GB2601294A

GB2601294A - Locking device for access tubes in cage reinforcement structures

Info

Publication number: GB2601294A
Application number: GB2016837.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Render Stephen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-10-23
Filing date: 2020-10-23
Publication date: 2022-06-01
Also published as: GB202016837D0

Abstract

An arrangement comprising, in combination, a reinforcement cage (2, Fig. 1) for incorporation into a pile or other structure during the formation thereof, and one or more longitudinal access tubes 6 mounted within the cage for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring thereof. the or each access tube is provided with a locking device (60) for temporarily locking the tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage. The locking device comprises locking means 70, 80 constructed and arranged for selective actuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage (ii) permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube. In embodiments the locking device comprises a spring-loaded, R-clip-securable, rotatable latch member 80 with a nose portion 84 for securement behind or around a stirrup 20 used to support the access tube within the cage and an attachment member attached to the access tube and between which and the nose portion of the latch member 80 the stirrup is trapped when the locking device is in its actuated, locked condition. Also claimed are the lockind device, an access tube with the locking device and a method of securing an access tube to a reinforcement cage.

Description

LOCKING DEVICE FOR ACCESS TUBES IN CAGE REINFORCEMENT STRUCTURES

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a locking device for an access or guide tube used in piling and other reinforcement structures which employ pile or reinforcement cages. More particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a locking device for temporarily locking or clamping an access or guide tube against longitudinal movement relative to a reinforcement cage during their transit and/or prior to being installed in a hole or shaft prior to the formation of the pile or other reinforcement structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

In the construction of concrete piles, diaphragm walls and other reinforced structures in a wide range of civil engineering and construction applications, e.g. in the construction of buildings, underground car parks, road or rail or other bridges, and other structures, it is typically necessary -especially where a drilling fluid has been deployed to support the sides of the excavation -to incorporate into the body of each formed pile or other structure one or more, especially a symmetrical arrangement of e.g. 2, 3, 4 or more, elongate hollow access or guide tubes which can subsequently be used for acoustic and other testing or verification of the pile or structure for parameters such as structural integrity and/or verticality. Such tubes include sonic logging tubes On view of the common case of such tubes being used for acoustic or sonic testing) and also inclinometer reservation tubes (for monitoring the verticality of the installed pile or other reinforced structure during subsequent works).

In a typical piling or other structure-forming procedure, the access or tubes (which terms "access tube" or "guide tube" may be used interchangeably herein), e.g. of mild steel, are installed in a pre-drilled hole or shaft together with a reinforcement cage, with the tubes being arranged within the cage and each one retained in a desired position relative to the cage walls by virtue of being held in place by a tie or stirrup, which is typically welded to one or more of the cage bars and projects radially inwardly therefrom. Each stirrup typically takes the form of a closed loop or ring, e.g. of steel, welded to a backplate which is itself secured by welding to the respective cage bar. The stirrup loop or ring is generally formed from a suitably shaped or formed narrow elongate length of steel plate which is bent back on itself, usually with a mid-bracing member welded between its "arms" which are then welded to the mounting backplate. The closed stirrup loop or ring is of a sufficient diameter or width to allow the respective access tube to slidably translate within it, in order that it can be appropriately positioned longitudinally of the arrangement both during the interconnection or splicing of adjacent access tube lengths together and during the overall splicing together of adjacent cages.

It is generally the case however that each given cage+access tubes arrangement is pre-assembled off-site and transported to a desired installation location or building site by road or rail, typically with each elongate cage+access tubes arrangement being carried longitudinally on the relevant vehicle. However, during such transit the freedom of the access tubes to move longitudinally, relative to their respective cage, through the supporting/retaining stirrups through which the tubes pass is a nuisance, since that movement can lead to undesirable movements or weight-shifting in the carried loads and can also lead to damage to one or more of the access tubes' open ends or even to the stirrups themselves. Such damage to the stirrups or access tubes may also be exacerbated by the fact that in many practical applications access tubes are employed that comprise a plurality of end-to-end interconnected access tube sections, adjacent tube sections being interconnected by respective tubular screw-threaded socket connectors with an enlarged diameter (compared with that of the tube sections themselves) and square-cut front/leading and rear/trailing faces/ends. There is thus a propensity for such socket connectors to foul or catch against the edges of the respective stirrups as the respective access tubes slide therethrough upon their unwanted in-transit longitudinal movement relative to their respective cages, thereby risking yet further damage to the socket connectors and ultimately to the integrity of the overall access tubes themselves, which may compromise the tubes' ability to provide accurate and reliable sonic or acoustic or other testing capability in the later life of the pile or other structure into which they are incorporated.

In an effort to ameliorate the above problems, it is known to take advantage of a feature of some known access tubes which is the provision of a transversely oriented steel crosspiece that is welded onto the exterior of each access tube to provide a retention member that prevents the respective access tube sliding completely out of its respective stirrups upon the respective cage being craned into its vertical position ready for insertion in the respective prepared hole or shaft in which the pile or other structure is to be formed. The abutment of such a cross-piece against a respective stirrup can to some extent limit the amount of sliding longitudinal movement that a given access tube is free to make, relative to its respective cage, during the arrangement's transit. However, not only is this reliance on such a cross-piece at best only a partial and insufficiently complete solution to the above problems, but it can also lead to yet another problem, which is that the weld attachment of that cross-piece on the access tube exterior can be weakened or damaged upon repeated impact against the stirrup's sides during such relative longitudinal movement of the tube, which can then lead to the cross-piece breaking off and falling to the ground or into the prepared hole/shaft upon the cage+access tubes arrangement being craned into its vertical position ready for insertion thereinto. Not only can this be dangerous for workers working therebelow, but it also means that the primary purpose for which the cross-piece was employed in the first place (namely, to stop the respective access tube falling out of the arrangement during craning) is lost.

Thus, known means for restricting various types of longitudinal movement of access tubes, relative to the respective cages within which they are mounted, are nowhere near a comprehensive and reliable solution to the problems associated with such unwanted longitudinal movements of access tubes, relative to their respective cages, during transit of the cage+access tubes arrangements. Such problems, as discussed above, are therefore still a major issue that has yet to be fully addressed and solved in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to solve or ameliorate, at least partially, at least some of the above problems associated with known means of supporting and retaining access tubes in respective reinforcement cages, especially in the context of unwanted longitudinal movement of access tubes, relative to a reinforcement cage in which they are mounted, during their transit from an assembly location to a pile/reinforcement structure installation site.

Accordingly, in a first aspect the present invention provides, in combination, a reinforcement cage for incorporation into a pile or other structure during the formation thereof, and one or more longitudinal access tubes mounted within the cage and also for incorporation into the pile or other structure for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring thereof, wherein the or each access tube is provided with a locking device for temporarily locking the access tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage as or when required, wherein the locking device comprises locking means constructed and arranged for selective actuation or deactuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, or (ii) permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the access tube.

In practising some embodiments of the above-defined combination (or arrangement, as it may be termed for greater clarity) of the first aspect, it may be that the locking device is provided in an as-manufactured form, ready for attachment to a given said access tube for mounting in a said reinforcement cage. Accordingly, in a second aspect the present invention provides a locking device for mounting on an access tube, the access tube being for incorporation into a pile or other structure, together with a reinforcement cage within which the access tube is longitudinally mounted, or is to be longitudinally mounted, for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring of the pile or other structure once formed, wherein the locking device comprises locking means constructed and arranged for selective actuation or deactuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, or (ii) permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the access tube, whereby the locking device can temporarily lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage as or when required.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides an access tube for incorporation, together with a reinforcement cage within which the access tube is to be longitudinally mounted, or is longitudinally mounted, into a pile or other structure for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring of the pile or other structure once formed, wherein the access tube has mounted thereon a locking device for temporarily locking the access tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage as or when required, wherein the locking device comprises locking means constructed and arranged for selective actuation or deactuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, or (ii) permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the access tube.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method of temporarily locking, as or when required, an access tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to a reinforcement cage within which the access tube is longitudinally mounted, the access tube being for incorporation into a pile or other structure, together with the reinforcement cage, for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring of the pile or other structure once formed, wherein the method comprises: (i) providing, in combination, a said reinforcement cage and one or more said access tubes each including a said locking device as defined in the combination of the first aspect of the invention or any embodiment thereof; and (h) as or when it is required to lock the or each access tube in its said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the reinforcement cage, selectively actuating the respective locking device to lock the respective access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage; optionally wherein, as or when it is required to unlock the or each access tube from its said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the reinforcement cage, selectively deactuating the respective locking device to permit sliding longitudinal movement of the respective access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the respective access tube.

Thus, in practising embodiments of the invention in its various aspects, the locking device may be constructed and arranged such that it is selectively actuatable or deactuatable so as to respectively either substantially prevent or substantially allow the respective access tube on which the respective locking device is mounted to freely move longitudinally relative to the cage, or the cage to freely move longitudinally relative to the respective access tube on which the respective locking device is mounted, especially for the purposes of correctly positioning the respective access tube during its interconnection or splicing to/with a longitudinally adjacent access tube length during the overall splicing together of adjacent cages, and of allowing the respective cage to be moved longitudinally, relative to the respective access tube, during the splicing of that cage to an adjacent cage therebelow.

In practising many embodiments of the invention in its various aspects, the or each access tube may be mounted in the respective reinforcement cage by virtue of being supported and/or retained in a or at least one, or one or more, stirrup(s), the or each stirrup being attached to the said reinforcement cage, especially to a or a respective cage bar thereof, wherein the or each stirrup comprises a closed loop of substantially rigid material through which the respective access tube can translatably and longitudinally move, and wherein the closed loop of the stirrup comprises at least one internal supporting or retaining face. In many such embodiments which employ one or more said stirrups, the locking means of the locking device may be constructed and arranged so as to act on or engage with a portion of a said stirrup for effecting the said selective actuation or deactuation of the locking means.

In many embodiments of the invention, the or each locking device may be mounted on an exterior wall of the respective access tube, e.g. by welding thereon of a portion or component of the locking device. In some embodiments, the site of the mounting on the respective access tube of the respective locking device may be on a portion of the exterior wall of the respective access tube adjacent or in the vicinity of one of its ends, or alternatively on the exterior wall of the respective access tube within a portion of its overall longitudinal length that is about one half, or one third, or one quarter, or one fifth, or one sixth of its overall length and proximal one of its ends. However, in other embodiments, the site of the mounting on the respective access tube of the respective locking device may be on a portion of the exterior wall of the respective access tube spaced from, or even remote from, either or both of its ends, e.g. somewhere approximately at or adjacent or in the vicinity of its mid-portion or mid-point along its length.

In many embodiments of the invention, the or each locking device may comprise a latch member, the latch member being constructed and arranged such that when the locking device is selectively actuated to lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, the latch member engages an engagement member provided on or mounted on the cage or a portion of the cage, especially on at least one bar (or a respective portion of at least one bar) of the cage. In some especially desirable such embodiments, the engagement member may comprise a portion of, especially a side face of, and more especially a side face of part of a closed loop portion (or even a bracing member) of, a stirrup device which is attached to the cage or at least one respective cage bar thereof and by which the respective access tube is supported and/or retained and through which the respective access tube can translatably and longitudinally move when the locking device is in its deactuated condition.

In some such embodiments of the invention, the or each latch member of the or each respective locking device may be a rotatable latch member, rotatable about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube, so that the latch member can rotate in a general plane substantially parallel to or substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube.

The latch member may comprise a substantially flat or planar plate, with the general plane of the plate being substantially coincident with the said general plane substantially parallel to or substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube and within which the latch member can rotate. Such a latch member may comprise a mounting portion, via which the latch member is mounted in a rotatable manner relative to the respective access tube (especially relative to an exterior wall thereof), and a nose portion, which nose portion may be configured or shaped to engage, e.g. by hooking over or hooking around upon rotation of the latch member, a portion of, especially a said side face of, and more especially a side face of part of a closed loop portion (or even a bracing member) of, a said stirrup which is attached to the said cage or at least one respective cage bar thereof and by which the respective access tube is supported and/or retained therein.

In some embodiments of the invention, the or each locking device may comprise, in addition to the respective latch member, a respective attachment member via which the mounting portion of the latch member is mountable in a rotatable manner relative to the respective access tube (especially relative to an exterior wall thereof), and which attachment member is mounted on an exterior wall of the respective access tube, e.g. by welding. Thus, the attachment member may be substantially permanently fixed in a non-movable manner to the exterior of the respective access tube. The attachment member may comprise a substantially flat or planar plate, especially a plate whose general plane lies substantially parallel to the general plane of the plate of the latch member, but facially separated therefrom by a suitable distance, e.g. defined by a friction-reducing or spacer element, for helping to prevent fouling or unwanted friction between those two plate-like components, e.g. upon dirt or rust getting trapped between them.

In some embodiments the attachment member may comprise an abutment edge or face, against which can abut a side or side face of the stirrup opposite that side or side face thereof with or around which engages the nose portion of the latch member when the latter is in its actuated, locked condition. In this manner such an abutment edge or face may serve as a trapping means, so that the stirrup is trappable between that abutment edge or face of the attachment member and the nose portion of the latch member once the latter has been rotated and brought into its actuated, locking condition.

The above-mentioned rotation axis about which the respective latch member of the respective locking device is rotatable may be defined by, or be coincident with, a bolt or screw or other anchoring device that is used to unite and secure together in a mutually rotatable manner the respective latch member and the associated attachment member (the latter being mounted on the exterior wall of the respective access tube). Thus, the latch member may be united and secured to the attachment member but in a rotatably movable manner relative thereto.

In some embodiments of the locking device of the invention, the locking device may further comprise securement means for selectively yet temporarily securing the locking means in its actuated locking condition. Such securement means may be constructed and configured to so selectively yet temporarily secure the locking means in its actuated locking condition by temporarily substantially preventing the rotatable latch member from rotating about its rotation axis. More particularly, that temporary substantial prevention of the rotatable latch member from rotating about its rotation axis may be effected simultaneously with, or by virtue of, temporarily securing the nose portion of the latch member in its engaged condition with, or on or around, the stirrup device (or other engagement member) affixed to the respective cage.

In some such embodiments, the securement means may comprise a clip, such as an R-clip, which includes a leg member which is passable through a pair of facially aligned or coinciding holes or apertures in each of the latch member and the attachment member, which holes/apertures have been brought into alignment as the latch member has been rotated into the actuated locking configuration, for the purpose of securing the latch member and attachment member together against relative rotational movement of the latch member away from the attachment member whilst in its actuated locking condition.

In some embodiments of the locking device of the invention, the locking device may further comprise means for urging or biasing the locking means into its deactuated non-locking condition, especially for urging or biasing the locking means from its actuated locking condition into its deactuated non-locking condition upon release or removal of the R-clip or other securement means. Such urging or biasing means may comprise a spring, e.g. a coil spring, which is constructed and mounted so as to urge or bias the latch member so as to rotate backwards into its deactuated, non-locking condition, about its rotation axis, when it is free to do so upon release or removal of the R-clip or other securement means.

For deploying the locking device of the invention, as provided on each one of one or more access tubes to be longitudinally mounted within a given reinforcement cage, usually in a supported and retained condition in a dedicated series of interiorly protruding stirrups mounted on the cage, when it is desired to temporarily lock the or each access tube in its substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, for preventing unwanted longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage during its transit to an on-site location from e.g. an assembly plant/location where the access tube+cage arrangements are pre-assembled, the latch member may be rotated forwards, about its rotation axis and against the urging/biasing force of the spring or other urging/biasing means, into its actuated, locking condition in which its nose portion engages with a side face of the relevant adjacent one of the stirrups (if necessary with a small amount of longitudinal adjustment of the position of the respective access tube relative to the respective stirrup). In this condition, the opposite side face of the stirrup abuts the abutment edge or face of the attachment member (which is welded to the exterior of the access tube), so that the stirrup is effectively trapped between the nose portion of the latch member and the attachment member whilst the locking device is in this actuated, locked condition.

As already mentioned above, in some practical implementations of embodiments of the present invention, and in particular in embodiments of combinations according to the first aspect of the invention, the or each access tube may be mounted in its respective reinforcement cage by virtue of being supported and/or retained in a or at least one, or one or more, stirrup(s), the or each stirrup being attached to the said reinforcement cage, especially to at least one respective cage bar thereof, wherein the or each stirrup comprises a closed loop of substantially rigid material through which the respective access tube can translatably and longitudinally move, and wherein the closed loop of the stirrup comprises at least one internal supporting or retaining face. Practical examples of such stirrups may be either already known in the art, or may be of a new design detailed hereinbelow for use in combination with temporary locking devices of the present invention presented herein.

Accordingly, in some embodiments of such cage+access tube combinations according to the present invention which are based on the use of the novel temporary locking means, there may be employed one or more new stirrup devices in combination therewith, the or each stirrup device being for supporting and/or retaining a longitudinally arranged access tube for incorporation into a pile or other structure for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring thereof, the stirrup device comprising a closed loop of substantially rigid material through which the access tube can translatably and longitudinally move, wherein the closed loop of the stirrup device comprises at least one internal supporting or retaining face, and at least a portion of the said internal supporting or retaining face is convexly arcuate or curved in profile.

In some such embodiments, a plurality of said stirrup devices may be provided or employed, and one or more said stirrup devices may be attached to any given one of one or more of the cage bars of the cage. Thus, in some such embodiments, any given cage bar of the cage may have attached thereto one or more said stirrup devices, or optionally a plurality of (e.g. 2, 3, 4 or perhaps even more than 4 of) said stirrup devices longitudinally spaced apart therealong. Indeed, in some such embodiments, each of one or more, or even each of a plurality of, cage bars of the cage may have attached thereto a plurality of (e.g. 2, 3, 4 or perhaps even more than 4 of) the said stirrup devices, longitudinally spaced apart therealong. In this manner any given access tube supported and/or retained by a plurality of such stirrup devices attached to a single given cage bar and longitudinally spaced apart therealong, may be supported and retained at a plurality of spaced-apart points along its length in an optimally supported fashion.

In such embodiments where a plurality of said stirrup devices are attached, longitudinally spaced apart, to each of one or more individual cage bars, the stirrup devices may be located at any suitable locations at which they collectively fulfil their optimum supporting and/or retaining function for the or the respective access tube to be supported and/or retained thereby. In some such embodiments the plurality of stirrup devices may be uniformly or symmetrically or equidistantly distributed along the length of the or the respective cage bar, or along at least a major portion of the length of the or the respective cage bar.

However, it may still be within the scope of certain embodiments of the invention for any given cage bar to have attached thereto one stirrup device only, e.g. in the case of particularly short access tubes or cage lengths, or where just one point of support and/or retention of a given access tube is acceptable or desired.

In some embodiments, at least one respective such stirrup device may be attached to the cage (especially to a cage bar thereof) at a longitudinal location along the cage which approximately corresponds to the longitudinal mounting location of a respective locking device of the present invention on the exterior wall of a respective access tube when the access tube is in its normal supported and retained longitudinal position within the cage during its transit from an assembly location to an installation site. In this manner the relative longitudinal positions of the or each respective locking device and at least one respective stirrup device may be arranged to substantially coincide or be closely adjacent each other, so that they may be associated with each other and able to work together in a respective pair, one pair for each access tube.

According to the definition of the new stirrup device, it comprises a closed loop of substantially rigid material through which the access tube can translatably and longitudinally move, wherein the closed loop of the stirrup device comprises at least one internal supporting or retaining face, and at least a portion of the said internal supporting or retaining face is convexly arcuate or curved in profile. In practising embodiments of the new stirrup device, therefore, the convexly arcuate or curved profile shape of the relevant portion(s) of the at least one internal supporting or retaining face of the closed loop may serve to guide -or direct or deflect -an open free end of the respective access tube, and/or a leading edge of a connector socket which interconnects a pair of access tube sections (if that type of access tube is employed), with far less propensity for, or even substantially with elimination of, fouling or catching thereof against the side faces of the closed loop of the stirrup device as the access tube is inserted into, or is longitudinally moved within, the stirrup device.

In many practical embodiments of the above-defined stirrup device, the stirrup device may include means for attachment thereof to a portion of, especially to at least one respective cage bar of, the reinforcement cage within which the respective access tube is to be mounted whilst being supported and/or retained by the stirrup device. Such attachment means may comprise a backplate or baseplate, onto one side of which the closed loop of the stirrup device is affixed or attached, e.g. by welding (or by other suitable affixing/attachment means appropriate to the material from which the stirrup device is formed), with the opposite side of the backplate or baseplate being affixable or attachable, e.g. by welding etc, to the respective cage bar or bars.

In embodiments, the affixing or attachment of the backplate or baseplate to the relevant cage bar(s) may be such that the closed loop of the stirrup device projects generally transversely or radially inwardly of the cage, especially in a generally perpendicular direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the cage and/or of the respective access tube to be supported and/or retained by the stirrup device, and such that the closed loop of the stirrup device itself defines its own central axis which is substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the closed loop and is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube once it has been positioned in the closed loop of the stirrup device and properly supported and retained thereby/therein.

In some embodiments of the stirrup device, the closed loop may comprise a U-shaped loop of the substantially rigid material, with a bracing member attached (e.g. by welding, or by other suitable affixing/attachment means appropriate to the material from which the stirrup device is formed) to and between the two arms of the "U" to create the closed loop therebetween, through which closed loop is passable the respective access tube (or a portion of a given access tube) to be supported and/or retained by the stirrup device.

Alternatively, in certain other embodiments, such a bracing member could be dispensed with and instead the backplate or baseplate via which the U-shaped loop is affixed or attached to the cage bar may perform the same function as the bracing member to form the closed loop between the two arms of the "U".

The U-shaped arms of the stirrup may be formed of e.g. steel, and may be formed from an elongate length of the relevant material that has, on at least a portion of at least one internal supporting or retaining face thereof, the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shape (as will be further discussed and defined further below). For forming the U-shaped loop, the length of the material may be bent or formed back on itself, with the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped portion of the at least one internal supporting or retaining face of the loop facing generally towards the interior of the loop, so that the resulting pair of arms of the U-shaped loop extend substantially parallel to one another from a curved or arcuate bridging portion of the "U" and the at least one internal supporting or retaining face of the loop presents at least its portion with the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shape interiorly of the closed loop for supporting and/or retaining the respective access tube therein once it has been located or positioned within the closed loop.

In many practical embodiments, in order to optimise the access tube-guiding or -directing function of the convexly arcuate or curved profile shape of the at least one portion of the at least one internal supporting or retaining face of the closed loop, the closed loop of the stirrup device may comprise a plurality of such internal supporting or retaining faces, which together face internally of the closed loop along substantially its entire loop length or are located on substantially all of its sections passing around the closed loop, each of which internal supporting or retaining faces having at least a portion which has the said convexly arcuate or curved profile shape. Thus, in such embodiments, where a U-shaped length of the substantially rigid material is used to form the closed loop of the stirrup device, with a bracing member (or alternatively a backplate/baseplate) to close the loop, each one of the said U-shaped length of material and the bracing member (or alternatively the backplate/baseplate) may include a respective said internal supporting or retaining face of which at least a portion thereof has the said convexly arcuate or curved profile shape, whereby the access tube-guiding or -directing function of the closed loop is fulfilled along all sections thereof passing around the closed loop.

In certain embodiments of the stirrup device, the closed loop of the stirrup device may comprise a said at least one internal supporting or retaining face of which only a portion thereof, which portion is located or faces to one longitudinally-directed side thereof, is formed with and presents the said convexly arcuate or curved profile shape, and that convexly shaped portion is provided on that one longitudinally-directed side of the closed loop which is proximal to or faces towards one longitudinal end only of the access tube to be supported/retained by that closed loop. In this manner such an embodiment stirrup device may be considered to be "mono-directional", in that the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped portion of the closed loop enables the respective access tube to be readily inserted into the stirrup device and/or longitudinally moved within the stirrup device, substantially without fouling or catching the side faces of the closed loop, from that one longitudinal end direction only.

Alternatively in certain other embodiments of the stirrup device, the closed loop of the stirrup device may comprise a said at least one internal supporting or retaining face of which each of two longitudinally adjacent portions thereof -which may be contiguous with, or merge into, one another -is formed with and presents a respective one of a pair of discrete convexly arcuate or curved profile shapes, and each of said convexly shaped portions is provided on a respective one of the two longitudinally-directed sides of the closed loop which are proximal to or face towards each of the two opposite longitudinal ends of the access tube to be supported/retained by that closed loop. Such discrete convexly arcuate or curved profile-shaped longitudinally adjacent portions of the at least one internal supporting or retaining face may have or be defined by substantially the same curve function or geometric shape as each other, or (more usually in such embodiments) they may have or be defined by substantially different curve functions or geometric shapes from each other, albeit optionally (yet desirably) with the proviso that the two discrete portions may be contiguous with, or merge into, one another, especially at or along the longitudinally-directed midpoint or mid-line across the said at least one internal supporting or retaining face of the closed loop. In this manner such an embodiment stirrup device may be considered to be "asymmetrically bi-directional", in that the discrete characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped internal supporting or retaining face portions of the closed loop enable the respective access tube to be readily inserted into the stirrup device and/or longitudinally moved within the stirrup device, substantially without fouling or catching the side faces of the closed loop, from either one of the two opposite longitudinal end directions but (usually in such embodiments) with an unequal degree of ease or readiness when so inserted or moved from one longitudinal end direction as compared with from the other.

However, in other, usually more desirable, embodiments of the stirrup device, the closed loop of the stirrup device may comprise a said at least one internal supporting or retaining face of which substantially the whole thereof is formed with and presents a single said convexly arcuate or curved profile shape, and that convexly shaped substantially entire internal supporting or retaining face extends to, or spans between, both longitudinally-directed sides of the closed loop which are proximal to or face towards both opposite longitudinal ends of the access tube to be supported/retained by that closed loop. In this manner such an embodiment stirrup device may be considered to be "symmetrically bi-directional", in that the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped internal supporting or retaining face of the closed loop enables the respective access tube to be readily inserted into the stirrup device and/or longitudinally moved within the stirrup device, substantially without fouling or catching the side faces of the closed loop, equally easily or readily from either one of the two opposite longitudinal end directions.

In various embodiments of the stirrup device, the convexly arcuate or curved profile shape of the relevant portion of the at least one internal supporting or retaining face of, or the at least one internal supporting or retaining face itself of, the closed loop may have any suitably shaped convexly arcuate or curved profile shape, which may be of any suitable or appropriate size, scale or radius of curvature. Suitable such profile shapes may be selected from any of the following, for example: semi-circle, part-circle (or any arc of a circle), semi-ellipse, part-ellipse (or any arc of an ellipse), parabola (or any arc of a parabola), hyperbola (or any arc of a hyperbola), or other symmetrical or asymmetrical (or possibly even freeform) geometric curve of a generally convex nature or configuration.

In certain useful practical embodiments, therefore, where the closed loop of the stirrup device is formed from a U-shaped length of the substantially rigid material, together with a bracing member (or alternatively a backplate/baseplate) to close the loop, each one of the said U-shaped length of material and the bracing member (or alternatively the backplate/baseplate) may be formed from a selected length cut from a single supplied stock material which has the required convexly arcuate or curved profile shape.

In practising many practical embodiments of the stirrup device, and in particular in embodiments of the reinforcement cage+access tube(s) combinations according to the present invention, the or each access tube may typically comprise a plurality of access tube sections interconnected in one or more end-to-end pairs by one or more socket connectors, e.g. screw-threaded onto the respective ends of the access tube sections to be interconnected, the or each socket connector being of enlarged external transverse width or diameter compared with the access tube sections themselves. Furthermore, the or each socket connector may comprise one or more, especially a pair of longitudinally opposite (i.e. leading and trailing), ends faces.

In some such embodiments, at least one of, and especially both of, the said longitudinally opposite (i.e. leading and trailing) ends faces of the or each socket connector may be bevelled or chamfered. This shaping of those end faces, as compared with known socket connectors used in conventional arrangements as discussed above, may help to further assist and optimise the access tube-guiding or -directing function of the convexly arcuate or curved profile shape of the at least one portion of the at least one internal supporting or retaining face of the closed loop of the or each stirrup device through which such socket connectors have to pass as the respective access tube is inserted therethrough and/or longitudinally moved therewithin.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. Thus, any one or more features referred to or described with reference to one particular embodiment should be construed as being applicable to any or all embodiments, unless expressly stated otherwise or such features are incompatible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the present invention in its various aspects will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an example of a pile or reinforcement cage arrangement according to an embodiment of the cage aspect of the present invention, in which a number of access or guide tubes are mounted in a supported manner within the cage and each access/guide tube is provided with a respective locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the device aspect of the invention; FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the locking devices of the invention embodiment on one of the access/guide tubes, showing the device in its locked condition, in which locked condition the cage arrangement may be readily transported to an on-site location whilst preventing unwanted longitudinal movement of the access/guide tube relative to the cage; FIGURE 3 is a side-on elevational view of the locking device of FIG. 2, shown in the same locked condition; FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the same locking device on one of the access/guide tubes, but showing the device in its unlocked condition, in which unlocked condition longitudinal movement of the access/guide tube relative to the cage (or vice versa) is permitted, so that the cage and access/guide tube are free to longitudinally move relative to each other, especially during the interconnection or splicing of longitudinally adjacent access/guide tube lengths and/or during the splicing of the cage to a longitudinally adjacent cage therebelow; FIGURE 5 is a side-on elevational view of the locking device of FIG. 4, shown in the same unlocked condition; FIGURE 6 is a face-on view of an R-clip used to securely lock the locking device in its locked condition, as shown in FIGS. 2 & 3; FIGURES 7(a) & (b) are, respectively, an enlarged perspective view of the portion labelled VII-VII in FIG. 1, being one of the new stirrup devices used in the cage arrangement of FIG. 1, and a side-on view of that stirrup device alone; and FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the portion labelled VIII-VIII in FIG. 1, being one of the plural-sectioned access/guide tubes used in the cage arrangement of FIG. 1 and slidably received in the stirrup devices thereof.

S

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, here there is shown an example of the general arrangement of a typical pile or reinforcement cage 2, which has mounted therewithin a series of three parallel, equi-angularly arranged access or guide tubes (e.g. sonic logging or inclinometer reservation tubes) 6, each of which is supported and retained within the cage by a series of three longitudinally equi-spaced apart stirrup devices 20. In FIG. 1 the stirrup devices 20 associated with only one of the access or guide tubes 6 is shown, for clarity. The cage 2, which in this example is generally cylindrical in configuration, is formed from an assembly or network of a plurality (e.g. at least about 6 or 8, or possibly up to about 12, as shown in this FIG. 1 example) of steel cage bars (or "rebars") 12 extending in a generally longitudinal direction (defined as a direction parallel to the central axis of the pile or structure to be formed around the cage 2) and anchored together or interconnected by one or more transverse frame elements (not shown), e.g. one or more wires or other supporting frame members, which maintain the relative positioning, separation and alignment of the cage bars 12. The access or guide tubes 6 are equi-angularly disposed around the cage 2.

As is shown in the more desirable alternative configuration of access/guide tubes 6 shown in FIG. 8, which are especially designed for use with the new design of stirrup devices 20 which are shown in FIGS. 7(a) & (b), each access tube 6 comprises a plurality of access tube sections 6S interconnected in one or more end-to-end pairs by one or more respective socket connectors 6C, e.g. screw-threaded onto the respective ends of the access tube sections 6S to be interconnected, the or each socket connector 6C being of enlarged external transverse width or diameter compared with the access tube sections 6S themselves, and each socket connector 6C comprising a pair of longitudinally opposite -i.e. leading and trailing -end faces 46. The end faces 46 of each socket connector 60 are bevelled or chamfered, although in simpler, less efficient forms it is possible they could be square-cut.

Associated with one of the stirrup devices 20 located towards the upper or top end of the cage 2, e.g. within the upper/top half or third of its length, is a temporary locking device 60 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, which is attached, e.g. by welding, to an exterior wall of the respective access tube 6 at an appropriate longitudinal location thereon such that the locking device 60 and the stirrup device 20 can engage with each other, upon the locking device being actuated, when that access tube 6 is in its normal, post-assembly supported and retained position within the cage 2 and ready for transit from the assembly location (e.g. a factory or other off-site facility) to an on-site installation location. In FIG. 1 only one of the locking devices 60 on only one of the access tubes 6 is shown, for clarity, but it is to be understood that each one of the series of access tubes 6 in the arrangement will usually have its own respective locking device 60 mounted on each one thereof, and consequently each locking device 60 will be associated and inter-engageable with a respective upper one of the (in this case of the three) stirrup devices 20 that support and retain that respective access tube 6.

The construction and physical arrangement of each locking device 60 is shown more clearly in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 & 5. Each locking device 60 comprises an attachment (or "escutcheon") member 70 and a latch member 80. The latch member 80 is rotatably mounted on the attachment member 70, whilst the attachment member 70 is permanently and fixedly mounted, via a lower lateral edge thereof, on an exterior wall of the respective access tube 6 by e.g. fillet weld 138. Each of the attachment (or escutcheon) 70 and latch 80 members is in the form of a respective plate, e.g. of mild steel, cut or machined to the appropriate shape, as shown in the drawings. The mounting of the latch member 80 on the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 is via a screw-threaded bolt 95 and nut 97 arrangement, with a spacer element 102 therebetween, and respective washers 104, 106 (as visible in FIGS. 2 & 4), such that the latch member 80 can rotate relative to the attachment member 70, and the general planes of the two plate-like members 80, 70 are substantially parallel to one another, but spaced a short distance apart by the spacer element 102, which acts not only as friction-reducing spacer element but also helps to prevent fouling or unwanted friction between those two plate-like members 80, 70, e.g. upon dirt or rust getting trapped between them.

The bolt 95 defines the rotation axis about which the latch member 80 is rotatable relative to the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70, which rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the access tube 6, so that the latch member 80 can rotate in a general plane substantially parallel to or substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube 6. The general plane of the plate of the latch member 80 is substantially coincident with or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube 6 and within which the latch member 80 can rotate.

The latch member 80 comprises a rearward mounting portion 82, via which the latch member 80 is rotatably mounted on the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70, and a forward nose portion 84, which nose portion 84 is shaped with an enlarged or hooked forward portion with a rearward-facing engagement edge or face 85 for engaging, especially by virtue of hooking over or hooking around, upon rotation of the latch member 80, a side face of part of the closed loop portion 22 (see FIGS. 7(a) & (b)) of the relevant stirrup device 20 which is attached to a rebar 12 of the cage 2 and by which the respective access tube 6 is supported and/or retained therein. Alternatively, instead of engaging with part of the closed loop portion 22 of the relevant stirrup device 20, the nose portion 84 of the latch member 80 may engage with a bracing member 24 (see FIGS. 7(a) & (b)) of the relevant stirrup device 20 The attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 includes a forward-facing abutment edge or face 75 for abutting an opposite side face of the part of the closed loop portion 22 of the relevant stirrup device 20, which abutting (by that abutment edge/face 75) can occur regardless of whether the latch member 80 is in its actuated forward-rotated position shown in FIGS. 2 & 3 or in its deactuated rearward-rotated position shown in FIGS. 4 & 5. In this manner the abutment edge or face 75 can serve as a trapping means for the stirrup device 20, so that the stirrup 20 is trappable between that abutment edge or face 75 of the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 and the engagement edge or face 85 of the nose portion 84 of the latch member 80 once the latter has been rotated forwards and into its actuated, locking condition shown in FIGS. 2 & 3.

The latch member 80 is biased into its deactuated, unlocked position, as shown in FIGS. 4 & 5, by virtue of a tensioned coil spring 100, fixed at its ends "A" and "B" to, respectively, a point on the exterior wall of the access tube 6 (adjacent the fillet weld 138) and a point on the latch member 80 between its mounting and nose portions 82, 84.

For the purpose of securing the latch member in its rotated, locked condition around the stirrup 20, as shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, the locking device 60 further includes a securement member in the form of an R-clip 90, which is shown more clearly in FIG. 6. The R-clip 90 includes a leg 90L which is passable through a pair of facially alignable or coincidable holes or apertures 99A,B in each of the latch member 80 and the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70, which holes/apertures 99A,B have been brought into alignment as the latch member 80 has been rotated into its actuated locking position. Thus, the secured R-clip 90 enables the latch member 80 and attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 to be temporarily secured together against relative rotational movement of the latch member 80 back and away from the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 whilst in its actuated locking condition. At the same time, the secured R-clip 90 temporarily secures the nose portion 84 of the latch member 80 in its engaged condition around the stirrup device 20 fixedly attached to the cage 2 -in which condition the stirrup device 20 is thus trapped between it and the abutment edge/face 75 of the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 of the locking device 60, and thereby the access tube 6 (which carries the locking device 60) is prevented from any significant longitudinal movement relative to the cage 2.

For deploying the or each locking device 60 into its actuated, locking mode -one of which locking devices 60 being provided on each one of the access tubes 6 in the arrangement of FIG. 1 -in order to temporarily lock the or each access tube 6 in its substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage 2, for preventing unwanted longitudinal movement of the access tubes 6 relative to the cage 2 during the arrangement's transit from a factory or other pre-assembly site to a piling or other reinforcement structure-forming site, the latch member 80 is rotated forwards from its unlocked condition shown in FIGS. 4 & 5, about its rotation axis (defined by the mounting bolt 95) and against the urging/biasing force of the coil spring 100, into its actuated, locking condition shown in FIGS. 2 & 3. In this condition the engagement edge or face 85 of the nose portion 84 of the latch member 80 engages with a side face of part of the closed loop portion 22 of the relevant adjacent one of the stirrup devices 20 -if necessary with a small amount of longitudinal adjustment of the position of the respective access tube 6 relative to the respective stirrup device 20. In this condition, the opposite side face of the part of the closed loop portion 22 of that stirrup device 20 abuts the abutment edge or face 75 of the attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 (which is welded to the exterior of the access tube 6), so that the stirrup 20 is effectively trapped between the nose portion 84 of the latch member 80 and the attachment member while the locking device 60 is in this actuated, locked condition.

FIGS. 2 & 3 show the respective locking device 60 of each access tube 6 in its deployed, actuated, locking mode, with the retaining R-clip 90 in place securing the latch member 80 in its rotated locked position, thereby trapping the opposite side faces of the closed loop portion 22 of the respective stirrup 20 and thus preventing the respective access tube 6 sliding out of one or more of its stirrups 20 that support it within the respective cage 2 during road (or rail) transport from factory to piling site. In FIGS. 2 & 3 the arrow T points towards what is typically the upper (or top) end of the respective cage 2.

FIGS. 4 & 5 show the respective locking device 60 of each access tube 6 in its deactuated, unlocked mode, the R-clip having been removed from its securement holes/apertures 99A,B and the latch member 80 allowed to rotate back, under the biasing of the coil spring 100, through arc direction R (FIG. 5), so as to assume its deactuated, unlocked position as shown. In that deactuated, unlocked condition the access tube 6 (and its associated locking device 60) and the cage 2 (and its associated stirrup device 20 mounted fixedly on a rebar 12 thereof) are free to move longitudinally apart from one another, relative to each other, with the access tube 6 sliding through the three respective stirrup devices 20 that support it within the cage 2. Again in FIGS. 4 & 5 the arrow T points towards what is typically the upper (or top) end of the respective cage 2.

The deactuated, unlocked condition of the locking device 60 shown in FIGS. 4 & 5 thus depicts the arrangement in its typical condition after it has been transported from a factory or other pre-assembly site and delivered to a piling or other reinforcement structure-forming or building site and once it has been prepared for use, just prior to the respective reinforcement cage lifting operation proceeds. Thus, in this condition the R-clip 90 has been removed, allowing the coil spring 100 to rotate the latch member 80 off the stirrup 20. When rotation of the cage 2 occurs, upon it being craned into position ready for insertion into a prepared hole in the ground in which the pile or other structure is to be formed, any tendency for the access tubes 6 to slide out of their respective supporting/retaining stirrups 20 (see FIG. 1) is prevented by the respective abutment edge or face 75 of each respective attachment (or escutcheon) member 70 bearing against the side (or "upper", in the configuration now assumed) edge of its associated stirrup 20 (as shown in FIG. 5).

Furthermore, as the pile (or other reinforcement structure) hole preparation proceeds, once the lower open ends of the access tubes 6 have been interconnected to the respective upper open ends of a like array of access tubes 6 mounted in a second, like, cage below the arrangement being discussed, the access tubes 6 in this cage arrangement being discussed have thereby each become supported axially from beneath and therefore cannot fall out or drop down any further from their respective stirrups 20. Once this state has been attained, the suspended cage 2 of the arrangement being discussed can then be slid downwards, with its attached stirrups 20 sliding downwards over the exteriors of the respective access tubes 6 -with each stirrup 20 moving in the direction of arrow D in FIGS. 4 & 5 -this being possible since the stirrups 20 are free to move down and away from the respective locking devices 60 which are welded to the access tubes 6 above the levels of the respective stirrups 20.

Turning to FIGS 7(a) & (b), these show in more detail the construction and configuration of the new design of stirrup devices 20 that are especially useful for use in combination with the access tubes 6 and associated locking devices 60 of embodiments of the present invention. Each stirrup device 20 comprises a closed loop 22 of substantially rigid material, e.g. steel (although optionally a suitably strong and rigid plastics material, e.g. a suitable PVC, could be used instead), through which the respective access tube 6 can translatably and longitudinally move, such as when the tube 6 is initially inserted into the cage arrangement before being brought to site and/or when the tube 6 needs to be longitudinally slid into a desired position, relative to the cage 2, during its interconnection end-to-end to another like access/guide tube or during splicing of one cage 2 to another. The closed loop 22 of the stirrup device 20 comprises an internal supporting or retaining face 26 all the way around it, which face 26 is characteristically convexly arcuate or curved in profile. It is this convexly arcuate or curved profile shape of the internal supporting or retaining face 26 that, in accordance with the present invention, serves to guide -or to direct or deflect or assist to "ride up and over the boundary of" -an open free end of the tube 6, and/or a leading edge 46 of a connector socket 60 which interconnects a pair of the access tube sections 63 Of that type of access tube 6 is employed), with far less propensity for, or even substantially with elimination of, fouling or catching thereof against the side faces of the closed loop 22 of the stirrup device 20 (which would often be the case with prior art stirrups with square-cut side faces) as the access tube 6 is inserted into, or is longitudinally moved within, the stirrup device 20.

The stirrup device 20 includes a backplate or baseplate 30 for attaching the U-shaped portion of the closed loop 22 of the stirrup device 20 to a rebar 12 (or possibly more than one rebar 12) of the cage 2, e.g. by welding, such as by fillet welds 38B. The closed loop 22 of the stirrup 20 is formed in part by a U-shaped loop of the relevant substantially rigid material, e.g. steel, with the required cross-sectional convexly arcuate or curved profile shape, which is typically cut from a suitable length of stock steel material of that cross-sectional shape. The appropriate length of that steel material is then formed, using any suitable known technique and apparatus, into the desired U-shape by being bent back on itself to form the "U", and its free ends then welded to the backplate/baseplate 30, e.g. by fillet welds 38A. A transverse bracing member 24 is welded (again by fillet welds 38A) between the arms of the "U", in order to form the finally closed loop 22 of the stirrup 20. The bracing member 24 is also cut from the same convexly arcuate or curved profiled stock steel material, so that it too (like the U-shaped portion of the closed loop 22) presents a corresponding convexly arcuate or curved internal supporting or retaining face 26 to the inside of the overall closed loop 22 on that side thereof opposite the curved/arcuate U-shaped portion thereof. In this manner, the entire arrangement of internally directed and internally facing supporting or retaining faces 26 of the closed loop 22 of the stirrup 20-i.e. all the way around the closed loop 22 passing along its loop sections including both the curved U-shaped portion and the bracing member portion -all present the same convexly arcuate or curved profile shape, whereby the access tube-guiding or -directing function of the closed loop 22 is fulfilled along all sections thereof passing completely around the closed loop 22.

The affixing or attachment of the backplate or baseplate 30 to the relevant cage bar(s) 12 is such that the closed loop 22 of the stirrup device 20 projects generally transversely or radially inwardly of the cage 2, i.e. generally perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the cage 2 and/or of the respective tubes 6 to be supported and/or retained by the stirrup device 20, so that the closed loop 22 of the stirrup device 20 itself defines its own central axis which is substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the closed loop 22 and is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube 6 once it has been positioned in the closed loop 22 of the stirrup device 20 and properly supported and retained thereby/therein.

In this illustrated example embodiment, the actual convexly arcuate or curved profile shape of the stock steel used to form the internal supporting or retaining faces 26 of the closed loop 22 of the stirrup 20 may be of any appropriate or suitable geometric curve or function.

A general "half-moon", or arc (or sector) of a circle, shape may be typically employed, although any other suitable profile shapes may be used instead, such as any of the following, for example: semi-circle, semi-ellipse, part-ellipse (or any arc of an ellipse), parabola (or any arc of a parabola), hyperbola (or any arc of a hyperbola), or other symmetrical or asymmetrical (or possibly even freeform) geometric curve of a generally convex nature or configuration.

In this illustrated example embodiment, the convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped internal supporting or retaining faces 26 of the closed loop 22 of the stirrup 20 are shown as extending right across the stirrup 20 from one longitudinally directed side thereof to the opposite longitudinal side thereof, so that the stirrup device 20 is in effect "symmetrically bi-directional", so that the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped internal supporting or retaining faces 26 of the closed loop 22 enable the respective access tube 6 to be readily inserted into the stirrup device 20 and/or longitudinally moved within the stirrup device 20, substantially without fouling or catching the side faces of the closed loop 22, equally easily or readily from either one of the two opposite longitudinal end directions.

However, it may be, in certain alternative embodiments of the stirrup device 20, that each internal supporting or retaining face 26 of the closed loop 22 comprises two different half-portions located or facing to each of the two opposite longitudinally-directed sides thereof, each of which half-portions is formed with and presents its own discrete convexly arcuate or curved profile shape with its own convexly arcuate or curved geometric curve or function.

Those respective convexly arcuate or curved geometric curves or functions of those respective convexly arcuate or curved half-portions may be different from each other, so that each discrete half-portion presents a differently shaped internal supporting or retaining face on/to each of the two opposite longitudinally-directed sides of the stirrup, in which case the stirrup may be considered to be "asymmetrically bi-directional", in that the discrete characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped internal supporting or retaining face half-portions of the closed loop enable the respective access tube 6 to be readily inserted into the stirrup device and/or longitudinally moved within the stirrup device, substantially without fouling or catching the side faces of the closed loop, from either one of the two opposite longitudinal end directions but (usually in such embodiments) with an unequal degree of ease or readiness when so inserted or moved from one longitudinal end direction as compared with from the other.

Furthermore, and further still, in certain other embodiment forms, it may even be the case that the characteristically convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped internal supporting or retaining face of the closed loop is provided on one longitudinally-directed half-portion only, and not the other (which could be of any shape), so that such an embodiment stirrup device may be considered to be "mono-directional", in that the characteristic convexly arcuate or curved profile shaped portion of the closed loop enables the respective access tube 6 to be readily inserted into the stirrup device and/or longitudinally moved within the stirrup device, substantially without fouling or catching the side faces of the closed loop, from one longitudinal end direction only.

It is to be understood that the above description of some specific embodiments of the invention in terms of their various features and aspects has been by way of non-limiting example(s) only, and various modifications may be made from what has been specifically described and illustrated whilst remaining within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and linguistic variations of those words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", mean "including but not limited to", and are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, elements, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless expressly stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless expressly stated otherwise or the context requires otherwise.

Features, components, elements, integers, characteristics, properties, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith or expressly stated otherwise.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An arrangement comprising, in combination, a reinforcement cage for incorporation into a pile or other structure during the formation thereof, and one or more longitudinal access tubes mounted within the cage and also for incorporation into the pile or other structure for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring thereof, wherein the or each access tube is provided with a locking device for temporarily locking the access tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage as or when required, wherein the locking device comprises locking means constructed and arranged for selective actuation or deactuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, or (ii) permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the access tube.
2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the locking device is constructed and arranged such that it is selectively actuatable or deactuatable so as to respectively either substantially prevent or substantially allow the respective access tube on which the respective locking device is mounted to freely move longitudinally relative to the cage, or the cage to freely move longitudinally relative to the respective access tube on which the respective locking device is mounted, especially for the purposes of correctly positioning the respective access tube during its interconnection or splicing to/with a longitudinally adjacent access tube length during the overall splicing together of adjacent cages, and of allowing the respective cage to be moved longitudinally, relative to the respective access tube, during the splicing of that cage to an adjacent cage therebelow.
3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the or each access tube is mounted in the respective reinforcement cage by virtue of being supported and/or retained in a or at least one, or one or more, stirrup(s), the or each stirrup being attached to the said reinforcement cage, optionally to a or a respective cage bar thereof, wherein the or each stirrup comprises a closed loop of substantially rigid material through which the respective access tube can translatably and longitudinally move, and wherein the closed loop of the stirrup comprises at least one internal supporting or retaining face, and wherein the locking means of the locking device is constructed and arranged so as to act on or engage with a portion of a said stirrup for effecting the said selective actuation or deactuafion of the locking means.
4. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each locking device is mounted on an exterior wall of the respective access tube, optionally by welding thereon of a portion or component of the locking device.
5. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the site of the mounting on the respective access tube of the respective locking device is on a portion of the exterior wall of the respective access tube adjacent or in the vicinity of one of its ends, or on the exterior wall of the respective access tube within a portion of its overall longitudinal length that is about one half, or one third, or one quarter, or one fifth, or one sixth of its overall length and proximal one of its ends.
6. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each locking device comprises a latch member, the latch member being constructed and arranged such that when the locking device is selectively actuated to lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, the latch member engages an engagement member provided on or mounted on the cage or a portion of the cage, optionally on a bar or a portion of a bar of the cage.
7. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the engagement member comprises a portion of, optionally a side face of, further optionally a side face of part of a closed loop portion or a bracing member of, a stirrup which is attached to the cage or at least one respective cage bar thereof and by which the respective access tube is supported and/or retained and through which the respective access tube can translatably and longitudinally move when the locking device is in its deactuated condition.
8. An arrangement according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the or each latch member of the or each respective locking device is a rotatable latch member, rotatable about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube, so that the latch member can rotate in a general plane substantially parallel to or substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube.
9. An arrangement according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the latch member comprises a substantially flat or planar plate, with the general plane of the plate being substantially coincident with the said general plane substantially parallel to or substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the respective access tube and within which the latch member can rotate.
10. An arrangement according to any one of claims 6 to 9, as dependent through claim 3, wherein the latch member comprises a mounting portion, via which the latch member is mounted in a rotatable manner relative to the respective access tube (optionally relative to an exterior wall thereof), and a nose portion, which nose portion is configured or shaped to engage, by hooking over or hooking around upon rotation of the latch member, a portion of, optionally a said side face of, further optionally a side face of part of a closed loop portion or a bracing member of, a said stirrup which is attached to the said cage or a respective cage bar thereof and by which the respective access tube is supported and/or retained therein.
11. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the or each locking device comprises, in addition to a respective said latch member, a respective attachment member via which the mounting portion of the latch member is mountable in a rotatable manner relative to the respective access tube (optionally relative to an exterior wall thereof), and which attachment member is mounted on an exterior wall of the respective access tube, optionally by welding.
12. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the attachment member is substantially permanently fixed in a non-movable manner to the exterior of the respective access tube.
13. An arrangement according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the attachment member comprises a substantially flat or planar plate, optionally a plate whose general plane lies substantially parallel to the general plane of the plate of the latch member, but facially separated therefrom by a distance defined by a friction-reducing or spacer element.
14. An arrangement according to any one of claims 11 to 13, as dependent through claim 6, wherein the attachment member comprises an abutment edge or face, against which can abut a side or side face of a stirrup opposite that side or side face thereof with or around which engages a nose portion of the latch member when the latter is in its actuated, locked condition, whereby the abutment edge or face serves as a trapping means, so that the stirrup is tappable between that abutment edge or face of the attachment member and the nose portion of the latch member once the latter has been rotated and brought into its actuated, locking condition.
15. An arrangement according to any one of claims 11 to 14, as dependent through claim 8, wherein the rotation axis about which the respective latch member of the respective locking device is rotatable is defined by, or is coincident with, a bolt or screw or other anchoring device that is used to unite and secure together in a mutually rotatable manner the respective latch member and the associated attachment member.
16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the latch member is united and secured to the attachment member but in a rotatably movable manner relative thereto.S
17. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the locking device further comprises securement means for selectively yet temporarily securing the locking means in its actuated locking condition.
18. An arrangement according to claim 17, as dependent through claim 8, wherein the securement means is constructed and configured to selectively yet temporarily secure the locking means in its actuated locking condition by temporarily substantially preventing the rotatable latch member from rotating about its rotation axis, optionally wherein the said temporary substantial prevention of the rotatable latch member from rotating about its rotation axis is effected simultaneously with, or by virtue of, temporarily securing a nose portion of the latch member in its engaged condition with, or on or around, a stirrup device or other engagement member affixed to the respective cage.
19. An arrangement according to claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the securement means comprise a clip, optionally an R-clip.
20. An arrangement according to claim 19, as dependent through claim 11, wherein the R-clip includes a leg member which is passable through a pair of facially aligned or coinciding holes or apertures in each of the latch member and the attachment member, which holes/apertures have been brought into alignment as the latch member has been rotated into the actuated locking configuration, for the purpose of securing the latch member and attachment member together against relative rotational movement of the latch member away from the attachment member whilst in its actuated locking condition.
21. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the locking device further comprises means for urging or biasing the locking means into its deactuated non-locking condition.
22. An arrangement according to claim 21, as dependent through claim 17, wherein the means for urging or biasing the locking means into its deactuated non-locking condition comprises means for urging or biasing the locking means from its actuated locking condition into its deactuated non-locking condition upon release or removal of the securement means.
23. An arrangement according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the urging or biasing means comprises a spring, optionally a coil spring, which is constructed and mounted so as to urge or bias the latch member so as to rotate backwards into its deactuated, non-locking condition, about a rotation axis thereof, when it is free to do so upon release or removal of the securement means.
24. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, as dependent through claim 3, wherein the or each access tube is mounted in its respective reinforcement cage by virtue of being supported and/or retained in a or at least one, or one or more, stirrup device(s), the or each stirrup device being attached to the said reinforcement cage, optionally to a or a respective cage bar thereof, wherein the or each stirrup device comprises a closed loop of substantially rigid material through which the respective access tube can translatably and longitudinally move, and wherein the closed loop of the stirrup device comprises at least one internal supporting or retaining face, and at least a portion of the said internal supporting or retaining face is convexly arcuate or curved in profile.
25. A locking device for mounting on an access tube, the access tube being for incorporation into a pile or other structure, together with a reinforcement cage within which the access tube is longitudinally mounted, or is to be longitudinally mounted, for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring of the pile or other structure once formed, wherein the locking device comprises locking means constructed and arranged for selective actuation or deactuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, or OD permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the access tube, whereby the locking device can temporarily lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage as or when required; optionally wherein the locking device is a locking device as defined in the arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 24.
26. An access tube for incorporation, together with a reinforcement cage within which the access tube is to be longitudinally mounted, or is longitudinally mounted, into a pile or other structure for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring of the pile or other structure once formed, wherein the access tube has mounted thereon a locking device for temporarily locking the access tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage as or when required, wherein the locking device comprises locking means constructed and arranged for selective actuation or deactuation to either (i) lock the access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage, or (ii) permit sliding longitudinal movement of the access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the access tube; optionally wherein the locking device is a locking device as defined in the arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 24.
27. A method of temporarily locking, as or when required, an access tube in a substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to a reinforcement cage within which the access tube is longitudinally mounted, the access tube being for incorporation into a pile or other structure, together with the reinforcement cage, for the purpose of subsequent testing or monitoring of the pile or other structure once formed, wherein the method comprises: (i) providing, in combination, a said reinforcement cage and one or more said access tubes each including a said locking device according to claim 25 or as defined in the arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 24; and (ii) as or when it is required to lock the or each access tube in its said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the reinforcement cage, selectively actuating the respective locking device to lock the respective access tube in the said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the cage; optionally wherein, as or when it is required to unlock the or each access tube from its said substantially fixed longitudinal position relative to the reinforcement cage, selectively deactuating the respective locking device to permit sliding longitudinal movement of the respective access tube relative to the cage, or the cage relative to the respective access tube.