Tool driving or impacting – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-20
2001-10-23
Smith, Scott A. (Department: 3721)
Tool driving or impacting
Processes
C411S385000, C411S425000, C411S469000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305479
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a wall tie reinforcement and method. The subject matter is useful in the restoration of buildings in which an outer wall such as brick is secured to an inner wall such as concrete and the bricks are losing their retention in the secured environment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The background of the present invention is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,605. More specifically, the background of the invention is shown in
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
3
,
7
,
11
,
12
and
13
of the subject patent where the wall contains a softer material on the outside, and a harder interior on the inside. The outer wythe of the wall is brick and mortar, and the same is secured in concrete. Where the tie is passed through the mortar, it will be seen that a two step or two diameter tie is recommended in the subject patents. Sometimes, a two step tie is not available at the job site, but it is still necessary to pass the helical tie through the mortar. Thus, it becomes highly desirable to have a “field fix kit” of the kind which will permit the tie specified for the job whether it be 4, 5, 6, 8 or 10 millimeters, or whether it be 75 millimeters and/or 100 millimeters in length. At job sites where a single tie is used, with a single diameter, and passing through a soft outer material such as mortar, the risk is that the joint will not survive a practical pull test, and where such joints might be ten to twenty percent of the project, a dangerous condition will be in the wall, despite the belief of those conducting the fix that adequate securement has been undertaken.
Particularly when random testing is to be undertaken, at the actual job site, a portion of the original helical tie may become loosened from the softer outer material. This can occur with ties which has been set into chemical resins, or initially dry fixed. After any such testing is made either in the back-up material or the exterior material, the tie which is in place needs to be reinforced.
In Applicant's related U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,801, there is disclosed an asymmetrical tie.
A larger portion of the tie is the later portion to be driven in, and normally will find itself in a mortar joint, or terra cotta, or other weaker exterior masonry, but the exterior needs to be engaged as firmly as the interior.
Not only is testing a problem, but in many instances, long lengths of tie need to be driven into soft or somewhat inconsistent materials like sandstone, multi-wythe brick, or terra cotta. With the vibration of the main tie, there is always the possibility that by the time the tie is set, engagement of the exterior portions do not have the necessary anchoring strength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention derives from the discovery that a short tie, anywhere from 2½ to 4″ in length, (which is approximately the width of a standard brick), can be utilized to wedgingly engage the mortar or other softer portion in a wall after a tie has been passed all the way through the mortar and secured in the concrete. The auxiliary wedge tie may have the same helical pitch as that of the main tie, or it may be a pitch somewhat tighter or shorter to not only fill the space between the host tie and the mortar, but wedgingly engage the same. The auxiliary wedge tie may be pointed at both ends, pointed at one end, or even blunt at both ends. Successful fixes have been made where one end is sheared, and has a relatively chisel-like end. The method of the invention is directed to the reinforcing of a tie in a wall reinforcing environment, where the outer portion of the tie passes through a softer material, and a subsequent reinforcement of the tie portion by an auxiliary wedge tie in the soft material is made.
In view of the foregoing, the principal object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary tie and method for reinforcing wall structures when a single size main tie will not provide for adequate securement in the outer softer wall portion.
A further object of the present invention is to provide the contractor and installer with an auxiliary kit which will permit the positioning of the main ties wherever preselected, and not be dependent upon a two step or a special type tie in order to complete the job satisfactorily.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for a helical tie inventory reduction for any job site in which an outer wall is being secured to an inner wall.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary reinforcing tie which is relatively inexpensive, particularly when the fact is that the forming of a two diameter tie involves additional forming steps and therefore increases the cost of the two dimensional tie, whereas with the auxiliary tie, the cost can be equalized and the flexibility of utilization in the field augmented.
REFERENCES:
patent: 862522 (1907-08-01), Silvius
patent: 1688269 (1928-10-01), Delaney et al.
patent: 1782293 (1930-11-01), Elliott
patent: 1844823 (1932-02-01), Rosenberg
patent: 3025003 (1962-03-01), Fortune
patent: 4307979 (1981-12-01), Killmeyer
patent: 4798501 (1989-01-01), Spies
Helifix®—Stainless Steel Retrofit Wall Tie System—A four (4) page brochure publication printed and distributed on Jan. 1993.
Blok-Lok®Limited—Stainless Steel Retrofit Wall Tie System—A four (4) page brochure publication printed and distributed on Jan. 1993.
Paterson Robert Ian
Sweeney Patrick John
Dominik Jack E.
Helifix Limited
Smith Scott A.
LandOfFree
Wall tie reinforcement and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Wall tie reinforcement and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Wall tie reinforcement and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2582553