U.S. patent application number 11/378517 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for concrete anchor bolt holder.
Invention is credited to Josh Beery.
Application Number | 20070215784 11/378517 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38516805 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070215784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beery; Josh |
September 20, 2007 |
Concrete anchor bolt holder
Abstract
The present invention is a reusable anchor bolt holder having a
generally annular column that detachably secures to and covers a
concrete anchor bolt by a plurality of attachment members which
secure to the threads of the anchor bolt. The annular column
secures the anchor bolt in a vertically fixed position by means of
a rotatably hinged wall support bracket that connects the annular
column to a wooden retainer wall by being forcefully lowered onto
the top surface of the wooden retainer wall. The wall support
bracket has a spiked contact face, which when downward force is
applied, is inserted and securely attached to the retainer wall,
thereby keeping the anchor bolt in place. The wall support bracket
can be removed from the retainer wall with an upward force, thereby
rotating the contact portion of the bracket to a vertical position.
The top of the annular column of the device mates with, or is
formed to create an integrated safety cap of a larger surface area
to prevent injury.
Inventors: |
Beery; Josh; (Fresno,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARK D MILLER;KIMBLE, MACMICHAEL & UPTON
5260 NORTH PALM AVENUE
SUITE 221
FRESNO
CA
93704
US
|
Family ID: |
38516805 |
Appl. No.: |
11/378517 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
249/93 ;
249/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 21/185
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
249/093 ;
249/207 |
International
Class: |
E04G 17/00 20060101
E04G017/00 |
Claims
1. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising: a. an annular
column having a plurality of engagement members extending radially
inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an
anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper
portion of the anchor bolt; b. a wall support bracket pivotally
attached to said annular column, said wall support bracket having
at least one contact face, each such contact face having at least
one attachment spike thereon for temporary engagement with a
retainer wall.
2. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
wall support bracket rotates to at least 90.degree..
3. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at
least one attachment spike is made from a hardened material that is
secured to the hinged section.
4. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
wall support bracket and said at least one spike are provided in an
integrated unit section is made of a hardened material.
5. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a
plurality contact faces are provided in tiers.
6. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
wall support bracket further comprises a wall stop extending
downwardly from said bracket.
7. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
wall support bracket further comprises a lower strike surface which
extends laterally outwardly beyond the contact faces.
8. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment member
which mates with a corresponding anchor bolt safety cap to secure
said cap to said annular column.
9. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a wall
support bracket extends laterally from said annular column and
comprises a static support section and a rotatably hinged support
section;
10. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
annular column further comprises a removable safety cap at the
upper end of the annular column having a greater surface area than
the top surface of the annular column.
11. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said
annular column further comprises an integrated safety cap at the
upper end of the annular column having a greater surface area than
the top surface of the annular column.
12. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising: a. an annular
column with a plurality of engagement members extending radially
inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an
anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper
portion of the anchor bolt; b. a plurality of wall support brackets
pivotally attached to said annular column, said wall support
brackets having at least one contact face, each such contact face
having at least one attachment spike thereon for temporary
engagement with a retainer wall.
13. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 12 wherein said
annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment member
which mates with a corresponding attachment point of an anchor bolt
safety cap to secure said cap to said annular column.
14. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 12 wherein said
annular column further comprises a safety cap on the upper end of
the annular column having a greater surface area than the top
surface of the annular column.
15. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising: a. an annular
column having a plurality of engagement members extending radially
inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an
anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper
portion of the anchor bolt; b. a wall support bracket pivotally
attached to said annular column, said wall support bracket having
at least one contact face, each such contact face having at least
one attachment spike thereon for temporary engagement with a
retainer wall; said wall support bracket rotates at least
90.degree. in an arcuate path; said at least one attachment spike
is made from a hardened material that is secured to the hinged
section; said contact faces are tiered; said wall support bracket
further comprises a wall stop extending downwardly from said
bracket; said wall support bracket further comprises a lower strike
surface which extends laterally beyond the contact faces; wherein
said annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment
member which mates with a corresponding attachment point of an
anchor bolt safety cap to secure said cap to said annular
column.
16. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising: a. an annular
column having a plurality of engagement members extending radially
inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an
anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper
portion of the anchor bolt; b. a wall support bracket attached to
said annular column, said wall support bracket having at least one
contact face, wherein said contact face temporary engages with a
retainer wall; wherein said annular column further comprises a
safety cap attachment member which mates with a corresponding
attachment point of an anchor bolt safety cap to secure said cap to
said annular column.
17. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising: a. an annular
column having engagement means extending inward to secure the
annular column to an upper portion of an anchor bolt wherein said
annular column encircle said upper portion of the anchor bolt; b. a
wall support means attached to said annular column, said wall
support means having at least one contact means for temporary
engagement with a retainer wall.
18. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 17 wherein said
annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment means to
secure a safety cap to said annular column.
19. A method for securing the position of an anchor bolt during the
installation of a concrete foundation comprising: a. setting the
position of the anchor bolt in a frame for the foundation; b.
engaging an annular column over said anchor bolt to hold it in
place, said column having a support bracket pivotally attached
thereto; c. pivoting said support bracket to contact an adjacent
member of said frame; d. applying force to said support bracket to
temporarily engage it with said frame member; e. installing said
concrete foundation.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising applying an opposing
force to said support bracket to disengage it from said frame and
member.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising removing said annular
column from said anchor bolt.
22. The method of claim 19 further comprising attaching a safety
cap to the top of the annular column.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to concrete anchor bolt
holders and positioners, more particularly to a new and improved
anchor bolt holder with a hinged support bracket that allows for
the device to be easily affixed to a retainer wall with a downward
force, and removed with an upward force, further incorporating an
anchor bolt safety cap to increase the safety of a worksite.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In the field of construction, building structures are
commonly placed on a concrete foundation. To increase structural
stability, the frame of the structure is fixedly connected to the
concrete foundation by anchor bolts. This ensures that the building
structure will not shift with respect to the foundation. The use of
anchor bolts are very common and oftentimes required in areas
subject to natural disasters that might increase the chance of a
building being shifted from its foundation such as in regions
susceptible to earthquakes, flooding, mudslides, tornadoes,
hurricanes, high winds, or with respect to building structures
built on steep grades.
[0005] Anchor bolts are usually positioned when framing the
foundation site before pouring concrete. Anchor bolts can vary in
size and shape. Some anchor bolts are arcuate in nature, or hooked
to fit around reinforcement metal supports laid within the concrete
foundation. Most standard anchor bolts sit vertically in the
concrete and are threaded as to allow for the secure attachment to
the frame of a building structure.
[0006] The standard process for setting anchor bolts involves
creating a wooden retainer frame for the foundation and placing
anchor bolts in the correct location. Concrete is then poured, and
once dried and set, the anchor bolts are thereby secured in place.
Many problems occur with placing anchor bolts installed in this
manner. Anchor bolts must be placed in specific locations to align
with the frame of the structure. Often times, the anchor bolts are
not aligned properly, as a result of the bolt being misaligned or
moved out of alignment while pouring the concrete. This creates
serious problems as the building structure may not be able to be
secured properly, and the process of installing a replacement bolt
by drilling the concrete and using epoxy to fix another bolt in
place is expensive and time consuming.
[0007] To alleviate such problems, different devices have been
created to secure the anchor bolts while pouring the concrete. Most
methods involve securing the anchor bolt to the retainer wall.
[0008] A simple method for securing the anchor bolts is to use
segments of scrap wood from the worksite, usually pieces of
2.times.4, to create a bolt holder. This involves cutting the wood
to a given length, and drilling a hole at one end for the insertion
of the anchor rod. The holder is then placed over the anchor bolt
and nailed into the top surface of the concrete retainer wall.
Unfortunately, the use of such a device is not economical or
accurate. The length of the wood can vary from holder to holder,
and varies further depending on where or at what angle the wood is
nailed into the retainer wall. In addition, to keep the holder in
place, a nut must be secured to the top of the anchor bolt, and
fastened to the holder. The process is also time consuming as a
worker is usually needed to construct the makeshift bolt holders at
the work site, as such bolt holders cannot normally be used more
than once.
[0009] Other anchor bolt holders have been created to further
correct the above problems. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,922,968,
6,065,730, 5,670,076 describe anchor bolt holders which can be mass
produced and more accurately attach an anchor bolt to the retainer
wall. These patents also disclose holders that are marked for use
with the various size foundation walls normally found at worksites.
The common problem with the above anchor bolt holders is the means
for attachment of the bolt holder to the retainer wall. The above
devices are nailed into place on the retainer wall. Once in place,
and the concrete is poured and set, a worker must come along and
remove all the nails so that the bolt holders can be removed,
before the retaining walls themselves are removed from the exterior
of the foundation. This takes a long period of time, and in
addition creates more dangerous waste in the form of used nails on
the worksite which can cause injury to workers. Additionally, time
is spent to clean concrete from the threads of an anchor bolt
holder if concrete is splashed upon the uncovered threads of the
anchor bolt while pouring the concrete.
[0010] Another issue with anchor bolts is safety. Anchor bolts can
cause severe injury to an individual, as they are a tripping
hazard, and may cause a serious impact injury if one were to fall
on one due to the small surface area of the anchor bolt. Because of
this safety issue, many companies and local, city, or state
governments have regulations requiring that the bolts be capped
with a larger surface that is usually brightly colored as to
prevent injury. Another problem is the time consuming effort it
takes to place caps on all of the anchor bolts, especially since
all the anchor bolt holders usually must be removed first. As much
as an entire day may be lost at a given jobsite removing anchor
bolt holders, and placing anchor bolt caps on each exposed anchor
bolt. The combination of any or all of the above mentioned problems
can cause serious delay in projects as well as increase the amount
of labor spent on a given project.
[0011] It is therefore desirable to provide an anchor bolt holder
that securely attaches an anchor bolt to the retainer wall, yet
provides for easy attachment and removal means. It is further
desirable to provide an anchor bolt holder that incorporates an
anchor bolt holder cap which can remain on the anchor bolt from the
time of placement of the anchor bolt until the time when the anchor
bolt is used to secure the frame of the structure to the
foundation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is a reusable anchor bolt holder
having a generally annular column that surrounds and covers the
anchor bolt, and a vertically rotatable hinged wall support bracket
which is temporarily engaged with the top surface of the wooden
retainer wall. The wall support bracket has a spiked contact face,
which when downward force is applied, is inserted and securely
attached to the retainer wall, thereby keeping the anchor bolt in
place. The wall support bracket can be removed from the retainer
wall with an upward force, thereby rotating the contact portion of
the bracket away from the wall. The top of the annular column of
the device may be provided with a surface that mates with, or is
formed to create an integrated safety cap of a larger surface area
to prevent injury.
[0013] The concrete anchor bolt holder of the present invention is
designed to be able to be secured to the anchor bolt, and remain in
place until the anchor bolt is to be secured to the building
structure as it can be conveniently attached and detached from the
retainer wall, and can optionally be mated with an anchor bolt
safety cap. This saves many of the steps necessary when using other
anchor bolt holders. The present invention includes a generally
annular column which fits over the top of the anchor bolt. The
annular column encloses the anchor bolt to prevent concrete from
getting on the threads of the anchor bolt while the concrete
foundation is being poured. In addition, the anchor bolt holder may
be secured to the anchor bolt by one or more sets of prongs or
clips which fit securely within the threads of the anchor bolt. The
prongs allow the anchor bolt holder to be slidably attached and
detached from the anchor bolt, but remain secure unless a large
upward force is applied, such as when a worker removes the anchor
bolt holder from the anchor bolt.
[0014] The anchor bolt holder has a wall support bracket which
extends laterally from the annular column. In an embodiment, the
wall support bracket extends from the base of the generally annular
column, but in other embodiments the support bracket can attach and
extend from any suitable region of the generally annular column.
The wall support bracket extends a given distance from the anchor
bolt, corresponding to standard industry practices of placement of
anchor bolts to retaining walls. The wall support bracket has two
sections; a static section extending from the generally annular
column, and hinged section which is pivotally attached to the
static section to allow for movement about an axis.
[0015] The rotatable portion of the support bracket has a plurality
of contact faces which, when the rotatable portion is in a
horizontal position, are aligned with the top surface of the
retaining wall. In an embodiment of the invention, multiple contact
faces are included on the hinged section so that the anchor bolt
holder can be used with a variety of different sized retainer
walls. In another embodiment of the invention, the hinged section
has single contact face. The contact faces have pins, nails, spikes
or other protrusions which extend from the contact face, and
puncture the top surface of the wooden retainer wall to temporarily
secure support bracket and the anchor bolt holder to the retainer
wall. The material for the spikes may be a rigid material such as
steel or hard plastic. In an alterative embodiment, the spikes may
be made of metal or other rigid material and connected to a plate
that is embedded in the hinged or rotatable section. In a further
embodiment, the entire hinged section may be made out of a hardened
substance. In another embodiment, the plurality of contact surfaces
may be tiered, creating a lip for each respective surface. An
outermost lip or protrusion extends from the end of the (last)
contact surface. When the anchor bolt holder is affixed to the
retainer wall the lip, or protrusion (possibly formed by the next
tiered contact face) will fit around the exterior horizontal side
of the retaining wall, thereby ensuring the correct distance of the
anchor bolt with respect to the retaining wall.
[0016] The method of attachment of the anchor bolt holder to the
retainer wall is to rotate the hinged section to contact the
retainer wall, then apply downward force upon the hinged section of
the support bracket, driving the spikes into the top surface of the
retainer wall. Such force can come in any manner convenient to the
user. The hinged section can be struck by a hammer or rubber
mallet, or the user can apply downward pressure with one's foot to
secure the contact face with the retaining wall.
[0017] The hinged section also has an outwardly protruding segment
to allow for easy removal of the hinged section from the contact
surface. The outwardly protruding surface extends horizontally
beyond the edge of the retainer wall. Once the concrete is set, and
the retaining walls are to be removed, an upward force can be
applied to the hinged section via the outwardly protruding surface
to dislodge the spikes of the contact surface from the top surface
of the retaining wall. Again, such force can come in any convenient
manner on the part of the user, such as the upward blow of a hammer
or mallet, or from kicking the protruding surface in an upward
direction with the user's foot. By having a simple means for
removing the anchor bolt holder from the retainer wall, moreover
the fact that an embodiment of the anchor bolt holder of the
present invention is no longer hanging over the edge of the
concrete, the anchor bolt holder can remain on the anchor bolt
during and after the removal of the concrete retainer walls.
[0018] In an alternative embodiment, the generally annular column
of the anchor bolt may be provided with a top end configured to
allow for the attachment of a safety cap to the top end of the
anchor bolt holder. In one embodiment, the top of the annular
column is provided in a hexagonal shape corresponding to a safety
cap attachment. The attachment has a generally flat or smooth top
surface and has a corresponding mating area on the underside of the
cap attachment for connecting to the top of the annular column of
the anchor bolt holder. The safety cap attachment is of sufficient
size and surface area to prevent injury if a worker was to
accidentally step on or fall upon the anchor bolt. In addition, the
anchor bolt holder and attachment cap can be of a noticeably bright
color as to make workers aware of the potential hazard.
[0019] The safety cap attachment can be various sizes and shapes
including, but not limited to a circle, oval, square, rectangle,
pentagon, hexagon, octagon, etc. The corners of any of the given
shapes can be rounded for further safety. The top surface of the
safety cap attachment can be flat or rounded in a convex manner as
to provide a larger surface area in case a person was to fall upon
the anchor bolt. The design of the cap is such that the cap does
not interfere with the rotation of the hinged section of the
support bracket, and leaves room for the user to apply force to the
hinged section of the support bracket when connecting it to the
retainer wall.
[0020] In a further embodiment, the annular column of the device
may be integrated with a safety cap to create a unitary annular
column with a safety cap. In this design, a hole may be
incorporated in the top of the safety cap and annular column as to
allow the user to apply force to the top of the anchor bolt if the
anchor bolt holder becomes hard to remove.
[0021] In a further embodiment, the anchor bolt holder may have a
plurality of horizontal support brackets as to attach the anchor
bolt to more than one retaining wall. For example, in one
embodiment the horizontal support arms extend in exact opposite
directions which could be used to secure an anchor bolt to a thin
section of concrete having retaining walls on each side. Each of
the horizontal support arms would have a hingedly attached section
for the easy attachment and removal to the retainer walls.
[0022] The hinge attaching the static portion of the control arm to
the hingedly attached portion of the support arm can come in
various forms. For example, the hinge can be formed by a pinned rod
that is connected to each portion of the horizontal support, and
allowing the independent movement of the hingedly attached portion
of the control arm. In an alternative embodiment, the hinge can be
formed out of a flexible portion of plastic or rubberized material
allowing for movement in a vertical manner.
[0023] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an anchor bolt holder which is easy and convenient to
use.
[0024] It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder which can be placed on the anchor bolt and does not
need to be removed until the building structure is to be connected
to the anchor bolt.
[0025] It is a further object of the invention to provide methods
for attaching and removing an anchor bolt holder to a retainer bolt
and retainer wall that do not involve use of multiple
components.
[0026] It is a further object of the invention to provide a method
for attaching and removing an anchor bolt holder to a retainer bolt
and retainer wall that can be attached without the use of any tools
on the part of the user.
[0027] It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder that may be temporarily attached to the wooden
retaining wall and anchor bolt without the need of separate
components such as nails and nuts or bolts.
[0028] It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder that may serve in a dual capacity as an anchor bolt
holder and safety cap to prevent injuries from the exposed anchor
bolt.
[0029] It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder where the support arm can be easily attached and
detached from a wooden retainer wall by means of downward and
upward forces, respectively.
[0030] It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder that saves time and expense when laying a concrete
foundation through of ease of installation and removal.
[0031] It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder that saves time and expense when laying a concrete
foundation by serving a dual use as a safety cap on the anchor
bolt.
[0032] It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor
bolt holder that is reusable.
[0033] Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from
the detailed descriptions and the claims herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of
the present invention inserted on an anchor bolt.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of
the present invention inserted on an anchor bolt with the hinged
section of the support bracket rotated in an upward direction.
[0037] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the
rotatable section of the support bracket of the present
invention.
[0038] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the rotatable
section of the support bracket of the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of the
rotatable section of the support bracket of the present
invention.
[0040] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a
safety cap attachment of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of a
safety cap attachment of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a safety
cap attachment of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the
present invention including the safety cap attachment.
[0044] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the
generally annular column and static section of the support bracket
of the present invention where the there are two support brackets
extending in opposite directions.
[0045] FIG. 12 is a side environmental view of one embodiment of
the generally annular column depicting the anchor bolt holder on an
anchor bolt set in concrete while detached from the retainer
wall.
[0046] FIG. 13 is a side environmental view of one embodiment of
the generally annular column depicting the anchor bolt holder on an
anchor bolt set in concrete while attached to the retainer
wall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0047] Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters
designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,
and referring particularly to FIG. 1, it is seen that the invention
includes an annular column 50, which is an elongate piece of hollow
material fitted to extend around an anchor bolt. The annular column
is of sufficient size to accept varying sized anchor bolts. In
alternative embodiments, the annular column of the invention may be
made of varying circumferences to correspond with different sized
anchor bolts commonly used in construction sites including, but not
limited to, annular columns capable of fitting over 1/2, 5/8, 3/4,
7/8, 1, 11/8, and 11/4 inch anchor bolts. The vertical length of
the annular column should be at least the length of the portion of
the anchor bolt that extends above the surface of the retaining
wall (i.e. above the finished concrete foundation, once poured).
This is depicted in FIGS. 12 and 13 where the anchor bolt holder is
secured to the top of an anchor bolt. The anchor bolt holder covers
the majority of the portion of the anchor bolt which extends above
the concrete.
[0048] A wall support bracket 59 is attached to the annular column
50 and extends in a generally lateral direction therefrom. The wall
support bracket consists of two separate sections, a static section
60 attached to column 50, and a moveable section which is pivotly
attached at hinge 63 to the static section 61. The hinge 63 may
comprise any hinged assembly common in the art, including, but not
limited to, a barrel or pin type hinge or a thinner or flexible
portion of plastic allowing for rotational movement around an axis,
thus allowing the moveable portion to rotate at least 90.degree.
from a generally vertical to a generally horizontal position. The
moveable portion 61 of the bracket has one or more contact faces 62
that are used to attach the bracket to a retaining wall (see FIGS.
12-13.) Each contact face 62 is a planar region which comes to rest
in a generally horizontal position on a top surface of a retaining
wall. In embodiments utilizing multiple contact faces 62, they are
generally provided in staggered segments. These segments allow one
of the faces 62 to fit securing against the retaining wall 100.
Each contact face 62 is provided with one or more attachment spikes
or nails 64 which are used to secure the contact face to the
retaining wall. The attachment spikes 64 are made of a hardened
material such as metal or rigid plastic spikes 64 are attached or
integrated into the moveable portion 61 of the support bracket.
[0049] In an alternative embodiment, spikes 64 may be made of one
integrated piece attached to, or inserted within, the moveable
section 61. In another embodiment, the entire moveable section 61
may be made of a pre-formed hardened substance including integrated
spikes. In the multiple-faced embodiments, the transition between
each contact face 62 defines a lip or guide 65 created by the
downward projection of another contact face 62 or a retainer wall
stop 66. One of the guides 65 or the retainer wall stop 66 comes
into contact with the outside edge of the retaining wall. By
placing a guide 65 or retainer wall stop 66 in flush contact with
the retainer wall, it ensures that the column 50 holing the
retainer bolt is being held at a proper distance away from the
retainer wall. In one embodiment of the present invention, there
are two contact faces where one contact face is provided at a
suitable distance for use with a standard retainer wall that is
created by 2.times.4 wooden boards, and a second contact face is
provided when using a retainer wall created by 2.times.6 wooden
boards. In a further embodiment the rotatable section may have only
one contact face.
[0050] The rotatable portion 61 has an upper strike surface 68
where a user can apply a downward force to engage the spikes 64
with the retainer wall. The upper strike surface 68 is generally
flat in nature creating a surface which can be easily hit by a
hammer, mallet, user's foot or other object. A lower strike surface
or eave 67 extends laterally past the contact faces 62 of the
rotatable section 61 to create a surface which an upward force can
be applied to remove the rotatable section from the retainer wall
after the concrete is poured and hardened. The lower strike surface
67 extends past the retainer wall stop 66 in order to give the user
a surface that is conveniently far enough way from the retaining
wall to make detachment of the rotatable section possible. Like the
upper strike surface 68, the lower strike surface 67 may be hit by
a hammer, mallet, user's foot or other object to create an upward
force on the moveable section in order to dislodge it from the
retaining wall.
[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, a safety cap
attachment member 80 is secured to the top of the annular column
50. The safety cap attachment member 80 is shaped to correspond to
a safety cap attachment point. In one embodiment, the attachment
member can have hexagonal sides 81 corresponding to a hexagonal
safety cap attachment point 90 on the safety cap 92. The safety cap
attachment member 80 and attachment point 90 may be of any
corresponding sizes and shapes allowing for the safety cap 92 to be
detachably secured in place by any standard means in the art
including but not limited to snap fit or screwing means.
[0052] FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of
the present invention on an anchor bolt 45. As seen, on the
interior of the annular column 50 are a plurality of deformable
engagement members or prongs 51 projecting radially inwardly which
temporarily secure the annular column 50 to the anchor bolt 45 by
lodging within the threads of the anchor bolt 45. Prongs 51 hold
and center bolt 45 inside column 50. The engagement members allow
the annular column 50 to be secured in place on the anchor bolt 45
without the need for extraneous attachment means such as a securing
nut. FIG. 3 depicts the same cross sectional view but shows the
rotatable portion 61 of the wall support bracket in a slightly
elevated position.
[0053] FIGS. 4-6 depict the rotatable section 61 of the wall
support bracket. The rotatable section is constructed of a rigid
material and has hinge attachments 69 which connect to the hinge 63
allowing rotational movement with respect to the static section of
the wall support bracket.
[0054] FIGS. 7-9 depict the safety cap 92 of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the safety cap 92. The safety
cap 92 has a safety cap attachment point 90 on the lower surface
93, and has an upper surface 94 which is of larger surface area
than that of the top of the anchor bolt 45 or top of the annular
column 50. The upper surface 94 can be flat or curved in any
fashion, including being convex as long as a larger surface area is
presented to prevent injury from impact with the safety cap 92. In
addition the safety cap can be of any variety of sizes and shapes
including, but not limited to a circle, oval, pentagon, hexagon,
etc. FIG. 9 depicts the underside of the safety cap 92 depicting
the safety cap attachment point 90. The safety cap attachment point
is a void corresponding to the safety cap attachment member 80 of
the annular column. In an alternative embodiment, the safety cap
attachment member has a void corresponding to an insertion point or
structure on the safety cap. FIG. 10 depicts the safety cap 92
attached to the anchor bolt holder device. The safety cap 92 may be
brightly colored for increased visibility and safety.
[0055] FIG. 11 depicts an alternative embodiment of the present
invention wherein the anchor bolt holder has a plurality of wall
support brackets 59. This device is useful if there are multiple
retaining walls to which the anchor bolt holder can be attached to
further increase the stability and accuracy of placement of the
anchor bolt. The annular column has a plurality of wall support
brackets connected to the annular column 50 by the static sections
60 of the wall support brackets 59 (the rotatable portion 61 of the
wall support brackets 59 are not shown, but the pivots or hinges 63
are located at the outer end of the static sections for the
attachment of the rotatable portions 61.). In an alternative
embodiment, the plurality of wall support brackets can face in any
given direction with respect to each other. For example, an
embodiment of the present device can be used at the corner for a
foundation, in that it can be attached to either or both retainer
walls. Such an embodiment of the invention would have wall support
brackets which extend at right angles when used for a square
corner. The device can be used in other angled corners, as the
angle between the one or more wall support brackets can be any
given angle.
[0056] FIG. 12 depicts an anchor bolt holder of the present
invention while attached to an anchor bolt 45 secured in concrete
102. FIG. 13 depicts an anchor bolt holder of the present invention
where a cross-sectional view of the anchor bolt in the concrete is
shown. The anchor bolt 45 extends into the concrete 102, and once
hardened, the concrete securely fixes the anchor bolt in place. The
annular column 50 of the anchor bolt holder covers the majority of
the anchor bolt above the level of the concrete to prevent concrete
from splashing on the threads of the bolt. The wall support bracket
is attached to the retainer wall 100 by means of spikes 64 on the
contact surface face 62.
[0057] It is to be appreciated that different versions of the
invention may be made from different combinations of the various
features described above. In particular, any number of light weight
durable materials can be used to make the anchor bolt support. It
is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the
present invention may be made without departing from the scope
thereof. It is also to be understood that the present invention is
not to be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but
only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of
the foregoing specification.
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