Connection System for Concrete Sections

Abstract

A column shoe assembly can include a shoe body including an access opening and a lower rebar opening that defines a connection axis to receive a threaded rebar end. A lower protrusion or a vertical member can extend from shoe body to secure a rebar tie assembly to the shoe body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly for a concrete column, the assembly comprising:
 a first shoe body and a second shoe body, each of the first shoe body and second shoe body defining, respectively:
 an internal cavity that is closed continuously around a rear side and at opposite lateral sides by a rear wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall of the first or second shoe body; 
 a lower wall with a lower rod opening that defines a connection axis and receives a threaded end of a first length of rod into the internal cavity along the connection axis; 
 an upper wall that secures a second length of rod opposite the lower rod opening; 
 an opening that opens into the internal cavity at a front side of the shoe body to provide access to secure the threaded end of the first length of rod within the internal cavity; 
 a first lug protruding from one or more of the first side wall or the rear wall; and 
 a second lug protruding from one or more of the second side wall or the rear wall; and 
   a tie assembly that includes a first tie secured to, and extending between, the first lug of the first shoe body and the second lug of the second shoe body to secure the first and second shoe bodies together.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third shoe body that defines:
 an internal cavity that is closed continuously around a rear side and at opposite lateral sides by a rear wall, a first side wall, and a second wall of the third shoe body; 
 a lower wall with a lower rod opening that defines a connection axis and receives a threaded end of a third length of rod into the internal cavity along the connection axis; 
 an upper wall that secures a fourth length of rod opposite the lower rod opening; 
 an opening that opens into the internal cavity at a front side of the shoe body to provide access to secure the threaded end of the third length of rod within the internal cavity; 
 a first lug protruding from one or more of the first side wall or the rear wall; and 
 a second lug protruding from one or more of the second side wall or the rear wall; 
   wherein the tie assembly further includes a second tie secured to, and extending between, the second lug of the first shoe body and the first lug of the third shoe body to tie the first and third shoe bodies together.   
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein for each of the first shoe body and the second shoe body:
 the first lug is integrally formed with the one or more of the first side wall or the rear wall of the first shoe body; and   the second lug of the first shoe body is integrally formed with the one or more of the second side wall or the rear wall of the first shoe body.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first lug of the first shoe body is a first flattened ear, including a first bore that receives a first bent end of the first tie; and
 wherein the second lug of the second shoe body is a second flattened ear, including a second bore that receives a second bent end of the first tie.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first lug of the first shoe body includes a first bore spaced apart from the connection axis in a first direction to engage the tie assembly;
 wherein the second lug of the first shoe body includes a second bore spaced from the connection axis in a second direction to engage the tie assembly; and   wherein the first direction is angularly offset from the second direction by about 90 degrees.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, as projected onto a plane defined by the opening into the internal cavity of the first shoe body, the first lug of the first shoe body extends laterally to the outside of the first side wall of the first shoe body and the second lug of the first shoe body extends laterally to the outside of the second side wall of the first shoe body. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the upper wall of the first shoe body secures the second length of rod with a threaded connection. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the upper wall of the first shoe body includes a threaded bore that receives one of:
 a threaded end of the second length of rod; or   a threaded adapter that is secured to the second length of rod.   
     
     
         9 . An assembly for a concrete installation, the assembly comprising:
 a first shoe body, a second shoe body, and a third shoe body;   each of the first shoe body, the second shoe body, and the third shoe body including, respectively:
 an enclosed internal cavity; 
 a lower rod opening that receives a threaded end of a corresponding first length of rod into the internal cavity along a connection axis to be secured within the internal cavity; 
 an upper wall that secures a corresponding second length of rod on an opposite side of the enclosed internal cavity from the lower rod opening; 
 a first lug protruding in a first direction away from the connection axis; and 
 a second lug protruding in a second direction away from the connection axis; and 
   a tie assembly that includes:
 a first tie that extends between the first lug of the first shoe body and the second lug of the second shoe body to secure the first and second shoe bodies together; and 
 a second tie that extends between the second lug of the first shoe body and the first lug of the third shoe body to secure the first and third shoe bodies together. 
   
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the concrete installation forms a first corner and the first shoe body is embedded within concrete of the first corner. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a fourth shoe body that includes:
 an internal cavity; 
 a lower rod opening that receives a threaded end of a corresponding first length of rod into the internal cavity along a connection axis to be secured within the internal cavity; 
 an upper wall that secures a corresponding second length of rod on an opposite side of the enclosed internal cavity from the lower rod opening; 
 a first lug protruding in a first direction away from the connection axis; and 
 a second lug protruding in a second direction away from the connection axis; 
   wherein the tie assembly further includes:
 a third tie that extends between the first lug of the second shoe body and the second lug of the fourth shoe body to secure the second and fourth shoe bodies together; and 
 a fourth tie that extends between the second lug of the third shoe body and the first lug of the fourth shoe body to secure the third and fourth shoe bodies together. 
   
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first tie includes a tie rod with a first bent end received into the first lug of the first shoe body and a second bent end received into the second lug of the second shoe body. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first lug of the first shoe body is a first flattened ear, including a first bore that extends in parallel with the connection axis to receive the first bent end; and
 wherein the second lug of the second shoe body is a second flattened ear, including a second bore that extends in parallel with the connection axis to receive the second bent end.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first lug of the first shoe body is a first ear, integrally formed with the first shoe body and including a first bore spaced apart from the connection axis in a first direction to receive the first tie; and
 wherein the second lug of the first shoe body is a second ear, integrally formed with the first shoe body and including a second bore spaced from the connection axis in a second direction to receive the second tie.   
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first direction is angularly offset from the second direction by about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the lower rod opening is formed in a lower wall at a lower end of the first shoe body; and
 wherein, as projected onto a plain perpendicular to the connection axis, the first and second lugs extend wider than the lower wall and the internal cavity along a lateral direction.   
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a concrete column, the method comprising:
 arranging a first shoe body and a second shoe body in a spaced array with:
 internal cavities of the first and second shoe bodies closed continuously around a rear side and at opposite lateral sides by a rear wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall of the respective first or second shoe body; 
 lower rod openings defining connection axes to receive ends of first lengths of rod into the internal cavities; and 
 openings into the internal cavity at front sides of the shoe bodies providing access to the ends of the first lengths of rod within the internal cavities; and 
 first and second lugs extending away from the corresponding connection axis; 
   securing second lengths of rod to upper ends of the first and second shoe bodies;   engaging a tie assembly with the first and second shoe bodies, including:
 securing a first tie to the first lug of the first shoe body and to the second lug of the second shoe body to extend between, and secure together, the first and second shoe bodies; and 
   pouring concrete to cover the first and second shoe bodies and the tie assembly, with the lower rod openings and the openings at the front sides of the first and second shoe bodies remaining exposed to an exterior of the concrete.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein securing the first tie to the first lug of the first shoe body includes bending a first end of the first tie to extend through the first lug; and
 securing the first tie to the second lug of the second shoe body includes bending a second end of the first tie to extend through the second lug.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first end of the first tie extends through a first bore of the first lug of the first shoe body in parallel with the connection axis of the first shoe body;
 wherein the second end of the first tie extends through a second bore of the second lug of the second shoe body in parallel with the connection axis of the second shoe body; and   wherein the first tie extends between the first and second shoe bodies transverse to the connection axes of the first and second shoe bodies.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first tie is secured to the first lug of the first shoe body, spaced apart from the connection axis of the first shoe body in a first direction; and
 wherein the method further includes, before pouring the concrete, securing a second tie to the second lug of the first shoe body, spaced apart from the connection axis of the first shoe body in a second direction that is angularly offset from the first direction by about 90 degrees, to secure the first shoe body to a third shoe body.