Flange connector

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved flange connector 10 for adjoining adjacent concrete structural members 12. The flange connector 10 is a one-piece steel member having a faceplate 18, opposing faceplate returns 22, flattening bends 24, embedded legs 26 and reinforcing tabs 28. To allow the faceplate 18 to expand during welding, the opposing faceplate returns 22 extend away from the faceplate 18 at approximately ninety degree (90°) angles. The embedded legs 26 then extend from the faceplate returns 22 by way of flattening bends 24 that span between the embedded legs 26 and the faceplate returns 22. The flattening bends 24 extend away from the faceplate returns 22 at an angle that allows the embedded legs 26 to be positioned in a plane substantially parallel to the horizontal surface of the concrete structural members 12. To allow the flange connector 10 to flex in both the upward and downward directions, one flattening bend 24 extends from the upper portion of a faceplate return 22 and the opposing flattening bend 24 extends from the lower portion of the faceplate return 22. The length of the flattening bends 24 are such that one embedded leg 26 can be positioned above and one embedded leg 26 can be positioned below the reinforced mesh 30 in the concrete structural member 12. Reinforcing tabs 28 having holes 29 extend from the embedded legs 26 so that a reinforced steel bar 32 can be flexed through the reinforcing tabs 28 to mechanically tie the flange connector 10 to the mesh 30.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.