Unitary sheathing wedge

• US 7,823,345 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Felix L. Sorkin
• Original Assignee: Felix L. Sorkin
• Inventors: Sorkin, Felix L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner; Brian E
• Application Number:
  US11/950,295
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 522/231.3, 403/304, 403/314, 403/365, 403/367, 403/368, 403/369, 403/374.1, 241/226, 241/223, 244/59, 241/36.R, 241/15.M
• US Class Current: 52/223.13
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/122 the tensile members are anchored by wedge-action
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3907 Sheathed strand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/5793 including member wedging or camming means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7051 Wedging or camming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7054 Plural, circumferentially related shims between members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7064 by wedge or cam

Abstract

An apparatus for fixing the sheathing of an end of a tendon within an anchor body of a post-tension anchor system has an anchor body having a cavity formed in an interior thereof, a tendon extending into the cavity and having a sheathing extending at least partially thereover and having a sheathed portion and an unsheathed portion, a pair of wedges engaged with the unsheathed portion of the tendon in the cavity of the anchor body, and a wedge member engaged with the sheathing of the sheathed portion. The wedge member is a unitary piece having a longitudinal split extending from an end of the piece to an opposite end of the piece. The wedge member substantially encircles an interior or an exterior of the sheathing of the sheathed portion of the tendon.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an anchor body having a cavity formed in an interior thereof;

a tendon extending into said cavity, said tendon having a sheathing extending at least partially thereover, said tendon having a sheathed portion and an unsheathed portion;

a pair of wedges engaged with said unsheathed portion of said tendon in said cavity of said anchor body; and

a unitary wedge member engaged with said sheathing of said sheathed portion, said wedge member having a longitudinal split extending from one end of said wedge member to an opposite end of said wedge member, said wedge member having an exterior surface, said exterior surface of said wedge member having a biting means for biting into an inner surface of said sheathing of said sheathed portion, said cavity of said anchor body having a tapered portion so as to have wide end opening at one end of said anchor body and a narrow end interior of said anchor body, said cavity having a passageway extending from said narrow end so as to open at an opposite end of said anchor body, said wedge member positioned in said passageway, said pair of wedges extending along said tapered portion of said cavity, said anchor body having a polymeric encapsulation extending thereover, said polymeric encapsulation defining a trumpet extending outwardly of said anchor body in axial alignment with said cavity, said trumpet having a seal extending around an interior thereof so as to be in liquid-tight sealing relation with said sheathed portion of said tendon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said wedge member having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being of a generally constant thickness and having an end adjacent said pair of wedges, said second portion having a first end and a second end, said second portion being of a decreasing thickness from said first end to said second end.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, said wedge member having an interior surface, said interior surface being in compressive contact with said tendon.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, said first portion having said interior surface in generally parallel relation to said exterior surface thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the engagement of said wedge member with said sheathing of said sheathed portion being suitable for retaining said sheathing against up to 150 pounds of pulling force.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, said sheathed portion extending into said cavity of said anchor body, said wedge member being positioned in said cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, said wedge member having a generally circular cross-section.