US3034613A - Slide lock for concrete road forms - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 1962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

SLIDE LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 sheets sheet 1 ATTORNEY 3 y 15,7962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

sum: LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS Filed Feb. 16, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Robert E.Heltzel ATTORNEYS May 15, 1962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

sum: LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 16, 1959 F I G .7.

INVENTOR Robert E.He|tzel Illl mlm ATTORNEYS y 1962 R. E. HELTZEL 3,034,613

SLIDE LOOK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 16, 1959 a M 1 2 o W m8 4 0 H m4 /3 ymm H W n l MW)? 2 m m W a Q M E FIGJZ.

FIG.9.

INVENTOR Robert E. Heltzel May 15, 1962 R. E. HELTZEL SLIDE LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 16, v1959 Ill/Ill INVENTOR FIGJQ.

"11!; 1 111114 71 1 M V M V Q 2 4 l 7/ 7/ 7/40 VII/II b b I IE5 m w a 2 5 W L Roben E.Heltzel BYMMMW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,034,613 SLIDE LOCK FOR CONCRETE ROAD FORMS Robert E. Heltzel, 6922 Mines Road, Warren, Ohio Filed Feb. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 793,550 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-36) The present invention relates to slide lock for concreteroad forms, and has for an object to provide an applicable device arranged between adjacent road forms for the purpose of aligning the same and maintaining the road forms in such aligned and coupled condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slide lock arranged to expand between opposed abutments on the adjoining end portions of two side forms for holding the side forms in aligned and abutted position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the adjoining ends of side road forms with shelves which, in conjunction with the top rails and side walls of the forms, provide opposed abutments for receiving thereagainst the thrust forces of two relatively movable members interposed between the abutments and supported thereby and moved apart by a reactive resilient force of high value.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple form of mechanical device for expanding with high thrust pressure against opposed abutments on the adjoining ends of two forms wherein adjustable high degree of resilient pressure is imposed and constantly maintained while the forms are in service but which may be readily and speedily removed when the forms are to be disassembled.

- .Itis also an object of the invention to provide an interlocking device between side forms or other associated members which acts to align the side walls or webs and also the top rails.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel form of device which acts to align either the side walls or the top rails or both of adjoining forms or members and to do so by mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or other means.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and

will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appanded hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like .or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing two concrete road side forms joined together by a slide lock constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of one end of a side form equipped with a slotted abutment shelf pursuant to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of the two complementary ends of road forms showing two abutments aflixed to the webs thereof;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded fragmentary isometric view of the two road forms showing the slide lock of the invention partially in place and in partially assembled condition;

FIGURE 5 is also a fragmentary exploded view of the ends of the two side forms showing a completely assembled condition of the slide lock, but before the pressure is applied thereto;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded isometric view of the various parts of the slide lock;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of the assembled slide lock;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of a modified form of slide lock as applied to a side form indicated in broken lines;

FIGURE 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the 2 7 line 9-9 of FIGURE 8 and showing a portion of the form side wall or web;

FIGURE -10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 8 and showing a portion of the side form;

FIGURE 11 is an exploded side elevational view of the slide lock of FIGURES 8-10, inclusive;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view of a side form and shelf showing a further modified form of slide lock applied thereto;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary isometric view of two road form ends showing a still further modified form of the slide lock;

FIGURE 14 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1414 of FIGURE 13.

FIGURE '15 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 15-45 of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 16 is a view like FIGURE 14 with the cam member rotated to locking position and the spring plate tensioned;

FIGURE 17 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 17-17 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is a vertical sectional view through a road form showing a pneumatic or hydraulic form of the slide lock, and

FIGURE 19 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1-9-19 of FIGURE '18.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A and B represent adjoining ends of two concrete road forms of conventional construction which include bases '10 and 10, base flanges 11 and Ill vertical side walls or webs 12 and 12 and top rails 13 and 13 The usual rail flanges 14, 14 depend from the inner ends of the top rails 13, 13 and the conventional diagonal braces 15 and 15 have the stake pockets 16 and 16 As best seen in FIGURE 2, an abutment shelf or chair 17 is aflixed by an attaching flange '18 to the web 12 of one of the end sections A and includes an upstanding flange 19 along its inner edge which is spaced from and in substantial parallelism with the web 12 and in substantially the same plane as the rail flange 14. The shelf is provided with a slot 20.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, the companion side form B is provided with an abutment shelf or chair 21 having a 'downturned attaching flange 22 welded or otherwise secured to the web 12 and also having along its inner edge the upstanding flange 23 which is substantially parallel to the web 12 and in substantial alignment with the rail flange 14 As, indicated in FIGURE 1, when the two side forms A and B are abutted together or brought into close relationship it will be seen that the shelves 17 and 21 and their flanges 19 and 23 are in substantial alignment and registry.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 6 and 7, the improved slide lock comprises generally a back plate 24, a front plate '25 and a bowed spring plate 34. The back plate 24 has a horizontal flange 26 and a vertical flange 28 adjoining one another at two edges only of the plate 24, leaving the other two edges free for the reception of the front plate 25 which also has a horizontal flange 27 and a vertical flange 29 which are respectively opposed to the horizontal and vertical flanges 26 and 28 of the plate 24, so that the four flanges 26, 27, 28 and 29 in the as sembled condition of the two plates 24 and 25 form a substantially rectangular enclosure for receiving the spring plate 34, as shown in FIGURE 7, with the free edges of the spring plate being received against the flanges 26 and From the lower horizontal flange 26 of the back plate 24 may be struck out a tongue 30 which is bent downwardly for entering the slot '20 in the shelf 17 of the side form A.

It will also be clearly observed from FIGURE 6 that the back plate 24 is provided with a slot 31 with which register perforations 32 and '33 in the front plate 25 and in the spring plate 34. Through these registering perforations in the slot 31 is received a bolt 35 having a head 36 which may be countersunk in the face of the back plate 24, which engages against the web 12 and 12 (FIGURE in order that the bolt head not present any obstruction but will permit the outer surface of the back plate 24 to engage in its entirety and slide upon the inner surfaces of the webs 12 and 12 The bolt is also preferably provided with a square or straight lined section 39 adjacent its head to engage the walls of the slot 31 for the purpose of preventing rotation of the bolt 35 when the washer 37 and nut 38 are applied thereto outwardly of the bowed portion of the spring plate 34.

In the use of the device, the side form adjoining ends A and B are brought into juxtaposition but before they are brought too close to cause any interference the assembled slide lock, as shown in FIGURE 7, is introduced into the slideway which is provided by the rail 13, its flange 14 and the shelf 17 and its flange 19. The distance between the shelf 17 and the rail head 13 will be preferably somewhat in excess of the height of the slide lock between the flanges 26 and 27, it being understood that the flange 26 will rest upon the shelf 17 while the upper flange 27 will eventually be wedged up against the inner surface of the rail 13. The flanges 26, 27, 28 and 29 are also of a depth just slightly less than the distance across between the flange 14 and the Web 12 and between the flange 19 and the web 12 so that the slide .lock may be rocked into position with its tongue 30 sliding over the short blank portion 40 of the shelf 17 until such tongue 30 arrives at the slot 20 into which it will drop, allowing the bottom flange 27 then to contact and slide upon the shelf 17. FIGURE 5 shows the position of the slide lock on entry of the tongue 30' into the slot 20. In this position a portion of the slide lock is entered between the rail head 13 and the shelf 17. The slide lock then may be adjusted back and forth in the slideway with a portion thereof projecting out from the side form A and thereupon the adjoining end of the side form B is advanced toward the side form A in the position so that the slideway thereof may fit over the slide lock in the manner shown in FIGURES 1 and 4. FIGURE 1 shows the final position of the slide lock. After the section B is assembled to the section A and interengaged with the slide lock, the nut 38 is rotated against the washer 37 in order to spread the edges of the spring plate 34 which are in engagement with the flanges 26 and 27. This expansive action will tend to move the back plate 24 downwardly and the front plate 25 upwardly. Thus the flange 26 will be urged strongly down against the shelves 17 and 21 while the upper flange 27 will be urged firmly up against the inner surfaces of the rail heads 13, 13. As a result the two forms will be strongly bound together against any accidental separation and the rail heads will also be held to a very close alignment which is desirable for the smooth passage from one rail to the other of the wheels of road-making machines.

The parts are, or may be, all of metal. The tongue 30 will anchor the slide lock to the road form A and will hold the slide lock in place on the side form A when the side form B is being pulled away from the companion side form A when disassembling the side forms. After assembly the slide lock may be rocked out of the slideway of the side form A by pushing downwardly upon the upper flange 27 when the tongue '30 has reached the end of the slot 20.

The parts 13, 13 and 17, 21 constitute opposed abutments for receiving the thrust of the flanges 26, 27 when the spring plate 34 is put under elastic tension by the pressure of the nut 38 and washer 37 on its intermediate offset or displaced portion and in so doing the plate 34 will be put under strong elastic stress which will cause it to react by spreading outwardly in the direction of the flanges 26 and 27. By loosening the nut 38, this elastic distortion will be relieved and the plate 34 will follow the washer 37, pushing the same against the loosened nut 33 until the spring plate 34 returns to its normal unsprung condition.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 8 to 11, inclusive, 24 and 25 designate slide plates or expansion members disposed one above another. The lower plate 24 has a bottom flange 26 adapted to rest on the abutment shelves 17, 21 of the adjacent ends of adjoining road forms A and B. The upper slide plate 25 is provided with a top flange 27 positioned to engage beneath the rail heads 13, 13

In FIGURES l0 and 11, the numeral 45 designates a lapped relationship between the slide plates 24 and 25 to permit relative sliding movement.

As best seen in FIGURES 9 and 11, the slide plates 24 and 25 are also provided with side or vertical flanges 28 and 29 The expanding spring plate or member 34 is engaged at its ridge 46 by arcuate earns 47 and 48 on a rotary cam disc 49 having a square stud 50 projecting outwardly therefrom through an opening 51 in a cover plate 52 provided with side or vertical flanges 53, 54 fitted outwardly of the side flanges 28 29 of the slide plates 24 25, as best seen in FIGURE 9.

A limit slot is made in the cover plate 52 (FIGURE 8) in which is slidably received a rivet or other stop member 56, the same being fixedly mounted through a hole 57 in the upstanding flange 19 of the shelf 17.

In operation, application of a wrench or other device to the external stud 50 to give added mechanical advantage will enable the operator to readily rotate the cam r disc 49 about the bearing 51 in the cover plate 52, causing the inclined edges of the arcuate cams 47 and 48 to ride upon the ridge 46 of the expanding spring plate 34, causing the same to flatten out or tend to flatten out to place the plate under elastic stress. The initial movement of the cams will cause the rotary cam disc 49 to push the cover plate 52 up against the flanges 14, 19, and the spring plate 34 out against the slide plates 24 and 25*, which will develop thrust upon the two side forms in a substantially horizontal direction tending to align the vertical walls or webs 12., 12*. As the cams continue in rotation, the spring plate 34 will be expanded diametrically and as the lower edge of this spring plate engages the bottom fiange 26 and this latter flange, as shown in FIGURE 10, rests upon the shelf or abutment 17, the effective work performed by the expanding spring plate 34 will be to lift the top flange 27 and with it the upper slide plate 25. As this movement is communicated to the adjoining ends of both side forms A and B, the rlgsuits will be a horizontal alignment of the rail heads Consequently, with this form of the invention two resultants are secured, the one, a registration of the vertical edges of the webs 12 and 12 and secondly, the arcuate registration of the rail head 13, 13 These actions are secured by a movement of one member, namely, the cover 52 against the flanges or vertical abutments 14, 19, and by the movement angular thereto of the top flange 27 beneath the rail heads 13, 13

The cover plate 52 in addition to its thrust function acts to enclose the device preventing the entrance of concrete thereto.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 12, a form of the invention is illustrated eliminating the side plates 24' and 25 with the upper and lower edges of the spring plate 34* engaging directly the abutments 13, 17. In this instance the cover plate 52 is provided with a threaded opening 51 to receive a screw 58 positioned to engage the ridge 46 of the spring expansion plate.

In operation of this form of the invention, assuming the initial position of the spring plate 34 m be that shown in FIGURE 12 with its lower edge engaging both form walls or webs 12, 12 and also both bottom abutments 17, 21, rotation of the screw 58 in a direction toward the ridge 46' will first cause the cover plate 52 to back up against the horizontal abutments 14, 19 and 14 23 to cause aligning of the vertical joint between the walls or webs 12 and 12 The abutments 14, 19' and 14, 23 thereupon arrest any further outward movement of the cover plate 52 so that the further rotation of the screw 58 will cause the upper edge of the spring expanding plate 34 to rise beneath the rail heads 13, 13 and thus bring the same into accurate horizontal alignment. In this way the cover plate 52*, moving in a horizontal direction away from the spring plate 34 performs one aligning function and the lifting of the upper edge of the spring plate 34 in a direction angularly to the direction of movement of the plate 52 performs a second aligning function. Otherwise stated, the screw 58 when turned in one direction moves or tends to move the plates 34 and 52 apart horizontally and then goes on to spread or tend to spread the upper and lower edges of the spring plate 34*.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 13 to 17, inclusive, the spring expansion plate 34 is provided with a top flange 34 and a bottom flange 34 in order to give additional areas of purchase against the undersurfaces of the rail heads 13, 13 and against the shelves 17, 21.

In this form of the invention the flanged cover plate 52 has a circular hole 51 into which is fitted the circular bearing hub 60 of the rotary cam disc 49, the same giving continuous bearing support for the cam disc and the cams throughout the entire 360 degrees of the circle. The square stud 50 projects outwardly from the hub 60.

Additionally, this form of the invention shows arcuate outwardly inclined cam walls 47 and 43 leading in opposite circular directions to the low points 49 of the cams while oppositely sloping walls 47 and 48 are shown sloping to the high points 49 of the cams. With this arrangement the cam disc 49 may be rotated indiscriminately in right or left hand direction without causing any injury to the spring plate 34 which would otherwise occur by reason of the sharp edges of the high points of the cams dropping off abruptly to the low points and, therefore, leaving the spring plate unprotected from scarring and grooving by such sharp edges in the event the cam disc was inadvertently rotated in a direction in which such sharp edges would lead.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 18 and 19, 61 represents a bladder or resilient container for air or hydraulic fluid which may be inserted in the slideways bridging the two forms or other members and having an inflatable air hose connection 66 or connection for bydraulic fluid by which the resilient container 61 may be expanded in two directions against the vertically opposed abutments and also against the horizontally opposed abutments. It is proposed in this connection to provide wear plates upon the bladder, preferably metal plates which may be affixed with suitable adhesive to the outer walls of such bladder and be of sizes to fit against the various abutments as this will give form to the bladder or air container and also will confine its expansive movements directionally to the opposed abutments in the slideways. These plates may comprise a rail plate 62, a shelf plate 63, a web plate 64 and a flange plate 65.

It will be appreciated that the back plate 24 of the form of invention shown in FIGURES 1 to 7 inclusive constitutes in effect a thrust member inasmuch as it absorbs the thrust of the bolt 35 when the nut 38 is tightened against the ridge of the spring plate 34. Similarly in the form of invention shown in FIGURE 12 where a screw 58 is employed instead of the nut and bolt, the thrust member is the plate 52 while in FIGURES 8, 9, and 11 the plate 52 is the thrust member. In FIG- URES 13 to 17 inclusive the front plate 52 constitutes the thrust member.

The spring plate 34 (FIGURES 1 to 7), 34 (FIG- URES 8 to 12) and 34 (FIGURES 13 to 17) constitutes a resilient expansible member.

In FIGURES 1 to 7 inclusive the nut 38 and bolt 35 constitute an expander member, which function is performed by the screw 58 in FIGURE 12 and by the earns 47, 48 in FIGURES 8 to 11 inclusive, and by the cams 47, 48 in FIGURES 13 to 17.

The abutments 17, 21 constitute with the top rails 13 and 13 slideways for receiving the slide lock of the invention, which slide lock is adapted to be expanded vertically incident to the stressing of the resilient expansible member.

Although I have disclosed herein the best forms of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with adjacent ends of road forms or the like including vertical webs, top rails, and slideways with abutments spaced below and in substantial alignment with the top rails, a slide lock slidable freely in the slideway in contracted condition comprising a thrust member, a resilient expansible member, and an expander member carried by the thrust member and exposed beyond the slide lock on the outside of the forms between the slideway and top rails for accessibility in operation, said resilient expansible member having an intermediate offset portion with upper and lower ends binding in the expanded condition the slide lock against the top rails and the slideway abutments, said expander member having a part engaged with the offset portion of the expansible member and movable relatively to the expansible and thrust members for stressing the resilient expansible member into expanded condition rigidly maintaining the abutting ends of the top rails in alignment, the said expander member part having a rotary movement against the resilient expansible member and being positioned outwardly of both the expansible and thrust members, the expander member being a nut and bolt with the bolt non-rotatably held in the thrust member and passing through the resilient expansible member, the nut being rotatably mounted upon the outer projecting end of the bolt beyond the resilient expansible member.

2. For use with adjacent ends of road forms or the like including vertical webs, top rails, and slideways with abutments spaced below and in substantial alignment with the top rails, a slide lock slidable freely in the slideway in contracted condition comprising a thrust member, a resilient expansible member, and an expander member carried by the thrust member and exposed beyond the slide lock on the outside of the forms between the slideway and top rails for accessibility in operation, said resilient expansible member having an intermediate offset portion with upper and lower ends binding in the expanded condition the slide lock against the top rails and the slideway abutments, said expander member having a part engaged with the offset portion of the expansible member and movable relatively to the expansible and thrust members for stressing the resilient expansible member into expanded condition rigidly maintaining the abutting ends of the top rails in alignment, said slide lock further comprising a front plate positioned outwardly of the thrust member and shiftable up and down relatively to the thrust member, said thrust member and front plate having parts engaging the top rails and the abutments of the slideway and receiving internally thereagainst the upper and lower ends of the resilient expansible member.

3. For use with adjacent ends of road forms or the like including vertical webs, top rails, and slideways with abutments spaced below and in substantial alignment with the top rails, a slide lock slidable freely in the slideway in contracted condition comprising a thrust member, a resilient expansible member, and an expander member 5 carried by the thrust member and'exposed beyond the slide lock on the outside of the forms between the slideway and top rails for accessibility in operation, said resilient expansible member having an intermediate ofiset portion with upper and lower ends binding in the expanded condition the slide lock against the top rails and the slideway abutments, said expander member having a part engaged with the ofiset portion of the expansible member and movable relatively to the expansible and thrust members for stressing the resilient expansible memher into expanded condition rigidly maintaining the abutting ends of the top rails in alignment, said slide lock further comprising stop members carried between an abutment and the slide lock for limiting the sliding movement of the lock, in which said stop members comprise a slot in the slideway and an outstanding tongue on the lock extending into the slot, the over-all height of the slide lock in contracted condition being sufiiciently less than the distance between the slideway abutments and the top rails to permit the lock to be rocked onto the slideway until the tongue arrives at the slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,690,295 Heltzel Nov. 6, 1928 2,750,014 Gordon June 12, 1956 2,844,234 Brandes July 22, 1958 2,888,112 Keller May 26, 1959

Images