Concrete forming system

Abstract

A concrete forming system for forming first and second concrete walls which intersect each other perpendicularly. Each concrete wall is formed by spaced apart inner and outer panels which are held together by ties. An elongated outer corner form joins the outer panels at the corner while, similarly, an elongated inner corner form joins the inner panels at their corner intersection. The inner corner form is substantially rectangular in shape. A plurality of vertically spaced elongated corner ties secure the inner and outer corner forms together. These corner ties, furthermore, are dimensioned so that a portion of each corner tie protrudes inwardly from the inner corner form. Each corner tie includes a notch spaced outwardly from its innermost end which forms a fracture line across the corner tie. Thus, after the concrete walls are formed, the corner ties are broken along their fracture line by striking their inwardly protruding end with a hammer.

I claim:  
     
         1 . For use with a concrete forming system having spaced apart inner and outer panels held together by ties and forming a cavity therebetween for receiving concrete, said system including at least one generally rectangular corner form having four sides, said corner form being positioned at the intersection of two perpendicular inner panels so that two adjacent sides of the corner form are generally coplanar with said intersecting inner panels while the remaining two sides protrude perpendicularly outwardly from each of said perpendicular inner panels, a corner tie comprising: 
 an elongated flat bar,    one end of said flat bar being attached to an outer panel adjacent the corner form,    the other end of said flat bar being attached to one of said perpendicularly protruding sides of said corner form,    wherein, with said flat bar attached to both the outer panel and the corner form, a portion of said other end of said flat bar protrudes inwardly from the perpendicularly protruding sides of the corner form.    
     
     
         2 . The invention as defined in  claim 1  wherein said elongated flat bar includes at least one notch at a predetermined distance from said other end of said bar, said predetermined distance being selected such that said notch is either flush with or slightly embedded in concrete filling the cavity.  
     
     
         3 . The invention as defined in  claim 2  wherein said at least one notch comprises a pair of notches, one notch being formed on each lateral side of said bar, said notches forming a fracture line in said bar.  
     
     
         4 . The invention as defined in  claim 3  wherein each notch is V-shaped.  
     
     
         5 . A concrete forming system for forming a first and a second concrete wall which intersect each other substantially perpendicularly comprising: 
 a first inner panel and a first outer panel,    at least one panel tie for securing said first inner panel and said first outer panel together so that said first inner panel and said first outer panel are spaced apart from each other by a predefined distance thus forming a cavity adapted to receive concrete corresponding to the first wall,    a second inner panel and a second outer panel,    at least one panel tie for securing said second inner panel and said second outer panel together so that said second inner panel and said second outer panel are spaced apart from each other by a predefined distance thus forming a cavity adapted to receive concrete corresponding to the second wall,    an elongated outer corner form having two generally perpendicular walls, said outer corner form being positioned so that one wall is substantially coplanar with said first outer panel and the other wall is substantially coplanar with said second outer panel,    an elongated inner corner form, said inner corner form being substantially rectangular in shape, a first and second wall of said inner form being generally perpendicular to each other, said inner corner form being positioned so that its said first wall is substantially coplanar with said first inner panel and its said second wall is substantially coplanar with said second inner panel, a third wall of said inner corner form extending perpendicular to said first inner panel and a fourth wall of said inner corner form extending perpendicular to said second inner panel,    a first elongated corner tie bar having one end attached to said outer corner form and its other end attached to said third wall of said inner corner form, said first corner tie being dimensioned so that said other end of said first corner tie protrudes inwardly for said third wall of said inner corner form, and    a second elongated corner tie bar having one end attached to said outer corner form and its other end attached to said fourth wall of said inner corner form, said second corner tie being dimensioned so that said other end of said second corner tie protrudes inwardly for said fourth wall of said inner corner form.    
     
     
         6 . The invention as defined in  claim 5  and comprising a plurality of first and second corner ties, said first and second corner ties being longitudinally spaced from each other along said inner corner form.  
     
     
         7 . The invention as defined in  claim 5  where in each corner tie bar includes a notch at a preset distance inwardly from its said other end, said notch forming a fracture line across said tie bar.  
     
     
         8 . The invention as defined in  claim 7  wherein said tie bar comprises a flat bar.  
     
     
         9 . The invention as defined in  claim 8  and comprising a pair of notches formed in said tie bar on opposite lateral sides thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The invention as defined in  claim 7  wherein said notch is V-shaped.  
     
     
         11 . The invention as defined in  claim 7  wherein a portion of said notch is aligned with one of said inner panels.