Concrete reinforcement
AssigneeStanley Wire Limited
InventorChristopher Ward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A concrete reinforcement structure 100 for making a reinforced concrete foundation horizontal beam upright or vertical column comprises a square or rectangular helical coil 101 which is manufactured in a compacted length form and can be pulled out under tension to an extended length, secured within formwork or a trench, and supplemented with additional supporting bars or rods 102-105 prior to having concrete poured into the formwork to form a reinforced concrete foundation or horizontal beam structure. The reinforcement structure can be manufactured on site or can be pre-manufactured in a factory and transported to a construction site.
Claims9
A reinforcing member for a concrete structure, said reinforcing member comprising:
- an elongate drawn wire formed into a four-sided tubular helical member;
- said helical member having a number n of 360° turns;
- each turn having a first width w1 and a second width w2;
- each turn as viewed in a direction along a main central length axis of said helical member comprising four lengths substantially in the form of a rectangle or a square;
- wherein each single 360° turn of the helical member comprises a first upper member, a first side member, a lower member, and a second side member, wherein the first upper member is connected to the first side member by a first corner portion, the first side member is connected to the lower member by a second corner portion, the lower member is connected to the second side member by a third corner portion, and the second side member is connected to the second upper member by a fourth corner portion;
- said helical member being manufactured in a first compacted state in which said plurality of turns are compacted along a main length axis of said helical member to a first overall length L1;
- and
- said helical member being capable of adopting an expanded state in which said helical member expands in a direction along said main length axis of said member to a second length L2;
- said helical member having a resilient shape memory which causes the helical member to adopt a contracted, as manufactured state when said member is not under tension such that each turn lies in contact with an adjacent turn;
- wherein in an expanded in-use condition, the plurality of turns of the helical member automatically space out substantially equidistantly between adjacent turns with a substantially constant pitch p by applying tension between a first turn of said reinforcing member located at or near a first end of said reinforcing member and a second turn of said reinforcing member located at or near a second end of said reinforcing member;
- wherein in an expanded in-use condition, the pitch p between adjacent successive turns is in the distance range of 4 cm to 15 cm;
- wherein the helical member forms a tunnel being square or rectangular at any location along the length of the tunnel looking in a direction tangential to a centreline;
- and
- a radius of curvature of an innermost periphery of each corner portion of the helical member is in the range of 0.5 cm to 5 cm;
- wherein the wire has a carbon content in the range of 0.04% to 0.20% by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.