Tapered Load Plate for Transferring Loads Between Cast-In-Place Slabs

• US 20100242401A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nigel K. Parkes, Russell Boxall
• Inventors: Boxall, Russell, Parkes, Nigel K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/699
• 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

A tapered load plate transfers loads across a joint between adjacent concrete floor slabs. The top and bottom surfaces may taper from approximately 4 inches wide to a narrow substantially pointed end over a length of approximately 12 inches. The tapered load plate accommodates differential shrinkage of cast-in-place concrete slabs. The tapered load plate may comprise a main plate and at least one extension. When adjacent slabs move away from each other, the narrow end of the tapered load plate moves out of the void that it created in the slab thus allowing the slabs to move relative to one another in a direction parallel to the joint. Tapered load plates may be assembled into a load-plate basket with the direction of the taper alternating from one tapered load plate to the next to account for off-center saw cuts.

Claims

1. A tapered load plate for use in a system for restricting certain movement, accommodating certain other movement and transferring loads between a first concrete on-ground cast-in-place slab and a second concrete on-ground cast-in-place slab, comprising:

a main plate having a first end configured to be placed in operative connection with the first slab and a second end configured to be placed in operative connection with the second slab, wherein the main plate is constructed to transfer between the first and second slabs a load applied to either of the slabs directed substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the first slab, the main plate further comprising a first side and a second side, each extending between the first end and the second end, and

an extension configured to be securable to the main plate such that;

a first end of the extension is adjacent to the first end of the main plate and configured to be operatively connected to the first slab;

a second end of the extension is adjacent to the second end of the main plate and configured to be operatively connected to the second slab;

at least a portion of a first side of the extension that extends between the first end and the second end is operatively connected to the first side of the main plate; and

a second side of the extension tapers as it traverses from the first end to the second end of the extension, such that the second side is not parallel with the first side of the extension, wherein a tapered load plate is formed in which the main plate and the extension are configured to span a joint between the first and second slabs and move together.

2. The tapered load plate of claim 1, wherein the second side of the extension is off-axis with respect to the first side of the extension between about 1 degree and about 45 degrees.

3. The tapered load plate of claim 1, wherein the second side of the extension is off-axis with respect to the first side of the extension by about 8 degrees.

4. The tapered load plate of claim 1, wherein the main plate comprises steel.

5. The tapered load plate of claim 4, wherein the extension comprises steel.

6. The load plate of claim 4, wherein the extension comprises a compressible material.

7. The load plate of claim 6, wherein the compressible material is selected from the group consisting of:

foam, fiberboard, rubber, plastic and combinations thereof.

8. The tapered load plate of claim 1, further comprising a second extension configured to be securable to the main plate such that, upon being secured:

a first end of the second extension is adjacent to the first end of the main plate and configured to be operatively connected to the first slab;

a second end of the second extension is adjacent to the second end of the main plate and configured to be operatively connected to the second slab;

at least a portion of a first side of the extension that extends between the first end and the second end is operatively connected to the second side of the main plate; and

a second side of the extension tapers as it traverses from the first end to the second end of the extension, such that the second side is not parallel with the first side of the extension, wherein a tapered load plate is formed in which the main plate and the first and second extensions are configured to move together when subjected to a force that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. An extension for use in a system for restricting certain movement, accommodating certain other movement and transferring loads between a first concrete on-ground cast-in-place slab and a second concrete on-ground cast-in-place slab, the extension comprising:

a first side that extends between a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the first side comprises a securing structure for operatively connecting the extension to a first side of a main plate, wherein upon operatively connecting the securing structure to the main plate, the first end of the extension is configured to be adjacent to the first end of the main plate and the second end of the extension is configured to be adjacent to the second end of the main plate; and

a tapered second side that is not parallel with the first side of the extension, wherein a tapered load plate is formed in which the main plate and the extension are configured to move together in a joint between the first slab and the second slab when subjected to a force that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. The extension of claim 9, wherein the securing structure comprises a first arm that extends away from a top surface of the extension and a second arm that extends away from a bottom surface of the extension.

11. The extension of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm create comprise a resilient material.

12. The extensions of claim 9, wherein the extension is substantially triangular-shaped.

13. The extension of claim 9, wherein the second side of the extension is off-axis with respect to the first side of the extension between about 1 degree and about 45 degrees.

14. The extension of claim 9, wherein the second side of the extension is off-axis with respect to the first side of the extension by about 8 degrees.

15. The extension of claim 9, wherein the extension comprises steel.

16. The extension of claim 9, wherein the extension comprises a compressible material.

17. The extension of claim 16, wherein the compressible material is selected from the group consisting of:

foam, fiberboard, rubber, plastic and combinations thereof.

18. A apparatus for use in a system for restricting certain movement, accommodating certain other movement and transferring loads between a first concrete on-ground cast-in-place slab and a second concrete on-ground cast-in-place slab, the apparatus comprising:

an extension that is at least partially within a covering having a channel configured to receive a load-bearing main plate, the extension comprising;

a first side that extends between a first end and a second end that is positioned within the covering adjacent to the channel configured to receive the main plate, wherein the first end of the extension is configured to be adjacent to a first end of a received main plate and the second end of the extension is configured to be adjacent to a second end of a received main plate; and

a tapered second side that is not parallel with the first side of the extension;

wherein, the covering is configured such that upon reception of a main plate, a tapered load plate is formed in which the main plate and the extension are configured to move together in a joint between the first slab and the second slab when subjected to a force that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

19. The tapered load plate of claim 18, wherein the second side of the extension is off-axis with respect to the first side of the extension between about 1 degree and about 45 degrees.

20. The tapered load plate of claim 18, wherein the second side of the extension is off-axis with respect to the first side of the extension by about 8 degrees.