Full moment connection collar systems

Abstract

A full-moment column collar is disclosed, including four collar flange components and four collar corner components. Each collar flange component includes an upper transverse element and a lower transverse element, connected by a bridging member. Each collar corner component includes first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure. Each collar corner component is configured to connect two adjacent collar flange components, and each collar corner component has a multi-axis alignment structure extending from a bottom end portion for vertically positioning a lower transverse element of a respective collar flange component.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A full-moment column collar, comprising:
 a collar flange assembly including upper and lower transverse elements of molded steel and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and   a molded steel collar corner assembly including first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure,   wherein the collar flange assembly includes a first machined surface and the collar corner assembly includes a second machined surface, the first and second machined surfaces contacting to precisely locate the collar flange assembly relative to the collar corner assembly along both a vertical axis and a first horizontal axis.   
     
     
         22 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 21 , wherein the first machined surface and the second machined surface are complementarily curved. 
     
     
         23 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 22 , wherein the first machined surface is machined into the molded steel of the lower transverse element of the collar flange assembly and the second machined surface is machined into the molded steel of an alignment structure of the collar flange assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 21 , wherein the collar flange assembly includes a third machined surface and the column collar assembly includes a fourth machined surface, the third and fourth machined surfaces contacting to precisely locate the collar flange assembly relative to the collar corner assembly along a second horizontal axis, where the first and second horizontal axes are perpendicular. 
     
     
         25 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 24 , wherein the third machined surface is on a column-facing side of a main body portion of each the upper and lower transverse elements of the collar flange assembly, and the fourth machined surface is on a beam-facing side of the first expanse of the collar corner assembly. 
     
     
         26 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 24 , wherein the collar flange assembly includes a fifth machined surface, which contacts a beam connected by the full-moment column collar to precisely locate the beam relative to the collar flange assembly along the second horizontal axis. 
     
     
         27 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 26 , wherein the collar corner assembly includes a sixth machined surface, which contacts a column surrounded by the full-moment column collar to precisely locate the collar corner assembly relative to the column along the second horizontal axis. 
     
     
         28 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 27 , wherein contact of the fifth machined surface with the beam, contact between the third and fourth machined surfaces, and contact of the sixth machined surface with the column together precisely locate the column relative to the beam along the second horizontal axis. 
     
     
         29 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 28 , wherein the fifth machined surface is a slot in a protrusion on a beam-facing side of the upper transverse element, and the sixth machined surface is on a column-facing side of the first expanse of the collar corner assembly. 
     
     
         30 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 21 , wherein the collar flange assembly is one of four matching collar flange assemblies, and the collar corner assembly is one of four matching collar corner assemblies. 
     
     
         31 . A full-moment column collar, comprising:
 four collar flange assemblies, each collar flange assembly including an upper transverse element, a lower transverse element, and a bridging component connecting the upper and lower transverse elements, and   four collar corner assemblies, each collar corner assembly including first and second expanses defining a corner and a standoff portion extending from the corner, the standoff portion having a distal T-shaped structure,   wherein the upper and lower transverse elements of each collar flange assembly and each collar corner assembly are molded steel, and   wherein, for each pair of adjacent collar flange assembly and collar corner assembly, the collar flange assembly includes a first machined surface and the collar corner assembly includes a second machined surface, the first and second machined surfaces contacting to precisely locate the collar flange assembly relative to the collar corner assembly along both a vertical axis and a first horizontal axis.   
     
     
         32 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 31 , wherein the first machined surface and the second machined surface are complementarily curved. 
     
     
         33 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 32 , wherein the first machined surface is machined into the molded steel of the lower transverse element of the collar flange assembly and the second machined surface is machined into the molded steel of an alignment structure of the collar flange assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 31 , wherein the collar flange assembly includes a third machined surface and the column collar assembly includes a fourth machined surface, the third and fourth machined surfaces contacting to precisely locate the collar flange assembly relative to the collar corner assembly along a second horizontal axis, where the first and second horizontal axes are perpendicular. 
     
     
         35 . The full-moment column collar of  claim 34 , wherein the third machined surface is on a column-facing side of a main body portion of each the upper and lower transverse elements of the collar flange assembly, and the fourth machined surface is on a beam-facing side of the first expanse of the collar corner assembly. 
     
     
         36 . A method of manufacturing a full moment column collar, comprising:
 molding a collar flange blank,   machining a first surface on the collar flange blank,   assembling the collar flange blank into a collar flange assembly,   molding a collar corner blank having first and second expanses defining a corner, a standoff portion extending from the corner, and an alignment structure,   machining a second surface on the alignment structure,   assembling the full moment column collar, including contacting the first surface with the second surface to precisely locate the collar flange assembly relative to the collar corner assembly along both a vertical axis and a first horizontal axis.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further including machining a bridging component interface structure in the collar flange blank, wherein the interface structure includes first and second planar surfaces. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further including machining a beam docking structure in the collar flange blank corresponding to a selected I-beam flange dimension, wherein the beam docking structure includes a seat configured to contact an I-beam flange. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further including machining a front side of a wing portion of the collar flange blank, and machining an outer surface of each of the first and second expanses. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further including machining each side of the standoff portion of the collar corner blank.