Modular formwork for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing

Abstract

 Modular formwork (F) for making reinforced concrete ribbed floors, comprising central modular elements (A) suited to rest on a temporary bearing structure, defining the nodes of a grid (E) with square or rectangular meshes, a plurality of joists (B), each one suited to rest and be constrained with its ends (B22) between two of said central modular elements (A) aligned with each other, said joists (B) being arranged in such a way as to define the lines of said grid (E), a plurality of dome-shaped modular elements (C), each one suited to rest on and be constrained to said joists (B) and/or to said central modular elements (A) with its edges (C1), in order to cover each one of said meshes.

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns the equipment for making reinforced concrete floors and in particular it concerns a new type of modular formwork for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing.

[0002] Various types of formworks are known, which can be disposable or reusable and are employed for making floors or coverings in general made of cast concrete.

[0003] Reusable formworks are known, for example, which are constituted by prefabricated plane panels or elements, in wood, metal or plastic, properly supported by means of temporary bearing structures suited to maintain the formworks in such a position as to form a substantially flat and continuous surface making up the bottom of the formwork, on which concrete is cast.

[0004] Said panels and said temporary bearing structure can be removed only after the complete curing of the floor.

[0005] Reusable plane formworks are known which are made of a plastic material and comprise a monolithic body with at least one smooth plane surface at the bottom of the formwork, suitable for casting concrete thereon.

[0006] Said known reusable formworks are substantially rectangular in plan view, with modular width and length, in the order of 60-100 cm and comprise perimetral ribs at right angles with said plane surface and shaped so as to be suitable for coupling with the adjacent formworks, to which they are integrally constrained by means of suitable fixing devices, like for example bolts, tie rods or other devices.

[0007] Said fixing devices are such as to successively allow the formworks to be rapidly dismantled.

[0008] Said reusable plastic formworks are particularly appreciated thanks to the fact that they are lighter and easier to handle than wooden panels, compared to which they therefore also require less labour.

[0009] Another advantage offered by reusable plastic formworks lies in that they are simple and quick to use and to clean, and also in that they last longer.

[0010] A further advantage is represented by the fact that, once said reusable plastic formworks have been removed, the lower surface of the floor is smooth and well finished, differently from what happens when wooden panels or disposable foam formworks are used.

[0011] The need is also known to produce ribbed concrete floors, with a flat, approx. 5 cm thick slab and parallel reinforced beams arranged at a distance of approx. 50-60 cm.

[0012] For this purpose, disposable panels or formworks are known, consisting of a block of foamed plastic material, typically polystyrene, having an elongated rectangular shape in plan view and a generically parallelepiped cross section with central or lateral seats to provide the housing where the reinforcing rods are placed before concrete is cast in order to obtain the reinforced ribs of the floor.

[0013] The subject of the present patent is a new type of modular formwork for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing constituted by square or rectangular meshes.

[0014] The main object of the present invention is to ensure the quick laying of modular, preferably reusable elements for making reinforced concrete floors, and wherein said modular elements rest on and are constrained to temporary bearing structures, like for example parallel beams.

[0015] Another important object of the present invention is to make a reinforced concrete floor with cross ribbing, wherein the ribs form a grid with square or rectangular meshes.

[0016] Another important object of the present invention is to allow said modular elements to be quickly removed and successively reused.

[0017] A further important advantage offered by the present invention lies in that it makes it possible to carry out floors with ribs whose thickness and height are suitable for the structural and design requirements, by properly combining the modular elements in different sizes.

[0018] These and other direct and complementary objects have been achieved by the new type of modular formwork for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing, substantially comprising at least three types of modular elements, including:

• central modular elements suited to rest on the temporary bearing structure, defining the nodes of the grid of ribs of the floor that is going to be cast;
• modular elements in the form of joists, suited to rest on and be constrained to said central modular elements and arranged in such a way as to define a grid with square or rectangular meshes;
• dome-shaped elements, suited to rest on and be constrained to said central modular elements and/or said joists, in order to complete said modular formwork.

[0019] The complete formwork obtained in this way, supported by parallel beams providing temporary support arranged at a pre-defined modular distance, is suitable for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing consisting of square or rectangular meshes.

[0020] According to the invention, said modular elements are preferably of the reusable type, which means that, for example, they can be made of a rigid plastic material and be suited to be removed in order to be used somewhere else after the complete curing of the concrete.

[0021] The characteristics of the invention will be highlighted in greater detail in the following description, with reference to the drawings attached as nonlimiting examples.

[0022] Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the central modular element (A) only, while Figures 1a and 1b show two side views of the same.

[0023] Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of a joist (B) suited to rest and be constrained between two of said central modular elements (A), as shown in Figure 3, while Figure 2a shows a plan view of the same.

[0024] Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of the grid constituted by said central elements (A) resting on parallel beams (D) providing temporary support, and by said joists (B) that in turn rest on said central elements (A) and are arranged parallel or transversal to said beams (D), forming square or rectangular meshes.

[0025] Figure 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a dome-shaped element (C).

[0026] Figure 6 schematically illustrates how the modular elements (A, B, C) making up the new formwork supported by beams (D) providing temporary support are used.

[0027] The new modular formwork for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing comprises a plurality of central modular elements (A) resting on the temporary bearing structure, said structure being for example made up of a series of parallel beams (D), as shown in Figure 4.

[0028] Each one of said central modular elements (A), shown in Figures 1, 1a and 1b, is a preferably monolithic element having a substantially cubic or parallelepiped shape, comprising a plane perimetral part (A1) and a raised central part (A2), substantially cubic or parallelepiped in shape and square or rectangular in plan view.

[0029] Said plane perimetral part (A1) has the lower surface (A11) shaped in such a way as to be suitable for resting on said temporary bearing beam (D) and comprising for example ribs (A12) defining a seat (A13) for engaging with said beam (D).

[0030] Said seat (A13) is arranged along one of the central longitudinal axes (X) of the central element (A) and its size is suited to house said beam (D), so that the central element (A) is permanently resting on the beam (D) and is arranged with said axis (X) parallel to the beam (D).

[0031] The upper surface of said perimetral part (A1) of the central element (A) also comprises at least one lowered part (A14) and/or seat and/or projection distributed on its perimeter suited to rest on and be coupled with the edges (B12) of said joists (B), as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

[0032] According to the invention, said plane part (A1), at the level of said lowered part (A14), can be provided with one or more through holes for discharging the concrete that may infiltrate therein.

[0033] Each one of said joists (B), shown in Figure 2, comprises a preferably monolithic body, substantially elongated and parallelepiped in shape, with the two opposite long sides (B1) substantially plane and a central raised part (B2) substantially parallelepiped in shape, occupying the whole length of said joist (B).

[0034] The two opposite terminal short sides (B22) of said bar module (B), instead, are shaped with the lower edge (B12) shaped so as to rest on said perimetral part (A1) of said central elements (A) arranged aligned with said joist (B).

[0035] Said lower edge (B12) also comprises projections (B121) suited to be coupled with said lowered part (A14) and/or said seats of said perimetral part (A1) of the central element (A).

[0036] Said opposite long sides (B1) have a substantially plane upper surface (B13) suited to allow the edges (C11) of said dome-shaped elements (C) to rest thereon, as shown in Figure 6, and wherein said upper surface (B13) is provided with possible projections (B14) and/or seats suited to be coupled with said edges (C11) of said dome-shaped elements (C).

[0037] Each one of said dome-shaped elements (C), shown in Figure 5, comprises a preferably monolithic body, substantially parallelepiped in shape and square or rectangular in plan view, comprising a perimetral part (C1) and a central part (C2) raised from said perimetral part (C1), substantially parallelepiped in shape and preferably square in plan view.

[0038] Said perimetral part (C1) comprises an edge and/or lower surface (C11) suited to rest on said long sides (B1) of said joists (B). If necessary, said edge and/or lower surface (C11) can be provided with projections and/or seats suited to ensure coupling with said long sides (B1).

[0039] The new modular formwork can be assembled as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6.

[0040] Said central elements (A) are suited to rest on temporary bearing structures, like beams (D) arranged parallel to one another at a modular distance corresponding to the distance between the ribs of the floor that is going to be cast.

[0041] Said central elements (A) are distributed on each one of said beams (D) in order to define the nodes of a grid with square or rectangular meshes.

[0042] One or more of said joists (B) is/are rested between two adjacent central elements (A) aligned on the same beam (D) or on two adjacent parallel beams (D) positioned side by side.

[0043] In particular, as shown in Figure 3, said joist (B) is arranged parallel to said beam (D) and rests with the edges (B12) of the short sides (B22) on said perimetral part (A1) of said central elements (A), so that the surfaces of the two short opposite sides (B22) of said joist (B) face each other and are in contact with the corresponding lateral surfaces (A22) of the raised parts (A2) of said central elements (A).

[0044] Said joist (B) also rests on said beam (D) with its lower surface (B11).

[0045] As shown in Figure 4, according to the invention further joists (B) are positioned between pairs of central elements (A) aligned on pairs of adjacent beams (D) positioned side by side, wherein said joists (B) are arranged crosswise in relation to said beams (D) and do not rest directly on said beams (D).

[0046] In this case, each one of said joists (B) rests with the edges (B12) of its short sides (B22) on said perimetral part (A1) of said central elements (A), so that the surfaces of the two opposite short sides (B22) of said joist (B) face each other and are in contact with the corresponding lateral surfaces (A23) of the raised parts (A2) of said central elements (A).

[0047] As shown in Figure 4, said central elements (A) and said joists (B) define the grid (E) of the formwork, said grid (E) having square or rectangular meshes, and each central element (A) being suited to allow maximum four of said joists (B) to rest thereon, one on each of the four perimetral sides of the central element (A).

[0048] In particular, two or three of said joists (B) rest on each one of said central elements (A) positioned on perimetral nodes of the grid (E) of the formwork, while four of said joists (B) rest on each one of said central elements (A) positioned on non perimetral nodes.

[0049] In order to ensure the correct coupling of said central elements (A) with said joists (B), without slits, according to the invention said short sides (B22) of said joists (B) feature angles (B23) cut at 45° so that they exactly match the corresponding cut angles of the short sides (B22) of the joists (B) resting on the same central element (A).

[0050] Said grid (E) has a substantially plane upper surface that defines the surface of the formwork bottom for casting the ribs of the concrete floor. Said surface is defined by the upper surfaces (A21) and (B21), preferably at the same height, of said raised parts (A2, B2) of said central elements (A) and said joists (B).

[0051] According to the invention, furthermore, the transversal dimensions of said joists (B) are equal to the transversal dimensions of said central elements (A), and in particular the surface of the short side (B22) of said raised part (B2) of said joists (B) has the same dimensions as the corresponding surface (A23, A22) of said raised part (A2) of said central elements (A).

[0052] Said long sides (B1) of said joists (B) thus constitute the supporting surfaces of said dome-shaped elements (C).

[0053] In particular, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, each dome-shaped element (C) is suited to rest with said perimetral part (C1) on the long sides (B1) of four of said joists (B) arranged in such a way as to form a square or rectangular mesh of said grid (E), and wherein the upper surface (C12) of said perimetral part (C1) is at the same height as the upper surface (B21, A21) of said raised parts (B2, A2) of said joists (B) and said central elements (A).

[0054] The complete formwork (F) obtained in this way, illustrated in Figure 6, supported by parallel beams (D) providing temporary support and arranged at a prefixed modular distance, is suitable for making reinforced concrete floors with cross ribbing constituted by square or rectangular meshes, the upper surfaces (A21, B21) of said central modular elements (A) and of said joists (B), said edges (C11) and the lateral surfaces (C3, C4) of said dome-shaped elements (C) defining the surfaces of the formwork bottom (F1) for casting the floor ribs.

[0055] According to the invention, said modular elements (A, B, C) can be produced in different sizes, in order to obtain ribs whose thickness and height vary according to their distance from each other and to the construction requirements.

[0056] In particular, according to the invention, two or more series of said central elements (A) and of said joists (B) will be developed, wherein each series of said central elements (A) and of said joists (B) has a given transversal dimension that determines the thickness of the cast ribs, excluding the width of said perimetral part (C1) of said dome-shaped elements (C).

[0057] The height of the cast ribs, instead, is determined by the height of said raised part (C2) of said dome-shaped elements (C). According to the invention, two or more series of said dome-shaped elements (C) will be developed, each series featuring a given height of said raised part (C2).

[0058] Said modular elements (A, B, C) in the different sizes can be variously combined according to the design and construction requirements.

[0059] To dismantle the formwork, it is sufficient to remove the temporary bearing structure, that is, said supporting beams (D), thus obtaining the removal of said central elements (A) and of said joists (B) that simply rest on the beams (D), while said dome-shaped elements (C) continue to adhere to the reinforced concrete casting.

[0060] According to the invention, for the removal of said dome-shaped elements (C) each one of them is provided, on the lateral (C13) or lower (C11) edge of said perimetral part (C1), with one or more holes or seats (C14) that allow the operator to take hold of the element (C), also with the aid of tools, in order to detach and remove it.

[0061] Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.

Claims

1. Modular formwork (F) for making reinforced concrete ribbed floors, suited to be laid on a temporary bearing structure consisting of parallel beams (D), characterized in that it comprises:

• a plurality of central modular elements (A) suited to rest on said temporary bearing structure, defining the nodes of a grid (E) with square or rectangular meshes;

• a plurality of modular elements in the form of joists (B), each suited to rest and be constrained with its ends (B22) between two of said central modular elements (A) aligned with each other, said joists (B) being arranged in such a way as to define the lines of said grid (E);

• a plurality of dome-shaped elements (C), each one suited to rest on and be constrained with the edges (C1) to said joists (B) and/or to said

central modular elements (A), so as to cover each one of said meshes, and wherein the upper surfaces (B21) of said joists (B), said edges (C1) and the lateral surfaces (C3, C4) of said dome-shaped elements (C) define the formwork bottom surfaces (F1) for casting the floor ribs.

2. Modular formwork (F) according to claim 1, characterized in that each one of said central elements (A) is suited to allow maximum four of said joists (B) to rest thereon, while each one of said dome-shaped elements (C) is suited to rest with said edges (C1) on the long sides (B1) of four of said joists (B) arranged in such a way as to form a square or rectangular mesh of said grid (E), and wherein the upper surface (C12) of said edges (C1) is at the same height as the upper surface (B21, A21) of said joists (B) and/or said central elements (A).

3. Modular formwork (F) according to claims 1, 2, characterized in that each one of said central modular elements (A) comprises a body substantially parallelepiped in shape, with a plane perimetral part (A1) and a central raised part (A2) substantially parallelepiped in shape.

4. Modular formwork (F) according to claims 1, 2, 3, characterized in that each one of said central modular elements (A) is provided with at least one seat (A13) on the lower resting surface, said seat (A13) being arranged along one of the central longitudinal axes (X) of the central element (A) and having dimensions suitable for housing said beam (D), so that the central element (A) permanently rests on the beam (D) and is arranged with said axis (X) parallel to the beam (D).

5. Modular formwork (F) according to claims 3, 4, characterized in that the upper surface of said perimetral part (A1) of the central element (A) comprises at least one seat or lowered part (A14) distributed on its perimeter, suited to allow the ends (B22) of said joists (B) to rest and be inserted therein.

6. Modular formwork (F) according to claim 5, characterized in that on said plane part (A1), at the level of said lowered part (A14), one or more through holes are provided for discharging concrete.

7. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said joists (B) comprises a body substantially elongated and parallelepiped in shape, having the two opposite long sides (B1) substantially plane and a central raised part (B2) substantially parallelepiped in shape, occupying the whole length of said joist (B) itself, and wherein the two short opposite terminal sides (B22) of said bar module (B) have the lower edge (B12) shaped (B121) in such a way as to rest on and be coupled with said perimetral part (A1) of said central elements (A) aligned with said joist (B), so that the surfaces of the two short opposite sides (B22) of said joist (B) face each other and are in contact with the corresponding lateral surfaces (A22, A23) of the raised parts (A2) of said central elements (A).

8. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the transversal dimensions of said joists (B) are equal to the transversal dimensions of said central elements (A), and in particular the surface of the short side (B22) of said raised part (B2) of said joists (B) has the same dimensions as the corresponding surface (A23, A22) of said raised part (A2) of said central elements (A).

9. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said opposite long sides (B1) of each joist (B) have a substantially plane upper surface (B13) suited to allow said edges (C11) of said dome-shaped elements (C) to rest thereon, and wherein said upper surface (B13) may be provided with projections (B14) and/or seats suited to be coupled with said edges (C11) of said dome-shaped elements (C).

10. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said dome-shaped elements (C) comprises a body substantially parallelepiped in shape, with a perimetral part (C1) and a central part (C2) raised in relation to said perimetral part (C1), said central part (C2) being substantially parallelepiped in shape, and wherein said perimetral part (C1) comprises an edge and/or lower surface (C11), if necessary provided with projections and/or seats, suited to rest on and be coupled with said long sides (B1) of said joists (B).

11. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said dome-shaped elements (C) are suited to rest on and be constrained to joists (B) and/or central elements (A) having different transversal dimensions.

12. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said dome-shaped elements (C) comprises, on the lateral (C13) or lower (C11) edge of said perimetral part (C1), one or more holes or seats (C14) for the insertion of the tools needed to dismantle the dome-shaped elements (C).

13. Modular formwork (F) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said short sides (B22) of said joists (B) feature angles (B23) cut at 45° so that they exactly match the corresponding cut angles of the short sides (B22) of the joists (B) resting on the same central element (A).

Drawing