Patent Application
20190032693
This invention relates to tools for setting expansion anchors. Specifically, it relates to tools for use in a hammer drill to set expansion anchors more effectively and safely than the hand tools currently used.
BACKGROUND
During the construction process, various setting devices are used to install anchors into rigid materials, i.e., concrete, masonry, stone and like materials. During installation of the anchor, an appropriately sized hole is drilled to an appropriate depth into the rigid material, usually with a hammer drill, the hole cleaned, the drill set aside, the anchor placed on the end of a hand setting tool and the anchor set in place by striking the tool with a hammer. This is an awkward, tiring and often unsafe practice, especially when the anchors are being set overhead, the ladder or other support is unstable and the worker is tired. Therefore, a need exists for a setting device that is capable of eliminating the need to switch from one tool to another during the anchor setting process.
The nature and use of drop in anchors as well as the desirability of having a better means of setting them is well described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,974,163B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,814,631B2, the Background sections of each being incorporated herein by reference. SUMMARY
Attachment to concrete and the like is most often accomplished with special expansion anchors called “Drop In” anchors. These so called “Drop In” anchors are devices used to attach items to solid surfaces such as concrete, masonry, stone and like materials. Anchors are cylindrical devices essentially wedged into holes in the concrete and which usually have internal female bolt threads into which bolts are placed for attachment of hangers and the like. These internally-threaded, deformation-controlled expansion anchors have a preassembled expander plug, suitable for flush mount applications in solid base materials.
The anchor is “set” by driving the expansion plug located in the annular space of the anchor towards the bottom of the anchor using the setting tool. These anchors generally have cylindrical metal bodies, an internal threaded section at one end, an internal setting plug (expansion plug), and a tapered slit at the opposite end. With the anchor in place in an appropriate drill hole in the rigid material, the tapered (tapered toward the slit end) setting plug is driven forward toward into the slit end causing it to expand and “set” (wedge) the anchor against the sides of the hole to lock it into place. The setting plug is customarily driven into place with a hand tool and hammered in. Since drop in anchors are often placed overhead, as in building beams for attachment of wiring, plumping, ceiling support, and the like, setting the anchor with a hand tool can be awkward and tiresome.
The holes for drop in anchors are customarily drilled with rotary hammer drills. Hammer drills are well suited for drilling holes in masonry or stone. They are also used to drill holes in concrete footings to pin concrete wall forms and to drill holes in concrete floors to pin wall framing. The hammering action helps to break up the masonry so that it can be removed by the drill bit's flutes. A hammer drill, is also known as a rotary hammer, roto-hammer or impact drill, is a rotary drill with a hammering action. The hammering action provides a short, rapid hammer thrust to pulverize relatively brittle material and provide quicker drilling with less effort. Lower power units are usually titled as hammer drills. Higher power units, usually labeled rotary hammers, tend to be larger and provide bigger impact forces. Modern units allow the hammer and rotation functions to be used separately or in combination, i.e., hammer mode, drill mode, or both.
Drop-in anchors come in five sizes, ¼″, ⅜″, ½″, ⅝″, ¾″. The size of the anchor reflects the diameter of the threaded rod or bolt that can be inserted into the anchor, thus the hole to be drilled is larger than anchor size. The anchor size is designated by the inside diameter of the anchor. The diameter of the hole to be drilled is the same size as the outside diameter of the anchor. For example, a ¼″ drop in anchor requires a ⅜″ hole.
The present invention provides a setting device that is driven by the hammer drill, thus eliminating the need to switch from one tool (hammer drill) to a separate hand setting tool. The advantages of the rotary drill adapted setting tool of this invention includes allowing the use of one hand operation (rather than two needed for the hand tool), it sets the anchors deeper, better and faster, e.g., with a three (3) second push of the rotary drill rather than ten swings with a ten (10) pound hammer. This tool allows a more stable manual position for the worker and can thus be used by any applicator on any job site, by younger, older, disabled, or inexperienced workers.
This invention is an expansion anchor setting tool that is attachable to and driven by a hammer drill. It is a device for setting expansion anchors comprising; an elongate rod, having a proximal end, a center section and a distal end. The proximal end and the center section have an effective diameter of a given expansion anchor and the distal end is of reduced effective diameter to fit inside the open center space of the given expansion anchor. The elongate rod comprises three distinct sections: the hammer drill chuck receiving end (proximal end), a center section and the setting tool section (distal end). In one embodiment, these sections are a single rod in which the sections are fashioned to accomplish the required functions.
The distal, anchor setting end 16, like the drill chuck end, has a constrained configuration. It is configured to mate with the expansion anchor face and opening to which it is to be applied.
The dimensions for varying commercial expansion anchors (from one manufacturer) are shown in Table 1.
The dimensions in Table 1 are from one manufacturer, and are not intended to be limiting. Other anchors may be of shorter or longer length and/or other dominions. The setting end 16, will have an effective diameter, or be dimensioned to fit into a bolt hole of the expansion bolts, as for example those in Table 1.
In another embodiment, at least the distal setting end can be magnetized. This will help to releasably connect the anchor to the setting tool. The magnetized end will be effective for those expandable bolts that are iron or steel. Even those of stainless or other nonmagnetic material may have an iron plug that can magnetically link to the magnetized setting end of the tool.
The detachable member may be magnetized to assist in holding the expandable bolt on the tool while it is being placed in the anchor hole. The magnetized end will be effective for those expandable bolts that are iron or steel. Even those of stainless or other nonmagnetic material may have an iron plug that will magnetically link to the magnetized setting end of the tool. The body 12 may also be magnetized with an opposite polarity as the setting member so that there is a stronger bond between the member and body.
In general, material useful for drills and punches such as hardened steel will be preferred for cost effectiveness and durability. The term hardened steel is often used for a medium or high carbon steel that has been given the heat treatments of quenching followed by tempering. However other materials are also suitable and may be used especially for special applications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
The anchor is “set” by driving the expansion plug located in the annular space of the anchor towards the bottom of the anchor using the setting tool. Since drop in anchors are often placed overhead, as in building beams for attachment of wiring, conduit, plumbing, ductwork, HVAC piping, ceiling support, and the like, setting the anchor with a hand tool can be awkward, tiresome, unsafe and in some cases, does not allow the anchor to be set at all if scissor lift safety precautions are met. The scissor lift is built with a work platform, mid rail and top rail. These guard rails are not to be stood on and are there to ensure that worker does not fall out. However, there are instances when the scissor lift cannot be raised any higher to the bottom of the concrete structure, of which an operator need to comfortably reach to set the anchor using both left and right hands. Instances when the scissor lift height is limited out include situations when systems like plumbing, ductwork, ceiling support, etc., are already hung and supported by hangers. An operator cannot raise the scissor lift through these systems. Also, due to things like housekeeping concrete pads on the ground, an operator may not be able to drive the scissor lift directly under the location of where an operator needs to drill the hole and set the anchor. Both situations happen regularly and puts the worker in a situation where he/she has to reach over the top railing outside of the scissor lift boundary and step on the mid rail of the scissor lift in order to use both hands to set the anchor one hand holding the set tool with anchor and the other holding a sledge hammer. This practice of stepping on the mid/top guard rail is unsafe and considered illegal on a most jobsites.
With the invention disclosed herein, this unsafe job can become a lot safer. Instead of reaching out over the top rail swinging a hammer approximately 10 times for every anchor, the operator will be able to use one hand holding the hammer drill with the invention attached. The other free hand could be utilized for holding onto the top rail for extra support. For balance purposes, it is safer and less awkward to reach furthest with one hand than it is reaching with two. An operator can reach out far with his right hand holding the hammer drill keeping his weight on his right foot while holding onto the top rail with his left hand.
Step by step usage of the tool starts by identifying the size anchor that needs to be set. Once the size anchor is determined then an operator gathers the hammer drill and drill bit/expansion anchor set tool of the necessary size. Once the desired location of the hole/anchor is determined, the operator can then set the hammer drill into “drill” mode and ensure that the appropriate drill bit is inserted into the chuck of the drill for use. The operator can then safely drill the hole to the desired depth, and then replace/switch the drill bit in the chuck of the hammer drill so the set tool portion of the tool can be utilized. At this point it is not necessary to switch the hammer drill to “hammer” mode but can be if preferred. Next, the operator can place the appropriately sized anchor onto the tip (e.g., piece 16 of
While the invention has been particularly shown and described as referenced to the embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
