Electro-active vitreous enamel coated dowel bar

• US 10,711,411 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Morefield, Sean W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Risic, Abigail A
• Application Number:
  US15/941,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20190301106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/14 Dowel assembly ; Design or construction of reinforcements in the area of joints coupling devices for prefabricated units E01C5/005; combined with characteristic packings E01C11/08 - E01C11/12; removable holders E01C23/045
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/483 Shear dowels to be embedded in concrete

Abstract

An enamel coated steel dowel bar and a method of manufacturing said enamel coated steel dowel bar for use in joining together and stabilizing concrete slabs by drilling a first hole at a first end of an axis of the dowel bar, drilling a second hole at a second end of the axis of the dowel bar, configuring a first end plug into the first hole of the dowel bar, configuring a second end plug into the second hole of the dowel bar, attaching a first end cap over the first end plug and the first hole, and attaching a second end cap over the second end plug and the second hole, wherein a pin is removably attached to the first hole and the second hole to mount the dowel bar during an enamel coating process and wherein the dowel bar is slidably attached to the first end cap and the second end cap.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a solid dowel bar having a protective coating covering the entirety of the dowel bar, the method comprising:

drilling a first bole at a first end of an axis of the solid dowel bar;

drilling a second hole at a second end of the axis of the solid dowel bar;

holding said solid dowel bar with at least one pin inserted into said first hole or said second hole, and

applying a protective coating covering the entirety of the dowel bar.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring a first end plug into the first hole of the solid dowel bar, and configuring a second end plug into the second hole of the solid dowel bar;

and wherein the first end plug and the second end plug are composed of a zinc aluminum alloy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching a first end cap over the first end plug and the first hole and attaching a second end cap over the second end plug and the second hole,

wherein the solid dowel bar slidably attached to the first end cap and the second end cap, and wherein the dowel bar moves in a longitudinal direction within the first end cap and the second end cap.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said protective coating comprises a silicon transition layer 140 fired to create an adhesive layer, and a glassy vitreous enamel coating 150 applied over said silicon transition layer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said protective coating is formed from an applied silicon transition layer 140 and a glassy vitreous enamel coating 150 applied over said silicon transition layer, and wherein both layers are fired together in a two-coat/one-fire step.

6. A solid dowel device having a protective coating covering the entirety of the dowel bar comprising:

a solid dowel bar having a first hole at a first end of an axis of the dowel bar, and a second hole at a second end of the axis of the dowel bar;

a protective coating covering the entirety of the dowel bar made in one step by holding said solid dowel bar with at least one pin inserted into said first hole or said second hole and coating the dowel bar,

a first end plug attached to the first hole;

a second end plug attached to the second link;

a first end cap attached over the first end plug and the first hole; and

a second end cap attached over the second end plug and the second hole,

wherein the coated, solid dowel bar is slidably attached to the first end cap and the second end cap.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first hole and the second hole are covered with, an alkali-resistant protective coating.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the first end plug and the second end plug are electrical connectors to a cathodic protection system.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the first end plug and the second end plug have a mushroom shape.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the first end plug and the second end plug are composed of a zinc aluminum alloy.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the dowel bar moves in a longitudinal direction within the first end cap and the second end cap.

12. The device of claim 6 wherein said protective coating comprises a silicon transition layer 140 tired to create an adhesive layer, and a glassy vitreous enamel coating 150 applied over said silicon transition layer.

13. The device of claim 6 wherein said protective coating is formed from an applied silicon transition layer 140 and a glassy vitreous enamel coating 150 applied over said silicon transition layer, and wherein both layers are fired together in a two-coat/one-fire step.