Patent Application
20140096459
Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally related to systems, methods and devices for attaching to lifting anchors. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and devices for connecting to a pre-installed insert or anchor bolt associated with a wall panel or building component.
Certain pre-installed members for transmitting force and manipulating panels or structures, such as pre-formed concrete panels, are known in the art. Prior art systems comprise, for example, a void former or recessing member as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,063 to Kelly, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Such devices are generally provided to create a void or point of access in, for example, a precast concrete panel or wall structure which generally provides access to an anchor member embedded within the concrete panel for aiding in manipulation and/or movement of the panel.
Accordingly, it is one aspect of the present invention to provide a system for selectively connecting to concrete members and securely moving or manipulating the members. Such manipulation, including lifting and securing of the panel, is facilitated through features and devices as shown and described herein. In one embodiment, the concrete member is a precast concrete wall panel or other structural device which is typically lifted with a crane or other machinery. One of skill in the art will recognize that when preformed panels and devices of the present disclosure are being manipulated or transmitted between various positions and/or orientations, it is desirable and often critical to establish a secure and safe connection between the panel or device and operational equipment. Additionally, however, it is also necessary to provide a system and device that allows for relative ease of removal of such operational equipment from the panel or device after transport or manipulation of the same is complete. Finally, the device must be designed to prevent damaging the wall panel or structure to avoid the necessity of costly repair and/or replacement.
The present disclosure contemplates various systems and methods for providing a void or access feature in a precast concrete structure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,663 to Kelly et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides one such system suitable for use in connection with the present disclosure.
The oldest and most common type of void formers employ solid urethane blocks which have an undersurface of a generally arcuate configuration and a slot formed therein and extending into the undersurface for releasable receipt of the anchor. The blocks carry protrusions which extend across the slot to releasably engage the anchor. In use, the block is plastically deformed to engage and disengage the anchor. A recent variation of such an anchor wherein the slot is narrowed and defines a passage which complements the shape of the anchor is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,700, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Earlier examples are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,383,674, 4,821,994, 5,535,979, 5,651,911, and 7,950,190, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
It is also well known in the art to provide hollow void formers for positioning anchors wherein the void formers have a smooth arcuate undersurface with a slot formed therein for receipt of the anchor. Such void formers, however, are relatively rigid and require some type of separate retaining element to secure the anchor within the slot. An example of such a void former can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,047, which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of supporting a tilt-up wall panel is provided, the method comprising the steps of providing a pre-formed concrete wall panel, the wall panel comprising a pre-formed void and an embedded anchor member, the embedded anchor member disposed in and at least partially accessible via the void; providing a connector, or connector member, adapted to be selectively secured to a portion of the anchor member, the connector member comprising: a first planar portion adapted for substantially parallel placement with the wall panel, the first planar portion comprising an aperture for selectively receiving a fastener; a second planar portion and a third planar portion extending substantially perpendicular from the first planar portion, the second and third planar portions being substantially planar to each other; a partially enclosed void formed between the first planar portion, the second planar portion, and the third planar portion; a first arcuate member and a second arcuate member, said first and second arcuate members being substantially parallel to one another and arcuate about substantially the same axis; said first and second arcuate members defining a lower boundary of said partially enclosed void. A fastener is secured within said aperture such that said fastener extends linearly outward from said wall panel, and a support member for supporting the wall panel is secured to said fastener.
A contemplated method of forming the void former comprises providing a mold for injection molding a polymeric material into a body having first and second sections joined by a bridge therebetween and then removing the body from the mold and hinging the sections relative to one another through bending of the bridge, before the polymer is fully cured. In the preferred embodiment, the sections are molded in a condition where the first and second sections are separated and hingedly connected by the bridge. This enables a protruding latching device to be formed between the sections. After removal of the body from the form, and before the polymer has fully cured, the bridge is bent to alter its molecular structure and facilitate it for repeated usage as a hinge.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a lifting apparatus, system and method for erecting panels. U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,900 to Scott, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides an anchor for use with ring clutches and bail lift clutches. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,164 to Fricker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,856 to Fricker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,642 to Holt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,979 to Courtois and U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,554 to Lancelot disclose lifting means and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Various anchors are contemplated for use in connection with additional system components. In one embodiment, for example, an anchoring member is provided comprising a shaft portion with a first end and a second end, the first end comprising a first flange and the second end comprising a second flange. An example of one such anchoring member is the DB-52 dogbone anchor provided by MEADOWBURKE®. Such anchoring members may be referred to herein as “dogbone anchors” or “anchors.”Various alternative anchors are also contemplated for use by connector members of the present disclosure.
In various embodiments, a connector member for interconnection to an anchor member is provided. Connector members of the present disclosure include connector members adapted for selectively attaching to and being removable from a pre-existing anchor, such as a “dogbone” shaped anchor. Connector members of the present disclosure comprise dimensions which facilitate connection to an anchor member and facilitate entry or placement into a pre-formed void. Various embodiments contemplate a connector member with substantially parallel side walls to be received within sidewalls of a void, and arcuate members to facilitate rotational entry, or rotatable interconnection, of the connector member into a space defined by the void in a wall panel. Connector members of the present disclosure are useful for various operations, including, but not limited to lifting, translocating, and support wall panels.
Connector members of the present disclosure may comprise any one or more known materials suitable for transmitting force, moving, and/or supporting precast concrete structures. Such materials include, but are not limited to, various ferrous alloys, cast steels, and similar materials.
In one embodiment, a connector member adapted for interconnection to an anchor provided in a precast concrete panel is provided, the connector member comprises a first planar portion adapted for substantially parallel placement with the precast concrete panel, the first planar portion comprising a threaded aperture for selectively receiving a fastener such as a bolt, a second planar portion and a third planar portion extending substantially perpendicular from the first planar portion, the first and second planar portions being substantially parallel to each other, a partially enclosed void formed between the first planar portion, the second planar portion, the third planar portion, a first arcuate member and a second arcuate member, the first and second arcuate members being substantially parallel to one another and arcuate about substantially the same axis, and the first and second arcuate members defining a lower boundary of the partially enclosed void and configured to receive and engage an anchor or other hardware with a predetermined shape.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a method of supporting a tilt-up wall panel, the method comprising the steps of providing a precast concrete wall panel, the wall panel comprising a pre-formed void and an embedded anchor member, the embedded anchor member disposed in and at least partially accessible via the void; providing a connector member adapted to be selectively secured to a portion of the anchor member, the connector member comprising a first planar portion adapted for substantially parallel placement with the wall panel, the first planar portion comprising an aperture for selectively receiving attachment hardware; a second planar portion and a third planar portion extending substantially perpendicular from the substantially planar portion, the second and third planar portions being substantially parallel to each other; a partially enclosed void formed between the first planar portion, the second planar portion, and the third planar portion; a first arcuate member and a second arcuate member, the first and second arcuate members being substantially parallel to one another and arcuate about substantially the same axis; the first and second arcuate members defining a lower boundary of the partially enclosed void; securing a fastener positioned within the aperture; and securing a support member for supporting the wall panel to the fastener.
Further, it is an aspect of this invention to provide the above-described method wherein the support member comprises a wall brace. Further yet, the above-described method is provided wherein the support member is at least partially secured by an adjustment member, the adjustment member provided on said fastener and translatable along a length of the fastener. Still further, the above-described method is provided wherein the fastener extends linearly outward from the wall panel.
These and other objects will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detail description.
The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention. Moreover, references made herein to “the present invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the present invention and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when taken together with the drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of these inventions.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
To assist in the understanding of the present disclosure the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:
First and second arcuate members 8a, 8b comprises substantially parallel arcuate members which generally define a partially enclosed void 10. Partially enclosed void 10 receives various features, such as flanges or force-transmitting portions of an anchor as will be described in more detail herein.
w1 represents the overall width of the connector member 2. In various embodiments, w1 is between approximately 1.0 and 6.0 inches. In preferred embodiments, w1 is between approximately 2.0 inches and 2.5 inches. w2 represents the distance between one edge of the first planar portion 4 and the center of aperture 6. In various embodiments, w2 is between approximately 0.1 and 2.0 inches. In preferred embodiments w2 is between approximately 1.0 inch and 1.3 inches. w3 represents the spacing between first and second arcuate members 8a, 8b. In various embodiments, w3 is between approximately 0.1 inch and 2.0 inches. In preferred embodiments, w3 is between approximately 0.8 inches and 1.0 inch. w4 represents the distance between one edge of first and second arcuate members 8a, 8b and the start of an inclined ramp. In various embodiments, w4 is between approximately 0.05 inches and 1.00 inch. In preferred embodiments, w4 is between approximately 0.30 inches and 0.45 inches.
Inclined ramps 34 are provided on internal surfaces of the first and second arcuate members 8a, 8b. Inclined ramps 34 may be provided at any number of desired angles and are provided to contact a taper or angle of a first flange member (see, e.g., 14 of
R3 is the radius of curvature of the leading edge of the first arcuate member 8a. In various embodiments, R3 is between approximately 0.1 inches and 2.0 inches. In preferred embodiments, R3 is between approximately 0.29 inches and 0.35 inches. R4 is the radius of curvature of the bevel of one edge of the first planar portion 4. In various embodiments, R4 is between approximately 0.1 inches and 2.5 inches. In preferred embodiments, R4 is between approximately 0.39 inches and 0.47 inches. α2 is the angle between the leading edge of the first arcuate member 8a and a vertical plane. In various embodiments α2 is between approximately 175 degrees and 95 degrees. In preferred embodiments, α2 is between approximately 120 degrees and 150 degrees. α3 is the angle between a surface of the rearward portion 30 and a vertical plane. In various embodiments, α3 is between approximately 90 degrees and 0 degrees. In preferred embodiments, α3 is between approximately 75 degrees and 61 degrees.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
This U.S. Non-Provisional patent application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/710,215 filed Oct. 5, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61710215 | Oct 2012 | US |
