Isolation pocket form and method for making crack resistant concrete slabs

Abstract

A pocket isolator form, for placement around a footer before a concrete slab is poured, is formed from plural barrier sections. At least some of the sections are curved, so that a sharp re-entrant corned is not formed in the concrete slab. The curved sections may be assembled with straight sections to form barriers of various form shapes which avoid the creation of sharp re-entrant corners in the slab.

Claims

1. A pocket isolator form for placement around a footer before a concrete slab is poured, said isolator form comprising: a plurality of interconnected barrier sections, wherein some of said barrier sections are curved quarter-round sections, each with a concave side facing the footer, such that: the form has no sharp corner where the barrier sections meet one another, thus avoiding the creation of a sharp re-entrant corner in the concrete slab, the curved barrier section has a substantially smooth, concave interior surface and an exterior surface bearing reinforcing ribs, and said ribs comprising a plurality of axially extending supporting ribs and a plurality of connecting ribs, further comprising a vertically extending guide channel formed on said interior surface of said barrier section, a metal leveling bracket adjustably secured in said channel, and said bracket serving as a foot so that the form can be leveled before concrete is poured around the pocket isolator form.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein at least one of the barrier sections is straight.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said curved barrier section has a constant radius of curvature.

4. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a horizontal ledge which is formed on said interior surface, for supporting a lid.

5. The invention of claim 1, further comprising fasteners for interconnecting the barrier sections to one another.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein the barrier sections are assembled so as to form a closed pocket isolator form extending around said footer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1. is an isometric partially cut-away view of a prior art isolation pocket form within a concrete slab floor.

(2) FIG. 2. is a frontward facing dimetric view of the proposed quarter-round crack-resistant slab radial isolation pocket.

(3) FIG. 3. is a rearward facing dimetric view of the proposed quarter-round crack-resistant slab radial isolation pocket.

(4) FIG. 4. is a frontward facing dimetric view of the proposed linear extension to be used in tandem with the radial crack-resistant slab isolation pocket.

(5) FIG. 5. is a rearward facing dimetric view of the proposed linear extension to be used in tandem with the radial crack-resistant slab isolation pocket.

(6) FIG. 6. is an isometric view of the entire proposed crack-resistant slab radial isolation pocket assembly in a standard cylindrical configuration, comprised of four quarter-round parts.

(7) FIG. 7. is an isometric view of the entire proposed crack-resistant slab radial isolation pocket assembly in a “racetrack” style configuration, comprised of four quarter-round parts and two extension pieces.

(8) FIG. 8 is an isometric partially cut-away view of the proposed crack-resistant isolation pocket form embedded within a concrete floor.

(9) FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a lid for the form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

(11) FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art apparatus and method for forming isolation pockets in a poured concrete slab floor. As detailed above, a concrete footing 13 is poured into the ground 31 and allowed to cure. A support column 17 is anchored to the footing with anchor bolts 14 and extends them upwardly therefrom. A box-shaped stay-in-place isolation pocket form 19 is constructed on the footing 13 surrounding the base of the support post 17. The floor is then prepared with compacted aggregate. Concrete 33 is also poured in the isolation form 19 surrounding the support post 17.

(12) As the concrete floor slab as it cures, shrinks, and moves, stresses tend to become concentrated at the corners of the box-shaped isolation pockets. This causes cracks to radiate from these locations. To control the direction of these cracks, crack control joints 34 are cut or scored in the floor slab extending between the corners of the isolation pockets. These crack control joints direct cracks along the joints where they are much less unsightly than if allowed to advance randomly across the floor slab. As mentioned above however, these prior art isolation pocket techniques give rise to problems when pouring floor slabs using modern crack resistant concretes. The corners of box-shaped isolation pockets still tend to concentrate stress and cracks can still form at isolation pocket corners and radiate outwardly therefrom.

(13) FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an isolation pocket form according to the invention, while FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5 illustrate the components which when assembled form the invention. The isolation pocket form 60 comprises a curved barrier section 42 having a base 47 and a top rim 48. Triangular gussets 41 on the exterior side of the barrier section support the top rim. Axially extending supporting ribs 46 project from the curved barrier section 42. A plurality of connecting ribs 40 encircle the curved section, and optional linear extension, and these rings connect the support ribs 46 together. The support ribs 46 and connecting ribs 40 strengthen and provide rigidity to the inner core, and are equidistant to provide nominal measurement lines for cutting in order to customize final size. They also provide strength and rigidity to prevent the isolation pocket form from collapsing or deforming under the substantial forces and pressures it experiences as aggregate is compacted and concrete is poured around the form. In the illustrated embodiments, the support ribs 46 and connecting ribs 40 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the curved section 42 and project outwardly. It will be understood, however, that the connecting ribs 40 and axially extending support ribs 46 might also be formed on the inside surface of the curved barrier section 42 and project inwardly.

(14) Preferably, the isolation pocket(s) are formed of a molded plastic material such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polypropylene (PP), Polyactic Acid (PLA), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), or any other industry common plastic and/or thermoplastic material. Regardless of the plastic chosen, the exposed surfaces should be sufficiently smooth that cured concrete can slide along these surfaces without significant resistance. In this way, relative movement between the floor slab and the isolation pocket is accommodated without cracking or flaking the concrete surrounding the pocket.

(15) For economy of shipping and handling, the form is constructed from several barrier sections.

(16) For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 2-7, the isolation pocket form is constructed from mirror-image quarters, and straight extensions. It will be understood, however, that the curved parts might also be molded into mirrored halves, or eighths. Standard fasteners (not shown) such as nuts and bolts are installed at the mating flange connection holes 44, to secure the sections of the form together before pouring of the concrete.

(17) As shown in FIG. 8, metal leveling brackets 59 which serve as feet can be installed and secured by fasteners (not shown), passing through holes 43, to the leveling bracket channel guide 50 on the pocket form in order to level the pocket form for concrete pouring. The feet are supported on the interior surface of the sections, and can be adjusted vertically.

(18) A small horizontal ledge 49 is formed on the interior surface of each section to support a lid. Use of a lid results in a seamless transition in elevation from the slab surface to the pocket form isolator. If the form is circular, the round lid of FIG. 9 can be used; lids of other shapes can be made for non-circular forms.

(19) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the crack-resistant pocket form isolator is equipped with mating holes 45 located on the base 47. If additional height is needed, due to deep footing requirements or thick slab demands, an additional part can be inverted and attached directly to the base 47 of the pocket form isolator 60 to provide additional height.

(20) FIG. 8 is an isometric partially cross-sectional and partially cut-away view showing one configuration of a crack resistant isolation pocket form according to the invention embedded in a completed concrete floor slab 55. A concrete footing 30 is poured in the ground and is sufficiently large and thick to support the weight that will be borne by the support post 51. In this embodiment, the support post 51 is attached to a base plate 52. The base plate 52 in turn is secured to the footing 30 with anchor bolts and corresponding nuts 53 so that the support post extends vertically upwardly from the footing 30.

(21) In FIG. 8, the crack-resistant isolation pocket form 60 is shown assembled and resting on the concrete footing 30, leveled by the metal leveling brackets 59, surrounding the post 51, its base plate 52, and anchor bolts and nuts 53. Aggregate 54 has been leveled and compacted around the isolation pocket form to create a solid foundational base upon which the concrete floor slab 55 can rest. Like the aggregate, the concrete floor slab 55 is poured against the isolation pocket form 60 and preferably extends up to an exposed concrete surface 56 that is co-extensive or level with the top rim 48 of the form 60. In this example the concrete comprises a formulation and additives that render the cured slab highly resistant to developing large unsightly cracks.

(22) Concrete 57 also is poured into the interior of the isolation pocket form up to its top rim 48. This forms a concrete plug that surrounds the support post and rests on the upper surface 58 of the concrete footing 30. The exposed surface of the floor slab thus appears to be substantially unitary and appears to extend completely to the bases of support posts. However, the concrete plugs formed around the posts as well as the footings and posts themselves are physically isolated from the larger floor slab. Accordingly, movement of the floor slab due to shrinkage or settling is not transferred to the support posts and vice-versa.

(23) While it is preferable that the isolation pocket form be filled with concrete at the same time as the floor slab itself is poured, due to the design of the invention, the concrete can be poured in any of the following methods; interior first, exterior first, or simultaneous. Simultaneous pouring is preferable, since the cured concrete surrounding support posts is consistent in color and texture with the concrete floor slab as a whole. The top rims 48 of the isolation pocket forms may be slightly visible around the support posts but that is generally not objectionable. The isolation pocket forms also can be molded from a plastic that is grey or otherwise concrete colored to minimize the visibility of the rim 48, if desired. Should movement occur between the concrete floor slab and one or more of the support posts as a result of shrinkage or settlement, the footings and support posts are isolated from this movement by the embedded isolation pocket forms. The smoothness of the surfaces of the crack-resistant isolation pocket forms facilitates movement between the slab and the pocket without snagging or catching. Furthermore, since the isolation pocket forms are radially based, there are no sharp, or reentrant, corners formed in the concrete slab by the forms at which stresses can accumulate.

(24) The result is that cracks in the slab do not begin at the isolation pockets and radiate outwardly therefrom. Crack control joints are thus not required to be cut or scored in the concrete slab due to the isolation pockets. The finished floor slab is smooth, clean, devoid of large unsightly cracks, and devoid of crack control joints. Even if small hairline cracks form in the slab, the formulation of the concrete ensures that large unsightly cracks do not develop. Further, the curved section design eliminate stress points where such cracks might otherwise be induced.

(25) The invention has been described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and methodologies considered by the inventors to represent the best modes of carrying the invention. It will be understood, however, that additions, deletions, and modifications might well be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention claimed below.