EP2078115A1 - A concrete beam and its mounting mechanism and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

A concrete beam and a mounting mechanism, which is a part thereof, is a system with which reinforced concrete beams made into the form of a log structure are quickly, flexibly, and tightly-mounted together, generating waterproof structures to be used, among others, in dam structures, bulkheads, piers, jet-ties, bridges. The beams (17) and (18) are fastened onto each other with a joint device (7).

Description

A CONCRETE BEAM AND ITS MOUNTING MECHANISM AND METHODS

The object of this invention is a quickly and adjustably mountable concrete beam, which can be used in situations demanding fast action. Concrete beams according to the invention can be used to quickly build a wall based on the technology of placing logs on top of each other known to be employed in log construction and on a mechanism for the mounting and fastening of beams according to the inven- tion. In this patent application, the terms 'concrete beam' and and/or 'beam' refer to a reinforced concrete beam, in which regular concrete may also include other materials, such as fiber glass and/or plastic.

Beside log construction, the known methods in this field of technology are traditional concrete element walls, embankments, abutment walls, which are especially used in dam structures, bulkheads, piers, jetties, bridges, etc., All the known solutions in this field of technology are slow to construct or difficult to erect without heavy-duty crane machinery. Without a strong reinforcement, pre- cast/prestressed concrete elements of a larger size easily break and crack. Any unevenness of the base and leveling work also cause slowing down. The erection of large elements with robots does not succeed either. With traditional solu- tions, underwater construction also creates its own difficulties in case of erecting elements of a larger size.

The aim of the invention is to eliminate the aforementioned problems. With the help of a solution according to the invention, the intention is to also construct other structures demanding quick erection and elasticity. Such structures could include, for example, walls, frameworks, bulkheads, piers, jetties, bridge structures, protective barrier walls and supporting structures especially intended for the maintenance and repair of oil rigs as well as foundation structures, etc. According to one application, areas polluted with oil emitted into water can also be isolated with a wall according to the invention. Due to their weight, which is less than that of large precast/prestressed concrete elements, concrete beams according to the invention can be used to construct structures also on a poorer ground, because lighter crane machinery can be used. On work sites where, traditionally, prefabricated concrete construction was not possible due to the unevenness of the ground or other such reason, formwork is also eliminated.

This aim can be attained in accordance with the in- vention by using log-like concrete beams to build coffer- like structures by mounting them on top of each other and diagonally with a joint similar to a woodwork joint, in which each concrete beam is equipped with beam pockets, preferably already during the molding phase, ^' even though they can also be made later on by means of sawing of concrete, etc. The cross-section of the concrete beams can substantially be rectangular, but the joint surfaces can also be concaved and/or conwex and/or a zigzag or other form of a cross-section. The aforementioned also applies to the cross- sections of the beam sockets, even though it is preferable to make their cross-sections in the form of a rectangle or a square. In addition to the superimposed mounting made with beam sockets, precast/prestressed concrete elements can also be mounted successively by joining together the brackets and recesses made at their ends. This way, the length of the wall can be extended to the needed length. It is appropriate to place the superimposed splices at different locations in the wall line, in which case the top and bottom beams bind the splice over the joint. Depending on the object and purpose of use, the concrete beams can be prefabricated in cross-sections of different sizes and of several lengths. For lifting and moving them, the concrete beams are also equipped with loops or hooks, etc., which parts are preferably embedded in the blockouts made for this purpose. These blockouts can be located on the top or bottom or at the ends of the beam. A shorter beam can be used in the corners of a wall line, this way avoiding the cutting of the excess beyond the corner. Preferably a minimum of two woodwork joint- type beam sockets are always made in each concrete beam, even though shorter corner beams especially can be equipped with only one woodwork joint. But, beams, which are longer or exposed to heavier stress, can also be equipped with more beam pockets, this way generating more diagonal support for the wall line with fewer longitudinal joints. The concrete beams can also be prefabricated in modified cross-sections. For making a substantially level bottom surface for the structure, the height of the beams of the wall line diagonal to the second wall line of the lowest layer are preferably manufactured at 50% of the normal beam height. For a part of the woodwork joints in the wall line, a beam just filling the woodwork joint and only a little longer than the thickness of the beam wall can be erected. The purpose of this is only to block the woodwork joint, thereby preventing, for example, ingress of water through the wall.

The mounting of superimposed concrete beams is se- cured with separate joint devices, which can be included in various parts of the beam. The number and size of the joint devices are always decided according to the situation and stress load. For practical reasons, it is appropriate that the joint devices have regular locations in each beam, thereby securing that the beams are always mountable. The joint devices are preferably at least mainly made of metal, however, without restricting in any way the invention' s scope of protection with this.

Different kinds of joint devices can be used in various points in a concrete beam, which joint devices are mounted onto the concrete beam with bonds by using, for example, a thread, etc., as the mounting method between the joint device and the bond, without restricting in any way the invention's scope of protection with this. The joint device used on the upper and lower surface of the parallel beams is a piston in the cylinder included in the beam, which piston's piston rod is equipped a quick joint device for mounting it onto another beam, which other beam has corresponding parts embedded in it for quick mounting. Quick mounting allows the piston rod to be firmly fastened onto another beam and the tension is continuously adjusted by the sinking of the piston into the cylinder. The piston is preferably equipped with a seal, for instance, with one or more piston springs. The liquid in the cylinder is discharged from under the piston to the back of the piston through a valve allowing a one-directional flow exactly to the extent the piston sinks into the cylinder. Through this valve, the liquid is directed into the cylinder space behind the piston and, according to one of the applications, through the next similar valve, further on out of the cylinder to the extent there is no more room for the liquid in the cylinder. Due to the low and high pressures generated in the situation, the piston cannot come out of the cylinder after it has sunk into the cylinder. As the piston sinks into the cylinder exactly to the extent possible, this creates a continuously adjustable mounting onto each other of the beams. When the piston rod is also suitably loosely fastened onto another beam, it is obvious that the wall being built is not necessarily an ordinary one, and, hence, it is suitable for varying terrain conditions. The mounting of a piston rod onto another beam takes place, for instance, preferably so that, as the piston rod sinks into another beam, a spring-pushed projecting stud, etc., or a piston-spring-type part included in the beam sinks into a groove or notch made in the piston rod, which piston rod's cross-section in this case is preferably round. The joint parts in the beam pockets are a cogged rail and a cog roll, which cog roll can only rotate into one direction. These joint parts fasten diagonal concrete beams onto each other by pressing one beam and the cogged rail mounted onto it against another beam, whereupon the cog roll mounted onto the other beam rotates and fastens the beams together because the cog roll only rotates into one direction.

The concrete beams can be closed structures or hollow structures, in which case they have less mass. If the hollow structures are vertical, they can be reinforced and filled later on, for instance, with fresh concrete after the concrete beams are already mounted in place. It is easy to cut the concrete beams to the needed lengths on site using a concrete-cutting saw. In such a case, the requirements for the levelness of the base are not as high as is traditionally known in the construction industry. In one application of the invention, the wire ropes, which guide the beams to join each other, are taken through the holes vertically extending through the concrete beams and located at the same point in each beam. By taking the guid- ing wire ropes through the holes made in the beam pocket locations, fewer wire ropes or chains are needed for guiding the beams to place, which also makes the alignment easier. This application can preferably be used, for instance, for underwater construction. In one application, the beams are guided to place with a robot, with control sensors mounted onto the beams assisting the guidance. Just as in other applications, also in this application, the lowest layers of the beam wall can be filled by pouring concrete to cover the gaps between the ground surface and the substructure. In one application, the mounting and jointing together of superimposed beams is carried out by the use of joint devices equipped with a remote control and a pressure accumulator. A joint device used for mounting concrete beams on top of each other can also be equipped with one or more sensors for verifying that the mounting has taken place. The information thereby received is especially important, for example, in underwater construction.

The concrete beam' s abutment surfaces include a seal, which can preferably be of some elastic material, for instance, rubber, etc., thereby allowing flexibility to the joint. Linen can also be used as the sealing material. This secures the wall's waterproofness.

More exactly, characteristic of a structure of a precast/prestressed concrete element according to the inven- tion is what is presented in the section for the characteristics in Claim 1. The following is a more detailed description of the invention, with references to the appended drawings, in which

Figure 1 presents a perspective diagram of one log- like concrete beam according to the invention, in which the horizontal surfaces of the beam pockets are of an arch form.

Figure 2 presents a cross-sectional drawing of the mounting mechanism for superimposed parallel concrete beams,

Figure 3 presents a cross-sectional drawing of a wall built of concrete beams, in which the horizontal surfaces of the woodwork joints are even and in which any parts extending beyond the corners have been removed either by cutting them with a saw or, as an alternative, by using a shorter beam in the corner, Figure 4 presents a wall built of concrete beams, in which the beam parts extending beyond the corner have not been cut,

Figure 5 presents a cross-sectional drawing of a concrete beam, which is equipped with joint parts included in the beam pockets,

Figure 6 presents a cross-sectional drawing of a mounting method for a structure assembled from concrete beams by employing wire ropes or chains, etc., guided through the vertical holes made in the beams, Figure 7 presents a cross-sectional drawing of a mounting mechanism for superimposed parallel concrete beams, which mounting mechanism is equipped with a remote control equipment and a pressure accumulator.

For longitudinally mounting of beams, a concrete beam, whose cross-section can preferably be of a rectangular, but also of other form, includes a joint bracket 1 on one end of the beam and a joint recess 2 in the other end of the beam. The measurements of the joint bracket 1 have been adjusted to the measurements of the joint recess 2 so that the parts can be joined with the proper precision and tight- ness. For the diagonal mounting of beams, the beam includes a beam pocket 3 on the bottom side and a beam pocket 4 on upper side, in which beam pockets the measures are such that another beam can be partially sunk into it. For waterproof- ness, there is a seal 9 on the lower surface 5 and upper surface 6 of the beams to be mounted on top of each other. For better waterproofness, a seal 9 can also be fitted in the area of the beam pockets 3 and 4. The beam also includes a locator 8, which can be a sensor, etc., for facilitating the alignment of superimposed beams especially in such con- ditions, where visibility is poor, e.g., under water. The beams to be mounted on top of each other are fastened with a joint device 7, the functioning of which shall be explained later on. Also the beams to be mounted diagonally can be fastened onto each other. For this purpose, the beam con- tains cogged rails 30 and cog rolls 31 rotating into one direction. Cogged rails 30 are mounted onto, and/or partially included in, the beam walls at the points where the beam pockets are and the cog rolls 31 are mounted onto, and/or partially included in the sides of the beam pockets 3 and 4. A wall and/or a coffer structure to be made of concrete beams is built similar to, for instance, a log cabin. However, the beam pockets 3 and 4 included in the concrete beam are preferably already made into the mold and the cogged rails 30 and the cog rolls 31 installed in place, in which case, on the construction site, the pre- cast/prestressed concrete beams are only erected to build walls. The walls are erected employing a known technology, in which the concrete beams 32, 33, 34, and 35 of the lowest layer are first erected. Next, the beams 36 and 37 as well as the beams substantially parallel to them, which beams are substantially to be fastened onto the other ends of the beams 32, 33, 34, and 35, are erected. The assembly continues by erecting the beams 38, 39 and 40 and the beams 41 and 42, where the beam 42 is 50 per cent of the beams erected before it, or, as an alternative, the part extending beyond the corner can be detached from it by cutting. The beams parallel to the beams 41 and 42, which beams are substantially fastened onto the other ends of the beams 38, 39, and 40, are also erected now. The assembly work continues in this manner by erecting the beams 43 and 44 as well as 45 with the beams parallel to it, continuing with the beams 46 and 47, etc.

The joint device 7 for mounting the beams to be mounted on top of each other is as follows: The joint device 7 contains two main parts, one of which is mounted onto the upper beam 17 and the other one onto the lower beam 18.

These parts of the joint device 7 are preferably included in the beams and mounted with the bonds 16 and 19. The joint device's 7 piston rod 11, which is only fastened onto the lower beam 18, protrudes from the beam 18. The part of the joint device 7 included in the beam 18 consists of a cylinder 20 which is fastened onto a bond 19 and contains liquid, preferably oil, and in which the other end is closed and the other end equipped with a cover 25, which cylinder 20 has a piston 21 connected onto the piston rod 11 with a wrist pin 23 and is equipped with a seal 22, preferably with one or more piston springs. The piston rod 11 extends through an opening, which opening is located in the cylinder 20 cover

25 and sealed with a seal 24, and there is a groove 15 or a notch in the substantial other end of the piston rod 11, etc., for mounting the piston rod 11 onto the part of the joint device 7 included in the beam 17, which part of the joint device 7 consists of a cylinder 12, with its parts, fastened onto a bond 16. The locking device 10 included in the upper beam 17 preferably consists of a piston-springlike locking ring 13, which locking ring is spring 14 ten- sioned and partially embedded in the inner wall of the cylinder 12, and which locking ring's 13 diameter expands as the piston rod 11, which is sloped from the other end or made into the form of a cone or a cut cone, protrudes through the locking ring 13. When it is of the piston spring type, has sufficient measurements, and of suitable material, this locking ring 13 is able to function without any springs 14 generating additional tension. At the beginning stage, the piston 21 included in the cylinder 20 is at the cylinder 20 cover 25 end as close to the cover 25 as possible. In this situation, the inside 26 of the piston 21 remaining between the cover 25 and the piston 21 top contains air, preferably at the level of normal air pressure. The piston 21 includes a valve 28 allowing one-dimensional flow.

The joint device 7 for mounting the beams to be fastened on top of each other functions as follows: The upper beam 17 is moved toward the lower beam 18 and the alignment is preferably controlled with the locators 8 included in the beams. The locking device 10 is guided close to the piston rod 11, whereupon, for better alignment, the cylinder 12, of a cone form at the other end, guides the piston rod 11 inside it. The piston rod 11, of a cone form at the other end, sinks into the cylinder 12, pushing the locking ring 13 to open to the point where the piston rod 11 has advanced so far into the cylinder 12 that the tensioned locking ring 13 sinks into the groove 15 in the piston rod 11 and locks the piston rod 11 in place as the other edge of the locking ring 13 remains embedded in the cylinder 12 lining. Thereafter, as the upper beam 17 and the lower beam 18 are pressed against each other, the elastic and waterproof seal 9 included between the beams is tightly pressed between the beams. At the same time, the piston 21, fastened onto the piston rod 11, preferably with a wrist pin 23, sinks toward the opposite end of the cylinder 20 cover 25, and the liquid, preferably oil, at that end is discharged through the valve 28 into the inside 26 and the back 27 of the piston 21. Due to the volumetric capacity of the inner part 26 and back 27 of the piston 21, part of the liquid can also be guided out of the cylinder 20 though a valve 29. Due to the pressure conditions in the various parts of the piston 21, the piston 21 substantially remains in place in the cylinder 20. The beam is preferably moved with a robot, crane, etc., toward another beam and the joint devices 7 for the mounting of the beam are fastened at the same time.

As an alternative, the joint device 7 can also be remotely controlled, in which case it is equipped with a pressure accumulator 54, a valve 55, a flow channel 56, a receiver 57, a power source 60, a cable 58, and a sensor 59. In this application, with the help of the information received from the sensor 59, the locking of the piston rod 11 onto the upper beam 17 can be verified. Thereafter, the re- motely controlled receiver 57, equipped with a power source 60, opens the valve, preferably an electromagnetic valve connected with a cable 58, through which valve and via a channel 56, the gas pressurized liquid released from the pressure accumulator 54 flows into the back 27 of the piston 21, pushing the piston 21 equipped with one or more seals 22, preferably with a lip seal in the cylinder 20 toward the end opposite the cover 25, which end, according to this application, contains gas, preferably air. The existence of the channel 56 is not necessary or imperative if the valve 55 is located substantially close to the inner space of the cylinder 20. In order to avoid premature moving of the piston 21 in the cylinder 20, the space in the inside 26 and the back 27 of the piston 21 can be filled with liquid, preferably with oil.

According to one of the applications, in which the piston 21 is equipped with a lip seal, such a difference in the measurements of the piston 21 diameter and of the cylinder 20 diameter is used, that, when pushing the piston 21, assisted with the lip seal 22 through the piston 21 and the cylinder 20, the liquid, preferably oil, included in the op- posite end of the cylinder 20 cover 25 is allowed to flow into the inside 26 and the back 27 of the piston 21, in which case no valve 28 is required.

Especially in underwater construction, an application can be employed, in which a wire rope 50 taken trough the substantially vertical holes 52 made in the beams 48 and fastened onto the lowest parallel beams 48 guides the beams 48 into place, when a similar method is concurrently employed for guiding the beams 49 to be diagonally joined with the beams 48, in which case also the beams 49 include the substantially vertical holes 53 and the wire ropes 51 taken through them and fastened onto the lowest parallel beams 49. The mounting of the joint device 7 can also be reverse to what is presented above, i.e., the cylinder 20 containing the piston 21 and the liquid, etc., is included in the upper beam 20 and the cylinder 12 containing the locking device 10, etc., is included in the lower beam 18. The joint devices 7 can also be detachable, in which case they can be fastened onto the bonds 16 and/or 19 only, for instance, on the site where the concrete beam wall is erected. All the necessary mounting of the beams can be carried out with the joint device 7. The blockouts can be placed anywhere along the longitude of the beam. There is no intention to restrict the materials used in any way. With the method and device employed, walls of any length and form necessary can be built. According to one of the applications, by joining superimposed layers, a pyramid-type foundation can be constructed from the concrete beams for use in base structures. In such a case, the structure to be mounted on top can be erected to be supported by the lowest layers of the pyramid and get low pressure under the pyramid by pulling with a suction device. Of course, a structure to be mounted on top can be erected to be supported by some other part of the pyramid.

According to one of the applications, also sunken vessels can be surrounded with a concrete beam framework according to the invention, for instance, to prevent the spreading of an oil spillage from the vessel.

According to one of the applications, a concrete beam system according to the invention can also be used in road construction as a noise abatement wall. Another application used in road construction are tunnel structures, where especially the safety of mountain roads threatened by an avalanche can be substantially improved.

According to one of the applications, a concrete beam system according to the invention can be employed in building water storages, into which river waters can be di- rected especially during flood peaks.

According to one of the applications, the mounting method according to Figure 7 can also be employed when mounting a tire in a military vehicle.

Claims

1. A wall to be built with concrete beams, preferably using reinforced concrete beams, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, for mounting an upper concrete beam (17) onto a lower concrete beam (18), a mechanism, i.e., a joint device (7) is employed, in which, for mounting a valve stem (11) onto the cylinder (12), one of the beams

(17) and (18) has a cylinder (12) equipped with a locking device (10) mounted onto the beam (17) or (18) and in which one of the beams (17) and (18) includes a cylinder

(20) mounted onto the beam (17) or (18), which cylinder

(20) is closed at the other end and has a cover (25) at the other end, and which cylinder (20) includes a piston (21) mounted onto the piston rod (11) with a wrist pin (23 ) movable through the cover (25), which piston (21) is moved in the cylinder (20) toward the end opposite the cover (25) by releasing the liquid preferably pressurized with the gas in the pressure accumulator (54) included in the piston rod (11) to flow to the back (27) and/or the inside (26) of the piston (21) , which pressure is preferably released by a remotely controlled electromagnetic valve (55) connected with a cable (58) to a receiver (57) equipped with a power source (60), which electromagnetic valve (55) is located between the pressure accumulator (54) and the back (27) and/or the inside (26) of the piston (21) .

2. A wall to be built with concrete beams, preferably using reinforced concrete beams, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, for mounting an upper concrete beam (17) onto a lower concrete beam (18), a mechanism, i.e., a joint device (7) is employed, in which, for mounting a valve stem (11) onto the cylinder (12), one of the beams (17) and (18) has a cylinder (12) equipped with a locking device (10) mounted onto the beam (17) or (18) and in which one of the beams (17) and (18) includes a cylinder (20) mounted onto the beam (17) or (18), which cylinder

(20) is closed at the other end and has a cover (25) at the other end, and which cylinder (20) includes a piston

(21) equipped with a valve (28) allowing one-directional flow of the liquid, preferably oil, included in the cylinder (20) into the back (27) and into the inside (26) of the piston (21) , when pressing the piston (21) with the piston rod (11) fastened onto it preferably with a wrist pin (23) . A wall to be built with concrete beams, preferably using reinforced concrete beams, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, for mounting an upper concrete beam (17) onto a lower concrete beam (18), a mechanism, i.e., a joint device (7) is employed, in which, for mounting a valve stem (11) onto the cylinder (12), one of the beams (17) and (18) has a cylinder (12) equipped with a locking device (10) mounted onto the beam (17) or (18) and in which one of the beams (17) and (18) includes a cylinder

(20) mounted onto the beam (17) or (18), which cylinder (20) is closed at the other end and has a cover (25) at the other end, and which cylinder (20) includes a piston

(21) equipped with a seal (22) , preferably a lip seal, allowing one-directional flow of the liquid, preferably oil, included in the cylinder (20) into the back (27) and the inside (26) of the piston (21) , when pressing the piston (21) with the piston rod (11) fastened onto it preferably with a wrist pin (23) .

4. A locking device (10) according to any of the above claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, when a piston rod (11), preferably of a cone type at the other end, protrudes into the cylinder (12) , the locking ring (13), preferably getting additional tension from the springs (14) and partially embedded in the cylinder (12) lining, expands, sinking further down into the cylinder (12) lining, at the same time allowing the piston rod (11) to pass through it until the groove (15) made in the piston rod (11) reaches the locking ring (13) , whereupon the tensioned locking ring (13) reverts to its previous stage, locking the piston rod (11) in place, and for the verifi- cation of this function, the piston rod (11) and/or the cylinder (12) can be preferably equipped with a receiver (57) and/or a sensor device (59) connected to a power source (60) .

5. Cylinders (12) and (20) according to any of the above claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the cylinders (12) and (20) are fastened onto concrete beams (17) and (18) with bonds (16) and (19).

6. A cylinder according to Claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, the inside (26) of the piston (21) is substantially closed, in which case, due to lack of space, the liquid guided from the other side of the piston (21) has to be partially guided out of the cylinder (20) , which exit guidance takes place through a one- directional valve (29) in- the cover (25) of the cylinder (20) .

7. A piston (21) and/or a piston rod (11) according to Claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the piston (21) is equipped with one or more seals (22), preferably with a piston spring, between the piston (21) and the cylinder (20) and/or the piston rod (11) is equipped with one or more seals (24) between the piston rod (11) and the cover (25) .

8. A concrete beam according to Claim 1, 2, or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the mounting mechanism included in the beam pockets (3) and (4) of the concrete beams for diagonal mounting consists of a cogged rail (30) mounted onto one of the beam pockets (3) and (4) and of a cog roll (31) only rotating into one direction mounted onto one of the beam pockets (3) and (4), which mounting mechanism is an alternative to a joint device (7) according to Claim 2.

9. A concrete beam according to Claim 1, 2, or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that also diagonal mounting of concrete beams can be realized by including a joint de- vice (7) according to Claim 1 in the beam pockets (3) and 4) for diagonal mounting of concrete beams.

10. A concrete beam according to Claim 1, 2, or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that walls, barrier walls, frameworks, pyramids, piers, jetties, bridge structures, protective barrier walls for oil drills, and rescue structures can be built and/erected with the apparatus according to the invention, without restricting the scope of protection of the invention in any way in respect of the aforementioned.

11. A concrete beam according to Claim 1, 2, or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that there is a seal (9) included in between the superimposed concrete beams.

12. A concrete beam according to Claim 1, 2, or 3 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the concrete beams (48) and/or (49) can be guided to place with a wire rope (50) and/or (51), chain, etc., extended through the substantially vertical holes (52) and/or (53) made in them.