AU2010202684B2

AU2010202684B2 - Cast-in connector

Info

Publication number: AU2010202684B2
Application number: AU2010202684A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Andrew Barraclough; Robert Urquhart Connell; Simon Andrew Moore; Petar Uscumlic
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2009-07-10
Filing date: 2010-06-28
Publication date: 2017-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2030-06-28
Also published as: WO2011006036A3; WO2011006036A2; AU2010202684A1

Abstract

Abstract A connector for casting into a concrete wall panel for use in establishing a connection between the wall panel and adjacent structure such as reinforced earth structure, the connector comprising opposed legs having at an inner end thereof an integral foot portion by which the leg is anchored into the concrete during casting, the outer ends of the legs being interconnected by an integral transverse portion whereby when the connector is incorporated into the panel with inner end portions of the legs anchored within the panel, outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connecting portion are exposed from the face of the panel to define a loop for receiving means, such as a clevis pin, for coupling the connector to adjacent reinforcement such as of a reinforced earth structure.

Description

Regulation 3.2 2010202684 28 Jun2010 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

Name of Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc. Actual Inventors: Andrew Barraclough, Petar Uscumlic, Simon Andrew Moore, Robert Urquhart Connell Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Invention Title: "Cast-in connector" FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL)

Details of Associated Provisional Application No.: 2009903252 10 July 2009

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: C:\NRPonbl\DCC\PLW\3023336 1.DOC · 28/6/10 H:\plw\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\PLW\12761250_l .doc-17/01/2017 2010202684 17 Jan 2017 - 1 -

CAST-IN CONNECTOR

The present invention relates to a connector to be cast into a concrete wall panel acting as a retaining wall for a reinforced earth structure whereby to link the wall panel to 5 reinforcement within the reinforced earth structure.

Conventionally, concrete retaining wall panels for reinforced earth structures are connected to reinforcement within the structure by means of clevis pins which link the reinforcement to the connectors cast into the panel and projecting from the rear face of the panel. Prior 10 cast-in connectors for this purpose are in the form of a rod bent into a spiral of rectangular cross section, the connector being incorporated into the panel during casting such that the central passage of the connector extends horizontally, with the major part of the width of the passage being embedded within the concrete. Connectors of this type, although widely used, are not easily installed prior to casting due to difficulties which arise in achieving the 15 required placement relative to the reinforcing mesh of the panel, tying the connector to the mesh, and maintaining it in position during casting. Moreover due to the spiral form of the connectors, during packing and transportation they tend to twist and lock together and need to be manually separated for use. 20 According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a concrete wall panel forming part of a retaining wall of an earth structure, the wall panel comprising a connector cast into the concrete wall panel for use in establishing a connection between the wall panel and adjacent structure such as reinforced earth structure, the connector comprising opposed legs having at an inner end thereof an integral foot portion by which 25 the leg is anchored into the concrete during casting, the outer ends of the legs being interconnected by an integral transverse portion whereby when the connector is incorporated into the panel with inner end portions of the legs anchored within the panel, outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connecting portion are exposed from the face of the panel to define a loop for receiving means, such as a clevis pin, for coupling the 30 connector to adjacent reinforcement such as of a reinforced earth structure, and wherein the anchoring foot portion of the connector is defined by an enlargement at the inner end of H:\jvs\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\JVS\12322758_l .doc-14/12/2016 2010202684 14 Dec 2016 -2- each leg.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided connectors intended for use in the concrete wall panel of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each 5 connector comprises opposed legs having at an inner end thereof an integral foot portion by which the leg is anchored into the concrete during casting, the outer ends of the legs being interconnected by an integral transverse portion whereby when the connector is incorporated into the panel with inner end portions of the legs anchored within the panel, outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connecting portion are exposed from the 10 face of the panel to define a loop for receiving means, such as a clevis pin, for coupling the connector to adjacent reinforcement such as of a reinforced earth structure, and wherein the anchoring foot portion of the connector is defined by an enlargement at the inner end of each leg. 15 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a concrete wall panel as previously described, the method comprising the step of locating the connector with a support prior to casting of the concrete wall panel, the support comprising means for releasably holding the connector at an outer end portion of the connector such that the inner end portions of the legs with the anchoring foot portions are 20 suspended beneath the support for casting into the concrete wall panel, the support being releasable from the outer end portion of the connector after casting and curing of the concrete wall panel to a predetermined strength so as to expose the outer end portion of the connector including the outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connection portion. 25

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support intended for use in the method of making a concrete wall panel as previously described for locating the connector prior to casting of the concrete wall panel, wherein the support comprises means for releasably holding the connector at an outer end portion of the connector such 30 that the inner end portions of the legs with the anchoring foot portions are suspended beneath the support for casting into the concrete wall panel, the support being releasable H:\jvs\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\JVS\12322758_l .doc-14/12/2016 2010202684 14 Dec 2016 -3 - from the outer end portion of the connector after casting and curing of the concrete wall panel to a predetermined strength so as to expose the outer end portion of the connector including the outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connection portion. 5 Advantageously the opposed legs and the transverse connecting portion are each of substantially linear form, with the opposed legs preferably being substantially parallel.

Preferably the anchoring foot portion is defined by an enlargement at the inner end of each leg or alternatively by deforming the inner end portion of the leg so that it is inclined to the 10 axis of the leg.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a support for locating a connector as defined above prior to casting of the concrete, the support comprising means for releasably holding the connector at an outer end portion of the connector such that the 15 inner end portions of the legs with the anchoring foot portions are suspended beneath the support for casting into the concrete, the support being releasable from the outer end portion of the connector after casting and curing of the concrete to a predetermined strength so as to expose the outer end portion of the connector including the outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connection portion. 20

Advantageously the support includes a seat in the form of a channel open at its lower end and in which the outer end connecting portion of the connector is located and released.

Particularly advantageously the upper end portion of the connector is held within the seat 25 by a permanent magnet.

In a particularly preferred form, the support is in the form of a beam having seats spaced along the length of the beam for simultaneously holding a row of connectors for installation into the panel. 30

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with H:\jvs\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\JVS\12322758_l .doc-14/12/2016 2010202684 14 Dec 2016 -4- reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 to 3 are views of a connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 shows schematically a row of such connectors installed into a panel in 5 conjunction with a common support beam for locating and retaining the row of connectors; Figure 5 shows a detail A of Figure 4 to an enlarged scale; and Figure 6 is a section to an enlarged scale taken on line VI-VI of Figure 4.

The connector 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings comprises 10 opposed parallel limbs 2 interconnected at their outer ends by an integral transverse limb 4. The inner ends of the two limbs 2 are each formed with an enlarged foot portion 6. The connector 1 is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 in the orientation it assumes during casting of the wall panel on a casting bed, namely with the limbs 2 extending vertically and the transverse limb 4 extending horizontally at the upper ends of the vertical limbs 2. In its 15 installed condition within the concrete panel, just the transverse limb 4 and outer parts the two parallel limbs project from the upper face of the panel (this face is indicated by the broken line F in Figure 1) thereby defining a loop for receiving a clevis pin by which the connector is linked to adjacent reinforcement of the reinforced earth structure when the panel is in erected state with its face F vertical. The enlarged foot portions 6 which are 20 embedded within the thickness of the concrete panel provide substantive anchorage for the connector 1 within the panel without the need to tie the connector to the reinforcement of the panel.

The connector 1 is easily fabricated from wire rod bent to the required shape and then 25 forged to provide the enlarged foot portions, the connector then being galvanised to provide the required corrosion resistance.

The connector 1 of this relatively simple form also facilitates its accurate location in an easy manner prior to casting of the panel as will now be described. 30

In practice, the connectors 1 will be installed in horizontal rows across the rear face of the H:\jvs\Interwoven\NRPortbl\DCC\JVS\12322758_l .doc-14/12/2016 2010202684 14 Dec 2016 -5- panel, the number of connectors in each row and the number of rows being determined by structural requirements of the retaining wall formed by the panel. Figures 4 to 6 show a common support 10 for locating and retaining a row of connectors prior to and during casting. Figure 4 also shows schematically the panel P following casting with a row of 5 connectors 1 cast into the panel P with their looped upper parts projecting from the upper face F of the panel as previously described; in Figure 4 the support 10 is shown released from the connectors 1 following curing of the concrete to a required strength.

The support 10 is in the form of a beam extending across the width of the panel P and 10 having on its underside a series of seats 12 spaced along the length of the beam. Each seat 12 releasably receives one of the connectors 1 by engagement with its transverse limb 4 so that when so engaged within the seat, the opposed limbs 2 of the connector with the anchoring foot portions 6 at their lower ends will be suspended beneath the beam 10. The beam 10 is itself supported at such a height above the surface of the casting bed on 15 which the panel P is cast so as to locate the anchoring foot portions 6 of the connectors at the required height for casting into the panel. The nature of the support for the beam will depend on site-specific casting arrangements and the type of formwork defining the panel. As will be seen from Figures 5 and 6, each of the seats 12 is in the form of a channel 14 open at its lower side and extending across the width of the beam 10. The transverse 20 limb 4 of the connector and the curved transition zones between the limb 4 and the limbs 2 sit within the channel 14 which thereby provides accurate location of the connector. In one particularly preferred form, the seating channel 14 is associated with a permanent magnet 16 mounted within or to the structure of the beam 10 whereby the connector 1 will be releasably held within the channel 14 by magnetic forces; in this form, the beam 10 and 25 channels 14 are fabricated from a non-ferrous material, such as aluminium, to enable the required magnetic interaction between the magnets and the connectors which will be made of a suitable grade of steel. In alternatives, however, each seat may include a mechanical or frictional retention system to releasably retain the connector. 30 In the embodiment shown, the seating channels 14 are defined by lengths of L-section strip 20 secured to the underside of the beam, for example by gluing, although they may 2010202684 14 Dec 2016 H:\jvs\fiUerwoven\NRPortbl\DCCUVS\ 12322758.1 doc· 14/12/2016 -6- altematively be formed by extrusions of channel section. The detailed structure of the beam 10 is not of particular significance provided it has sufficient rigidity for the function it is to perform. In the particular form shown it is composed of two L-section strips 22 bolted together in spaced relation to receive the magnets 16 between the adjacent upright 5 limbs of the two strips 22. In alternatives, it could be composed of a single aluminium extrusion of channel section or similar to receive the magnets when a magnetic retention system is provided.

After casting and curing of the concrete to the required strength, the beam 10 is lifted to 10 release its seats 12 from the upper, exposed ends of the connectors 1, the beam 10 being provided with handles 24 to assist this action. It will be understood that in addition to the beam 10 providing accurate location and support of the row of connectors prior to and during casting, the outer ends of the connectors are shielded within the seats 12 against ingress of concrete during casting. It will also be understood that a separate beam 10 with 15 seats 12 will be provided for each row of connectors 1 to be cast into the panel.

The material requirements for the connectors of the preferred embodiment are less than those of conventional connectors in spiral form and their installation process is considerably simplified by use of the system just described. 20

The embodiment has been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the connector, instead of being made from round wire stock could be fabricated from flat bar stock bent to the required shape to provide the two parallel limbs and transverse limb, with the inner end portions of 25 the parallel limbs being bent out of plane (in other words bent away from the axis of the limb) to provide anchoring foot portions. The detailed structure of the support beam for the row of connectors may also differ from that shown.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A concrete wall panel forming part of a retaining wall of an earth structure, the wall panel comprising a connector cast into the concrete wall panel for use in establishing a connection between the wall panel and adjacent structure such as reinforced earth structure, the connector comprising opposed legs having at an inner end thereof an integral foot portion by which the leg is anchored into the concrete during casting, the outer ends of the legs being interconnected by an integral transverse portion whereby when the connector is incorporated into the panel with inner end portions of the legs anchored within the panel, outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connecting portion are exposed from the face of the panel to define a loop for receiving means, such as a clevis pin, for coupling the connector to adjacent reinforcement such as of a reinforced earth structure, and wherein the anchoring foot portion of the connector is defined by an enlargement at the inner end of each leg
2. A concrete wall panel according to claim 1, wherein the opposed legs of the connector and the transverse connecting portion of the connector are each of substantially linear form.
3. A concrete wall panel according to claim 2, wherein the opposed legs of the connector are substantially parallel.
4. A method of making a concrete wall panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the method comprising the step of locating the connector with a support prior to casting of the concrete wall panel, the support comprising means for releasably holding the connector at an outer end portion of the connector such that the inner end portions of the legs with the anchoring foot portions are suspended beneath the support for casting into the concrete wall panel, the support being releasable from the outer end portion of the connector after casting and curing of the concrete wall panel to a predetermined strength so as to expose the outer end portion of the connector including the outer end portions of the legs and the transverse connection portion.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the support includes a seat in the form of a channel open at its lower end and in which the outer end of the connector is located and released.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the means for releasably holding the connector includes a permanent magnet for magnetically retaining the outer end portion of the connector within the seat.
7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the support is in the form of a beam having several such seats spaced along the length of the beam for simultaneously holding a row of connectors for installation into the panel.