BEAM CONNECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Description

BACKGROUND

Metal beams, such as steel or iron I-beams are used in construction, maintenance, restoration, and others applications where access is needed on large structures. Sometimes, two beams need to be joined together end-to-end. However, currently there is not a feature that indicates whether the beams are correctly secured to each other end-to-end and instead the user has to try to visually confirm that the beams are secured properly.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention eliminates the possibility of “falsely” pinning the beam to the splice and has an external visual indicator confirming that the beam is secured to the splice tube.

As such, the invention solves the problem of confirming that the beams are engaged with the splice tube. It confirms that two beams are installed properly into a splice tube with a “go/no-go” feature that provides visual confirmation that the beams are properly connected. This feature prevents pins from being inserted without the beam being fully inserted into the tube. When the beams are fully inserted the feature opens, allowing pins to be inserted to create a positive connection between the beam and connection piece. Also, when feature opens, a visual indicator is displayed as confirmation that the beam is fully inserted.

In one embodiment, a system secures two beams together using a splice tube. The system includes a splice tube assembly comprising a first hole. The system also includes a slide plate movably connected to an interior portion of the splice tube and comprising a second hole. The slide plate is configured so that: (1) a back side of the slide plate (e.g., with a red color) is displayed through the first hole when the slide plate is in a first unsecured position (indicating the beam being inserted is not inserted); and (2) the slide plate moves relative to the splice tube to a second position different from the first position such that the first hole aligns with the second hole(indicating the beam being inserted is fully inserted).

Thus allows for a user to visually confirm when a beam is fully inserted and secured to a splice tube.

In one embodiment, a system secures two beams together using a splice tube. The system includes: a splice tube assembly comprising a secured-confirmation hole; and a slide plate movably connected to an interior portion of the splice tube. The slide plate is configured so that: a back side of the slide plate is displayed (so as to display the color of the slide plate's back side) through the secured-confirmation hole when the slide plate is in a secured position; and in an unsecured position, the slide plate is prevented from covering the secured-confirmation hole.

Embodiments of the present invention may have various features and provide various advantages. Any of the features and advantages of the present invention may be desired, but, are not necessarily required to practice the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates two perspective views of the splice tubes of the beam connection system, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the splice tube of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a slide plate assembly, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the slide plate assembly of FIG. 3, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the slide plate assembly of FIG. 3, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a back plate assembly, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the back plate assembly of FIG. 6, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of the back plate assembly of FIG. 6, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of a splice tube plate assembly, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the splice tube plate assembly of FIG. 9, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a front view of the splice tube plate assembly of FIG. 9, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a method of attaching two beams using the splice tube assembly according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present application is directed to a system for a beam connection system that is configured to connect two beams together and have a system that allows the user to know that the beams are securely connected together.

As discussed herein, the term beam may include any device that is a piece of material that is used for construction for example, according to various embodiments. The beam may be made of concrete, timber or metal. Below herein the beam is described as a metal I-beam used in construction but the present invention should not be limited to an I-beam but can be equally applied to other systems where two beams are being connected together.

FIG. 1 illustrates a back side perspective view and a front side perspective view of a splice tube 10 of the beam connection system, according to an embodiment. Each splice tube 10 includes a set of indicator holes 11, 15 for each beam. As such, there is a set of indicator holes 11, 15 for a first beam to be inserted into the splice tube 10 and a set of indicator holes 11, 15 for a second beam to be inserted into the splice tube 10, as shown in FIG. 2 which is a front view of the splice tube 10 of FIG. 1.

The splice tube 10 includes one or more stoppers 13 to stop the I-beam from being inserted too far into the splice tube 10.

The interior portion of the splice tube 10 is hollow, and within the splice tube 10, a splice tube safety plate system 90 (see FIG. 9) is configured to be inserted into and attached to the inner portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the splice tube safety plate system 90 will attach to the splice tube 10 at a location 14 where a protruding object (e.g., a rivet, a screw, or the like) can attach the splice tube safety plate system to the splice tube 10.

The splice tube safety plate system 90 includes a slide plate assembly 30. FIGS. 3-5 illustrate an example of the slide plate assembly 30. The slide plate assembly 30 includes a slide plate 31 connected to a stop plate 39 (at a right angle, for example). One or more triangular gussets 38 are disposed between the stop plate 39 and the slide plate 31. It should be understood that the gussets may be an integral portion of splice plate assembly 30 (so that the splice plate assembly 30 is all one integral piece and does not require separate gussets to be attached). Further, the gussets may be of any shape and the present invention is not limited to be a triangle.

The slide plate 31 includes holes 34 positioned on the slide plate 31 to correspond to the respective holes 11, 15 on the splice tube 10 as will be described more below herein. There may be a number of holes 34 in the slide plate 31, which may be any number of holes, such as four holes shown in the figure, or other numbers of holes (e.g., 1, 2, etc.).

The slide plate 31 also includes a slide groove 36 in a central portion of the slide plate 31 configured to receive pins from a back plate assembly 60 (see FIGS. 6-8). The slide groove 36 is configured to allow the slide plate 31 to move longitudinally or horizontally in the slide tube 10 when installed.

Attached to the slide plate 31 is a pin 32 protruding away from the slide plate and is rigidly connected to the slide plate 30 either by welding or any other means, such as being screwed in and the like. The functions of the pin 32 is described in more detail in FIGS. 9-11.

The slide plate 31 has a front side 35 and a back side 33. The back side 33 of the slide plate 31 may be fully (or partially) colored to stand out from a color from an exterior of the slide tube 10 so that when the slide plate 31 is in the splice tube 10, the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 is visually seen through the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube 10. This indicates that the slide plate 31 is in a first or unsecured position to indicate that the beam is not in a position to be secured to the splice tube 10.

As mentioned above, the holes 34 of the slide plate 31 correspond to respective holes 11, 15 of the splice tube 10. In this regard, when the slide plate 31 is pushed inward due to the beam being inserted into the splice tube 10 at a “ready” or secured position, the holes 34 of the slide plate 31 will align with the respective holes 11, 15 of the splice tube 10 so that one can know that the beam is ready to be secured to the splice tube 10. At all other times, the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 (which may be painted red for example) is visually seen through the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube 10. As such, the color red (or whatever color the back side of the slide plate 31) is visually seen through the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube 10 indicating that the beam is not in the proper position to be secured. This process is detailed more in FIG. 12.

More details of operation of the splice tube safety plate system 90 is described below with regard to FIGS. 6-11.

In FIGS. 6-8, the back plate assembly 60 is described. The back plate assembly 60 is shown in FIGS. 9-11 as including a back plate 61 that is adjacent to the slide plate assembly 30 so that the slide plate assembly 30 slides parallel to and adjacent to the back plate assembly 60.

Referring to FIGS. 6-8, the back plate assembly 60 includes holes 64 that correspond to the holes 34 of the slide plate assembly 30 when the slide plate assembly 30 is in the secured position but does not align when the slide plate assembly 30 is in the unsecured position. Moreover, the back plate assembly 60 includes a secured-confirmation hole 65 in the center of the back plate 61 which allows for the back side 33 of the slide plate assembly 30 to show through the secured-confirmation hole 65 when the beam is in the secured position.

Also, the back plate assembly 60 includes a connection means 62 (such as rivets, fasteners, or any other connection means) which are configured to secure the back plate assembly 60 to the splice tube 10 so that the back plate assembly 60 is securely fastened to the splice tube 10.

Also, the back plate assembly 60 includes pins 68 which are attached to the back plate 61 at each of locations indicated by reference number 66. The functions of the pins 68 are described below with regard to FIGS. 9-11.

FIGS. 9-11 illustrate a splice tube plate assembly 90 which includes the back plate assembly 60 being adjacent to and mated with the slide plate assembly 30. An elastic member (e.g. a spring a rubber elastic band) 94 is disposed between one of the pins 68 on the back plate 60 which is closest to the center of the back plate 60 and the pin 32 of the slide plate 31. The elastic member 94 is at rest or not applying force when the position of the slide plate 31 of the slide plate assembly 30 relative to the back plate 60 is in the unsecured position as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In the unsecured position, the secured-confirmation hole 65 does not overlap with the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 of the slide plate assembly 30. In this regard, the secured-confirmation hole 65 does not show the colors on the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 while in the unsecured position. More about the operation of the system is discussed relative to FIG. 12.

Referring back to FIGS. 9-11, the elastic member 94 is configured to apply a force to the slide plate assembly 30 when the slide plate assembly 30 is moved towards the middle of the splice tube via a beam being moved therein because the elastic member 94 then stretches. The elastic member 94 stretches because the slide plate 31 is being moved relative to the splice tube 10 but the back plate 60 is fixed relative to the splice tube 10.

The other pin 68′ is used in conjunction with the first pin 68 so that both pins 68 and 68′ slide in the same groove and keep the slide plate assembly 30 sliding longitudinally along the splice tube 10. The other pin 68′ also is used as a stop for the slide plate 31 to limit the longitudinal displacement of the slide plate 31 in a first direction toward the middle of the splice tube while the first pin 68 limits the longitudinal displacement of the slide plate 31 in a second direction opposed of the first direction (i.e., away from the middle of the splice tube).

FIG. 12 illustrates a method of attaching two beams 120, 122 using the splice tube assembly 10 according to an embodiment. In step 1, a left beam 122, a right beam 120, and the splice tube assembly 10 is provided. The left beam 122 and right beam 120 both include holes that are configured to receive pins and which align with holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10.

As shown in the figures, a half of the splice tube assembly 10 is configured to secure the left beam 122 and the other half of the splice tube assembly 10 is configured to secure the right beam 122. The left half of the splice tube assembly 10 is a mirror in configuration to the right half of the splice tube assembly 10. As shown in Step 1, the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 is covering holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10 and thus, the distinctive coloring (e.g., red) is shown through the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10. In this regard, the user knows that neither beam is securely connected to the splice tube assembly 10. The secured-confirmation hole 65 is also not displaying any colors as well in Step 1.

In Step 2, the left beam 122 is inserted fully into the splice tube assembly 10. After Step 1, the holes 11, 15 of the lefthand side of the splice tube assembly 10 become opened only when the left beam 122 is inserted fully into the splice tube assembly 10—until this point the holes 11, 15 display the distinctive coloring of the back side 33 of the slide plate 31. Thus, the splice tube assembly 10 indicates with the distinctive coloring that the left beam 122 is not fully secured to the splice tube assembly 10 and when the holes 11, 15 are opened indicates that the beam is fully inserted.

In Step 2, the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 corresponding to the right beam 120 (i.e., on the right hand side of the splice tube) is covering holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10 corresponding to the right beam 120 and thus, the distinctive coloring (e.g., red) is shown through the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10 on the right hand side.

Further, since the left beam 122 is fully inserted into the splice tube assembly 10 but the right beam 120 is not fully inserted into the splice tube assembly 10, the left hand side of the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 is covering the secured-confirmation hole 65 and thus, displays a distinctive color (e.g. green) different from the other distinctive color displayed through holes 11, 15 so that the user has an overall indicator showing that the beams are securely connected to the splice tube assembly.

In Step 3, fasteners such as pins are inserted into the left hand side holes 11, 15 so that the fasteners extend through both the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10 and the holes of the left beam 122. In this regard, the left beam 122 is fully secured to the splice tube assembly 10.

In both Step 2 and Step 3, the user confirms that the left beam is fully inserted into and securely connected to the splice tube assembly 10 using the visual indicator of the secured-confirmation hole 65 being the distinctive color on the left-hand side of the secured-confirmation hole 65 where the left beam 122 is connected. Additionally, the user can confirm that the other side of the splice tube assembly 10 is not connected to a beam because the holes 11, 15 on the right side of the splice tube 10 display the distinctive color (e.g. red) of the back side 33 of the slide plate 31.

In Step 4, the right beam 120 is fully inserted into the splice tube 10 and the holes 11, 15 on the right hand side of the splice tube 10 are opened (since the slide plate has been moved by the right beam 120 so that the holes 64 of the slide plate 31 align with the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube 10) while the distinctive coloring (e.g., green) of the back side 33 of the slide plate 31 is shown through the right hand side of the secured-confirmation hole 65 (so that all of the secured-confirmation hole 65 now displays the back side 33 of the slide plate 31) since the slide plate has been moved by the right beam 120 so that the slide plate 31 moves over the secured-confirmation hole 65.

In Step 5 (similar to Step 3), fasteners such as pins are inserted into the right hand side holes 11, 15 so that the such fasteners extend through both the holes 11, 15 of the splice tube assembly 10 and the holes of the right beam 120. In this regard, the right beam 120 is fully secured to the splice tube assembly 10.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.