Pulling iron pocket, lid and shield

Abstract

A pocket, lid and shield for casting a pulling iron in a concrete structure are described. The pocket includes a slot reinforced with stiffening members for receiving the pulling iron. The pocket also includes a frangible support post for supporting the pulling iron when it is received in the pocket. Also described are embodiments of a shield, which include clipping members adapted to engage the stiffening members, for covering the slot, and a lid having a lip for engaging a peripheral groove in the pocket. Methods of over-molding a pulling iron cable are also described. According to the methods, a temporary seal, which can be used in over-molding a subsequent pulling iron cable, can be formed simultaneously with each over-molded product. During molding, the cable can be held in the center of a channel in the mold tool using a retractable magnetic pin.

1 . A system for recessing a pulling iron in a concrete structure, the system comprising: 
 a pulling iron pocket comprising a shell having a bottom, an inside and an outside, the inside defining an open cavity,    the bottom having a substantially rectangular slot for receiving the pulling iron, and stiffening members on at least two sides of the slot; and    a shield for covering the slot and supporting the pulling iron when it is received in the slot, the shield comprising a substantially flat plate and at least two clipping members for engaging the stiffening members, each clipping member having a gripping finger extending transversely from a post that extends upwardly from the plate.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the shield is integrally molded with over-molded insulation around the pulling iron.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the shield is distinct from any insulation molded around the pulling iron and wherein the shield comprises two flaps connected by at least one bridge, the flaps being foldable toward one another and around the pulling iron to form the substantially flat plate.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the pulling iron pocket further comprises a support post extending from the inside of the shell into the cavity for supporting the pulling iron when it is received in the slot.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a lid for closing the cavity, the lid having a lip for engaging a groove in the periphery of the shell.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the stiffening members comprise lateral walls extending upwardly from the bottom of the pocket and the clipping members comprise lateral clips with a sloped surface for biasing the lateral clips inwardly when the lateral clips are pushed through the slot.  
   
   
       7 . A method of over-molding a pulling iron cable, the method comprising the steps of: 
 molding one or more temporary sealing rings;    applying the temporary sealing rings onto the pulling iron cable to be molded;    crushing the temporary sealing ring between the pulling iron cable and a mold tool to substantially form a seal between the inside of the tool and outside the tool;    simultaneously forming a coating on the pulling iron cable and one or more additional temporary sealing rings by injecting plastic into the tool.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the steps of repeating the crushing step with the additional temporary sealing rings and another pulling iron cable to be molded and repeating the injecting step.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of holding the pulling iron cable in the center of a channel in the tool using a magnetic pin.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of automatically retracting the magnetic pin out of the channel when pressure inside the tool reaches a pre-selected level.  
   
   
       11 . An over-molded pulling iron produced according to the process of  claim 7 .  
   
   
       12 . An over-molded pulling iron produced by a process comprising the steps of: 
 holding a pulling iron cable in the center of a channel in a molding tool using a magnetic pin extending into the channel;    injecting plastic into the channel to form a coating around the pulling iron cable, the coating being initially interrupted by the magnetic pin;    automatically retracting the magnetic pin when pressure within the channel reaches a pre-selected level, thereby allowing plastic to fill a void left by the retracted pin to provide an uninterrupted coating.