Adjustable and reusable anchoring system

Abstract

An anchoring template for positioning anchor bolts used at a pouring site in concrete pouring operations is provided. The anchoring template includes a rail assembly defining a two-dimensional grid, and an intersection bolt socket slidably connectable to the rail assembly to enable adjusting a position of the intersection bolt socket in the two-dimensional grid. The intersection bolt socket has a hole defined through a thickness thereof to receive an anchor bolt. The anchoring template also includes a centering bolt socket connectable to the rail assembly in the center of a given rail. The centering bolt socket has a centering hole defined therethrough and configured to receive a centered anchor bolt. Fasteners are provided and configured to extend through the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and respective rails to secure these components in position relative to each other and the pouring site during the concrete pouring operations.

1 . An anchoring template for positioning anchor bolts relative to each other and within a formwork for pouring concrete, the anchoring template comprising:
 a rail assembly comprising a first set of rails extending in a first direction and a second set of rails extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction, such that the rail assembly defines a two-dimensional grid above the formwork;   a plurality of bolt sockets, each bolt socket having a bolt housing connectable to at least one rail in the two-dimensional grid, each bolt housing having a hole defined therethrough for receiving an anchor bolt;   supports configured to maintain the rail assembly and the plurality of bolt sockets elevated and/or spaced from a support structure to enable the anchor bolts to extend through the bolt sockets such that a portion of each anchor bolt extends below the rail assembly and the bolt sockets and into the formwork, and such that another portion of each anchor bolt extends above the rail assembly and the bolt sockets; and   fasteners adapted to extend through the bolt sockets and the rails in order to secure each bolt socket in position relative to the rail assembly, thereby securing the anchor bolts in position in the two-dimensional grid and within the formwork as concrete is poured within the formwork to embed the anchor bolts therein.   
     
     
         2 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt sockets comprise intersection sockets slidably connectable to a pair of rails including a rail of the first set of rails and a rail of the second set of rails, each bolt housing of the intersection sockets being slidable along corresponding pairs of rails to enable adjusting a position of the corresponding intersection socket. 
     
     
         3 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt housing comprises one or more housing channels defined along the bolt housing and configured to receive respective rails of the rail assembly therein. 
     
     
         4 . The anchoring template of  claim 3 , wherein the bolt housing of the intersection sockets comprises a pair of housing channels extending across the bolt housing transversely relative to each other, thereby defining an intersection point. 
     
     
         5 . The anchoring template of  claim 4 , wherein the pair of housing channels enable the pair of rails to overlap one another when positioned in respective housing channels. 
     
     
         6 . The anchoring template of  claim 5 , wherein each rail comprises a slot defined through a thickness thereof, and wherein the slots are adapted to overlap each other and the intersection point to allow the fastener to extend therethrough for securing the bolt socket in position relative to the rails. 
     
     
         7 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the rails include a centering hole defined at a center thereof, and wherein the bolt sockets comprise centering sockets securable to the centering hole of a corresponding rail in order to have a hole and anchor bolt positioned at the center of the rail. 
     
     
         8 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , wherein the rails comprise graduated markers defined at regular intervals along their lengths, and wherein the bolt housings comprise positional indicators adapted to align with one of the graduated markers in order to have the bolt housing be in a known position relative to the rail. 
     
     
         9 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , wherein the bolt housing is manually slidable along each rail of the pair of rails, and wherein the fastener is manually operable to secure the bolt socket and the pair of rails together. 
     
     
         10 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , wherein the supports include a plurality of legs removably connectable to the rail assembly, each leg having a proximal end connectable to one rail of the rail assembly and a distal end adapted to engage the support structure. 
     
     
         11 . The anchoring template of  claim 10 , wherein the support structure corresponds to at least one of a ground surface, the formwork, steel profiles, steel supports and wooden supports. 
     
     
         12 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , further comprising bolt adapters configured to engage the hole of the bolt housing, each bolt adapter having an inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the hole to enable connection of smaller anchor bolts to the bolt housing. 
     
     
         13 . The anchoring template of  claim 12 , wherein the hole of the bolt housing includes an inner protrusion, and wherein each bolt adapter includes an adapter head having a flange adapted to abut against a top surface of the bolt housing, and further includes adapter legs extending from the adapter head and adapted to engage the hole and hook onto the inner protrusion to connect the bolt adapter to the bolt housing. 
     
     
         14 . The anchoring template of  claim 1 , further comprising surveying equipment configured to dynamically monitor the location of the components of the anchoring template before, during and after the concrete is poured within the formwork. 
     
     
         15 . An anchoring template for positioning anchor bolts used at a pouring site in concrete pouring operations, the anchoring template comprising:
 a rail assembly comprising a plurality of rails intersecting one another to define a two-dimensional grid;   an intersection bolt socket slidably connectable to at least two rails of the rail assembly to enable adjusting a position of the intersection bolt socket in the two-dimensional grid, the intersection bolt socket having a hole defined through a thickness thereof and configured to receive an anchor bolt therethrough;   a centering bolt socket connectable to a given rail of the rail assembly in a center thereof, the centering bolt socket having a centering hole defined through a thickness thereof and configured to receive a centered anchor bolt therethrough; and   fasteners adapted to extend through the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and respective rails to secure the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket, the anchor bolt and the centered anchor bolt in position relative to the rail assembly and/or the pouring site during the concrete pouring operations.   
     
     
         16 . The anchoring template of  claim 15 , further comprising supports configured to stabilize and maintain the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket elevated and/or spaced from a support structure to enable the anchor bolt and the centered anchor bolt to extend through respective bolt sockets such that a portion of the anchor bolts extends below the rail assembly and the bolt sockets to be embedded in concrete. 
     
     
         17 . The anchoring template of  claim 16 , wherein the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket are removably connectable to the anchor bolt and the centered anchor bolt, such that, following the concrete pouring operations at a first pouring site, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket can be disconnected from embedded anchor bolts to enable removal of the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the supports from the first pouring site, and wherein the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the supports are re-usable at a second pouring site. 
     
     
         18 . The anchoring template of  claim 15 , wherein the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the supports are manually connectable to one another, and wherein the fastener is manually operable to secure the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the rails together. 
     
     
         19 . The anchoring template of  claim 15 , wherein the support structure corresponds to at least one of a ground surface, a formwork, steel profiles, steel supports and wooden supports. 
     
     
         20 . The anchoring template of  claim 15 , wherein the supports include support legs adapted to be secured to the support structure to prevent movement of the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket before, during and after the concrete is poured.