U.S. patent application number 14/944793 was filed with the patent office on 2017-02-09 for cold heading formed wedge for use in post tensioning concrete.
The applicant listed for this patent is Felix Sorkin. Invention is credited to Felix Sorkin.
Application Number | 20170036262 14/944793 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57943390 |
Filed Date | 2017-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170036262 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sorkin; Felix |
February 9, 2017 |
COLD HEADING FORMED WEDGE FOR USE IN POST TENSIONING CONCRETE
Abstract
A wedge for use in post tensioning concrete is formed by cold
heading. The cold heading operation may include providing a wire,
feeding the end of the wire into a cold heading apparatus, cold
heading the end of the wire to form at least one wedge blank, and
finishing the wedge blank to form the wedge.
Inventors: |
Sorkin; Felix; (Stafford,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sorkin; Felix |
Stafford |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57943390 |
Appl. No.: |
14/944793 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62200994 |
Aug 4, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21J 5/08 20130101; B21K
1/76 20130101; B21J 9/022 20130101; E04C 5/122 20130101; E04C 5/16
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B21K 21/10 20060101
B21K021/10; E04C 5/16 20060101 E04C005/16 |
Claims
1. A method for forming a wedge for post tensioning concrete
comprising: providing a wire; feeding a portion of the wire into a
cold heading apparatus; cold heading a portion of the wire to form
at least one wedge blank; and finishing the wedge blank to form the
wedge.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein cold heading a portion of the
wire to form at least one wedge blank comprises: feeding the
portion of the wire between a first and second forming die;
reshaping the portion of the wire by the first and second forming
die; and separating the portion of the wire from the wire to form
the at least one wedge blank.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein reshaping the portion of the wire
by the first and second forming die comprises one or more of
stamping, swaging, punching, forging, extruding, or upsetting the
portion of the wire.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising further reshaping the
portion of the wire by a third and fourth forming die.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein finishing the wedge blank to form
the wedge comprises one or more of tumbling, polishing, heat
treating, hardening, tempering, grooving, or surface treating the
wedge blank.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the process of feeding the wire
to the cold heading apparatus is performed by one or more drive
wheels.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the cold heading apparatus
further includes a straightening apparatus, the straightening
apparatus including a plurality of rollers.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein two wedge blanks are formed
simultaneously.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising machining the wedge
blanks to form grooves.
10. A method comprising: providing a wire; feeding a portion of the
wire into a cold heading apparatus; cold heading a portion of the
wire to form at least one wedge blank; finishing the wedge blank to
form the wedge; providing an anchor for post tensioning concrete;
threading a strand through the anchor; and positioning the wedge on
the strand.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein positioning the wedge is on the
strand is in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of
the strand.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein cold heading a portion of the
wire to form at least one wedge blank comprises: feeding the
portion of the wire between a first and second forming die;
reshaping the portion of the wire by the first and second forming
die; separating the portion of the wire from the wire to form the
at least one wedge blank.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein reshaping the portion of the
wire by the first and second forming die comprises one or more of
stamping, swaging, punching, forging, extruding, or upsetting the
portion of the wire.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising further reshaping
the portion of the wire by a third and fourth forming die.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein finishing the wedge blank to
form the wedge comprises one or more of tumbling, polishing, heat
treating, hardening, tempering, grooving, or surface treating the
wedge blank.
16. The method of claim 10 further comprising moving the wedge into
a tapered recess.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising applying a gripping
force using the wedges on the strand.
18. The method of claim 10, wherein the wedges have grooves.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a nonprovisional application which
claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 62/200,994,
filed Aug. 4, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in
its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD/FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to post-tensioned,
pre-stressed concrete construction. The present disclosure relates
specifically to wedges for anchors for use therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] Many structures are built using concrete, including, for
instance, buildings, parking structures, apartments, condominiums,
hotels, mixed-use buildings, casinos, hospitals, medical buildings,
government buildings, research/academic institutions, industrial
buildings, malls, bridges, pavement, tanks, reservoirs, silos,
foundations, sports courts, and other structures.
[0004] Pre-stressed concrete is structural concrete in which
internal stresses are introduced to reduce potential tensile
stresses in the concrete resulting from applied loads. This can be
accomplished by two methods--post-tensioned pre-stressing and
pre-tensioned pre-stressing. When post-tensioning concrete, the
pre-stressing assembly is tensioned after the concrete has attained
a specified strength. The pre-stressing assembly, commonly known as
a tendon, may include for example and without limitation,
anchorages, one or more strands, and sheathes or ducts. The strand
is tensioned between anchors which are embedded in the concrete
once the concrete has hardened. The strand may be formed from a
metal or composite or any suitable material exhibiting tensile
strength which can be elongated including, for example and without
limitation, reinforcing steel, single wire cable, or multi-wire
cable. The strand is typically fixedly coupled to a fixed anchorage
positioned at one end of the tendon, the so-called "fixed end", and
is adapted to be stressed at the other anchor, the "stressing end"
of the tendon. The strand is generally held to each anchor by one
or more wedges. Typically, anchors include a tapered recess which,
when the strand is placed under tension, cause the wedges to
further engage the strand. Wedges are typically made of metal.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure provides for a method for forming a
wedge for post tensioning concrete. The method may include
providing a wire; feeding a portion of the wire into a cold heading
apparatus; cold heading a portion of the wire to form at least one
wedge blank; and finishing the wedge blank to form the wedge.
[0006] The present disclosure further provides for a method
including providing a wire and feeding a portion of the wire into a
cold heading apparatus. The method also includes cold heading a
portion of the wire to form at least one wedge blank and finishing
the wedge blank to form the wedge. The method includes providing an
anchor for post tensioning concrete, threading a strand through the
anchor, and positioning the wedge on the strand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present disclosure is best understood from the following
detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is
emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the
industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the
dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or
reduced for clarity of discussion.
[0008] FIG. 1 depicts a cross section of an anchor having a wedge
consistent with at least one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of a cold heading procedure
for forming wedges consistent with at least one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0010] FIGS. 3A-D depict an overview of a cold heading process for
forming wedges consistent with at least one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] It is to be understood that the following disclosure
provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing
different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of
components and arrangements are described below to simplify the
present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are
not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure
may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various
examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and
clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the
various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
[0012] FIG. 1 depicts anchor 10 for use in post tensioning
concrete. Anchor 10 is adapted to receive and couple to strand 12
of tendon 14. During installation, strand 12 may be threaded
through anchor 10. Strand 12 may be, for example and without
limitation, mono-wire cable or multi-wire cable. For the purposes
of this disclosure, the axis parallel with the length of strand 12
will be referred to as the longitudinal axis of strand 12. Anchor
10 may include anchor body 16 adapted to retain the position of
anchor 10 when positioned in formed concrete.
[0013] Anchor 10 may couple to strand 12 by the use of one or more
wedges 100. Wedges 100 may be substantially wedge shaped and
adapted to fit into a tapered recess 18 formed in anchor body 16.
During use, wedges 100 may be installed to the strand in a
direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strand.
Tension on strand 12 may cause wedges 100 to move into tapered
recess 18, applying a gripping force on strand 12.
[0014] In some embodiments, wedges 100 may be formed by cold
heading. FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of a cold heading process.
Wire 101 is provided on spool 103. Wire 101 is fed by one or more
drive wheels (not shown) into cold heading apparatus 105. In some
embodiments, cold heading apparatus 105 may include straightening
apparatus 107 which may include a plurality of rollers adapted to
straighten wire 101 as it enters cold heading apparatus 105. Wire
101 may be fed to forming dies 109. Forming dies 109 reshape a
portion of wire 101 progressively into the final form of one or
more wedge blanks 113. At some point in the cold heading operation,
a portion of wire 101 is separated 111 from the rest of wire 101,
separating the one or more formed wedge blanks 113.
[0015] As depicted in FIGS. 3A-D, forming dies 109a-f may be
utilized to progressively reshape a portion of wire 101 by cold
heading. FIGS. 3A-D depict the cold heading operation as a 3-step
operation, but one having ordinary skill in the art with the
benefit of this disclosure will understand that any number of
operations may be undertaken to cold head wedge blanks 113. The
following discussion is merely exemplary of a cold heading
operation consistent with at least one embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0016] As depicted in FIG. 3A, wire 101 is fed through forming die
109a. Wire portion 115 is formed between forming die 109a and 109b
to initially reshape wire portion 115. In this embodiment, a
portion of wire 101 is separated from wire 101 at this stage by,
for example, shear cutter 117 to be formed into wedge blank 113. As
depicted in FIG. 3B, forming dies 109c, 109d further refine the
shape of wire portion 115. In this embodiment, two wedge blanks 113
are formed simultaneously from wire portion 115. One having
ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will
understand that any number of wedge blanks 113 may be formed from
wire portion 115. As depicted in FIG. 3C, forming dies 109e, 109f
further refine the shape of wedge blanks 113 into the final cold
headed form shown in FIG. 3D. As understood by one having ordinary
skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure, forming dies
109a-f may operate by stamping, swaging, punching, forging,
extruding, upsetting, or a combination thereof.
[0017] In some embodiments, wedge blanks 113 may emerge from the
cold heading process in a final form requiring no additional
treatment. In some embodiments, wedge blanks 113 may be further
processed as shown in FIG. 2 as further treatment 119. For example,
in some embodiments, wedge blanks 113 may be tumbled or otherwise
polished to improve their surface finish. In some embodiments,
wedge blanks 113 may be given a surface treatment or may be heat
treated, hardened, or tempered. In some embodiments, wedge blanks
113 may be further machined to, for example and without limitation,
add grooves.
[0018] The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so
that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand
the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be
replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some
of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art
should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure
as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and
structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the
same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of
ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent
constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
present disclosure and that they may make various changes,
substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
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