Concrete block-out-grout tube with drain

Abstract

An elongated cylindrical tube with reinforcing ribs that can be placed within a pre-cast concrete wall section for use in joining with other wall sections having a drain preformed into the bottom of the grout tube with a nipple-like attachment positioned within the drain opening of the grout tube. The nipple-like attachment has circumferential pyramidal ridges for connecting to and retaining a water release tube allowing for the egress of any water, moisture or debris that may have collected within the grout tube to prevent deterioration or cracking of the concrete from the expansion of water freezing within the wall section or from retained debris weakening the wall connection joint.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to connection devices for joining together pre-cast concrete members such as panels or columns stacked one on top of the other to form building walls. The connection devices employ an elongated cylindrical grout tube with reinforcing ribs cast into the top of a lower concrete member with a opening in the bottom for draining collected water and debris and a tube attached to the lower end of the grout tube for carrying the water and debris out of the concrete member. The elongated cylindrical grout tube has reinforcing ribs to retain the tube in position in the pre-cast concrete member and to provide added strength to the grout as it hardens to provide strength to the formed concrete wall. The lower end of the grout tube has an integrated nipple-type attachment means, which is preformed into the grout tube, to which a hollow tube is attached that extends outward to a surface of the pre-cast concrete wall member.

The elongated cylindrical grout tube may be referred to or known as a concrete block-out tube that is mounted on a framing member in the form used to cast the wall panel, oriented inwardly in the center of the top wall of the panel with the nipple at the inward most point and the drain tube extending away to the closest side or bottom edge of the panel. After pouring of the concrete panel and the setting of the concrete, the forms are removed and the open ends of the tubes are sealed or taped, or alternatively a plug is driven into each tube. The tape and plug seals used to close the tube sections can be ineffective in extreme environmental changes and frequently allow water, moisture and dirt to collect in the tubes prior to the erection of the panels. If the water retained in the tube freezes, there is a risk the resultant expansion will crack and ruin the panel. Any debris collected within the tube will degrade the quality of the connection formed by the mortar when the panels are erected.

The present invention is an improvement to the concrete block-out tube apparatus used previously to connect upper and lower concrete wall sections as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,076,924[Thompson]. The Thompson patent discloses a reinforced, ovalized block-out tube cast into the top of a lower concrete member to mate with a structural rod cast into the bottom of an upper concrete member. While this device provides for the dimensional variants of the rod and receiving tube, creating the required structural strength, it does not completely prevent the entry of water, moisture or debris that can collect at the bottom of the grout tube and cause cracking or gaps in the grout holding the rod in a fixed position resulting in a potential failure of the wall integrity.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a pre-cast concrete block-out tube for use in joining pre-cast vertical concrete panels that continues to provide structural strength, without introducing stress concentrations into the poured concrete or grout, and allows for the release of any water, moisture or debris that may collect in the tube that could degrade the quality of the grout connection inside the tube.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an integrated connection or attachment point at the lowest internal space of the grout tube for the connection of a drain line or tube to allow for the instant removal of water or debris without any substantial retention of the same within the grout tube for any extended period of time.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages inherent in the types of devices previously known and used for the joining of pre-cast concrete panels. It should also be understood that the present invention may be used to join columns and other types of pre-cast concrete members.

The present invention comprises an elongated cylindrical tube with reinforcing ribs that retain the grout tube in position within the pre-cast concrete wall member and act to retain and hold the grout-like hardening substance within the tube to add strength to the constructed wall. The bottom end of the cylindrical tube has a nipple-type attachment means, which may be preformed into the grout tube for connecting the cylindrical grout tube to a water release tube or drain line. The nipple has circumferential flange ridges that make for a tighter seal to the drain line or tube and keep out moisture and debris from the connection to the water release tube, allowing for the egress of any water or moisture that may exist within the wall-grout tube.

The tube of the present invention is intended to be cast vertically into the top side of a concrete panel with the elongated body and nipple embedded inwardly into the panel and the drain line connected to the lowest point of the tube and extending outward to the closest exterior surface of the panel. Once the concrete has set, the reinforcing ribs keep the tube in place and secure from rotating in the concrete panel. Additionally, the reinforcing ribs arrayed along the length of the tube resist removal once set and provide against the inadvertent pullout of the structural rod once the grout has hardened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the concrete block-out grout tube with integrated bottom drain connected to the retained water release tube.

FIG. 2 is a cut-away view of a pre-formed concrete wall section showing the concrete block-out grout tube and integrated retained water release tube of the present invention positioned within the pre-formed concrete wall section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. The description is not intended in a limiting sense, and is made solely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. The various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, where like numerals refer to like parts or elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 an isometric view of the elongated concrete block-out grout tube 10 with an integrated bottom drain 12. At the top or proximal end of the grout tube 10 there is a flange 14 that permits the tube 10 to fit flush with the top surface of the pre-cast concrete wall member. The concrete block-out grout tube 10 is formed with a plurality of reinforcing ribs 16 which structurally anchor the tube 10 within the concrete wall member and prevent the tube from rotating within its position in the wall member. The reinforcing ribs 16 also act to hold the grout-like hardening substance in position so that the grout will not easily move inward or outward from the grout tube 10 so as to provide sufficient resistance against the movement or removal of the structural rod once the grout has hardened.

Integrated into the bottom wall of the concrete block-out grout tube 10 is a drain 12. The drain 12 has a nipple-type attachment means 18 which may be inserted into the drain 12 by any means, for example, press fitting. Alternatively, the nipple-type attachment means 18 may be integrated into the grout tube 10 when formed or molded. The nipple attachment means 18 has a plurality of circumferential conical ridges 20 that extend outward from the drain 12. Each of the conical ridges 20 is axially aligned with the next and has a larger base dimension so that in cross-section the series of ridges 20 appear to be a stacked array of parallelograms with their respective greater dimension bases facing inward toward the drain 12. In this manner, the drain tube 22, slips over the ridges 20 easily, but is retained on and over the ridges 20 as the ridges grasp the inner surface of the slightly expanded tube by the respective circumferential lips of the ridges holding the drain tube 22 in position over the nipple attachment means 18. The drain tube 22 can be of any material that has the properties and characteristics for refraining from breaking down while encased in concrete mixtures and longevity in adverse temperature environments.

Looking now at FIG. 2, the concrete block-out grout tube 10 and integrated drain 12 with nipple attachment means 18 and attached retained water release tube 22 are shown positioned within a pre-cast concrete wall section 24. The grout tube 10 is positioned at the top surface of the concrete wall member 24 with its flange 14 flush with the outer surface. The water release or drain tube 22 is fully extended away from the drain 12 and nipple attachment means 18 with its distal end extending to and through a lower wall surface at drain point 26 of the concrete wall member 24. The nipple attachment means 18 with circumferential pyramidal ridges 20 for connecting to and retaining a water release tube provides a tight seal as it connects to the water release tube 22 permitting for the egress of any water or moisture that may have collected within the concrete block-out grout tube 10 to exit by force of gravity.

Thus, even though water, moisture or debris may collect within the concrete block-out tube while it awaits assembly into a building structure, or otherwise, such water and/or debris can be flushed or drained away through the drain 12 and drain tube 22 so that the integrity of the connection between one wall section and another can be maintained. Further, with a substantially dry and debris free tube bottom, there is less possibility of a freeze/thaw series weakening the concrete and causing a failure of the wall section 24.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as being illustrative and not restrictive, with the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing detailed description, as indicating the scope of the invention as well as all modifications which may fall within a range of equivalency which are also intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. An elongated cylindrical tube member for use as a connection assisting device for joining pre-cast concrete panels or forms, said tube member comprising an integral elongate, imperforate, and hollow tubular body having a plurality of reinforcing ribs formed into the tubular body with a drain opening in the distal end of the tubular body for connecting to an elongate drain tube attached to the drain opening, said elongate drain tube extending away from the cylindrical tube member toward an exterior surface of the concrete panel or form.

2. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 1, wherein the plurality reinforcing ribs structurally anchor said tube within the concrete wall member and prevent the tube from rotating within and pulling out of its position in the concrete wall member, and further act to hold the grout-like hardening substance in position so that the grout will not easily move inward or outward from said tube.

3. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 1, further comprising a nipple-like attachment means fitted into the drain opening for retaining said elongate drain tube in position against the drain opening.

4. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 3, wherein the nipple-like attachment means comprises a series of circumferential pyramidal ridges for retaining the elongate drain tube onto the nipple-like attachment means.

5. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 4, wherein the drain opening with fitted nipple-like attachment means connecting the elongate drain tube to the drain opening allows for the egress or flushing away of any water or debris that may have collected within the tube.

6. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 1, wherein said drain opening includes a nipple-like attachment means integrally formed into the drain opening for retaining said elongate drain tube in position against the drain opening.

7. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 6, wherein the nipple-like attachment means comprises a series of circumferential pyramidal ridges for retaining the elongate drain tube onto the nipple-like attachment means.

8. The elongated cylindrical tube of claim 7, wherein the drain opening with nipple-like attachment means connecting the elongate drain tube to the drain opening allows for the egress or flushing away of any water or debris that may have collected within the tube.