Insulated Concrete Form Installation Protection and Debris Control System

Abstract

This invention is new art forming a system of components that enables installers of Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) to save labor time and effort in multiple aspects of ICF installation. After a course or row of ICF is placed on the footing, another course is started. This procedure is continued until the desired height is reached. Regardless of the concrete dispensing method, dispensing to fill the ICF cavity with concrete is problematic and contaminates the mating surfaces of the ICF. Concrete spillage and splatter cause the ICF interlocking alignment features to become clogged, requiring a manual and time consuming cleaning step, before proceeding with further wall construction. Once completed, water, leaves, snow, ice, and other debris may enter the ICF wall cavity before it is filled. Protection of the unfilled ICF wall is paramount, especially during inclement weather. This invention details such a protection system.

1 . Apparatus that form part of a protection system for the ICF interlocking alignment surfaces during the ICF wall construction process; Protection against physical damage from machinery, apparatus, concrete, tools and other potentially harmful items used during the filling of the ICF cavity with concrete.  
   
   
       2 . Apparatus, in conjunction with  claim 1 , that form part of a protection system for the ICF cavity of a newly constructed wall, prior to filling the wall with concrete. This system prevents water, ice, snow, leaves, pine needles, small animals such as birds and bats, and other manmade and natural debris and from entering the unfilled ICF wall cavity prior to filling the ICF cavity with concrete.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1  provides dimensional stability, longitudinally, to the wall during the filling of said ICF wall cavity with concrete, most readily observed as a straightening of the said unfilled wall.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1  is turned upside down on a wall footing, accepting a said ICF section. The said assembly is fastened to the footing with a plurality of steel or other types of nails, bolts, rods, or other fastener. The fastened assembly of  claim 1  is now set to receive ICF blocks, holding them in their true desired position on the footing. The said assembly is left in place after the first ICF wall section is poured.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1  having sufficient surfaces to allow the installation and removal of said apparatus from the newly poured ICF wall, allowing a single individual to install and remove long sections of the said apparatus without need of any help, in a very short time span.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1  having features that allow suitable friction and spring forces to prevent said assembly from sliding along the ICF surface during the filling of the ICF cavity with concrete, while other filling apparatus and tools are dragged across the surface of said apparatus.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1  having an outer surface, allowing concrete filling apparatus such as a hopper or funnel like apparatus, to slide along these surfaces, providing a reduced friction surface, which allows the sliding by a single individual of said hopper or funnel, without the need for wheels or moving parts.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 1  having a receiving slot to the mating of the apparatus in  claim 2 , to allow the said apparatuses to quickly and easily mate together with a plurality of methods including snapping together, interlocking together, sliding together using tongue-and-groove, including a plurality of said common fastening methods.  
   
   
       9 . The assembly in  claim 6  being designed to allow the installation and removal of said apparatus from the newly poured ICF wall, allowing a single individual to install and remove long sections of the said apparatus without need of any help, in a very short time span.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly in  claim 2  having a plurality of holes, punch-outs, punch-through areas, and thinned sections, thus allowing for reinforcement bar to penetrate thru said apparatus without incurring a large aperture whereby said unwanted debris can enter the un-poured wall cavity.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly in  claim 2  has a mating receiver slot as described in  claim 8 , allowing the assembly in  claim 2  to quickly and easily mate together with a plurality of methods including snapping together, interlocking together, sliding together using tongue-and-groove, round-and-groove, including a plurality of said common fastening methods.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly in  claim 2  has sufficient rigidity to stop rain, debris, and snow penetration. The spanning nature and arc form of said apparatus enables an extremely strong holding force, being held in place by the slots and grooves described in claims  8  and  11 .  
   
   
       13 . The assembly in  claim 2  has an overlapping feature to provide positive runoff of water and debris from the surface of said apparatus, directing said debris away from the unfilled ICF wall cavity and over the edge of said wall.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly in  claim 10  has, as part of the top surface, a small flat feature which facilitates ease of manufacture when the punch-outs, press-throughs, and holes are made.  
   
   
       15 . The assemblies in claims  1  and  2  are ideally made from a plurality of common plastics such as vinyl, poly vinyl chloride, metals such as steel, aluminum, paperboard products, wood, wood by-products, rubbers both natural and synthetic, combinations of composite products of said materials, although other types of plastic, rubber, wood products, paperboard, and metals may be used which lend themselves to achieve the properties noted in claims  3  through  14 .