Concrete slab dowel system and method for making same
First Claim
1. A concrete dowel slab joint system, comprising:
- a dowel bar for maintaining adjacent sections of concrete in alignment during contraction and expansion of the concrete, and for transferring shear stresses and bending moments across a joint formed between adjacent concrete slabs; and
a first sleeve assembly for receiving and maintaining the dowel bar therewithin so that the dowel bar does not transmit substantial shear stresses to the concrete during the contraction and expansion of the concrete, the first sleeve assembly comprising (a) an elongate sleeve body having a longitudinal axis and including an outer surface and an inner surface, and defining a hollow interior compartment, (b) at least one closed end, (c) a sleeve member joined to said elongate sleeve body or to said closed end, and having a longitudinal axis, at least one open outer end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of said sleeve member defining a hollow interior chamber and the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body being disposed substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve member, the first sleeve assembly being mountable onto an upright support stanchion so that the upright support stanchion is disposed within the hollow interior chamber, and (d) at least one collapsible, generally V-shaped spacer member located within the hollow interior compartment, each collapsible spacer member engaging and positioning the dowel bar at a lateral distance from the inner surface of the elongate sleeve body and at a longitudinal distance from the closed end, said lateral distance and said longitudinal distance together defining an expansion area between the dowel bar and the sleeve assembly, the spacer member being collapsible by interactive forces exerted by the dowel bar moving in a lateral and/or longitudinal path within the hollow interior compartment in response to the expansion and contraction of the concrete, said V-shaped spacer member including a pair of outwardly angularly extending side sections having a pair of free ends and joined together at the other end of the side sections to form a base, the base of the V-shaped spacer member being attached to an inner surface of the closed end, and the pair of free ends being joined to the inner surface of the elongate sleeve body, one of the ends of the dowel bar engaging an inner surface of the outwardly angularly extending side sections thereby defining the expansion area between the dowel bar and the elongate sleeve body.
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Abstract
A concrete dowel slab joint system is provided for maintaining adjacent sections of concrete in alignment during contraction and expansion of the concrete, and for transferring shear stresses and bending moments across a joint formed between adjacent concrete slabs. It includes a sleeve assembly for receiving and maintaining the dowel bar therewithin. In this is way, the dowel bar does not transmit substantial shear stresses to the concrete during the contraction and expansion of the concrete. The sleeve assembly comprises an elongate sleeve body having an outer surface and an inner surface, and defines a hollow interior compartment, (b) at least one closed end, and (c) a sleeve member. Preferably, at least one collapsible spacer member is located within the hollow interior compartment. The spacer member is collapsible by interactive forces exerted by the dowel bar moving in a lateral and/or longitudinal path within the hollow interior compartment in response to the expansion and contraction of the concrete. The inner surface defines a hollow interior chamber. The longitudinal axis of the sleeve body is disposed substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve member. The first sleeve assembly is mountable onto upright support stanchion so that each upright support stanchion is disposed within the hollow interior chamber. The concrete dowel slab joint system of the present invention can include a second sleeve assembly.
84 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A concrete dowel slab joint system, comprising:
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a dowel bar for maintaining adjacent sections of concrete in alignment during contraction and expansion of the concrete, and for transferring shear stresses and bending moments across a joint formed between adjacent concrete slabs; and a first sleeve assembly for receiving and maintaining the dowel bar therewithin so that the dowel bar does not transmit substantial shear stresses to the concrete during the contraction and expansion of the concrete, the first sleeve assembly comprising (a) an elongate sleeve body having a longitudinal axis and including an outer surface and an inner surface, and defining a hollow interior compartment, (b) at least one closed end, (c) a sleeve member joined to said elongate sleeve body or to said closed end, and having a longitudinal axis, at least one open outer end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of said sleeve member defining a hollow interior chamber and the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body being disposed substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve member, the first sleeve assembly being mountable onto an upright support stanchion so that the upright support stanchion is disposed within the hollow interior chamber, and (d) at least one collapsible, generally V-shaped spacer member located within the hollow interior compartment, each collapsible spacer member engaging and positioning the dowel bar at a lateral distance from the inner surface of the elongate sleeve body and at a longitudinal distance from the closed end, said lateral distance and said longitudinal distance together defining an expansion area between the dowel bar and the sleeve assembly, the spacer member being collapsible by interactive forces exerted by the dowel bar moving in a lateral and/or longitudinal path within the hollow interior compartment in response to the expansion and contraction of the concrete, said V-shaped spacer member including a pair of outwardly angularly extending side sections having a pair of free ends and joined together at the other end of the side sections to form a base, the base of the V-shaped spacer member being attached to an inner surface of the closed end, and the pair of free ends being joined to the inner surface of the elongate sleeve body, one of the ends of the dowel bar engaging an inner surface of the outwardly angularly extending side sections thereby defining the expansion area between the dowel bar and the elongate sleeve body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for maintaining adjacent sections of concrete in alignment using a dowel bar during contraction and expansion of the concrete for transferring shear stresses and bending moments across a joint formed between adjacent concrete slabs, which comprises:
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providing a sleeve assembly comprising (a) an elongate sleeve body having an outer surface and an inner surface, and defining a hollow interior compartment, (b) at least one closed end, (c) a sleeve member joined to said elongate sleeve body or to said closed end and having a longitudinal axis, at least one open outer end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a hollow interior chamber and the longitudinal axis of said sleeve body being disposed substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve member, and (d) at least one collapsible, generally V-shaped spacer member located within the hollow interior compartment, each collapsible spacer member engaging and positioning the dowel bar at a lateral distance from the inner surface of the elongate sleeve body and at a longitudinal distance from the closed end, said lateral distance and said longitudinal distance together defining an expansion area between the dowel bar and the sleeve assembly, the spacer member being collapsible by interactive forces exerted by the dowel bar moving in a lateral and/or longitudinal path within the hollow interior compartment in response to the expansion and contraction of the concrete, said V-shaped spacer member including a pair of outwardly angularly extending side sections having a pair of free ends and coined together at-the other end of the side sections to form a base, the base of the V-shaped spacer member being attached to an inner surface of the closed end, and the pair of free ends being coined to the inner surface of the elongate sleeve body, one of the ends of the dowel bar engaging an inner surface of the outwardly angularly extending side sections thereby defining the expansion area between the dowel bar and the elongate sleeve body; providing an upright support stanchion; introducing the dowel bar into the hollow interior compartment; mounting the sleeve assembly onto the upright support stanchion so that the upright support stanchion is disposed within the hollow interior chamber; and moving the dowel bar in a lateral and/or longitudinal path within the hollow interior compartment in response to the expansion and contraction of the concrete by exerting interactive forces on said dowel bar thereby preventing the dowel bar from transmitting substantial shear stresses to the concrete during contraction and expansion of the concrete. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A concrete dowel slab joint system, comprising:
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a dowel bar for maintaining adjacent sections of concrete in alignment during contraction and expansion of the concrete, and for transferring shear stresses and bending moments across a joint formed between adjacent concrete slabs; a first sleeve assembly for receiving and maintaining the dowel bar therewithin so that the dowel bar does not transmit substantial shear stresses to the concrete during the contraction and expansion of the concrete, the first sleeve assembly comprising (a) an elongate sleeve body having a longitudinal axis and including an outer surface and an inner surface, and defining a hollow interior compartment, (b) at least one closed end, and (c) a sleeve member joined to said elongate sleeve body or to said closed end, and having a longitudinal axis, at least one open outer end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of said sleeve member defining a hollow interior chamber and the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body being disposed substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of sleeve member, the first sleeve assembly being mountable onto an upright support stanchion so that the upright support stanchion is disposed within the hollow interior chamber; and positioning elements attached at one end to the sleeve assembly, the other end of the positioning elements extending upwardly to a point above the surface of the concrete and acting as a visible locating indicator of the concrete dowel slab joint.
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14. A method for maintaining adjacent sections of concrete in alignment using a dowel bar during contraction and expansion of the concrete for transferring shear stresses and bending moments across a joint formed between adjacent concrete slabs, which comprises:
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providing a sleeve assembly comprising (a) an elongate sleeve body having an outer surface and an inner surface, and defining a hollow interior compartment, (b) at least one closed end, and (c) a sleeve member joined to said elongate sleeve body or to said closed end and having a longitudinal axis, at least one open outer end, an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a hollow interior chamber and the longitudinal axis of sleeve body being disposed substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of sleeve member; providing an upright support stanchion; introducing the dowel bar into the hollow interior compartment; mounting the sleeve assembly onto the upright support stanchion so that the upright support stanchion is disposed within the hollow interior chamber; moving the dowel bar in a lateral and/or longitudinal path within the hollow interior compartment in response to the expansion and contraction of the concrete by exerting interactive forces on said dowel bar thereby preventing the dowel bar from transmitting substantial shear stresses to the concrete during contraction and expansion of the concrete; providing at least one flexible elongate rod; and attaching one end of each flexible elongate rod to each sleeve assembly, the other end of the flexible elongate rod extending upwardly to a point above the surface of the concrete and acting as a visible locating indicator of the concrete dowel slab joint.
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Specification