CLAMP ANCHORAGE WITH LOCKING NUT AND BOLT COVERS

Abstract

The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers is similar to a conventional clamp anchorage, but with additional first and second locking plates. A plurality of first and second covers each have a head portion and a shaft. Each of the shafts has a cavity defined therein. The shafts of the plurality of first covers are respectively received within a plurality of first openings in the first locking plate such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of first covers receives a respective bolt head. The shafts of the plurality of second covers are respectively received within a plurality of second openings in the second locking plate such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of second covers receives a respective nut. The first and second covers may be made of a non-corrosive material.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field

The disclosure of the present patent application relates to the anchoring of structural members, such as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plates, rods and the like, and particularly to a clamp anchorage for structural members which locking covers for the nuts and bolts of the anchorage.

Description of Related Art

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are a widely used alternative for the new construction, rehabilitation, retrofitting, and strengthening of aging steel and concrete structures. For FRPs to achieve a higher utilization efficiency, prestressing is used to effectively increase structural performance, such as the flexural performance of bending members. The resistance to fatigue of the strengthened structures with prestressed FRPs can be enhanced as well. Applying reliable anchors to maintain the stress in the prestressed FRPs is a requisite for increasing the structural performance and obtaining a higher utilization of FRPs. Thus, there is a great deal of interest in developing anchors for gripping FRPs.

A common type of mechanical anchor for FRP plates and rods is the clamp anchorage. FIG. 2 illustrates a typical conventional clamp anchorage 100, shown here anchoring a FRP plate 102. The clamp anchorage 100 includes a pair of clamp plates 104, 106 which strongly clamp the FRP plate 102 between them with bolts 108 and corresponding nuts 110. Clamp plates 104 are typically made from steel or the like. Although clamp plates 104 can be made from, or may be coated with, a corrosion-resistant material, the bolts 108 and nuts 110 are typically conventional bolts and nuts and, as such, are susceptible to corrosion. Additionally, as can be seen in FIG. 2, because the bolts 108 and nuts 110 project outwardly from their respective clamp plates 104, 106, they are subject to loosening or unfastening through unintended application of external forces or stresses.

Thus, a clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY

The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers is similar to a conventional clamp anchorage for fiber-reinforced polymer plates, rods and the like, but with an additional set of locking plates and covers for the heads of the bolts and the nuts. The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers includes first and second clamp plates each having a plurality of passages formed therethrough. The first and second clamp plates are adapted for clamping a structural element, such as a fiber-reinforced polymer plate, rod or the like, therebetween. A plurality of bolts are respectively received by the plurality of passages formed through the first and second clamp plates for securing the first and second clamp plates together. A corresponding plurality of nuts secure the plurality of bolts within the plurality of passages to securely clamp the structural element between the first and second clamp plates.

A first locking plate has a plurality of first openings formed therethrough and is adapted for covering the first clamp plate such that heads of the plurality of bolts are respectively received within the plurality of first openings. Similarly, a second locking plate has a plurality of second openings formed therethrough and is adapted for covering the second clamp plate such that the plurality of nuts are respectively received within the plurality of second openings. A plurality of first covers is provided, each having a head portion and a shaft. Each of the shafts of the plurality of first covers has a cavity defined therein. The shafts of the plurality of first covers are respectively received within the plurality of first openings such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of first covers receives a respective one of the heads of the plurality of bolts. Similarly, a plurality of second covers is provided, each having a head portion and a shaft. Each of the shafts of the plurality of second covers has a cavity defined therein. The shafts of the plurality of second covers are respectively received within the plurality of second openings such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of second covers receives a respective one of the nuts.

The plurality of first openings and the plurality of second openings may each be circular, and the shafts of the plurality of first covers and the shafts of the plurality of second covers may each be cylindrical. If the shafts have diameters which are approximately equal to the diameters of the respective openings, the heads of the bolts and the nuts can each be locked in place through the frictional engagement of the shafts and their respective openings. The plurality of first covers and the plurality of second covers may be made of a non-corrosive material, such as stainless steel or the like, to protect the heads of the bolts and the nuts from corrosion.

These and other features of the present subject matter will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional prior art clamp anchorage.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers with first and second covers removed.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a first cover of the clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of a second cover of the clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers 10 is similar to the conventional clamp anchorage 100 of FIG. 2, but with an additional set of locking plates 26, 28 and covers 22, 24 for the heads of the bolts and the nuts 18, 20, respectively. As best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers 10 includes first and second clamp plates 14, 16, respectively, each having a plurality of passages formed therethrough. The first and second clamp plates 14, 16 are adapted for clamping a structural element 12, such as a fiber-reinforced polymer plate, rod or the like, therebetween. A plurality of bolts 18 are respectively received by the plurality of passages formed through the first and second clamp plates 14, 16 for securing the first and second clamp plates 14, 16 together. A corresponding plurality of nuts 20 secure the plurality of bolts 18 within the plurality of passages to securely clamp the structural element 12 between the first and second clamp plates 14, 16. It should be understood that the shape, relative dimension and overall configuration of each of the first and second clamp plates 14, 16 are shown for exemplary purposes only. Similarly, it should be understood that the number and positioning of bolts 18 and nuts 20 are shown for exemplary purposes only. Further, it should be understood that first and second clamp plates 14, 16 may be adapted for clamping any suitable type of structural element and that the fiber-reinforced polymer plate 12 is shown for exemplary purposes only.

A first locking plate 26 has a plurality of first openings 30 formed therethrough and is adapted for covering the first clamp plate 14 such that heads of the plurality of bolts 18 are respectively received within the plurality of first openings 30, as best seen in FIG. 4. Similarly, a second locking plate 28 has a plurality of second openings 32 formed therethrough and is adapted for covering the second clamp plate 16 such that the plurality of nuts 20 are respectively received within the plurality of second openings 32. It should be understood that the shape, relative dimension and overall configuration of each of the first and second locking plates 26, 28 are shown for exemplary purposes only.

A plurality of first covers 22 and a plurality of second covers 24 are provided. FIGS. 5A and 5B show a first cover 22, however, it should be understood that second covers 24 are configured similarly. Each first cover 22 (and each second cover 24) has a head portion 34 and a shaft 36, as shown. As shown in FIG. 5B, each of the shafts 36 has a cavity 38 defined therein. The shafts 36 of the plurality of first covers 22 are respectively received within the plurality of first openings 30 such that the cavity 38 formed in each of the shafts 36 receives a respective one of the heads of the plurality of bolts 18. Similarly, the shafts of the plurality of second covers 24 are respectively received within the plurality of second openings 32 such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of second covers 24 receives a respective one of the nuts 20. In FIG. 5B, cavity 38 is shown as having a hexagonal contour for receiving and mating with a hexagonal head of a bolt 18. It should be understood that the hexagonal bolt heads (and corresponding hexagonal nuts 20) are shown for exemplary purposes only, and that the heads of bolts 18 and the nuts 20 may have any suitable contouring and relative dimensions. It should be further understood that the cavities formed in the shafts of the first and second covers 22, 24 can have any corresponding suitable contouring and relative dimensions for receiving, and mating with, the heads of bolts 18 and the nuts 20, respectively.

The plurality of first openings 30 and the plurality of second openings 32 may each be circular, as shown, and the shafts of the plurality of first covers 22 and the shafts of the plurality of second covers 24 may each be cylindrical. If the shafts have diameters which are approximately equal to the diameters of the respective openings 30, 32, the heads of the bolts 18 and the nuts 20 can each be locked in place through the frictional engagement of the shafts and their respective openings. It should be understood that the first and second openings 30, 32 may have any suitable contouring, and that the shafts of the first and second covers 22, 24 may be appropriately contoured to fit therein. The plurality of first covers 22 and the plurality of second covers 24 may be made of a non-corrosive material, such as stainless steel or the like, to protect the heads of the bolts 18 and the nuts 20 from corrosion. As shown in FIG. 1, when the first and second covers 22, 24 are in place, the bolts 18 and the nuts 20 are completely covered and protected from the environment. Additionally, the frictional engagement between the shafts of the first and second covers 22, 24 and the respective openings 30, 32, along with the secure engagement between the first covers 22 and the heads of bolts 18 and the second covers 24 and the nuts 20, secures the first and second locking plates 26, 28 in place with respect to the first and second clamp plates 14, 16.

It is to be understood that the clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. A clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers, comprising: first and second clamp plates each having a plurality of passages formed therethrough, the first and second clamp plates being adapted for clamping a structural element therebetween;a plurality of bolts respectively received by the plurality of passages formed through the first and second clamp plates for securing the first and second clamp plates together;a plurality of nuts for securing the plurality of bolts within the plurality of passages to securely clamp the structural element between the first and second clamp plates;a first locking plate having a plurality of first openings formed therethrough, the first locking plate being adapted for covering the first clamp plate such that heads of the plurality of bolts are respectively received within the plurality of first openings;a second locking plate having a plurality of second openings formed therethrough, the second locking plate being adapted for covering the second clamp plate such that the plurality of nuts are respectively received within the plurality of second openings;a plurality of first covers each having a head portion and a shaft, each of the shafts of the plurality of first covers having a cavity defined therein, the shafts of the plurality of first covers being respectively received within the plurality of first openings such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of first covers receives a respective one of the heads of the plurality of bolts; anda plurality of second covers each having a head portion and a shaft, each of the shafts of the plurality of second covers having a cavity defined therein, the shafts of the plurality of second covers being respectively received within the plurality of second openings such that the cavity formed in each of the shafts of the plurality of second covers receives a respective one of the nuts.

2. The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first openings and the plurality of second openings are each circular.

3. The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers as recited in claim 2, wherein the shafts of the plurality of first covers and the shafts of the plurality of second covers are each cylindrical.

4. The clamp anchorage with locking nut and bolt covers as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first covers and the plurality of second covers are each made of a non-corrosive material.