Unitized fibrous concrete reinforcement
AssigneePolymer Group, Inc.
InventorsPaul Schmidt, Gene Lamb, David Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a fibrous construct which is used in providing cementitious mixtures supplemental and reinforcing strength upon setting, and more particularly, to a unitized fibrous construct which comprises a plurality of oriented reinforcing fibrous components, wherein the fibrous components can be cut to a predetermined and finite cut length upon formation and remain in a plural parallel form until such point the unitized fibrous substrate is incorporated and subjected to mechanical agitation during preparation of a cementitious blend or mixture.
Claims26
A method of improving the properties of a cementitious mixture, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
- a. providing a cementitious mixture;
- b. providing unitized fibrous constructs, each of said unitized fibrous constructs being comprised of:
- i. two or more reinforcing fibrous components;
- ii. one or more circumferential retaining elements;
- iii. wherein said reinforcing fibrous components are combined in an essentially parallel orientation and said circumferential retaining element extends spirally and circumscribes about an overall circumference described by said combined and essentially parallel reinforcing fibrous components,
- said circumferential retaining element circumscribing no more than 80% of the total circumferential surface area of said unitized fibrous constructs;
- c. adding into said cementitious mixture a quantity of unitized fibrous constructs so as to form a cementitious mixture and unitized fibrous construct blend;
- and
- d. mechanically agitating said cementitious mixture/unitized fibrous construct blend so as to disrupt said circumferential retaining elements and disperse said reinforcing fibrous components into said cementitious mixture.
A method of improving the properties of a cementitious mixture, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
- a. providing a cementitious mixture;
- b. providing unitized fibrous constructs, each of said unitized fibrous constructs being comprised of:
- i. two or more reinforcing fibrous components;
- ii. an interlocking means;
- iii. wherein said reinforcing fibrous components are combined in an essentially parallel orientation and said interlocking means extends spirally and is applied about an overall circumference described by said combined and essentially parallel reinforcing fibrous components,
- said interlocking means comprising no more than 80% of the total circumferential surface area of the unitized fibrous constructs;
- c. adding into said cementitious mixture a quantity of unitized fibrous constructs so as to form a cementitious mixture and unitized fibrous construct blend;
- and
- d. mechanically agitating said cementitious mixture/unitized fibrous construct blend so as to disrupt said interlocking means and disperse said reinforcing fibrous components into said cementitious mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.