Splice sleeve for connecting reinforcing bars to another entity

A splice sleeve for connecting reinforcing bars in a concrete structure or the like to another entity with the sleeve being rigidly affixed to the reinforcing bar and provided with an anchor structure for anchoring the sleeve to another entity. In one embodiment, the sleeve is frustro-conical and provided with internal rings of equal height having an inner diameter which decreases toward the outer end. In another embodiment, the sleeve is cylindrical with internal rings of unequal height which have an inner diameter that decrease toward the end of the sleeve receiving the reinforcing bar. Hardenable grouting is used between the sleeve and reinforcing bar to positively lock the reinforcing bar, grouting and sleeve together thereby providing a rigid connection between the concrete structure in which the reinforcing bar is incorporated as well as the sleeve and associated anchor structure to another entity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a splice sleeve for connecting reinforcing bars 
utilized in various concrete structures to another entity such as a 
supporting structure or the like. The splice sleeve includes in one 
embodiment a frustro-conical sleeve having a plurality of annular rings of 
equal radial height extending circumferentially on the inner surface 
thereof in longitudinally spaced relation with the internal circumference 
of the rings decreasing toward the outer end of the sleeve with grouting 
filling the area between the reinforcing bar and the rings on the sleeve 
for interlocking the reinforcing bar with the sleeve. The larger end of 
the frustro-conical sleeve is provided with a mechanical anchor structure 
for connection with another entity with on embodiment of the anchor 
structure including an internal threaded cavity in which the threads taper 
inwardly from the outer end of the cavity. 
In another embodiment of the splice sleeve, the sleeve includes a generally 
cylindrical shell having internal rings of unequal radial height on the 
inner surface thereof in longitudinally spaced relation to each other with 
the internal diameter of the rings decreasing toward the outer end of the 
sleeve with the space between the sleeve and reinforcing bar being filled 
with grouting to interlock the sleeve and reinforcing bar. The other end 
of the sleeve is provided with a mechanical anchor structure in the form 
of an inwardly tapering threaded cavity communicating with the other end 
of the sleeve. Either embodiment of the splice sleeve may have an anchor 
structure in the form of a rigid plate integral with or attached to the 
sleeve by which the splice sleeve can be connected to a supporting 
structure or other entity with the mechanical anchoring structures serving 
to connect a reinforcing bar and a concrete structure in which the 
reinforcing bar may be incorporated to another entity with both 
embodiments of the invention including a sleeve having annular rings on 
the interior surface thereof in which the effective inside diameter of the 
rings decreases toward the outer end of the sleeve to provide a rigid 
connection between the sleeve and the reinforcing bar and between the 
sleeve and another entity. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,763 issued Nov. 17, 1970 discloses a splice 
sleeve of double frustro-conical configuration used for connecting aligned 
reinforcing bars which are inserted from opposite ends of the sleeve with 
the space between the sleeve and reinforcing bars being filled with 
grouting. My prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,552,787 and 4,627,212 also disclose 
splice sleeves with U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,212 disclosing various splice 
sleeve configurations in which the interior surface is provided with a 
plurality of circumferential rings having decreasing internal diameters 
toward the outer ends of the sleeve for connecting aligned reinforcing 
bars. 
The prior art cited in my above mentioned prior patents is incorporated 
herein by reference thereto. 
None of the prior patents disclose the combination of a splice sleeve in 
the form of a shell having internal circumferential rings in which the 
internal diameter of the rings effectively decreases toward the outer end 
of the sleeve combined with an anchor structure which connects the sleeve 
to another entity with the anchor structure being integral with or rigidly 
affixed to the end of the sleeve having the larger internal diameter rings 
associated therewith with the space between the shell of the sleeve and 
the reinforcing bar being filled with grouting which hardens thus forming 
a rigid and secure connection between the reinforcing bar, grouting, 
sleeve and anchor structure thus supporting or anchoring a concrete 
structure in which the reinforcing bar may be incorporated to the entity 
which may be in the form of a supporting base or other supporting 
structure or any other entity to which it is desired to connect 
reinforcing bars in a secure manner. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a splice sleeve for 
securely and rigidly connecting a reinforcing bar to another entity 
thereby connecting a concrete structure in which the reinforcing bar is 
incorporated to the entity with the sleeve including an anchor structure 
at one end thereof with the sleeve also including a shell telescopically 
receiving an end portion of a reinforcing bar with the shell including a 
plurality of annular rings of equal or unequal radial height in which the 
inner diameter of the annular rings decreases sequentially toward the 
outer end of the shell for receiving hardenable grouting to securely and 
rigidly anchor the reinforcing bar to the splice sleeve when the grouting 
hardens thereby enabling the anchor structure to secure the splice sleeve 
and reinforcing bar together with any concrete structure in which the 
reinforcing bar is incorporated to the entity. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a splice sleeve in accordance 
with the preceding object in which the shell is frustro-conical in 
configuration with all of the rings being of the same radial extent with 
the internal diameter of the rings extending radially inwardly an equal 
distance from the shell throughout the frustro-conical extent of the shell 
whereby the rings decrease in internal diameter toward the outer end of 
the shell. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a splice sleeve including a 
shell of generally cylindrical configuration and provided with internal 
rings which increase in radial extent and decrease in internal diameter 
toward the outer end of the shell. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a splice sleeve in 
accordance with the preceding objects in which the anchor structure is in 
the form of a longitudinal, internally threaded bore at the end of the 
sleeve opposite to that which receives the reinforcing bar with the 
internal thread tapering inwardly for threaded engagement with a 
correspondingly shaped anchor structure. 
A still further object of the invention is to provide a splice sleeve in 
accordance with the preceding objects in which the anchor structure is a 
support or mounting plate rigid with the end of the sleeve opposite to 
that which receives the reinforcing bar with the plate being rigid with 
the sleeve and adapted to be connected to a supporting structure or other 
entity. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts through-out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, the splice sleeve illustrated 
therein is generally designated by reference numeral 10 and includes a 
shell 12 of one piece construction which is frustro-conical in 
configuration and includes a smaller diameter outer end 14 and a larger 
diameter inner end 16 for receiving an end of a reinforcing bar 18 which 
is of conventional construction and may include peripheral ribs 20 
thereon. The interior surface of the frustro-conical shell 12 includes a 
plurality of annular rings 22 formed integrally therewith in which the 
radial extent of each of the rings is equal but due to the conical 
configuration of the shell, the internal diameter of the rings 22 
decreases toward the outer end of the shell 12. As illustrated, the 
frustro-conical sleeve 12 is embedded in a concrete structure 24 with the 
reinforcing bar 18 also being embedded in the concrete structure. The 
annular space between the shell 12 and the reinforcing bar 18 is filled 
with hardenable grouting 26 which hardens in rigid relation to the ribs 20 
on the reinforcing bar 18 and the rings 22 on the interior of the shell 
12. As illustrated, the space which is filled by the grouting 26 is 
generally wedge-shaped due to the configuration of the shell 12 and the 
rings 22 thereon thus securely locking the reinforcing bar 18 and splice 
sleeve 10 to each other when the hardenable grouting 26 hardens in a 
manner which results in a structure similar to one-half of the sleeve 
disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,763. 
The end of the frustro-conical shell 12 remote from the outer end which 
receives the reinforcing bar 18 is provided with an anchor structure 28 in 
the form of an internally threaded recess or bore 30 extending inwardly 
from the end of the shell 12 with the internal threads 30 tapering 
inwardly from the outer end of the shell 12 to receive the correspondingly 
shaped threaded end 32 of an anchor rod, bolt or the like 34 by which the 
splice sleeve can be anchored to an entity to which the reinforcing bar 18 
or concrete structure 24 is to be connected. By using one-half of the 
double frustro-conical sleeve illustrated in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,763 
and combining it with the anchor structure 28, the sleeve, reinforcing bar 
and concrete structure associated therewith can be securely retained in a 
desired, anchored position. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another embodiment of the splice sleeve designated 
by reference numeral 40 and which includes a generally cylindrical sleeve 
or shell 42 having a plurality of circumferentially extending, 
longitudinally spaced internal rings 44 in which the radial extent of 
rings 44 increases so that the internal diameter 46 of rings 44 decreases 
toward the outer end of the shell 42 which telescopically receives a 
reinforcing bar 46 therein in which the reinforcing bar includes a 
plurality of external ribs 48 that are associated with the decreasing 
diameter rings 44 to anchor the reinforcing bar 46 to the sleeve 40. This 
structure is quite similar to one-half of the sleeve illustrated in my 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,212 and the decreasing diameter of the internal rings 
toward the outer end of the sleeve provides a wedging action so that 
hardenable grouting filling the space between the sleeve and the 
reinforcing bar will rigidly secure the reinforcing bar to the sleeve due 
to the wedging action between the reinforcing bar, grouting and sleeve. 
The other end of the sleeve 40 is provided with an anchor structure 50 
which may serve the same purpose as the anchor structure 28 in FIG. 1 and 
may be exactly the same structure as the anchor structure 28. The 
embodiment of the anchor structure 50 as illustrated in FIG. 3 is in the 
form of a mounting or support plate or bar 52 rigidly affixed to and 
perpendicular to the end of the shell 42 by welding or the plate 52 may be 
integral with the shell. Mounting holes 54 are provided in plate 52 by 
which the plate can be anchored to a supporting structure, lifting 
structure or any other entity to which the sleeve and reinforcing bar is 
to be connected with the sleeve and reinforcing bar being embedded in a 
concrete structure thus enabling the concrete structure to be anchored to 
the entity by use of the mounting or support plate. Either embodiment of 
the splice sleeve may be anchored with either of the anchor structures. 
Also, the splice sleeves may be provided with grouting ports 56 by which 
grouting can be inserted into the space between the sleeve and reinforcing 
bar through one port while air escapes from the other port with the 
grouting ports being optional and not necessary when the splice sleeve is 
vertically oriented since the grouting ca then usually be placed into the 
space between the sleeve and reinforcing bar by using a suitable discharge 
nozzle for gravity flow between the reinforcing bar and splice sleeve. 
Essentially, the present invention involves the combination of the wedging 
configuration and the positive locking engagement between the splice 
sleeve, the grouting and reinforcing bar as described in more detail in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,212 combined with an anchor structure for anchoring 
the splice sleeve and associated structure to another entity by using an 
internally threaded cavity or externally threaded member in which the 
threads may be tapered, a mounting plate, bar or other anchoring device in 
which the splice sleeve is, in effect, one-half of splice sleeve shown in 
my prior patents. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, 
and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be 
resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.