Wire cable anchoring arrangement

Abstract

A wire cable anchoring arrangement for high dynamic loads in which the individual wires of the cable are guided through bores of a common anchoring body and anchored at their ends thereat. For the purpose of taking-up deflection forces there are provided support means against which bear the wires and which retain the wires in a predetermined position relative to the anchoring body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and improved wire cable or stranded cable anchoring arrangement for high dynamic loads wherein the individual wires of the cable are guided through bores of a common anchoring body and anchored thereat at their ends.

It is known to the art that for the purpose of anchoring wire cables, among other things also closed wire cables, for instance for suspension bridges or diagonal or inclined cable bridges the wire cables are fanned apart or spread at their ends and the entire spread-out bundle of wires cast at an anchoring body formed of steel while using a special heated metal alloy, i.e. the so-called hot casting technique.

Through the use of a special composition for cold casting formed on the basis of plastic it is possible to fabricate cable anchorings and in particular anchorings for parallel bunches or bundles of wires which, in comparison to the metallically cast cable or rope ends, attain a considerably greater oscillation amplitude with the same basic stress or tension. This in turn produces considerable technological and economical advantages in contrast to the first-mentioned anchoring technique.

A still more rational solution would be realized if it were possible, and specifically for the same or greater oscillation amplitudes, to directly secure the individual wires at their ends at a common anchoring body. In such case it would be possible to dispense with the expensive force transmitting casting and the entire anchoring construction would have smaller dimensions and be less expensive.

It is known to the art that by carrying out specific constructional designs and undertaking special measures it is possible to support high-grade steel wires of, for instance, 5-12 millimeters diameter and with strengths of 160-200 kg/mm.sup.2 at their ends against an anchoring body in such a manner that, for instance, during 2 million load changes and a basic stress or tension of 80-150 kg/mm.sup.2 there can be realized stress amplitudes of at least 20 kg/mm.sup.2 in an extremely good manner.

As a most simple constructional form of end anchoring for the individual wires there can be employed a wire end which has been upset into a conical head and which additionally enables attaching the individual wires of a bundle at a common steel anchoring body with the smallest intermediate spacing. The wires extend into parallel bores provided at the anchoring body. The anchoring body is only as long as required by the static conditions; it can possess for instance an external threading and be supported by means of a nut member against the carrier or support construction, or it can have a widened external diameter and bear upon the thus provided annular or ring-shaped surface.

Anchoring arrangements for anchoring wire bundles in the previously described manner are well known to the art and have been successfully employed in particular in stressed concrete. Yet, if it is desired to employ such anchoring arrangements for freely exposed supporting or carrier cables which are subjected to the aforementioned extremely high dynamic oscillation loads, for instance at diagonal suspension cable bridges, then it is necessary to carry out a number of extemely important measures, and particularly as concerns the arising deflection forces, the corrosion problems and similar problems.

For practical reasons the bundle of wires of a freely exposed wire cable should be grouped as tighly and closely together as possible at the departure location from the anchoring body, and in a manner wherein the individual wires can contact one another. As a result, the wires in the bores of the anchoring body and through which the wires extend contact the walls of such bores in the direction of the axis of the bundle of wires and can form a kink or bend during depature out of the anchoring body. It can happen that the wire bundle must be slightly twisted or rotated (for instance if it should be rolled-up for reasons of transport); also as a result thereof the wires upon leaving the anchoring body can be deflected such that they come to bear against the walls of the bores. It has been found that such contacting and bending or kinking of the wires results in a considerable reduction in the oscillation strength of such anchoring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Hence it should be apparent from what has been discussed above that this particular field of technology is still in need of a wire cable anchoring arrangement which is not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art proposals. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved construction of wire cable anchoring arrangement which effectively and reliably fulfills the existing need in the art and is not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art proposals.

Another and more specific object of the present invention relates to an improved construction of wire cable anchoring arrangement which reliably and effectively fulfills the requirements imposed thereon and avoids the heretofore known drawbacks.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the inventive wire cable anchoring arrangement for high dynamic loads and wherein the individual wires of the cable are guided through bores of a common anchoring body and anchored at their ends thereat is manifested by the features that for the purpose of taking-up the deflection forces there are provided support means against which bear the wires and which retain the wires in a predetermined position relative to the anchoring body. The introduction of the support means can advantageously occur by insertion or embedding same or, in a particularly advantageous manner, by casting or molding thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a particularly simple constructional embodiment of inventive anchoring arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a finished anchoring arrangement wherein for the purpose of improving the clarity in illustration there have only been shown a few of the wires in the anchoring body;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the conical end anchor, that is to say, the end or terminal heads of the spread apart or fanned wires which are anchored at the anchoring body; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the bundle of wires which has been tightly grouped together at a close spacing by the anchoring arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Describing now the drawings, FIG. 1 thereof illustrates an anchoring arrangement possessing a particularly simple construction. The ends of the individual wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. of a cable, that is to say, a bundle or bunch 1 of such wires forming a cable, extends in a slightly fanned apart or spread condition through essentially parallel bores 2', 2", 2" ', etc. of a common anchoring body 2 formed of steel. The individual wires 1', 1", 1" ' etc. possess at their ends upset heads 3', 3", 3" ' etc. respectively, by means of which these wires are anchored at the anchoring body 2.

At the deflection region of the wires 1', 1", 1" ' etc. which run together into a tight bundle or bunch 1, that is to say, with the illustrated embodiment at the anchoring body 2 itself and at the wire outlet or departure end of the bores 2', 2", 2" ', etc. there are provided supporting cushions 2a, 2b, 2c etc. which absorb or take-up the deflection forces and retain the wires in a predetermined position with respect to the anchoring body 2, for instance guide the wires in a "centered" or parallel position with respect to the axis of the wire bunch or bundle 1. The support cushions 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. consist of support or supporting bodies formed of a material which is softer than that of the wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. or anchoring body 2. The support bodies are introduced into the spaces between the wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. and the walls of the associated bores 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. and fill out such spaces. In this way there is not only attained the desired supporting function but simultaneously also protection against corrosion effects. The supporting bodies 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. preferably consist of plastic, for instance, epoxy-, polyamide- or polyacetal resins and are advantageously formed in situ by casting appropriately hardening masses.

FIG. 2 of the drawing depicts a sectional view through a different inventive embodiment of wire cable anchoring arrangement, that is to say, an anchoring for the ends of the spread apart or fanned individual wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. of a wire bundle or bunch 1.

The individual wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. of the cable or rope likewise extend through parallel bores 2', 2", 2" ', etc. respectively of a common anchoring body 2 formed of steel. Once again the individual wires are provided at their ends with upset heads 3', 3", 3" ', etc. respectively, by means of which the wires can be anchored at the anchoring body 2. The depicted anchoring body 2 possesses external threading 4 upon which there is threaded a nut member 5. This nut member 5 bears against a carrier or support construction 6. Of course, instead of the nut member 5 there could be employed a part of the anchoring body itself, as same has been depicted for instance in the arrangement in FIG. 1, and the anchoring body 2 therefore would bear directly against the support construction 6. At a certain spacing from the anchoring body 2 the individual wires then assume the configuration of a tightly grouped together or nested together wire bundle 1. In this respect attention is directed to the cross-sectional illustration of FIG. 4 in contrast to the spread apart wire ends as shown in FIG. 3.

With the illustrated exemplary embodiment a guide disk unit 7 is non-displaceably connected with the anchoring body 2. This guide disk or guide disk unit 7 is constructed as a double disk arrangement consisting of the two disks 7' and 7". The guide disk unit 7 consists of plastic or a metal which is soft in contrast to the wire material, for instance formed of aluminum or cast iron. The guide disk 7 is arranged at a slight spacing from the actual anchoring part or component, that is, the central portion 8 of the anchoring body 2 and serves as a boundary or stop, in other words as a type of cover during the fabrication of the hereinafter to be described support body for the individual wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. of the bundle 1. Moreover, such guide disk unit 7 is provided with perforations or holes 7a corresponding to the bores 2', 2", 2" ', etc.

For the purpose of taking-up the deflection forces of the wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. which run together into a bundle behind the anchoring body 2 there is provided a support body 9 at the deflection- or kinking region of the wires, that is to say, at and in the region of their departure from the bores 2', 2", 2" ', etc. of the anchoring body 2.

Now this support body 9 is located in the space between the guide disk unit 7 and the central portion 8 of the anchoring body 2. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment the support body 9 consists of a hardened plastic mass, for instance epoxy resin which is injected through the lateral bore 10. The individual wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. bear against the support body 9 and are thus retained in a predetermined position relative to the anchoring body; the wires are not pressed against the walls of the bores. The hardened mass of the support or supporting body 9 also extends into the spaces between the wires 1', 1", 1" ', etc. and the walls of the bores 2', 2", 2" ', etc. and even passes such and therefore forms an ideal corrosion protection for these wires and the heads thereof. In order to ensure that material will not become unnecessarily wasted there is threaded over the end heads 3', 3", 3" ', etc. a cover member 11 on to the anchoring body 2. To ensure for effective penetration of the mass which is to be hardened the space which is closed by the cover member 11 is provided with at least one vent or aeration opening 12.

Owing to provision of the support body 9 this new and improved construction of anchoring arrangement fulfills all of the requirements placed thereon and attains a strength which could never be realized or in fact was even inconceivable with the heretofore known anchoring constructions.

The support body also could be formed of a different material. Instead of being cast or molded it also could be embedded or inserted. Suitable as the materials for forming the support body are those which are softer in comparison with the material of the wires. Particularly suitable are hardened casting masses since casting or molding of the support body has been found to be particularly advantageous and economical. In the case of support bodies which are fabricated in situ, that is to say, in the case of cast support bodies there is not only solved the problem of taking-up the deflection forces but also at the same time that of protecting against corrosion effects.

With the described solution employing the double disk arrangement 7 as the guide disk and closure cover there is preferably filled into the space between the disks 7' and 7" a sealing material 50, for instance by injecting a plastic mass.

Although the guide- and closure disk unit 7 is particularly advantageous (with a cast supporting body) this disk 7 of course also could be dispensed with.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Wire cable anchoring arrangement for high dynamic loads, comprising a common anchoring body having bores therethrough, individual wires of a cable guided through said bores and anchored at their ends at said anchoring body, a supporting body of material softer than the wires provided at least at a wire outlet section of the bores of the anchoring body at a respective space between the wires and the walls of said bores, said supporting body bearing at the anchoring body and at the wires for taking-up the deflection forces to which the wires are exposed and for retaining the wires in a predetermined position relative to the anchoring body, and guide disk means disposed behind said anchoring body provided with perforations corresponding to the bores of the anchoring body wherein the guide disk means consists of a double disk arrangement and a sealing material arranged between both of the disks of the double disk arrangement.

2. Wire cable anchoring arrangement for high dynamic loads, comprising a common anchoring body having bores therethrough, individual wires of a cable guided through said bores and anchored at their ends at said anchoring body, two spaced disks disposed at a distance behind said anchoring body provided with perforations corresponding to the bores of the anchoring body, a sealing material in the space between said disks, and a supporting body comprising material softer than the wires located in the space between said disks and the anchoring body and extending into said bores between the wires and the walls of said bores, said supporting body bearing at the anchoring body and at the wires and adapted to take-up the deflection forces to which the wires are exposed and to retain the wires in a predetermined position relative to the anchoring body.