CONCRETE PANEL BOLTED FOUNDATION CONNECTION AND METHOD

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/646,013 filed May 13, 2024.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention deals with anchoring of a concrete panel or member to a concrete foundation without the use of welding. In the past, welding metal connectors between the concrete panel or member and the foundation has been the predominant method. Others have attempted to solve the problem, but the solutions do not utilize a one piece embedded material such as described herein. These earlier attempts by others require the panel to be bolted outside the panel, or the embedment was composed of a fabricated assembly of steel parts. Applicant has developed an alternate variation of the previously and commonly used steel connector allowing it to be cast into the base of precast concrete wall panels in conjunction with a plastic recess-forming block-out.

Applicant's invention utilizes a single piece of stamped steel connector with a matching concrete block-out that positions the steel connector for optimal installation and allows for bolting the concrete wall panel to the foundation. Applicant's solution utilizes the steel connector cast in the wall panel along with a block-out or former that keeps the concrete from filling the void to be created in the wall panel which allows access to the steel connector. This allows the installer to insert a drill and eventually bolt through the void and steel connector as will be described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A steel connector is embedded in the concrete wall panel when the wall is cast. A block-out forms a void and keeps the concrete from filling the inside of the steel connector during the casting process. The angle at which the base of the steel connector is disposed within the concrete wall panel provides the proper angle for a fastening bolt to be inserted through the steel connector and into the foundation. The fastening bolt passes through a hole in the base of the steel connector into the concrete foundation to securely attach the wall panel to the foundation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side end view of a concrete wall panel mounted onto a concrete foundation with the steel connector embedded in the wall panel and the fastening bolt in a first position before insertion into the concrete wall panel and a second position with the mounting bolt fully embedded into the foundation.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the concrete wall panel mounted onto a concrete foundation with the steel connector embedded in the wall panel with the bolt embedded into the concrete foundation.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 showing the concrete wall panel mounted onto a concrete foundation with the steel connector embedded in the wall panel.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the steel connector.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the steel connector.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the form in which the steel connectors and block outs are mounted prior to filling the form with concrete.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the form is illustrated with the steel connector and block out positioned in the form prior to filling the form with concrete.

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7 with the steel connector and block out positioned opposite the steel connector and block out of FIG. 7 in the form prior to filling the form with concrete.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the form partially being filled with concrete.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the form almost completely filled with concrete showing a covered block-out to keep the concrete from filling the hollow within the block-out.

FIG. 11 illustrates the void in the concrete wall panel which is created by the block-out.

FIG. 12 illustrates an installer drilling the hole that receives the bolt that is inserted into the foundation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 2, we see a steel connector 10 embedded within a wall panel 14. Mechanical anchors or a fastening bolt 18 passes through the steel connector 10 and into a concrete foundation 16. This enables the secure attachment of the wall panel 14 to the foundation 16 using the mechanical anchors or fastening bolts 18. The fastening bolt 18 is illustrated in two positions, more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. A first position 22 is with the bolt 18 introduced into a void 20 formed in the wall panel with the fastening bolt 18 not yet inserted into the foundation 16. A second position 24 illustrates the fastening bolt 18 inserted into the foundation 18 with a head 19 of the fastening bolt 18 contacting a bottom plate 30 of the steel connector 10, as will be more fully described herein.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the steel connector 10. The steel connector 10 can be manufactured from a one-piece steel plate. The steel connector 10 has opposite sides and a top edge 31 from which a pair of top legs 26 extend. It also has a bottom edge 33 from which a pair of bottom legs 28 extend. The top legs 26 and bottom legs 28 are bent downwardly at their distal ends to assist in anchoring the steel connector in the concrete wall panel 14. There is an opening 29 between the opposed pair of top legs 26 the propose of which will be described herein. The bottom plate 30 may have a hole 32 centrally located. The hole 32 may assist the fastening bolt 18 in passing through the steel connector 10, serving as the mechanical anchor's point of attachment from the precast wall panel 14 and into the supporting cast in place concrete foundation 16.

FIGS. 6-8 provides perspective views of the steel connectors 10 and block-out 12 attached to a form 36 before casting concrete delineating the precise positioning of the steel connectors 10 within the wall panel's edge. The block-out 12 is first inserted between the opposite pair of top legs 26. The top legs 26 have their bent distal ends wrapped around a reinforcing bar to help securely position the steel connector in the form at the proper angle. As the block-out 12 is has a hollow center that creates the void 20, the top surface of the plastic block-out 12 has a covering 40, such as taping, to keep concrete from filling the hollow center of the block-out 12 during the casting process. The configuration of the plastic block-out 12 allows it to fit snugly between the top legs 26 of the steel connector 10, with both components able to be securely attached to the form 36 using nails of other conventional fasteners. The plastic block-out 12 enables the steel connector 10 to be set at both a predefined angle and distance within the thickness of the concrete panel 14. It should be noted that the steel connector 10 is mounted in the form 36 so that bottom plate 30 is oriented at an acute angle “A” (see FIG. 3) with respect to the bottom of the wall panel 14. This is necessary as it facilitate installation of the fastening bolt 18 at a proper angle into the foundation 16. The bolt 18 has a long central axis that is perpendicular to the bottom plate 30. This allows the head 19 of the fastening bolt 18 to engage the bottom plate 30 in a flush manner for assisting in securely fastening the concrete panel 14 to the foundation 16.

FIG. 9 illustrates pouring concrete 42 into the form 36 with the steel connectors 10 mounted in the form 36. FIG. 10 shows the form 36 when it is substantially filled with concrete 42 with the steel connectors 10 embedded in the concrete panel 14. The top surface of the steel connector 10 is substantially level with the top surface of the concrete. The covering 40 keeps the concrete 42 from filling the hollow center of the block-out 12.

FIG. 11 illustrates the void 20 created by the block-out 12 when embedded in the concrete panel 14. This void 20 serves as a conduit through which precast erectors or general contractors can guide a hammer drill bit down through the precast panel and into the cast in place foundation 16. It can also be seen that the block-out 12 has bottom portion 35 that rests flush upon the base plate 30. There is a reinforcing piece 39 extending between the side walls of the block-out to support the block-out side walls when the concrete is poured into the form 36. Optionally the bottom portion 35 may be provided with a small location hole that aligns with the hole 32 so that the installer has a visual indication as to where to drill for placement of the fastening bolt 18. There is also a back plate 37 that is perpendicular to the base plate 30. This provides a guide for the installer to properly orient the drill at a proper angle when drilling down into the foundation. The fastening bolt 18 is then inserted with the help of an impact wrench driver into the hole drilled in the foundation 16.

FIG. 12 illustrates an installer drilling a hole in the foundation 16. The angle in the hole in the foundation 16 is predetermined by the angle of the steel connector 10 when set and fastened on the form 36. As seen in FIG. 3, the angle A allows the fastening bolt 18 to be inserted at the proper angle in the concrete panel 14 so that the fastening bolt 18 is inserted at the proper angle and depth into the foundation 16. It is preferable for the angle A to be between 24-28 degrees.

Thus, there has been provided a concrete panel bolted foundation connection and method of installing the concrete panel to the foundation as described above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.