US1048993A - Reinforced-concrete caisson. - Google Patents

Description

G. MERIWBTHER.

' REINFORCED CONCRETE OAISSON.

APPLICATION FILED AY 20, 1911.

1,048,993, Patented 13130.31, 1912.

CDLEIFLAN MERTWETHER, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW] JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LOCK JOIN"? PEPE COMPANY, 035 NEVI' YORK, N. Y

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BEINFORCED -CGNCB-ETE. CAISSON.

Serial No. 628,436.

10 all whom 1 2! may concern.

Be it known that l, COLEMAN lVlERI- wnrnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montclair, county of Essex, and State oi New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reinforced Concrete Caissons, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Th object oi the present invention is .to provide a reinforced concrete caisson of simple and inetipensive construction, which can be sunk in the usual way and then, if desired, tilled with concrete to form a pier'.

To this and other endsthe invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of elements hereinafter de scribed, and more particularly set forth in the'appended claims.

A convenient and etlicient form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the caisson in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a section on line ll1l.

The caisson illustrated is composed of one or more units, A, each of which is made up These sections are of of tubular sections B. concrete reinforced by suitable reinforcement C, for example a heavy, largemeshed fabric of wire, and are connected preferably by the bell-and-spigot construction shown at in this form the short spigot of one section is inserted into the long bell of the adj oi'ning section, forming a circumferential groove, preferably on the inside. The reinforcing fabrics of the two sections extend into and overlap in the groove, which is then filled with concrete, embedding the overlapped fabrics therein and efiectively looking the sections together.

' The lower or bottom section of the lower unit is molded around an annular metal rim E, beveled on its lower side to form a cutting edge F and having on its upper side an outwardly extending projection, as the bead E, to cooperate with the concrete and thus securely lock the rim to the section. At the top is an inwardly flanged connecting ring G, of metal, having a locking bead H to en gage the body of the upper section. 'The bottom oft-he next unit has similar ring I, and the two units are assembled to bring the connecting rings into contact, after which the rings are secured together by bolts, as shown at J. If desired, the rings may be strengthened by diagonal webs or gussets K.

The sections of each unit together, preferably before the grooves betweenthe sections are fil ed with cement, by long tie-rods L inside the caisson, cooperating with thetianges of the connecting rings, and, in the case of the lowermost unit, with the flange of the rim E. The rods also eX tend through the adjoining ring, so that their ends project above and below the joint between the units, as shown in Fig. 1.

In constructing the caisson the preferred procedure is first to assemble the sections of each unit and then tie the sections together by means of the tie-rods, after which. the grooves at the joints between the sections are filled with cement or concrete. The lower or terminal unit is then sunk in the position it is to occupy, by any convenient means suitable-to the nature or" the soil and other local conditions. As the caisson sinks thesucceeding unit or units are placed on top and the connecting flanges bolted together, and when the caisson has reached the desired depth the whole is filled with concrete to form a solid. pier, in which the tie-rods L serve as reinforcing members for the inner column. The completed pier thus consists of a reinforced outer shell or casing and'a reinforced inner core, the whole being practically monolithic.-

Though not strictly necessary, it is highly advantageous to make the units in sections, as described. It is important to have the connecting rings in parallel planes and at right angles to the. axis of the caisson, but it is found in practice to be exceedingly diiiicult to attain this result when the .engthy unit is made one piece; but by making it in sections the rings can be brought into accurate parallelism with each other" and atright angles to the axis of the unit by manipulation of the tie rods, the unfilled joints betweenthe sections permitting such adjustment, after which the joints are sealed with cement or concrete The resulting unit may not be perfectly straight between the rings, but such local irregularities are unimportant.

The construction herein specifically illustrated and described is the preferred form, but it is to be understood that the invention is capable of embodiment in other structures without departure from its proper spirit and scope as defined by the following claims.

I claim;

1. In a reinforced concrete caisson, in

Patented Dec. 311., 1912.

are firmly bound I combination, a tubular unit of reinforced concrete, a metal ring fixed to the bottom of the unit, having a cutting edge, a metal ring fixed to the upper end of the unit, and tierods extending from ring to ring inside the tubular unitend tie the rings securely to gether on the unit and adapted to serve as reinforcing members when the caisson is filled with concrete to form a pier.

2. In a reinforced concrete caisson, in combination, a tubular unit composed of tubular reinforced concrete sections joined end to end, a metal cutting-ring at the bottom of the unit, a metal connecting ring at the top of the unit, and tie-rods extending from ring to ring inside the unit, to bind the rings and the sections securely together and to serve as reinforcing members when the caisson is filled With concrete to form a pier.

3. ln' a'caisson of the kind described, in combination, a tubular unit having a cutting-ring at the bottom and a connecting ring at the top, tic-rods extending from ring to ring inside the tubular unit, and a tubular unit on top of the first, having connecting rings at its ends connectedhy inner tierods, the tie-rods of each unit extending through the abutting connecting rings into the adjoining unit.

4-. In a caisson of theikind described, in combination, a plurality of tubular units arranged end to end, connecting rings fixed to the ends of the units, the rings of one unitahutting the rings of the adjoining rings, and tie-rods for each unit inside the same, connecting the rings thereof and extending masses through the abutting rings into the adjoining units. I

5. In a caisson of the kind described, a tubular unit of reinforced concrete, a ring in one end of the unit having a bead Elm-- bedded in the-inner surface 01' the concrete to lock the ring in place and having a cutting edge protecting the end of the concrete, a connecting ring locked in the other end of the unit for connection with a similar ring on another unit, and tie-rods c'onnecting the rings inside the unit. 7

.6. In a caisson of the kind described, a tu bular unit composed of a plurality of reinforced concrete sections arranged end to end, a metal ring locked in one end of the unit and having a cutting edge, a connecting ring locked in the other end, and tie-rods inside the unit, connecting the rings to bind all the parts securely together and adapted to serve as reinforcing members when the caisson is filled with concrete to form a pier.

7. In a caisson oi" the kind describcd,a, tubular unit of reinforced concrete, metal rings in the ends of the unit for the purposes described, and tie rods inside the unit, c0nl-- necting the rings to bind all the parts curely together and adapted to serve as re inforcing members When the caisson is filled with concrete to form a pier.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

COLEMAN MERTWETHER.

Witnesses:

M. Lawson D'rnn, S. S. DUNK/AM.

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