VARIABLE SET-UP, REUSABLE CENTERING FRAME FOR USE AS MOVABLE AND STATIONARY EQUIPMENT

Abstract: A variable set-up, reusable centering frame for the realization of concrete and masonry arches and for restoration applications, said centering frame (1) comprising a succession of rod modular members (3) in the shape of a Y, a first and a second upper hinge joint, a lower hinge joint provided with a slide rod (20), upper longitudinal plate-shaped connection means (6), wherein said rod Y-shaped modular members are connected to said upper longitudinal plate-like means through square joint means (5), wherein prop supporting members (7) are provided at the end of said structure.

Description: SPECIFICATION accompanying an application for a patent of invention having the title: "Variable set-up, reusable centering frame for use as movable and stationary equipment" In the name of: Vincenzo Alessandro LEGNANTE Inventor: the same Applicant DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a variable set-up, re¬ usable centering- frame for use as movable and stationary structure. More particularly, this invention relates to a variable set-up, reusable centering frame for the realization of ma- sonry and concrete arches, for restoration applications in which arches or vaults are present, said centering frame being also usable as an open formwork, for propping purposes, as a truss for furnishing solutions in apartments, as a forming member for dies, as far as its employment as a movable struc- ture is concerned, but it is also usable as a supporting structure for false ceilings or for solutions to furnishing problems in apartments in which curved surfaces are present as far as its employment as a stationary structure is concerned. As is well known, centering frames already known essen- tially consist of provisional structures made up of steel rods or of timber members said structures being intendend for supporting arches and vaults during construction, and having extrados dummy boards on which the intrados of the arch struc¬ ture to be built or restored is supported. Among the centering frames already known, and more par¬ ticularly among those which are not designed for large build¬ ings, the movable and the stationary centering frames are to be distinguished. The first ones, >as is well known, are em¬ ployed when a set of identical structures are to be realized, SUBSTiTUTS8 j:gr or when a single structure can be made up by putting together the parts one after another, whereas the latter are to be par¬ tially or totally disassembled for being employed again. Anyway, both the movable and the stationary centering frames already known are characterized in that they are to be completely or partially disassembled to adapt the same to dif¬ ferent bending radii, as well as to the different load values and distributions. Accordingly, one of the main drawbacks of the structures employed at the present time consists in the need for adapting and designing on each occasion the structure of the centering • frame according to the kind of the desired bending * Moreover, especially in the case of timber structures, the structures already designed and built according to some specified parameters can be hardly employed again for differ¬ ent solutions. Stated in a schematic way, the structure of the centering frames adopted up to the present time in building technology is made up of a curved profile lattice set, and it is support- ed just at its sides, or it is possibly endowed also with in¬ termediate supports, the whole structure resting directly on the ground or on the vertical bearing structures. The assembling of such type of structure is generally dif-ficult and requires the presence of skilled labor; in ad- dition, such step must be necessarily carried out during in¬ stallation. A further drawback consists in the fact that, once the structure has been assembled, it is extremely difficult to substitute any possible defective parts. Such drawbacks, especially if concerned with centering frame structures intended for restoration purposes in urban areas, affect at a remarkable extent both the progress of works and the cost of the restoration intervention. In order to overcome such drawbacks, this invention suggests the realization of a variable set-up centering frame, which is easily adaptable to different bending radii as well SUBSTITUTESHEET as to any possible kind of vaults and to different loads, said centering frame having the structure of an isostatic truss and comprising a series of rod modular members which are connected by hinge joint systems at the knots and by two fastening and forming plate systems. Accordingly, the specific object of the present invention consists in a variable set up, reusable centering frame for use as movable and as stationary structure, said centering frame being characterized in that it comprises a succession of rod planar Y-shaped modular members, a first and a second up¬ per hinge joint, a lower hinge joint which is provided with a slide rod member, continuous longitudinal upper connection means, wherein some square joint connection means are provided between said rod planar Y-shaped modular members and said lon- gitudinal upper connection member, wherein said first and said second upper hinge joints are made up of rotary and fastening means for employment with said square joint connection means, wherein said lower hinge joint consists, at the point corre¬ sponding to the front portion of each one of said rod planar Y-shaped modular members, of sleeve means, slide rod means which can rotate with respect to said sleeve, bolt fastening means, at the point corresponding to the rear portion, of friction fastening means with rough inner surface; wherein said slide rod members have rough surfaces in the longitudinal portion for friction engagement with said fastening means. Advantageously, said rod planar modular members, accord¬ ing to a preferred kind of embodiment, are in the shape of a triangle. According to a preferred embodiment of the present inven- tion, said fastening means are made up of bent plate movable means which are provided with tooth means for engagement and fastening of said Y-shaped planar rod modular member, and they are also made up of square-shaped members having an inner rough groove. Advantageously, the variable' set-up reusable centering frame according to the present invention is characterized in SUBSTITUTE SHEET that hole means are provided on each one of the two Y-shaped planar modular rod members at the ends of each truss, said hole means being provided for realizing the engagement with saddle means for connection with prop supporting means. Moreover, again according to the present invention, eye¬ let holes are provided on said longitudinal connection members for fastening the square-shaped members so as to absorb any possible clearances and tolerances. According to an alternative kind of embodiment of the present invention, said centering frame is employed as a truss or a bearing lattice structure for curved profile false ceil¬ ings. In said arrangement, said Y-shaped planar modular rod members are employed in the overturned position and they have, in their upper part, a double.hinge joint into which the bent ends of two slide rod members converge, said members being connected to an adjustment sleeve and having means for connec¬ tion to the false ceiling structure, said connection means be¬ ing arranged at the ends of each one of the two bent members. Advantageously, said connection means are made up of square-shaped means which are connected to small block means intended for supporting the structure of the false ceiling directly or through intermediate profiles. The present invention will be disclosed in the following just for illustrative and not for limitative purposes with reference to the eτiclosd drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a partial cross sectional view of the whole centering frame lattice structure according to the in¬ vention as fastened to a masonry work and provided with a propping means; Figure 2 shows a front view of a detail of the hooking system of the truss to the masonry work; Figure 3 shows a top view of the basis of the prop as horizontally cross sectioned; Figure 4 shows a horizontal cross-sectional top view of the hooking system of the prop to the masonry work; Figure 5 shows a partial cross-sectional front view of one of said planar modular rod members which is connected to one of the two vertical supports; Figure 6 shows a horizontal cross-sectional view of the member illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the hooking system between the Y-shaped modular member at the crown of the arch and the supporting prop; Figure 8 shows a front view of the hooking system of Fig- ure 7; Figure 9 shows a view ≠ of the whole centering frame lattice structure adapted along a bent profile; Figure 10 shows a schematic view of the behavior and of the load distribution on the truss of Figure 9; Figure 11 shows a front view of a Y-shaped modular member of said truss; Figure 12 shows a side view of the Y-shaped modular mem¬ ber illustrated in Figure 11; Figure 13 shows a vertical cross-sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 11 of the Y-shaped modular member; Figure IA shows a front view of the Y-shaped modular mem¬ ber connected to the plate and to the joint with the slide rod; Figure 15 shows a side view of the member of Figure IA; Figure 16 shows a rear view of the member illustrated in Figure IA; Figure 17 shows a vertical cross-sectional side view along the line C-C of the member of Figure 16; Figures 18A, 18B and 18C show respectively a front view, a side view and a vertical cross-sectional view along the line B-B of a member' that forms the lower joint; Figure 19 shows a front view of the slide rod that is provided at the lower joint; Figures 20A and 20B represent respectively a vertical cross-sectional view and a front cross sectional view of the sleeve member arranged within the inner cavity of the end of the slide rod; Figures 21A and 21B represent respectively a vertical cross-sectional view and a front view of the covering and fastening member of the end of said slide rod; Figures 22A and 22B represent respectively a front and a side view of the square-shaped member arranged between the Y- shaped modular member and the other component parts of the lower joint; Figure 23 represents a front view of a square-shaped mem- ber for connecting the reverse form plate to the upper ends of the Y-shaped modular member; Figures 2A and 25 represent a side view of two square- shaped members as illustrated in Figure 23, which are welded at the points corresponding to the vertical phase, with dif- ferent sizes of the wing that contacts the plate; Figures 26, 27 and 28 represent a top view of the reverse form plate to be employed in the truss according to the pre¬ sent invention, said plate being of three different sizes; Figures 29 and 30 represent a front view of the centering frame lattice structure according to the present invention em¬ ployed as a supporting structure for false ceilings, respect¬ ively of the continuous and of the plate type; Figure 31 shows a front view of the hooking system of an Y-shaped modular member which is employed as a support for a plate type false ceiling, and the underlying bearing struc¬ ture; and Figure 32 shows a side view of the hooking system of an Y-shaped modular member employed as a support for a continuous structure false ceiling. As can be observed in Figure 1, the truss centering frame structure 1 is shown while it is performing its supporting ac¬ tion with respect to the arch-shaped masonry work 2. The structure 1 is essentially composed of a series of Y- shaped rod modular members 3, which are joined to one another at the points corresponding to the 'upper knots A- and then are connected through supporting saddles 5 to the forming member 6 t i S w g iϊT which is made up of a metal sheet. Such member 6 is adapted to the profile of the masonry work 2 so that a constant load distribution is obtained along the metal sheet. 5 The centering frame structure 1 is supported at its ends by propping members 7 connected to the wall shoulder 2 through small anchoring square-shaped means 8 and through pressure platelets 9. Additionally, the various lengths that make up the prop 7 0 are kept together by adjustment sleeves 10 and are fastened to the platelets 8 through members that are fastened to the prop 11. Such details can be observed more clearly in Figure 2, wherein the connection system between the upper end of the Y- 5 shaped rod modular member 3 and the forming member 6 made of metal sheet is illustrated by means of a schematic cross- sectional view, said view also showing the connection between the pier of the prop 7 and the masonry work 2 by means of the small anchoring square-shaped member 8 and of the platelets 9, o and finally the plate 12 resting on the ground of the pier of the prop 7. Moreover, such plate bears four small square-shaped strengthening members 13 for increasing the stability of the structure. 5 It can also be observed in Figure A the tensile member IA of the anchoring square member 8 intended for the adjustment of stresses exerted on said square member. Turning now again to Figure 1, it can be observed that the fastening between the terminal Y-shaped rod modular member 3 and the supporting prop 7, occurs at the points correspond¬ ing to the middle portion of the same member by means of a saddle 15. Such arrangement is illustrated with more details in Fig¬ ures 5 and 6. Indeed, Figures 5 and 6 show* that the upper portion of the prop 7 that bears the saddle 15 engages with the middle portion of the member 3 to which it is fastened by means of a through bolt 16, so that stability is assured. Figure 7 shows on the contrary a vertical cross-sectional view of the connection between the Y-shaped rod modular member 3 at the arch crown (not observable in Figure 1) and the sup¬ porting prop arranged at the central position of the structure 7A. Such connection, as can be observed, occurs at the point corresponding to the lower hinge 17 of the rod modular member 3 which engages with a saddle 18 and is fastened to the same by means of the through bolt 19. As can be observed in Figure 1 and much more clearly in Figure 9 wherein a front view is shown of the truss 1 of Fig¬ ure 1 without the props 7A, each one of the Y-shaped members 3 is connected to the next member both at the points correspond¬ ing to the upper knots A which consist of a double-square shaped saddle 5 to which the two overlapped ends of each one of the adjacent rod modular members 3 are fastened by means of bolt and nut, and at the point corresponding to a lower joint. (A more detailed disclosure of the joint system will be goven in the following). Such joint substantially consists of a slide rod 20 en¬ dowed with a rounded end which is rotatably engaged as a hinge with respect to the lower end of the Y-shaped rod modular mem- ber 3, and wherein its longitudinal portion is intended for engagement with a corresponding slide provided in the rear part of the lower joint of each one of said Y-shaped members. According to the different bending radii to which the truss 1 is to be adapted, the members 3 take on different mutual positions which are obtained through a mutual rotation with respect to the upper hinge to which different positions of the rods 20 correspond with respect to knots 17. Fastening of each slide rod 20 at the lower knot 17 of the Y-shaped rod modular member 3 adjacent at the position corresponding to that given by the'bending, is assured by the fastening action exerted on the nuts (which are not observable in Figures 1 and 9) and by friction arising on the surfaces of members in contact. Figure 10 shows schematically the behavior of the load distribution in the truss 1 under the hypothesis that such structure be taken as associated to the arch masonry work 2 shown in Figure 1. As can be remarked, the concentrated load supported by the forming member 6 which is made up of metal sheet is trans¬ ferred by said member to the upper knots A of members 3, sub- stantially in the form of a normal stress. Between said upper knots and the lower knots 17 a truss 0 scheme can be hypothesized in the shape of a triangle, said truss consisting of a succession of triangles A and B whose bases are respectively made up of the virtual rod joining the upper knots A and of the virtual rod joining the lower knots 17. As can be easily seen, the resultants of the upper loads concentrated at the knots give rise to normal tensile stresses along each one of the rods of the virtual truss. Owing to such tensile stresses, bending moments are generated in the actual structure around the static and geo¬ metric center of gravity of each Y-shaped member, which mo¬ ments add to the effects of the normal and of the shear stresses. Figure 11 shows a front view of one of the Y-shaped rod modular members 3, which is essentially made up of three arms which are at 120° to one another and are endowed with holes at their ends, one of the upper bent arms having a transverse relief so that it lies in a slightly projecting plane with respect to the other members. Indeed, in Figures 12 and 13 the portion 3A can be observed which is slightly projecting so that it can engage with the corresponding portion 3A of the adjacent member, and so that the whole truss lies on one only plane. The particular arrangement of 'the members 3 and the con¬ struction details which allow such coplanar arrangement of members to be obtained can be understood by observing Figure 9. The relief 3A of one of the upper arms of the member 3 indeed will be alternatively on the right or on the left arm. In Figure IA, the Y-shaped rod modular member 3 is con¬ nected at the point corresponding to one of the upper ends to a square-shaped saddle 5 connected to the metal sheet 6. As can be better observed in Figure 15, the saddle 5 consists of the mutual coupling 21 obtained through welding of two small symmetrical square-shaped members of the same sizes, which are provided in the upper part with øa hole for engagement by means of bolt and nut 22 with eyelet holes (not shown) in the metal sheet 6 and in the lower part of a third bolt and nut member already pointed out schematically with the numeral A, for en- gage ent with the ends of two Y-shaped rod modular contiguous members 3. In the lower joint 17 are provided, on the contrary, res¬ pectively in the fore part and in the rear part of the member 3, a bent plate member 23 intended for engagement, at the point corresponding to the end tooth 2A, with the member 3 by passing through a hole 25 drilled in the same, as well as a square-shaped member 26 welded to the lower end of the rod modular member 3 and endowed with a sloping grooved profile 27 for engagement with the slide rod 20 of the joint of the ad- jacεnt member 3 and the closure split pin 21 that bears, at the point corresponding to the rear part of the member 3, the rounded end of the slide rod 20, the nut 29 and all other members intended for realizing the joint 17 being also pro¬ vided. Indeed, as can be observed both in Figure 15 and in Fig¬ ures 16 and 17, the connection between two successive members 3 is obtained in the lower part by fastening the slide rod 20 between the bent plate member 23 and the grooved portion of the square-shaped member 26. " in the Figures 18, 19 and 22- the fact is put into evi¬ dence that a high friction force is created between such me - bers also as a result of the rough surface of the groove 27 in the bent plate member 23, which groove also has a tendency to become narrower at the central part and then to become wider towards the edge of the member 23, always following the same slope (remark the different position of the groove 27 in the side views 18B and 18C). In a similar way (Figure 22A) a portion 29 substantially trapezoidal in shape of the plate member 23 has a rough sur¬ face for engagement with the corresponding surface 30 of the slide rod 20 (Figure 19). On the contrary, the bent portion of an additional rod 20 will be so arranged as to rotate pivotedly with respect to the sleeve 32 (Figures 20A and 20B) and it will " be closed in its outer part by the split pin 28 (Figures 21A and 21B). Thus, by fastening the bolt 20, the bent end and the longitudinal portion 30 of the two slide rods 20 converging to the lower knot 17 of each member 3 are locked respectively in the pre-selected position so that they can be adapted to the bent profile of the masonry to be supported. Figures 23 and 2A show, as front and side views respec¬ tively, the square-shaped saddle 5 which has a rounded end provided with a groove 32 in its vertical portion for the passage of the fastening bolt. The member 5 pointed out in Figure 25 is a further em- bodiment of the invention, suitable for engagement with a met¬ al-sheet forming member 6 of larger sizes (like that pointed out in Figure 28) wherein the eyelet holes 33 are in a more advanced position towards the outside edges of the member 6. The shape of the holes 33 allows tolerances and clear- ances arising from, the particular arrangements along a bent perimeter of the Y-shaped members 3 to be absorbed. The distance between successive pairs of holes, and hence the distance between the ends of the bent arms of each Y- shaped member is a function of the dimensional series of the Y-shaped members adopted, which is' in turn determined by the particular arrangement of loads. S S " Finally, Figures 29 and 32 represent a particular ar¬ rangement of the truss 1 for building continuous finishing (Figure 29) or plate (Figure 30) bent profile false ceilings. As can be observed, members appear overturned so as to support the false ceiling structure 35 to be connected to the intrados of the floor 3A arranged at the points corresponding to the lines joining the bent ends of the oblique sides of each member 3. The end of each longitudinal portion of the member 3 is joined to the next one by means of the slide rods 20 which are endowed ' with the connection and adjustment sleeve 36. Thus, a continuous lattice structure or truss is formed, which is connected to the intrados of the floor 34 by means of steel strands 37 connected to the joint 17. The connection with the continuous false ceiling struc¬ ture occurs through an anchoring saddle 38 and a small fasten¬ ing block 39. Such configurations is illustrated in a more detailed way in Figure 32, wherein the anchoring saddle 38 can be seen as connected to the small block 39, which is in turn fastened to the member to be supported. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, both bent portions of two different slide rods 20 converge to the upper joint. Figure 31 shows on the contrary the system connecting a modular rod member to a plate-type false ceiling, wherein the anchoring saddle 38, the small block 39 fastened by means of a bolt, and an.Ω- -shaped member A0 for anchoring the plates Al are shown. The present invention has been disclosed just for illus¬ trative and not for limitative purposes, according to some preferred embodiments of the same, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those who are skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention for which a priority right is claimed. SUB E w x ""-

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame for em¬ ployment as a movable and stationary structure, characterized in that- it comprises a succession of planar modular rod mem¬ bers, a first and a second hinge upper joint, a lower hinge joint provided with a slide rod member, continuous longitudi¬ nal upper connection means, wherein square-shaped connection means are provided between said planar modular rod members and said longitudinal connection members; wherein said first and said second upper hinge joints are made up of rotary and fastening means for engagement with said square-shaped connec- tion means; wherein said lower hinge joint consists, at the point corresponding to the fore portion of said planar modular rod member, of sleeve means, slide rod means which can rotate with respect to said sleeve means, bolt-like fastening means, and at the point corresponding to. the rear portion of said planar modular rod member, of friction fastening means having inner rough surfaces; and wherein said slide rod members have rough surfaces at their longitudinal portions. 2. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claim 1, characterized in that said planar modular rod mem¬ bers are Y-shaped. 3. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claim 1, characterized in that said planar modular rod mem¬ bers are in the shape of a triangle. A. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that said fastening means are made up of movable, bent-plate means which are prov¬ ided with tooth means for engagement with the planar modular rod member and for fastening them to the same, as well as of square-shaped members having an inner rough groove. 5. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claims 1, 2, 3 and A, characterized in that each one of said two planar modular rod members is provided with hole means for engagement with saddle means for connection. to prop¬ like supporting members. 6. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claim 1, characterized in that said connection longitudinal members are provided with eyelet holes for fastening said square-shaped members. 7. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claim 1, characterized in that said planar modular rod mem¬ bers are employed in the overturned position. 8. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claima 1 and 7, characterized in that said overturned planar modular rod members have a double hinge joint in their upper part, and also characterized in that the bent ends of two slide rod members connected by means of an adjustment sleeve are provided at said hinge joint. 9. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claims 1, 7 and 8, characterized in that said overturned planar modular rod members have connection members with the structure to be supported, at the points corresponding to the ends of each one of the two sloping sides. 10. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to claims 1, 7, 8 and 9, characterized in that said connection members are made up of square-shaped means joined through small block means. 11. A variable set-up, reusable centering frame according to the preceding claims, and substantially as disclosed and illustreted above. sysatrr yτι SHJ a srϊr

Inventors: LEGNANTE VINCENZO ALESSANDRO, LEGNANTE, VINCENZO, ALESSANDRO
Applicants: LEGNANTE VINCENZO ALESSANDRO, LEGNANTE, VINCENZO, ALESSANDRO
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E04G21
IPC codes: E04G21