Concrete Lifting Anchor with Rotating Locking Pin
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for lifting and jacking concrete components, such as precast roadway panels, are time-consuming and laborious due to the need for frequent installation and removal of lifting anchors and jacking rods, which require substantial thread engagement and multiple turns.
Innovation Solution
A lifting system incorporating a void former that allows for quick insertion and release of lifting anchors and jacking rods, featuring a locking stem with a rotatable locking pin and movable locking lugs for secure engagement, and a threaded structure for efficient jacking, reducing the number of turns required for lifting and jacking operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional threaded inserts and lifting anchors are used, then secure lifting engagement is achieved, but installation and removal become time-consuming and laborious
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting anchor is divided into separate components: a reusable external threaded portion and a disposable insert with a locking mechanism. The insert segments the engagement function into insertion, locking, lifting, and removal phases, allowing rapid removal without unscrewing the entire anchor from the panel
Solution Approach 2:
The locking pin and locking lugs provide dynamic locking engagement that secures the lifting anchor during use but allows rapid release when needed. The locking mechanism transitions from unlocked to locked state during insertion, providing secure engagement without requiring full thread engagement for removal
2Strength
If full thread engagement is used for lifting anchors, then secure lifting is ensured, but the operation becomes laborious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The locking pin is pre-configured with locking lugs that engage with the void former during insertion. This preliminary locking action secures the lifting anchor before full thread engagement is achieved, allowing the anchor to be securely locked with minimal rotation and making removal equally simple by reversing the locking action
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from the full thread engagement process. Instead of relying on complete thread unscrewing for removal, the locking mechanism provides a separate, simplified release path that extracts the time-consuming unscrewing operation from the removal process
3Adaptability or versatility
If threaded inserts open onto the upper face of the panel, then lifting anchors can be installed, but frequent installation and removal for storage and transportation becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting anchor system is segmented into a permanent insert portion embedded in the panel and a removable external anchor portion. This allows the insert to remain in the panel for future operations while the external anchor can be quickly removed and reused on other panels, significantly improving productivity for panels requiring storage and transportation
Solution Approach 2:
The insert with its locking mechanism serves multiple functions: it provides secure anchoring during lifting, allows rapid installation and removal of external anchors, and can accommodate multiple lifting operations on the same panel or different panels. The universal design enables the same insert type to be used across various panel applications
Data Source
AI summary
A lifting system for a concrete component comprises a void former incorporated into the component during casting and which provides within the component a void which receives a locking pin of a lifting anchor assembly which is locked within the void by rotation of a locking pin. The lifting anchor assembly has a visual indicator to indicate when the pin is in its locked condition within the void, and a pivotal lifting shackle of the assembly is prevented from movement into a position in which lifting can take place until the pin is in its locked condition. Preferably a base of the void former is configured to retain components of a jacking system by which a concrete slab used for road repair can be jacked into a level configuration with the remainder of the roadway when it has been positioned by use of the lifting system.