WO2002075079A1

WO2002075079A1 - Socket for a concrete vault

Info

Publication number: WO2002075079A1
Application number: PCT/SE2001/002374
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Linus
Original assignee: Hans Linus
Priority date: 2000-11-01
Filing date: 2001-10-30
Publication date: 2002-09-26
Also published as: SE518680C2; SE0003982L; SE0003982D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a socket, intended to a be cast integral with a concrete vault, said socket primarily being intended for the mounting of a post of a guard rail, said socket comprising a tubular base unit (1') and an extension tube (9'). Known sockets of the type defined above have problems arising from the gathering of water in said sockets, said water freezing at cold weather. This results in difficulties to loosen posts that are mounted in the sockets. In connection with warmer weather the gathered water may also give rise to damages in the concrete vault resulting from moisture. It is significant for the socket according to the present invention that one end of the tubular base unit (1') is intended to be located adjacent a shutter trestle (12) or a bottom slab of a slab floor structure, the concrete vault (11) being cast on the shutter trestle (12)/ the bottom slab, that the base unit (1') has means (7') to support a free end of the post, and that the socket, at said end of the base unit (1'), comprises a means (10') that is penetrateable and remains in the concrete vault (11).

Description

SOCKET FOR A CONCRETE VAULT

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a socket for a concrete vault, said socket primarily being intended for the mounting of a post of a guard rail, said socket also including a tubular base unit and an extension tube.

Prior Art From SE-C-508 956 it is previously known a socket for the mounting of guard rails, said socket being intended to be cast integral in a concrete vault of a building site or with a slab floor structure in a factory. The socket has a tube that is welded to a plate, said tube being braced relative to the plate by means of a rod. The tube has an extension sleeve and between the plate and the tube there are openings, in which concrete may enter in connection with the manufacturing ■ of the concrete vault/slab floor structure. The length of the extension sleeve is such that its upper end reaches beyond the upper side of the in-situ concrete. A post of a guard rail is located in the extension sleeve. The structural design of the socket according to SE-C-508 956 has the disadvantage that if water that enters between the guard rail post and the extension sleeve/tube is frozen there may be problems to remove the post of the guard rail from the socket. Certainly, it is stated at the end of the description of SE-C-508 956 that the circular cross-section of the socket facilitates the removal of the post of the guard rail, also in connection with ice accretion. However, it has shown empirically that the ice accretion causes problems.

Objects and Features of the Invention

A primary object of the present invention is to present a socket of the type defined above, said socket having a drainage function as regards water that enters into the socket from above .

A further object of the present invention is that the socket should easily be mounted in connection with concreting of the vault. Still an object of the present invention is that in connection with a preferred embodiment of the socket, said socket may be used for the anchoring of curtain walls.

At least the primary object of the present invention is realised by means of a socket that has been given the features of the enclosed independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings Below two preferred embodiments of the invention will be described, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, where: Figure 1 in perspective shows an exploded view of a socket according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the centre of the socket according to figure 1, the components of the socket being assembled; Figure 3 shows a side view of the socket according to figure

1, said socket being in active position, i.e. cast integral with a concrete vault;

Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a first alternative embodiment of a socket according to the present invention; Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section through the centre of the socket according to figure 4, the components of the socket being assembled; Figure 6 shows a side view of the alternative socket according to figure 4, said socket being in active position, i.e. the cast integral with a concrete vault;

Figure 7 in perspective shows an exploded view of a second alternative embodiment of a socket according to the present invention; Figure 8 shows a longitudinal section through the centre of the socket according to figure 7, the components of the socket being assembled; Figure 9 in perspective shows an exploded view of a third alternative embodiment of a socket according to the present invention; Figure 10 shows a longitudinal section through the centre of the socket according to figure 9, the components of the socket being assembled;

Figure 11 shows an alternative embodiment of a tube base; and Figure 12 shows a longitudinal section through the centre of the socket having the alternative tube base according to figure 11, the components of the socket being assembled.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

The first embodiment of a socket according to the present invention, shown in figures 1 and 2, comprises a tubular base unit 1, that in its turn comprises a first tubular portion 3, a second tubular portion 5, said portion 5 having an essentially smaller cross-section dimension than the first tubular portion 3, and a transition portion 7, that extends between adjacent ends of the tubular portions 3 and 5 respectively.

As is evident from figures 1 and 2 the socket according to the present invention also comprises an extension tube 9, the function of which will be more evident in connection with the description of figure 3 below. The extension tube 9 has generally a somewhat larger dimension across than the first tubular portion 3, i.e. the extension tube 9 is telescopically displaceable relative to the first tubular portion 3 by means of a relatively tight slide fit.

The socket according to figures 1 and 2 also comprises a cap 10 having such a dimension that it may be mounted on the free end of the second tubular portion 5 by means of a tight slide fit. In the shown embodiment the second tubular portion 5 has a circular cross-section and consequently the cap 10 also has a circular cross-section.

In figure 3 the socket according to figures 1 and 2 is shown in active position. When concreting a vault a layer 11 of liquid concrete is applied on top of a shutter trestle 12. While the concrete still is in liquid state the socket according to the present invention is mounted and the cap 10 is brought to contact the upper side of the shutter trestle 12, said cap 10 being mounted on the second tubular portion 5. The socket according to the present invention has a longitudinal extension essentially perpendicular to the shutter trestle 12. The extension tube 9 is displaced telescopically relative to the second tubular portion 5 to such a degree that the upper end of the extension tube 9 is located above the upper surface of the concrete layer 11. When the concrete has hardened the shutter trestle 12 is removed and the cap 10 is penetrated or removed, e.g. by means of a reinforcement bar. A post 13 of a guide rail is now placed in the space that is defined by the first tubular portion 3 together with the extension tube 9. The lower end of the post 13 rests against the transition portion 7. Water, that possibly enters in the space between the post 13 and the extension tube 9, is drained out through the lower, open end of the second tubular portion 5. Thereby, it is to a large degree prevented that in connection with cold weather an ice plug is created in the space between the post 13 and the extension tube 9/the first tubular portion 3. Also in connection with warmer weather it is an advantage if entering water is drained away since otherwise damages arising from moisture may occur in the concrete structure.

The alternative embodiment of the socket according to the present invention, shown in figures 4 and 5, is especially suitable for an additional use, i.e. an additional use beside the use as socket for a post of a guide rail. The additional use constitutes guiding for iron pins or the like that are provided in curtain walls.

The socket according to figures 4 and 5 differs primarily from the socket according to figures 1 and 2 since the cap 10 is in the shape of a tube base 10', said tube base 10' having a spigot shaped, solid portion 14' and a foot plate 15', said spigot shaped portion 14' being connected to the foot plate 15', e.g. by means of welding.

In a corresponding way as for the socket according to figures 1 and 2 the base unit 1 ' also includes a first tubular portion 3' having an essentially larger diameter than the second tubular portion 5'. The tubular portions 3' and 5' are connected by means of a transition portion 7 ' . In the embodiment according to figures 4 and 5 the tubular portions 3', 5' and the spigot shaped portion 14' have circular cross section. In order to make the spigot shaped portion 14' of the tube base 10' to be adapted to the second tubular portion 5' of the base unit 1', the spigot shaped portion 14' has a somewhat smaller diameter than the second tubular portion 5 ' . Thereby these portions are telescopically displaceable relative to each other by means of a relatively tight slide fit. As is evident from figure 4 the foot plate is circular and equipped with a number of holes 16' along its circumference, said holes 16' preferably being countersunk.

The socket according to figures 4 and 5 also comprises an extension tube 9', said extension tube 9' in the shown embodiment having a circular cross-section and a corresponding diameter relation relative to the first tubular portion 3 ' as the extension tube 9 has to the first tubular portion 3 in the embodiment according to figures 1 and 2.

When using the socket according to figures 4 and 5 it is mounted on a shutter trestle (not shown) by having the foot plate 15' fixed to the shutter trestle. This is effected by means of fastening means, preferably in the shape of double- headed aluminium nails, that are inserted into the holes 16' . Due to the additional function it is namely of great importance that the embodiment of the socket according to the present invention, shown in figures 4 and 5, is positioned accurately on the shutter trestle. In this connection it should be pointed out that before the liquid concrete is applied on top of the shutter trestle the anchoring of the tube base 10' on the shutter trestle, the pushing of the second tubular portion 5' on the spigot shaped portion 14' and the mounting of the extension tube 9' on the outside of the first tubular portion 3' is effected. As mentioned above the slide fit between the second tubular portion 5' and the spigot shaped portion 14' is relatively tight, this preventing the liquid concrete to raise in the second tubular portion 5'. The foot plate 15', with its holes 16', guarantees that the socket according to the present invention achieves an extremely accurate positioning on the shutter trestle. There is a possibility to subsequently adjust the position of the extension tube 9' on the first tubular portion 3', i.e. the extension tube 9' is displaced along the first tubular portion 3' in order to achieve an adaption to the thickness of the concrete layer on the shutter trestle. When the concrete has hardened the shutter trestle 12 is removed. Despite that the tube base 10' is fixed to the shutter trestle 12 the tube base 10' will normally adhere to the concrete vault 11 since the pressure from the concrete on the second tubular portion 5' makes the spigot shaped portion 14' to be clamped in the second tubular portion 5'. Therefore, the tube base 10' must be removed in principally the same way as the cap 10, i.e. by being knocked away, for instance by means of a reinforcement bar. In a corresponding way as in the embodiment according to figures 1 and 2 a socket has been achieved that extends through the entire thickness of the concrete vault, i.e. a socket having a drainage function, that has already been described above in connection with the embodiment according to figures 1 and 2.

The reason that it is desirable to have an accurate positioning of the socket according to figures 4 and 5 on the shutter trestle 12 is the additional use of the socket, i.e. subsequent to the function as a socket for a post of a guide rail. This additional use constitutes in a guiding for an iron pin or the like that is entered in the upper horizontal edge of a wall element, said edge normally constituting a stud. A number of such wall elements constitutes together a curtain wall. The provision of a number of iron pins in a stud of a wall element means that the upper edge of this wall element is fixed in position. Since the curtain walls have accurately predetermined positions on the cast concrete vault it is extremely important that the guidings are located where the upper edge of a wall element of a curtain wall have its position when the wall element is in the correct vertical line. In figure 6 it is shown how the tube base 10', via the foot plate 15', is fixed to the shutter trestle 12. When subsequently the second tubular portion 5' is pushed on to the spigot shaped portion 14' of the tube base 10' the socket is properly fixed to the shutter trestle 12, i.e. it is guaranteed that the socket is not displaced during the casting of the concrete vault. The lower horizontal edge of the curtain wall is fixed to the lower floor structure in a conventional way.

The second alternative embodiment of a socket according to the present invention, shown in figures 7 and 8, differs in principle from the socket according to figures 1-3 in a number of aspects. One difference is that the extension tube 9" is arranged to be received inside the first tubular portion 3". By this arrangement there is no edge of the first tubular portion 3", against which the post by mistake may be hooked when mounted, i.e. it is guaranteed that the post actually reaches all the way down to the transition portion 1" between the first tubular portion 3" and the second tubular portion 5". Since the extension tube 9" is given a smaller diameter than the first tubular portion 3" the post will have less play than in connection with the embodiment according to figures 1-3, this however under the prerequisite that the first tubular portions 3 and 3" have the same diameter. A further difference compared to the socket according to figures 1-3 is that the transition portion 1 " on its outside is equipped with a number of wings 17", see figure 8, having the function to displace concrete in connection with the mounting, in the liquid concrete, of the base unit 1" according to the invention. The base unit 1" is rotated and in connection therewith the wings 17" displace the concrete, this facilitating the lowering of the base unit 1" together with the extension tube 9" in the liquid concrete. Still a difference compared to the socket according to figures 1-3 is that the socket according to figures 7 and 8 has a dome shaped cover 18", that is intended to be attached to the upper free end of the first tubular portion 3". In connection therewith the position of the extension tube 9" is adjusted in such a way that the cover 18" does not reach above the upper surface of the concrete 11. This is preferable when the upper surface of the concrete 11 is made even. In the third alternative embodiment of a socket according to the present invention, shown in figures 9 and 10, a tube base 10''' of similar design as in the embodiment according to figures 4 and 5. However, the spigot shaped portion 14''' has a cross shaped cross section, this being different from the spigot shaped portion 14' that is solid. Due to the cross shaped cross section a certain amount of water may be stored between the spigot shaped^' portion 14''' and the second tubular portion 5", this being an advantage if it rains during the phase when the concrete 11 is to harden. The embodiment according to figures 9 and 10 is in a corresponding way as the invention according to figures 7 and 8 equipped with wings 17" as well as the extension tube 9" being received in the interior of the first tubular portion 3". The embodiment according to figures 9 and 10 is also equipped with a dome shaped cover 18".

In figures 11 and 12 an alternative embodiment of a tube base 10'''' is shown, the spigot shaped portion 14'''' in this case extending below the foot plate 15'''', i.e. the foot plate 15'''' is equipped with a first hole 19'''', through which the spigot shape portion 14'''' extends, said spigot shaped portion 14'''' being cross shaped in cross section. The spigot shaped portion 14'''' is preferably connected to the foot plate 15'''' by means of welding. As is evident from figure 12 the lower end of the spigot shaped portion 14'''' extends down into a. second hole 20'''' in the shutter trestle 12. This means that a second hole 20'''' must be provided in the shutter trestle 12 where a tube base 10'''' is to be mounted. The functional advantage of the socket according to the present invention, shown in figure 12, is that if water enters between the post 13 and the extension tube 9"/the first tubular portion 3" this water will be able to flow out through the second hole 20'''', via the space between the spigot shaped portion 1 '''' and the second tubular portion 5". If the socket according to the present invention is to be used in connection with a slab floor structure it is suitable that through-going tubes are cast integral with the prefabricated concrete slab of the slab floor structure in connection with the casting of said concrete slab in the factory. In the building site the second tubular portion 5; 5'; 5" is subsequently mounted in the through-going tubes. Water that enters in the first tubular portion 3; 3' ; 3" is continuously drained through the second tubular portion 5; 5' ; 5" and the through-going tubes. Feasible Modifications of the Invention

In the embodiments described above the tubular portion and the extension tube have circular cross-section. However, it is feasible within the scope of the present invention to have alternative cross sectional shapes of the named components. In exemplifying and non-limiting purpose square and hexagonal cross section may be mentioned.

As regards the material of the socket according to the present invention several different materials are feasible, e.g. metal or plastic. It is also feasible to combine different materials in the same socket.

Claims

1. Socket, intended to be cast integral with a concrete vault (11) , said socket primarily being intended for the mounting of a post (13) of a guard rail, said socket comprising a tubular base unit (1; 1'; 1") and an extension tube (9; 9'; 9"), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that one end of the tubular base unit (1; 1'; 1") is intended to be located adjacent a shutter trestle (12) or a bottom slab of a slab floor structure, the concrete vault (11) being cast on the shutter trestle (12) /the bottom slab, that the base unit (1; 1'; 1") has means (7; 7'; 7") to support a free end of the post (13) , and that the socket, at said end of the base unit (1; 1'; 1"), comprises a means (10; 10") that is penetrateable and remains in the concrete vault (11) or a means (10'; .10''') that is detachable from the concrete vault (11) in order to close said end of the tubular base unit (1; 1'; 1") or a means {W ' ' ' ) that remains in the concrete vault and maintains open said end of the base unit (1") .

2. Socket according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tubular base unit (1; 1'; 1") comprises a first tubular portion (3; 3'; 3") and a second tubular portion

(5; 5' ; 5") having different diameters/dimensions across, and that a transition portion (7; 7'; 7") of the tubular base unit (1; 1'; 1") connects two adjacent ends of the tubular portions (3; 3'; 3") and (5; 5'; 5") respectively with each other.

3. Socket according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the extension tube (9; 9'; 9") and the first tubular portion (3; 3' ; 3") are telescopically displaceable relative to each other by a relatively tight slide fit.

4. Socket according to claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the transition portion

(7; 7'; 7") constitutes means for supporting a free end of the post (13) .

5. Socket according to any of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the closing means of one end of the tubular base unit (1; 1'; 1") constitutes a cap

(10; 10' ; 10"; 10'" ) .

6. Socket according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cap is in the shape of a tube base (10'; 10'"; 10"") that has a spigot shaped portion (14'; 14'"; 14"") and a foot plate (15'; 15'"; 15"") connected to the spigot shaped portion (14'; 14'"; 14""), and that the spigot shaped portion (14'; 14"'; 14"") of the tube base (10'; 10"'; 10"") is telescopically received in the second tubular portion (5'; 5") by a relatively tight fit.

7. Socket according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the spigot shaped portion (14'"; 14"") has a cross shaped cross-section.

8. Socket according to any of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tubular portions (3,5; 3', 5'; 3", 5"), the spigot shaped portion (14') and the extension tube (9; 9'; 9") has circular cross-section.

9. Socket according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the extension tube (9") is received inside the first tubular portion (5") .

10. Socket according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the base unit (1") is provided with external wings (17") in the area of the transition portion (7") .