US2328155A - Expansion joint - Google Patents

Description

Aug, 31, 1943. R6. LE TOURNEAU 2,328,155 EXPANSION JOINT Filed0ct. 25, 1941 L LU-ELL- INVENTOR E. G. Le7burneaa Patented Aug. 31, 1943 EXPANSION JOINT Robert G. Le Tournau, Peoria,- Ill., assignor'to R. G, Le Toumcau, Inc., a corporation PPlication October 25, l94l, 's erial No. 416,515 V 1Claim. (01.9440) Thisinvention comprises improvements in expansion joints, and in particulatthe invention is directed to a unique expansion joint for use between sections of concrete in floors, ,sidewalks, curbs or the like, to prevent cracking of the sections upon expansionbeyond normal dimensions and to enclose thegap between sections et all times and especially upon contraction to dimensions below said normal.

The principal object of the invention is to provide en expansion joint which in itseif is sclid and relatively non-expansibie, being constructed preferably of metal but arranged t permit of free expansion or contraction cf adjacent concrete sections While at all cimes maintaining the expansion gap covered.

,Another object of the invention is to provide, in noirel assembly, a permanent form for concrete slabs, and expansion joints, the latter initially functioning as form members.

An additional object is to provide a novelcombination which comprises adjacent concrete slabs or sections and a joint in the form of an I-beam connecting the same; the flanges of the beam overhanging adjacent edges of said sections and -adjacent; ends of said sections being normally spaced from the beam web.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. method of constructing a concrete floor or the like which comprises the steps of establishng a iorm which includes spaced parallel I-beams disposed With the beam flanges horizontal, and then pouring fresh concrete into the form and entirely filling the space between said flanges.

A turther object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These chicots I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fuliy appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawing similar characters of reference -indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1:is aplan view of the combination permanent form and expansion joints, a portion only of the form being filled With concrete.

Figure 2 is a ragmentary sectionai elevation, showing a concrete slab in the combination form immediately after pouring.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the retraction of adjacent ends cf adjacent slabs from the Web of the intermediate expansion joint.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a curb, partly in section, illustrating the invention as Larranged for use as a curb expansion joint.

Figure 5 is' a cross-section on Fig. 4.

jReferririg now more particuiariy tb characters of reference on the draWing, and particularly at prsent to thembodinient shownin Figs; 1-3, inclusive, ofthe drawing, thisembodi-' ment discloses the combination"in unitary assembly cf the permanent "formandjexpansion joints. This .ssembl' comprises a bordering forin for a floor area or the like, the bordering members l being connected together at adjacent ends and being of I-beam configuration in cross section,

With the beam web 2 disposed vertically.- This bordering form is disposed on the ground G, v which has previously been prepared and leveled,-

and a multiplicity of downturned hooks 3 project laterally inwardly from the webs 2 in a substantially horizontal plane some distance above the ground.

A plurality of I-beams 4 which initially serve as form members and subsequently as expansion joints, as wil1 hereinaftr appear, are rigidly connected to each other and to the bordering form in such relation as to provide rectangular sections 5 Within the form; these I-beams 4 being disposed in the same plane as the form and With their webs 9 vertical.

The members comprising the combination bordering form and expansion joints are preferabiy connected together at points of abutment by weiding.

When the combination bordering form and expansion joints is in place, each section 5 is poured With fresh concrete to produce a slab 6; the

fresh concrete when poured entirely filling the space between the upper and lower flanges 1 and 8 of the adjacent I-beams and extending into full contact With the beam webs 9 thereof,

As the concrete dries and sets there is a temperature loss resulting in slightcontraction of the slab which causes the edge portion of the same t0 pull away a short distance from the web 9 of the adjacent expansion joints, leaving a space I0 therebetween, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. As the edge portions of the slab retract from webs 9 With setting of the concrete, said edges also retract relative to the fianges 1 and 8, leaving depressions Il beyond the side edges of said flanges.

With the expansion joint disposed as above, and after setting of the concrete, the slabs 6 can either expand or retract from normal, being substantiaily fulfil1s the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth indetaii the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resortedto as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended daim.

HaVng thusdescribedmy invention, What I "daim 'asnew" and useful and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent is:

A combination permanent form and.expansion jont -fer a pluraiity of rectangular concrete slabs,

expansion joint is here designed *particulafly for use in connection with sideWal-k ourbe-or simiiar structures. The curb type expansion joint inc1udes a vertical plate or web l2 of substantialiy the cross sectona] configuration ofthejcufb l'3; such web having a transverse fiange I4 exteriding across the top of the weband down both sides thereof to groundlvel G1,1thisfiange'prs jecting some distancgbrid bbth sds'f sad web.

The above embodiment functions in thejsafne mannr "as previos'ly -described, the freshly therfrom 'when the concrete sets, the flange 14 at an tir'nes covering and ;rtecting thegap between adjacent setions ofthe curb.

From the foregoing description it W11 be readilyseen that I have produced such a device as comprising a rigid bordering frame rectangular n' pian, said frame'being of a height equal to theihi kness of the s1abs to be formed therein,

ap1urality ofexpansion joints rigidiy and permanently connected with said bordering frame, separating the area within the latter into a plualityof rectangular slab receiving sections, the frame' bordering atleast one edge c f each s1ab poured' in said setions, and a (p1ura1ity or longit11dinaily space'd anChoring elements rigid with and projecting 'inwa1diyfrom the bordering frame intermdiace the top and battom theref Wherby to anchor the s1abs atsaid edges to the bor'deringrame; sazd joints-:being' I-beams arranged to freely receve, in the.opposed channels thereof, the remaining dges ofthe slabs.

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