Clamp lock anchor

Abstract

A clamp lock anchor for clamping a reinforcement member during manufacture of pre-stressed concrete component. The clamp lock anchor comprises a barrel having a barrel screw thread engagement feature and a wall which defines a tapered internal cavity. The clamp lock further comprises an end cap comprising: a head; a shoulder which extends away from the head; an end cap screw thread engagement feature for engagement with the barrel screw thread engagement feature. The clamp lock also comprises a clamp assembly comprising: at least two clamp wedges which, when assembled: form a frusto-conical shaped body with a load application end at its widest end; and each wedge defining part of a through passage which provides a clamp surface for receiving the reinforcement member.

1 . A clamp lock anchor for clamping a reinforcement member during manufacture of a pre-stressed concrete component, comprising:
 a barrel including
 a barrel screw thread engagement feature; and 
 a wall that is configured to define a tapered internal cavity extending between
 a first opening having a first diameter at a first end of the barrel; and 
 a second opening at a second end of the barrel, opposite the first end of the barrel, having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter; 
 
   an end cap comprising:
 a head; 
 a shoulder extending longitudinally away from the head; and 
 an end cap screw thread engagement feature for engagement with the barrel screw thread engagement feature, the end cap screw thread engagement feature being provided longitudinally between the head and the shoulder; and 
   a clamp assembly comprising at least two clamp wedges which, when assembled, form a frusto-conical shaped body with a load application end at a widest end of the frusto-conical shaped body, each of the clamp wedges defining part of a through passage which provides a clamp surface for receiving reinforcement member;   the barrel, end cap and clamp assembly being configured to co-operate such that, when the reinforcement member is positioned in the clamp assembly, and the clamp assembly is located in the barrel cavity, the end cap screw thread engagement feature is configured to be rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature such that the end cap shoulder is in direct force communication with the load application end of the clamp assembly to urge the clamp assembly into engagement with the barrel wall, in turn, urging the clamp wedges toward one another to clamp the reinforcement member.   
     
     
         2 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel, end cap and clamp assembly are configured to co-operate such that, the end cap shoulder is in direct contact with the load application end of the clamp assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 1 , wherein a taper angle of the barrel internal cavity and a taper angle of the frusto-conical shaped body are substantially the same as each other. 
     
     
         4 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two clamp wedges are biased towards one another by a resilient member. 
     
     
         5 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 4  wherein the resilient member is located toward one end of the clamp wedges. 
     
     
         6 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the resilient member is a band or resilient material, and   the resilient member is located in a groove provided in the barrel.   
     
     
         7 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 1 , wherein the clamp assembly through passage is provided with at least one tooth that extends radially inwardly and is configured to engage with the reinforcement member positioned in the clamp assembly through passage. 
     
     
         8 . The clamp lock anchor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 two barrels of substantially similar design; and   two clamp assemblies of substantially similar design,   the end cap, comprising:
 two shoulders, a first shoulder extending away from a first side of the head in a longitudinal direction, and a second shoulder extending away from a second and opposite side of the head in the longitudinal direction; and 
 two end cap screw thread engagement features; 
   the barrels, end cap and clamp assemblies being configured to co-operate such that
 a first reinforcement member is positioned in a first one of the two clamp assemblies, and a second reinforcement member is positioned in a second one of the two clamp assemblies; 
 the first one of the two clamp assemblies is positioned in a barrel cavity of the first one of the two barrels, and the second one of the two clamp assemblies is positioned in a barrel cavity of the second one of the two clamp assemblies; 
 a first one of the end cap screw thread engagement features is rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature of the first one of the two barrels; and the second one of the end cap screw thread engagement features is rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature of the second one of the two barrels; 
 such that each of the first and second end cap shoulders transmits force to the load application end of each respective clamp assembly; and 
 each respective clamp assembly is urged into engagement with each respective barrel wall, thereby urging the clamp wedges of each respective clamp assembly toward one another and clamping a respective one of the first and second reinforcement members to thereby link the first and second reinforcement members. 
   
     
     
         9 . A reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus comprising:
 a clamp lock anchor for clamping a reinforcement member during manufacture of a pre-stressed concrete component, comprising:
 a barrel including
 a barrel screw thread engagement feature; and 
 a wall that is configured to define a tapered internal cavity extending between
 a first opening having a first diameter at a first end of the barrel; and 
 a second opening at a second end of the barrel, opposite the first end of the barrel, having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter; 
 
 
 an end cap comprising:
 a head; 
 a shoulder extending longitudinally away from the head; and 
 an end cap screw thread engagement feature for engagement with the barrel screw thread engagement feature, the end cap screw thread engagement feature being provided longitudinally between the head and the shoulder; and 
 
 a clamp assembly comprising at least two clamp wedges which, when assembled, form a frusto-conical shaped body with a load application end at a widest end of the frusto-conical shaped body, each of the clamp wedges defining part of a through passage which provides a clamp surface for receiving the reinforcement member; 
 the barrel, end cap and clamp assembly being configured to co-operate such that, when the reinforcement member is positioned in the clamp assembly, and the clamp assembly is located in the barrel cavity, the end cap screw thread engagement feature is configured to be rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature such that the end cap shoulder is in direct force communication with the load application end of the clamp assembly to urge the clamp assembly into engagement with the barrel wall, in turn, urging the clamp wedges toward one another to clamp the reinforcement member. 
   
     
     
         10 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the barrel, end cap and clamp assembly are configured to co-operate such that, the end cap shoulder is in direct contact with the load application end of the clamp assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a taper angle of the barrel internal cavity and a taper angle of the frusto-conical shaped body are substantially the same as each other. 
     
     
         12 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two clamp wedges are biased toward one another by a resilient member. 
     
     
         13 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the resilient member is located toward one end of the clamp wedges. 
     
     
         14 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein
 the resilient member is a band or resilient material, and   the resilient member is located in a groove provided in the barrel.   
     
     
         15 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the clamp assembly through passage is provided with at least one tooth that is configured to extend radially inwardly to engage with the reinforcement member positioned in the clamp assembly through passage. 
     
     
         16 . The reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 two barrels of substantially similar design; and   two clamp assemblies of substantially similar design,   the end cap comprising:
 two shoulders, a first shoulder extending away from a first side of the head in a longitudinal direction, and a second shoulder extending away from a second and opposite side of the head in the longitudinal direction; and 
 two end cap screw thread engagement features; 
   the barrels, end cap and clamp assemblies being configured to co-operate such that
 a first reinforcement member is positioned in a first one of the two clamp assemblies, and a second reinforcement member is positioned in a second one of the two clamp assemblies; 
 the first one of the two clamp assemblies is positioned in a barrel cavity of the first one of the two barrels, and the second one of the two clamp assemblies is positioned in a barrel cavity of the second one of the two clamp assemblies; 
 a first one of the end cap screw thread engagement features is configured to be rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature of the first one of the two barrels; and the a second one of the end cap screw thread engagement features is configured to be rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature of the second one of the two barrels; 
 such that each end cap shoulder transmits force to the load application end of each respective clamp assembly; and 
 each respective clamp assembly is urged into engagement with each respective barrel wall, thereby urging the clamp wedges of each respective clamp assembly toward one another and clamping a respective one of the first and second reinforcement members to thereby link the first and second reinforcement members. 
   
     
     
         17 . A pre-stressed concrete component manufacturing apparatus comprising:
 a reinforcement member pre-loading apparatus including a clamp lock anchor for clamping a reinforcement member during manufacture of a pre-stressed concrete component, comprising, the clamp lock anchor, comprising:
 two barrels of substantially similar design, each of the two barrels including (1) a barrel screw thread engagement feature, and (2) a wall that is configured to define a tapered internal cavity extending between a first opening having a first diameter at a first end of the barrel, and a second opening at a second end of the barrel, opposite the first end of the barrel, having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter; and 
 two clamp assemblies of substantially similar design each of the two clamp assemblies including at least two clamp wedges that, when assembled, form a frusto-conical shaped body with a load application end at a widest end of the frusto-conical shaped body, each of the clamp wedges defining part of a through passage that provides a clamp surface for receiving the respective reinforcement member; and 
 an end cap comprising:
 a head; 
 two shoulders, a first shoulder extending away from a first side of the head in a longitudinal direction, and a second shoulder extending away from a second and opposite side of the head in the longitudinal direction, and 
 first and second end cap screw thread engagement features, the first and second end cap screw thread engagement features being provided longitudinally between the head and the respective first shoulder and second shoulder, 
 
 the barrels, end cap and clamp assemblies being configured to co-operate such that
 a first reinforcement member is positioned in a first one of the two clamp assemblies, and a second reinforcement member is positioned in a second one of the two clamp assemblies; 
 the first one of the two clamp assemblies is positioned in a barrel cavity of the first one of the two barrels, and the second one of the two clamp assemblies is positioned in a barrel cavity of the second one of the two clamp assemblies; 
 a first one of the end cap screw thread engagement features is configured to be rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature of the first one of the two barrels; and the a second one of the end cap screw thread engagement features is configured to be rotatable along the barrel screw thread engagement feature of the second one of the two barrels; 
 such that each end cap shoulder transmits force to the load application end of each respective clamp assembly; and 
 
 each respective clamp assembly is urged into engagement with each respective barrel wall, thereby urging the clamp wedges of each respective clamp assembly toward one another and clamping a respective one of the first and second reinforcement members to thereby link the first and second reinforcement members.