and the inside corner member further includes the step of inserting a flange of each flanged inner elongated connecting member into a slot in an adjacent inner panel.

33. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the inner and outer elongated connecting members are T-shaped.

34. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the inner and outer elongated connecting member are H-shaped.

35. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the inner elongated connecting members are coupled to the outer elongated connecting members via substantially rigid links.

36. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein each pair of substantially parallel U-shaped channels is coupled together via substantially rigid links.

37. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the angle between the first and second pairs of channels a substantially right angle.