Concrete anchor bolt holder

Abstract

The present invention is a reusable anchor bolt holder having a generally annular column that detachably secures to and covers a concrete anchor bolt by a plurality of attachment members which secure to the threads of the anchor bolt. The annular column secures the anchor bolt in a vertically fixed position by means of a rotatably hinged wall support bracket that connects the annular column to a wooden retainer wall by being forcefully lowered onto the top surface of the wooden retainer wall. The wall support bracket has a spiked contact face, which when downward force is applied, is inserted and securely attached to the retainer wall, thereby keeping the anchor bolt in place. The wall support bracket can be removed from the retainer wall with an upward force, thereby rotating the contact portion of the bracket to a vertical position. The top of the annular column of the device mates with, or is formed to create an integrated safety cap of a larger surface area to prevent injury.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to concrete anchor bolt holders and positioners, more particularly to a new and improved anchor bolt holder with a hinged support bracket that allows for the device to be easily affixed to a retainer wall with a downward force, and removed with an upward force, further incorporating an anchor bolt safety cap to increase the safety of a worksite.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the field of construction, building structures are commonly placed on a concrete foundation. To increase structural stability, the frame of the structure is fixedly connected to the concrete foundation by anchor bolts. This ensures that the building structure will not shift with respect to the foundation. The use of anchor bolts are very common and oftentimes required in areas subject to natural disasters that might increase the chance of a building being shifted from its foundation such as in regions susceptible to earthquakes, flooding, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, high winds, or with respect to building structures built on steep grades.

Anchor bolts are usually positioned when framing the foundation site before pouring concrete. Anchor bolts can vary in size and shape. Some anchor bolts are arcuate in nature, or hooked to fit around reinforcement metal supports laid within the concrete foundation. Most standard anchor bolts sit vertically in the concrete and are threaded as to allow for the secure attachment to the frame of a building structure.

The standard process for setting anchor bolts involves creating a wooden retainer frame for the foundation and placing anchor bolts in the correct location. Concrete is then poured, and once dried and set, the anchor bolts are thereby secured in place. Many problems occur with placing anchor bolts installed in this manner. Anchor bolts must be placed in specific locations to align with the frame of the structure. Often times, the anchor bolts are not aligned properly, as a result of the bolt being misaligned or moved out of alignment while pouring the concrete. This creates serious problems as the building structure may not be able to be secured properly, and the process of installing a replacement bolt by drilling the concrete and using epoxy to fix another bolt in place is expensive and time consuming.

To alleviate such problems, different devices have been created to secure the anchor bolts while pouring the concrete. Most methods involve securing the anchor bolt to the retainer wall.

A simple method for securing the anchor bolts is to use segments of scrap wood from the worksite, usually pieces of 2×4, to create a bolt holder. This involves cutting the wood to a given length, and drilling a hole at one end for the insertion of the anchor rod. The holder is then placed over the anchor bolt and nailed into the top surface of the concrete retainer wall. Unfortunately, the use of such a device is not economical or accurate. The length of the wood can vary from holder to holder, and varies further depending on where or at what angle the wood is nailed into the retainer wall. In addition, to keep the holder in place, a nut must be secured to the top of the anchor bolt, and fastened to the holder. The process is also time consuming as a worker is usually needed to construct the makeshift bolt holders at the work site, as such bolt holders cannot normally be used more than once.

Other anchor bolt holders have been created to further correct the above problems. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,922,968, 6,065,730, 5,670,076 describe anchor bolt holders which can be mass produced and more accurately attach an anchor bolt to the retainer wall. These patents also disclose holders that are marked for use with the various size foundation walls normally found at worksites. The common problem with the above anchor bolt holders is the means for attachment of the bolt holder to the retainer wall. The above devices are nailed into place on the retainer wall. Once in place, and the concrete is poured and set, a worker must come along and remove all the nails so that the bolt holders can be removed, before the retaining walls themselves are removed from the exterior of the foundation. This takes a long period of time, and in addition creates more dangerous waste in the form of used nails on the worksite which can cause injury to workers. Additionally, time is spent to clean concrete from the threads of an anchor bolt holder if concrete is splashed upon the uncovered threads of the anchor bolt while pouring the concrete.

Another issue with anchor bolts is safety. Anchor bolts can cause severe injury to an individual, as they are a tripping hazard, and may cause a serious impact injury if one were to fall on one due to the small surface area of the anchor bolt. Because of this safety issue, many companies and local, city, or state governments have regulations requiring that the bolts be capped with a larger surface that is usually brightly colored as to prevent injury. Another problem is the time consuming effort it takes to place caps on all of the anchor bolts, especially since all the anchor bolt holders usually must be removed first. As much as an entire day may be lost at a given jobsite removing anchor bolt holders, and placing anchor bolt caps on each exposed anchor bolt. The combination of any or all of the above mentioned problems can cause serious delay in projects as well as increase the amount of labor spent on a given project.

It is therefore desirable to provide an anchor bolt holder that securely attaches an anchor bolt to the retainer wall, yet provides for easy attachment and removal means. It is further desirable to provide an anchor bolt holder that incorporates an anchor bolt holder cap which can remain on the anchor bolt from the time of placement of the anchor bolt until the time when the anchor bolt is used to secure the frame of the structure to the foundation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a reusable anchor bolt holder having a generally annular column that surrounds and covers the anchor bolt, and a vertically rotatable hinged wall support bracket which is temporarily engaged with the top surface of the wooden retainer wall. The wall support bracket has a spiked contact face, which when downward force is applied, is inserted and securely attached to the retainer wall, thereby keeping the anchor bolt in place. The wall support bracket can be removed from the retainer wall with an upward force, thereby rotating the contact portion of the bracket away from the wall. The top of the annular column of the device may be provided with a surface that mates with, or is formed to create an integrated safety cap of a larger surface area to prevent injury.

The concrete anchor bolt holder of the present invention is designed to be able to be secured to the anchor bolt, and remain in place until the anchor bolt is to be secured to the building structure as it can be conveniently attached and detached from the retainer wall, and can optionally be mated with an anchor bolt safety cap. This saves many of the steps necessary when using other anchor bolt holders. The present invention includes a generally annular column which fits over the top of the anchor bolt. The annular column encloses the anchor bolt to prevent concrete from getting on the threads of the anchor bolt while the concrete foundation is being poured. In addition, the anchor bolt holder may be secured to the anchor bolt by one or more sets of prongs or clips which fit securely within the threads of the anchor bolt. The prongs allow the anchor bolt holder to be slidably attached and detached from the anchor bolt, but remain secure unless a large upward force is applied, such as when a worker removes the anchor bolt holder from the anchor bolt.

The anchor bolt holder has a wall support bracket which extends laterally from the annular column. In an embodiment, the wall support bracket extends from the base of the generally annular column, but in other embodiments the support bracket can attach and extend from any suitable region of the generally annular column. The wall support bracket extends a given distance from the anchor bolt, corresponding to standard industry practices of placement of anchor bolts to retaining walls. The wall support bracket has two sections; a static section extending from the generally annular column, and hinged section which is pivotally attached to the static section to allow for movement about an axis.

The rotatable portion of the support bracket has a plurality of contact faces which, when the rotatable portion is in a horizontal position, are aligned with the top surface of the retaining wall. In an embodiment of the invention, multiple contact faces are included on the hinged section so that the anchor bolt holder can be used with a variety of different sized retainer walls. In another embodiment of the invention, the hinged section has single contact face. The contact faces have pins, nails, spikes or other protrusions which extend from the contact face, and puncture the top surface of the wooden retainer wall to temporarily secure support bracket and the anchor bolt holder to the retainer wall. The material for the spikes may be a rigid material such as steel or hard plastic. In an alterative embodiment, the spikes may be made of metal or other rigid material and connected to a plate that is embedded in the hinged or rotatable section. In a further embodiment, the entire hinged section may be made out of a hardened substance. In another embodiment, the plurality of contact surfaces may be tiered, creating a lip for each respective surface. An outermost lip or protrusion extends from the end of the (last) contact surface. When the anchor bolt holder is affixed to the retainer wall the lip, or protrusion (possibly formed by the next tiered contact face) will fit around the exterior horizontal side of the retaining wall, thereby ensuring the correct distance of the anchor bolt with respect to the retaining wall.

The method of attachment of the anchor bolt holder to the retainer wall is to rotate the hinged section to contact the retainer wall, then apply downward force upon the hinged section of the support bracket, driving the spikes into the top surface of the retainer wall. Such force can come in any manner convenient to the user. The hinged section can be struck by a hammer or rubber mallet, or the user can apply downward pressure with one's foot to secure the contact face with the retaining wall.

The hinged section also has an outwardly protruding segment to allow for easy removal of the hinged section from the contact surface. The outwardly protruding surface extends horizontally beyond the edge of the retainer wall. Once the concrete is set, and the retaining walls are to be removed, an upward force can be applied to the hinged section via the outwardly protruding surface to dislodge the spikes of the contact surface from the top surface of the retaining wall. Again, such force can come in any convenient manner on the part of the user, such as the upward blow of a hammer or mallet, or from kicking the protruding surface in an upward direction with the user's foot. By having a simple means for removing the anchor bolt holder from the retainer wall, moreover the fact that an embodiment of the anchor bolt holder of the present invention is no longer hanging over the edge of the concrete, the anchor bolt holder can remain on the anchor bolt during and after the removal of the concrete retainer walls.

In an alternative embodiment, the generally annular column of the anchor bolt may be provided with a top end configured to allow for the attachment of a safety cap to the top end of the anchor bolt holder. In one embodiment, the top of the annular column is provided in a hexagonal shape corresponding to a safety cap attachment. The attachment has a generally flat or smooth top surface and has a corresponding mating area on the underside of the cap attachment for connecting to the top of the annular column of the anchor bolt holder. The safety cap attachment is of sufficient size and surface area to prevent injury if a worker was to accidentally step on or fall upon the anchor bolt. In addition, the anchor bolt holder and attachment cap can be of a noticeably bright color as to make workers aware of the potential hazard.

The safety cap attachment can be various sizes and shapes including, but not limited to a circle, oval, square, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, etc. The corners of any of the given shapes can be rounded for further safety. The top surface of the safety cap attachment can be flat or rounded in a convex manner as to provide a larger surface area in case a person was to fall upon the anchor bolt. The design of the cap is such that the cap does not interfere with the rotation of the hinged section of the support bracket, and leaves room for the user to apply force to the hinged section of the support bracket when connecting it to the retainer wall.

In a further embodiment, the annular column of the device may be integrated with a safety cap to create a unitary annular column with a safety cap. In this design, a hole may be incorporated in the top of the safety cap and annular column as to allow the user to apply force to the top of the anchor bolt if the anchor bolt holder becomes hard to remove.

In a further embodiment, the anchor bolt holder may have a plurality of horizontal support brackets as to attach the anchor bolt to more than one retaining wall. For example, in one embodiment the horizontal support arms extend in exact opposite directions which could be used to secure an anchor bolt to a thin section of concrete having retaining walls on each side. Each of the horizontal support arms would have a hingedly attached section for the easy attachment and removal to the retainer walls.

The hinge attaching the static portion of the control arm to the hingedly attached portion of the support arm can come in various forms. For example, the hinge can be formed by a pinned rod that is connected to each portion of the horizontal support, and allowing the independent movement of the hingedly attached portion of the control arm. In an alternative embodiment, the hinge can be formed out of a flexible portion of plastic or rubberized material allowing for movement in a vertical manner.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an anchor bolt holder which is easy and convenient to use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder which can be placed on the anchor bolt and does not need to be removed until the building structure is to be connected to the anchor bolt.

It is a further object of the invention to provide methods for attaching and removing an anchor bolt holder to a retainer bolt and retainer wall that do not involve use of multiple components.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for attaching and removing an anchor bolt holder to a retainer bolt and retainer wall that can be attached without the use of any tools on the part of the user.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder that may be temporarily attached to the wooden retaining wall and anchor bolt without the need of separate components such as nails and nuts or bolts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder that may serve in a dual capacity as an anchor bolt holder and safety cap to prevent injuries from the exposed anchor bolt.

It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder where the support arm can be easily attached and detached from a wooden retainer wall by means of downward and upward forces, respectively.

It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder that saves time and expense when laying a concrete foundation through of ease of installation and removal.

It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder that saves time and expense when laying a concrete foundation by serving a dual use as a safety cap on the anchor bolt.

It is further object of the invention to provide an anchor bolt holder that is reusable.

Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed descriptions and the claims herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention inserted on an anchor bolt.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention inserted on an anchor bolt with the hinged section of the support bracket rotated in an upward direction.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the rotatable section of the support bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the rotatable section of the support bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of the rotatable section of the support bracket of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a safety cap attachment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of a safety cap attachment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a safety cap attachment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention including the safety cap attachment.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the generally annular column and static section of the support bracket of the present invention where the there are two support brackets extending in opposite directions.

FIG. 12 is a side environmental view of one embodiment of the generally annular column depicting the anchor bolt holder on an anchor bolt set in concrete while detached from the retainer wall.

FIG. 13 is a side environmental view of one embodiment of the generally annular column depicting the anchor bolt holder on an anchor bolt set in concrete while attached to the retainer wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring particularly to FIG. 1, it is seen that the invention includes an annular column 50, which is an elongate piece of hollow material fitted to extend around an anchor bolt. The annular column is of sufficient size to accept varying sized anchor bolts. In alternative embodiments, the annular column of the invention may be made of varying circumferences to correspond with different sized anchor bolts commonly used in construction sites including, but not limited to, annular columns capable of fitting over ½, ⅝, ¾, ⅞, 1, 1⅛, and 1¼ inch anchor bolts. The vertical length of the annular column should be at least the length of the portion of the anchor bolt that extends above the surface of the retaining wall (i.e. above the finished concrete foundation, once poured). This is depicted in FIGS. 12 and 13 where the anchor bolt holder is secured to the top of an anchor bolt. The anchor bolt holder covers the majority of the portion of the anchor bolt which extends above the concrete.

A wall support bracket 59 is attached to the annular column 50 and extends in a generally lateral direction therefrom. The wall support bracket consists of two separate sections, a static section 60 attached to column 50, and a moveable section which is pivotly attached at hinge 63 to the static section 61. The hinge 63 may comprise any hinged assembly common in the art, including, but not limited to, a barrel or pin type hinge or a thinner or flexible portion of plastic allowing for rotational movement around an axis, thus allowing the moveable portion to rotate at least 90° from a generally vertical to a generally horizontal position. The moveable portion 61 of the bracket has one or more contact faces 62 that are used to attach the bracket to a retaining wall (see FIGS. 12-13.) Each contact face 62 is a planar region which comes to rest in a generally horizontal position on a top surface of a retaining wall. In embodiments utilizing multiple contact faces 62, they are generally provided in staggered segments. These segments allow one of the faces 62 to fit securing against the retaining wall 100. Each contact face 62 is provided with one or more attachment spikes or nails 64 which are used to secure the contact face to the retaining wall. The attachment spikes 64 are made of a hardened material such as metal or rigid plastic spikes 64 are attached or integrated into the moveable portion 61 of the support bracket.

In an alternative embodiment, spikes 64 may be made of one integrated piece attached to, or inserted within, the moveable section 61. In another embodiment, the entire moveable section 61 may be made of a pre-formed hardened substance including integrated spikes. In the multiple-faced embodiments, the transition between each contact face 62 defines a lip or guide 65 created by the downward projection of another contact face 62 or a retainer wall stop 66. One of the guides 65 or the retainer wall stop 66 comes into contact with the outside edge of the retaining wall. By placing a guide 65 or retainer wall stop 66 in flush contact with the retainer wall, it ensures that the column 50 holing the retainer bolt is being held at a proper distance away from the retainer wall. In one embodiment of the present invention, there are two contact faces where one contact face is provided at a suitable distance for use with a standard retainer wall that is created by 2×4 wooden boards, and a second contact face is provided when using a retainer wall created by 2×6 wooden boards. In a further embodiment the rotatable section may have only one contact face.

The rotatable portion 61 has an upper strike surface 68 where a user can apply a downward force to engage the spikes 64 with the retainer wall. The upper strike surface 68 is generally flat in nature creating a surface which can be easily hit by a hammer, mallet, user's foot or other object. A lower strike surface or eave 67 extends laterally past the contact faces 62 of the rotatable section 61 to create a surface which an upward force can be applied to remove the rotatable section from the retainer wall after the concrete is poured and hardened. The lower strike surface 67 extends past the retainer wall stop 66 in order to give the user a surface that is conveniently far enough way from the retaining wall to make detachment of the rotatable section possible. Like the upper strike surface 68, the lower strike surface 67 may be hit by a hammer, mallet, user's foot or other object to create an upward force on the moveable section in order to dislodge it from the retaining wall.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a safety cap attachment member 80 is secured to the top of the annular column 50. The safety cap attachment member 80 is shaped to correspond to a safety cap attachment point. In one embodiment, the attachment member can have hexagonal sides 81 corresponding to a hexagonal safety cap attachment point 90 on the safety cap 92. The safety cap attachment member 80 and attachment point 90 may be of any corresponding sizes and shapes allowing for the safety cap 92 to be detachably secured in place by any standard means in the art including but not limited to snap fit or screwing means.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention on an anchor bolt 45. As seen, on the interior of the annular column 50 are a plurality of deformable engagement members or prongs 51 projecting radially inwardly which temporarily secure the annular column 50 to the anchor bolt 45 by lodging within the threads of the anchor bolt 45. Prongs 51 hold and center bolt 45 inside column 50. The engagement members allow the annular column 50 to be secured in place on the anchor bolt 45 without the need for extraneous attachment means such as a securing nut. FIG. 3 depicts the same cross sectional view but shows the rotatable portion 61 of the wall support bracket in a slightly elevated position.

FIGS. 4-6 depict the rotatable section 61 of the wall support bracket. The rotatable section is constructed of a rigid material and has hinge attachments 69 which connect to the hinge 63 allowing rotational movement with respect to the static section of the wall support bracket.

FIGS. 7-9 depict the safety cap 92 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the safety cap 92. The safety cap 92 has a safety cap attachment point 90 on the lower surface 93, and has an upper surface 94 which is of larger surface area than that of the top of the anchor bolt 45 or top of the annular column 50. The upper surface 94 can be flat or curved in any fashion, including being convex as long as a larger surface area is presented to prevent injury from impact with the safety cap 92. In addition the safety cap can be of any variety of sizes and shapes including, but not limited to a circle, oval, pentagon, hexagon, etc. FIG. 9 depicts the underside of the safety cap 92 depicting the safety cap attachment point 90. The safety cap attachment point is a void corresponding to the safety cap attachment member 80 of the annular column. In an alternative embodiment, the safety cap attachment member has a void corresponding to an insertion point or structure on the safety cap. FIG. 10 depicts the safety cap 92 attached to the anchor bolt holder device. The safety cap 92 may be brightly colored for increased visibility and safety.

FIG. 11 depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the anchor bolt holder has a plurality of wall support brackets 59. This device is useful if there are multiple retaining walls to which the anchor bolt holder can be attached to further increase the stability and accuracy of placement of the anchor bolt. The annular column has a plurality of wall support brackets connected to the annular column 50 by the static sections 60 of the wall support brackets 59 (the rotatable portion 61 of the wall support brackets 59 are not shown, but the pivots or hinges 63 are located at the outer end of the static sections for the attachment of the rotatable portions 61.). In an alternative embodiment, the plurality of wall support brackets can face in any given direction with respect to each other. For example, an embodiment of the present device can be used at the corner for a foundation, in that it can be attached to either or both retainer walls. Such an embodiment of the invention would have wall support brackets which extend at right angles when used for a square corner. The device can be used in other angled corners, as the angle between the one or more wall support brackets can be any given angle.

FIG. 12 depicts an anchor bolt holder of the present invention while attached to an anchor bolt 45 secured in concrete 102. FIG. 13 depicts an anchor bolt holder of the present invention where a cross-sectional view of the anchor bolt in the concrete is shown. The anchor bolt 45 extends into the concrete 102, and once hardened, the concrete securely fixes the anchor bolt in place. The annular column 50 of the anchor bolt holder covers the majority of the anchor bolt above the level of the concrete to prevent concrete from splashing on the threads of the bolt. The wall support bracket is attached to the retainer wall 100 by means of spikes 64 on the contact surface face 62.

It is to be appreciated that different versions of the invention may be made from different combinations of the various features described above. In particular, any number of light weight durable materials can be used to make the anchor bolt support. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the foregoing specification.

Claims

1. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising:

a. an annular column having a plurality of engagement members extending radially inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper portion of the anchor bolt;

b. a wall support bracket pivotally attached to said annular column, said wall support bracket having at least one contact face, each such contact face having at least one attachment spike thereon for temporary engagement with a retainer wall.

2. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wall support bracket rotates to at least 90°.

3. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one attachment spike is made from a hardened material that is secured to the hinged section.

4. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wall support bracket and said at least one spike are provided in an integrated unit section is made of a hardened material.

5. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality contact faces are provided in tiers.

6. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wall support bracket further comprises a wall stop extending downwardly from said bracket.

7. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wall support bracket further comprises a lower strike surface which extends laterally outwardly beyond the contact faces.

8. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment member which mates with a corresponding anchor bolt safety cap to secure said cap to said annular column.

9. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a wall support bracket extends laterally from said annular column and comprises a static support section and a rotatably hinged support section;

10. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular column further comprises a removable safety cap at the upper end of the annular column having a greater surface area than the top surface of the annular column.

11. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said annular column further comprises an integrated safety cap at the upper end of the annular column having a greater surface area than the top surface of the annular column.

12. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising:

a. an annular column with a plurality of engagement members extending radially inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper portion of the anchor bolt;

b. a plurality of wall support brackets pivotally attached to said annular column, said wall support brackets having at least one contact face, each such contact face having at least one attachment spike thereon for temporary engagement with a retainer wall.

13. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 12 wherein said annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment member which mates with a corresponding attachment point of an anchor bolt safety cap to secure said cap to said annular column.

14. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 12 wherein said annular column further comprises a safety cap on the upper end of the annular column having a greater surface area than the top surface of the annular column.

15. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising:

a. an annular column having a plurality of engagement members extending radially inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper portion of the anchor bolt;

b. a wall support bracket pivotally attached to said annular column, said wall support bracket having at least one contact face, each such contact face having at least one attachment spike thereon for temporary engagement with a retainer wall;

said wall support bracket rotates at least 90° in an arcuate path; said at least one attachment spike is made from a hardened material that is secured to the hinged section; said contact faces are tiered; said wall support bracket further comprises a wall stop extending downwardly from said bracket; said wall support bracket further comprises a lower strike surface which extends laterally beyond the contact faces; wherein said annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment member which mates with a corresponding attachment point of an anchor bolt safety cap to secure said cap to said annular column.

16. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising:

a. an annular column having a plurality of engagement members extending radially inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircles said upper portion of the anchor bolt;

b. a wall support bracket attached to said annular column, said wall support bracket having at least one contact face, wherein said contact face temporary engages with a retainer wall;

wherein said annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment member which mates with a corresponding attachment point of an anchor bolt safety cap to secure said cap to said annular column.

17. An anchor bolt positioning apparatus comprising:

a. an annular column having engagement means extending inward to secure the annular column to an upper portion of an anchor bolt wherein said annular column encircle said upper portion of the anchor bolt;

b. a wall support means attached to said annular column, said wall support means having at least one contact means for temporary engagement with a retainer wall.

18. The anchor bolt positioning apparatus of claim 17 wherein said annular column further comprises a safety cap attachment means to secure a safety cap to said annular column.

19. A method for securing the position of an anchor bolt during the installation of a concrete foundation comprising:

a. setting the position of the anchor bolt in a frame for the foundation;

b. engaging an annular column over said anchor bolt to hold it in place, said column having a support bracket pivotally attached thereto;

c. pivoting said support bracket to contact an adjacent member of said frame;

d. applying force to said support bracket to temporarily engage it with said frame member;

e. installing said concrete foundation.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising applying an opposing force to said support bracket to disengage it from said frame and member.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising removing said annular column from said anchor bolt.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising attaching a safety cap to the top of the annular column.