U.S. patent application number 13/736224 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-25 for grout tube holder and spacer.
The applicant listed for this patent is Eric G. HEBERT, JR.. Invention is credited to Eric G. HEBERT, JR..
Application Number | 20130186030 13/736224 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48794313 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130186030 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HEBERT, JR.; Eric G. |
July 25, 2013 |
GROUT TUBE HOLDER AND SPACER
Abstract
A spacer for securing a grout tube to a frame prior to the
pouring of concrete to form a concrete structure. The spacer
comprises a central portion and two free ends extending from the
central portion. The central portion surrounds at least a portion
of the grout tube and the free ends are fastened in some fashion to
the frame. A plurality of spacers can be utilized for securing the
grout tube in place. The central portion is preferably circular and
the manipulation of the free ends can expand or contract the
diameter of the central portion.
Inventors: |
HEBERT, JR.; Eric G.; (Lake
Charles, LA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HEBERT, JR.; Eric G. |
Lake Charles |
LA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
48794313 |
Appl. No.: |
13/736224 |
Filed: |
January 8, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61588271 |
Jan 19, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/698 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 15/061 20130101;
E04G 21/185 20130101; E04C 5/163 20130101; E04F 21/00 20130101;
E04C 5/0618 20130101; E04C 3/20 20130101; E04C 5/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/698 |
International
Class: |
E04F 21/00 20060101
E04F021/00 |
Claims
1. A preformed spacer for holding a grout tube and securing it to a
frame within a concrete form, the spacer comprising: a central
portion of sufficient size to surround the grout tube; free ends
that extend outwardly from the central portion; the free ends
comprising a fastener; the fastener capable of engaging the frame;
whereby the grout tube can be held in a predetermined position.
2. The spacer of claim 1, wherein: at least one of the fasteners is
a hook.
3. The spacer of claim 2, wherein: the spacer is a length of spring
steel wire.
4. The spacer of claim 3, wherein: the length of spring steel wire
is continuous.
5. The spacer of claim 4, wherein: the central portion having a
secondary structure that allows the central portion to be
temporarily expanded by grasping the free ends and applying force
to expand the central portion's size.
6. The spacer of claim 5, wherein: the central portion comprises
the secondary structure.
7. The spacer of claim 6, wherein: the secondary structure is a
loop.
8. The spacer of claim 7, wherein: the loop is a circle.
9. The spacer of claim 8, wherein: the circle has a certain
diameter at a first position of the spacer; the certain diameter is
greater at a second position of the spacer.
10. The spacer of claim 9, wherein: at least one the free ends
comprises a handle; the handle allows a user of the spacer to
easily grasp the at least one free end and apply a pressure to
expand the diameter of the center portion.
11. The spacer of claim 10, wherein: the secondary structure
overlaps with a first portion of the center portion.
12. A preformed spacer for holding a grout tube and securing it to
a frame within a concrete form, the spacer comprising: a central
portion of a sufficient size to substantially surround the grout
tube; free ends that extend outwardly from the central portion; the
free ends comprising a fastener; the fastener capable of engaging
the frame; whereby the grout tube can be held in a predetermined
position.
13. The spacer of claim 12, wherein: at least one of the fasteners
is a hook.
14. The spacer of claim 2, wherein: the spacer is a length of
spring steel wire.
15. The spacer of claim 3, wherein: the length of spring, steel
wire is continuous.
16. A preformed spacer for holding a grout tube and securing it to
a frame within a concrete form, the spacer comprising: a central
portion of sufficient size to surround the grout tube; free ends
that extend outwardly from the central portion; the free ends
comprising a fastener; the fastener capable of engaging the frame;
whereby the grout tube can be held in a predetermined position; and
at least one of the fasteners is a hook; the central portion having
a secondary structure that allows the central portion to be
temporarily expanded by grasping the free ends and applying force
to expand the central portion's size.
17. The spacer of claim 16, wherein: the spacer is a length of
spring steel wire.
18. The spacer of claim 17, wherein: the length of spring steel
wire is continuous.
19. The spacer of claim 18, wherein: the secondary structure is a
loop; the loop is a circle.
20. The spacer of claim 19, wherein: the circle has a certain
diameter at a first position of the spacer; the certain diameter is
greater at a second position of the spacer. at least one the free
ends comprises a handle; the handle allows a user of the spacer to
easily grasp the at least one free end and apply a pressure to
expand the diameter.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to provisional
patent application 61/588,271 which was filed on Jan. 19, 2012, and
is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are numerous concrete products used in the
construction industry in a variety of applications, such as
foundations for supporting structures, as bridge and deck panels,
and as beams for structures, just to name a few. Concrete is a
material that is very strong in compression but relatively weak in
tension. Masonry structures and the mortar holding them together
have similar properties to concrete and also have a limited ability
to carry tensile loads.
[0003] In order to compensate for this imbalance in the behavior of
concrete and masonry structures, reinforcement bars, which are
common steel bars, are typically used as a tensioning device to
produce reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures.
These reinforcement bars, commonly called "rebars", are usually
formed from carbon steel, and are given ridges for better
mechanical anchoring into the concrete. While any material with
sufficient tensile strength could conceivably be used to reinforce
concrete, steel and concrete have similar coefficients of thermal
expansion. Therefore, a concrete structural member reinforced with
steel will experience minimal stress as a result of differential
expansions of the two interconnected materials caused by
temperature changes.
[0004] Traditional reinforced concrete is based on the use of
rebars cast into a poured concrete structure. In addition,
pre-stressed concrete is a method for further overcoming concrete's
natural weakness in tension. It can be used to produce beams,
floors or bridges with a longer span than is practical with
ordinary reinforced concrete. Pre-stressing tendons, generally of
high tensile steel cable, are used to provide a clamping load which
produces a compressive stress that balances the tensile stress that
the concrete compression member would otherwise experience due to a
bending load.
[0005] One concrete product that utilizes the foregoing principles
is a prefabricated concrete pile used to support foundations. These
piles are driven into the ground using a device such as a pile
driver. Concrete piles are available in a variety of
cross-sectional shapes, including square, octagonal, and round
cross-sections, and they are reinforced with rebar and are often
pre-stressed. Foundations relying on concrete driven piles often
have groups of piles connected by a pile cap (a large concrete
block into which the heads of the piles are embedded) to distribute
loads which are larger than one pile can bear. Pile caps and
isolated piles are typically connected with the piles to tie the
foundation elements together, so that lighter structural elements
bear on the piles while heavier elements bear directly on the pile
cap.
[0006] In the manufacture of reinforced and pre-stressed concrete
structures, such as piles, a form of the desired shape is used with
reinforcing spaced-apart steel bars positioned to create a frame.
Then rebars or grout tubes are used to further strengthen the
structure. When utilized, the rebars or grout tube must be centered
and held in place as the concrete is poured to form the structure.
Securing the rebars or grout tube within the steel bar frame is
currently done by hand, using wires and cables to tie the rebars or
grout tube to the frame. This is a time consuming and expensive
process.
[0007] There is therefore a need for an improved way of securing a
grout tube and rebars in place while the concrete is poured to form
the concrete structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention is for preformed wire spacers that are shaped
to grasp a grout tube and secure it to the steel frame within a
concrete form. The spacer is formed from a continuous length of
spring steel, wire that has a circular central portion of
sufficient size to surround the grout tube. The free ends of the
spacer extend outwardly from the central portion and are formed
with hooks extending, with one free end having both a handle and a
hook. Being a continuous length of spring steel, the central
portion has a double wrap or overlapping portion which provides for
the diameter of the central portion to be temporarily expanded in
diameter by grasping the free ends and applying force to expand the
central portion's size. This allows the spacer to be easily
combined with the grout tube, since the spacers and tube can move
relative to each other. Multiple spacers are used on a single tube
and are spaced apart a distance to provide the proper support and
positioning of the tube relevant to the frame and the finished
concrete form.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment of the
invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a steel frame for a concrete
beam which shows the spacers secured in place on the steel
frame;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a grout tube with
spacers in place to illustrate the positioning of the spacers on
the tubes; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a finished concrete beam and
shows the opening created by the grout tube.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show the preferred embodiment of the
invention. A spacer 20 comprises a central portion 22 and a pair of
free ends 24. The free ends 24, 26 extend outwardly from the
central portion 22. Preferably the free ends 24, 26 extend in
opposite directions and are one-hundred eighty degrees apart. The
spacer 20 is formed from a single continuous length of spring steel
wire.
[0016] In the preferred embodiment, the central portion 22
transitions to the free ends 24, 26 at an angle. Additionally, the
angle designated as A in FIG. 1 is preferably between 60 and 90
degrees, with 75 degrees being shown in FIG. 1. The angle A can
have an effect on the force needed to expand the central portion 22
as further discussed below.
[0017] Free end 24 has a fastener 27 which is preferably a hook 28
formed at its outer end 29 while free end 26 has a fastener 31
again preferably a hook 32, and a handle 34 at its outer end 35.
The hooks 28, 32 engage a frame 40 of a future concrete structure
as shown in FIG. 4, Hooks 28, 32 grasp rebars 44 that form the
frame 40 for the concrete structure, or, can be hooked over cables
46 on opposite sides of the frame 40. The preferred embodiment has
the handle 34 on one free end only, in the figures, free end
26.
[0018] Handle 34 provides a grip for installing the spacer 20 by
first securing the hook 28 over a portion of the frame 40 or cable
46 after which handle 34 is grasped to secure the hook 32 over a
portion of the frame 40 or the cable 46 on the opposite side of the
frame 40. Again, the angle of the handle 34 and the hook 32 can be
varied, however, the angle designated as B shown in FIG. 1 is
approximately 45 degrees. The angle B can allow a user easier
access to the handle and allow the user to more easily apply force
to the spacer 22 during installation.
[0019] The curved portions 50 of the spacer 20 are contiguous and
form a secondary structure 52 in the central portion 22. Preferably
the curved portions 50 touch against each other within at least a
portion of the central portion 22, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The
secondary structure 52 in the preferred embodiment is a loop 54
which is circular. This structure and the use of spring steel for
the spacer 20 provide for quick and easy installation of the spacer
20 on the frame 40.
[0020] Once spacers 20 are installed on the frame 40, a grout tube
12 can easily be slid through the spacers which position the grout
tube 12 in the approximate center of the form resulting in a
finished product as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 5 shows a grout tube 12
with spacers 20 installed on it. In this instance, the grout tube
12 can be positioned inside the frame 40 and the spacers 20 hooked
onto the frame 40 in the manner described above. In either case, it
is evident that use of spacers 20 greatly reduces the time and
effort to produce concrete products of this type and therefore
significantly reduces the cost of the products a reinforced
concrete beam or concrete pile 10 produced using a grout tube 12.
Referring to FIG. 6, the grout tube 12 provides an opening through
which rebars (not shown) can be inserted to anchor the pile or beam
10 in place in a structure where beams 10 or piles are used.
[0021] As is well known to those skilled in the art, a typical
concrete pile or beam 10 is produced in a concrete form (not shown)
of the desired length and cross-sectional shape. Referring to FIG.
4, the pile or beam almost always is produced using rebars 14 to
form the frame 40 and high tensile cables 46 which may be
pre-stressed, as described above. FIG. 4 illustrates the skeleton
metal frame in which a grout tube 12 can be placed.
[0022] Although it is contemplated that the spacer 20 will have a
set diameter "d" for accommodating a specific sized grout tube, the
size of the spacer 20, particularly the diameter of the central
portion 22 can be varied during the manufacturing process to
accommodate a specific sized grout tube. Additionally, the
preferred material used to make the spacer 20 is spring steel which
allows the spacer to have some flexibility. The flexibility allows
the spacer 20 to go from its static first position to a second
position when force is applied on the free ends 24, 26 toward the
center portion 22. This application of force expands the diameter
of the center portion 22. The greater the force applied the greater
the expansion of the diameter of the center portion. Once the force
is released, the spacer 20 returns to its normal first position.
The ability to expand allows a particular spacer 20 to accommodate
a variety of sizes of grout tubes.
[0023] The above description is for a preferred embodiment. There
are numerous contemplated changes to the spacer which could vary
from the preferred embodiment. Beginning with the free ends 24, 26,
a variety of fasteners, other than hooks, with the ability to
engage a portion of the frame 40 or cables 46. Similarly, the shape
of the center portion 22 could be varied without making the spacer
20 inoperable. Furthermore, another embodiment could utilize a
center portion 22 which does not entirely wrap around the grout
tube. Instead, the center portion 22 could be a semi circle which
wraps around only a portion of the grout tube 12. For instance, if
the center portion wrapped the left side of the grout tube 12, then
the next flanking spacer 20 could wrap the right side of the grout
tube 12. Accordingly the grout tube 12 could be secured within the
frame 40 without a complete circular center portion 22.
[0024] Having thus described the invention in connection with
certain embodiments, it will be obvious that the same may be varied
in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure
from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such
modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are
intended to be included within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *