Precast concrete beam element and methods of making and installing same

• US 6,503,025 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip Glen Miller
• Original Assignee: Philip Glen Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Philip Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYO-PINNOCK, TARA LEIGH
• Application Number:
  US09/634,596
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 405/229, 405/230-233, 405/243, 405/244, 405/256, 405/284, 405/286, 405/257, 525/96, 526/08, 249/1, 249/20, 249/48, 249/50, 249/155, 249/158
• US Class Current: 405/231
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/02 Moulds with adjustable parts specially for modifying at will the dimensions or form of the moulded article
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/02 Flat foundations without substantial excavation E02D27/04, E02D27/08 take precedence

Abstract

A precast concrete beam element, used as a continuous bearing structural foundation member supporting wall and floor slab loads in soil, includes a bearing surface for spreading vertical loads into the soil and a wall section having a height sufficient to place the bearing surface at a specified bearing depth in the soil. The precast beam element also includes a formed-in notch to serve as a block ledge to facilitate weathertight wall installation. The beam element is manufactured offsite in a mold capable of changing dimension to cast elements with differing bearing heights and differing wall thicknesses as soil and loading conditions require.

Claims

1. A precast structural beam element, comprising:

(i) a straight back face;

(ii) a top surface;

(iii) a bottom surface;

(iv) a front face;

the front face having;

a first upper surface extending perpendicularly and downwardly from the top surface and being parallel to the back face;

a second upper surface which slopes downwardly and inwardly from the first upper surface;

a middle surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the second upper surface;

a first lower surface which slopes downwardly and outwardly from the middle surface; and

a second lower surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the first lower surface and perpendicularly to the bottom surface; and

(v) first and second opposite side faces disposed between the back and front faces and between the top and bottom surfaces,

wherein the back face extends substantially vertically relative to the ground, and

wherein the bottom surface extends substantially horizontally relative to the ground.

2. The beam element according to claim 1, wherein the middle surface of the front face has a dapped surface formed therein.

3. A beam element comprising:

(i) a straight back face;

(ii) a top surface;

(iii) a bottom surface;

(iv) a front face;

the front face having;

a first upper surface extending perpendicularly and downwardly from the top surface and being parallel to the back face;

a second upper surface which slopes downwardly and inwardly from the first upper surface;

a middle surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the second upper surface;

a first lower surface which slopes downwardly and outwardly from the middle surface; and

a second lower surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the first lower surface and perpendicularly to the bottom surface; and

(v) first and second opposite side faces disposed between the back and front faces and between the top and bottom surfaces

wherein the top surface of the beam element has a notch formed therein which extends lengthwise along the top surface.

4. A method of making a precast beam element, comprising:

(1) providing a mold comprising;

(a) a longitudinally movable lateral side rail having an inner wall for forming a top surface of the beam element;

(b) an opposite fixed lateral side rail having an inner wall for forming a bottom surface of the beam element;

(c) a first longitudinal side rail disposed between the movable and fixed lateral side rails and having an inner wall for forming a first side face of the beam element;

(d) an opposite second longitudinal side rail disposed between the movable and fixed lateral side rails and having an inner wall for forming a second side face of the beam element;

(e) an infill plate disposed between the inner walls of the lateral and longitudinal side rails such that an upper face of the infill plate and the inner walls of the lateral and longitudinal side rails define a mold cavity, the upper face of the infill plate being disposed to form a front face of the beam element,

wherein the front face of the beam element includes a first surface and a second surface,

wherein the first surface of the front face is not parallel to the second surface of the front face; and

(f) one or more dowel rods projecting upwardly from the mold cavity;

(2) filling the mold cavity with a flowable fill material;

(3) allowing the flowable fill material to harden to form the beam element; and

(4) removing the beam element from the mold cavity.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the inner surface of the longitudinally movable lateral side rail has a configuration so as to form a notch which extends lengthwise along the top surface of the beam element.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the flowable fill material includes concrete.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the upper face of the infill plate has a configuration so as to form a dapped surface in the middle surface of the front face.

8. A method for installing a precast beam element into the ground, comprising:

(1) providing an excavated trench having a bottom surface, inner wall surfaces and an open top surface;

(2) suspending the beam element above the trench so that a bottom gap is formed between a bottom face of the beam element and the bottom surface of the trench and a side gap is formed between the inner walls of the trench and front, back and side faces of the beam element;

(3) pouring a flowable fill material into the trench so as to fill the bottom gap and at least a portion of the side gap; and

(4) causing the poured material to harden, wherein the beam element includes a load bearing portion.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the flowable fill material includes concrete or grout.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the top surface of the beam element has a notch formed therein which extends lengthwise along the top surface.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising installing a second beam element adjacent to the first mentioned beam element.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein a middle surface of the front face of the beam element has a dapped surface formed therein.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the middle surface of a front face of the beam element has a dapped surface formed therein.

13. A method for forming a floor slab, comprising:

(1) installing a precast beam element into the ground;

(2) providing a floor slab-forming location for forming the floor slab, the location being adjacent to the beam element such that a back face of the beam element will serve as an edge form during casting of the floor slab; and

(3) casting the floor slab in said location,

wherein the precast beam element includes;

(i) the straight back face;

(ii) a top surface;

(iii) a bottom surface;

(iv) a front face;

the front face having;

a first upper surface extending perpendicularly and downwardly from the top surface and being parallel to the back face;

a second upper surface which slopes downwardly and inwardly from the first upper surface;

a middle surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the second upper surface;

a first lower surface which slopes downwardly and outwardly from the middle surface; and

a second lower surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the first lower surface and perpendicularly to the bottom surface; and

(v) first and second opposite side faces disposed between the back and front faces and between the top and bottom surfaces,

wherein the back face extends substantially vertically relative to the ground, and

wherein the bottom surface extends substantially horizontally relative to the ground.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the top surface of the beam element has a notch formed therein which extends lengthwise along the top surface.

16. A method of forming a wall slab, comprising:

(1) installing a precast beam element into the ground;

(2) providing a wall slab-forming location for forming the wall slab, the location being adjacent to the beam element such that a top surface of the beam element will serve as an edge form during casting of the wall slab; and

(3) casting the wall slab in said location.

wherein the precast beam element includes;

(i) a straight back face;

(ii) the top surface;

(iii) a bottom surface;

(iv) a front face;

the front face having;

a first upper surface extending perpendicularly and downwardly from the top surface and being parallel to the back face;

a second upper surface which slopes downwardly and inwardly from the first upper surface;

a middle surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the second upper surface;

a first lower surface which slopes downwardly and outwardly from the middle surface; and

a second lower surface which is parallel to the back face and which extends downwardly from the first lower surface and perpendicularly to the bottom surface; and

(v) first and second opposite side faces disposed between the back and front faces and between the top and bottom surfaces,

wherein the back face extends substantially vertically relative to the ground, and

wherein the bottom surface extends substantially horizontally relative to the ground.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the top surface of the beam element has a notch formed therein which extends lengthwise along the top surface.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the middle surface of a front face of the beam element has a dapped surface formed therein.