AU2006241317B2

AU2006241317B2 - Lifting anchor support

Info

Publication number: AU2006241317B2
Application number: AU2006241317A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Urquhart Connell; Barry William Crone
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2005-11-30
Filing date: 2006-11-22
Publication date: 2012-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-22
Also published as: AU2006241317A1

Abstract

PAOPER\RSH\3O131331-CAPdoc-21/11/2006 -7 A support stand for a lifting anchor to be incorporated into a concrete component during casting thereof is formed from two identical components of bent wire assembled together 5 to form an upper support frame and legs projecting downwardly from the frame. The two components are connected by only two welds, each at one of two zones of intersection of the two components. 22a

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name of Applicant: ITW Construction Products Australia Pty Ltd Actual Inventors: Robert Urquhart Connell AND Barry William Crone Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Invention Title: "Lifting anchor support" Details of Associated Provisional Application No.: 2005906706 30 November 2005 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Q:\OPER\RSH\July 06 - Dec M6\30131331-325-CAP.doc - 22/ 1/06 CANRPonbl\DCCiPLW\405206X_1 DOC-14/12/2011 LIFTING ANCHOR SUPPORT The present invention relates to a support for setting a cast-in lifting anchor into a concrete component. 5 Conventionally, concrete components such as beams, panels, and slabs which require to be lifted during erection will incorporate lifting anchors to provide lifting points for the component, the anchors being incorporated into the component at the time of casting. For slabs or panels which are cast on-site for erection by a face-lift tilt-up lifting action for 10 movement between a flat or horizontal orientation in which the component is cast to a vertical orientation, the lifting anchors, known as face-lift anchors, are supported from the bed on which the component is cast. The head of the anchor is received within a void former which will lie adjacent to the upper surface of the cast component so that when the void former is removed after casting the head of the lifting anchor will lie within the void 15 thus formed for attachment to appropriate lifting equipment. One prior form of support for holding the anchor and void former during casting for this purpose is in the form of a wire stand which engages with the void former attached to the head of the anchor and has projecting legs which extend downwardly beyond the foot of the anchor to rest on the casting bed and hold the foot of the anchor above the bed. These prior forms of support 20 stand usually consist of an upper ring which surrounds and engages the void former and several legs connected to the ring by welding and projecting downwardly from the ring. For stability the legs are each bent into a relatively complex shape so that the legs meet or intersect in a lower part of the structure where they are tied together, before extending outwardly into foot portions which rest on the bed. 25 The present invention seeks to simplify the design of such support stands by reducing the number of component parts and thereby reducing the number of welding operations needed in assembly. 30 According to the present invention there is provided a lifting anchor assembly to be cast into a concrete component, the assembly comprising a lifting anchor, void former, and C NRPorbilDCC\PLW\405206K1 IDOC-14/12/201l -2 support stand therefor, the support stand being formed from two components of bent wire which are assembled together to define an upper frame from which the void former is supported with the body of the anchor being suspended beneath the void former, and legs projecting downwardly from the frame to rest on a bed on which the component is cast. 5 Advantageously, the two wire components are connected by just two welds each at one of two zones of intersection of the two components. Advantageously, the two components are of identical shape. It is also advantageous for the 10 number of bends in each component to be kept to a minimum. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a support stand in accordance with an 15 embodiment of the invention and showing also a void former and lifting anchor assembly carried by the stand by cooperation between an upper frame within the stand and the void former; Figure 2 is a side view of the stand shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the stand shown in Figure 1; 20 Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the two identical bent wire components used for assembling the stand; Figure 5 is a side view equivalent to Figure 4; Figures 6 to 10 are views corresponding to Figures 1 to 5 showing a variant; Figures 11 to 15 are views corresponding to Figures 1 to 5 showing a further 25 variant; and PAOPER\RSH\0131331-CAP doc-21/1 1/206 -3 Figures 16 to 20 are views corresponding to Figures 1 to 5 showing a yet further variant. The support stand shown in Figures 1 to 5 consists of two identical components 2 each 5 shaped by bending from a single piece of wire as shown in Figure 4 and 5. This provides at the upper end a central horizontal support bar 4 with a lateral bar 6, 8 extending from each end of the support bar 4 and then extending downwardly to form a leg 10, 12. It will be seen that the lateral bar 6 extends substantially horizontally from the support bar 4 whereas the bar 8 is somewhat inclined and this is readily visible in the side view of Figure 10 5. The two components 2 are assembled in intersecting relationship as shown in Figure 3 and are welded together at their two zones of intersection designated 14. In the assembled condition the central bars 4 and horizontal lateral bars 6 of the two components 2 cooperate to define a generally rectangular frame with horizontal sides into which the void former 20 can engage and be supported as shown in Figure 1. In this condition, the head of the lifting 15 anchor 22 is releasably locked within the void former 20 so that, effectively, the anchor 22 is suspended from the void former 20, with its foot portion 22a above the level of the casting bed on which the stand rests. Accordingly in this embodiment the support stand is fabricated from two identical wire 20 components each bent to required shape, in this particular case with four bends per component, with just two welds being needed to connect the components. In the variant shown in Figures 6 to 10, the shaping of the upper part of each component 2 is changed somewhat, mainly by the elimination of the lateral bar 8, to permit the generally 25 rectangular supporting frame defined in the assembled structure to be formed with only three bends per component. Figures I1 to 15 show a variation to the version shown in Figures 1 to 5 in which the legs 10, 12 are initially splayed inwardly and at their outer ends are bent outwardly and 30 downwardly to define foot portions 10a, 12a. Although each component requires more bends than that used in the version of Figures 1 to 5 (eight bends rather than four) PAOPER\RSH\3O13133I.CAP do.-21/Il/2006 -4 nevertheless this form may be desirable in some situations to facilitate improved cooperation with the reinforcement which is laid prior to casting. Figures 16 to 20 show a similar variant of the version of Figures 6 to 10 in which the legs 5 10, 12 have a reduced outwards splay and at their lower end portions are then bent outwardly and downwardly to define foot portions 10a, 12a. In this version seven bends per component are required. In each of the embodiments described herein the support stand is assembled from just two 10 identical components with only two welds being required, thereby simplifying and reducing the cost of the assembly. The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A lifting anchor assembly to be cast into a concrete component, the assembly comprising a lifting anchor, void former, and support stand therefor, the support stand 5 being formed from two components of bent wire which are assembled together to define an upper frame from which the void former is supported with the body of the anchor being suspended beneath the void former, and legs projecting downwardly from the frame to rest on a bed on which the component is cast. 10

2. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the two wire components of the support stand are connected by only two welds, each at one of two zones of intersection of the two components.

3. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim I or claim 2, wherein the two 15 components of the support stand are of identical shape.

4. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 3, wherein the upper frame is of generally rectangular shape and extends substantially horizontally. 20

5. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 4, wherein each component provides one side of the frame and at least a substantial part of a further side extending from an end of the said one side transversely thereto.

6. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 5, wherein each component provides 25 two legs each directed downwardly from a respective end of the part thereof forming the upper frame.

7. A lifting anchor assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the components intersect at zones closely adjacent to the parts thereof forming the upper 30 frame. C:\NRPortbI\DCC\PLW409845_1 .DOC-17/101/212 -6

8. A lifting anchor assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the components intersect at the parts thereof forming the legs.

9. A lifting anchor assembly according to any one of claims I to 8, wherein the lower 5 end portions of the legs are bent outwardly and downwardly to form foot portions.

10. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support stand is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. 10

11. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support stand is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 to 10.

12. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support stand is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. 15

13. A lifting anchor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support stand is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 16 to 20.