Arc-Tooth Turnbuckle for Quiet Formwork Tensioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional turnbuckles for tensioning frame formwork elements face issues such as interference between wedges, noise pollution from hammer use, and difficulty in adjusting to different frame thicknesses, making them cumbersome and inefficient, especially when trying to connect frames with varying thicknesses or at locations like outer and articulated corners.
Innovation Solution
A turnbuckle design featuring a crosspiece with arc-shaped track teeth and a support tooth that can be rotated and screwed into engagement with the track teeth, allowing for tensioning without hammers and enabling quick adjustment by increasing the clamping force through a screwing-in mechanism, which can be operated without additional space and reduces noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional turnbuckles with hammer-driven wedges are used to tension frame formwork elements, then reliable tensioning can be achieved, but noise pollution is generated and operation becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hammer-driven wedge mechanism with a screw-threaded adjustment mechanism. The support tooth engages with track teeth through threaded engagement, allowing tensioning to be achieved through rotational screwing motion rather than impact forces, thereby eliminating noise pollution while maintaining reliable tensioning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The turnbuckle design allows the operator to directly adjust the support tooth position along the track teeth through manual screwing motion, enabling self-contained tensioning adjustment without requiring external hammer tools or additional space for hammer operation
2Force
If multiple turnbuckles are arranged vertically to tension boundary surfaces with large forces, then sufficient tensioning capacity is achieved, but wedge interference occurs and operation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The screw-threaded support tooth mechanism replaces the wedge system, eliminating the interference problem between multiple wedges in vertically arranged turnbuckles. The threaded engagement allows compact vertical stacking without wedge collision, as the support teeth engage independently with track teeth through rotational motion rather than linear wedge insertion
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from linear wedge insertion (one-dimensional motion) to rotational screw-threaded engagement (circular motion in two dimensions). This dimensional change allows multiple turnbuckles to be arranged vertically without interference, as the rotational engagement path does not conflict with adjacent turnbuckles
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional turnbuckles are used to connect frames with different thicknesses, then connection versatility is limited, but quick adjustment to different spans is required
Solution Approach 1:
The support tooth is designed to be movable along the track teeth through threaded engagement, allowing dynamic adjustment of the clamping jaw position. This enables quick adaptation to different frame thicknesses by simply rotating the support tooth to engage with different track teeth positions, providing both versatility and operational ease
Solution Approach 2:
The track teeth provide multiple engagement positions along their length, allowing the single turnbuckle design to accommodate various frame thicknesses. The support tooth can engage with any track tooth position, making the turnbuckle universally applicable to different frame configurations without requiring multiple specialized tools
4Force
If hammer-driven wedges are used for tensioning, then sufficient clamping force can be applied, but additional space is required for hammer operation
Solution Approach 1:
The screw-threaded support tooth mechanism allows the operator to apply clamping force through direct manual rotation, eliminating the need for external hammer tools and their associated operation space. The adjustment mechanism is self-contained within the turnbuckle structure, requiring only minimal clearance for hand operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the hammer-wedge impact mechanism with a screw-threaded rotational mechanism. This substitution converts the need for large impact space into a compact rotational adjustment that can be performed in confined spaces, while still achieving sufficient clamping force through the mechanical advantage of the screw threads
Data Source
AI summary
A turnbuckle for tensioning frame formwork elements, the turnbuckle comprising a first clamping apparatus which has a crosspiece and a first clamping jaw. The crosspiece has a guide portion comprising a row of track teeth which are arranged behind one another and extend in parallel with one another. The turnbuckle also has a second clamping apparatus which has a second clamping jaw. The second clamping apparatus can be shifted in a tensioning direction along the longitudinal axis of the crosspiece towards the first clamping jaw. The track teeth extend in each case in an arc from a first longitudinal edge of the crosspiece towards a second longitudinal edge of the crosspiece. The second clamping apparatus has at least one support tooth which extends in an arc and can be rotated about a rotational shaft.