US2142294A - Doweled expansion joint installer - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1939. J. WESTLAND 2,142,294

I DOWELED EXPANSION JOINT INSTALLER -Filed'Maroh 15, 1935 3 sheetssheet 1 'Jan'. 3, 1939. 1.. J. WESTLAND I 4 4. DQWELED EXPANSION JOINT INSTALLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mm K m L. J. WESTLAND DOWELED EXPANSION JOINT INSTALLER,

Jan. 3, 1939.

Y Filed March 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 15,

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus used in the construction of concrete roads, pavements, and streets. It has particular reference to the laying of concrete roads and pavements whether 5 streets or sidewalks. Present practice requires that the installation be provided with expansion joints at appropriately spaced intervals and the common practice is to provide such expansion joints with dowels or pins that extend into the material being laid to provide a secure anchorage for the material of the expansion joints, which material is generally of some compressible substance that is capable of providing a cushioning effect to compensate the expansive movement of the material from which the road, street, or pavement is constructed.

In the majority of installations at the present time, the strip of material forming the expansion joint and its associated dowel pin is staked in position in the roadbed or subgrade and the material poured thereover and thereafter hardened and set with the expansion joint and dowel in proper position embedded in the material. These expansion strips or joints extend across the entire width of the road or street and are positioned in perpendicular relationship to the longitudinal center line of the roadbed. Under the present practice it is generally the custom to have the concrete mixer and spreader travel along the subgrade and obviously, in such cases, the expansion joint and dowel assembly cannot be staked in the subgrade until after the mixer machine has passed the point at which the joint is placed. The proper setting and staking of expansion joints of the dowel type requires approximately thirty minutes for an installation under the methods as practiced prior to the advent of this invention. Actually this requires that the progress of the mixer and spreader be held up while the expansion joint is being staked in place and this, of course, materially affects the speed at which the road may be laid. This element of time is an important economic factor.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel method and means for installing expansion joints whereby the joint and its associated dowel structure is assembled at a remote point and positioned as a unit in the subgrade at a desired point immediately following the passage of the main body of the concrete mixing machine, without necessitating the stoppage of the machine as it travels along the subgrade.

Another object is the provision of means for 55 assembling a doweled expansion joint structure 1935, Serial No. 11,335

as a unit at a point remote from its point of location, whereafter it may be positioned as a unit at a desired point in the subgrade.

Another object is the provision of a novel portable frame provided with means for assembling and detachably securing thereon an expansion joint with its associated dowel elements whereby the frame may be carried to the point of installation in the subgrade and the assembled joint structure may be released therefrom and seated in the subgrade as an assembled unit.

Another object is the provision of a portable assembly means for doweled expansion joints wherein the joint structure may be assembled and properly proportioned with respect to the subgrade as a unit before it is placed in service position.

Other objects will be apparent from the description to those skilled inthe art.

The present disclosure constitutes an operative embodiment of a method and means by which my invention may be reduced to practice. It is to be understood that the structural details of this disclosure may be varied as desired within limits not inconsistent with the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portable joint assembly frame as constructed in accordance with this invention, with the joint elements assembled therein as a unit and seated in service position in a subgrade immediately prior to removal of the frame.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical section, in fragmentary illustration, taken on the line 6- 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on the line 1-? of Figure 4. 45

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of an expansion joint strip as used in connection with the apparatus.

In detail, the invention comprises a portable frame consisting of a pair of parallel side bars 9, fashioned at each end with hand grips or handles l0, which members are secured in appropriately spaced relation by a plurality of transversely disposed brace bars ll arranged in parallel spaced relation at each end of the frame and at appropriately spaced points intermediate the ends. The frame is thus of rectangular configuration being elongated in the direction of its longitudinal axis, the effective length of the frame side members being exactly the width of the subgrade between the usual road forms I2 which are positioned along side of the subgrade to provide forms between which the material such as concrete is to be laid.

The frame includes lower side bars I3 attached to the upper side bars by a plurality of external brace members I4. The lower frame side bars I 3 underlie the upper bars 9 and are spaced therefrom by spacer blocks I5. lower side bars I3 is less than the length of the upper side bars and this difference in the relative length provides a seating shoulder by which the upper frame bars at each end may be seated on top of the road form I2 with the lower frame bars I3 depending into the subgrade and abutting the vertical faces of the road form at each end.

At appropriately spaced intervals longitudinally of the frame the respective side bars are provided with internal lateral substantially U-shaped brackets I6, arranged as opposed pairs whereof the legs are bolted or otherwise attached to the adjacent inner faces of the respective upper and lower side bars of the frame and having flat vertically disposed bight portions I! that are vertically slotted to provide for the vertical sliding adjustment therein of bolt stems I8 anchored in a pair of vertically adjustable supporting bars I9, one of which is adjacent each side of the main frame and supported on the respectively adjacent bight portions of the brackets I 6. The bolt stems l8 are provided with the usual securing nuts 20 threaded over their ends whereby the supports l9 may be vertically adjusted with respect to their holding brackets I6 as illustrated in Figure 6.

As best illustrated in Figure 1, these vertically adjustable supporting bars I9 extend the entire length of the frame between the end braces II and they are respectively arranged in parallel relationship spaced apart a distant suflicient to accommodate the reception therebetween of the conventional expansion joint dowels 2|.

A stop plate 22 is positioned between one of the support bars I9 and the adjacent bight of its carrying bracket I6. This plate extends beneath the support bar to provide an abutment or stop means for the end of the dowel rods 2I, which rods, when the joint elements are assembled within the frame, have their ends seated within receiving notches 23 in the bottom face of the support bar at intervals appropriately spaced longitudinally of the bar to meet the spacing distance requirement of the dowel rods employed in the joint structure. At the opposite side of the frame the lower frame member I3 is provided in its upper face with a plurality of dowel rod guide recesses 24 that are in registry with the receiving notches 23 transversely of the frame. It is to be noted that the brackets I6 are so positioned that they are not in registry with these dowel rod receiving and guiding notches.

Each of the support bars I9 is provided on its inner face with a manually operable latch means for releasably engaging the dowel rods whereby they may be connected to the frame and restrained therein in proper service position while the frame is being carried from place to place. This latching means, in each instance, comprises a longitudinally disposed latch rod 25 that ex- The length of the r tends the entire length of its adjacent support bar I9 and which is provided at one end of the frame between the handle portions I3 with an actuator handle 26 whereby the latch rods may be reciprocated through appropriately spaced guides formed by the bight portions of U-bolts 2I anchored in the respective support bars. These U-bolts 21 also provide a securing means for the plate 22. Each of the latch bars 25 is provided with a plurality of keeper members 28 arranged to engage beneath the dowel rods as the latch bar is moved inwardly with respect to the frame to accomplish a connection of the parts. These keepers 28 are of the one way engaging type and cooperate with the latch bar to secure the dowel rod against vertical displacement within the frame when the bar is moved to latching position.

The bottom edge of each of the transverse braces II is provided with a substantially semicircular centering recess in the longitudinal axis of the frame. These recesses 29 are in registry and the bottom of each recess provides a seat for the substantially U-shaped upper edge 30 of an expansion joint holder 3I comprising a vertically disposed plate extending the entire length of the frame between the end braces II and with its bottom edge positioned substantially in the plane of the bottom edges of the lower side frame bars I3. This holder plate 3I is anchored in position within the frame by angle brackets 32 extending between the lower edge of the holder plate and the adjacent transverse braces II, and further by securing bolts 33 securing its top flange 30 to the bottom of each seating recess 29 in the respective braces II. This arrangement provides for a secure anchorage of the holder plate 3I which is thus rigidly secured in the frame in proper vertical position with its substantially U-shaped top flange 30 centrally located in the frame in its longitudinal axis.

Each of the end braces II has mounted thereon an eccentric lever 34 operatively connected with a depending hook 35 which extends beneath the bottom edge of the holder SI for a purpose to be described. The shank of each hook 35 preferably works through an appropriate aperture provided for the purpose in the mounting brace I I.

As shown in Figure 8, the expansion joint element to be installed comprises a strip 36 of suitable compressible material attached in any suitable manner to a seating plate 3'! which provides a backing, therefor and which plate is provided with a substantially U-shaped top flange 38. The backing plate is slotted as at 39 for the reception therein of the dowel rods 2I which pass through holes provided therefor in the strip.

In service the frame is inverted and placed upon appropriate supports at a point remote from the point at which an expansion joint is to be installed in the subgrade. With the frame in this inverted position, the expansion strip 36 with its backing plate 31 is seated in the holder 3| with the top flange 38 of the expansion joint backing plate nested in the U-shaped flange 3D with which the holder is provided. The eccentric levers 34 are then manipulated to cause the hooks 35 to engage beneath the edge of the expansion joint backing plate whereby the strip and its backing plate are securely clamped in seated engagement with the holder 3|. The desired number of dowel rods are then passed transversely through the guide recesses 24 in the frame side bar and they are respectively passed through the expansion joint receiving slots 39 until their ends are received in the notches 23 in the opposite support bar l9 in abutting engagement against the stop plate 22. Following the insertion of the dowel rods the latch bars 25 are moved inwardly with respect to the frame so that the keepers 23 engage the dowel rods to lock them against vertical displacement with respect to the frame. Theusual longitudinal reinforcing elements 40 are then wired to the .dowel rods by the conventional wiring means 4| or by any appropriate securing elements and the proper vertical adjustment of the support bars I9 is then made to secure the desired height of the dowel rod 21 with respect to the subgrade surface 43. This adjustment is made according to predetermined measurements and is obtained at a point remote from the point of installation in the subgrade.

With the parts comprising the expansion joint strip and its associated dowel thus secured as a unit in the frame, the frame is turned over and is carried to the point of installation where it is positioned on the road form as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Before the frame is disengaged from the associated joint structure mounted therein, the dowel rods are staked in the usual manner by the application of holding stakes 44 which in this instance comprise metal stakes having upstruck securing tongues 45 that are adapted to be crimped into holding engagement with the dowel rods as best shown in Figure '7 The expansion joint strip 36 and plate 31 are then stake-d in position by the conventional subgrade stakes 46 after which the eccentric levers 34 are manipulated to release the hook 35 and the latch bars 25 are drawn outwardly of the frame to release the dowel rods 21. The entire frame may then be lifted bodily from its seated engagement on the road form and the assembled expansion joint with its associated dowel rods will remain in proper service position within the subgrade.

Obviously, as the entire assembling of the joint strip and its associated dowel rods, together with all height adjustments is made within the frame at a point remote from the point of installation, the installation can be accomplished in a very short time, within the space of about three minutes, due to the fact that it is merely necessary to seat the frame on the road form at the desired location and to stake down the dowel rods and the expansion joints while the frame is in place. After the staking the frame is removed and the joint elements are in service position.

It will be readily apparent that due to this extremely short space of time the entire expansion joint and dowel structure may be positioned in the subgrade at any desired point without arresting the progress of a mixer that is traveling in the subgrade. As soon as the body of such a machine has passed the joint point, the frame is positioned and the joint is installed before the spreader mouth of the machine has reached the location of the joint. The frame is removed and carried to an advance point where another joint is assembled therein and the assembly is completed before the machine reaches the point of the succeeding joint. The actual service installation of the expansion joint is thus accomplished within a space of approximately three minutes as compared to the period of about thirty minutes required in prior art practice, which prior art practice also necessitates the complete stoppage of the material laying machine during installation. The practice of my invention dispenses entirely with the stoppage of the material laying machine and materially lessens the time of installation, thereby effecting a very material saving in both time and labor. By the use of my apparatus, all adjustments are made prior to setting the frame upon the road form so that all that remains to be done is the mere staking down of the dowel rods and the expansion joint strips.

After the concrete has set sufficiently, the plate 31 is removed leaving the strip 36 properly positioned in the joint.

The use of the apparatus of this invention insures that the joint strip 36 will be positioned accurately at a right angle to the center line of the road, and in a true perpendicular to the subgrade, with all dowel rods properly spaced parallel to the finished surface and to its center line.

I claim:

1. Expansion joint installing apparatus comprising a portable frame, a plate mounted therein and extending throughout substantially the longitudinal center thereof, a flange on said plate and extending laterally from one edge thereof, releasable hooks in said frame and adapted to extend over another edge of said plate tocooperate with said flange in retaining an expansion joint strip on the plate, and means in the frame for supporting a plurality of dowel rods in service relation with a joint strip when retained on said plate.

2. Expansion joint installing apparatus comprising a portable frame including parallel side members, means in said frame for supporting an expansion joint strip centrally between said side members and parallel thereto, a support bar carried by each side member longitudinally within the frame, guides on said support bars, a sliding latch on each support bar and reciprocable through said guides, means in each support bar to receive the ends of dowel rods, and said latches being operable to retain dowel rods in the support bar receiving means when disposed therein.

3. In an expansion joint installing apparatus, a portable frame including parallel side members, a support bar carried by each side member longitudinally within the frame, guides on said support bars, a sliding latch on each support bar and reciprocable through said guides, means in each support bar to receive the ends of dowel rods, and said latches being operable to retain dowel rods in the support bar receiving means when disposed therein.

4. Expansion joint installing apparatus comprising a portable frame including parallel side members each consisting of upper and lower side bars connected in parallel spaced relation, means in said frame for supporting an expansion joint strip centrally between said side members and parallel thereto, a support bar carried by each side member longitudinally within the frame, guides on said support bars, a sliding latch on each support bar and reciprocable through said guides, each said support bar being provided in its bottom edge with a longitudinal series of spaced dowel rod receiving recesses horizontally aligned with the space between the upper and lower bars of the frame side members, and said latches being operable to retain dowel rods in said recesses when disposed therein.

5. Expansion joint installing apparatus comprising a portable frame including parallel side members each consisting of spaced parallel upper and lower bars, means in said frame for supporting an expansion joint strip centrally between said side members and parallel thereto, brackets secured to the bars of said frame side members a sliding latch on each support bar and reciprocable through said guides, said support bars each having its under edge recessed at a plurality of points to receive dowel rods therein, and said latches being operable to retain dowel rods in 5 said recesses when disposed therein.

LOUIS J. WESTLAND.

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