Supporting and anchoring device for prefabricated building elements, in particular made of concrete or the like

Abstract: The present invention relates to a supporting and anchoring device for prefabricated units, in particular made of concrete or the like. The device comprises a supporting element (5) which is removably insertable in a seat (2) which is defined in a supporting element (3) of a building. Said supporting element (5) defines, externally with respect to the bulk of the seat (2), a resting region for a unit (4) to be connected to the building supporting element (3).

Description: The present invention relates to a supporting and anchoring device for prefabricated building element, in particular made of concrete or the like (as see WO 83/01804). As is known, appropriate brackets are currently provided in order to anchor a concrete building element unit, for example a prefabricated panel, to a supporting structure, such as for example a pillar or to a base element such as a slab or beam of a building; said brackets protrude from the supporting element or from the supported element and are intended to engage in seats which are appropriately provided in the supported element or in the supporting element. In other cases one resorts, during the installation of the building elements, to couplings performed by welding or bolting steel inserts which have been embedded beforehand in said building elements. The systems currently used for mutually coupling building elements, in particular concrete prefabricated elements, have some disadvantages. In the case of brackets appropriately provided on the supporting or supported element, problems are in fact observed in the execution, during the forming of the building element, of said brackets and of the related seats, since these parts must be produced with significant precision in order to ensure the possibility of coupling them during the subsequent installation. Furthermore, the fact of having to provide a bracket which protrudes from a building element also complicates the execution of the formworks. Another problem which is due to the presence of brackets which protrude from the building elements is the difficulty which can be observed in the transport of said building elements, which requires additional space for said brackets as well as particular care in order to avoid damaging said protruding parts. During installation it is furthermore often necessary to perform additional castings to compensate the large measurement tolerances required to allow the simple mutual coupling of the building elements. Problems are encountered in the case of couplings performed by welding or bolting metallic inserts which have been embedded beforehand in the building elements to be mutually connected; these problems are mainly related to the time required in installation and to the difficult conditions in which the operators assigned to this operation must work. The aim of the present invention is to solve the above described problems by providing a supporting and anchoring device for prefabricated building elements, in particular made of concrete or the like, which considerably simplifies both the execution of the building elements, and their installation. Within the scope of this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device which allows to mutually connect building elements with no protruding parts, thus also simplifying their transport. Another object of the invention is to provide a device which achieves a coupling between building elements with marked antiseismic characteristics. A further object of the invention is to provide a device which allows to obtain high precision in the placement of the building elements though it requires reduced installation times with respect to conventional coupling systems. This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a supporting and anchoring device according to claim 1 Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the device according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a sectional view, taken along a vertical plane, of the coupling between two building elements performed with a device according to the invention in a first embodiment; figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of the device illustrated in figure 1, taken respectively along the axes II-II and III-III; figure 4 is a sectional view, taken along a vertical plane, of the coupling between two building elements performed with a device according to the invention in a second embodiment; figure 5 is a reduced-scale bottom plan view of the device illustrated in figure 4; figure 6 is a sectional view, taken similarly to figures 1 and 4, of a further variated embodiment of the device according to the invention. With reference to the above figures, the device according to the invention, generally indicated by the reference numerals 1a, 1b, 1c in its various embodiments, comprises a supporting element 5 which is insertable, in a removable manner, in a seat 2 which is defined in a supporting structure 3 of a building, such as for example a pillar, a base element such as a slab or beam, or another element. Said supporting element 5 is provided, externally with respect to the seat 2, with resting means 8a, 11a for a building element 4, for example a panel made of reinforced concrete or the like, to be connected to the building supporting structure 3. More particularly, said supporting element 5 comprises, in the various illustrated embodiments, a cylindrical body 5c, preferably with a hollow polygonal cross section, which is inserted in the seat 2 with one of its ends and protrudes from said seat 2 with its other end 5b, constituting a bracket which can be assembled during installation. The building element 4 has, on the side to be directed toward the building supporting structure 3, a recess 6 for accommodating the end 5b of the cylindrical body 5c which protrudes from the seat 2. Said recess 6, according to the requirements, can be closed downward, as illustrated in figure 1, or be open as illustrated in figure 4. Advantageously, said supporting element 5 is provided with adjustment means (7-9;11-12;14-16) for varying, during installation, the position of the building element 4 with respect to the building supporting structure 3. Said adjustment means (7-9), as illustrated in figure 1 in a first embodiment can comprise an externally threaded shaft 7 which is fixed, for example by welding, to the end 5b of the cylindrical body 5c which protrudes from the seat 2. Said shaft 7 extends transversely to the extension of the cylindrical body 5c and is arranged vertically. A first threaded bush 8 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft 7 and upwardly defines the resting means 8a for the building element 4. The screwing or unscrewing of the bush 8 along the shaft 7 varies the height of the resting means 8a and therefore of the building element 4 with respect to the building supporting structure 3. If the recess 6 is closed downward, it is possible to provide a second threaded bush 9 to be screwed on the opposite end of the shaft 7. Said bush 9 can be shifted along the shaft 7 so as to act against a shoulder 10 of the building element 4 which is opposite to the portion of the recess 6 which rests against the bush 8. As illustrated in a second embodiment in figure 4, the adjustment means 11,12 can comprise a threaded shaft 11 which is arranged transversely to the extension of the cylindrical body 5c and is coupled to a threaded seat which is defined in a bush 12 which is welded to the protruding end 5b of the cylindrical body 5c. Said threaded shaft 11 defines, with its upper end, the resting means 11a for the building element 4, and by screwing or unscrewing it in the threaded seat it is possible to vary the position of the building element 4 along a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane. The seat 2 conveniently extends along a direction which is inclined and rises toward the building element 4 with respect to the horizontal plane. Due to this reason, the loads which bear on the cylindrical body 5c discharge onto the supporting structure 3, reinforcing the condition of insertion of the cylindrical body 5c in the seat 2. Due to this reason. the device 1a, 1b, 1c according to the invention offers adequate antiseismic assurances. The seat 2 is furthermore defined by a hollow body 13, for example a steel tube, which is embedded beforehand in the building supporting structure 3. Said hollow body 13 has a lower edge 13a on the side of the supporting structure 3 which is directed toward the unit building element 4, as will become apparent hereinafter. Advantageously, the means 7-9;11-12;14-16 for adjusting the position of the building element 4 with respect to the building supporting structure 3 also comprise adjustment elements 14-16 which interact between the cylindrical body 5c and the building supporting structure 3 to obtain an axial movement of the cylindrical body 5c along its axis 5a so as to allow the adjustment of the horizontal distance between the building element 4 and the building supporting structure 3. As illustrated in figure 4 in a first embodiment, said adjustment elements 14-16 can be constituted by a screw 14 which is arranged horizontally and engages a threaded hole defined in a wing 15 which is fixed under the cylindrical body 5c outside the seat 2. Said screw 14 acts with one of its ends against an abutment which is defined on the building supporting structure 3 and is constituted by said lower edge 13a. The adjustment elements which interact between the cylindrical body 5c and the building supporting struture 3 can also be constituted, as illustrated in figure 6 in a second embodiment, by a screw 16 which engages in an axial hole defined in the appropriately closed end of the cylindrical body 5c, which is arranged in the seat 2. Said screw 16 rests with its head against the bottom of the seat 2, and by screwing or unscrewing it it is possible to adjust the extent of the protrusion of the cylindrical body 5c from the seat 2. The cylindrical body 5c can be constituted by an appropriately shaped tube or, as illustrated, by mutually welded plates. It should be noted that the recess 6 has a preset extension perpendicular to the plane of the figures 1 and 4 and therefore, in effect, the position of the building element 4 with respect to the building supporting structure 3 can be adjusted along three mutually perpendicular axes. The extension of the recess 6 laterally to the building supporting structure 3 also allows access to the adjustment means 7-9;11-12 when said recess 6 is closed downward. The use of the device 1a, 1b, 1c according to the invention is evident from what has been described and illustrated, and in particular it is evident that it is possible to anchor a building element to a building supporting structure without having to provide protruding brackets during the execution of the elements to be mutually connected. During installation it is possible to obtain, by using the adjustment means with which the device is provided, great precision in the placement of the building element. In practice it has been observed that the device according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since it allows to provide a dry coupling between two prefabricated elements with high precision and also to simplify the execution and transport of the building elements. A further advantage is that it is possible to provide ventilated faces of buildings by appropriately spacing the supported element from the supporting structure. In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims: Supporting and anchoring device for prefabricated building elements to be supported from a supporting structure of a building comprising a bush like seat (2) which is provided or defined with one opening in a building supporting structure (3), and a supporting element (5) with an elongated cylindrical body (5c), the polygonal cross-section and length thereof being adapted to that one of said seat (2) such as to be removably fit-inserted in said seat (2) with one of its ends (5b) protruding therefrom, characterized in that said supporting element (5) is provided with resting means (8a;11a) defining a resting region for a building element (4) to be connected to said building supporting structure (3), and with means (7-9;11,12;14-16) for adjusting and varying the horizontal and vertical position of said resting means (8a;11a) with respect to said seat (2), said adjusting means (7-9;11,12;14-16) allowing bidirectional adjustment of the position of said building element (4) to be connected with respect to said building supporting structure (3). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said bush like seat (2) for receiving said supporting element (5) is provided in said building support structure (3) with its longitudinal axis inclined with respect to a horizontal plane and rising towards an upper end of said building supporting structure (3). Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said adjusting means (7-9;11,12;14-16) comprise first adjustment elements (7-9;11,12) associated with said cylindrical body (5c) proximate to said end (5b) which protrudes from said seat (2), one element (8;11) of said first adjustment elements (7-9;11,12) defining said resting means (8a; 11a) and being movable transversely to the extension of said cylindrical body (5c) and along a substantially perpendicular (vertical) direction with respect to said horizontal plane. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said end (5b) of said cylindrical body (5c) which protrudes from said seat (2) in said building supporting structure (3) protrudes into an accommodation recess (6) defined in said building element (4). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said protruding end (5b) of said cylindrical body (5c) protrudes into an accommodation recess (6) open towards said horizontal plane. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seat (2) is defined by a hollow body (13) which is embedded in said building supporting structure (3) with its opening in a side-surface of said building supporting structure (3). Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first adjustment elements (7-9;11,12) comprise a threaded shaft (11) which defines said resting means (11a) with one of its ends and is coupled to a threaded seat (12) which is rigidly associated with said protruding end (5b) of said cylindrical body (5c). Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said first adjustment elements (7-9;11,12) comprise a first threaded bush (8) which defines said resting means (8a) and is coupled to a threaded shaft (7) which is rigidly associated with and transversly to said protruding end (5b) of said cylindrical body (5c). Device according to claim 8, characterized in that a second bush (9) is mounted on the end of said threaded shaft (7) which is opposite to said first threaded bush (8), said second bush (9) being controllably movable along said threaded shaft (7) to rest against a shoulder (10) which is defined in said recess (6) of said building element (3) and is opposite to the portion of said recess (6) which rests on said first bush (8). Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said adjustment means (7-19;11,12;14- 16) comprise second adjustment elements (14-16) which are provided to adjust the extent of protrusion of said protruding end (5b) from said seat (2), and therefore allowing adjustment of the axial distance between said resting means (8a;11a) supporting said building element (4) from said building supporting structure (3). Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said second adjusting elements (14-16) comprise a screw element (14) which is arranged substantially in said horizontal plane and is engaged with a threaded hole which is defined in a wing (15) which is fixed to the protruding end (5b) of said cylindrical body (5c) and acts with one of its ends against an abutment (13a) which is defined on the side of said building supporting structure (3). Device according to claims 6 and 11, characterized in that said hollow body (13) has, at its open side, a lower edge (13a) which is coplanar with a side-surface of said building supporting structure (3)and defines said abutment for said screw element (14) which is supported by said wing (15). Device according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said second adjustment elements (14-16) comprise a screw element (16) which is engaged with a female thread which is defined axially in the end of said cylindrical body (5c) which is accommodated in said seat (2), said screw element (16) resting against the closed bottom of said seat (2) with its end which protrudes from said cylindrical body (5c). Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cylindrical body (5c) is internally hollow.

Inventors: ZAMBELLI BENITO, ZAMBELLI SERGIO, ZAMBELLI, BENITO, ZAMBELLI, SERGIO
Applicants: ZAMBELLI BENITO, ZAMBELLI SERGIO, ZAMBELLI, BENITO, ZAMBELLI, SERGIO
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F16B13
IPC codes: E04B1, E04F13