Method and apparatus for sealing an intermediate anchorage of a post-tension system

Abstract

An intermediate anchorage for a post-tension system including an anchor member, a tendon extending through an interior passageway of the anchor and a sleeve formed of a heat shrink material and extending over the unsheathed portion of the tendon. The sleeve is affixed in heat sealed compressive contact with a surface of the anchor member and with an exterior surface of the sheathed portion so as to maintain the unsheathed portion in a liquid-tight environment. The sleeve can be a tubular member, a split tubular member or a wrapping material. The anchor member is an encapsulated anchor having a tubular extension extending outwardly therefrom such that the sleeve is secured in sealed compressive contact with the tubular extension.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An intermediate anchorage for a post-tension system comprising: 
 an anchor member having an interior passageway extending therethrough;    a tendon extending through said interior passageway of said anchor, said tendon having a sheathed portion and an unsheathed portion extending outwardly from at least one side of said anchor member; and    a first sleeve formed of a heat shrink material, said first sleeve received at one end by said anchor member and extending over said unsheathed portion of said tendon extending outwardly of said anchor, said first sleeve having another end extending over said sheathed portion of said tendon, said first sleeve being in heat sealed compressive contact with a surface of said anchor and with an exterior surface of said sheathed portion.    
     
     
         2 . The anchorage of  claim 1 , said anchor having a tubular member extending outwardly therefrom, said first sleeve being in heat sealed compressive contact with said tubular member of said anchor.  
     
     
         3 . The anchorage of  claim 1 , said tendon having a sheathed portion and an unsheathed portion extending outwardly from an opposite side of said anchor member, the anchorage further comprising: 
 a second sleeve formed of a heat shrink material, said second sleeve extending over said unsheathed portion of said tendon extending outwardly from said opposite side of said anchor member, said second sleeve being in heat sealed compressive contact with a surface of said anchor member and with an exterior surface of said sheathed portion of said tendon extending outwardly from said opposite side.    
     
     
         4 . The anchorage of  claim 3 , said anchor member having a cap affixed thereto and extending outwardly therefrom, said cap having an opening through which said tendon passes, said second sleeve being in heat sealed compressive contact with an exterior surface of said cap.  
     
     
         5 . The anchorage of  claim 1 , said first sleeve being in liquid-tight relationship with said surface of said anchor member and with said sheathed portion of said tendon.  
     
     
         6 . The anchorage of  claim 3 , said second sleeve being in liquid-tight relationship with said surface of said anchor member and with said exterior surface of said sheathed portion of said tendon.  
     
     
         7 . The anchorage of  claim 1 , said first sleeve being a split tubular member having a single split extending longitudinally therealong, said split tubular member having a sealing means formed for joining edges of said split tubular member together around said sheathed and said unsheathed portions of said tendon.  
     
     
         8 . The anchorage of  claim 7 , said single split of said split tubular member having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, said first longitudinal edge being in overlapping relationship with an exterior surface of said split tubular member adjacent said second longitudinal edge of said split tubular member.  
     
     
         9 . The anchorage of  claim 1 , said first sleeve being a wrapping wrapped around said unsheathed portion and said sheathed portion and the surface of said anchor member.  
     
     
         10 . The anchorage of  claim 1 , said anchor member being an encapsulated anchor having a tubular extension extending outwardly from one side of said anchor member, said tendon extending through said tubular extension, said one end of said first sleeve being affixed in heat sealed liquid-tight relationship with said tubular extension.  
     
     
         11 . A method of sealing an intermediate anchorage in a post-tension system comprising: 
 extending a tendon through an interior passageway of the intermediate anchorage;    stressing said tendon such that an unsheathed portion of said tendon extends outwardly of one side of the intermediate anchorage;    positioning a sleeve over a sheathed portion of said tendon and over said unsheathed portion of said tendon and over a surface of said intermediate anchorage; and    heating said sleeve such that said sleeve reduces in diameter so as to be in contact with a surface of said sheathed portion and said surface of said intermediate anchorage.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of: 
 stripping a sheathing from said tendon in an area adjacent said intermediate anchorage so as to form said unsheathed portion.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , said one side of said intermediate anchorage having a tubular opening through which said tendon extends, the step of positioning further comprising the step of: 
 sliding said sleeve along said tendon and onto said tubular opening such that said sleeve resides over said sheathed portion and said unsheathed portion of said tendon.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of: 
 forming a sleeve of a heat shrink material such that said sleeve reduces in diameter but not in length upon the application of heat thereto.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , said step of forming said sleeve comprising: 
 forming said sleeve so as to have a split between a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge thereof.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , said step of positioning comprising: 
 separating said first longitudinal edge from said second longitudinal edge; and    sliding said tendon between said first longitudinal edge and said second longitudinal edge such that said unsheathed portion resides interior of said sleeve.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , said step of positioning further comprising: 
 sealing said first longitudinal edge in overlapping relationship with a surface of said sleeve adjacent said second longitudinal edge.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , said step of positioning comprising: 
 wrapping a heat shrink material around said sheathed portion and said unsheathed portion and said surface of said intermediate anchorage, said heat shrink material being wrapped in overlapping relationship so as to form said sleeve.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , said step of stressing comprising the step of stressing said tendon such that said unsheathed portion extends outwardly at an opposite end of said intermediate anchorage, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 positioning another sleeve over another surface of said intermediate anchorage and over said unsheathed portion; and    heat sealing said another sleeve onto another sheathed portion of said tendon and onto said another surface of said intermediate anchorage.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of: 
 forming said intermediate anchorage so as to have a cap member affixed thereto, said tendon extending through said cap member, said another surface of said intermediate anchorage being a surface of said cap.