Reinforcing bracket for use with insulated concrete forms

Abstract

A vertical reinforcing bracket for an insulated concrete form wall includes: a formed rigid material of sufficient strength that is shaped to add stiffness and assist in accurate placement of vertical reinforcement within the formwork. Openings are formed in the embedded tongue portion of the bracket to aid in the accurate positioning of vertical reinforcement within the insulated concrete formwork wall to reduce thermal bridging and to accommodate other building attachments or strengthening features of the bracket. Although the preferred embodiment of the patent uses steel, alternative materials with satisfactory structural properties may be substituted. The reinforcing bracket is intended mainly for use in correctly locating vertical reinforcement near ends of walls and along the sides of openings in walls constructed in insulated concrete forms. In addition, reinforcing brackets anchored in the hardened concrete by the reinforcing bars may be utilized to attach and support other building elements.

1 . A bracket adapted for use in insulated concrete form work of parallel spaced insulation panels which concrete is placed in after all reinforcement and supports have been positioned in the forms, the bracket being accurately created for alignment and positioning of vertical reinforcement in ends of walls and edges of openings, comprised of a steel bracket in an L-shape with a single horizontal embedment tongue with said tongue having at least three openings for vertical reinforcement, at least one opening centered in the width of the wall for placement of a single reinforcement bar and at least one pair of openings spaced for parallel placement of vertical reinforcement at said end of walls or edges of wall openings, where in the tongue will have at least one interior tab aligned with the inside face of the insulation panel to provide interior support during concrete placement where in said interior tab opening reduces thermal bridging of said bracket, the face element of the L-shaped bracket provides a fastening element flush with the exterior face of the insulation form panel. 
   
   
       2 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1 , where in the embedded alignment tongue is composed of a singular element and acts as the sole embedment into the concrete wall installed in the horizontal position which enables the claimed bracket to be installed at horizontal joints between the said panels of form insulation either at the wall ends, openings edges and along the flat face of the said wall insulation panels. 
   
   
       3 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising locations of accurately sized and spaced openings for said vertical reinforcement placement through said tongue embedment, such as to accommodate centrally positioned vertical reinforcement members and pairs of equally spaced openings for vertical reinforcing in a side by side configuration as required by the structural situation. 
   
   
       4 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said exterior face tab component includes strengthening and stiffening elements including additional support accessories for the face tab, folds, struts, and ridges for stiffening interface between embedment tongue and face tab. 
   
   
       5 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1  where in the additional anti thermal bridging slots in either single or multiple positions and any shape within the said tongue element so as to optimize energy performance. 
   
   
       6 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising the step of bending a tab perpendicular to the horizontal tongue creating a slot to reduce thermal bridging for which the said perpendicular tab provides additional bracket and reinforcing support against the interior face of the insulating form panel for secure positioning during concrete placement. 
   
   
       7 . The bracket as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the bracket is formed from cold rolled light gauge steel being 18 gauge or thinner. 
   
   
       8 . A method of attaching window and door components and other building elements to insulated concrete formed walls with the single tongue portion of the steel L bracket embedded into the center concrete portion of the wall, with an exterior face tab portion that installs flush with the outer surface of the insulated concrete formwork prior to concrete placement where in the bracket face tab which is flush with the exterior panel face, wall ends, opening edges, providing the tongue portion of said bracket face tab with structural anchoring at the wall ends and wall openings by way of the vertical reinforcement placed through the said vertical openings for solid structural attachment of said additional building elements at those wall ends and openings edges, the method comprising placing the said bracket into the horizontal joints of the insulating form side panels and end wall caps materials horizontal joints, as the insulated form work is stacked in place, in as many stacked horizontal insulating form joints as required for providing the necessary structural rigidity and stability for installation of door and window elements. 
   
   
       9 . The method as clamed in  claim 8  wherein said bracket has the structural element of a single tongue embedment provided by the structural anchoring from the insertion of vertical reinforcement through the said openings in the tongue required for attaching other building elements to the insulated formed concrete wall. 
   
   
       10 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said bracket has the structural element of a single face tab installed flush with the exterior face of the insulated form side panel with sufficient strength and rigidity in the bracket face tab providing the required anchoring properties for attaching other building elements. 
   
   
       11 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising of openings in the embedded tongue portion of the steel bracket to reduce thermal bridging from attached building elements directly to the concrete wall. 
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the reinforcing bracket is formed from cold rolled light gauge steel being 18 gauge or thinner. 
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  further allowing other materials and manufacturing processes to be used to produce said reinforcing bracket capable of satisfying the principles of the said invention. 
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising the step of positioning the reinforcing bracket in a vertical position to support horizontal reinforcement. 
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising the step of inserting reinforcing brackets vertically through joints between insulating form units or through slots cut into the face of the insulated form side panels.