Pre-cast concrete structures

Abstract

A system is taught comprising a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending horizontally to end in two end faces and a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot. The system further comprises a base and a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot. The width of the slot of one or more of the fork ends at the mouth is sized to receive the end face of the plain end structure and the width of the slot increases from the mouth to the fork end face, and wherein the rigid support member is locked into the slot by the aggregate filler material. A system of stacked structures is taught, said system comprising one or more stacking structures, each comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and a top face, said top face comprising a top profile and said bottom face comprising a bottom profile. The one or more stacking structures are vertically stackable onto each other such that the top profile of a lower structure interfits with the bottom profile of a higher structure in the vertical stack.

1 . A system comprising:
 a) a first plain end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two end faces;   b) a second fork end concrete structure comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and in a top face and extending horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls extending from a fork end face to a mouth to define a slot;   c) a base for receiving thereupon the first plain end concrete structure and the second fork end concrete structure;   d) a rigid support member embedded in the base, and received within said slot adjacent the fork end face; and   e) an aggregate filler material for filling voids between the support member and the slot,   
       wherein a width of the slot of one or more of the fork ends at the mouth is sized to receive the end face of the plain end structure and the width of the slot increases from the mouth to the fork end face, and wherein the rigid support member is locked into the slot by the aggregate filler material. 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fork walls of the slot comprise projections at the mouth, said projections defining a width sufficient to receive an end face of a plain end structure. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the side faces of the first plain end structure and the second fork end structure comprise a texture or decorative pattern. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the texture or decorative pattern is selected from the group consisting of plain, textured concrete, revealed concrete, stone, rock, masonry block and brick. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the texture or pattern is bordered by a plain surface directly adjacent the top faces, bottom faces, the end faces and the fork ends. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the base is a cast-in-situ pile. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the cast-in-situ pile is reinforced with reinforcing material selected from the group consisting of rebar, metal mesh and wire cage. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the support member is reinforced with reinforcing material and the pile is cast around the support member to embed said support member. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the support member is welded with rebar for reinforcement. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plain end structure comprises reinforcement embedded within the structure. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the fork end structure comprises reinforcement embedded within the structure. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the reinforcement is selected from the group consisting of a steel plate, rebar and steel mesh. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is selected from the group consisting of posts, rods, tubes, ‘I’ beams and ‘H’ beams. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the support member is a wide flange steel ‘H’ beam. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support member extends above the base to a height equal to a height of the system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first plain end structures and the second fork end structures have a height from bottom face to top face that is selected from the group consisting of 1 foot (30 cm), 2 feet (60 cm) and 3 feet (91 cm). 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plain end structures and the second fork end structures are assembled by use of equipment selected from the group consisting of bobcats, forklifts and telescopic handlers. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) one or more of said end faces of said first plain end concrete structure comprise a first projection; and   b) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,   
       wherein the first projection is received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) one or more of said fork end faces of said second fork end concrete structure comprise a second projection; and   b) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,   
       wherein the second projection is received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) one or more of said end faces of said first plain end concrete structure comprise a first projection;   b) one or more of said fork end faces of said second fork end concrete structure comprise a second projection; and   c) one or more sides of said rigid support member comprises one or more flanges,   
       wherein the first projection and the second are received adjacent to said one or more flanges of the rigid support member. 
     
     
         21 . A system of stacked structures, said system comprising: one or more stacking structures, each comprising two side faces extending vertically to end in a bottom face and a top face, said top face comprising a top profile and said bottom face comprising a bottom profile wherein said one or more stacking structures are vertically stackable onto each other such that the top profile of a lower structure interfits with the bottom profile of a higher structure in the vertical stack; wherein the stacking structures comprise;
 a) one or more plain end concrete structures wherein the two side faces extend horizontally to end in two plain ends;   b) one or more fork end concrete structure wherein the two side faces extend horizontally to end in two fork ends; said fork ends each comprising a pair of fork walls that define a slot;   c) a base for receiving thereupon a lower fork end concrete structure and a lower plain end concrete structure;   f) a rigid support member embedded in the base and extending to a height equal to the height of the stacked system, said rigid support received within said slot, and   g) an aggregate filler material for filling voids between the support member and the slot,   
       wherein said slot has a width sized to receive an end face of one or more first plain end structures such that the end face of the plain end structure is disposed adjacent the rigid support member and wherein the rigid support member is locked into the slot by the aggregate filler material. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the top profile and bottom profile are selected from the group consisting of shiplap profiles, tongue-and-groove profiles and dovetail profiles. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the profile is a ship-lap profile. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein embedment of the support member into the base increases with increasing height of the stacked system. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the thickness and cross sectional size of the support member increases with increasing height of the stacked system.