Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-02
2004-02-03
Vidovich, Gregory (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C256S013000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06684477
ABSTRACT:
PRIOR ART
A patent search was conducted on this invention and the following United States and foreign patents are noted:
U.S. Pat. NO.
INVENTION
INVENTOR
Des. No. 30,959
FENCE POST
J. W. Brooks
1,372,362
REINFORCED CONCRETE
Emile Marzoli
POLE
1,676,679
CONCRETE FENCE POST
Wilson Bensinger
3,958,381
CONCRETE FILLED TAPERED
Roy E. Meyer
TUBULAR TOWER
4,008,026
CONCRETE FORMING
William J.
APPARATUS FOR MAKING
Engstrom
FENCE POSTS AND THE LIKE
4,142,711
FENCE AND FENCE POST
Rulon W.
WITH REMOVABLE RAIL
Brimhall
RETAINING BRACKET
4,631,883
TENDONS FOR POST-
Harris et al
TENSIONED PRE-STRESSED
CONCRETE STRUCTURES
5,630,301
ANCHORAGE ASSEMBLY
Lyle D. Sieg
AND METHOD FOR
POST-TENSIONING IN
PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE
STRUCTURES
5,975,500
CAST CONCRETE FENCE
Orton et al
POSTS AND CAST CONCRETE
BASES FOR SAID POSTS
Additionally, the following foreign patents were found:
U.S. Pat. NO.
INVENTOR
COUNTRY
50,505
B. H. Sundman
Sweden
609,344
M. Jean RAS
France
3-81443
Masahide Tomii
Japan
The Brooks patent discloses a fence post of a stepped design which is not pertinent to the applicant's invention.
The Marzoli patent discloses a reinforced concrete pole utilizing a central reinforcing bar and wire stands and a mold for constructing same is shown in FIG.
7
. No prestressing of the central reinforcing rod is disclosed in this patent. It has a unique shape but not applicable.
The Bensinger patent discloses a concrete fence post which can be screwed into the ground and a wooden strip to support wire fence strands. The tapered concrete post with a tapered bottom with screw threads to aid in getting the post into the ground. No pretensioning is involved.
The Meyer patent discloses a concrete filled tapered tubular tower which may be up to 180 feet in length. However, this post does not have a central reinforcing rod and basically taking an outer steel tower pole or standard
14
and filling it with concrete on location and being filled from a lower inlet port. This achieves a tapered, tubular tower member of considerable strength.
The Engstrom patent discloses a concrete forming apparatus for making fence posts utilizing a batch pour operation similar to a conveyor line production process. A U-shaped reinforcing rod
104
is utilized but no discussion of any prestressing. This patent discloses use of complex and expensive forms.
The Brimhall patent discloses a fence and fence post with removable rail retaining bracket therein teaching square concrete fence posts including a metal rod extended laterally therethrough for attaching to rails
12
and
14
by a cylindrical enclosure
20
. This patent teaches a single vertical central reinforcing rod
26
as noted in
FIG. 2
but does not set forth any prestressing being involved.
The Harris et al patent discloses tendons for post-tensioned pre-stressed concrete structures having a central reinforcing rod or steel strand
1
that is post-tensioned. This patent teaches the use of an outer sheath
2
, a lubricant
3
, plus an epoxy resin
11
which would be ruptured on a post-tensioning procedure to create a bond between a surrounding concrete material and the steel strand or reinforcing rod
1
. The applicant's post is “pre-tensioned” not “post-tensioned”.
The Sieg patent discloses an anchorage assembly and method for post-tensioning in pre-stressed concrete structures and doesn't involve a pre-tensioning step.
The Orton et al patent discloses cast concrete fence posts and cast concrete bases for the posts but no pre-stressing is involved.
The Swedish patent discloses a concrete post having considerable reinforcing rods therein and adapted to be stacked on top of each other to obtain the desired height. There are not any prestressing features involved.
The French patent discloses an elongated tapered pole, which may be a telephone pole, and having reinforcing rods therein in the finished form as noted in FIG.
1
A.
FIGS. 3
,
4
, and
5
indicate carousel structures operable to hold and space the reinforcing rods in the proper position and placed within each of the protrusions thereabout.
The Japanese patent discloses a structure for reinforced concrete columns having reinforcing rods
3
therein as noted in
FIG. 2
embedded in concrete
2
and having an outer square steel pipe
1
thereabout. The strength is achieved by the positioning of the reinforcement rods
3
and no prestressing is discussed in the brief English description.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to forms, apparatus, and method procedure steps for mass producing prestressed concrete fence posts, poles, towers, and the like.
The majority of posts used throughout the world are either reinforced concrete, wood, or steel. In earlier times, fence posts were hewn out of sandstone in Kansas where wood is not readily available. The sandstone fence posts are still in wide use in large areas in Central Kansas.
Concrete posts reinforced with deformed non-tensioned re-enforcing bars are now in use, but are larger and heavier than the applicant's prestressed concrete fence post assembly and are more susceptible to cracking.
Steel posts commonly in use are either galvanized tubes or rolled members of T-shape in transverse cross section. Protrusions are provided at intervals to retain fencing, such as barbed wire secured thereto by wire connector ties. Also, U-shaped plates are secured near a base of the steel posts to resist overturning. The tubular posts are relatively expensive and have no protrusions or means for attaching fence wires. The steel posts are degraded over time by rusting.
Wood fence posts have a finite life due to being deteriorated by rot and insects. Further, the cost of wood fence posts remains high due to a common practice of turning a wood stock to produce a round post having a pleasing appearance and to reduce deterioration by applying a preservative.
Concrete posts currently in use are generally square in transverse cross section, heavier than round posts of equal strength, and are not efficiently manufactured. Prior apparatus and method procedures for making concrete fence posts and poles have not produced products in sufficient quantities at low enough cost to be competitive with wood and steel posts. A method of construction and apparatus to efficiently manufacture concrete posts and poles is therefore highly desirable.
Concrete fence posts made in the manner described in this invention will reduce a factory area required for manufacture, reduce the number of workers required to manufacture the concrete fence posts, and increase the number of concrete fence posts that may be produced in a day to extremely large quantities.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
One preferred embodiment of this invention, includes 1) a prestressed concrete fence post assembly and method of construction; 2) a method of construction of a fence post mold assembly; 3) a method of construction of a single prestressed concrete fence post assembly; 4) a method of construction conjointly of a plurality of prestressed fence post assemblies; and 5) a carousel method of construction conjointly of a plurality of prestressed fence post assemblies.
The prestressed concrete fence post assembly includes 1) a main fence post body; 2) a prestressed tendon, cable, or wire strand member positioned centrally of the elongated tapered main fence post body; and 3) a plurality of spaced external connector grooves being parallel to each other and extended longitudinally of the main fence post body.
The main fence post body has a top surface and a bottom or anchor section to be placed within a support medium and having a tapered portion extended upwardly therefrom.
The connector grooves are adapted to receive a connector strand or tie member to attach a fence wire assembly or barbed wire strand thereto.
The method of construction of a fence post mold assembly, which will be used to produce a prestressed concrete fence post assembly, includes 1) a fence post mandrel assembly; 2) a pair of fence post mold half sections; 3) a top end plate member; and 4) a bottom end plate member
Crissey Glenn C.
Kenny Stephen
Rein Phillip A.
Vidovich Gregory
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