Inverted Grout Tube with Angled Fill Spout

Abstract

An inverted elongated ovalized cylindrical grout tube has reinforcing ribs to retain the tube in position in a pre-cast concrete member and to provide added strength to the grout/structural rod connection as it hardens so as to provide greater strength to a pre-cast concrete wall. The upper end of the grout tube has an integrated bellows-like connector that extends between the inverted grout tube and a grout fill spout which is capable of creating any of a number of angles between the grout tube and the fill spout to provide for the easy flow of grout into the tube from a point external to the pre-cast concrete wall.

1 . An elongated ovalized 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 ovalized hollow tubular body having a plurality of reinforcing ribs formed into the tubular body with each of said reinforcing ribs having an elongated upper shoulder for inward deflection of a structural rod and an integrated bellows-like connector at the distal end of the tubular body for connecting said tube member to a fill spout, said fill spout extending away from the cylindrical tube member toward an exterior surface of the concrete panel or form. 
     
     
         2 . The elongated ovalized cylindrical tube member of  claim 1 , wherein the ovalized body and the plurality of reinforcing ribs structurally anchor said tube member within the concrete panel or form and prevent the tube from rotating within and pulling out of its position in the concrete panel or form, and further act to hold a grout-like hardening substance introduced into the tube member in position so that the grout will not easily move inward or outward from said tube member. 
     
     
         3 . The elongated ovalized cylindrical tube member of  claim 1  wherein, the integrated bellows-like connector seamlessly connects the tube member with the fill spout allowing for modification of the angle between a line extending coextensively along the central axis of the tube member and a line extending coextensively along the central axis of the fill spout. 
     
     
         4 . The elongated ovalized cylindrical tube member of  claim 3  wherein, said angle between the central axis of the tube member and the central axis of the fill spout can be varied depending upon the placement of the tube member closer to or farther away from a sidewall of the concrete panel or form. 
     
     
         5 . The elongated ovalized cylindrical tube member of  claim 1  wherein, the upper shoulder of each of the reinforcing ribs is angled inward at an angle suitable to deflect any structural rod inward toward the center of the grout tube. 
     
     
         6 . A tube member for use as a connection device joining pre-cast concrete panels or forms, said tube member comprising an integral elongate, imperforate, and hollow tubular body of a smoothly curved generally non-cylindrical cross-section, said tube member having an outer wall including concrete-engaging circumferential corrugations propagating along the length of said body with each of said circumferential corrugations having an elongated upper shoulder for inward deflection of a structural rod, an inner wall including grout-engaging circumferential corrugations propagating along the length of said body, a proximal open end, and an integrated bellows-like connector at its distal end for connecting said tube member to a fill spout, said fill spout extending away from the tube member toward an exterior surface of the concrete panel or form. 
     
     
         7 . The tube member of  claim 6  wherein, the integrated bellows-like connector seamlessly connects the tube member with the fill spout allowing for modification of the angle between a line extending coextensively along the central axis of the tubular body and a line extending coextensively along the central axis of the fill spout. 
     
     
         8 . The tube member of  claim 7  wherein, said angle between the central axis of the tube member and the central axis of the fill spout can be varied depending upon the placement of the tube member closer to or farther away from a sidewall of the concrete panel or form. 
     
     
         9 . The tube member of  claim 6  wherein, the upper shoulder of each of the concrete-engaging circumferential corrugations is angled inward at an angle suitable to deflect any structural rod inward toward the center of the grout tube. 
     
     
         10 . A structural interconnection comprising a lower concrete member, an upper concrete member resting on top of the lower concrete member, and a connection device joining the members together, said connection device including an integral elongate, imperforate, and hollow tubular body of a smoothly curved generally non-cylindrical cross-section embedded in the bottom of the upper concrete member with said tubular body having a bottom open end facing the lower concrete member and a structural rod embedded in the lower concrete member, said rod extending upwardly through said bottom open end of said tubular body; said tubular body having an outer wall including concrete-engaging circumferential corrugations propagating along the length of said body with each of said circumferential corrugations having an elongated upper shoulder for inward deflection of a structural rod, an inner wall including grout-engaging circumferential corrugations propagating along the length of said body and an integrated bellows-like connector at its distal end for connecting said tubular body to a fill spout, said fill spout extending away from the tubular body toward an exterior surface of the upper concrete member; concrete in the upper member extending over and around said concrete-engaging corrugations surrounding said tubular body; a grout-like hardening substance introduced into the tubular body through said fill spout filling the interior of said tubular body and extending into said grout-engaging corrugations and surrounding the structural rod in the interior of said tubular body to form the connection. 
     
     
         11 . The tubular body of  claim 10  wherein, the integrated bellows-like connector seamlessly connects the tube member with the fill spout allowing for modification of the angle between a line extending coextensively along the central axis of the tubular body and a line extending coextensively along the central axis of the fill spout. 
     
     
         12 . The tubular body of  claim 11  wherein, said angle between the central axis of the tubular body and the central axis of the fill spout can be varied depending upon the placement of the tubular body closer to or farther away from a sidewall of the concrete member. 
     
     
         13 . The tubular body of  claim 10  wherein, the upper shoulder of each of the concrete-engaging circumferential corrugations is angled inward at an angle suitable to deflect any structural rod inward toward the center of the grout tube.