US2937065A - Water stop - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1960 LEROY F. HARZA ALSO KNOWN AS LEROY FRANCIS HARZA WATER STOP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 1, 1950 Mmdb z May 17, 1960 LEROY F. HARZA 2,937,065

' ALso KNOWN As LEROY FRANCIS HARZA May 17, 1960 OY F. HARZA A o KNOWN A LEROY FRANCIS HA WATER STOP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Feb. 1, 1950 .mted States WATER STOP Leroy F. Harza, also known as Leroy Francis Harza,.

Continuation of applications Serial No. 141,811, February 1, 1950, and Serial No. 276,200, March 12, 1952. This application January 9, 1956, Serial No. 558,175

12 Claims. (Cl. 72-106) This invention is concerned with a water stop or seal for locking together adjacent sections of concrete or the like to prevent seepage of water therebetween.

This application forms a continuation of two previous applications co-pending herewith, said applications being Serial No. 141,811, filed February 1, 1950, by Leroy F. Harza, for Joint Seal and now abandoned, and Serial No. 276,200 filed March 12, 1952, by Leroy F. Harza, for Water Stop and now abandoned.

Large concrete structures are built in sections, or pours, determined by such factors as the amount of concrete a crew can pour in a day, the strength of forms that can be built within reasonable practical considera- 'tions such as size and cost, theshrinkage to be expected in a given mass of concrete upon setting, and other factors.

The shrinkage of concrete attendant upon the setting thereof causes opening up of the joints between successive sections or pours. If the structure is a dam, reservoir, swimming pool, sewage plant, foundation wall, or other structure adapted to contain or to hold out water, water will leak through the opened joints between the pours unless water stops are used. It will be appreciated that there would be a substantial amount of seepage even if the joints did not open up. I

Prior to the invention of the water stop herein disclosed it was conventional practiceto form water stops as diaphragms extending transversely across a joint between pours and embedded in the opposite pours. Such diaphragm type water stops generally have been made of rubber or copper. They have long been known, and have been subject to serious drawbacks. Most such diaphragm type water stops require splitting the wooden form into which the concrete is to be poured. Theform thus must be specially braced so that the water stop can protrude from the pour in that form into the area where the next pour will be made. This involves costly carpentry. Furthermore, installationof a diaphragm type water stop in such a form requires considerable skill and a large expenditure of time.

Other diaphragm type waterstops have folding fins which must be bent out into place after the first form is removed. This requires added labor and increases the cost. Furthermore, at least in the case of copper water stops, the section which is flexed back and forth during such installation is seriously weakened, and this section is exactly where the water pressure must be resisted.

A further extreme disadvantage is found in diaphragm type water stops. Obviously, the water stops must extend a sufiicient distance into the pours of concrete to be securely embedded therein. However, the water stops must be fairly thin in order to have the requisite flexibility to withstand relative shifting of the adjacent concrete pours or masses, and there is therefore a very substantial danger that when concrete is poured into the form the fluid concrete will fold over the water stop. This, of course, prevents proper embedding of the water stop in the concrete. This problem is even more severe in the form of water stop having a folding fin in that the fin is likely to be knocked out of position by the pouring of concrete, and might becomesutficiently embedded in the concrete as to prevent straightening out of the fin for embedding in the next successive pour.

It is an object of this invention to provide a water stop which fits entirely inside the form for the first pour, and which is quickly nailed inplace and requires no split form or other expensive carpentry for installation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a water stop which provides a tortuous seepage path.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a water stop having a web lying in the joint between adjacent pours of concrete and having a plurality of ribs extending fromeach face of the web into the adjacent pour of concrete with the ribs in spaced parallel relation and parallel to the liquid confining face formed by the adjacent pours of concrete.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, a seal according to the prior objects is extruded of polyvinyl chloride plastic. This material iresembles rubber, but lasts far longer. It resists temperature changes and chemical. action of concrete, and further resists acids and alkalies, and other deleterious substances found around concrete, such as in sewage disposal plants or in industrial plants. Sections of the material readily can be welded together with the use of a hot knife or an ordinary torch, no special welding equipment being needed.

' Yet another object of this invention'is to provide a method for installing a water stop, especially the water stop constructed in accordance with the foregoing objects of this invention.

Other and further objects and advantages of the .present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a section of a water stop constructed in .accordance with the principles of this invention and shown in cross section and perspective, the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 being preferred, where rather substantial separation of adjacent pours is to be expected;

Fig. 2' is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a form of the invention preferred when little separation is to be expected;

.Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionalview showing the installation of the water stop in a form with the first pour of concrete applied in the form;

I Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 after removal of the form and pouring of the second mass of concrete;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the installation in a form and theformation of a pour in conjunction witha slightly modified form of the water stop;

7 Fig. 6 is a view generally similar to Fig. 3 and showing a modified form of the water stop and a slightly modified version of the form;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the water stop of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is another view similar to Fig. 4 showing yet another form of water stop; V Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing a water stop generally similar to Fig. 8 but modified somewhat there: Irom;

Fig. 10 is another view generally similar to Fig. 8 and showing a of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing the parts with the joint opened up;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the installation of the water stop disclosed herein; j

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of the water stop with adjacent pours of concrete subjected to moderate separation such as might be expected in use;

further modified form of the water stop aaazoee Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 with extreme separations; and

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to a portion of either Fig. 13 or Fig. 14 showing the tighten ing of the seal upon separation of the adjacent pours of concrete.

Referring now in greater particularity to the drawings, and first to Fig. 1, there may be seen a section of a water stop generally designated by the numeral 20. The water stop comprises a web 22. This Web is designed to lie in the joint between a. pair of adjacent masses of concrete as hereinafter will be brought out. The web generally is narrower. than the corresponding masses of concrete (it often is much narrower), although it is within the contemplation of the invention that the web might be as wide as the concrete masses. in the specific form of the invention shown in the drawings the web is on the order of four inches in width, although the width may be substantially less than this, or might be as great as several feet. The length of the web generally would be measured in feet, and most conveniently would probably be at least a hundred feet for large installations. A plurality of spaced ribs 24 projects from each of the opposite faces of the web. The ribs are parallel to one another and are spaced across the faces of the webs. The .ribs extend longitudinally of the web and are substantially coterminous therewith. Each of the ribs 24 includes a shank portion 26 joined to the web at a root 28, said root preferably being filleted. At the outer end of each rib there is provided a bulbous portion 30 having convex undersurface portions or shoulders 32, the tops or outer surfaces of the ribs being substantially flat as at 34, although the surfaces preferably are slightly rounded into the shoulders 32.

The outermost ribs both are on the same side of the web, and the convex undersurfaces or shoulders on the outer sides thereof are replaced by nailing flanges 36. The nailing flanges preferably are provided with longitudinal grooves 38 for facilitating insertion of nails, and the outer edges preferably are beveled as at 40, the beveled edges tapering out from the board engaging surfaces 42 toward the outer surfaces incorporating the nailing grooves 38.

Although the dimensions of the various parts of the water may vary within wide limits, certain relative dimensions are of extreme importance, and might be regarded as being critical. Such relative dimensions more readily will be understood following description of installation of the water stop, and the relative dimensions therefore will be set forth shortly, following a description of installation of the water stop.

It is preferable that the water stop be extruded as an integral unit of polyvinyl chloride, although it is contemplated that other methods of fabrications, and possibly other materials might be used.

The foregoing embodiment of the water stop is a preferred one when rather large separation of the adjacent concrete masses is to be expected, the reasons for this being fully set forth hereinafter. When lesser separation, for example not more than one-sixteenth inch, is to be anticipated, then the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 is to be preferred. The water stop a in Fig. 2 is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1, and similar numerals are used to identify similar parts with the addition of the suffix a. The water stop 20a includes a web 22a of generally the same dimensions heretofore noted. Ribs 24a extend longitudinally of the web in spaced apart parallelismand on opposite sides of the web. The ribs differ in cross section from those of the embodiment of Fig. 1, being generally dovetailed in section. They are similar to the ribs of Fig. 1 in that they are narrowest at their roots 23a where they are joined to the web, and they are of maximum dimension substantially at the outer edges thereof as at 32a. The water stop of Fig. 2 is provided with nailing flanges 4 36a having beveled outer edges 40a and having board engaging surfaces 42a. The water stop of Fig. 2 is provided over its entire surface with longitudinally extending corrugations 44. These corrugations afford locking with the concrete poured about the water stop, and further provide an increased length tortuous seepage path as hereinafter will be brought out. It will be apparent that no nail receiving grooves are necessary in the nailing flanges of the water stop of Fig. 2 in view of the corrugations which help to position and receive the nails.

An important feature of both forms of the invention heretofore shown and described, and worthy of a special notice, is the fact that the ribs on opposite sides of the webs are offset or staggered. The importance of this staggered arrangement of the ribs will be set forth hereinafter in connection with the installation and use of the water stop.

Installation of the Water stop is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 12. A form 46 of simple construction is erected. The form includes a pair of spaced walls 48 and 50 of conventional construction, preferably comprising a plurality of boards having reinforcing timbers secured against the outer surfaces thereof, and adequately braced. The form also includes an end wall 52 which also preferably comprises a board or a plurality of boards. The end wall may be set inside the side walls as in Fig. 3, or may be abutted across the ends of the side walls as in Fig. 12. The water stop 20 (or any other form thereof) is supplied in the form of a roll or coil indicated at 54, and is uncoiled against the end wall 52. When the form is a rather narrow one as in Fig. 3, the water stop 24 is installed before the second side wall 50 is erected, this side wall therefore being shown in phantom in Fig. 12. However, in other instances the end wall 52 may be quite wide asis shown in phantom in Fig. 12, and in this instance the second side wall 50 may be erected before the water stop is applied. In dam construction, it will be understood that the form might well be a great many feet in width, and accordingly the form can be completely erected, and a man can climb into it to install the water stop.

All that is necessary to install a water stop is to unroll the water stop against the end wall 52 with the board engaging surfaces 42 engaging the end wall, and the outer ends or surfaces 34 of the intermediate ribs on the same side as the nailing flange likewise engaging the end wall 52. Nails 56 are driven through the nailing flanges at spaced intervals, such as every foot or so, into the end wall. The nails are not driven all of the way in, but are left projecting an inch or two so that the nails will be embedded in the concrete and will not impose any strain on the water stop when the form is pulled away from the concrete, 'water stop, and nails. For this purpose, it is convenientto utilize double headed nails of a well known type.

After completion of the form and installation of the water stop in the manner described, concrete 58 is poured into the form, and is vibrated into place in accordance with conventional practice, the-concrete forming fingers 60 between adjacent ribs. Although the spacing between ribs generally may be on the order of about an inch, sometimes more or less, it has been found in practice that there has been no trouble with voids caused by coarse aggregates which will not enter intorthe spaces between the ribs. After the poured concrete 58 has set sufficiently into a more or less rigid mass, the form 46 is removed, simply by tearing it away from the concrete. The nails 56 are held by their heads embedded in the concrete, and thus no strain is imposed by the nails on the water stop. Furthermore, the beveled edges 40 of the nailing strips help to hold the nailing strips in proper embedded position in the concrete. A second form (not shown) then is erected at the end of the first pour or mass 58 of concrete. The second form has a pair of side walls, but has no end wall. Accordingly, when a second pour or mass anemone J 62 of concrete is poured within the second form it will flow against the end of the first pour and into the spaces between the confronting ribs of the water stop, forming concrete fingers 64 interlocked with the ribs. Although such has not been shown, it sometimes is the practice to provide steel reinforcing rodsextending across the joint 66 between the concrete pours or masses.

Ideally, the masses of concrete remain substantially in contact as in Fig. 4. However, a certain amount of opening up of the joint 66' is .to be anticipated .upon setting and curing of the concrete. The joint further may be opened by physical forces, such as water behind a dam tending to how the dam slightly outwardly. In this case, the ribs 24 remain firmly embedded in the concrete, and the web 22 assumes a zigzag shape as is shown in Fig. 13. With the joint in substantially closed position as in Fig. 4, it is possible for'water to tend to seep from one face 68, forming a broad liquid confining or working face, through the joint to the opposite face 70 along a tortuous path as indicated by the arrows 72. This path lies between the concrete and the water stop, and it will be observed that this path is extremely long relative to the distance between the faces 68 and 70. 'When the joint '66 opens up as in Fig. 13 the water more readily can pass from the face 68 to face 70 through the open spaces between the concrete masses. However, the tortuous path around the water stop and between the water stop and concrete remains substantially the same as before, and hence there is substantially no seepage througe the joint. As is indicated by the scale 74 in Fig. 13 the joint is opened up about one-half inch, and this is a maximum to be expected in most practical operating conditions.

Tests on the joint have been conducted with separations or opening up of the joint ofas much as one and onehalf inch (Fig. 14) without failure of the joint. The seepage path still remains tortuous around the ends of the ribs 24, and the tortuous nature of the paths is increased by the bulbous portions at the outer extremities of the ribs.

The bulbous portions or enlargements at the outer ends of the ribs, when combined with the shanks 26 of the ribs, provide a very important function. Thus, as shown in Fig. 15, when the joint 66 opens up and the Web 22 is pulled into a zigzag shape, the shank 26 draws down or necks, particularly in the vicinity of the root 2.5 of the rib. Thus, there is little if any retaining force between the concrete fingers tl, 64 and the ribs shanks As a result, the undersurfaces or shoulders 32 of the rib end portions 30 are wedged with great force against the corresponding portions of the concrete fingers 6t), 64, particularly in the area indicated at 76. Consequently, an unusually effective seal is effected at the areas 76. A much tighter seal is made at this position than is possible by mere casting of the concrete about any type of water stop.

It will be understood that opened up joints of the type discussed above may sometimes reclose. For in stance, if a reservoir or the like is drained for cleaning, the force of the water tending to open the joint will be gone. The water stop herein shown and disclosed simply returns to its initial position upon such reclosing. Subsequent openings and reclosings can he continued indefinitely without harm to the water stop or to the cooperating sections of the concrete masses.

Now that the installation and operation of the Water stop have been fully set forth, the significance of the important or critical relative dimensions set forth hereinafter will be appreciated- For one thing, the height of the ribs, measured from the surface of the web outwardly from the surface of the web, is always substantially equal to the spacing between the ribs. Although the maximum and minimum spacing between the ribs in the embodiment heretofore shown and described are sufliciently close to one another than either spacing may be taken for a generalization, it is specifically preferred that the height of the rib from the surface of the web to the point where the rib reaches its maximum width should be equal to the spacing between the ribs at that point. This is of importance fromseveral 'standpoints. For one thing, tensile and bending strength of concrete is not very great compared to the compressive strength of concrete. If the .ribs were to be made high relative to the spacing between them, then the concrete fingers would be too long for their widths, and would crack 013? due to tension or differential forces. On the other hand, if the ribs were made too shallow relative to their spacing, a .poor seal would result, and the ribs would pull out of the concrete. Furthermore, if the rib-s were spaced apart a great distance relative to the height of the ribs, the web between adjacent ribs would bow toward the end wall of the form upon pouring of the fluid concrete against the water stop. It will be apparent that the height of each rib is lessthan the width of the web.

The thickness of the ribs is important. More particularly, the thickness at the root, or across the shank when the side walls of the shank are parallel, is substantially equal to the thickness of the web. This thickness also is less than the thickness of the enlarged portion of each rib remote relative to the web. The height of each rib I is greater than either thickness. A relatively thick root or neck would waste material, and would not neck or draw down properly 'upon opening up of the joint. A relatively thick Web would prevent zigzagging of the web, and zigzagging of the web is necessary to relieve tensional strains on the concrete which otherwise would result in failure of the concrete fingers. In addition, a web of insufiicient thickness would deflect when the first pour was made, while ribs of insuflicient thickness would deflect to one side during the pouring of concrete, and the ribs consequently would not become properly embedded in the concrete.

It will be appreciated that the water stop must be sufficiently flexible to allow zigzagging ofthe web in the manner heretofore described, and to this end ribs on opposite sides of the web are both offset and laterally spaced. Furthermore, the web must be sufliciently stiff to prevent folding over or other displacement of the ribs during pouring of concrete. This is principally eifected by the relative dimensions just set forth, regarding the height and spacing of the rims, and regarding the thickness of the ribs and the web. In addition, the substantial equality and thickness of the rib roots and the web materially simplifies extrusion of the water stop.

Various modifications of the water step are shown in the remaining figures of the drawings. Thus, in Fig. 5 the parts are substantially identical with those in Figs. 1 and 3. Accordingly, similar numerals are used to identify similar parts, the numerals having the suflix b added to them. The water stop 20b remains identical with that of Fig. 1 except that the last pair or outermost pair of lower ribs are omitted, and the nailing flanges 36b lie in the same plane as the web 22b, rather than being displaced from the web as in Figs. 1 and 3. A slightly modified form is used in this instance. The form still includes the side walls 48b and 50b, and an end wall 52b, but in addition the form includes a pair of nailing strips '78 atfixed to the end wall 52b in spaced relation. The nailing flanges 36b lie flush against the adjacent surfaces of the nailing strips 78, and the nails 58b are passed through the flanges into the nailing strips 78. The jointbetween adjacent pour-s with this form of the invention lies almost coplanar with the web, rather than with the outer ends of the ribs on one side of the web.

Afurther modification of the water stop and of the form are illustrated in Fig. 6. The parts generally are similar, and are identified with the same numbers asiused heretofore with the addition of the sufiix c. In Fig. 6 the water stop 20c again comprises a web 22c .adaptedto lie in the joint, and a plurality of spaced, parallel .ri-bs 24c on each face thereof. The ribs in this instance comprise generally cylindrical or rod-like outer portions joined to the web by short shank or neck portions 26 Although the cross section thus is changed somewhat in appearance, it will be appreciated that the relative dimensions are retained, i.e. the shanks or neckportio'ns are substantially as thick as the web, and the minimum spacing between the ribs is substantially as great as the height of the ribs to that posit-ion. The water stop is provided with offset nailing flanges 36c, and in this instance the outer ends of the nailing flanges are not beveled. The outer ends of the nailing flanges butt against confronting edge portions of spacer strips 78c secured to the end wall 52c of the form 460, the form again including side walls 48c and S00. Portions of the form 89 used in making the second pour are shown in Fig. 7 in conjunction with the first pour 58c of Fig. 6. The offset relation of the nailing flanges and the spacer strips 780 cause the web 220 to lie substantially in the plane of the joint 66c. As is indicated at 82 there may also be steel reinforcing rods extending through the joint to limit separation thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 8 a major change has been wrought. The method of application and the forms therewith remain substantially the same as heretofore shown and described. Specifically, the nailing flanges 36d lie substantially in the plane of the web, and a form such as that shown in Fig. would be used. The ribs 24d are identical with those used in Figs. 6 and 7. The great difference lies in the web 22d, which comprises a folded over membraneproviding a pair of sheets 82 interconnected along one edge by an integral thickened, bulbous portion 84. The sheets open toward the liquid confining surface 68d, and it is of importance to note that concrete sections or fingers 86 lie between the bulbous portion of the web and the rear or outer face 70d of the concrete masses. The tortuous seepage path previously noted still is maintained about the outer surfaces of the water stop, while provision for separation is made through flexing and straightening out of the folded over bulbous portion 84. The fingers or backing up sections 86 of concrete prevent distension and rupture of the bulbous portion due to water pressure.

The Water stop 20a of Fig. 9 is identical with that of Fig. 8, except that the nailing flange 362 on the bulbous portion 842 is positioned so as to be coplanar with the space between the sheets 82a of the Web. Obviously, this will require a very slight modification of the nailing strips of the form.

The water stop 2% of Fig. 10 is similar to those of Figs. 8 and 9, except that the nailing flanges 36 are offset from the plane of the web, whereby the strip can be aflixed simply against an end board such as in the form of Fig. 3, without the necessity of any nailing boards. The tortuous seepage path remains the same, as does the flexing or unfolding characteristic of the strip upon separation of the joint. The backup projection or finger 86 of concrete again prevents distension and rupture of the bulbous portion 84 of the strip.

Fig. 11 shows the water stop of Fig. 10 with the joint 66 opened up, showing how the folded over or bulbous portion 841 pulls in or flexes to allow such opening up without imposing any substantial strain on the ribs of the water stop, or the interlocking concrete fingers of the adjacent concrete masses 58 and 62].

From the foregoing, it will be seen that an improved water stop and method of installing the same have been disclosed. The water stop provides a tortuous seepage path which is not provided by any other water stop. Considerable opening up of a joint can be tolerated without disturbing the anchorage of the water stop, and without impeding the liquid confining ability thereof. The Water stop is quickly and easily installed without the necessity of special forms or expensive carpentry or installation techniques. In fact, installation has been found in the field to be so rapid that the cost of installation is negligible. On the other hand, with conventional diaphragm type water stops the expense of installation can be expected to run well over one dollar per foot. The water stop can be extruded for a price substantially the same as, or only slightly greater than simple diaphragm type water stops. It is cheaper than certain special types of water stops. Accordingly, well over a dollar per foot can be saved by the use of the water stop herein shown and described. When it is considered than tens of thousands of feet of water stop will be used in constructing a single darn, it will be appreciated that the savings in time and money through the use of the water stop herein disclosed and claimed are literally incredible.

It is to be noted that the material of the water stop is solid or homogeneous throughout. This makes for ready extrusion of the water stop, and also imparts high tensile strength to the water stop. It will be appreciated that fillers of foamed construction as used in other arts would not be capable of resisting the tensile forces that the novel water stops herein disclosed and claimed are adapted to withstand.

' Shipping and handling of the water stop are relatively simple since the water stop can be rolled into a coil as has been discussed with regard to the installation, see Fig. 12. It is true that substantially flat, diaphragm type water stops also can be coiled, but the advantages and distinctions of the new water stop relative to such diaphragm type water stops have been brought out heretofore. Various special shapes or forms of water stops as heretofore developed and allegedly possessing certain advantages not found in diaphragm type water stops of conventional design generally are not capable of being folded into a roll in the simple manner contemplated by this invention.

The specific examples of the invention as herein shown and described are to be understood as being for illustrative purposes only. Various changes in structure will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art, and are to be understood as forming a part of the invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A substantially water-tight structure of masonry material comprising a pair of adjacent masses of such material presenting a broad liquid confining working face and having a joint between said masses substantially perpendicular to said face, and an integral water seal of plastic material sealing said joint, said seal comprising a web lying generally between said masses in said joint and substantially perpendicular to said face, said web comprising a pair of sheets integrally joined in a bulbous portion along one pair of corresponding edges, the other pair of corresponding edges being free, the bulbous portion being remotely disposed to said working face relative to said free edges, the material of at least one of said masses lying behind said bulbous portion relative to said working face to prevent swelling and bursting of said bulbous portion under water pressure, and a plurality of ribs on said web embedded in the material of said masses, the longitudinal axes of said ribs extending parallel to said working face.

2. A substantially water-tight structure of masonry material as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are provided laterally extending nailing flanges integral with and disposed longitudinally on opposite sides of. the water seal.

3. A water seal for the joint between the poured masonry material of a pair of adjacent masses of such material presenting a broad liquid confining working face, and comprising an integral strip of flexible material for sealing said joint, said seal comprising a web lying between said masses of said joint and substantially perpendicular to said face, said web being coextensive in enemaslength with the joint, and a plurality of elongated ribs on opposite sides of said joint, said web being ofJaZlen'gth substantially greater than the width thereof transversely of said ribs, said ribs being coextensive in length with said web and each rib including a neck joined to said web and an enlargement at the end of said neck remote from said web, said ribs projecting from the web a distance less than the width of the web and relatively closely spaced across the width of the web, and being flexible with the web upon relative separation of the masses but having sufiicient inherent rigidity to extend into the poured material without folding thereof during pouring of the material and to be retained therein upon transverse joint separation, the longitudinal axes of said ribs extending substantially parallel to said working face whereby said web and said ribs provide a tortuous seepage path between said water seal and said masses, and nailing flanges integral with the web and positioned along the longitudinal edges thereof, said nailing flanges lying in a substantially common plane offset from the plane of said web and adapted for securing to a form during pouring of the material for sealing a group of ribs on one side of the web against the material being poured alongthe other side of the web.

4. A water stop of flexible material comprising an elongated web adapted to lie in a joint between adjacent masses of poured masonry material and having a pair of opposite faces adapted to engage such masses, and a plurality of ribs integral therewith, said ribs lying in the direction of the length of said web and being longitudinally substantially coextensive therewith, there being a plurality of parallel ribs in spaced relation to one another on each of said faces and adapted to extend into masses 8. A structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the height of each rib is substantially equal to the spacing between the ribs, and wherein the thickness of each neck is substantially equal to the thickness of the web.

'9. The process of joining a pair of adjacent poured masses of masonry with a water seal of flexible material comprising a web and a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs on each side thereof, said ribs being coextensive in length with said web and each rib having a neck joined to the web and an enlargement at the end of the neck remote from said web, said process comprising erecting a form having a plurality of vertical walls for receiving one of said masses, securing such a water seal in vertical position against one vertical wall of said form with the ribs on one side of said web butting against said one wall and the web spaced from said one wall and the ribs on the other side projecting into the space within said form, said ribs lying parallel to and said web normal to a wall defining an intended liquid confining face of said masses, pouring masonry material in fluid condition into said form against said web and between the ribs projecting into the space between the ribs to form said first mass with the water seal partially embedded therein while maintaining the web spaced from said one wall, removing said form after solidifying of said first mass, erecting a second form opening against the first mass and the water seal partially embedded therein, pouring masonry material in fluid condition into said second form against the first mass and against the web and between the ribs previously butting against the wall of the first form to form the second mass with the water seal partially embedded therein, and removing the second form after solidifying of said second mass.

width is substantially equal to the spacing between ribs I at that point.

6. A water stop as set forth in claim 4 wherein the thickness of each rib neck is substantially equal to the thickness of said rib.

7. A substantially water-tight structure of poured masonry material comprising a pair of adjacent masses of such material presenting a broad liquid confining working face and having a joint between said masses substantially perpendicular to said face, and an integral water seal of flexible material sealing said joint, said seal comprising a web lying between said masses in said joint and substantially perpendicular to said face, said web being coextensive in length with the joint, and a plurality of ribs on opposite sides of the joint extending into said masses, said ribs being coextensive in length with said web and each rib including a neck joined to said web and an enlargement at the end of said neck remote from said web, the ribs on opposite sides of the joint being laterally spaced in offset relation whereby the web is flexed into a zigzag shape upon separation of the masses 10. The process of joining poured masses of masonry material as set forth in claim 9 wherein the step of securing the water seal to the wall of the first form comprises driving nails part way through the water seal into said wall whereby the heads of the nails become embedded in the first mass.

11. The process of joining poured masses of masonry material as set forth in claim 10 wherein the strip includes nailing flanges positioned laterally outwardly of a group of ribs and wherein the nails are driven through said nailing flanges.

12. A water seal for the joint between the poured masonry material of a pair of adjacent masses of such material presenting a broad liquid confining working face, and comprising an integral strip of flexible material for sealing said joint, said seal comprising a web lying between said masses of said joint and substantially perpendicular to said face, said web being coextensive in length with the joint, and elongated rib means on opposite sides of said joint, said web being of a length substantially greater than the width thereof transversely of said rio means, said rib means being coextensive in length with said web and said rib means including necks joined to said web and enlargements at the ends of said necks remote from said web, said rib means projecting from the web a distance less than the width of the web and being flexible with the web upon relative separation of the masses but having sufiicient inherent rigidity to extend into the poured material without folding thereof during pouring of the material and to be retained therein upon transverse joint separation, the longitudinal axes of said rib means extending substantially parallel to said working face, and nailing flanges integral with the web and positioned along the longitudinal edges thereof, said nailing flanges lying in a. substantially common plane offset from the plane of said Web and adapted for securing to a form 11 12 during pouring of the material for sealing the rib means 2,139,851 Roberts Dec. 13, 1938 on one side of the web against the material being poured 2,228,052 Gardner J an. 7, 1941 along the other side Of the web. 2,277,449 Paine Mar. 24, 1942 2,282,829 Schurman May 12, 1942 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2,321,0 7 wi June 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTS r 1,561,518 Graham ..,Nov.,17,-1 925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0o 2,93? ,065 May 17 1960 Leroy Har-za et al..

It is herebj certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 45, after "water" insert stop column 5 line 29, for "thr0uge read through column 6 line 4L6 for "rims" read ribs -0 Signed and sealed this 1st day of November 1960 0 Atitesi;

mm, 1-18 AXLINE Aitesting Officer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents

Images