Foldable brace for tieless one-sided wall forming

Abstract

A foldable brace assembly for supporting concrete formwork includes a ground brace member pivotably coupled with an end of a wall brace member, such that the wall brace member can pivot to be generally parallel or generally perpendicular relative to the ground brace. With the wall brace member perpendicular to the ground brace member in an erect position, a diagonal brace member detachably couples between an upper portion of the wall brace member and the other end of the ground brace member. The brace assembly may be locked in the erect position, such as by inserting a pin in aligned openings in the wall brace member and the ground brace member. When the brace assembly is not in use, the pin may be removed and the brace assembly can pivot to a folded position with the wall brace member can pivot to be generally parallel to the ground brace.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable brace assembly for supporting concrete formwork, the foldable brace assembly comprising:
 a ground brace member;   a wall brace member pivotably coupled with a first end of the ground brace member, wherein the wall brace member is configured to pivot between a folded position and an erect position with the wall brace member perpendicular relative to the ground brace member; and   a diagonal brace member detachably coupled between an upper portion of the wall brace member and a second end of the ground brace member when the wall brace member is in the erect position.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 1 , wherein when in the folded position, the wall brace member is in parallel to relative to the ground brace member. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wall brace member is fixedly attached to a corner bracket, and wherein the first end of the ground brace member is pivotally attached to the corner bracket with a bolt. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the corner bracket includes an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein a pin is configured to removably engage the upper opening and the ground brace member in the folded position, and wherein the pin is configured to removably engage the lower opening and the ground brace member in the erect position. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the corner bracket includes an angled support surface that is configured to support a tie bar that attaches to a tie down anchor embedded in a concrete foundation for holding the ground brace member against a ground surface. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wall brace member includes a pair of beams spaced apart to form a channel that is configured to engage a formwork panel at a plurality of vertical locations along the vertical channel. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a waler that includes a horizontal channel that is configured to engage the formwork panel at a plurality of locations along the horizontal channel, and wherein the wall brace member directly attaches to the waler. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the ground brace member includes a pair of beams spaced apart a distance equal to the beams of the wall brace member. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a corner bracket is fixedly attached between the pair beams at a lower end of the wall brace member, and wherein the corner bracket is pivotally attached between the pair beams at the first end of the ground brace member. 
     
     
         10 . A foldable brace assembly for supporting concrete formwork, the foldable brace assembly comprising:
 a first brace assembly having a first ground member and a first wall member pivotably coupled together and pivotable between a folded position and an erect position;   a first diagonal brace member detachably coupled between an upper portion of the first wall member and a rear end of the second ground member when the brace assembly is pivoted to an erect position with the first wall member perpendicular relative to the first ground member;   a second brace assembly having a second ground member and a second wall member pivotably coupled together and pivotable between a folded position and an erect position;   a second diagonal brace member detachably coupled between an upper portion of the second wall member and a rear end of the second ground member when the brace assembly is pivoted to an erect position with the second wall member perpendicular relative to the second ground member; and   a set of cross braces that attach at and extend between the first and second brace assemblies in the erect positions.   
     
     
         11 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 10 , wherein, with the first and second diagonal brace members detached, the first and second brace assemblies are pivotable to the folded position with the first and second wall members in parallel alignment with the first and second ground members. 
     
     
         12 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second brace assembles each comprise a corner bracket that is fixedly coupled to lower ends of the first and second wall members and pivotally coupled to front ends of the first and second ground members. 
     
     
         13 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the corner brackets each include an upper opening and a pin that is configured to removably engage the upper opening and the respective first or second ground member in the folded position, and wherein the corner brackets each include a lower opening and a pin that is configured to removably engage the lower opening and the respective first or second ground member in the erect position. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the corner brackets each includes an angled support surface that is configured to support a tie bar that attaches to a tie down anchor. 
     
     
         15 . A foldable brace assembly for supporting concrete formwork, the foldable brace assembly comprising:
 a ground brace member that comprises two beams attached together along the length of the beams to secure the beams together;   a wall brace member that comprises two beams attached together along the length of the beams to secure the beams together;   a corner bracket attached at a lower end of the wall brace member between the beams of the wall brace member; and   wherein a front end of the ground brace member is pivotably attached to the corner bracket, and wherein the wall brace member is configured to pivot between a folded position with the wall brace member parallel to the ground brace member and an erect position with the wall brace member perpendicular to the ground brace member.   
     
     
         16 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a diagonal brace member detachably coupled between an upper portion of the wall brace member and a rear end of the ground brace member when the wall brace member is in the erect position. 
     
     
         17 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the two beams of the ground brace member each have a U-shaped cross-sectional shape oriented opposite each other. 
     
     
         18 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the two beams of the wall brace member are consistently spaced from each other along a length of the wall brace member to form a channel, wherein a fastener engages one of a plurality of locations along the channel to attach the wall brace member a formwork panel. 
     
     
         19 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the corner bracket includes an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein a pin is configured to removably engage the upper opening and the ground brace member in the folded position, and wherein the pin is configured to removably engage the lower opening and the ground brace member in the erect position. 
     
     
         20 . The foldable brace assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the corner bracket includes an angled support surface that is configured to support a tie bar that attaches to a tie down anchor embedded in a concrete foundation for holding the ground brace member against a ground surface.