EP0833727B1

EP0833727B1 - A method for production of reinforcement spacers and a mould for use in the production

Info

Publication number: EP0833727B1
Application number: EP95921174A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hallvar Eide
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-03-04
Filing date: 1995-05-26
Publication date: 2000-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-26
Also published as: CA2219825C; NO179291B; NO940755D0; WO1996037351A1; EP0833727A1; NO179291C; CA2219825A1; NO940755L; FI974324A0; FI974324A

Description

The present invention concerns a method for production of reinforcement spacers in concrete for use in steel-armoured concrete structures, together with a mould for use in production of the reinforcement spacers (see f.i. document DE-A-2 522 018).

Reinforcement spacers are used in order to position reinforcement steel which is provided in casting moulds, both before and during filling of the casting moulds with concrete. The reinforcement spacers can be made of various materials, such as, e.g., plastic, extruded concrete. The problems involved in using known reinforcement spacers can be divided into the following two categories:

1. Reinforcement spacers made of materials which have different physical properties from concrete. In the event of temperature changes, due to different expansion coefficients, these will lead to the occurrence of openings/cracks between concrete and reinforcement spacer, thus causing water to penetrate into the concrete, which in turn can cause corrosion damage in the reinforcement steel. This drawback is further reinforced if there is not adequate adhesion between the concrete and the reinforcement spacer.

2. Reinforcement spacers made of concrete which do not have the strength necessary in order to withstand the loads to which they are exposed in the casting moulds. Production presses currently in use restrict the possibilities of giving the reinforcement spacers the design necessary in order to satisfy requirements for securing them in the casting moulds, and requirements that the reinforcement spacers should not fall out of the completed structure, thereby permitting water to penetrate into the concrete, even without adhesion between reinforcement spacer and concrete.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for production of reinforcement spacers which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages, and a mould for use in connection with the method.

These objects are achieved with a method for production of reinforcement spacers and a mould for use in connection with the method according to the type mentioned in the introduction, which is characterized by the features indicated in the attached claims.

By means of the invention a method is obtained by simple means for the production of reinforcement spacers which substantially increases the strength and reduces the production time for reinforcement spacers.

The design according to the invention increases the contact surface between concrete and reinforcement spacer, and by means of cut-outs and through-going holes the reinforcement spacer is secured against sliding out of the completed concrete structure.

In short the principle of the invention consists in the fact that the method for production of reinforcement spacers for use in steel-armoured concrete structures and the casting mould for use in the production of the reinforcement spacers is designed in such a manner that completed reinforcement spacers both with cut-outs and holes can be removed without having to destroy the casting mould.

The invention will now be described in more detail by means of an embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing, in which:

fig. 1 is a perspective view of a reinforcement spacer,

fig. 2 is a perspective view of a plaster model of a reinforcement spacer provided in a simple wooden casting mould for the production of prototypes, preferably of plaster, and

fig. 3 is a perspective view of a partial section of an elastic casting mould according to the invention.

Fig. 1 illustrates a reinforcement spacer 1 which consists of a base part 2 to abut against the foundation and which in a first upper surface 3, opposite the base part 2, is provided with a cut-out or recess to abut against a reinforcement steel (not shown), and where in a second upper surface, opposite the base part 2, there is provided a through-going hole 4 for mounting it on to the foundation, e.g. by means of nails. In the largest side surfaces there is further provided a through-going hole 5 in the area of the cut-out 3, for mounting the reinforcement spacer 1 by means of binding wire to the reinforcement bar. The reinforcement spacer 1 is also provided with further cut-outs or grooves 6 and recesses 7 in order to increase the contact surface between reinforcement spacer and concrete and thereby provide maximum binding power to the surrounding concrete. In order to simplify the production of the reinforcement spacers one of the largest side surfaces is completely flat.

As illustrated in fig. 2, the base part 2 is designed with least possible contact with the formwork in order to reduce the surface of the part of the reinforcement spacer which will be aligned with the completed concrete, and thereby reduce the penetration of moisture between reinforcement spacer and the surrounding concrete.

Fig. 3 is a partial section of a casting mould 9 for the production of reinforcement spacers in concrete.

The method for production of reinforcement spacers in concrete for use in steel-armoured concrete structures is implemented in the following manner:

1. A plaster model in the desired shape, e.g. according to the design in fig. 1, is produced manually.

2. The plaster model is then arranged in a simple wooden mould 8, see fig. 2, and a mixture of two-component rubber mass is then poured down into the mould.

3. The negative impression of the reinforcement spacer thus constitutes a casting mould for the production of further plaster models/prototypes, which are then moulded in the desired number corresponding to the size of the actual main mould.

4. The plaster models are then glued to the bottom of the main mould, which is also made of wood, according to an optimum pattern, e.g. according to fig. 3, thus providing room for as many plaster models as possible. The main mould is thus intended for production of several spacers at a time, e.g. 50-150. The wooden mould is then filled with a two-component rubber mass 9.

5. The moulding mass is then hardened for approximately 12 hours, whereupon the plaster models are easily released from the elastic mould.

6. For the production of the through-going hole 4 for nails, holes are drilled in the rubber mould 9, thus enabling, e.g., a teflon-coated metal rod/-shaft 10, which is coated with a thin layer of oil, to be arranged horizontally in the mould, cf. fig. 3. With regard to the through-going holes 5 for binding wire, these are provided by the design of the rubber mould in the form of bosses which extend perpendicularly upwards from the bottom of the mould.

7. The main form is then filled with concrete, which is vibrated and hardened for approximately 8 hours at 40°C . The metal rods 10 are then removed from the rubber mould and completed reinforcement spacers can be easily loosened from the mould 9 by elastically bending the mould's wall parts 11. Since the rubber mould 9 consists of an elastic material, and the completed reinforcement spacers are removed after hardening by elastically bending the mould's wall parts 11, and without the mould being destroyed, the rubber mould can be used repeatedly and is thereby particularly suited to mass production of reinforcement spacers.

With respect to steps 1 to 6, these apply to production of the actual rubber mould 9, while step 7 concerns the actual production of reinforcement spacers in concrete for use in steel-armoured concrete structures.

Since the reinforcement spacers are cast in moulds made of two-component rubber mass, which makes the casting moulds very flexible, it is thereby possible to produce reinforcement spacers supplied with cut-outs 6, recesses 7 and through-going

holes

4,5, while at the same time the nature of the rubber moulds as opposed to known designs permits the moulds to be re-used.

The strength of the reinforcement spacers is particularly due to the fact that they are cast in moulds of heat-insulating materials, and thus maintain a stable temperature during the hardening process.

Claims

A method for production of reinforcement spacers in concrete for use in steel-armoured concrete structures,
characterized in that the reinforcement spacers are cast in a mould of a material which is elastic, preferably a two-component rubber mass, and that after hardening the reinforcement spacers are removed by elastically bending the mould's wall parts.
A method according to claim 1,
characterized in that the reinforcement spacers are cast in a mould which is formed by casting the mould walls in a box, in which there are provided one or more models, e.g. plaster models of the reinforcement spacers.
A mould for use in production of reinforcement spacers according to claim 1, wherein the mould has walls adapted to the shape of the reinforcement spacers,
characterized in that it is made of an elastic material, especially a two-component rubber mass.
A mould according to claim 3,
characterized in that there is provided a releasable metal rod perpendicularly through the mould's wall parts, for the production of through-going mounting holes in the reinforcement spacer.
A mould according to claim 3,
characterized in that it is designed for casting several reinforcement spacers at a time.