Anchor bolt locator

Abstract

An anchor bolt locator is provided that is inexpensive to manufacture using an automatic stamping machine from steel plates and structural nuts that do not require welding, while being easy to use and install in currently commonly used building practices and anchor designs. The anchor bolt locator is made from a galvanized metal sheet chair, in which the structural nut is housed.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The present invention relates to a concrete-embedded insert called an anchor bolt locator for properly positioning and supporting a bolt or a fixing member during injection and curing of a concrete member so that the bolt is properly placed in hardened concrete.

[0002] Concrete slab members are common structural elements of modern buildings. Reinforced concrete horizontal slabs are used to construct slab foundations, floors, ceilings, roofs, decks, and exterior paving.

[0003] Concrete slabs are constructed using formwork, which is a kind of boxing into which wet concrete is poured and then cured. Usually, when reinforcing a slab, steel reinforcing bars are used, and these are placed inside the formwork before the concrete is poured. This steel reinforcement is often called rebar. Metal or plastic chairs are commonly used to hold the reinforcing bars away from the bottom and sides of the formwork, so that when the concrete solidifies, it completely surrounds the reinforcing bars. In the case of a slab placed on the ground, the formwork may consist only of sidewalls pushed into or installed on the ground. In the case of a suspended slab, the formwork is shaped like a tray and is often supported by a temporary scaffold until the concrete solidifies. The formwork is generally constructed from thick plates and sheets made of wood, plastic, steel, or reinforced foam. After the concrete has solidified, the formwork can be removed or left in place. In some cases, the formwork is not required, for example, in the case of a ground slab surrounded by a brick or block foundation wall, where the wall functions as the side of the tray and the hardcore earth functions as the base.

[0004] <00000Concrete slab members are also typically constructed in a way that allows for the integration of anchor members and fasteners into the slab, thereby enabling easy and secure fastening or attachment of other building elements to the concrete member. After the concrete has hardened and the formwork has been removed, it is quite common to see slabs with many different bolts and fasteners protruding from or positioned on the surface of the slab. These pre-set anchors or inserts are typically used to secure pipes or conduits to concrete ceilings, or to secure framing to concrete foundations or floors.

[0005] When anchors such as bolts and threaded rods are embedded in a concrete slab, they must be supported during concrete pouring. It is important that the anchors are properly positioned within the slab and remain undisturbed during pouring, so that subsequent building elements can be easily attached to them. Proper placement of anchors within the slab is particularly important for decks where anchors fasten safety rails to the deck, and for systems that withstand lateral forces, where anchors must be carefully positioned to provide proper fastening without interfering with other structural members. Proper positioning is also important for the integrity of the anchors and the strength of the fastening. If anchors are set too close together or at an improper angle, and as a result, part of the anchor is too close to the side of the slab, water seeping into the slab can degrade the anchor. If the concrete surrounding the anchor is insufficient, the strength of the fastening will also be compromised.

[0006] Typically, some anchors located within the slab can be positioned close enough to the edge of the slab and supported by members attached to the side formwork during injection. Other anchors are positioned far away from the sides of the formwork and are best supported by some other means. Anchors may be tied to reinforcing rods and supported by the reinforcing rods. In other cases, it is preferable to support the anchors on the surface below the formwork. The present invention is a self-supporting anchor bolt locator that can be attached to the foundation formwork and holds an anchor or bolt during concrete injection. Many such devices are described in the patent documents, including U.S. Patent No. 5,957,644 granted to James A. Vaughan on 28 September 1999, U.S. Patent No. 5,050,364 granted to Michael S. Johnson et al. on 24 September 1991, and U.S. Patent No. 5,205,690 granted to Steven Roth on 27 April 1993.

[0007] This invention improves upon the prior art by providing an anchor bolt locator that can be manufactured inexpensively from steel plates using an automatic die-pressing machine, and a structural nut that does not require welding, while also facilitating its use and installation in currently common construction practices and anchor designs. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 5,957,644 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 5,050,364 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 5,205,690 [Overview of the Initiative]

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an economically efficient anchor bolt locator and a method for manufacturing an anchor bolt locator. Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchor bolt locator that is easy to use and install. These objectives are achieved by forming the chair of the anchor bolt locator from a sheet of metal and forming the anchor bolt locator so that a structural nut can be strongly attached to the sheet metal chair without the need to weld a nut to the chair. In this way, the anchor bolt locator is formed and can receive a portion of a threaded rod within the nut in the conventional method currently used to create threaded rod fasteners having a nut at the appropriate height for such fasteners. This type of fastener is common in the industry and, in some cases, uses two structural nuts with a structural plate washer sandwiched between them. The structural nut of the present invention is designed to function as the lower nut for double nut and plate washer fasteners. By avoiding welding the nut to the chair, the structural integrity of the nut is well ensured and the process does not need to include a welding station. Welding can cause the nut to crack, especially if it has been heat-treated.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide an anchor bolt locator in which the connection between the threaded rod and the locator is easily fabricated. This object is partially achieved by providing a shelf that also functions as a stopper to prevent the anchor from being inserted too deeply into the structural nut. The threaded rod rotates within the nut, and the shelf supporting the structural nut prevents the threaded rod from being inserted into the nut more than necessary. If the anchor is screwed too deeply into the nut, the bottom of the anchor will be positioned too close to the bottom of the concrete mold, which can lead to anchor deterioration and also means that less of the anchor will protrude from the top of the mold for mounting other devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1]This is a perspective view of the anchor bolt locator of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a left side view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a right side view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a front view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a rear view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a plan view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is a bottom view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an anchor bolt locator attached to a concrete slab. [Figure 9] Figure 1 is a side view showing an anchor bolt locator attached to and set in a hardened concrete slab, with the anchor attached to the anchor bolt locator protruding from the hardened concrete. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the anchor bolt locator of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a left side view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 12] Figure 10 is a right side view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 13] Figure 10 is a front view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 14] Figure 10 is a rear view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 15] Figure 10 is a plan view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 16] Figure 10 is a bottom view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 17] This is a perspective view of the anchor bolt locator of the present invention. [Figure 18] Figure 17 is a left side view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 19] Figure 17 is a right side view of the anchor bolt locator. [Figure 20] Front view of the anchor bolt locator of FIG. 17. [Figure 21] Rear view of the anchor bolt locator of FIG. 17. [Figure 22] Plan view of the anchor bolt locator of FIG. 17. [Figure 23] Bottom view of the anchor bolt locator of FIG. 17.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a preferred non-welded anchor bolt locator 1 of the present invention made from a zinc-plated metal sheet chair 2 and a structural nut 3 attached to the chair 2.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, preferably, the chair 2 of the anchor bolt locator 1 is a substantially U-shaped body having a bridge 4 connecting the first and second legs 5 and 6; preferably, the bridge 4 is substantially planar; the bridge 4 can be formed with a plurality of pairs of opposing side surfaces, and the first and second legs 5 and 6 of the chair 2 are connected to the bridge 4 at one pair of opposing side surfaces; preferably, the legs 5 and 6 of the chair 2 hang down from the bridge 4 at right angles to the bridge 4; preferably, the plurality of legs 5 and 6 extend away below the top surface 7 of the bridge 4.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 11, and 18, the chair 2 is formed with a support 8 that supports a structural nut 3. The structural nut 3 is restrained by various members of the chair 2, held firmly in place, and cannot rotate relative to the chair 2. The inner surfaces 9 of the first and second legs 5 and 6 engage with or are located closely adjacent to the opposing first and second outer side panels 10 and 11 of the nut 3, preventing the structural nut 3 from rotating relative to the chair 2. The first and second opposing flanges 12 and 13 of the chair 2 can be connected to the bridge 4 on the opposing sides of another pair of the bridge 4. Preferably, the opposing flanges 12 and 13 of the chair 2 hang down from the bridge 4 at a right angle to the bridge 4. Preferably, multiple opposing flanges 12 and 13 extend away from the top surface 7 of the bridge 4. The inner surfaces 14 of the first and second opposing flanges 12 and 13 engage with or are located closely adjacent to the opposing third and fourth outer side panels 15 and 16 of the nut 3, also preventing rotation of the structural nut 3 relative to the chair 2. Preferably, the outer side panels 10, 11, 15, and 16 of the nut 3 are made of flat surfaces, and the nut has a polygonal cross-section. The bottom end 17 of the nut 3 is supported by the top surface 18 of the support 8.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the structural nut 3 has a top end 19, a bottom end 17, a female threaded hole 20 that forms a female threaded side wall 21, and one or more outer side panels 10, 11, 15, and 16. As shown in Figures 1, 11, and 18, the bottom end 17 of the structural nut 3 can rest on the top surface 18 of the support 8, and parts of the outer walls 10, 11, 15, and 16 of the structural nut 3 contact parts of the legs 5 and 6 and flanges 12 and 13 so that the structural nut 3 is fixed to the chair 2.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, preferably, the outer side panels 10, 11, 15, and 16 of the structural nut 3 extend perpendicularly to the top and bottom ends 19 and 17 of the nut 3. Preferably, the legs 5 and 6 and the flanges 12 and 13 extend perpendicularly to the substantially planar portion 22 of the bridge 4 that surrounds the opening 23 of the bridge 4, and the substantially planar portion 22 of the bridge 4 extends perpendicularly to the outer side panels 10, 11, 15, and 16 of the structural nut 3.

[0017] Since the anchor bolt locator 1 is preferably made from a thin steel plate, the bridge 4, and the legs 5 and 6 are preferably thin members with a substantially flat shape. Preferably, the portion 22 of the bridge 4 surrounding the opening 23 of the chair 2's bridge is a substantially flat and relatively thin member. Therefore, the structural nut 3 between the top end 19 and the bottom end 17 has a substantially greater thickness than the relatively thin portion 22 of the bridge 4 surrounding the opening 23.

[0018] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, an anchor or threaded rod 24 is attached to the structural nut 4. As shown in Figures 7 and 16, the support 8 can be a shelf 25 formed from one of several legs 5 and 6 that extend below the structural nut 3. Preferably, the shelf 25 extends well beyond the internal side wall 21 of the structural nut 3 so as to block the passage created by the internal hole 20, interfering with and stopping the movement of any threaded rod or anchor 24 that is received and screwed into the internal passage 20 of the nut 3 far beyond the bottom end 17 of the structural nut 3.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 10, the legs 5 and 6 of the chair 2 can be formed with a channel 40 to ensure that concrete 26 flows reliably around and under the threaded rod 24 attached to the anchor bolt locator 1 and nut 3.

[0020] Mounting holes 27 are provided in the chair 2. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, fasteners 28, preferably nails when the foam board bottom 29 is made of wood, are inserted through the mounting holes 27 and fastened to the foam board decking 29, fixing the anchor bolt locator 1 to the mold 30 at the desired position.

[0021] The anchor bolt locator 1 is preferably formed from galvanized and sheet-formed stainless steel. In a preferred method of making the anchor bolt locator 1, any opening to be made in the chair 2 is usually first formed immediately after the chair 2 blank is cut from the seat stock. Then, the legs 5 and 6, the shelf 25 and foot 31 connected to the legs 5 and 6 are formed by bending.

[0022] The anchor 24 and the nut 3 are attached by corresponding threads 32 and 33 within the internal cavity or hole 20 of the structural nut 3 and on the outer surface 34 of the anchor 24. As shown in Figure 9, the anchor 24 is formed with an elongated shank 35 that can project above the top level 36 of the concrete slab 26.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the foot portion 31 extends perpendicularly from the leg portions 5 and 6, and it is preferable that the mounting hole 31 for the fastener 28 is formed in the foot portion 31.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the shelf portion 25 is formed from the leg portion 5 at one end and bent therefrom. The shelf portion 25 is preferably positioned parallel to the bridge 4. The shelf portion 25 engages with the bottom end 17 of the structural nut 3. The flanges 12 and 13, together with the leg portions 5 and 6, as well as the bridge 4 and the shelf portion 25, substantially enclose and hold the structural nut 3 in place so that the structural nut 3 is supported and does not rotate relative to the chair 2. The opposing ends of the shelf portion 25 are formed with a plurality of engaging tabs 38 that are inserted into and pass through engaging openings 39 formed in the leg portion 6. The engaging openings 39 support the shelf portion 25. The ends of the engaging tabs 38 can be bent to prevent them from being pulled out of the engaging openings 39.

[0025] As shown in Figures 17 and 23, the legs 5 and 6 can be formed with support tabs 41 that are bent from the support legs 5 and 6 and project inward from them. The support tabs are bent from the vertical bend lines of the legs 5 and 6. The support tabs 41 have a top edge 42 that supports the bottom end 17 of the structural nut 3. Preferably, each of the legs 5 and 6 can be formed with two support tabs 41. As shown in Figure 23, preferably, the support tabs 41 are bent at a non-orthogonal angle to the legs 5 and 6.

[0026] Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the use of the present invention. The anchor bolt locator 1 is used in conjunction with a wooden formwork 30 into which concrete 26 is poured. In Figure 8, a reinforcing bar member 37, a specific type of steel concrete reinforcing member, is shown placed within the formwork 30. The installer secures or screws the anchor bolt locator 1 to the bottom 29 of the formwork 30 by passing fasteners 28 through the mounting holes 27 of the anchor bolt locator 1. Once the anchor bolt locator 1 is securely fastened to the bottom 29 of the formwork 30, a suitable anchor 24 or threaded rod is inserted and screwed into a nut 3, preventing the shelf 25 from moving further downward, if present. A washer (not shown) can be placed on the anchor 24 or pre-installed so as to rest on the top surface 7 of the bridge 4, and a second structural nut (not shown) can be screwed onto the anchor 24 so as to engage with the top surface of the washer. This type of double-nut washer fastener is commonly used in the industry. The components are readily available, inexpensive, and their performance as anchors is well documented. Concrete 26 is then poured into the formwork 30, thereby surrounding and embedding the anchor bolt locators 1, structural nuts and washers, and the bottoms of the threaded rods 24, with the tops of the threaded rods or anchors 24 protruding from the top surface 36 of the concrete 26. Once the concrete 26 has hardened, the formwork 30 can be removed. If there is access to the bottom 29 of the formwork 30, it can also be removed, and the ends of the fasteners 28 driven into the bottom formwork 29 can be broken where they protrude from the concrete foundation 26.

Claims

1. It is an anchor bolt locator, a. A chair having a plurality of legs and a bridge connecting the legs, wherein the bridge has a top surface, and the plurality of legs extend from the bridge in the same direction away from the top surface of the bridge, b. A support connected to one or more of the plurality of legs extending from the bridge, wherein the support is positioned below the bridge, c. A structural nut disposed beneath the bridge, wherein the structural nut has a top end and a bottom end, and the bottom end is supported by the support. An anchor bolt locator equipped with this feature.

2. The structural nut has a female threaded hole that forms a female threaded side wall, and the structural nut also has an outer side wall composed of one or more adjacent outer side panels that define the outer surface of the structural nut. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 1.

3. At least two of the plurality of legs engage with the outer side wall of the nut, or are located in close proximity to the outer side wall of the nut, preventing the structural nut from rotating relative to the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 2.

4. At least two of the plurality of legs face each other and engage with the opposing side panels of the structural nuts. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 3.

5. a. The chair is formed with a plurality of flanges, the plurality of flanges extending from the bridge in the same direction away from the top surface of the bridge, b. At least two of the plurality of flanges engage with the outer side wall of the nut or are located in close proximity to the outer side wall of the nut, preventing the structural nut from rotating relative to the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 2.

6. At least two of the plurality of legs face each other and engage with the opposing side panels of the structural nuts. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 5.

7. At least two of the plurality of legs engage with the outer side wall of the nut, or are located in close proximity to the outer side wall of the nut, preventing the structural nut from rotating relative to the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 6.

8. At least two of the aforementioned multiple legs face each other and engage with the opposing side panels of the structural nuts. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 7.

9. The support is a shelf located below the bridge, the shelf is a substantially planar member connected to one of the plurality of legs, and the shelf has a top surface on which the bottom end of the structural nut rests. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 1.

10. a. The structural nut has an internal hole that forms an internal side wall, and b. A portion of the shelf covers a portion of the internal hole. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 1.

11. a. At least two of the plurality of legs face each other, b. The shelf portion is formed from one of at least two of the plurality of legs that are opposite to each other, bends from one of the at least two of the legs that are opposite to each other, connects to the other of the at least two of the plurality of legs that are opposite to each other, and the shelf portion is arranged parallel to the bridge. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 9.

12. The end of the shelf portion is formed to have one or more engaging tabs that are inserted into one or more engaging openings by one of the multiple legs of the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 12.

13. The support is one or more support tabs positioned below the bridge, the one or more support tabs being positioned substantially vertically and connected to one or more of the multiple legs, and the one or more support tabs having a top edge on which the bottom end of the structural nut rests. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 1.

14. A connection between an anchor and a cement formwork using an anchor bolt locator, wherein the connection is a. The foundation formwork having one or more side walls and a bottom, wherein the bottom has a top surface, b. An anchor bolt locator attached to the top surface of the bottom, wherein the anchor bolt locator is 1. A chair having multiple legs and a bridge connecting the legs, wherein the bridge has a top surface, the multiple legs extend from the bridge in the same direction away from the top surface of the bridge, and the multiple legs are placed on the top surface of the bottom of the base formwork.

2. A support connected to one or more of the plurality of legs extending from the bridge, wherein the support is positioned below the bridge, 3. A structural nut disposed below the bridge, wherein the structural nut is supported by the support, and the structural nut has an internal hole. Includes, anchor bolt locator, c. A plurality of fasteners inserted through the mounting opening of the chair and inserted into the bottom of the cement formwork so that the anchor bolt locator is securely fixed to the bottom, d. The anchor is received in the internal hole of the structural nut. A connecting part equipped with a connector.

15. The structural nut has a female threaded hole that forms a female threaded side wall, and the structural nut also has an outer side wall composed of one or more adjacent outer side panels that define the outer surface of the structural nut. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 14.

16. At least two of the plurality of legs engage with the outer side wall of the nut, or are located in close proximity to the outer side wall of the nut, preventing the structural nut from rotating relative to the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 15.

17. At least two of the plurality of legs face each other and engage with the opposing side panels of the structural nuts. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 16.

18. a. The chair is formed with a plurality of flanges, the plurality of flanges extending from the bridge in the same direction away from the top surface of the bridge, b. At least two of the plurality of flanges engage with the outer side wall of the nut or are located in close proximity to the outer side wall of the nut, preventing the structural nut from rotating relative to the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 15.

19. At least two of the plurality of legs face each other and engage with the opposing side panels of the structural nuts. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 18.

20. At least two of the plurality of legs engage with the outer side wall of the nut, or are located in close proximity to the outer side wall of the nut, preventing the structural nut from rotating relative to the chair. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 19.

21. At least two of the aforementioned multiple legs face each other and engage with the opposing side panels of the structural nuts. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 20.

22. The support is a shelf located below the bridge, the shelf is a substantially planar member connected to one of the plurality of legs, and the shelf has a top surface on which the bottom end of the structural nut rests. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 14.

23. a. The structural nut has an internal hole that forms an internal side wall, and b. A portion of the shelf covers a portion of the internal hole. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 14.

24. a. At least two of the plurality of legs face each other, b. The shelf portion is formed from one of at least two of the plurality of legs that are opposite to each other, bends from one of the at least two of the legs that are opposite to each other, connects to the other of the at least two of the plurality of legs that are opposite to each other, and the shelf portion is arranged parallel to the bridge. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 22.

25. The end of the shelf portion is formed to have one or more engaging tabs that are inserted into one or more engaging openings by one of the multiple legs of the chair. An anchor bolt locator according to claim 23.

26. The support is one or more support tabs positioned below the bridge, the one or more support tabs being positioned substantially vertically and connected to one or more of the multiple legs, and the one or more support tabs having a top edge on which the bottom end of the structural nut rests. The anchor bolt locator according to claim 14.

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