U.S. patent application number 11/160284 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-21 for side-attached anchor bolt holding bracket.
Invention is credited to Randy S. Nold.
Application Number | 20060283137 11/160284 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37571984 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060283137 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nold; Randy S. |
December 21, 2006 |
SIDE-ATTACHED ANCHOR BOLT HOLDING BRACKET
Abstract
A concrete frame assembly adapted to support an anchor bolt,
comprising a frame to retain wet concrete that includes a sidewall
that has a major interior side surface. Also, a bracket adapted to
receive and retain an anchor bolt is attached to the major interior
side surface and positioned to retain an anchor bolt at a point
below the top of the side wall.
Inventors: |
Nold; Randy S.; (Newberg,
OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TIMOTHY E SIEGEL
1868 KNAPPS ALLEY
SUITE 206
WEST LINN
OR
97068
US
|
Family ID: |
37571984 |
Appl. No.: |
11/160284 |
Filed: |
June 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/742.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 21/185
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/742.14 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/00 20060101
E04B001/00 |
Claims
1. A method of installing a concrete element having an anchor bolt
protruding therefrom, comprising: (a) constructing a frame to
retain wet concrete, said frame including a sidewall, said sidewall
having a major interior side surface and a top; (b) providing a
bracket adapted to receive and retain an anchor bolt; (c) attaching
to said major interior side surface of said sidewall said bracket
adapted to receive and retain an anchor bolt, so that said bracket
is positioned to retain an anchor bolt at a point below said top of
said side wall; (d) placing an anchor bolt into said bracket; (e)
pouring wet concrete into said form so that said anchor bolt
protrudes from said wet concrete; and (f) permitting said wet
concrete to cure.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of pouring wet concrete
includes pouring said wet concrete to a pour line, and wherein said
step of attaching said bracket more specifically includes attaching
said bracket so that said anchor bolt is supported at a point below
said pour line.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a tube
portion, for accepting and retaining said anchor bolt.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said tube portion includes
interior features adapted to retain an anchor bolt.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said interior features are
resiliently compressible.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of constructing a frame
is not completed before the step of attaching said bracket to said
frame.
7. A bracket adapted to receive and retain an anchor bolt,
comprising: (a) an anchor bolt holder defining an axis along which
any anchor bolt held by said holder will be oriented; (b) an
attachment and spacing portion, being attached to said anchor bolt
holder, and being adapted to be attached to a substantially planar,
vertical surface and oriented and configured so that when attached
to said vertical surface, said axis is vertical and said anchor
bolt holder is spaced from 3 to 8 cm (1.2 to 3.2 in) from said
vertical surface.
8. The bracket of claim 7 wherein said anchor bolt holder is in the
form of a tube.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said tube portion includes
interior features adapted to retain an anchor bolt.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said interior features are
resiliently compressible.
11. A concrete frame assembly adapted to support an anchor bolt,
comprising: (a) a frame to retain wet concrete, said frame
including a sidewall, said sidewall having a major interior side
surface; and (b) a bracket adapted to receive and retain an anchor
bolt, attached to said major interior side surface and positioned
to retain an anchor bolt at a point below said top of said side
wall.
12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein a pour line is predetermined
and wherein said bracket is positioned to retain said anchor bolt
at a point below said pour line.
13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said bracket includes a tube
portion, for accepting and retaining said anchor bolt.
14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said tube portion includes
interior features adapted to retain an anchor bolt.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein said interior features are
resiliently compressible.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Anchor bolts embedded in concrete foundations have become an
increasingly feature of construction. This building feature is
particularly frequently encountered in buildings on slopes and in
earthquake prone regions. There are many different brackets for
holding an anchor bolt in place during a concrete pour. It appears,
however, that all of these brackets attach to the top of the
concrete form. This can be problematic because anchor bolts are
typically required to be embedded in concrete to a particular
depth, as indicated by a minimum embedment marking on the anchor
bolt. Generally, if the minimum embedment marking is visible above
the top of the concrete, the concrete work will not pass building
inspection.
[0002] Unfortunately, when using the available, top-mounting
brackets, it may be difficult or impossible to suspend an anchor
bolt far enough down, relative to the form, for the minimum
embedment line to be positioned below the pour line. In this
situation the concrete contractor is typically required to
improvise, thereby losing valuable time. Additionally, holding the
anchor near its top, above the pour, may not result in a firm
enough constraint to prevent the force of the flowing concrete from
pushing the anchor bolt off of its preferred vertical alignment.
Again, the concrete contractor may be forced to improvise with nail
and wire to hold the anchor bolt in a vertical position, while the
concrete is filling the form.
SUMMARY
[0003] In a first separate aspect the present invention comprises a
method of installing a concrete element having an anchor bolt
protruding therefrom. The method begins with the construction of at
least part of a frame to retain wet concrete that includes a
sidewall that has a major interior side surface and a top. A
bracket adapted to receive and retain an anchor bolt is attached to
the major interior side surface of the sidewall so that the bracket
is positioned to retain an anchor bolt at a point below the top of
the side wall. An anchor bolt is placed into the bracket and wet
concrete is poured into the form so that the anchor bolt protrudes
from the wet concrete and is permitted to cure.
[0004] In a second separate aspect, the present invention comprises
a bracket adapted to receive and retain an anchor bolt that
includes an anchor bolt holder defining an axis along which any
anchor bolt held by the holder will be oriented. Also, an
attachment and spacing portion is attached to the anchor bolt
holder, and is adapted to be attached to a substantially planar,
vertical surface. This portion is oriented and configured so that
when attached to the vertical surface, the axis is vertical and the
anchor bolt holder is spaced from 3 to 8 cm (1.2 to 3.2 in) from
the vertical surface.
[0005] In a third separate aspect, the present invention comprises
a concrete frame assembly adapted to support an anchor bolt,
comprising a frame to retain wet concrete that includes a sidewall
that has a major interior side surface. Also, a bracket adapted to
receive and retain an anchor bolt is attached to the major interior
side surface and positioned to retain an anchor bolt at a point
below the top of the side wall.
[0006] The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described
and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods
which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in
scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described
problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments
are directed to other improvements.
[0007] In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments
described above, further aspects and embodiments will become
apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following
detailed descriptions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bracket according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective of a bracket according to an
alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side view of the bracket of FIG. 1 attached to a
concrete pour form and retaining an anchor bolt.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side view of the bracket of FIG. 2 attached to a
concrete pour form and retaining an anchor bolt.
[0012] Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures
of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures
disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than
restrictive.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 a first preferred embodiment of a
bracket 10 for retaining an anchor bolt 12 (FIG. 3) during a
concrete pour, includes an attachment and spacer portion 14 and a
bolt retaining portion 16. More specifically, attachment and spacer
portion can be divided into an attachment element 18 and a spacer
element 20. Bolt retaining portion 16 is in the form of a tube.
Attachment element spacers 22, prevent the bulk of the attachment
element 18 from being visible in the concrete after the form 30
(FIG. 3) is removed. Resiliently compressible interior features 24
act to retain an anchor bolt 12. In a variant, internal threads are
used for this purpose. Apertures 26 are defined by bracket 10, to
accommodate wet concrete during the pour and cured concrete
afterwards. This results in a lesser void space in the finished
concrete structure, which is generally considered to be
structurally desirable.
[0014] Referring to FIG. 3, prior to pouring concrete a form 30 is
constructed. To hold the anchor bolt 12 in place, bracket 10 is
attached (typically using nails 34) to the interior side surface 32
of sidewall 30. This is typically done below the anticipated pour
line of the concrete, so that the anchor bolt 12 is not pushed
sideways, off vertical, by the flowing cement. Anchor bolt 12 is
then placed in the retaining portion 16 of bracket 12 and the
concrete is poured and cured.
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, in an alternative preferred
embodiment 10', an attachment and spacer portion 14' is comprised
of two thin vertical tubes, sized to retain nails 34' (FIG. 4) that
are hammered into the side surface 32 of wall 30 (FIG. 4).
Retaining portion 16' is slightly longer than portion 16 of bracket
10.
[0016] Both bracket 10 and 10' may be made of substantially rigid
material, such as substantially rigid polymers and metals. In
preferred embodiments that are not shown, brackets 10 and 10' are
formed to include sharp, nail like protrusions, which are driven
into the form 30. As a note, nails 34 or 34' or a nail like portion
may be easily broken off after the concrete has been poured by
using a wrench to bend it repeatedly back and forth. In a preferred
embodiment made of metal, the bracket takes up less volume, as it
is in the form of wire work.
[0017] While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have
been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize that
there may be modifications, permutations, additions and
sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the
following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are
interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations,
additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and
scope.
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