High tensile tie rod connector

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6561723
  • Patent Number
    6,561,723
  • Date Filed
    Monday, January 31, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 13, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A high tensile rod connector is provided that includes a first section having an internally threaded surface and a second section having an internally threaded surface. The threads of the first section mate with the threads of the second section. A pair of first flanges is rigidly coupled to the first section and extends outwardly therefrom. Similarly, a pair of second flanges is rigidly coupled to the second section. A series of bolts extends from the first flanges to the second flanges. The bolts are adapted to removably couple the first section to the second section. The first and second sections may be located on a damaged tie rod and secured thereto, thereby repairing the damaged tie rod without removing tension therefrom.
Description




STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT




Not Applicable.




CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS




Not Applicable.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to a connectors for use in bulkhead construction. More particularly the invention relates to tie rod connectors for use in repairing weakened or damaged tie rods without the need to cut the tie rod or remove it from service.




Certain coastal structures are classified by the functions they serve and by their structural features. Primary functional classes include seawalls, revetments, groins, jetties, breakwaters, piers, wharfs and bulkheads. A bulkhead is a structure that can be constructed parallel or nearly parallel to the shoreline and the land-sea interface. One purpose for constructing a bulkhead is to maintain the shoreline in an advanced position, as well as preventing further shoreline recession. A bulkhead acts primarily as a land retaining structure.




In a typical bulkhead, a retaining wall is constructed by anchoring steel sheeting in place. The steel sheeting extends upwardly above the surface for a desired distance. The steel sheeting may also be replaced with a series of steel columns. The steel sheeting must be properly supported in order for the bulkhead to achieve its purpose. To support the steel sheeting or the steel columns, a series of spaced, tensioned tie rods are used. The tie rods extend from the steel sheeting or columns and are typically anchored in concrete. After the tie rods are secured in the concrete and to the sheeting, they are placed in tension to support the sheeting.




After the bulkhead is constructed and put in use, the anchoring tie rods can become damaged. If a tie rod is damaged, the bulkhead can be weakened. When a tie rod is damaged, the adjacent rods are subjected to an increased load. This increased loading on adjacent tie rods increases the chances of a bulkhead failure. Therefore, when a tie rod has been damaged or weakened, it is desirable to repair the damaged rod as quickly as possible. A complete replacement of the damaged rod is an expensive and time consuming process that often involves driving temporary steel sheet piling to create a tie back.




An existing prior art coupler exists that does allow two tie rods to be connected to one another. This prior art coupled is a one-piece construction which can only be used in the initial construction of the bulkhead. Because this prior art coupler is a one piece construction, it cannot be used to repair a tie rod that is in use and that has been damaged without replacing the entire tie rod.




Therefore, a device is needed that overcomes the above drawbacks and disadvantages existing in the prior art. More particularly, a device is needed that allows repairs to be made to tie rods when the tie rods become damaged. The device needs to allow repairs to be made without completely replacing the tie rod, and without placing the adjacent tie rods under increased loads.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a high tensile tie rod connector that can be used to repair a tie rod under tension.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a high tensile tie rod connector that can be used to repair a damaged tie rod without completely replacing the entire tie rod.




To accomplish these and other related objects, a high tensile rod connector is provided that includes a first section having an internally threaded surface and a second section having an internally threaded surface. The threads of the first section mate with the threads of the second section. A pair of first flanges is rigidly coupled to the first section and extends outwardly therefrom. Similarly, a pair of second flanges is rigidly coupled to the second section. A series of bolts extends from the first flanges to the second flanges. The bolts are adapted to removably couple the first section to the second section. The first and second sections may be located on a damaged area of a tie rod and secured thereto, thereby repairing the damaged tie rod without removing tension therefrom.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a high tensile tie rod connector according to the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a top plan view of the connector of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a side elevation view of the connector of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

is a rear elevation view of the connector of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

is a front elevation view of the connector of

FIG. 1

; and





FIG. 6

is a cross sectional view taken along line


6





6


of FIG.


3


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and initially to

FIG. 1

, a high tensile tie rod connector is shown by the reference numeral


10


. Connector


10


can be formed from a variety of materials, such as carbon steel, stainless steel or any other material compatible with the tie rod to which connector


10


is attached. The materials used should, however, be of a grade equal to or greater than the composition of the tie rods to which connector


10


will be attached. Connector


10


can be manufactured by casting or by known fabrication techniques.




Connector


10


has a first section


12


and a second section


14


. Sections


12


and


14


are preferably mirror images of one another. Each section


12


,


14


has a generally arcuate bearing plate


16


. It should, of course, be understood that other shapes for plate


16


could be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. A threaded pipe


18


is rigidly secured to the inner radial surface of plate


16


, such as by welding. Pipe


18


could also be formed with plate


16


to form a one-piece structure. As best seen in

FIG. 6

, pipe


18


has an inner surface


20


which is threaded along its entire length. As best seen in

FIG. 4

, pipe


18


has an arcuate outer surface


22


. It should be understood, however, that shapes other than the arcuate shape shown in the drawings could be used without departing from the scope of this invention.




Extending outwardly from each side of pipe


18


and secured to outer surface


22


is a flange


24


. Flanges


24


extend outwardly from pipe


18


approximately the distance aligning with the outer-most diameter of bearing plate


16


. Preferably, flanges


24


are secured to pipe


18


by welding, although the flanges could be integrally formed with pipe


18


. For additional support, flanges


24


are welded to plate


16


along the area of flanges


24


that abuts plate


16


. As best seen in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, each flange


24


of section


12


has a surface


26


that is oriented to face a corresponding surface


26


of section


14


. Preferably, surfaces


26


are located so that the spacing therebetween is greater than the spacing between the plates


16


and pipes


18


. Flanges


24


are used to secure connector


10


in place along a tie rod, as more fully described below. As best seen in

FIG. 6

, each flange


24


has a series of through-holes


28


therein that accommodate a like number of attachment bolts


30


and nuts


32


.




As best seen in

FIG. 6

, and as described above, inner surface


20


of pipe


18


is formed with a continuous thread


34


. Threads


34


can be any of the standard thread sizes currently in use, and are preferably selected to match the threads formed in the tie rod to which connector


10


will be attached. It should be understood that the present invention could also be used where the tie rods to which the connector


10


is attached are not threaded.




Connectors


10


can be used to repair a damaged or weakened tie rod associated with a bulkhead. In use, the area of the damaged tie rod is located. The tie rods are under tension and can be repaired with connectors


10


without unloading this tension. After the area needing repair has been located, section


12


is separated from section


14


by removing nuts


32


from bolts


30


. Sections


12


and


14


are then placed around the damaged area of the tie rod and bolts


30


are placed through holes


28


. Nuts


32


are threaded onto bolts


30


and are partially tightened. If the damage to the tie rod is located adjacent the steel sheeting or steel columns of the bulkhead, connector


10


is rotated on the tie rod until plate


16


is abutting the steel sheeting or steel column. The bolts


30


and nuts


32


are then tightened to secure connector


10


in place. It can therefore be seen that the above-described invention can be used to repair a damaged or weakened tie rod without completely removing and replacing the tie rods. This repair can be done relatively quickly and easily before any damage has been done to adjacent tie rods. The connector can be used as a temporary or permanent support depending on the method of repair or replacement. In either case, the bolts can be loosened slowly so the connector tension is reduced and safely transfer loads from one tie rod to another.




While the connector described above has two separate sections


12


and


14


, it should be understood that sections


12


and


14


could be hingedly coupled along one side thereof. The important feature is to allow connector


10


to be installed on a tensioned tie rod without having to remove the tension from the tie rod. This feature allows connector


10


to be installed on the tie rod without removing the tie rod from service.




Moreover, while it is not the primary purpose of the invention, connectors


10


could also be used as a coupler to couple together two tie rods prior to tensioning. Further, while the above-described connector


10


uses bolts


30


and nuts


32


, other clamping mechanisms could also be used and are within the scope of the present invention.




From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.




Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.



Claims
  • 1. An internally threaded high tensile rod connector for mating with an externally threaded high tensile rod at a position intermediate the ends of the rod, comprising:a first section having an internally threaded surface; a second section having an internally threaded surface, the threads of the first section complementing the threads of the second section to form the internally threaded connector; a pair of first flanges rigidly coupled to the first section; a pair of second flanges rigidly coupled to the second section; a first bearing plate rigidly secured to one end of the first section; a second bearing plate rigidly secured to a corresponding end of the second section; and a series of bolts extending from the first flanges to the second flanges, the bolts adapted to removably couple the first section to the second section, wherein the internally threaded connector mates with the externally threaded high tensile rod at a position intermediate each end of the rod and can move along the axis of the rod by rotation of the connector.
  • 2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the first and second sections have an arcuate exterior surface.
  • 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the first flanges have a lower-most surface and the second flanges have an upper-most surface that is oriented to face the lower-most surface, and wherein the spacing between the upper-most surface of the second flanges and the lower-most surface of the first flanges is greater than the spacing between the first and second sections.
  • 4. An internally threaded high tensile rod connector for mating with an externally threaded high tensile rod at a position intermediate the ends of the rod, comprising:a first section having an internally threaded surface; a second section having a uniformly internally threaded surface, the threads of the first section complementing the threads of the second section to form the uniformly internally threaded connector; a pair of first flanges rigidly coupled to the first section; a pair of second flanges rigidly coupled to the second section; a first bearing plate rigidly secured to one end of the first section; a second bearing plate rigidly secured to a corresponding end of the second section; and a means for removably connecting the first flanges to the second flanges, wherein the internally threaded connector mates with the externally threaded high tensile rod at a position intermediate each end of the rod and can move along the axis of the rod by rotation of the connector.
  • 5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the first and second sections have an arcuate exterior surface.
  • 6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the first flanges have a lower-most surface and the second flanges have an upper-most surface that is oriented to face the lower-most surface, and wherein the spacing between the upper-most surface of the second flanges and the lower-most surface of the first flanges is greater than the spacing between the first and second sections.
  • 7. An internally threaded high tensile rod connector for mating with an externally threaded high tensile rod at a position intermediate the ends of the rod, comprising:a first section having an internally threaded surface; a second section having an internally threaded surface, the threads of the first section complementing the threads of the second section to form the internally threaded connector; a first semi-circular bearing plate rigidly secured to one end of the first section; a second semi-circular bearing plate rigidly secured to a corresponding end of the second section; and a means for removably connecting the first section to the second section, wherein the internally threaded connector mates with the externally threaded high tensile rod at a position intermediate each end of the rod and can move along the axis of the rod by rotation of the connector.
US Referenced Citations (32)
Number Name Date Kind
157427 Stuart Dec 1874 A
316919 Stuart Apr 1885 A
444649 Nolan Jan 1891 A
448087 Simonson Mar 1891 A
611556 Blanton, Jr. Sep 1898 A
698847 McDonald et al. Apr 1902 A
907523 Perry Dec 1908 A
907539 Thomas Dec 1908 A
1018263 Novitski Feb 1912 A
1580780 Dixon et al. Apr 1926 A
1656935 Bahan Jan 1928 A
1778233 Staples Oct 1930 A
3074293 Langsetmo Jan 1963 A
RE26011 Girard May 1966 E
3397431 Walker Aug 1968 A
3588152 Shomo Jun 1971 A
3672613 Oriani Jun 1972 A
3850535 Howlett et al. Nov 1974 A
3917424 Zugel Nov 1975 A
4128355 Leaf Dec 1978 A
4143986 Antosh Mar 1979 A
4428697 Ruland Jan 1984 A
4469465 Andrus Sep 1984 A
4637750 Ward Jan 1987 A
4723053 Amaya Feb 1988 A
4747723 Hasley May 1988 A
4840194 Berry Jun 1989 A
4902158 Broszat et al. Feb 1990 A
5069054 Hladky et al. Dec 1991 A
5681126 Lin Oct 1997 A
5746555 McEvoy May 1998 A
5967691 Lancelot, III Oct 1999 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (9)
Number Date Country
213157 Jan 1961 AU
31241 May 1979 AU
89918 Jan 1897 DE
458068 Oct 1913 DE
177910 Mar 1954 DE
1799 Nov 1899 GB
182186 Jun 1922 GB
1546254 May 1979 GB
619696 Aug 1975 SU