Method of securing walls with a tie

• US 6,311,785 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Helifix Limited (CRH PLC)
• Original Assignee: Helifix Limited (CRH PLC)
• Inventors: Breeze, Brian Alan, Paterson, Robert Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/149,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 173/1, 173/4, 173/114, 173/202, 227/147, 279/145, 294/56, 295/250.8, 295/251.1
• US Class Current: 173/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2251/241 Cross sections of the diameter of the drill
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2251/247 Drilling tools having a working portion at both ends of the shank
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 51/02 Twist drills
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 3/00 Associations of tools for different working operations with one portable power-drive means; Adapters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/0222 Replacing or adding wall ties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49881 of separate helix [e.g., screw thread]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49959 Nonresilient fastener

Abstract

A helical wedge tie, anywhere from 2½ inches to 4 inches in length, (which is approximately the width of a standard brick), can be utilized to wedgingly engage the mortar in a wall after a helical main tie has been passed all the way through the mortar and secured in the concrete. The wedge tie may have the same helical pitch as that of the main tie, or it may be a pitch somewhat tighter or shorter to not only fill the space between the host tie and the mortar, but wedgingly engage the same. The auxiliary wedge pin may be pointed at both ends, pointed at one end, or even blunt at both ends. Successful fixes have been made where one end is sheared, and has a relatively chisel-like end. The method of the invention is directed to the reinforcing of a tie in a wall reinforcing environment, where the outer portion of the tie passes through a softer material, and a subsequent reinforcement of the tie portion in the soft material becomes desirable.

Claims

1. A method of securing two or more wythes in a building structure utilizing a helical tie member having longitudinal helical flutes terminating at a cutting end at one end and terminating at a remote end opposite the cutting end comprising the steps of:

drilling a first wythe pilot hole to a diameter less than a diameter of the flutes on the tie to be inserted;

drilling a pilot hole in a second wythe to a predetermined depth;

inserting the remote end of the tie into a reciprocating power driven tool which has a rod which engages and impactingly drives the tie with a hammer like impact in the absence of any driven torque and permits the tie to rotate while confined around its longitudinal axis as a helical bed is developed in the first wythe due to the torque free impact penetration by the tie;

passing the flutes into the second wythe and continuing to impactingly drive the tie to a base of the pilot hole;

removing the driving tool from the remote end of the tie; and

thereafter finishing the remote end of the tie in accordance with mandates of the site.

2. In the method according to claim 1, the further step of:

impactingly driving the tie with power driven SDS drilling machine and a spring biased adapter connected to said SDS machine which retracts the rod between the blows of the SDS machine and the contact with the impacted end of the tie.

3. In the method according to claim 1, the further step of:

yieldably biasing the connection between the remote end of the tie which is impacted and the SDS drilling machine to permit the tie to rotate as the tie develops its helical bed.

4. In the method according to claim 1, the further step of:

engaging the tie through a spring biased floating drive element in the adapter so that the tie may freely rotate during the time of impacting unrestricted by the hammer like impact of the impacting member of the adapter.

5. In the method of claim 1, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe with a pilot hole of at least 1 mm diameter less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie, and

drilling a pilot hole in the inner wythe having a diameter which is less than the tie.

6. In the method according to claim 1,

driving the tie into the outer wythe to bury the same in the outer wythe prior to finishing.

7. In the method of claim 6, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe with a pilot hole of at least 1 mm diameter less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie, and

drilling a pilot hole in the inner wythe having a diameter which is less than the tie.

8. In the method according to claim 1,

drilling the outer wythe and the inner wythe to a diameter of at least 1 mm less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie.

9. In the method according to claim 1, the further step of:

impactingly driving the rod engaging the end of the tie opposite the cutting end with a tool having a spring biasing reciprocating member having two ends, one end engaging the tie in a repetitive hammer like impact and the other end of said reciprocating member engaging a power hammer for repeatedly delivering a blow to each reciprocating member in a torqueless engagement thereby permitting the tie to rotate in the absence of applying a torque as it cuts its helical bed and in which the reciprocating member is urged to retract after each blow by the spring.

10. In the method of claim 9, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe with a pilot hole of at least 1 mm diameter less than the diameter of the tie, and

drilling a pilot hole in the inner wythe having a diameter which is less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie.

11. A method of securing two or more wythes in a building structure, the first wythe of which has an outer and an inner face utilizing a helical tie member having longitudinal helical flutes terminating at a cutting end at one end and terminating at a remote end opposite the cutting end where the tie is impacted and in which a power driven tool for impactingly driving is selected from the types which have a hammer action of a power drilling machine with a chuck removably secured to an adapter, which adapter contains yieldable means between the hammer blow and the tie, said adapter and power drilling machine engaging the tie through a torqueless floating drive in the adapter so that the tie may freely rotate during the time of impacting unrestricted by the rotating, if any, of the impacting member of the adapter, comprising the steps of:

drilling a first wythe with a drill hole to a diameter less than a diameter of the flutes on the tie to be inserted which diameter shall be at least 1 mm less than the diameter of the tie;

thereafter drilling a pilot drill hole in the second wythe to a predetermined depth which will permit the tie when totally passed through both wythes to be inserted slightly beneath the face of the first wythe;

inserting the remote end of the tie into said adapter for the power driven tool which impactingly drives the tie with a hammer like repetitive engagement without applying any torque to the tie and permitting the tie to rotate confined around its longitudinal axis for alignment into the drill holes as a helical bed is developed in the first wythe due to the penetration by the tie;

positioning said adapter and its yieldable means between the impacting power driven tool and the portion of the tool which engages the tie to thereby bias the tie and cushion the impact of the power driven tool;

passing the flutes into the second wythe and continuing to impactingly drive the tie to a base of the second wythe pilot hole.

12. A method of securing two or more wythes, the first wythe of which has an outer and an inner face, in a building structure utilizing a helical tie member having longitudinal helical flutes terminating at a cutting end at one end and terminating at a remote end opposite the cutting end where the tie is impacted and in which a power driven tool for impactingly driving is selected from the types which have a hammer with a chuck removably secured to an adapter, which adapter contains a spring means between the hammer and the tie, said adapter and power drilling machine engaging the tie through a non rotating hammer like floating drive with a drive pin in the adapter so that the tie may freely rotate during the time of impacting unrestricted by the rotating, if any, of the drive pin impacting member of the adapter, comprising the steps of:

drilling a first wythe hole to a diameter less than a diameter of the flutes on the tie to be inserted which diameter shall be at least 1 mm less than the diameter of the tie;

thereafter drilling a pilot hole in the second wythe to a predetermined depth base which will permit the tie when totally passed through both wythes to be inserted slightly beneath the face of the first wythe;

positioning a sleeve in the adapter to surround the driving pin where the pin engages the tie;

inserting the remote end of the tie into said adapter for the power driven tool which impactingly drives the tie and permits the tie to rotate confined around its longitudinal axis as a helical bed is developed in the first wythe due to the penetration by the tie;

positioning said adapter with a yieldable means between the impacting power driven tool and the portion of the tool which engages the tie to thereby bias the tie and urge the tie hammer away from the tie after each hammer blow is struck on the tie; and

passing the flutes into the second wythe and continuing to impactingly drive the tie to the base of the second wythe pilot hole.

13. In the method according to claim 12, the further step of:

impactingly driving the rod with an adapter that is spring biased to retract the blows of the SDS machine and the contact with the impacted end of the tie.

14. In the method according to claim 12, the further step of:

driving the tie into the outer wythe to bury the same in the outer wythe prior to finishing.

15. In the method according to claim 12, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe and the inner wythe to a diameter of at least 1 mm less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie.

16. In the method according to claim 12,

impactingly driving the tie by engaging the end of the tie opposite the cutting end with a tool having a spring biasing reciprocating member having two ends, one end engaging the tie in a repetitive hammer like impact and the other end of said reciprocating member engaging a power hammer for repeatedly delivering a blow to reciprocating members in a torqueless engagement thereby permitting the tie to rotate in the absence of applying a torque as it cuts its helical bed and in which the reciprocating member is urged to retract after each blow by the spring.

17. In the method according to claim 12, the further step of:

yieldably biasing the connection between the remote end of the tie which is impacted and the drilling machine to permit the tie to rotate as the tie develops its helical bed.

18. In the method according to claim 12, the further step of:

engaging the tie through a spring biased floating drive element in the adapter so that the tie may freely rotate during the time of impacting unrestricted by the hammer like impact of the impacting member of the adapter.

19. In the method of claim 12, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe with a pilot hole of at least 1 mm diameter less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie, and

drilling a pilot hole in the inner wythe having a diameter which is less than the tie.

20. In the method of claim 12, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe with a pilot hole of at least 1 mm diameter less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie, and

drilling a pilot hole in the inner wythe having a diameter which is less than the tie.

21. In the method of claim 12, the further step of:

drilling the outer wythe with a pilot hole of at least 1 mm diameter less than the diameter of the tie, and

drilling a pilot hole in the inner wythe having a diameter which is less than the diameter of the flutes of the tie.