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Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to
secure by letters patent is:
1. A concrete formwork comprising, in combination, a panel against which
wet concrete is adapted to be poured in order to produce a concrete slab
or wall, an elongated extruded metal structural member for said panel,
said member being generally in the form of an I-beam, being adapted in
connection with one of its uses to extend horizontally, and having upper
and lower flange arrangements connected together by an intermediate
substantially planar web, said member being arranged so that one of its
flange arrangements is positioned in abutment with the panel, the upper
flange arrangement of said structural member embodying a pair of coplanar,
horizontally extending bottom wall portions connected to and extending
outwardly from the upper longitudinal edge region of the web, a pair of
parallel, spaced apart, first side wall portions extending upwards from
the bottom wall portions and having their lower edge regions connected to
the outer edge regions of said bottom wall portions, a pair of coplanar,
horizontally extending, ledge-forming portions extending outwards from the
first side wall portions and having their inner edge regions connected to
the upper edge regions of said first side wall portions, and a pair of
parallel, spaced apart, vertically extending, second side wall portions
extending upwards from the ledge-forming portions and having their lower
edge regions connected to the outer edge regions of the ledge-forming
portions, said second side wall portions being of greater height than the
first side wall portions, having the inner opposed surfaces thereof smooth
and continuous throughout their entire areas and defining with the
ledge-forming portions a channel which is coextensive with the structural
member, is of appreciable depth and of generally rectangular cross
section, and is spaced from the bottom wall portions by the first side
wall portions and the space between the latter, the upper edge regions of
said second side wall portions being provided with coplanar inwardly and
horizontally extending opposed seating flanges the inner edges of which
are spaced apart in order to define a restricted outwardly opening mouth
for the channel, said seating flanges being provided on their inner edge
regions with short, downwardly extending, rigid, bead-like, right-angle
ribs, the upper edge regions of said second side wall portions being
further provided with coplanar outwardly and horizontally extending
extensions of said seating flanges, the lower flange arrangements being
identical in size, shape and construction to the upper flange arrangement
but being positioned in inverted or up side down relation with respect
thereto, and having the inner edge regions of its coplanar, horizontally
extending bottom wall portions connected to the lower longitudinal edge
region of the web of the structural member, an elongated wooden reaction
nailing strip disposed within the channel of said one flange arrangement,
having a width greater than the width of the restricted mouth of said
last-mentioned channel and having a depth corresponding to the distance
between the inner portions of the ribs and the adjacent faces of the
ledge-forming portions to the end that it is securely and firmly captured
in the associated channel, and a longitudinal series of fastening members
projecting through the panel and extending through said restricted mouth
of the one flange arrangement and into said wooden reaction nailing strip,
thus drawing the latter against the adjacent ribs of the seating flanges
of said one flange arrangement and, in turn, maintaining the
last-mentioned seating flanges against the panel so as to connect the
structural member to said panel.
2. A concrete formwork as set forth in claim 1 and wherein the formwork is
a wall form installation, the structural member is disposed vertically in
the manner of a strongback with the seating flanges and seating flange
extensions of said one flange arrangement abutting directly against the
panel, a nut is slidably disposed within the channel of the other flange
arrangement, is interposed between the seating flanges and the
ledge-forming portions of said other flange arrangement, bridges the
restricted mouth of the channel of said other flange arrangement, and has
in its outer face parallel spaced apart grooves which receive and
interlock with portions of the adjacent ribs whereby the nut is held
against rotation relatively to the structural member, and a pair of
horizontal walers traverse the structural member and have their inner edge
portions drawn aginst the seating flanges of the other flange arrangements
by means of an elongated bolt which passes between said walers and has its
inner end threadedly received in said nut and its outer end bearing
inwardly against a waler clamping member which embraces the outer edge
portions of the walers.
3. A concrete formwork as set forth in claim 1 and wherein the panel and
structural member extend horizontally, a nut is slidably disposed within
the channel of the other flange arrangement and is interposed between the
seating flanges and forming ledge portions of said other flange
arrangement, the structural member is supported upon a horizontal
supporting element having a lateral flange along its upper edge, said nut
bridges the restricted mouth of the channel of said other flange
arrangement, and has in its outer face parallel spaced apart grooves which
receive and interlock with portions of the adjacent ribs whereby the nut
is held against rotation relatively to the structural member, a clamping
member is provided for clamping said lateral flange to the seating flanges
of said other flange arrangement, said clamping member has a body portion
which underlies and extends across the last mentioned seating flanges and
embodies a part in overlying relation with said lateral flange, and a bolt
projects through said body portion, is threadedly received in said nut,
and serves when tightened to draw said part of the clamping member against
said lateral flange and thus clamp the latter against said seating
flanges.
4. A concrete formwork as set forth in claim 3 and wherein the upper side
of said part of the body portion of the clamping member is formed with a
series of transversely extending ribs thereon, and a fulcrum rib is
provided on the upper side of said body portion in a location remote from
said part.
5. An elongated extruded structural member designed for use as a supporting
or reinforcing element in connection with formwork for concrete and
adapted in certain uses thereof to extend horizontally, said member being
generally in the form of an I-beam and having upper and lower flange
arrangements connected by a vertical substantially planar web, the upper
flange arrangement embodying a pair of coplanar, horizontally extending
bottom wall portions connected to and extending outwards from the upper
longitudinal edge region of the web, a pair of parallel, spaced apart,
vertically extending, first side wall portions extending upwards from the
bottom wall portions and having their lower edge regions connected to the
outer edge regions of said bottom wall portions, a pair of coplanar,
horizontally extending, ledge-forming portions extending outwardly from
the first side wall portions and having their inner edge regions connected
to the upper edge regions of said first side wall portions, and a pair of
parallel, spaced apart, vertically extending second side wall portions
extending upwards from the ledge-forming portions and having their lower
edge regions connected to the outer edge regions of said ledgeforming
portions, said second side wall portions being of greater height than the
first side wall portions, having the inner opposed surfaces thereof smooth
and continuous throughout their entire areas, and defining with the
ledge-forming portions a channel which is coextensive with the structural
member, is of appreciable height and of generally rectangular cross
section, and is spaced from the bottom wall portions by the first side
wall portions and the space between the latter, the upper edge regions of
said second side wall portions being provided with coplanar, inwardly
extending, opposed, seating flanges the inner edges of which are spaced
apart in order to define a restricted outwardly opening mouth for the
channel, said channel being adapted for slidable reception thereof of
either an elongated wooden reaction nailing strip having a greater width
than the width of said restricted channel mouth and a height less than
that of the channel or a nut having a greater width than the width of said
restricted channel mouth and embodying in its outer face parallel, spaced,
apart, transversely extending seating grooves, said seating flanges being
provided on their inner edge regions with short, downwardly extending,
rigid, bead-like, right-angle ribs which when a wooden nailing strip is
disposed in the channel are adapted to confine such strip securely between
them and the ledgeforming portions and when a nut is disposed in the
channel are adapted to fit within and interlock with the grooves in the
outer face of the nut and thereby hold the nut against rotation relatively
to the structural member, the upper edge regions of said second side wall
portions being further provided with coplanar outwardly extending
extensions of said seating flanges, the lower flange arrangement being
identical in size, shape and construction to the upper flange arrangement
but positioned in inverted or up side down relation with respect thereto,
and having the inner edge regions of its coplanar, horizontally extending
bottom wall portions connected to the lower longitudinal edge region of
the web of the structural element. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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The present invention relates to a novel, extruded metal, joist-like,
structural member which is designed for use in connection with concrete
formwork, particularly wall or slab form installations, and has associated
with it certain novel facilities of adjuncts which may be selectively
employed in order to make it possible properly to utilize the member,
depending upon the particular character of the concrete form which is
undergoing erection and requires use of the member. Such formwork
structural member is generally in the form of a modified I-beam which
presents, by reason of its specific shape or contour, anchoring facilities
whereby one side thereof may be securely affixed to suitable
form-supporting or foundation members, and also attachment facilities
whereby structural components may conveniently be anchored to its other
side. The particular structural member, which as previously stated is
generally in the form of an I-beam having special shape characteristics,
is adapted when used in connection with a concrete wall form installation
to assume the function of a vertical strongback on the outer side of the
usual plywood or other paneling of the form; and the outer side of such
member has novel facilities whereby a pair of waler boards (hereinafter
referred to simply as walers) may be securely clamped to it so that they
are in traversing relation with respect to similar structural members
forming other parts of the concrete wall form installation. The inner side
of the improved structural member has novel facilities whereby the plywood
or other paneling may conveniently be affixed to it, the over-all
arrangement taking on the general aspects of most conventional concrete
wall forms which are made up of strongback and waler reinforced plywood
paneling.
When the novel formwork structural member of the present invention is used
in connection with a concrete floor slab installation, it extends
horizontally and assumes the function of a stringer or joist for
supporting the plywood or other deck on which the wet concrete is poured
in the production of a slab, it being understood that the same anchoring
or attachment facilities will be utilized and hence remain prevalent.
Thus, on the lower side of the structural member movel facilities are
provided whereby said lower side may be securely affixed or clamped to a
fixed supporting structure which may be made up of channel or I-beam type
elements which are ground or foundation supported in the case of a first
or lower level floor slab or are elevated in the case of an upper level
floor slab. On its upper side, the structural member has for attachment to
the horizontal plywood deck the same novel facilities as those that are
employed in connection with attachment of the member to vertical plywood
paneling in the case of use of the member in a concrete wall form
installation.
It has previously been indicated that the particular formwork structural
member of the present invention, regardless of whether it is used as a
vertical strongback in connection with a concrete wall form installation
or as a horizontal stringer or joist in connection with a slab form
installation, is, in a general way, of I-beam configuration, which is to
say that it is provided along the longitudinal edge regions thereof with
lateral flange arrangements which are connected together by an
intermediate generally planar web. The specific design of such lateral
flange arrangements, which when the structural member is horizontal as in
a concrete slab installation may be referred to as top and bottom flange
arrangements, constitute to a large extent the novelty of the present
invention. Instead of providing a single planar lateral I-beam flange at
the top and at the bottom of the web, each special flange arrangement of
the improved or novel structural member consists of a pair of coplanar
flange sections or parts which are separated by a relatively deep
channel-forming void, the latter being of irregular design and presenting
different channel widths which establish internal channel ledges and ribs
within which there may be inserted wooden nailing strips, reinforcing
pieces, special anchoring nuts and the like. As the result of the
particular design of the flange arrangements of the member, one side of
the member may be securely affixed to external form members or plywood
paneling by nails, bolts, screws or the like, and the other side of the
member may be securely affixed by similar fastening devices to a fixed
subjacent supporting structure or the like. Thus, the nature of the
channel voids within the top and bottom flange arrangements of the member,
to a large extent, constitutes one of the principal features of the
invention. Finally, and as will be set forth in greater detail when the
nature of the invention is better understood from a consideration of the
following detailed description, the interchangeability of lumber and metal
parts, either entirely or partially, for use in connection with the novel
extruded metal formwork structural member to accomplish the desired
attachment facilities, member extension facilities, and member reinforcing
facilities, constitutes a further feature of the invention.
The provision of a multi-purpose extruded metal, joistlike formwork
structural member and its associated attachment facilities or adjuncts,
such as have briefly been outlined above, and possessing the stated
advantages, constitutes the principal object of the present invention.
Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly which is in the
form of a novel, multi-purpose, extruded metal, structural member and
novel connecting and/or attaching facilities and is characterized by the
fact that it has many capabilities of use in connection with concrete
formwork and other installations, possesses high strength and durability,
is light in weight and also capable of comparatively low cost of
manufacture, and effectively and efficiently serves its intended purpose.
Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated,
will be apparent from the following detailed description.
The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter
set forth and are more particularly defined by the claims at the
conclusion hereof.
In the accompanying five sheets of drawings forming a part of this
specification or disclosure, several illustrative embodiments of the
invention are disclosed, one of the views (FIG. 7) of such drawings being
in the form of a "scattered" perspective reference view wherein certain
parts are duplicated in order to show possible different positions thereof
for different combinations in different installations where precise
alignment or register of mating parts is not always adhered to and where
no single concrete form installation will encompass all of the illustrated
parts. By the use of such a view, a large number of additional views in
the drawings are obviously unnecessary, while at the same time
considerable descriptive matter in the specification has been avoided.
In these drawings:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a concrete wall form
installation, showing the improved extruded metal, structural formwork
member of the present invention put to use in the manner of a strongback
for wall form panel reinforcing and waler supporting purposes;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the horizontal
plane indicated by the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and in the direction of the
arrows;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the structural member of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the improved structural
formwork member, showing the same operatively supported in a horizontal
position upon a cross channel and a cross I-beam by means of reversible
attachment clamps of novel design;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a concrete slab form
installation, showing the structural member in its normal horizontal
panel-supporting position, and also showing the same effectively extended
in length by means of a pair of novel extruded extender members with
associated wooden filler strips disposed therein;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the
structural member extended in length by utilizing pieces of lumber in
place of the metal extender members of FIG. 5; and
FIG. 7 is an exploded or scattered perspective reference view entirely
schematic in its representation and showing the various novel components
of the present structural formwork member and its associated extender
members, reversible attachment clamps, lumber and other fixtures which are
capable of being used in connection with the member in the construction,
erection or assembly of a wide variety of concrete forms or portions
thereof, the view being illustrative only of the parts involved and with
reference to various possible manners of assembly of such parts in
combination with one another.
Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and
3, the present invention involves as its principal or basic component a
multi-purpose, extruded metal, joist-like, structural member 10. The
latter is preferably in the form of an aluminum extrusion and, as shown in
FIG. 1, is generally of I-beam configuration. It is capable of a wide
variety of uses as will be described or suggested presently, the use to
which it is put in the illustration of FIG. 1 being as a vertical
strongback in connection with the erection of a concrete wall form which
is only fragmentarily disclosed and is designated in its entirety by the
reference numeral 12.
The structural member 10 is comprised of an elongated, centrally disposed,
substantially flat, solid web 14 and has special flange arrangements 16
integrally formed along its opposite longitudinal edges. The medial
longitudinal region of the web 14 of the member 10 is provided with an
elongated coextensive thickened rib 18 which not only serves as a
reinforcing medium for the web but also is designed for certain mating
characteristics with a pair of extruded extender members 20 (see FIGS. 5
and 7), as well as with a pair of wooden extender members 22 (see FIGS. 6
and 7) as will be set forth in detail subsequently.
As best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the two special flange
arrangements 16 are identical in construction and, therefore, a
description of one (upper flange arrangement) of them will suffice for the
other. The upper flange arrangement involves in its general organization a
channel-like structure which defines an elongated void or channel 24. The
latter is of symmetrical design insofar as its side walls are concerned
and has a horizontally extending transverse bottom wall 26 which projects
laterally outwardly on opposite sides of the web 14. From the outer edge
regions of said bottom wall there projects upwardly a pair of parallel,
spaced apart, relatively short first side wall portions 28 the outer edge
regions of which are formed with out-turned ledge portions 30. The outer
edge regions of such ledge portions 30 are turned upwardly in order to
provide additional and somewhat higher second side wall portions 32 which
are disposed in parallel relation and are more widely spaced apart than
are the shorter first side wall portions 28 as clearly shown in FIG. 3.
The inner opposed surfaces of the second side wall portions 32 are smooth
and continuous throughout their entire areas, that is, they are not
encumbered with any protuberances such as ribs or flanges or the like.
The outer edge regions of the side wall portions 32 of the upper flange
arrangement 16 are formed with generally coplanar, horizontally extending,
abutment or seating flanges 34. The latter include inwardly extending
inside portions having along their inner edge regions down-turned ribs 36
which, in combination with each other, provide a restricted entrance or
mouth 38 for the void or channel 24. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the ribs
23 are rigid and bead-like. Such flanges 34 also include outwardly
extending outside portions which have along their outer edge regions
down-turned ribs 40 which are relatively wide and the function of which
will be described presently. The ribs 40 establish longitudinal grooves 42
on the undersides of the outside portions of the abutment or seating
flanges 34.
The lower flange arrangement 16 is, as previously pointed out, exactly the
same as the upper flange as the previously-described upper flange
arrangement except the parts or components thereof are in an inverted
position. When the structural member 10 is used as a strongback and
positioned vertically as shown in FIG. 1, the various components of the
two flange arrangements are, of course, differently oriented as the result
of being positioned at right angles to the position they assume when the
member is horizontally arranged.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings wherein the structural
member 10 is shown as being operatively installed in and constituting a
component of the concrete wall form 12, such wall form embodies the usual
plywood or other vertical wall form panel 50 against the inner side of
which there is adapted to be poured wet concrete which, when hardened or
set, establishes the wall to be formed. It will be understood that the
concrete wall form 12 will embody another upstanding panel in opposed and
spaced apart relation with the illustrated panel 50 and that additional
members 10 (stringers) will be positioned on the outer side of each panel
50 of the concrete wall form 12 in laterally spaced relationship. As is
the usual practice, parallel upper and lower walers 52 extend horizontally
bridging relation with respect to the vertically positioned spaced apart
members 10 on each side of the form 12, such walers being in the form of
suitably cut lengths of lumber (wooden boards). The plywood panel 50 is
secured to the illustrated structural member 10 by nailing and, toward
this end, an elongated plywood or other wooden reaction nailing strip 54
(see FIG. 7) is positioned in the channel 24 in the inner flange
arrangement 16 of the member by sliding it endwise into either end of the
channel, and the panel 50 is secured to said nailing strip 54 by driving a
series of appropriately and vertically spaced nails 56 through the panel
50 and into the strip. If desired, suitable screws (not shown) may be
substituted for the nails 56. The wooden nailing strip 54 fits snugly
within the channel 24 at the widest region thereof, i.e., it has its side
marginal regions confined in the channel portions between the out-turned
ledge portions 30, the side wall portions 32, and the ribs 36 (see FIG. 1)
with a relatively tight degree of friction. The narrow void or channel
which exists between the short side wall portions 28 affords a clearance
area for the adjacent ends of the nails or screws to the end that the
bottom wall 26 of the inner flange arrangement 16 will present no
interference therewith.
The walers 52 are held in clamped position against the outer flange
arrangement 16 of the member 10 by a bolt and nut assembly which comprises
an elongated, horizontally extending bolt 60 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) having a
polygonal head 62 at its outer end and a screw thread 64 at its inner end.
Said bolt and nut assembly also comprises a special elongated rectangular
nut 66 which is received within the wide portion of the channel 24 of the
outer flange arrangement 16 and theadedly receives the screw thread 64 of
the inner end of the bolt shank as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The outside
face of the rectangular nut 66 is formed with longitudinally and
vertically extending grooves 68 which register and interfit with the ribs
38 of the outer flange arrangement 16 so that the side edge regions of the
nut 66 are disposed between such ribs 38 and the out-turned ledge portions
30 (see FIG. 2). Associated with the aforementioned bolt and nut assembly
is a U-shaped metal waler clamping member 70 which consists of a pair of
parallel, spaced apart side flanges 72 and a bight portion 74 between the
outer edges of said side flanges. As shown in FIG. 1, the side flanges 70
of the clamping member 70 are arranged in straddled relation with the
walers 52 and the bight portion 74 is arranged in abutment with the outer
side edges of the walers. Said bight portion of the clamping member 70 has
a hole (not shown) through which extends the outer end of the shank of the
bolt 60. When the bolt head 62 is turned by a wrench or other suitable
tool in order to tighten the bolt, the latter serves to clamp the clamping
member 70 against the walers 50 and thereby cause the inner side edges of
the walers to be drawn hard against the outer flange arrangement 16 of the
structural member 10.
Assembly of the structural member 10 in its proper vertical position on the
plywood panel 50 and application of the walers 52 to the member are
readily effected by initially sliding the nailing strip 54 endwise into
the channel 24 of the inner flange arrangement 16 with a somewhat forced
fit as previously described, after which the step of securing the panel to
said nailing strip by utilization of the nails 56 is performed.
Thereafter, the bolt 60 is passed through the aforementioned hole in the
bight portion 74 of the waler clamping member 70 and then manipulated so
as to bring the threaded inner end of its shank into the channel 24 and
also threaded relation with the nut 66. In connection with this operation,
the walers 52 are set in place with the clamping member 70 in straddled
relation with it. Thereafter, the bolt 60 is tightened to draw the walers
against the member 10 as previously indicated.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings, and considering the
structural member 10 when it is used as a joist or stringer in connection
with a concrete slab form installation, the member is supported in a
horizontal position while the plywood panel or deck 80 of the form
installation is supported on its upper flange arrangement 16 and with its
lower flange arrangement 16 supported on suitable structural elements
which may be in the form of a horizontal channel strip 82, and a
horizontal I-beam 84 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, or various other suitable
horizontally disposed supporting elements too numerous to mention. It is
to be understood that when the structural member 10 is in its operative
supporting position with respect to the associated slab form installation,
the plywood deck 80 is adapted to have wet concrete poured onto it in
order to form a horizontal floor slab. In FIG. 5 of the drawings, the
member 10 is illustrated as being supported horizontally upon an I-beam 84
which, in the case of a form installation for an upper floor slab, may be
carried on a suitable adjustable structure (not shown) such as that which
is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,470, granted on Apr. 28,
1964, and entitled "CONCRETE WALL FORM INSTALLATION." In the case of the
form installation being used to form a ground level floor slab, the I-beam
84 may be ground-supported in any number of conventional ways well known
in the art.
The I-beam 84 of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 is of conventional construction and
embodies upper and lower horizontally extending I-beam flanges 86 and 88,
and a vertically extending connecting web 90. In order to secure the lower
flange arrangement 16 of the horizontally positioned structural member 10
to the I-beam 84, a special clamp-type attachment clip 92 is employed, the
details of such clip being best shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The clip is
reversible in that when used in connection with an I-beam such as the
I-beam 84, it assumes one position, and when used with a channel strip
such as the strip 82 (see FIGS. 4 and 7), it is used in an inverted
position.
The attachment clip 92 is preferably in the form of a metal extrusion
having a generally rectangular body portion 94 with a transverse trough or
groove 96 on one side thereof located a slight distance inwards of one
transverse edge thereof and with a series of transverse ribs 98 of its
other side located inwards of its other transverse edge. A single
transverse fulcrum rib 100 is formed on said other side of the body
portion 94 at a region opposite to the groove 96, while a bolt-receiving
hole 102 is formed centrally in the body portion 94 of the attachment clip
92.
When the attachment clip 92 is used in connection with the I-beam 84, it
serves to clamp one side portion of the top flange 86 of the beam against
the underneath surfaces of the coplanar seating flanges 34 of the lower
flange arrangement 16 of the horizontally disposed structural member 10
and, toward this end, the clip 92 assumes the position (herein referred to
as its upright position) in which it is illustrated in FIG. 4 and also at
the lower left side of FIG. 6 of the drawings. In such upright position of
the clip 92, the ribs 98 face upwardly while the groove 96 faces
downwardly. To effect the desired clamping action, a rectangular nut, for
example, such as the special nut 66 of FIG. 2, is inserted in the channel
24 in the lower flange arrangement 16 of the member 10 and then a
vertically positioned bolt 104 is passed through the hole 102 in the body
portion 94 of the clip 92 and caused to be threadedly received in the
aforesaid nut, the latter being identical to and positioned within said
last mentioned channel 24 in precisely the same manner as described in
connection with the nut 66 of FIG. 2. In connection with positioning of
the bolt 104, the end region of the attachment clip 92 which embodies the
ribs 98 is caused to underlie the adjacent side portion of the I-beam
flange 86 as clearly shown in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the bolt 104 is
tightened to draw the I-beam 84 and the member 10 against each other. The
member thus becomes securely seated upon the I-beam 84, the fulcrum rib
100 affording the necessary rocking action of the attachment clip 92 so
that the ribs 98 may engage the underneath side of the adjacent side
portion of the I-beam flange 86 with adequate pressure to hold the member
10 firmly and securely seated on such flange.
If the structural member 10 is to be seated upon one or more channel strips
such as the channel strip 82, the attachment clip 92 is used in an
inverted position as shown at the left lower side of FIG. 4 and the lower
left side of FIG. 7. In such instance, the channel strip 82, which
embodies a pair of parallel, spaced apart, horizontally extending sides
110 and a vertically extending connecting channel web 112, is positioned
so that its uppermost side 110 lies flat against the underneath side of
the coplanar seating flanges of the lower flange arrangement 16 of the
superjacent horizontally positioned member 10, and then the attachment
clip 92 while in an inverted position is manipulated so that the
transverse groove 96 in its body portion 94 is caused to receive therein
an inturned stiffening rib 114 which is provided on the outer side edge of
the upper side 110 of the channel strip 82. The depth of the groove 96 and
the width of the rib 114 are such that, upon tightening of the bolt 104
with respect to its captured associated nut 66, the necessary clamping
action will be attained and the channel strip 82 and the member 10 will be
drawn hard against each other.
The manner in which the plywood deck 80 of the concrete slab form
installation of FIGS. 5 and 6 is anchored to the upper flange arrangement
of the structural member 10 is precisely the same as the previously
described manner of securing the wall form panel 50 of the concrete wall
form installation of FIG. 1 to the member 10 and need not be repeated
herein, suffice to say that a wooden nailing strip such as the strip 54 of
FIG. 1 is inserted in the channel 24 of the upper flange arrangement 26 of
said member and then the plywood deck 80 is nailed to such nailing strip
as shown in FIG. 5.
Under certain circumstances, a given concrete floor slab installation will
necessitate extending the effective length of the structural member 10 or,
alternatively, joining one member 10 to a similar second member in
end-to-end fashion. In either event, use is made of a pair of the
aforementioned extruded extender members 20. In FIG. 5, when considered in
connection with FIG. 7 for reference purposes, use of a pair of such
extruded extender members 20 for small incremental fill-in or make-up
purposes is disclosed. Assuming for purposes of discussion that the
structural member 10 of FIG. 5 falls eight or ten inches short of its
required effective length, its length may be extended by the use of a pair
of the extender members 20. As previously stated, such members are in the
form of elongated metal (preferably aluminum) extrusions which may be cut
to any desired length as required.
Each extender member 20 as best shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings is
generally of channel shape construction and embodies parallel spaced apart
side flanges 120 with narrow out-turned coplanar flanges 122 along their
distal or outer edge portions. It also embodies a medial bight portion 124
which extends between and connects the proximal or distal edge portions of
said flanges 122 and has a longitudinal instruck rib 126 formed in its
central region. A longitudinal series of equidistantly spaced holes 128 is
formed in the bight portion 124 both above and below the instruck rib 126
and such holes serve a purpose that will be made clear presently. The
intermediate web 14 of the structural member 10 is formed with a pair of
longitudinally extending slots 129 adjacent to each of its ends (see FIGS.
4 and 7) and are designed for selective registry with the holes 128 in the
extender members 20, depending upon the particular fill-in or make-up
length which is to be effected. To produce the desired make-up length, the
two extender members 20 are positioned in back-to-back relationship as
best shown in FIG. 5 and manipulated so that the instruck ribs 126 in
their bight portions 124 straddle and overhang the side portions of the
rib 18 on the intermediate web 14 of the member, the extent of overhang of
the extender members, that is, the distance they project beyond the
adjacent end of said member being substantially equal to that of the
make-up distance. Bolt and nut assemblies 130 are passed through the
registering bolt holes 128 and 129 which are formed respectively in the
bight portions 124 of the extender members 20 and the web 14 of the member
10 and such assemblies serve when tightened to clamp the extender members
20 in a fixed position on the adjacent end of said member.
As best shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, when the extender members 20 are
bolted in position on one of the ends of the structural member 10, the
outer surfaces of the coplanar seating flanges 34 of the upper and lower
flange arrangements 16 are disposed at levels different from those of the
outer or distal side edges of the out-turned flanges 122 of the extender
members 20 and, therefore, in order to maintain planar continuity of such
outer surfaces of the seating flanges with respect to the make-up distance
which is afforded by the extender members 20, two wooden filler blocks or
strips 132 are seated on the coplanar side flanges 120 of the two extender
members both at the top and bottom thereof and are secured in position
between the out-turned flanges 122 by dual-headed nails 134 which pass
through holes in said flanges 122. The thickness of the filler strips 132
is such that when the strips are in position as described above, the outer
(i.e., the upper and lower) surfaces thereof lie flush with and constitute
extensi | | |
