GB2115868A

GB2115868A - Expanding-anchor step iron

Info

Publication number: GB2115868A
Application number: GB08223686A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rainer Clover
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-08-19
Filing date: 1982-08-17
Publication date: 1983-09-14
Also published as: GB2115868B

Abstract

A step iron is arranged to be secured in a wall by means of two tubular shanks 12 which can be expanded by means of tapered plugs 22 to fit tightly in sockets in the wall. Free-end portions 16 of the shanks are longitudinally split into separate tongues 18. Suitable sockets may be provided by drilled holes of suitable diameter and depth, but where the step iron is to be installed in a new concrete wall use can be made of a socket-providing member 28 which can be mounted on shuttering and set into the concrete during casting. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Step irons This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to step irons, which are adpated to be mounted in a wall to provide foot and hand-holds on the wall.

There is described in U.K. Patent Specification No. 1 308 1 53 a step iron comprising, as is conventional, a generally U-shaped tread portion having a patterned upper surface which offers a good trip for a user's foot. An anchoring portion comprising a shank in the form of a ridged blade projects from each free end of the U-shaped tread portion, to enable the step iron to be secured in a wall. The shanks can be driven into recently cast concrete before the concrete has fully hardened, or alternatively (and as is a more common technique in the art) may be grouted into oversize holes drilled in the wall; cement or resin may be used to secure the shanks in the holes and the step iron must be held in position while the grouting hardens. That step iron is an example of one made to British Standard Specification No. 1247.Such step irons are commonly cast in one piece in malleable iron.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved step iron and in accordance with the invention, in one of its aspects, a step iron comprises a tread portion and a plurality of anchoring portions projecting from the tread portion and arranged to be secured in sockets in a wall mounting the step iron on the wall, each anchoring portion comprising a tubular portion which is arranged to be expanded into engagement with the wall of a socket to secure the anchoring portion in the socket.

Benefits of the use of such a step iron can be easier and quicker installation, immediate readiness for use, and no grouting to prepare and apply.

Expanding means, whereby the anchoring portions can be expanded, may be in assembly with the step iron or may comprise separate expanding members. In either case, the expanding means can coveniently comprise a plug arranged to be driven along the tubular portion of each anchoring portion to expand it. The plug might be mounted on an operating stem (e.g. a drawbolt) extending through the anchoring portion to a position adjacent to the tread portion, to enable the plug to be moved (drawn or pushed) to set the anchoring portion when the latter is already fully inserted into a socket, but preferably the plug is simply arranged to be driven by driving the anchoring portion against the plug and into the socket, the plug being held fast in the socket (e.g. by abutting an end wall).The plug may, of course, be tapered or plain, depending upon the formation of the inside surfaces of the anchoring portion.

The tubular portion of each anchoring portion, which is arranged to be expanded, is preferably provided by an open-ended freeend portion of the anchoring portion, and in a most preferred form the free-end portion is longitudinally split for a distance from its open free end into a plurality of tongues. With such an arrangement the free-end portion can be arranged to be expanded simply by means of a plug driven into the free-end portion through the open end.

A step iron in accordance with the invention may be secured in sockets provided simply by holes drilled in a wall. However, where the step is to be installed in a concrete wall a preferred method of installation comprises casting concrete in formation of the wall about a member providing a plurality of fastening-receiving sockets, allowing the concrete to set whilst leaving the member embedded in the concrete, and inserting the anchoring portions of the step iron into the sockets and securing them in the sockets. The member may be mounted on shuttering during casting of the concrete.

Various advantages can be gained from such a method of installation, which can eliminate the need to drill holes in the concrete. Sockets of ideal depth and diameter can be provided by the socket-providing member, and the dangers of striking reinforcing bars etc. during drilling, and problems of edge breakage, are eliminated.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a step iron and its installation in a concrete wall, which illustrates the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the step iron and a socket-providing member employed in its installation; and Figure 2 is a view in plan, partly in section, of a similar socket-providing member to that shown in Fig. 1.

The step iron comprises a body cast in one piece of malleable iron providing a tread portion 10 and two anchoring portions 1 2. The tread portion is generally U-shaped and has a patterned upper surface 14 affording a good grip to a user's foot. The two anchoring portions project generally from the two free ends of the tread portion and are arranged to be secured in sockets in a wall mounting the step iron on the wall.

Each anchoring portion 1 2 is of a cylindrical form and comprises an open-ended tubular free-end portion 1 6 providing an cylindrical bore. Each free-end portion 1 6 is longitudinally split for a distance from its open free end into a plurality of tongues 18, by a plurality of axially-extending slits 20.

The free-end portion 1 6 of each anchoring portion 1 2 is arranged to be expanded into engagement with the wall of a socket to secure the anchoring portion in the socket.

Expanding means comprises two tapered plugs 22 which can be driven into bores of the free-end portions 1 6 through their open ends. Each plug 22 comprises a frusto-conical expanding portion 24 and a head flange 26 of similar diameter to the anchoring portions 1 2 of the step iron. To secure the step iron to a wall in which appropriate blind sockets have been drilled, the anchoring portions 1 2 are introduced into the sockets with a plug 22 inserted into each. When the plugs abut the closed ends of the sockets, the tread portion 10 is hammered to drive the free-end portions 1 6 of the anchoring portions 1 2 over the plugs 22.The tapered expanding portions 24 of the plugs cause the tongues 1 8 to be urged outwardly into firm engagement with the walls of the sockets, to prevent withdrawal from the sockets.

Where the step iron is to be installed in a new concrete wall, at the time of formation of the wall, a much preferred method of installation involves use of a socket-providing member 28 (see also Fig. 2). In this method, the socket-providing member is set into the concrete during casting, so that no drilling of the concrete after casting is necessary. The member 28 provides two fastening-receiving sockets 30 of ideal form for use in securing the step iron. Each socket 30 (see Fig. 2) comprises a flared entry portion 32 leading to a cylindrical portion 34, which in turn leads to a divergent, frusto-conical, expansion portion 36 and a cylindrical closed-end portion 38.

There is a small aperture 40 in an end wall 42 of the socket. The diameter of the cylindrical portion 34 is little greater than the diameter of each of the anchoring portions 1 2 of the step iron. To secure the step iron, the anchoring portions 1 2 (with plugs 22) are inserted and driven into the sockets 30 and the plugs 22 so driven into the anchoring portions 1 2 to expand them, the tongues 1 8 being splayed outwards to the wall of the expansion portion 36. The length of each socket is, of course, ideally substantially the same as, but may be slightly less than, the combined lengths of the expanded anchoring portion and the plug in the socket.

To enable the socket-providing member 28 to be nailed to the back of shuttering, prior to casting concrete in formation of a wall, fixing holes 44 (Fig. 1) are provided in end flanges 46 of the member. Concrete can then be cast about the member, and allowed to set whilst leaving the member embedded in the concrete. Upon removal of the shuttering the member 28 is immediately available to enable the step iron to be secured.

Claims

1. A step iron comprising a tread portion and a plurality of anchoring portions projecting from the tread portion and arranged to be secured in sockets in a wall in mounting the step iron on the wall, each anchoring portion comprising a tubular portion which is arranged to be expanded into engagement with the wall of a socket to secure the anchoring portion in the socket.

2. A step iron according to claim 1 comprising expanding means whereby the tubular portions can be expanded.

3. A step iron according to claim 2 in which said expanding means comprises a plurality of plugs arranged to be driven along said tubular portions to expand them.

4. A step iron according to any one of the preceding claims in which said tubular portion of each anchoring portion is provided by an open-ended free-end portion of said anchoring portion.

5. A step iron according to claim 4 in which said free-end portion is longitudinally split for a distance from its open free end into a plurality of tongues.

6. A step iron according to either of claims 4 and 5 in which said free-end portion is arranged to be expanded by means of a plug driven into said free-end portion through the open end.

7. A step iron constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of installing a step iron according to any one of claims 1 to 7 in a concrete wall comprising casting concrete in formation of the wall about a member providing a plurality of fastening-receiving sockets, allowing the concrete to set whilst leaving said member embedded in the concrete, and inserting said anchoring portions of the step iron into said sockets and securing them in the sockets.

9. A method according to claim 8 in which said member is mounted on shuttering during casting of the concrete.

10. A method according to either of claims 8 and 9 in which said anchoring portions are secured in the sockets by driving them into the sockets, a tubular open-ended free-end portion of each anchoring portion being expanded by means of a plug so driven into the free-end portion through the open end.

11. A method of installing a step iron in a concrete wall, which method is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 2. A step iron according to any one of claims 1 to 7 in association with a socketproviding member suitable for use in installing the step iron in a method according to any one of claims 8 to 11.