AU659268B2

AU659268B2 - Concrete reinforcement bar connector system

Info

Publication number: AU659268B2
Application number: AU32149/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Douglas William Crawford; Raymond Frank Dennis; Joseph Anthony Lo Presti; Steven Nahlous; Kenneth Ross O'Keefe; Sik Man Wong
Original assignee: Boral Building Services Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Acrow Formwork and Scaffolding Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1992-01-29
Filing date: 1993-01-29
Publication date: 1995-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-29
Also published as: AU3214993A

Description

Our Ref: 455468 SP/00/011 Hgulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT r i a rr orr r r r r r rr r r tr cc ie n r c trrt.

r r ri c r Ic~r i s Applicant(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Boral Building Services Pty Ltd 11 Ferndell Street GUILDFORD NSW 2161

AUSTRALIA

DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Concrete reinforcement bar connector system The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5020 0675v/MS CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT BAR CONNECTOR SYSTEM The present invention relates to reinforcement bar connections in concrete structures. In particular to starter reinforcement bar connector systems.

One form of known type of reinforcement bar connector for concrete structures comprises a plurality of pre-bent reinforcing bars having portions passing through a wall of a box or cage, typically made of sheet metal, with free end portions of the reinforcing bars disposed within the box.

In use, the box or cage is attached to formwork or tied to reinforcing means prior to pouring of the concrete.

Protruding portions of the pre-bent reinforcing bars are set in concrete. Once this has taken place, a lid or cover on the box or cage is removed to reveal the free end portions of the pre-bent reinforcing bars. These free ends of the pre-bent reinforcing bars can then be straightened for the required continuity of the reinforcement prior to pouring adjacent concrete.

A problem associated with such known connectors is that prior to the pouring of subsequent concrete, it is necessary to remove the box or cage. However, this becomes difficult as it is difficult to completely straighten the pre-bent reinforcing bars in order to allow for the box or cage to be eased away from the bars. It is not desirable to leave the box or cage in place in that it tends to significantly reduce the bond strength of the concrete in the vicinity of the connector.

(ct The present invention seeks to ameliorate this problem.

In one form the present invention is a connector device for concrete structures comprising: a support member which includes a mounting wall adapted to have at least one reinforcing bar attached thereto and/or passing therethrough; and

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-2said mounting wall having at least one weakened zone thereon which separates said mounting wall into sections and along which said sections of the support member are separable from one another.

The weakened zone may comprise a line of weakness in the mounting wall. The line of weakness may be formed in any suitable manner such for example, perforation, scoring or grooving.

Preferably the line of weakness passes through the holes or openings in the mounting wall.

In one embodiment at least one reinforcing bar extends through the mounting wall So: with an outwardly protruding section from one side of the support member. A bent section of the reinforcing bar being disposed on the other side of the support member so as to extend 15 laterally with respect to the protruding sections.

The bent section of the reinforcing bar capable of being subsequently straightened so that it is generally axially aligned with its associated protruding section. The arrangement of the connector device is such that by separating the sections of the mounting wall along 20 the weakened zone the support member can be removed from the reinforcing bar.

e •e The support member may be in the form of a housing, the mounting wall being It C i defined by a wall of the housing within which the bent section of the reinforcing bar is contained.

The housing may be in the form of a box like structure having an opening in one wall thereof, the wall defining the mounting wall being opposite the opening. The opening may be provided with a lid or cover.

The housing may be in the form of a U-shaped channel section, the mounting wall being the back wall with side walls projecting therefrom.

Sp:\wpdocs\dys\specie\32149\93 COk P 4 0675v/MS In a further embodiment the at least one reinforcing bar has at least one of its ends connected to an opening in said support member by a coupler.

In another form the present invention is a method of joining concrete structures together comprising the steps of: securing a support member to formwork, reinforcing means or the like, said support member comprising a mounting wall with a plurality of openings and at least one weakened zone thereon; (ii) passing a plurality of reinforcing bars through openings in said mounting member before or after step such that protruding sections of the reinforcing bars project outwardly from one side of the support member and bent sections of the reinforcing bars on the other side being disposed so as to extend laterally with respect to the J protruding sections; (iii) substantially straightening the bent sections of the reinforcing bars once said protruding sections thereof have been set in concrete; and ac (iv) removal of the support member away from the reinforcing bars by tearing said mounting wall along at least one porti,.n of said weakened zone and passing the same over the substantially o4 4 straightened sections of the reinforcing bars.

!In a further form the present invention is a connector device for concrete structures comprising: a support member which includes a mounting wall; a plurality of threaded connectors extending through cc Sthe mounting wall protruding from one side of the support member and adapted to be attached to reinforcing members; said mounting wall having at least one weakened zone thereon along which sections of the support wall are separable from one another.

0675v/MS -4- In an even further form the present invention is a method of joining concrete structures together comprising the steps of: securing a support member to formwork, reinforcing means or the like, said support member comprising a mounting wall with a plurality or openings and at least one weakened zone thereon; (ii) connecting a plurality of threaded connectors at or near openings in said mounting member before or after step such that the threaded connectors protrude from one side of the support member and are attached to reinforcing members; (iii) sections of the reinforcing members have been set in concrete; and (iv) removal of the support member away from the threaded connectors once said reinforcing members have been set in concrete by tearing said mounting wall along at least one portion of said weakened zone and passing the same over the threaded connectors.

t a C The invention will now be described by way of a non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying Figure i.

Figure 1 shows a perspective partial view of a first embodiment of a connector device of the r-cesent invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective partial view of a second embodiment of the connector device of the present invention, S. with the lid removed.

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Figure 2a and 2b are side views of the second embodiment of Figure 2 in two different forms.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the connector device as shown in Figure 1 comprises of a substantially 0675v/MS U-shaped body 1 and a corresponding lid 2 for covering the same. The body 1 is provided with a plurality of openings 3 (only two of which are shown in Figure 1) through which pre-bent reinforcing bars (not shown) may be passed. A substantial portion of the pre-bent reinforcing bars are contained within the connector device with free end portions, typically of an L-shape or U-shape and shorter in length than the remaining portion protruding through the openings 3. The body 1 also has one or more perforated lines or shallow groovri lines 4 which extend along its length and in line with the openings 3.

In use the connector device is typically connected to formwork and/or surrounding reinforcing members. The pre-bent reinforcing bars having been placed in position with the lid 2 covering the body 1. Figure 1 also shows timber end cap 5 which is typically utilised to cap the open ends of the connector device.

timber profile (spine) 6 may optionally be used as shown in Figure 1, abutted against body 1 to act as an additional key-way to be formed in the concrete which is to be poured adjacent to the body 1.

Once the protruding free end portions of the reinforcing bars have been set in conc'rete, the lid 2 can be removed and the opposite end portions of the reinforcing bars can be straightened as best as possible.

The provision of the perforated lines or shallow grooves 4 allow for the full or partial removal of the L-shaped wings 7 away from the central portion 8 of the body 1. This therefore allows for the body 1 to be removed away from the poured concrete which would not necessarily be achievable with known connectors.

In further not shown embodiments the Perforated or shallow grooved lines 4 (as shown' in the first embodiment) may not necessarily extend along the whole length of the 0675v/MS -6connector body. Additionally, further perforated or shallow grooved lines at right angles or other angles to the grooved lines 4 (of the first embodiment) can be provided to allow for corner portions of the body to be easily removed.

In a second embodiment the connector device of the present invention can be used with threaded connectors rather than pre-bent reinforcing bars. Where reinforcing bars are of a large diameter, say, 25mm they are difficult to bend or straighten therefore reinforcing bars can be connected using threaded connectors. As shown in Figure 2 the connector device can utilise a body 1 (similar to that of the first embodiment) in combination with threaded connectors 12 which are connected to the body at or near the openings 3 of body 1 and are adapted to be connected to reinforcing bars 14.

Figure 2a shows a full coupler threaded connector 12a attached to a body 1 by a plug 13 whilst Figure 2b shows a half coupler threaded connector 12b attached to a body 1 by a nut 14. In both forms of this embodiment when concrete has been poured and set, the body 1 can easily be removed in a like manner to the first emLodiment and further

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reinforcing bars can be attached to the threaded connectors.

It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications could be made to the device and method of the present invention as described and with reference to the drawings without departing from the overall scope or spirit of the invention.

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Claims

1. A connector device for concrete structures comprising: a support member which includes a mounting wall adapted to have at least one reinforcing bar attached thereto and/or passing therethrough; and said mounting wall having at least one weakened zone thereon which separates said mounting wall into sections and along which said sections of the support member are separable from one another.

2. A connector device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said weakened zone is a line of weakness formed by perforation, scoring or grooving.

3. A connector device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the line of weakness passes J through at least one hole or opening in the mounting wall.

4. A connector device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the at least one i reinforcing bar extends through the mounting wall with an outwardly protruding section from one side of the support member and a bent section of the reinforcing bar being disposed on the other side of the support member so as to extend laterally with respect to the protruding section.

A connector device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said bent section of said i\ reinforcing bar can subsequently be straightened so that it is substantially axially aligned with said associated protruding section.

6. A connector device as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims wherein the support member is in the form of a housing within which the bent section of the j reinforcing bar is contained.

7. A connector device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said housing is in the form of a box like structure having an opening in one wall thereof, the mounting wall being opposite said opening. pp:\wpdocs\dys\specie\32149\93 Alj s i 0675v/MS -8-

8. A connector device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said housing having a lid covering said opening.

9. A connector device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the at least one reinforcing bar has at least one of its ends connected to an opening in said support member by means of a coupler.

A method of joining concrete structures together comprising the steps of: securing a support member to formwork, reinforcing means or the like, said support member comprising a mounting wall with a plurality of openings and at least one weakened zone thereon; (ii) passing a plurality of reinforcing bars through the openings in said mounting member before or after step such that protruding sections of :the reinforcing bars project outwardly from one side of the support member and bent sections of the reinforcing bars on the other side being I disposed so as to extend laterally with respect to the protruding sections; (iii) substantially straightening the bent sections of the reinforcing bars once said protruding sections thereof have been set in concrete; and (iv) removal of the support member away from the reinforcing bars by tearing said mounting wall along at least one portion of said weakened zone and passi.ng the same over the substantially straightened sections of the reinforcing bars.

11. A connector device for concrete structures comprising: a support member which includes a mounting wall; a plurality of threaded connectors extending through the mounting wall protruding from one side of the support member and adapted to be attached to reinforcing members; said mounting wall having at least one weakened zone 0675v/MS -9 thereon along which sections of the support wall are separable from one another.

12. A method of joining concrete structures together comprising the steps of: securing a support member to formwork, .einforcing means or the like, said support member comprising a mounting wall with a of plurality -\openings and at least one weakened zone thereon; (ii) connecting a plurality of threaded connectors at or near openings in said mounting member before I or after step such that the threaded .I connectors protrude from one side of the support member and are attached to reinforcing members; (iii) sections of the reinforcing members have been set in concrete; nd (iv) removal of the support member away from the threaded connectors once said reinforcing members have been set in concrete by tearing said mounting wall along at least one portion of said weakened zone and passing the same over the threaded connectors.

13. A connector device for concrete structures as substantially herein described and with reference to the drawings.

14. A method of joining concrete structures as substantially herein described and with reference to the drawings. DATED this 29th day of January, 1993. BORAL BUILDING SERVICES PTY LIMITED LBy Their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE; /1..Z *r| 0675v/MS ABSTRACT A connector device for concrete structures comprising: a support member which includes a mounting wall adapted to have at least one reinforcing bar attached thereto and/or passing therethrough; and said mounting wall having at least one weakened zone thereon along which sections of the support member are separable from one another. St Ft