Disk plate concrete dowel system

Abstract

Disclosed is a disc dowel system interposed between adjacent first and second concrete pours defining a pour joint therebetween. The disc dowel system comprises a positioner bracket, a pocket former and a dowel plate. The positioner bracket has a vertically disposed base flange and a horizontally disposed plate portion extending therefrom. The base flange is rigidly attachable to a concrete form. The pocket former has a horizontally extending interior compartment with an open, generally straight side and an arch-shaped compartment perimeter extending therefrom. The straight side is aligned with the pour joint. The pocket former is positioned within the first pour by the positioner bracket. The dowel plate has a generally rounded shape with an embed portion and a slidable portion. The embed portion is rigidly encapsulated within the second pour and the slidable portion is slidably disposed within the pocket former such that the dowel plate permits relative horizontal movement of the first and second pours while restricting relative vertical movement thereof.

1 . A disc dowel system interposed between adjacent first and second concrete pours defining a pour joint therebetween, the disc dowel system comprising: 
 a dowel plate having a generally rounded shape with an embed portion and a slidable portion; and    a pocket former disposed within the first pour and having a horizontally extending interior compartment with an open, generally straight side and an arch-shaped compartment perimeter extending therefrom, the straight side being aligned with the pour joint;    wherein the embed portion is rigidly encapsulated within the second pour and the slidable portion is slidably disposed within the pocket former such that the dowel plate permits relative horizontal movement of the first and second pours while restricting relative vertical movement thereof.    
   
   
       2 . The pour joint of  claim 1  wherein the interior compartment is sized and configured to be complementary to the dowel plate.  
   
   
       3 . The pour joint of  claim 1  further comprising a perimeter flange extending around the pocket former perimeter and having a generally vertically-oriented cross section with flared upper and lower flange portions configured for restricting horizontal movement of the pocket former within the first pour.  
   
   
       4 . The pour joint of  claim 1  wherein the pocket former includes upper and lower outer surfaces each having a pair of spaced apart former alignment ribs extending thereacross in a generally perpendicular direction from the pour joint.  
   
   
       5 . The pour joint of  claim 4  wherein each one of the former alignment ribs has a flared cross section configured for restricting vertical movement of the pocket former within the first pour.  
   
   
       6 . The pour joint of  claim 2  wherein the dowel plate has a generally circular shape.  
   
   
       7 . The pour joint of  claim 2  wherein the dowel plate has a generally elliptical shape.  
   
   
       8 . The pour joint of  claim 1  wherein the dowel plate is fabricated from metal plate.  
   
   
       9 . The pour joint of  claim 8  wherein the metal plate is carbon steel plate.  
   
   
       10 . The pour joint of  claim 1  wherein the dowel plate is fabricated from carbon fiber.  
   
   
       11 . The pour joint of  claim 1  wherein the pocket former is fabricated from plastic material.  
   
   
       12 . A disc dowel system for installing a dowel plate within a pour joint between adjacent first and second concrete pours, the pour joint being formed by a removable concrete form, the dowel plate having a generally rounded shape with an embed portion and a slidable portion, the disc dowel system comprising: 
 a positioner bracket having a vertically disposed base flange and a horizontally disposed plate portion extending therefrom, the base flange being rigidly attachable to the concrete form; and    a pocket former having an interior compartment with an open, generally straight side and an arch-shaped compartment perimeter extending therefrom;    wherein the plate portion is sized and configured to be complementary to the interior compartment such that the positioner bracket may slidably receive the pocket former with the straight side generally abutting the base bracket during pouring of the first pour prior to removal of the concrete form and positioner bracket for subsequent insertion of the slidable portion into the interior compartment and pouring of the second pour to encapsulate the embed portion therewithin.    
   
   
       13 . The pour joint of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the plate portion includes upper and lower exterior surfaces each having a pair of spaced apart positioner alignment ribs extending generally perpendicularly from the pour joint; and    the interior compartment includes upper and lower inner surfaces each having a pair of spaced apart alignment grooves sized and configured to receive the positioner alignment ribs such that the pocket former is held in alignment with the positioner bracket during pouring of the first pour.    
   
   
       14 . The pour joint of  claim 12  wherein the dowel plate is sized and configured to be complementary to the interior compartment.  
   
   
       15 . The pour joint of  claim 14  wherein the dowel plate has a generally circular shape.  
   
   
       16 . The pour joint of  claim 14  wherein the dowel plate has a generally elliptical shape.  
   
   
       17 . The pour joint of  claim 12  further comprising a perimeter flange extending around the pocket former perimeter and having a generally vertically-oriented cross section with flared upper and lower flange portions configured for restricting horizontal movement of the pocket former within the first pour.  
   
   
       18 . The pour joint of  claim 12  wherein the pocket former has upper and lower outer surfaces each having a pair of spaced apart former alignment ribs extending generally perpendicularly from the pour joint with each one of the former alignment ribs having a flared cross section configured for restricting vertical movement of the pocket former within the first pour.  
   
   
       19 . The pour joint of  claim 12  wherein the base flange includes a pair of apertures extending therethrough and sized to permit the passage of a fastener through the base flange for facilitating the rigid attachment of the positioner bracket to the concrete form.  
   
   
       20 . The pour joint of  claim 12  wherein the positioner bracket and the pocket former are fabricated from plastic.  
   
   
       21 . A method for installing a dowel plate within a pour joint between adjacent first and second concrete pours using a pocket former having an arch-shaped interior compartment with an open, straight side and being configured complementary to the dowel plate having a rounded shape with an embed portion and a slidable portion, the method comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a concrete form along a desired location of the pour joint;    positioning the pocket former adjacent to the concrete form such that the interior compartment extends substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom with the straight side being in abutment therewith;    pouring the first pour such that the pocket former is rigidly encapsulated therewithin;    removing the concrete form after the first pour has cured;    inserting the slidable portion into the interior compartment; and    pouring the second pour such that the embed portion is rigidly encapsulated within the second pour and the slidable portion is slidably disposed within the pocket former.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  using a positioner bracket having a vertically disposed base flange and a plate portion extending horizontally therefrom, the method comprising the additional steps of: 
 securing the base bracket to the concrete form such that such that the positioner bracket is rigidly attached thereto with the plate portion extending substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom;    sliding the pocket former over the positioner bracket such that the straight side is in abutment with the base flange; and    removing the positioner bracket from the pocket former after the first pour has cured.