GB2029920A - End connection of concrete posts or piles - Google Patents

Abstract

The connector, intended primarily for releasable end-to-end connection of reinforced concrete piles, consists of two members 31 and 32 of which one has a boss 46 which engages in a recess 50 in the other. Facing peripheral grooves 40 and 49 in the members 31 and 32 define an annular channel for a locking rod 60 which is inserted through a tangential access passage and has an enlarged head which is disposed in a pocket in the outer surface of member 31. The members 31 and 32 may comprise metal plates to the backs of which reinforcing rods are welded to facilitate attachment of the connector to concrete piles 33 and 34. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Connector for end connection of concrete posts or piles The present invention relates to a connector structure and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a connector for locking adjacent ends of concrete pile sections and having an improved connecting rod.

The present invention relates to an improved connector structure having a connecting rod permitting locking and unlocking of connectors secured to the ends of piles and preferably, although not exclusively, concrete piles. The state of the art in the last few years and relating to concrete pile construction has been quite stable in that these piles have remained substantially of the same type construction, being circular or hexagonal in cross-section and being formed of reinforced concrete.

Often interconnected pile sections are driven into a ground surface for temporary use, and at a future time there exists the necessity to remove the piles.

There exists a requirement for a pile interconnection which will permit easy connection and disconnection of the piles.

It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide a connector structure in which a locking rod is provided to substantially overcome the abovementioned disadvantage.

It is a further feature to provide an improved locking rod which can be easily inserted and removed from a connecting channel between two opposed pile connectors and which does not provide interference with the outer surface of the connectors.

It is a further feature to provide a locking rod which may be adopted to connect any existing type of connectors and easily removable when pile sections are to be disconnected.

According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a connector structure comprising a first connector element for securement to the end of a post-like structure, and a second connector element for securement to a further structure. One of the connector elements has a flange with a groove about an inner connecting side wall thereof. The other connector has a projection portion with a groove about an outer connecting side wall thereof. The projection portion is dimensioned for close fit within an inner recess area formed within the area defined by the flange. With the projection portion positioned within the said areas, the grooves are juxtaposed to define an endless locking channel.At least one access passage extends through the flange from a locking rod head chamber to join the locking channel tangentially to permit passage and insertion of a locking rod at least in a substantial portion of the locking channel with the head of the rod positioned within the chamber.

The rod has a cross-section for close fit into the locking channel whereby it can be fitted in the channel through the access passage to lock the connectors from separation and remove to unlock the connectors.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmented perspective view of a joint connector to interconnect to bill sections; Figure2 is a sectional view illustrating the joint connector structure of Figure 1; Figure 3a is a side view of an interconnect joint of two circular cross-section pile sections, and Figure 3b is a fragmented cross-section view of Figure 3a showing the improved locking rod.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown, generally at 30, a connector structure comprising a first connector element, herein a female connector 31, and a second connector element 32, herein a male connector. The male and female connectors are connected to an end of a respective pile section 33 and 34. The female connector 31 consists essentially of a flat metal plate 35 which is attached to the end of the pile section 34. An annular flange 36 is rigidly connected about the outer periphery of the plate 35 and extends above a flat outer surface 37 thereof. The flange 36 defines a connecting inner side wall 38 extending perpendicular to the flat wall 37.The area within the annularflange 36 and above the flat surface 37 is herein defined as an inner recess area having a flat bottom wall, which wall is the surface 37.The flange 36 further has a flat top surface 39. A groove 40 is provided about the inner connecting side wall 38 and is defined by two parallel opposed endless side walls 42 and a bottom wall 41. The groove 40 is of substantially rectangular cross-section.

The male connector 32 also comprises a flat metal plate for attachment to the end of a pile section 33. A metallic projection portion 46 is secured to the flat top surface 47 of the plate 45. The projection portion is secured by suitable means such as welding or bolting the portion onto the plate 45. The projection portion 46 has a height or thickness which is substantially identical to the height or thickness of the annular flange 36 from the top surface 37 of the - plate 31. The projection portion also defines a connecting outer side wall 48 with a groove 49 formed about this side wall. The groove 49 is of the same cross-section as the groove 40. The projection portion 46 is dimensioned for close fit within the inner recess area 50 and both of the grooves 40 and 49 are juxtaposed when the projection portion 46 is positioned within the recess area 50.

The juxtaposed grooves 40 and 49 define an endless locking channel having opposed parallel side walls, which are defined by the walls of the juxtaposed grooves. At least one access passage 55 extends through the flange 36 to join the locking channel tangentially to permit passage and insertion of a locking rod 60, at least in a substantial portion therein. The rod 60 is constructed of a suitable material, herein steel, and has cross-section of the same configuration as the locking channel but only slighly smaller whereby the rod 60 will not be caused to incline in the channel when the joint is subjected to a traction force, as described hereinabove. With the locking rod 60 positioned into the locking channel, both connectors 31 and 32 are rigidly secured together as it better illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b.

Figures 3a and 3b show a preferred embodiment of the construction of the locking rod 60. The locking rod 60 is provided with an enlarged head 61 at a free end thereof to permit a tool (not shown) to grasp the head 61 to remove the rod 60 when it is required to disconnect the connectors 31 and 32 from interconnected pile sections. A locking rod head chamber 62 is provided in the flange 36 and of sufficient size to accommodate the head 61 within the outer periphery 63 of the pile. The head also prevents the rod 60 from being inserted too much into the channel, particularly when driven with an impact tool, and which may lead to difficult retrieval and even damage to the grooves 40 defining the channel.

The head 61 is usually formed integral with the rod 60 but could be made separately and secured thereto.

As hereinshown, reinforcing rods 70 are welded on the rear face 71 of each plate 45 and 35. Skirts 73 are also welded about the edge of the rear wall 71 of each connector plate whereby to facilitate attachment of the connectors to the ends of concrete piles during the formation of same. A vent hole 74 is provided in each skirt 73.

A steel pin 75 may be located into a cavity 76 which may be provided in the projection portion 46 to add further lateral stability to the joint formed when both connectors are in a mating position. A hole 77 would also be provided in the flat wall of the connector 31 for receiving an end of the pin 76. This pin is, of course, inserted before the connectors are placed in a mating position whereby to facilitate alignment of same.

Although the locking rod 60 is hereinshown as having a square cross-section as is the cross-section of the locking channel, it is foreseen that the locking rod 60 may have a rectangular or round cross section as well as the cross-section of the locking channel. Also, although the connector structure is hereindescribed for interconnecting pile sections, it is foreseen that one of the connectors could be secured in a ground anchorage structure, such as a concrete bed, for attachment of a postlike structure having the other connector secured to an end thereof. This would facilitate installation or repiacement of such post structure should it be damaged or should it be required to be removed for other reasons.The locking rod and connectors would provide easy removal and a rigid joint For example, the connector could be used for securing lamp posts, posts utilized for signs, and can be utilized with permanent or temporary installations. Still further,these connectors could be used for ramp posts which are normally provided aiong roadways and these posts would be easily replaceable when damaged by vehicles.

By utilizing a locking rod having a square crosssection, the resistance of the joint is greatly increased when compared to an identical locking rod having a circular cross-section. The peripheral flange 36 of the female connector normally has a tendency to bend outwardly, when using circular cross-section rods, and for this reason the flange is made of a larger thickness when utilized with a circular locking rod. By having the flange 11 of a greater thickness, the diameterofthe locking rod about the locking channel must be reduced and, therefore, the shear resistance of the rod is also reduced.

Thus, the greater the thickness of the flange 36 or 12 of the female connector, the more the diameter is reduced and the more the internal shear resistance of the joint is reduced.

When utilizing a locking rod having a square of rectangular cross-section the traction force is applied against both horizontal opposed surfaces of the locking rod 60 and the resultant force is maintained substantially along the longitudinal axis 65 of the joint.

Claims (7)

1. A connector structure for interconnecing elongated pile sections comprising a first connector element for securement to the end of a pile section, a second connector element for securement to a further pile section, one of said connectors having a plate for attachment to one of said sections, an annular flange located on and extending above a surface of said plate to define a connecting inner side wall extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pile sections, a flat top surface on said flange, an inner recess area defined by said flange and having a flat bottom wall, a groove mid-way about said inner connecting side wall, the other of said connectors having a further plate for attachment to said other one of said sections; a projection portion extending above a surface of said further plate and having a flat top surface, said projection portion being of the same thickness as the height of said annular flange and defining a connecting outer side wall also extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pile sections, a groove mid-way about said outer side wall, said projection portion being dimensioned for close fit within said inner recess area with said grooves juxtaposed and said flat top surface of said projection portion in abutment with said recess area bottom wall, said juxtaposed grooves defining an endles locking channel at least one access passage extending through said flange from a locking rod head chamber to join said locking channel tangentially to permit passage and insertion of a locking rod, said rod having a head at one end thereof larger than its cross-section, said head being fully accommodated in said head chamber when said rod is fitted in said channel through said access passage to lock the connectors from separation.

2. A connector structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head is formed integral with said rod and located entirely within said chamber inside an outer periphery of said flange.

3. A connector structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said groove is of square cross-section, said rod also being of square cross-section and having opposed parallel top and bottom surfaces disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the pile and parallel side surfaces extending parallel to said longitudinal axis to provide axial load transfer between said groove top and bottom surface when a load is applied axially of said pile sections and acting between said opposed parallel faces of said rod in said axial direction.

4. A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said groove in said inner connecting side wall and in said outer side wall being of the same depth whereby said locking rod extends substantially an equal amount in each groove to provide said axial load transfer.

5. A connector structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular flange extends about the periphery of said plate, said plate being flat and of the same diameter as said end of said post-like structure.

6. A connector structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second connector elements and said locking rod are constructed of metal.

7. A connector for releasable connection of concrete piles comprising first and second connector members of which one has a boss which engages in a recess in the other, the peripheral walls of the boss and the recess having registering channels forming an annular groove in which is received a locking strip whose outer end passes through a tangential access passage and is located in a pocket in the outer peripheral surface of the recessed connector member.