W foot anchor

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a lifting anchor for embedment in a concrete member. The anchor comprises a flat bar having a top and bottom; an upper and lower end; and a front and rear face. The bar has a first aperture positioned for insertion of a locking device that can be attached to a shackle for lifting the concrete wall or element containing the anchor. The bar may have additional apertures for insertion of reinforcing bars. The bar may further include a frontwardly protruding curved section and a rearwardly protruding curved section.

Description

The present invention relates towards an erection lift anchor assembly for embedment in a concrete member, such as a precast or tilt-up wall. The erection anchor of the present invention allows for concrete members, such as walls, to be positioned by the use of standard lifting equipment (cranes with cable attachments, etc.) by connecting lifting attachments to the erection lift anchor which is embedded in a concrete member.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed towards a lifting anchor for embedment in a concrete member. The anchor comprises a flat bar having a top and bottom; an upper and lower end; a front and rear face and a first and second side. The bar has a first aperture positioned for insertion of a locking device that can be attached to a shackle for lifting the concrete wall or element containing the anchor. The bar may have additional apertures for insertion of reinforcing bars. The bar may further include a frontwardly protruding curved section and a rearwardly protruding curved section.

In one embodiment of the invention, the anchor comprises a bar having a top and bottom; an upper and lower end; a front and rear face and a first and second side. The top of the bar may include a first apex section, a first upwardly projecting face, a top platform section, a second upwardly projecting face, and a second apex section. The bar has at least one aperture near the upper end of the bar. The bar may contain additional apertures. The lower end of the bar may include at least two curved protrusions, including a frontwardly protruding curved section and a rearwardly protruding curved section. The bottom of the bar may include a first upwardly projecting face, a bottom platform section and a second upwardly projecting face.

When the anchor of the present invention is embedded in a concrete form, the top of the bar is positioned adjacent the face of the concrete form. A void former, suitably made from rubber, is placed around the anchor and covers a portion of the anchor, including the first aperture in the upper end of the anchor. When the concrete is poured around the anchor, the area covered by the void former stays free of concrete, while the rest of the anchor, including the any additional apertures, are encompassed by the concrete. When the concrete form is hardened, the void former is removed and a void recess is formed around a portion of the anchor, allowing lifting hardware to be attached to the anchor, via the aperture in the upper end of the anchor. This allows for a lifting attachment to be suitably connected to the concrete anchor.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, drawings, and exhibits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top view of one embodiment of the concrete lift anchor of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of one embodiment of the concrete lift anchor of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one embodiment of the concrete lift anchor of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the concrete lift anchor of the present invention.

Before one embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. In addition, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including”, “comprising”, “having” and “has” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed towards a concrete lift anchor. The concrete anchor is suitably made from steel. Anchors of increasing thickness allow for a greater weight capacity to be achieved.

One exemplary embodiment of the concrete anchor of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4. The anchor 10 comprises a flat bar 12, preferably made of steel, which has a top 14 and bottom 16; an upper 18 and lower end 20; a front 22 and rear face 24 and a first 23 and second 25 side. The top 14 of the bar 12 has a first apex section 26, a first upwardly projecting face 28, a top platform section 30, a second upwardly projecting face 32, and a second apex section 34. The bar 12 also has a first aperture 36 near the upper end 18 of the bar. The first apex section 26, first upwardly projecting face 28, top platform section 30, second upwardly projecting face 32, second apex section 34 and first aperture 36 define an attachment region of the anchor 10 adapted to engage a lifting mechanism. That is, the design of the first apex section 26, first upwardly projecting face 28, top platform section 30, second upwardly projecting face 32, second apex section 34 and first aperture 36 allows for the secure attachment of a lifting mechanism for moving and positioning a concrete form in which the concrete anchor 10 is embedded. The lifting attachment (such as a hook or other suitable attachment) is suitably connected to the concrete anchor 10 via the first aperture 36. The bar 12 has a second aperture 38 positioned beneath the first aperture 36. The second aperture 38 allows for the insertion of a reinforcing bar.

The bottom 16 of the bar 10 has a first upwardly projecting face 42, a bottom platform section 44 and a second upwardly projecting face 46.

The lower end 18 of the bar 12 comprises a frontwardly protruding curved section 48 and a rearwardly protruding curved section 50. The frontwardly protruding curved section 48 and the rearwardly protruding curved section 50 together define a wave profile that is generally S-shaped when viewed from the side, especially the second side 25, as best illustrated in FIG. 3. The frontwardly protruding curved section 48 defines a first radius of curvature, and the rearwardly protruding curved section 50 defines a second radius of curvature. The second radius of curvature of the illustrated embodiment is substantially the same as the first radius of curvature. The bar 12 further defines a width W and a thickness T, and the protruding curved sections 48, 50 have substantially the same width and thickness as that of the bar 12. The protruding curved sections 48, 50 act to provide additional shear resistance between the anchor 10 and the concrete member in which the anchor 10 is embedded. The protruding curved sections 48, 50 create a shearcone in the concrete on both sides of the anchor, allowing the concrete anchor to be used to lift concrete forms, such as precast walls, of great weight. The design of the protruding curved sections 48, 50 allow for them to be stamped on the bar in one operation. The frontwardly protruding curved section 48 is positioned above the rearwardly protruding curved section 50 in the illustrated embodiment. However, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the frontwardly protruding curved section 48 can instead be positioned below the rearwardly protruding curved section 50 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, it will be readily apparent that the protruding curved sections 48, 50 can instead each have a generally V-shaped cross-section, U-shaped cross-section, or the like.

Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention.

Claims

1. A concrete anchor comprising:

a bar having a top, a bottom, an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a front face, a rear face, a first aperture, a frontwardly protruding curved section and a rearwardly protruding curved section, the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section positioned to define a curved profile in the bar.

2. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the bar further comprises a second aperture.

3. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the top of the bar further comprises a first apex section, a first upwardly projecting fare, a top platform section, a second upwardly projecting face, and a second apex section.

4. The concrete anchor of claim 3 wherein the first apex section, the first upwardly projecting face, the top platform section, the second upwardly projecting face, the second apex section, and the first aperture define an attachment region of the anchor.

5. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the bar further comprises a first upwardly projecting face, a bottom platform section, and a second upwardly projecting face.

6. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section are positioned adjacent the lower end of the bar.

7. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the curved profile comprises an S-shape.

8. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section defines a first radius of curvature, and wherein the rearwardly protruding curved section defines a second radius of curvature, the first radius of curvature being substantially the same as the second radius of curvature.

9. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the bar defines a width and a thickness, and wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section each have substantially the same width and thickness as the bar.

10. The concrete anchor of claim 1 wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section at least partially define a substantially shear-resistant region of the anchor.

11. A concrete anchor comprising:

a bar having a top, a bottom, an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a front face, a rear face, a first aperture positioned adjacent the upper end of the bar, a frontwardly protruding curved section, and a rearwardly protruding curved section, the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section positioned to define a generally S-shaped profile in the bar.

12. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the top of the bar further comprises a first apex section, a first upwardly projecting face, a top platform section, a second upwardly projecting face, and a second apex section.

13. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the bottom of the bar further comprises a first upwardly projecting face, a foot platform section, and a second upwardly projecting face.

14. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section are positioned adjacent the lower end of the bar.

15. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the bar further comprises a second aperture.

16. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the top of the bar and the first aperture define an attachment region of the anchor.

17. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section comprise substantially similar radii of curvature.

18. The concrete anchor of claim 11 wherein the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section at least partially define a substantially shear-resistant region of the anchor.

19. A concrete anchor comprising:

a bar having a top, a bottom, an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side, a front face, a rear face, a first aperture positioned adjacent the upper end of the bar, a frontwardly protruding curved section, and a rearwardly protruding curved section, the frontwardly protruding curved section and the rearwardly protruding curved section positioned to define a generally S-shaped profile in the bar;

wherein the top of the bar further comprises a first apex section, a first upwardly projecting face, a top platform section, a second upwardly projecting face, and a second apex section; and

wherein the bottom of the bar further comprises a first upwardly projecting face, a foot platform section, and a second upwardly projecting face.