US2644497A - Clamp used in clamping plastic blocks together in plank construction - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1953 E. M. WILMER ET AL 2,644,497

CLAMP USED IN CLAMPING PLASTIC BLOCKS TOGETHER IN PLANK CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25. 1950 ATTORNEYS Patented July 7, 1953 V I U I EDIZSTA s AT-ENT OFFICE cLAMP USED" IN CLAMPING PLASTIC I BLOCKS TOGETHER STRUCTION Emery 1N PLANK CON- M. Wilmer, Chillum, and William P. 4 Hunter, Silver Spring, Md.

Application September 25, 1950, Serial No. 186,666

2 Claims. (01. 144 303 By way of explanation, itlmight be stated that in present day building construction, it is common practice to provide floor or roof supporting planks or beams constructed of blocks made of a light weight insulating aggregate, clamped together to provide the desiredlength, the blocks V thereon.

being held in position by clamps for a period of time required to properly setthe layer of concrete used in forming the fiooror roof surface.

The clampscommonly used in clamping the rod used in conjunctionwith the clamps, are of a type including jaws which become inoperative due to use, and frequentlyjdistort or bend the rods with which they'are' used, makingit necessary to replace the rods and clamps. 4

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a clampqand connecting rod designed for clamping/plastic blocks together in the formation of a 'plank or beam, which clamps may bereadily operated, eliminating the danger of distorting the clamps or rods used with V the clamps in tying the blocks together.

An important object of the invention isto provide a clamp of the type that may be used with rods of standard lengths, the arrangement and construction of the component'parts of the clamp being such thatthe clamp may besecured to the rod in the construction of a plank or beam'of any desired length, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing rods of various lengths in the construction of planks or beams of different sizes.

Still another'object of the invention is to provide a clamp which may be readily and easily positioned and one whichmay bereadily removed without danger of damaging the clamp or rod or plank under construction.

With the foregoing and other'objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the

invention consists of. certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. 4 r I Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a series of blockspositioned side by side, one of the end plates having been removed and the connecting rod and clamp located for securing the end plates together.

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view through a group of blocks assembled inthe formation of a plank, with the clamp forming the subject matter of the present invention as positioned to hold the blocks together.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through blocks, end plates and rod and clamp, the rod and clamp being clamped in relation with the blocks and end plates.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through therod illustrating the outer end of the clamp as positioned Referring to the drawing in detail, therefer- 'ence character 5 indicates clamping. plates which are of lengths equal to the lengths of the blocks with which the clamping plates are used, the clamping plates being preferably. constructed of channel bar material with their open faces disposed outwardly, when in use. U

As shown, these clampingplates are provided With openings 6 which are disposed centrally of I the plates and arranged above a line drawn longitudinally through the centers of the plates, so

that the major portions of the plates are below the openings 6 so that the plates when clamped to the blocks will provide a support for the rod and clamp used therewith, balancing the plank constructed, lending to ease in handling the plank. 1

These clamping plates are positioned at the ends of a line of blocks, which in thepresent showing are indicated by the reference character i, the blocks being formed with central openings 3 that align when the blocks are positioned side by side in the formation of a plank, thecentral openings accommodating the rod 9 forming a part of the clamp, constituting the subject matter of thepresent invention.

The. blocks are provided with semi-circular grooves 8 in one of the respective edges thereof, the grooves of adjacent blocks aligning to receive the rods 9' that are cemented in place to, lend rigidity to the finished product.

As clearly shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing, one end of the rod 9 is supplied with a threaded section it which is welded thereto, the threaded sec- .ticn til accommodating the nut l which is moved into close contact with the clamping plate 5, associated therewith.

The opposite end of the rod 9 extends from the clamping plate '5 at the oppositeend of the row of blocks 'l used in the formation of the plank or beam, and this extended end of the rod 9 provides a support for the wedge indicated generally by the reference character [2. This wedge embodies identical semi-coned shaped sections 13 fitted on opposite sides of the rod 9 directly opposite to each other, as clearly shown by the drawing.

The tapered outer surface [4 of the wedge fits into the tapered cone 6 of the plate 5 with which it is associated, and cooperates with the nut H fitted on the threaded rod 10 in clamping the blocks of the row of blocks together.

Formed on the inner surfaces of the clamp sections are outwardly disposed teeth 15 which are so arranged that when the rod 9 has been properly positioned and the clamp sections properly positioned by tapping the outer ends of the sections, the teeth will be caused to bite into the outer surfaceof the rod 9, holding the clamp in position and insuring a close fit between the various blocks used in the formationof the plank.

In using the clamp forming the subject matter of the present invention, the clamping. plates are positioned at the ends of a column of blocks,

and the rod 9 is passed through the openings ofthe clamping plates and central openings of the blocks, the nut being moved into contact with the clamping plate associated therewith.

The clamp sections 13 of the wedge 12 are now positioned on the rod '9 in a manner as shown by Fig. 3, and the wedge sections 13 are tapped with a tool such as a hammer driving the wedge. sections into the opening 6 associated therewith, whereupon the teeth. of the wedge bite into the pipe and hold the clamping plates firmly in position at the ends of the line-or column of blocks being assembled.

If necessary a wrench may be used after the positioning of the wedge 12, to tighten the nut to exert the desired pressure on the clamping plates against the ends of the blocks.

After the blocks together with the clamp, have been placed in the formation of a plank for a building structure, a number of such planks are i placed side by side providing a surface for supporting a layer of plastic material such as concrete or the like in the formation of a flooring or roof.

After the plastic surfacing material has properly set, it is only necessary to back ofi nut H to space it from the clamping plate associated therewith. The end of the rod 9 on which the nut H is positioned, may now be tapped in the direction of the wedge 12, which will cause the wedge I2 lengths, eliminating the necessity of using and 55 providing rods of a particular length for a particular length of plank.

It will further be noted that the clamp, because of its rigid construction, may be used indefinitely without replacement, and the clamp may be used V without danger of the clamp slipping to release the blocks, during the formation of a plank or beam.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for temporarily clamping hollow building blocks together in a row in the formation of building planks, comprising plates having openings, fitted against the end blocks of such row of blocks, a rod having a threaded end, extending through the openings of said plates and openings of the hollow blocks, a cone-shaped wedge slidably mounted on said rod, and positioned in the opening of one of said plates, said cone shaped wedge having means to lock on said rod, a nut on the threaded end of the rod bearing against the other plate, n sa d n t d conehap d m mber adapt d to c op ate in d aw n the plates towards each other clamp ng h ock of the .row of blocks together.

2. An apparatus for temporarily clamping hollow building blocks together in a row, in the formation of a building plank, comprising a rod, a member extending from the threaded end of said rod, plates having openings fitted against the end blocks of a row of blocks at opposite ends of the row of blocks, a sectional cone-shaped wedge having teeth, fitted around said rod directly opposite to each other, said wedge being extended into an opening of one of said plates with a wedge fit, and a nut on thethreaded member engaging with the plate at one end of the row of blocks said not cooperating with said wedge in drawing said plates against the end blocks of the row of blocks clamping said blocks together.

EMORY M. WILMER.

WILLIAM P. HUNTER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 673,937 Zirckel May 14, 1901 1,091,260 Walker Mar. 24, 1914 1,413,015 Erickson Apr. 18, 1922 1,424,034 Rigert July 25, 1922 1,680,923 Williams Aug. 14, 1928 2,066,541 Schenk Jan. 5, 1937 2,075,633 Anderegg Mar. 30, 1937 2,102,447 'Whitacre Dec. 14, 1937 2,172,461 W'hitescarver Sept. 12, 1939 2,180,866 Cryer Nov. 21, 1939 2,184,137 Brewer Dec. 19, 1939 2,395,656 'chatfield Feb. 26, 1946

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