Adjustable and Reusable Anchoring System

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/653,400 filed on May 30, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The technical field generally relates to an anchoring system for positioning anchor bolts used on construction sites to erect or align structural components, and more specifically relates to a reusable anchoring system.

Metal rods, such as steel anchor rods, are typically embedded in wet concrete to create anchors, reinforcing the concrete and strengthening the structure constructed above the anchors. The anchor rods define reference points for construction sites and can form the link between the concrete and the steel of the constructed structure. Therefore, the location, position, and/or orientation of these anchor rods can have a serious impact on the construction process and the resulting completed structure.

Conventional anchoring tools can be quite expensive to acquire and are generally single-use tools, making the construction process, where many anchoring sites are required, even more expensive. Known issues of conventional anchoring tools include a lack of modularity, complexity in use, complex installation and modification/adaptation to various construction jobs/sites, among others. This can result in wasted, broken or ineffective materials, wasted man-power, construction errors due to inappropriately positioned anchoring systems, and wasted time.

There is thus a need for a technology that overcomes at least some of the drawbacks of what is known in the field.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an anchoring template for positioning anchor bolts relative to each other and within a formwork for pouring concrete is provided. The anchoring template includes a rail assembly comprising a first set of rails extending in a first direction and a second set of rails extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction, such that the rail assembly defines a two-dimensional grid above the formwork; a plurality of bolt sockets, each bolt socket having a bolt housing connectable to at least one rail in the two-dimensional grid, each bolt housing having a hole defined therethrough for receiving an anchor bolt; supports configured to maintain the rail assembly and the plurality of bolt sockets elevated and/or spaced from a support structure to enable the anchor bolts to extend through the bolt sockets such that a portion of each anchor bolt extends below the rail assembly and the bolt sockets and into the formwork, and such that another portion of each anchor bolt extends above the rail assembly and the bolt sockets; and fasteners adapted to extend through the bolt sockets and the rails in order to secure each bolt socket in position relative to the rail assembly, thereby securing the anchor bolts in position in the two-dimensional grid and within the formwork as concrete is poured within the formwork to embed the anchor bolts therein.

According to a possible embodiment, the bolt sockets comprise intersection sockets slidably connectable to a pair of rails including a rail of the first set of rails and a rail of the second set of rails, each bolt housing of the intersection sockets being slidable along corresponding pairs of rails to enable adjusting a position of the corresponding intersection socket.

According to a possible embodiment, the bolt housing comprises one or more housing channels defined along the bolt housing and configured to receive respective rails of the rail assembly therein.

According to a possible embodiment, the bolt housing of the intersection sockets comprises a pair of housing channels extending across the bolt housing transversely relative to each other, thereby defining an intersection point.

According to a possible embodiment, the pair of housing channels enable the pair of rails to overlap one another when positioned in respective housing channels.

According to a possible embodiment, each rail comprises a slot defined through a thickness thereof, and wherein the slots are adapted to overlap each other and the intersection point to allow the fastener to extend therethrough for securing the bolt socket in position relative to the rails.

According to a possible embodiment, at least some of the rails include a centering hole defined at a center thereof, and wherein the bolt sockets comprise centering sockets securable to the centering hole of a corresponding rail in order to have a hole and anchor bolt positioned at the center of the rail.

According to a possible embodiment, the rails comprise graduated markers defined at regular intervals along their lengths, and wherein the bolt housings comprise positional indicators adapted to align with one of the graduated markers in order to have the bolt housing be in a known position relative to the rail.

According to a possible embodiment, the bolt housing is manually slidable along each rail of the pair of rails, and wherein the fastener is manually operable to secure the bolt socket and the pair of rails together.

According to a possible embodiment, the supports include a plurality of legs removably connectable to the rail assembly, each leg having a proximal end connectable to one rail of the rail assembly and a distal end adapted to engage the support structure.

According to a possible embodiment, the support structure corresponds to at least one of a ground surface, the formwork, steel profiles, steel supports and wooden supports.

According to a possible embodiment, the anchoring template further includes bolt adapters configured to engage the hole of the bolt housing, each bolt adapter having an inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the hole to enable connection of smaller anchor bolts to the bolt housing.

According to a possible embodiment, the hole of the bolt housing includes an inner protrusion, and wherein each bolt adapter includes an adapter head having a flange adapted to abut against a top surface of the bolt housing, and further includes adapter legs extending from the adapter head and adapted to engage the hole and hook onto the inner protrusion to connect the bolt adapter to the bolt housing.

According to a possible embodiment, the anchoring template further comprises surveying equipment configured to dynamically monitor the location of the components of the anchoring template before, during and after the concrete is poured within the formwork.

According to another aspect, an anchoring template for positioning anchor bolts used at a pouring site in concrete pouring operations is provided. The anchoring template includes a rail assembly comprising a plurality of rails intersecting one another to define a two-dimensional grid; an intersection bolt socket slidably connectable to at least two rails of the rail assembly to enable adjusting a position of the intersection bolt socket in the two-dimensional grid, the intersection bolt socket having a hole defined through a thickness thereof and configured to receive an anchor bolt therethrough; a centering bolt socket connectable to a given rail of the rail assembly in a center thereof, the centering bolt socket having a centering hole defined through a thickness thereof and configured to receive a centered anchor bolt therethrough; and fasteners adapted to extend through the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and respective rails to secure the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket, the anchor bolt and the centered anchor bolt in position relative to the rail assembly during the concrete pouring operations.

According to a possible embodiment, the anchoring template further includes supports configured to stabilize and maintain the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket elevated and/or spaced from a support structure to enable the anchor bolt and the centered anchor bolt to extend through respective bolt sockets such that a portion of the anchor bolts extends below the rail assembly and the bolt sockets to be embedded in concrete.

According to a possible embodiment, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket are removably connectable to the anchor bolt and the centered anchor bolt, such that, following the concrete pouring operations at a first pouring site, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket can be disconnected from embedded anchor bolts to enable removal of the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the supports from the first pouring site, and wherein the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the supports are re-usable at a second pouring site.

According to a possible embodiment, the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the supports are manually connectable to one another, and wherein the fastener is manually operable to secure the intersection bolt socket, the centering bolt socket and the rails together.

According to a possible embodiment, the support structure corresponds to at least one of a ground surface, a formwork, steel profiles, steel supports and wooden supports.

According to a possible embodiment, the supports include support legs adapted to be secured to the support structure to prevent movement of the rail assembly, the intersection bolt socket and the centering bolt socket before, during and after the concrete is poured.

As will be explained below in relation to various embodiments, the present disclosure describes apparatuses, systems and methods for the construction of buildings, and more particularly to the construction and/or erection of structural components of a building, such as columns or beams, among others. More specifically, the systems and methods described herein are for positioning anchor rods in a simpler, safer, easier, faster, more accurate, more effective, more functional, more reliable and/or more versatile manner than what is possible with other conventional devices.

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an adjustable and reusable anchoring template (or “anchoring system”) and corresponding parts for positioning anchors, such as anchor bolts (which can also be referred to as anchor rods), at desired locations prior to securing the anchors in place, for example, using concrete. For instance, during the construction of a building, columns are erected which require anchors at a base thereof. These anchors traditionally include anchor bolts extending vertically and which are supported in place by pouring concrete into a formwork surrounding the anchor bolts. The anchoring template includes bolt sockets configured to hold respective anchor bolts. The bolt sockets are slidably mounted on rails, thereby enabling various configurations of the anchoring template via the sliding motion of the bolt sockets along the rails.

The assembled bolt sockets and rails are configured to be connected to various structures and in various configurations to allow for positioning the anchor bolts at any given installation location. For example, the bolt sockets and/or the rails can be coupled to metallic and/or wooden supports (e.g., a formwork, an adjacent structure, etc) to enable positioning the anchor bolts in the desired configuration. Once the bolt sockets are in the desired locations/positions (e.g., in the desired configuration), the anchor bolts can be connected to respective bolt sockets, and the anchoring templated can be installed at the installation site, which positions the anchor bolts at the desired locations/positions. The anchor bolts can extend through the bolt sockets, with a portion thereof extending on either side of the anchoring template. The anchor bolts can then be secured in place (e.g., on the construction site and/or relative to the other bolts) at one end thereof by pouring concrete. Once secured in concrete, the anchoring template can be disconnected from the anchor bolts and/or the supports, and can therefore be reused at another location.

With reference to, an anchoring template(or anchoring system) is shown according to a possible embodiment. The anchoring templateincludes guides, or rails, and bolt socketsoperatively coupled to the rails. More specifically, in this embodiment, the bolt socketscan be slidably mounted on a railsuch that the bolt socketcan be positioned at any suitable location along a length of the rail. As will be described further below, the bolt socketsare configured to receive respective anchor bolts. The anchoring templatecan include a plurality of railsconnected to one another to form a gridextending in a plane (i.e., a 2-D plane). As such, it is appreciated that one or more bolt socketsare connectable along the railsat desired locations and are therefore provided on the grid(e.g., in a common 2-D plane). It should therefore be understood that the anchor bolts can be positioned at the desired locations (e.g., throughout the grid) to enable forming an anchoring base for erecting structures, such as columns, walls, foundations, equipment, etc.

Now referring to, in addition to, the railcan include an elongated bodyand can be hollow to define a channelalong at least a portion of its length. In some embodiments, the railalso includes one or more slotsdefined through a thickness of the elongated body. The slotsare shaped and sized to enable connecting a component to the rail(e.g., the bolt socket) and adjusting its position along the rail by sliding it along the slot. In the illustrated embodiment, the railincludes a pair of slotsaxially aligned with one another and generally parallel to a longitudinal axis (A) of the elongated body. However, it is appreciated that other configurations are possible and may be used, such as having a single slot, having three or more slots, having slots extending transversely across the elongated body, etc. The railscan have different lengths relative to one another, such as any suitable length between 50 mm and 1000 mm, for example. As will be described further below, the railscan include positional markersconfigured to facilitate positioning a component along the rail in the desired position.

As seen in, the bolt socketcan include a bolt housingwith a socket or holedefined therethrough adapted to receive an anchor bolt(shown in). The illustrated bolt housingis generally rectangular or box-shaped, and the holeextends transversely through a thickness thereof. However, it should be noted that other configurations are possible, such as having any other suitable shaped housing (e.g., circular, triangular, etc.), having the holedefined through only a portion of the housing such that it does not extend all the way through the housing, among other possibilities. It should be understood that the holeis shaped and sized to assist in maintaining a desired orientation of the anchor bolt extending therethrough. In this embodiment, the housing is adapted to be substantially parallel to a ground surface such that the anchor bolt is maintained in a substantially vertical configuration/orientation.

In this embodiment, the bolt housingis provided with intersecting housing channelsshaped and sized to receive respective railstherein. For instance, a first housing channelcan receive a railfrom the first set of railsand a second housing channelcan receive a railform the second set of railsThe channelsextend transversely relative to each other, thereby defining an intersection point. In this embodiment, the channelsextend perpendicularly relative to each other, although other configurations are possible. The intersection point can be defined at any suitable location on the bolt housing, such as aligned with the center of the bolt housing, for example. In this embodiment, the intersection point is offset relative to the center but generally aligned with the hole(e.g., the hole for the anchor bolt) along a diagonal of the bolt housing.

As seen in, the gridof the anchoring templatecan be formed by connecting a plurality of railsto one another and/or to bolt sockets. The connection can be accomplished via any suitable means, such as via mechanical fasteners, including nuts and bolts, for example. In this embodiment, a first set of rails(e.g., bottom rails) can be disposed adjacent one another in a first plane, and a second set of rails(e.g., top rails) can be disposed on top of the first set of railsin a second plane. In some embodiments, the mechanical fastenerscan extend through the slotsof the railsto connect the first and second sets of rails together. In the illustrated embodiments, the railsof the first set of railsare generally parallel to one another (e.g., in the first plane), and the railsof the second set of railsare generally parallel to one another (e.g., in the second plane). Moreover, the first and second sets of rails are transverse (e.g., perpendicular) relative to each other to form a two-dimensional grid, although other configurations are possible.

It is noted that the first plane (in which the first set of rails are disposed) and the second plane (in which the second set of rails are disposed) are substantially parallel to one another. As such, it is understood that the gridis also parallel thereto, and can extend in the first plane, in the second plane, or in a median plane defined between the first and second planes. It is further noted that, in some embodiments, the first plane and the second plane correspond to a common plane. In other words, the rails of the first and second sets of rails can be adapted to engage one another so as to extend in the common plane.

In some embodiments, the bolt housingcan be provided with a fastener holeextending at least partially therethrough. The fastener holecan be shaped and adapted to align with the slotwhen the rails are positioned in respective housing channels. As such, the mechanical fastenercan extend through the pair of rails(e.g., through the slot) and into (or through) the fastener hole, thereby connecting the railsto the bolt housing. As seen in, the fastener holecan be positioned at the intersection point between the housing channels. As such, the mechanical fastenercan extend through respective slotsof the overlapping railsand the fastener hole.

It is noted that the anchoring templatecan be modular, where any suitable number of sets of rails can be connected to each other to define the grid, and that each set of rails can include any suitable number of rails. Similarly, any suitable number of bolt socketscan be coupled to the rails, such that a corresponding number of anchor boltscan be positioned and secured in place. Each bolt socketcan be positioned within the gridat a desired location by sliding along a first rail (e.g., along the x-direction), and sliding along a second rail (e.g., along the y-direction) prior to being secured in position. Alternatively, or additionally, entire rails can be displaced along the x- or y-direction, thereby displacing each bolt socketengaged therewith. More specifically, in this embodiment, the rails of the first set of rails can be displaced in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rails from the second set of rails, and vice-versa. In other words, the rails of the first set of rails can be displaced in the x-direction, and the rails of the second set of rails can be displaced in the y-direction.

It is noted that, prior to being fastened/secured, the railscan be adapted to slide along respective housing channels, thereby adjusting the position of the bolt socketalong the rail. For example, the mechanical fastenercan be installed to extend through the rail slotsand the fastener holebut remain loosely connected to enable movement of the rails. Then, when the bolt socketis in the desired location, the mechanical fastenercan be tightened to secure the bolt socketin place relative to the rails. The position of the bolt socketcan be adjusted relative to both rails in this manner in order to adjust the position of the bolt socketwithin the grid. In some embodiments, the slotsof each railcan be elongated to enable adjustments of the position of the bolt socketalong the rails. In other words, prior to tightening the mechanical fastener, the bolt socketcan be slid along the rails by having the mechanical fastener slide along the slots. As such, it is appreciated that the position/location of the bolt socketcan be adjusted by a distance generally equivalent to a length of the slotdefined in the corresponding rail.

In some embodiments, the housing channelscan have respective depths to facilitate having the railsoverlap one another. For example, the first channelcan be deeper than the second channelsuch that the rail from the first set of railscan be positioned below the rail from the second set of railsHowever, it is appreciated that the housing channelscan have the same depth, which can facilitate manufacturing of the bolt housing. In some embodiments, the bolt housinghas a predetermined thickness to allow for typical wood pieces to be secured to an underside of the rails for securing the anchoring templateto a support structure, such as the formwork, for example. It is noted that “typical wood pieces” can include wood of any size which is traditionally used on construction sites, such as 1×4, 1×6, 2×2, 2×4, 2×6, 2×8, 4×4, 4×6, 6×6 (dimensions in inches), etc. and among other possibilities and other components, such as plywood, for example.

In this embodiment, the railscan include positional marks, similar to a ruler, which can include both imperial and metric sides, and the bolt housingcan be provided with positional indicators, such as a line, an arrow, an indent, etc. The positional indicatorscan be aligned with a desired one of the positional marksalong the rails to have the bolt socketbe in the desired location relative to the rail. It should be noted that the bolt housingincludes a pair of positional indicatorsadjacent respective housing channelssuch that the bolt socketcan be positioned relative to the rails of the first and second sets of rails. Once each positional indicatoris aligned with the desired positional markof each rail, the fasteneris operated to assemble and secure the rails and the bolt sockettogether. As such, the hole for the anchor bolt is in the desired location/position (e.g., across the grid).

In some embodiments, the railscan be provided with a leveling mechanism, such as spirit levels, operable and configured to facilitate installing the anchoring template parallel to the ground (e.g., to “level” the anchoring template). The leveling mechanismcan be integrated to the structure of each rail, or removably connected thereto. As such, each rail of the rail assembly can be manually installed, with the leveling mechanismproviding visual information regarding the orientation of the rails relative to the ground (or supporting) surface. In some embodiments, and as seen in, the bolt housingscan alternatively, or additionally, be provided with respective leveling mechanismsto provide further indication of the orientation of the anchoring template. In some embodiments, and as seen in, the bolt housingcan also be provided with a measuring nookconfigured to enable a tape measure (not shown) to hook onto the bolt housingfor measuring a distance, such as a distance along an adjacent rail and/or to a known location, for example.

It should be noted that, since the bolt housingis adapted to be coupled to a pair of rails, the bolt housingis suitable to be positioned in corners of the anchoring template. This type of bolt socketcan therefore be referred to as corner sockets or intersection sockets. In this embodiment, the intersection socketsare adapted to be coupled between a pair of rails in a manner ensuring the rails are perpendicular to one another. With reference to, in addition to, the bolt socketscan include different types of bolt sockets, such as the intersection socketsfor positioning anchor boltsat intersecting railsand centering socketsfor positioning anchor boltsalong a given rail. As will be described further below, the centering socketscan be used to locate and/or identify a center of the anchoring template.

In this embodiment, the centering socketsinclude the holeto enable an anchor boltto be connected thereto, and one or more fastener holesto enable the centering socketto be connected to the railusing fasteners. The centering socketcan be positioned along the railusing the positional marksof the rail. In some embodiments, the positional marksinclude a “zero” defined at a center of the rail, with increasing marks on both sides thereof. The centering socketcan also include a centering indicator configured to be aligned with the zero of the rail, thereby centering the centering socket, and the anchor bolt coupled thereto, on the rail. The centering indicator can correspond to a line, an arrow, an indent, etc., to assist in aligning the centering socketwith the center (e.g., the “zero”) of the rail. As seen in, each railcan include centering holesdefined on either side of the center (C), on the “0” positional mark. The centering socketcan therefore be secured to the rail by mechanical fastenersextending through the fastener holesand the centering holes. It is appreciated that the center (C) of each railis easily identified and that positioning and securing the centering socketson the center is similarly facilitated.

As seen in, the bolt socketscan include bolt adaptersconfigured to enable the bolt socketsto hold and retain different sizes of anchor bolts. The bolt adaptersare adapted to engage the holeto adjust the size (e.g., the diameter) of the holeto enable anchor bolts of various sizes to be retained therein. It should be noted that the bolt adaptersare adapted to reduce the size of the holeto allow for smaller anchor bolts to be held by the bolt socket. In this embodiment, the bolt adapterincludes an adapter headhaving a flangeextending outwardly therefrom and adapted to abut against a top surface of the bolt housingupon engagement of the bolt adapterin the hole. It is thus noted that the flangecan limit the depth at which the bolt adaptercan be inserted into the hole. The adapter headillustratively has an outer diameter (OD) which generally matches the diameter of the hole, and an inner diameter (ID) which generally matches the diameter of the desired anchor bolt.

The adapter headcan be secured to the holevia interference fit, or removably connectable thereto. In some embodiments, the bolt adapterincludes adapter legsextending from the adapter head. The adapter legsare configured to latch onto the geometry of the holeto connect the bolt adapterto the bolt housing (e.g., within the hole) and prevent accidental and/or undesired removal of the bolt adapterform the hole. In this embodiment, the bolt housingincludes an inner protrusionextending into the hole, and the adapter legscan include a hook or catch memberconfigured hook onto the inner protrusion. The inner protrusioncan extend around a complete circumference of the holeto facilitate connecting the catch member, although other configurations are possible. The bolt adaptercan be disconnected by unlatching the catch memberfrom the inner protrusion, thereby allowing removal of the bolt adapterfrom the hole. For example, the bolt adapter can be manually squeezed and/or deformed to enable disconnection.

As seen in, a pair of bolt adapterscan be coupled to the bolt housingto assist in maintaining the anchor bolt in the desired orientation (e.g., vertical and/or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hole). A top bolt adapterand a bottom bolt adapter can be connected to respective ends of the holeand connect to the same inner protrusion(shown in). Alternatively, the bolt housingcan include a pair of inner protrusionsto enable the bolt adapters to connect to respective inner protrusions. It should also be noted that the bolt adapterscan be used for both the intersection sockets() and the centering sockets(). It is thus appreciated that the bolt adapterscan be added, removed and/or interchanged as desired, and that the same anchoring template can be used at different sites which can require different sized anchor bolts.

Referring back to, with additional reference to, in some embodiments, the anchoring templatecan include supportsconfigured to assist in maintaining the railsof the anchoring templateelevated and/or in a desired position, orientation and/or configuration. In this embodiment, the supportsinclude support legscoupled to respective ends of the railsand extending therefrom to engage and rest on the ground surface below. As shown in, the support legscan be inserted in respective channelsof respective rails. Support fastenerscan be used to extend through the railsin order to secure the support legsto the rails. In this embodiment, and as seen in, the railscan be provided with a pair of distal holesconfigured to receive respective support fastenerstherein for securing the support legsto the ends of the rail. The distal holescan be threaded to enable engagement of a threaded fastener therein, although other configurations are possible.

The support legscan have any suitable shape configured to engage the channelsof the rails. In this embodiment, the support legshave a generally complementary shape relative to the channelto assist in having the support legsengage therewith in at least one predetermined configuration. For example, the support legscan have a generally U-shape which is adapted to engage with the channelin a single predetermined configuration. As such, the rail and the support legscan be secured together in predetermined relative positions. With reference to, the railscan include support guidesextending into the channel. The support guidescan assist in guiding the support fastenersto extend perpendicularly therein to engage with the support leg. The support guidescan also prevent insertion of the support legwithin the channelin an orientation other than the predetermined configuration, which can facilitate and streamline the installation process. In alternate embodiments, the support legscan be connected to the railswithout having to engage the channel. For instance, a support legcan be connected to any given rail, such as on a top surface thereof, and secured thereto using the support fastenersinserted into the distal holes.

In some embodiments, the supportscan be implemented to support the rails and the bolt socketsabove a formwork used to surround the anchor bolts and in which concrete is poured to secure the anchor bolts in position. In this embodiment, the supportscan be configured to assist in positioning the rails before, during and/or after the concrete has been poured to embed the anchor bolts in place. In other embodiments, the supportscan be configured to assist in positioning the rails and the bolt socketsrelative to the formwork of a given anchoring site prior to securing the rails to the formwork (e.g., using screws, bolts, etc.). Once secured, the supportscan then be removed. In some embodiments, the removed supportscan be subsequently used for positioning another anchoring template (e.g., at another anchoring site). In other words, the supportscan be removably coupled to the railsto enable repeated use of the supports for different sets of rails and at different sites.

In other embodiments, the supportscan provide sufficient support and stability to the anchoring template, thereby rendering securing the rails to the formwork optional (i.e., fastening the rails to the formwork may be omitted). It is therefore appreciated that the supportscan assist in streamlining the anchoring process, where the anchoring templatecan be set (e.g., deposited) in position to rest on the support legs. Once in position, with the anchor bolts secured to respective bolt sockets, concrete can be poured at the anchoring site (e.g., within the formwork). Then, as the concrete hardens, the anchor bolts can be disconnected from the bolt sockets, allowing for the anchoring template to be removed from a first anchoring site and used at a second anchoring site. The supportscan be placed in various configurations to enable the anchoring template to adapt to the realities of the field (e.g., of each anchoring site). For instance, the support legscan be telescopically connected to the rails to allow for width, length and/or height adjustments relative to the ground surface and/or the formwork.

With reference to, in some embodiments, the supportscan include rail adaptersconfigured to be connected to the ends of the rails. The rail adaptersenable support legsto be coupled thereto. It should therefore be understood that the support legscan be connected to railshaving different shapes (e.g., cross-sectional shapes) and sizes. It is noted that, in this embodiment, the distal holesare defined in the rail adapteras an alternative to, or in addition to the rail itself.