GB2139278A

GB2139278A - Connector device

Info

Publication number: GB2139278A
Application number: GB08312298A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Samuel Bailey Hart Mitchell
Original assignee: Charcon Tunnels Ltd
Current assignee: Charcon Tunnels Ltd
Priority date: 1983-05-05
Filing date: 1983-05-05
Publication date: 1984-11-07
Also published as: GB2139278B; GB8312298D0

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a connector device for engaging in a socket (19) in an article to be lifted such as a precast concrete segment (20). The connector device comprises a shank (11) having an eye (13) at one end to which a hoist is attached and a head (12a) at the other end to engage in the socket and, by rotation through 90 DEG , to interlock with the socket to perform a lifting operation. A locking member (16) is slideably mounted along the connector device by a hoop (14) to permit the locking member to slide between a position in which one end part of the locking member overlies the eye (13) preventing connection of the hoist to the eye and another position in which the other end of the locking member projects into the socket to prevent the connecting device from being rotated to withdraw the head from the socket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to connector devices for engaging in sockets ThisH'nvention relates to connector devices for engaging in sockets and is particularly although not exclusively applicable to devices for engaging in lifting sockets in components such as cast concrete segments and the like.

The invention provides a connector device for engaging in a socket comprising an elongate element having a head at one end to be inserted in an elongate section with the head aligned along the socket and turned in a cavity at the bottom of the socket to lock in the socket, an eye at the other end of the element for connection to a hoist and an elongate locking member extending along and slidably mounted on the elongate element between one position in which the locking member extends alongside that part of the element which is engageable in the socket to prevent the element from being turned to release the head from engagement in the cavity in the socket and a second position in which the other end of the locking member extends across the eye of the elongate member to prevent the attachment of a hoist thereto.

In one embodiment the head on the elongate element may be T-shaped to engage in cavities on either side of the socket. In an alternative embodiment the head is-L-shaped to engage in a cavity to one side only of the socket.

The elongate element may have a bracket located adjacent the eye through which the locking member is slidable, the locking member having a handle at the end adjacent the eye for sliding the member along the elongate element and an abutment at the other end to prevent the locking member from bring withdrawn from the bracket.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation view of a connector device for use in lifting concrete segments and the like; Figure 2 is a side view of the device; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device with a locking element of the device raised for insertion of the device in a lifting socket in a component to be raised; Figure 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 with the locking element lowered to lock the device in the socket ready for lifting; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a concrete segment with two connector devices engaged in it with a sling attached for lifting the segment; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of device; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of a part of a modified lifting socket for use with the modified device of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a connecting device indicated generally at 10 for engagement in a socket in a component such as a concrete casting to be raised to provide an attachment for a lifting hook or sling. Suitable forms of socket are described and illustrated in our U.K. Patent Application No. (Reference:GCB/BA4579). That specification describes cast concrete elements having connector sockets cast adjacent the surface thereof to receive connector devices. The sockets have an elongate transverse crosssection adjacent the surface of the element and, spaced below the surface of the element a transverse cavity extending to one or both sides of the socket to provide retaining shoulders against which the connector device may engage. Spring detents may be provided on the shoulders to hold the connector device in place.

The connector device illustrated in the drawings comprises an elongate member 11 having a square cross-section part 11 a which reduces a circular cross-section part 11 b. The end of the part 11 b of the member has a cross-piece 1 2 to form a T-shaped end on the member. The end of the part 11 a of the member is formed with a circular eye 1 3. A rigid U-shaped hoop 14 is mounted on the part 11 a of the member and provides a through-way 1 5 extending along the member in which a square section bolt 1 6 extending along the member is slideable.The end of the bolt 1 6 adjacent the eye 1 3 is formed with a laterally extending rod 1 7 to form a handle for moving the bolt with respect to the member 11 and the other end of the bolt is formed with an abutment 1 8 to engage and prevent the bolt from being extracted from the hoop.

A shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, when the bolt is raised to bring the abutment 18 into engagement with the hoop 14, the bolt extends across the eye 1 3 to prevent the attachment of a hook, sling or the like to the eye. Part 11 b of the member 11 is then exposed to be inserted in a socket with the Tshaped end 1 2 extending lengthwise along the socket. When the T-shaped end reaches the cavity in the socket the connector device is turned through 90" to engage the ends of the cross-piece 1 2 under the shoulders formed in the cavity in the socket and the detents on the shoulders engage and hold the cross-piece in place against the shoulders.The bolt 1 6 can then be lowered with respect to the member 11 into the socket until the rod 1 7 engages the other side of the hoop 14 as shown in Fig. 4. The bolt 1 6 then locks the connector device against rotation in the socket to prevent the connector device from being disengaged from the socket. The eye 1 3 of the connector device is then exposed and a hook, sling or other lifting element can then be attached to the eye to raise the element in which the connector device is locked.Fig. 5 of the drawings shows, by way of example, an arcuate concrete segment 25 for a tunnel or shaft lining having two sockets 1 9 cast into it's upper circumferential edge 20, each socket having a cavity 21 spaced below the edge 20 into which the T-shaped cross-piece 1 2 can be turned to lock the connector device in the socket. A sling 23 connected to a hoist (not shown) is attached by shackles 24 in the eyes 1 3 of the fastening devices. The connector devices having limited pivotal movement in the sockets 1 9 so that they can take up the lie of the two stretches of the sling extending downwardly from the hoist to which the sling is attached.To release the connector devices from the sockets after the concrete element has been placed in the required position, the shackles 24 are released from the eyes 1 3 and the bolts 1 6 are extracted from the sockets. The connector devices are then depressed in the sockets to release the T-shaped ends 12 from the detents and are then turned through 90 to align the T-shaped ends with the elongate direction of the sockets and can then be extracted from the sockets.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a similar arrangement except that the end of the part 11 b of the elongate member of the connector device is formed with an L-shaped head 1 2a and the socket 1 9 in the cast concrete element 18 has a cavity 21 on one side only thereof to receive the L-shaped end. The arrangement is otherwise similar to that described above.

Claims

1. A connector device for engaging in a socket comprising an elongate element having a head at one end to be inserted in an elongate section socket with the head aligned along the socket and turned in a cavity at the bottom of the socket to lock in the socket, an eye at the other end of the element for connection to a hoist and an elongate locking member extending along and slidably mounted on the elongate element between one position in which the locking member extends alongside that part of the element which is engageable in the socket to prevent the element from being turned to release the head from engagement in the cavity in the socket and a second position in which the other end of the locking member extends across the eye of the elongate element to prevent the attachment of a hoist thereto.

2. A connector device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the head on the elongate element is T-shaped to engage in cavities on either side of the socket.

3. A connector device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the head on the elongate element is L-shaped to engage in a cavity on one side of the socket.

4. A connector device as claimed -in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the elongate element has a bracket located adjacent the eye through which the locking member is slidable, the locking member having a handle at the end adjacent the eye for sliding the member along the elongate member and an abutment at the other end to prevent the locking member from being withdrawn from the bracket.

5. A connector device substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 or Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.