GB2412927A

GB2412927A - A method of providing an insert in a cast body

Info

Publication number: GB2412927A
Application number: GB0407891A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Satish Karra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-04-07
Filing date: 2004-04-07
Publication date: 2005-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-07
Also published as: GB2412927B; GB0407891D0

Abstract

A fixing insert, e.g. a threaded bolt 12, has a head 14 which becomes trapped in the cast body 10, and a part 15 which in use projects therefrom. The projecting part 15 of the insert 12 is secured to a carrier 24, with an elongate hollow liner , which may be conical as shown, surrounding insert 12 and closed at the lower end by the insert, optionally by means of washer 26, and restrained against movement by spacer 28. The spacer 28 may be an annulus of foam material, and the liner may be waxed cardboard. Following casting of concrete 10, e.g. a pile, carrier 24, spacer 28 and the liner may all be removed and stanchion 19 erected , base 18 and nuts 38 taking the place of carrier 24 and nuts 27.

Description

24 1 2927 Title: Method of Providing an Insert in a Cast Body

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a method of providing an insert in a cast body, and more particularly but not exclusively to such a method for providing a threaded insert in a concrete pile, to which insert a construction element, such as a stanchion of a metal framed building, may be secured.

It will be appreciated that to provide a metal framed building on a foundation which includes a plurality of concrete piles, the inserts by which the stanchions of the frame are secured relative to the piles, have to be positioned such that the inserts may be secured to the construction element, for example, received in openings in a foot of the stanchion.

Accordingly it is common practice to provide around each insert a conical liner, with the small end of the cone at a head end of the insert which becomes embedded in the concrete, and a large end of the cone surrounding a mid region of the insert, with a part of the insert which subsequent to casting the concrete projects upwardly of the pile being secured to a carrier to which one or a plurality of inserts to provided in the concrete pile, may be secured.

Thus the conical liner is positioned between the head of the insert and the carrier. The conical liner may be made of a waxed cardboard for example, so that when the concrete is cast around the cone, and the concrete has set, the cone may readily be removed from the cast body.

With the cone removed, the insert may move in the corresponding conical formation cast in the concrete, to allow for adjustment of the insert position, so to accommodate discrepancies between the insert and stanchion positions. Thus the adjustment in insert position allowed, can enable the insert to be received in an otherwise out-of-register opening in the foot of the stanchion. To allow for maximum adjustment of an insert position, preferably the mid region of the insert is positioned generally centrally in the cone as the concrete is cast.

However particularly but not exclusively where a plurality of inserts are to be provided in the concrete pile, and thus a plurality of inserts are secured relative to a common carrier, prior to and during positioning of the inserts, and even during casting, which can involve tamping or the like of the concrete, one or more of the inserts may move in the liner and thus subsequent to casting, the insert position may not be adjustable sufficiently in all directions to enable the insert to be received in its respective foot opening.

According to a first aspect of the present invention we provide a method of providing an insert in a cast body, the insert including a head formation which becomes entrapped in the cast body, and a projecting part which projects from the cast body, and a mid region between the head formation and the projecting part, the method including securing the projecting part of the insert relative to a carrier, providing between the head formation and the carrier an elongate hollow liner member which surrounds at least the mid region of the insert, the liner member having at one end thereof an opening which is closed by the insert, and having at an opposite end an opening which has a dimension which is substantially greater than the cross sectional area of the mid region of the insert, the cross sectional area of the hollow increasing from the first to the second end of the liner member, the method including positioning the assembled insert, carrier and liner member, and casting moulding material around the insert head formation and the liner member, and characterized in that the method includes providing within the hollow of the liner member, around the mid region of the insert, a spacer which maintains the position of the mid region relative to an inside wall of the hollow of the liner member, during positioning of the assembly and casting of the moulding material. \

Thus by means of the provision of the spacer, a central position of the insert in the liner may be readily established, and maintained when otherwise it may have moved.

The liner member may be conical, although the provision of other suitably shaped liners is not precluded. For example the liner member may be pyramidal in configuration. Preferably the cross sectional area of the hollow of the liner member increases constantly from the end adjacent the head formation so that subsequent to casting the mounding material, the liner member may readily be removed from the set moulding material cast around it.

The spacer may be an annulus with an opening dimensioned closely to receive the mid region of the insert thus to constrain the insert from moving relative to the liner member. However spacers of other configuration which achieve this function, may alternatively be provided.

The method may include, subsequent to the moulding material having at least partially set, removing the carrier. Subsequent to the moulding material setting, a construction element e.g. of a framed building, may be secured to the projecting part of the insert. The method of the invention may include retaining The spacer in the hollow until immediately prior to securing the construction element to the projecting part. Thus where the spacer is a solid body with the opening to surround the insert, whilst the spacer is retained in the liner member in the hollow formation of the set moulding material, the spacer may prevent the intrusion of debris and the like into the hollow.

Thus the method may include, prior to securing a construction element to the projecting part of the insert, removing the spacer. Moreover desirably the liner member too, when the moulding material has set, may be removed from the cast body, to leave a hollow recess formation corresponding to the outer configuration of the liner member. Thus the method may include, subsequent to securing the construction element to the projecting part, providing in the hollow recess formation in the set moulding material, moulding material, which may be the same as the moulding material which was cast around the liner, or a different moulding material.

In each case, the mid region of the insert will thus become embedded in the cast body too, firmly to affix the position of the insert to the cast body and, where the construction element to which the insert is secured is a stanchion of a building, to provide a firmer foundation.

According o a second aspect of the invention we provide in combination a liner member for use in the method of the first aspect of the invention, and a spacer.

According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a spacer for use in the combination of the second aspect of the invention.

Examples of methods of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective illustrative view of an insert, a liner member, a carrier and a spacer for use in performing a method in accordance with the present invention, FIGURE 2 is an illustration of a concrete pile in which an insert has been secured, prior to securing a stanchion of a metal framed building to the insert.

Referring to the drawing, a concrete pile 10 is cast into the ground 11 with a plurality of inserts 12 therein. The inserts 12 and the methods of providing the inserts 12 in the pile 10 are all the same and accordingly a method of securing a single insert 12 only will be described in detail.

The insert 12 is a threaded rod, which may have an integral head 14 at one end, although a head formation may be provided by securing a female threaded element to the one end of the rod 12 or otherwise as required. At the other end of the threaded rod 12, there is a part 15 which in use, projects outwardly of the concrete pile 10, and the rod 12 includes a mid region 16 between the head 14 and the projecting part 15.

In use, when the insert 12 is secured in the concrete body of the pile 10, an element such as a construction element, in this example a foot 18 of a stanchion 19 of a metal framed building, is secured to the projecting part 15 of the threaded rod 12. The foot 19 is provided with a corresponding opening 20 for this purpose.

To allow for some adjustment of the position of the insert 12 when securing the foot 18 to the projecting part 15, the insert 12 is provided in the cast body 10 using a liner member 22 which surrounds the mid region 16 of the insert 12 and is located between the head 14 and a carrier 24 to which the 10projecting part 15 is secured. The carrier 24 enables a plurality of inserts 12 to be positioned simultaneously relatively accurately whilst the concrete moulding material is cast into the ground 11 around the liner member 22, the carrier 24 having a plurality of openings 25 corresponding in relative positions to the openings 20 provided in the foot 18 of the stanchion 19.

15In this example, and as is preferred, the liner member 22 is made of a waxed cardboard, and is conical in shape, having a central hollow 23 through which the mid region 16 of the insert 12 extends, the cone having a small opening at an end adjacent the head 14 of the insert, which is closed by the head 14, perhaps with the aid of a washer as indicated at 26, between the cone end and the head 14. Being a cone, the cross sectional area of the hollow 23 increases substantially constantly to the other end of the liner member 22 adjacent the carrier 24. In the figures, a spacer 28 is also shown, the purpose of which will be explained below. The spacer 28 is in this example an annulus of a foam material or the like, with a generally central opening 29 corresponding closely to the diameter of the insert 12 at least over the mid region 16 thereof.

The method of the invention may be performed as follows.

First, the washer 26 where provided, and then the liner member 22, are located on the threaded rod ofthe insert 12. Second, the spacer 28 is received in the hollow 23 of the cone 22 on the mid region 16 of the insert 12 and moved down until the perimeter of the spacer 28 engages with the inside wall surface of the liner member 22, which in the example seen in figure 2, is about a fifth of the way down the cone 22. Third, the projecting part 15 of the insert 12 is received through its corresponding opening 25 in the carrier 24. Next a nut or other female threaded element 27 is screwed onto the projecting part 15 of the insert 12, to secure the insert 12 relative to the carrier 24.

By virtue of the spacer 28, the insert 12 is substantially positioned centrally of the liner member 22, extending substantially axially thereof.

Subsequently, during casting of the concrete around the liner member 22, the spacer 28 will maintain this central position for the insert 12.

With the insert(s) 12, liner member 22 and spacer 28 (and washer 26 where provided) assembled, the insert 12 may be positioned as indicated in figure 1 relative to the ground 11 over and in the ground opening in which the concrete pile, or at least an uppermost portion of the pile 10 is to be cast. Next the concrete is cast and surrounds the liner member 22.

When the concrete has set, the carrier 24 may be removed by unscrewing the nut(s) 27 from the projecting parts 15 of the inserts 12, leaving the or each projecting part 15 projecting upwardly from the pile lO. If desired, the spacer 18 may be maintained in the liner member 22 until it is desired to secure the stanchion 19 in position on the pile 10, when the spacer 28 and the liner member 22 need to be removed from the generally conical recess formation in the cast concrete.

It will be appreciated that whilst the spacer 28 remains in position, this provides a barrier to the intrusion of debris and the like which may otherwise fill the liner member 22 and which may need subsequently to be removed from the recess formation in the cast concrete.

When the spacer 28 and liner member 22 are removed from the insert 12, it will appreciated that the insert 12 may move generally universally in the conical recess formation about the head 14, although during casting it may be necessary to provide a guard 30 around the head 14 (as indicated in dotted lines) to ensure freedom for such movements.

Thus the insert 12 position may be adjusted to enable the projecting part to be received in its respective opening 20 of the foot 18 of the stanchion 19, in the event that the carrier 24 for example, was slightly mix-positioned prior to casting the concrete, or if the carrier 24 position moved during casting.

Thus the foot 18 may then be secured to the insert 12 by a further nut 38 of other female threaded element.

Subsequent to securing the foot 18 to the insert 12, the conical recess formation in the cast body 10, may be filled with moulding material such as concrete or grout, to fix the position of the insert 12 immovably in the cast body when the moulding material has set.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

The liner member 22 need not be conical or made of waxed cardboard as described, but could for example be pyramidal or another shape which has a hollow the cross section of which preferably increases from the one end of the liner member 22 adjacent the head 14 or other head formation, towards the other end adjacent the carrier 24.

The insert 12 need not be threaded along its entire length, but may only be threaded at the projecting part 15. However where the invention is applied to other than a groundwork construction i.e. for securing an insert 12 in a concrete pile 10, the construction element or other elements may be secured relative to the projecting part 15 by other than a female threaded element 38 in which case the insert 12 need not be threaded at all. However some alternative means to the simple nut 27 described above for securing the projecting part 15 of the insert 12 to the carrier 24 would need to be provided. In this instance, the insert 12 need not be of constant cross section along its length.

In some instances, it may not be necessary to remove the liner member 22 subsequent to casting the pile 10 or other cast body.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A method of providing an insert in a cast body, the insert including a head formation which becomes entrapped in the cast body, and a projecting part which projects from the cast body, and a mid region between the head formation and the projecting part, the method including securing the projecting part of the insert relative to a carrier, providing between the head formation and the carrier an elongate hollow liner member which surrounds at least the mid region of the insert, the liner member having at one end thereof an opening which is closed by the insert, and having at an opposite end an opening which has a dimension which is substantially greater than the cross sectional area of the mid region of the insert, the cross sectional area of the hollow increasing from the first to the second end of the liner member, the method including positioning the assembled insert, carrier and liner member, and casting moulding material around the insert head formation and the liner member, and characterized in that the method includes providing within the hollow of the liner member, around the mid region of the insert, a spacer which maintains the position of the mid region relative to an inside wall of the hollow of the liner member, during positioning of the assembly and casting of the moulding material.

2. A method according to claim l wherein the cross sectional area of the hollow of the liner member increases constantly from the end adjacent the head formation.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claims 2 wherein the spacer is an annulus with an opening dimensioned closely to receive the mid region of the insert thus to constrain the insert from moving relative to the liner member.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes, subsequent to the moulding material having at least partially set, removing the carrier. s

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein subsequent to the moulding material setting, a construction element is secured to the projecting part of the insert.

lO

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the method includes retaining the spacer in the hollow until immediately prior to securing the construction element to the projecting part.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spacer is a solid body with an opening to surround the insert.

8. A method acceding to claim 5 or claim 6 or claim 7 wherein prior to securing a construction element to the projecting part of the insert the spacer is removed.

9. A method according to any one of claims 5 to 8 wherein prior to securing a construction element to the projecting part of the insert, the liner member is removed from the cast body, to leave a hollow recess formation corresponding to the outer configuration of the liner member.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the method includes, subsequent to securing the construction element to the projecting part, providing in the hollow recess formation in the set moulding material, moulding material.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 5 to 10 where dependent upon claim 5 wherein the construction element to which the insert is secured is a stanchion of a building.

12. A method of providing an insert in a cast body substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. In combination, a liner member for use in the method of any one of the preceding claims, and a spacer.

14. A spacer for use in the combination of claim 13.

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.