She-bolt type gripper device for a concrete wall form tie rod

Claim 2

A gripper device adapted for application to one end of a cylindrical rod and comprising an open-ended, tapered, tubular shell having a small front end and a large rear end, a plurality of correspondingly tapered, tooth-equipped jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure for reception of said one end of the rod when it is projected into the front end of the shell, a wall extending across the rear end of said shell, a compression spring disposed between said wall and jaw segments and effective to bias the latter forwardly in the shell, and a pull rod projecting centrally through said wall coaxially with the shell and having its forward end operatively connected in common to the rear ends of said jaw segments And effective when pulled rearwardly to release said segments from the rod.

Claim 3

A gripper device as set forth in claim 1 and wherein each of said jaw segments is formed with a hook-like head portion at its rear end, and the forward end of the pull rod carries a pull flange having interlocking engagement with said head portions.

Claim 4

A gripper device as set forth in claim 1 and wherein the rear end region of each jaw segment is recessed to provide a rearwardly displaced hook-like head portion which is connected to the main body of the segment by a web, and a pull flange is carried on the forward end of the pull rod and projects into the recessed portions of the chuck segments.

Claim 5

A gripper device as set forth in claim 3 and wherein said pull flange is in the form of a Maltese Cross which substantially fills the recessed portions of the jaw segments.

Claim 6

A gripper device as set forth in claim 4 and wherein said pull flange is slidable on the pull rod and the forward end of the latter is provided with an enlargement by means of which rearward pull of the pull rod is transmitted to the pull flange.

Claim 7

A gripper device as set forth in claim 5 and wherein said pull rod projects rearwardly of the wall a slight distance and is provided with an enlarged pry head which is designed for engagement by a pry tool for forcing the pull rod rearwardly.

Claim 8

A gripper device designed for use as a she-bolt in gripping the projecting end of a concrete-embedded tie rod in associated relation with a concrete wall form, said device comprising a tapered tubular shell of circular cross section and with a small front end and a large rear end, a plurality of correspondingly tapered, toothed-equipped jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure for reception of said tie rod end, a rear circular wall extending across and fixedly connected to the rear end of said shell, a compression spring interposed between said wall and jaw segments and effective to bias the latter forwardly in the shell, a front annular wall extending across the front end of the shell and through which the projecting end of the tie rod is adapted to extend, an elastomeric sealing ring interposed between the forward ends of said chuck segments and said front annular wall, and a pull rod projecting centrally through said rear annular wall coaxially with the shell, having its forward end operatively connected in common to the rear ends of said chuck segments, and effective when pulled rearwardly to release said segments from the tie rod.

Claim 9

A gripper device designed for use as a she-bolt in gripping the projecting end of a concrete-embedded tie rod in associated relation with a concrete wall form, said device comprising a tapered tubular shell of circular cross section and with a small front end and a large rear end, a plurality of correspondingly tapered, toothed-equipped jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure for reception of said tie rod end, a rear circular wall extending across and fixedly connected to the rear end of said shell, a compression spring interposed between said wall and jaw segments and effective to bias the latter forwardly in the shell, a front annular wall extending across the front end of the shell and through which the projecting end of the tie rod is adapted to extend, an elastomeric sealing ring interposed between the forward ends of said chuck segments and said front annular wall, and a pull rod projecting centrally through said rear annular wall coaxially with the shell, having its forward end operatively connected in common to the rear ends of said chuck segments, and effective when pulled rearwardly to release said segments from the tie rod.

Claim 10

A gripper device as set forth in claim 7 and wherein the forward end of said shell is cupped inwardly to provide said front annular wall.

Claim 11

A gripper device as set forth in claim 8 and wherein each of said jaw segments is formed with a hook-like head portion at its rear end, and the forward end of the pull rod carries a pull flange having interlocking engagement with said head portions.

Claim 12

A gripper device as set forth in claim 7 and wherein the rear end region of each jaw segment is recessed to provide a rearwardly displaced hook-like head portion which is connected to the main body of the segment by a web, and a pull flange is carried on the forward end of the pull rod and projects into the recessed portions of the chuck segments.

Claim 13

A gripper device as set forth in claim 10 and wherein said pull flange is in the form of a Maltese Cross which substantially fills the recessed portions of the jaw segments.

Claim 14

A gripper device as set forth in claim 11 and wherein said pull rod projects rearwardly of the rear circular wall a slight distance and is provided with an enlarged pry head designed for engagement by a pry tool for forcing the pull rod rearwardly.

Claim 15

In a concrete wall form, in combination, a pair of upstanding wall form sides between which wet concrete is adapted to be poured in the formation of a concrete wall, each of said sides embodying edge-to-edge rectangular panels in the form of plywood facings and rectangular metallic reinforcing frames around the facings, a combined tie rod and spreader assembly for maintaining said form sides in their spaced apart relationship, said tie rod and spreader assembly embodying a horizontal tie rod having a medial portion designed for embedment in the concrete which is poured between said form sides, and projecting end portions which extend between and beyond the abutting side members of the reinforcing frames of the panels, and a pair of gripper devices disposed in gripping relationship with respect to said projecting end portions of the tie rod, each gripper device comprising a tapered tubular shell embodying a small front end and a large rear end, a plurality of correspondingly tapered, toothed-equipped jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially-arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure which receives the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod, a compression spring disposed in the shell and effective to bias the jaw segments forwardly in the shell, and means for effecting release of said sections from the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod when it is desired to remove the gripper device from said projecting end portion of the tie rod, and a pair of bottomless seating cups positioned against the outer faces of the abutting side members of the reinforcing frames, surrounding said projecting end regions of the tie rod, and having the small ends of the shells of the gripper devices fitting snugly therein.

Claim 16

In a concrete wall form, in combination, a pair of upstanding wall form sides between which wet concrete is adapted to be poured in the formation of a concrete wall, each of said sides embodying edge-to-edge rectangular panels in the form of plywood facings and rectangular metallic reinforcing frames around the facings, a combined tie rod and spreader assembly for maintaining said form sides in their spaced apart relationship, said tie rod and spreader assembly embodying a horizontal tie rod having a medial portion designed for embedment in the concrete which is poured between said form sides, and projecting end portions which extend between and beyond the abutting side members of the reinforcing frames of the panels, and a pair of gripper devices disposed in gripping relationship with respect to said projecting end portions of the tie rod, each gripper device comprising a tapered tubular shell embodying a small front end and a large rear end, a plurality of correspondingly tapered, toothed-equipped jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially-arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure which receives the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod, a compression spring disposed in the shell and effective to bias the jaw segments forwardly in the shell, and means for effecting release of said sections from the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod when it is desired to remove the gripper device from said projecting end portion of the tie rod, and a pair of bottomless seating cups positioned against the outer faces of the abutting side members of the reinforcing frames, surrounding said projecting end regions of the tie rod, and having the small ends of the shells of the gripper devices fitting snugly therein.

Claim 17

In a concrete wall form, the combination set forth in claim 13 and wherein said bottomless seating cups are permanently attached to the small ends of the shells of the gripper devices.

Claim 18

In a concrete wall form, in combination, a pair of upstanding wall form sides between which wet concrete is adapted to be poured incident to the creation of a concrete wall, each of said sides embodying an upstanding plywood panel together with outer wooden reinforcing members, and a combined tie rod and spreader assembly for maintaining said form sides in their spaced apart relationship, said tie rod and spreader assembly embodying a tie rod having a medial portion designed for embedment in the concrete which is poured between said form sides, and projecting end portions which extend through openings in the respective plywood panels, and a pair of gripper devices disposed in gripping relationship with respect to said projecting end portions of the tie rod, each gripper device comprising a tapered tubular shell embodying a small front end and a large rear end and having its front end projecting through the tie rod-receiving opening in the associated plywood panel in sealing relationship, a plurality of tapered, toothed-equipped, jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure which receives the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod, a rear wall extending across the rear end of said shell, a compression spring disposed in the shell and interposed between said wall and jaw segments and effective to bias the latter forwardly in the shell, the forward end of said shell being cupped inwardly to provide a front wall for the shell and receiving said adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod therethrough, an elastomeric sealing ring interposed between the forward ends of said jaw segments and said front wall of the shell, and a pull rod projecting centrally through said rear wall coaxially with the shell and having its forward end operatively connected in common to the rear ends of said jaw segments and effective when pulled rearwardly to release said segments from the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod.

Claim 19

In a concrete wall form, in combination, a pair of upstanding wall form sides between which wet concrete is adapted to be poured incident to the creation of a concrete wall, each of said sides embodying an upstanding plywood panel together with outer wooden reinforcing members, and a combined tie rod and spreader assembly for maintaining said form sides in their spaced apart relationship, said tie rod and spreader assembly embodying a tie rod having a medial portion designed for embedment in the concrete which is poured between said form sides, and projecting end portions which extend through openings in the respective plywood panels, and a pair of gripper devices disposed in gripping relationship with respect to said projecting end portions of the tie rod, each gripper device comprising a tapered tubular shell embodying a small front end and a large rear end and having its front end projecting through the tie rod-receiving opening in the associated plywood panel in sealing relationship, a plurality of tapered, toothed-equipped, jaw segments slidably disposed within said shell in circumferentially arranged relationship and defining a chuck structure which receives the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod, a rear wall extending across the rear end of said shell, a compression spring disposed in the shell and interposed between said wall and jaw segments and effective to bias the latter forwardly in the shell, the forward end of said shell being cupped inwardly to provide a front wall for the shell and receiving said adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod therethrough, an elastomeric sealing ring interposed between the forward ends of said jaw segments and said front wall of the shell, and a pull rod projecting centrally through said rear wall coaxially with the shell and having its forward end operatively connected in common to the rear ends of said jaw segments and effective when pulled rearwardly to release said segments from the adjacent projecting end portion of the tie rod.

Claim 20

In a concrete wall form, the combination set forth in claim 15 and wherein said pull rod projects rearwardly of the rear wall a slight distance, the rear rim of the shell is provided with an external bead, and a seating plate having a central opening thereThrough is telescopically received over said shell, bears against wooden reinforcing members, and receives the inward thrust of said external bead incident to the tension in the tie rod and spreader assembly.