Insulating connectors used to retain forms during the manufacture of composite wall structures
First Claim
1. A connector for use in the manufacture of a composite wall structure comprising:
- an elongate shaft including;
a form retention segment disposed at an end thereof and positionable through a passage within a casting form;
a mesial segment positionable through a passage within an insulating layer when the insulating layer is in a desired spaced-apart relationship with the casting form; and
an anchor segment disposed between said form retention segment and said mesial segment and positionable within a space between the insulating layer and the casting form for placement of a layer of a hardenable structural material within said space during manufacture of a composite wall structure,wherein at least the mesial segment of the elongate shaft comprises a material having a high thermal resistance;
retention means, removably attached to the elongate shaft adjacent to the mesial segment, for preventing significant movement of the insulating layer relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; and
form locking means, associated with the form retention segment, for preventing substantial movement of the casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Connectors used in manufacturing composite wall structures to substantially prevent forms from being displaced in response to pressure generated by concrete poured between the forms. In a completed composite wall structure, the connectors extend through two structural layers and an insulating layer positioned therebetween. The composite wall structures are formed by positioning the insulating layer between and in a spaced-apart relationship to the two forms. The connectors are subsequently inserted through the insulating layer and the forms. As concrete is then poured into spaces between the forms and the insulating layer, a bearing surface on a form retention segment, which extends beyond the outer surface of the forms, abuts the forms and prevents them from moving away from the insulating layer. The bearing surface is either directly positioned on the form retention segment or on a form locking device attached to the form retention segment. After the concrete hardens, the forms are removed and the form retention segments are optionally detached from the remainder of the connector. The surface of the connectors optionally includes an adhesion promotion material or mechanical anchoring structure to improve the bond between the connectors and the structural layers.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A connector for use in the manufacture of a composite wall structure comprising:
-
an elongate shaft including; a form retention segment disposed at an end thereof and positionable through a passage within a casting form; a mesial segment positionable through a passage within an insulating layer when the insulating layer is in a desired spaced-apart relationship with the casting form; and an anchor segment disposed between said form retention segment and said mesial segment and positionable within a space between the insulating layer and the casting form for placement of a layer of a hardenable structural material within said space during manufacture of a composite wall structure, wherein at least the mesial segment of the elongate shaft comprises a material having a high thermal resistance; retention means, removably attached to the elongate shaft adjacent to the mesial segment, for preventing significant movement of the insulating layer relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; and form locking means, associated with the form retention segment, for preventing substantial movement of the casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A connector for use in manufacturing a composite wall structure comprising:
-
an elongate shaft including; a first form retention segment disposed at an end thereof and positionable through a passage within a first casting form; a second form retention segment disposed at an end opposite said first form retention segment and positionable through a passage within a second casting form when positioned in a desired spaced-apart relationship with the first casting form; a mesial segment positionable through a passage within an insulating layer when the insulating layer is in a desired spaced-apart relationship between the first and second casting forms; a first anchor segment disposed between said first form retention segment and said mesial segment and positionable within a first space between the insulating layer and the first casting form for placement of a first layer of a hardenable structural material within said first space during manufacture of a composite wall structure; and a second anchor segment disposed between said second form retention segment and said mesial segment and positionable within a second space between the insulating layer and the second casting form for placement of a second layer of a hardenable structural material within said second space during manufacture of the composite wall structure, wherein at least the mesial segment of the elongate shaft comprises a material having a high thermal resistance; at least one retention bracket removably attached to the elongate shaft adjacent to the mesial segment for preventing significant movement of the insulating layer relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; at least one form locking structure associated with the first form retention segment for preventing significant movement of the first casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; and at least one other form locking structure associated with the second form retention segment for preventing significant movement of the second casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A set-up structure used in the manufacture of an insulating composite wall structure having an insulating layer disposed between a pair of adjacent structural layers, the set-up structure comprising:
-
first and second casting forms in a desired spaced-apart relationship defining a region therebetween; an insulating layer substantially disposed in the region between the casting forms, wherein the insulating layer and casting forms define a pair of respective molding spaces into which a hardenable structural material can be introduced in order to form corresponding structural layers; and a plurality of connectors passing through the insulating layer and casting forms, each connector including; an elongate shaft; a first form retention segment disposed at an end of said elongate shaft and positioned through a passage within the first casting form; a second form retention segment at an end of said elongate shaft opposite said first form retention segment and positioned through a passage within the second casting form; a mesial segment disposed between the first and second form retention segments and positioned through a passage within the insulating layer; a first anchor segment disposed between said first form retention segment and said mesial segment and positioned within one of said molding spaces; and a second anchor segment disposed between said second form retention segment and said mesial segment and positioned within another of said molding spaces, wherein at least the mesial segment of the elongate shaft comprises a material having a high thermal resistance; at least one retention bracket removably attached to the elongate shaft adjacent to the mesial segment which prevents significant movement of the insulating layer relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; at least one form locking structure associated with the first form retention segment which prevents significant movement of the first casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; and at least one other form locking structure associated with the second form retention segment which prevents significant movement of the second casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
-
23. A connector for use in manufacturing a composite wall structure comprising:
-
an elongate shaft including; a form retention segment disposed at an end thereof and positionable through a passage within a casting form; a mesial segment positionable through a passage within an insulating layer when the insulating layer is in a desired spaced-apart relationship between the casting form and existing wall; and an anchor segment disposed between said form retention segment and said mesial segment and positionable within a space between the insulating layer and the casting form for placement of a layer of hardenable structural material therein during manufacture of a composite wall structure, wherein at least the mesial segment of the elongate shaft comprises a material having a high thermal resistance; an insulation retention structure removably attached to the elongate shaft adjacent to the mesial segment and configured so as to prevent significant movement of the insulating layer relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction; and a form locking structure associated with the form retention segment and configured so as to prevent significant movement of the casting form relative to the elongate shaft in at least one axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
-
Specification