Method for repairing structural cracks

• US 7,513,024 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Keller, Jeffrey Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Sam Chuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECKER, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US11/210,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 294/020.9, 294/021.4, 294/021.1, 294/021.5, 294/021.7, 294/020.1, 2940205-40207, 2940212-40213, 295/57, 295/251.4, 606/212, 243/28
• US Class Current: 29/402.15
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 6/04 Repairing fractures or cracked metal parts or products, e.g. castings
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/04 using preformed elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/0218 Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49718 Repairing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49726 Removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49732 by attaching repair preform, e.g., remaking, restoring, or patching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49735 Mechanically attaching preform with separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49739 Mechanically attaching preform by separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49741 Screw threaded fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49744 Screw threaded preform

Abstract

A crack repair method includes forming a pair of holes into a surface of a structural workpiece on opposite sides of the crack, forming a slot into the surface of the structural workpiece to connect the holes on opposite sides of a crack, installing the cammed drawbolt assembly into the holes and slot, drawing said crack closed by actuating the cammed drawbolt assembly into a closed position and securing the drawbolt into the closed position.

Claims

1. A method for repairing a crack in a structural workpiece comprising:

forming a first hole into a surface of a structural workpiece to be repaired on a first side of a crack;

forming a second hole into said surface of said structural workpiece to be repaired on a second side of said crack opposite said first side;

forming a slot into said surface of said structural workpiece of a length sufficient to connect said first hole and said second hole;

after forming said slot, assembling a cammed drawbolt assembly by;

threading a first dowel threaded to a first threaded end of a drawbolt; and

connecting a cammed dowel having a through-hole and cammed slot to a shaped head disposed at an other end of said drawbolt and spaced from said first dowel by a length corresponding to the length of said slot;

installing a cammed drawbolt assembly entirely within said holes and slot in said structural workpiece;

drawing said crack closed by actuating said cammed drawbolt assembly into a closed position; and

securing said drawbolt in said closed position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming a first hole comprises drilling and reaming a first hole in said structural workpiece;

forming a second hole comprises drilling and reaming a second hole in said structural workpiece; and

forming a slot comprises milling a slot into said structural workpiece.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first hole and said second hole are positioned relative to said crack so that said slot is oriented generally perpendicularly to said crack.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of securing said drawbolt in a closed position comprises tack welding said cammed dowel to said drawbolt.

5. A method for repairing a crack in a structural workpiece comprising:

forming a plurality of first holes into a surface of a structural workpiece to be repaired on a first side of a crack;

forming a plurality of second holes into said surface of said structural workpiece to be repaired on a second side of said crack, each second hole corresponding to and opposite to a respective one of said plurality of first holes;

forming a plurality of slots into said surface of said structural workpiece, each said slot respectively located to connect a first hole and a corresponding opposite second hole to form a plurality of pairs of holes joined by respective slots;

after forming said slots, assembling a cammed drawbolt assembly by;

threading a first dowel threaded to a first threaded end of a drawbolt; and

connecting a cammed dowel having a through-hole and cammed slot to a shaped head disposed at an other end of said drawbolt and spaced from said first dowel by a length corresponding to the length of said slot;

installing a cammed drawbolt assembly entirely within each respective one of said plurality pairs of holes joined by a slot in said structural workpiece;

drawing said crack closed by actuating each said cammed drawbolt assembly into a closed position; and

securing each said drawbolt in said closed position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the respective first hole and second hole are formed in respective positions relative to said crack, so that said respective slot is disposed generally perpendicularly to said crack.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the dimensions of each respective cammed drawbolt assembly are selected to correspond to the dimensions of said respective pairs of first and second holes joined by a slot.

8. A method for repairing a crack through a structural workpiece comprising:

forming a plurality of first holes into a first surface of a structural workpiece to be repaired on a first side of a crack;

forming a plurality of second holes into said surface of said structural workpiece to be repaired on a second side of said crack, each said second hole corresponding to and opposite to a respective one of said plurality of first holes;

forming a plurality of slots into said first surface of said structural workpiece, each slot respectively located to connect a first hole and a corresponding second hole to form a plurality of pairs of holes joined by respective slots in said first surface;

forming a plurality of first holes into a second surface of a structural workpiece to be repaired on a second side opposite to said first surface on a first side of said crack;

forming a plurality of second holes into said second surface of said structural workpiece to be repaired, each said second hole corresponding to and opposite to a respective one of said plurality of first holes into said second surface;

forming a plurality of slots into said second surface of said structural workpiece, each slot respectively located to connect a first hole and a corresponding second hole to form a plurality of pairs of holes joined by respective slots in said second surface;

after forming said slots, assembling a cammed drawbolt assembly by;

threading a first dowel threaded to a first threaded end of a drawbolt; and

connecting a cammed dowel having a through-hole and cammed slot to a shaped head disposed at an other end of said drawbolt and spaced from said first dowel by a length corresponding to the length of said slot;

installing a cammed drawbolt assembly entirely within each said pair of holes and slot in each surface of said structural workpiece;

drawing said crack closed by actuating each said cammed drawbolt assembly into a closed position; and

securing each said drawbolt in said closed position.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each said first hole and respective second hole are positioned relative to said crack so that each said slot is oriented generally perpendicularly to said crack.