DOWEL SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting a level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element, the apparatus including a dowel for transferring load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element and a dowel support for supporting the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete, wherein the dowel support is formed of corrosion free material.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present application claims priority to and the benefit of Australian Patent Application No. 2021221651, filed Aug. 25, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a dowel system for supporting a concrete panel in alignment with an adjacent concrete panel and, more specifically, but not exclusively, to a dowel system for use in residential pavements.

BACKGROUND

It has been previously proposed to provide a dowel system for supporting a concrete element in line with an adjacent concrete element. In particular, it has been proposed to provide a dowel system for maintaining vertical alignment of adjacent panels in a concrete residential pavement for pedestrians. The dowel system may be provided to prevent one concrete element rising relative to an adjacent concrete element which may result in a tripping hazard for pedestrians.

However, there are various disadvantages with existing dowel systems as partially explained below.

Examples of the present disclosure seek to obviate or at least ameliorate one or more disadvantages of existing dowel systems. Examples of the present disclosure provide an improved dowel system for supporting a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for supporting a level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element. The apparatus includes a dowel for transferring load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element and a dowel support for supporting the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete, wherein the dowel support is formed of corrosion free material.

Preferably, the dowel support is formed of plastic material. More preferably, the dowel support is formed by plastic injection moulding.

In a preferred form, the dowel support includes at least one resilient clip for resiliently receiving the dowel for supporting the dowel relative to the casting bed. More preferably, the dowel support includes a foot arranged to extend along a surface of the casting bed and an arm extending upwardly from the foot to support the clip. Even more preferably, the dowel support includes a series of spaced arms at spaced intervals along a longitudinal axis of the foot.

Preferably, the apparatus includes a pair of like dowel supports and a plurality of dowels, each of the dowels extending between the pair of dowel supports. More preferably, each of the dowels is supported in an orientation substantially parallel to the casting bed.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an assembly for supporting a level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element. The assembly includes a dowel for transferring load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element, a first dowel support for supporting the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete, and a second dowel support for supporting the dowel relative to the casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete, wherein the first dowel support and the second dowel support are formed as like parts.

Preferably, the first dowel support supports a first end portion of the dowel, and the second dowel supports at ports a second end portion of the dowel. More preferably, the first dowel support includes a resilient support portion for receiving the first end portion of the dowel and the second dowel support includes a resilient support portion for receiving the second end portion of the dowel.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for supporting the level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element. The apparatus includes a dowel for transferring load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element and a dowel support for supporting the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete. The dowel support includes a foot and a plurality of cradles for supporting the dowel, each of the cradles being positioned at a different height relative to the foot for interchangeably supporting the dowel at a different height relative to the casting bed.

Preferably, the dowel support includes the plurality of cradles at different heights corresponding to predetermined dowel heights for different pavement slab sizes. More preferably, the dowel support includes three cradles at heights of 100 mm, 125 mm, and 155 mm relative to the casting bed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred example of the present disclosure will be described, by way of a non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a pair of dowels supported by a pair of dowel cradles, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows for dowels supported by a pair of dowel cradles in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a dowel supported by a pair of dowel cradles across a joint of concrete elements;

FIG. 4 shows detail of an arm of a dowel cradle;

FIG. 5 shows a pair of dowels and a pair of dowel cradles, prior to assembly;

FIG. 6 shows detail of a dowel end supported by a dowel cradle;

FIG. 7 shows a linkage of two dowel cradles to form a longer dowel cradle length;

FIG. 8 shows detail of a dowel supported at each end by a separate dowel cradle;

FIG. 9 shows a range of mounting heights for a dowel when supported by the dowel cradle; and

FIG. 10 shows perspective views of variations in density of dowel locations along lengths of dowel cradles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the features, devices, and apparatus described herein may be embodied in various forms, the drawings show, and the specification describe certain exemplary and non-limiting embodiments. Not all of the components shown in the drawings and described in the specification may be required, and certain implementations may include additional, different, or fewer components. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components; the shapes, sizes, and materials of the components; and the manners of connections of the components may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims. Unless otherwise indicated, any directions referred to in the specification reflect the orientations of the components shown in the corresponding drawings and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Further, terms that refer to mounting methods, such as mounted, attached, connected, and the like, are not intended to be limited to direct mounting methods but should be interpreted broadly to include indirect and operably mounted, attached, connected and like mounting methods. This specification is intended to be taken as a whole and interpreted in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure and as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 of the drawings, there is shown an example embodiment of the present disclosure including a dowel 10 and a pair of dowel cradles 12. Disadvantages with various existing dowel systems may include that the dowel systems may be prone to corrosion, inconvenient/expensive to transport, and/or difficult to adjust. Advantageously, the dowel system of the present disclosure addresses one or more of these disadvantages of existing dowel systems.

Accordingly, in the example embodiment of the present disclosure depicted in FIGS. 1 to 10, there is provided an apparatus 14 for supporting a level of a concrete element 16 (see FIG. 3) relative to an adjacent concrete element 18. The apparatus 14 includes a dowel 10 for transferring load from the concrete element 16 to the adjacent concrete element 18 and a dowel support 12 for supporting the dowel 10 relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete. The dowel support 12 is formed of corrosion-free material. As shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus 14 may be used in conjunction with a crack inducer 36, used for inducing a crack at a desired location to define the concrete elements 16 and 18.

In the example shown, the dowel support 12 is formed of plastic material such that the dowel support 12 will not corrode. The dowel support 12 may be formed by plastic injection moulding.

The dowel support 12 includes at least one resilient clip 20 (see FIG. 4) for resiliently receiving the dowel 10 for supporting the dowel 10 relative to the casting bed. The dowel support 12 may include a foot 22 arranged to extend along a surface of the casting bed and an arm 24 extending upwardly from the foot 22 to support the clip 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the dowel support 12 may include a series of spaced arms 24 at spaced intervals along a longitudinal axis of the foot 22.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 10, the apparatus 14 may include a pair of like dowel supports 12 and a plurality of dowels 10, each of the dowels 10 extending between the pair of dowel supports 12. Each of the dowels 10 may be supported in an orientation substantially parallel to the casting bed. This orientation is clearly shown in the end view of FIG. 3 where the dowel 10 is supported in a horizontal orientation parallel to the horizontal casting bed on which the concrete elements 16 and 18 have been cast.

Another aspect provides an assembly 26 including a dowel 10 when assembled together with a pair of dowel supports 12. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 10, there is provided an assembly 26 for supporting a level of a concrete element 16 relative to an adjacent concrete element 18. The assembly 26 includes a dowel 10 for transferring load from the concrete element 16 to the adjacent concrete element 18, a first dowel support 12a and a second dowel support 12b. The first dowel support 12a is arranged for supporting one end portion of the dowel 10 relative to the casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete, and the second dowel support 12b is arranged for supporting an opposite end portion of the dowel 10 relative to the casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete. The first dowel support 12a and the second dowel support 12b are formed as like parts. In particular, the first dowel support 12a and the second dowel support 12b may be formed as identical castings is from a common mould through a process of plastic injection moulding.

The first dowel support 12a supports a first end portion 28 of the dowel 10 and the second dowel support 12b supports a second end portion 30 of the dowel 10. The first dowel support 12a includes a resilient support portion 32 for receiving the first end portion 28 of the dowel 10 and the second dowel support 12b includes a resilient support portion 32 for receiving the second end portion 30 of the dowel 10.

In another aspect, there is provided an apparatus 14 which facilitates adjustability of a height of the dowel 10 above the casting surface. More specifically, there is provided an apparatus 14 for supporting a level of a concrete element 16 relative to an adjacent concrete element 18, the apparatus 14 including a dowel 10 for transferring load from the concrete element 16 to the adjacent concrete element 18. The apparatus 14 also includes a dowel support 12 for supporting the dowel 10 relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete. The dowel support 12 includes a foot 22 and a plurality of cradles 34 (see FIG. 9) for supporting the dowel 10. Each of the cradles 34 is positioned at a different height relative to the foot 22 for interchangeably supporting the dowel 10 at a different height relative to the casting bed. Each of the cradles 34 is positioned at a different longitudinal axis.

Advantageously, the dowel support 12 includes the plurality of cradles 34 at different heights corresponding to predetermined dowel heights for different pavement slab sizes. For example, in the example depicted in FIG. 9, the dowel support 12 includes three cradles—a first cradle 34a at a height of 100 mm, a second cradle 34b at a height of 125 mm and third cradle 34c at a height of 155 mm relative to the casting bed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the dowel support 12 may be provided at either end with a coupling 38 so that one dowel support 12 is able to be interlinked with another like dowel support 12 to form a longer length of dowel supports, for example where a plurality of dowel supports 12 are required to span a width of a pavement being laid.

Corrosion Free Dowel Cradle

Advantageously, examples of the present disclosure may be useful in providing a corrosion-free dowel and support cage construction. Further advantageous features may include the following:

• • Accurate and consistent dowel centres over a long run (up to 4 m).
  • Freestanding chaired construction to suit 100 mm, 125 mm and 150 mm slab heights. Dowels positioned at half the slab height.
  • Causes no restraint but allows for contraction from concrete shrinkage at a pour through joint.
  • Open profile with larger apertures to avoid crack induction and to allow good flow of aggregate up to 20 mm.

Modular Flat Pack Construction (Clip Together Onsite)

By virtue of the easy assembly facilitated by the straightforward coupling of the dowel 10 to the dowel supports 12, examples of the present disclosure may provide the following advantageous features:

• • Flat-pack components which can be assembled onsite by installer.
  • Clip together assembly functionality without fasteners or welding.
  • Securely holds dowels in place and at a level during concrete pour.
  • Modular length which can be joined in a chain to create larger runs of dowels.
  • Simple to cut to in-fill lengths if required.

Multiple Configuration Dowel Placement

By virtue of the easy variability in height of the dowel 10 courtesy of the cradles 34 being at a range of heights, examples of the present disclosure may provide the following advantageous features:

• • Standardised multiple slab height chair for all three required pavement slab sizes (100 mm, 125 mm and 150 mm).
  • Possibility of having multifunctional dowel centre placement options (for example 150, 300, 450 or 600).
  • Possibility of having different dowel sizes for different slab heights.
  • Possibility to suit different dowel lengths.

While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

LIST OF NUMBERED FEATURES

• Dowel 10
• Dowel support/cradle 12
• First dowel support 12a
• Second dowel support 12b
• Apparatus 14
• Concrete element 16
• Adjacent concrete element 18
• Resilient clip 20
• Foot 22
• Arm 24
• Assembly 26
• First end portion 28
• Second end portion 30
• Resilient support portion 32
• Cradle 34
• First cradle 34a
• Second cradle 34b
• Third cradle 34c
• Crack inducer 36

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting a level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element, the apparatus comprising: a dowel configured to transfer a load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element; anda dowel support configured to support the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete element and the adjacent concrete element, wherein the dowel support is formed of corrosion free material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dowel support is formed of plastic material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the dowel support is formed by plastic injection moulding.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dowel support includes at least one resilient clip configured to resiliently receive the dowel to support the dowel relative to the casting bed.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the dowel support includes a foot arranged to extend along a surface of the casting bed and an arm extending upwardly from the foot to support the clip.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dowel support includes a series of spaced arms at spaced intervals along a longitudinal axis of the foot.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes a pair of like dowel supports and a plurality of dowels, each of the dowels configured to extend between the pair of dowel supports.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the dowels is supportable by the dowel supports in an orientation substantially parallel to the casting bed.

9. An assembly for supporting a level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element, the assembly comprising: a dowel configured to transfer a load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element;a first dowel support configured to support the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete element and the adjacent concrete element; anda second dowel support configured to support the dowel relative to the casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete element and the adjacent concrete element.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the first dowel support is configured to support a first end portion of the dowel and the second dowel support is configured to support a second end portion of the dowel.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the first dowel support includes a resilient support portion configured to receive the first end portion of the dowel and the second dowel support includes a resilient support portion configured to receive the second end portion of the dowel.

12. An apparatus for supporting a level of a concrete element relative to an adjacent concrete element, the apparatus comprising: a dowel configured to transfer a load from the concrete element to the adjacent concrete element; anda dowel support configured to support the dowel relative to a casting bed prior to pouring of the concrete element and the adjacent concrete element, wherein the dowel support includes a foot and a plurality of cradles each configured to support the dowel, each of the cradles being positioned at a different height relative to the foot to interchangeably support the dowel at a different height relative to the casting bed.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the dowel support includes the plurality of cradles at different heights.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the dowel support includes three cradles at heights of 100 mm, 125 mm, and 155 mm relative to the casting bed.