Patent Publication Number: US-11047144-B2

Title: Vertical formwork and an anchor for a vertical form work

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application relates to and claims the benefit and priority to International Application No. PCT/ES2018/070258, filed Mar. 27, 2018, which relates to and claims the benefit and priority to European Application No. EP17382181.0, filed Apr. 6, 2017. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an anchor for a vertical formwork and to a vertical formwork. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vertical formworks are known to be used for building vertical structures, such as walls, for example. A vertical formwork comprises two formwork panels which are arranged facing and fixed to one another by means of a tie rod, the tie rod being fixed to the formwork panels by means of an anchor fixed to the respective formwork panel. 
     EP2126248A1 discloses a vertical formwork comprising a front formwork panel and a rear formwork panel which are arranged facing one another, a rear anchor fixed to the rear panel, a front anchor fixed to the front panel, and a tie rod fixed to the front anchor and to the rear anchor. The rear anchor comprises a dome plate fixed to the rear formwork panel, said dome plate comprising a spherical-shaped central section with an opening. The rear anchor also comprises a nut with a threaded hole configured for housing a threaded end of a tie rod, the nut comprising a spherical portion which is arranged in the opening of the dome plate. 
     DE102010003017A1 discloses a vertical formwork with a rear anchor with the features described above, wherein the spherical portion of the nut and the central section of the dome plate are coupled like a ball and socket joint, the rear anchor further comprising a support plate configured for being fixed to a rear formwork panel, said support plate comprising a housing in which the dome plate is arranged. 
     SUMMARY 
     A first aspect relates to a rear anchor for a vertical formwork. The rear anchor comprises a dome plate comprising a spherical-shaped central section comprising an opening. The rear anchor also comprises a nut with a threaded hole configured for housing a threaded end of a tie rod, the nut comprising a spherical portion which is arranged in the opening of the dome plate. The spherical portion of the nut and the central section of the dome plate are coupled like a ball and socket joint. 
     The rear anchor also comprises a support plate configured for being fixed to a rear formwork panel, said support plate comprising a housing in which the dome plate is arranged, and said dome plate having freedom of radial movement with respect to the support plate inside the housing. 
     A second aspect relates to a vertical formwork comprising a front formwork panel and a rear formwork panel which are arranged facing one another, a rear anchor with the features described above fixed to the rear panel, a front anchor fixed to the front panel, and a tie rod fixed to the front anchor and to the rear anchor. 
     The ball and socket joint-like coupling between the spherical portion of the nut and the central section of the dome plate, and the radial movement of the dome plate with respect to the support plate, allows orienting the nut with respect to the rear formwork panel. Therefore, when the operator has to screw the threaded end of a tie rod into the threaded hole of the nut, it can be done by adapting the orientation of the nut to the path of the tie rod. The rear anchor of the invention therefore provides an alternative configuration of a rear anchor for vertical formworks. 
     These and other advantages and features will become apparent in view of the drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a vertical formwork according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  shows a second perspective view of the vertical formwork of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a section view of the vertical formwork of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the rear anchor of the vertical formwork of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  shows a second perspective view of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a section view of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  shows a section view of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4  when it is fixed to the rear formwork panel. 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4  without the cover. 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4  without the cover and without the coupling plate. 
         FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of the support plate of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 11  shows a second perspective view of the support plate of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of the dome plate of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of the coupling plate of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 14  shows a perspective view of the nut of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 15  shows a perspective view of the cover of the rear anchor of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 16  shows a second perspective view of the cover of  FIG. 15 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     According to one embodiment, a vertical formwork  1  is provided that comprises a front formwork panel  2  and a rear formwork panel  3  which are arranged facing one another. The vertical formwork  1  also comprises a front anchor  4  fixed to the front formwork panel  2 , a rear anchor  5  fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 , and a tie rod  6  with a threaded end  60  fixed to the rear anchor  5  and a first end  61  fixed to the front anchor  4 . 
     The vertical formwork  1  of this embodiment is a vertical formwork  1  configured for being adjusted from one face, i.e., the tie rod  6  is fixed from one side of the vertical formwork  1 . In vertical formworks  1  of this type, the rear anchor  5  is fixed to the rear formwork panel  3  before the front formwork panel  2  and the rear formwork panel  3  are arranged in the concreting position. Once the front formwork panel  2  and the rear formwork panel  3  are positioned in the concreting position, the operator is located in the front portion, fixing the threaded end  60  of the tie rod  6  to the rear anchor  5  and the first end  61  of the tie rod  6  to the front anchor  4  which is fixed to the front formwork panel  2 . In the context of the invention, front portion will be considered the portion where the operator fixing the tie rod  6  is located. Therefore, the front formwork panel  2  is the formwork panel arranged on the side of the operator and the rear formwork panel  3  is the formwork panel facing said front panel  2 . Similarly, the front anchor  4  is the anchor fixed to the front formwork panel  2 , and the rear anchor  5  is the anchor fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 . Furthermore, the inner face  23  and  33  of the formwork panel  2  and  3  is the face suitable for being arranged in contact with the concrete and the outer face  24  and  34  of the formwork panel  2  and  3  is the face opposite the inner face  23  and  33 . 
     In this embodiment, the rear formwork panel  3  comprises a structure  31 , a board  30  fixed to said structure  31 , and a housing extending from the outer face  34  to the inner face  33  in which a bushing  32  is arranged, said bushing  32  going through said structure  31  and said board  30 . The bushing  32  forms a housing in which part of the rear anchor  5  is housed. The bushing  32  has an entry opening which is arranged at the same level as the outer face  34  of the rear formwork panel  3  and an exit opening  320  which is arranged at the same level as the inner face  33  of the formwork panel, the diameter of the exit opening  320  being less than the diameter of the entry opening. Preferably, the board  30  is made of wood or plastic, and the structure  31  and the bushing  32  are made of metal. 
     In this embodiment, the configuration of the front formwork panel  2  is the same as the configuration of the rear formwork panel  4 , and they can therefore be used interchangeably. For the sake of clarity, the formwork panels are only partially depicted in the drawings. 
     In other embodiments, depending on the dimensions of the formwork panel, each formwork panel can comprise a plurality of housings, a respective anchor and bushing being arranged in each of them, such that two facing formwork panels can be fixed to one another through a plurality of tie rods fixed to the anchors. 
     As mentioned above, the vertical formwork  1  comprises a rear anchor  5  suitable for being fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 .  FIGS. 4 to 6  show the rear anchor  5  of this embodiment in detail. 
     The rear anchor  5  comprises a dome plate  52  comprising a spherical-shaped central section  520 , said central section  520  comprising an opening  521 . The rear anchor  5  also comprises a nut  51  with a threaded hole  510  configured for housing a threaded end  60  of a tie rod  6 . The nut  51  comprises a spherical portion  515  which is arranged in the opening  521  of the dome plate  52 . The spherical portion  515  of the nut  51  and the central section  520  of the dome plate  52  are coupled like a ball and socket joint, i.e., the nut can rotate about its shaft and furthermore adopt different inclinations with respect to the central section of the dome plate. 
     The rear anchor  5  also comprises a support plate  50  configured for being fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 . The support plate  50  comprises a housing  500  in which the dome plate  52  is arranged, the dome plate  52  having freedom of radial movement with respect to the support plate  50  inside the housing  500 . 
     The ball and socket joint-like coupling between the spherical portion  515  of the nut  51  and the central section  520  of the dome plate  52 , and the radial movement of the dome plate  52  with respect to the support plate  50 , allows orienting the nut  51  with respect to the rear formwork panel  3 . Therefore, when the operator has to screw the threaded end  60  of a tie rod  6  into the threaded hole  510  of the nut  51 , it can be done even though the exit opening  220  of the bushing  22  of the front formwork panel  2  and the exit opening  320  of the bushing  32  of the rear panel  3  are not perfectly aligned. The nut  51  can therefore be adapted to the inclination of the tie rod  6 . 
     The support plate  50  of this embodiment, shown in detail in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , comprises an outer wall  501  and a side wall  503  that prolongs perpendicularly from the perimeter of said outer wall  501 . The outer wall  501  and the side wall  503  demarcate the housing  500  in which the dome plate  52  is arranged. The outer wall  501  comprises an opening  502 . 
     In this embodiment, the rear anchor  5  also comprises coupling means for retaining the dome plate  52  inside the housing  500  of the support plate  50 . The dome plate  52  thereby remains coupled to the support plate  50  even when the rear anchor  5  is not fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 . 
     In this embodiment, the coupling means comprise a coupling plate  53 , shown in detail in  FIG. 13 . The coupling plate  53  is arranged outside the housing  500  of the support plate  50  and facing the outer wall  501  of said support plate  50 . 
     In this embodiment, the coupling plate  53  is fixed to the dome plate  52  by means of a plurality of fixing elements  530  through the opening  502  of the outer wall  501 , such that at least part of said coupling plate  53  is supported on the outer wall  501  in any of the positions of the dome plate  52  inside the housing  500 . 
     In this embodiment, the opening  502  of the outer wall  501  comprises a central area  502   a  and further comprises a side area  502   b  associated with each fixing element  530 , each fixing element  530  being movable within the respective side area  502   b . As seen in  FIG. 10 , in this embodiment the central area  502   a  of the opening  502  is circular-shaped and the side areas  502   b  are arch-shaped, particularly semioval-shaped. 
     In this embodiment, the coupling plate  53  is attached to the dome plate  52  by means of three fixing elements  530 , said fixing elements preferably being equally spaced. Furthermore, in this embodiment the coupling plate  53  is C-shaped. 
     In this embodiment, the dome plate  52 , shown in detail in  FIG. 12 , comprises one spacer  522  for each fixing element  530 , each fixing element  530  being fixed to a respective spacer  522 . 
     The dome plate  52  of this embodiment comprises a perimetral portion  523  around the central section  520 . The perimetral portion comprises a front face  523   a  which is arranged opposite the inner face  501   a  of the outer wall  501  of the support plate  50 . The spacers  522  project perpendicularly from the front face  523   a  of the dome plate. As discussed above, the coupling plate  53  is fixed to the dome plate  52  by means of three fixing elements  530 , and the coupling plate therefore has three spacers which are arranged at 120 degrees from one another. 
     In this embodiment, the upper face of the spacers  522  is supported against the coupling plate  53 . The height of said spacers is greater than the thickness of the outer wall  501  of the support plate  50 , such that part of the outer wall  501  of the support plate can be housed in the space existing between the coupling plate  53  and the dome plate  52 . 
     In this embodiment, each spacer  522  comprises a threaded hole  524 , the fixing elements  530  being screws going through a respective hole  531  of the coupling plate  53  and being screwed into a respective threaded hole  524  of the dome plate  52 . 
     In this embodiment, the spacers  522  of the dome plate  52  and the side areas  502   b  of the opening  502  of the support plate  50  are sized and arranged such that it is assured that the dome plate  52  can be arranged in any position inside the housing  500  of the support plate  50 , at least part of each spacer  522  in any of said position being housed within the respective side area  502   b  thereof. 
     In this embodiment, the rear anchor  5  comprises a cover  54 , shown in detail in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . The cover  54  is detachably fixed to the support plate  50 , the cover  54  and the support plate  50  delimiting a housing in which the nut  51  is retained. Therefore, when the cover  54  is fixed to the support plate  50 , the assembly formed by the dome plate  52 , the coupling plate  53 , the nut  51 , in addition to the support plate  50  and cover  54 , are coupled as a single part such that they are easier for operators to handle. 
     Furthermore, in this embodiment the cover  54  goes around the different components of the rear anchor  5  such that if concrete falls onto a rear anchor  5  when it is fixed in the rear formwork panel  3 , the concrete will not come into contact with the nut  51 , the outer wall  501  of the support plate  50 , the dome plate  52  and the fixing plate  53 . 
     The nut  51  of this embodiment, shown in detail in  FIG. 14 , comprises a tubular portion  516 , and the spherical portion  515  after a first end of said tubular portion  516 . The second end of the tubular portion  516  is arranged in the proximity of the inner face  33  of the rear formwork panel  3  when the rear anchor  5  is fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 . The tubular portion  516  of the nut is housed in the bushing  32  of the rear formwork panel  3 . 
     In this embodiment, the nut  51  comprises a radial prolongation  517  projecting perpendicularly from the spherical portion  515  of said nut  51 . Furthermore, the cover  54  comprises a rotation stop  540  cooperating with said radial prolongation  517  of the nut  51 . In this embodiment, the cover  54  and the rotation stop  540  form a single part. 
     The rotation stop  540  of the cover  54  cooperates with the radial prolongation  517  of the nut  51 , preventing the nut  51  from endlessly rotating when the threaded end  61  of the tie rod  6  is being screwed in from the front portion. However, the fact that the rotation stop  540  can be separated from the radial prolongation  517  of the nut  51  by detaching the cover  54  of the support plate  50  is quite useful when concrete leaks into the gap formed between the front anchor  4  and the bushing  22  of the front formwork panel  2 . Separating the rotation stop  540  from the radial prolongation  517  of the nut  51  allows slightly unscrewing the threaded end  60  of the tie rod  6  by rotating the nut  51  in the direction that would be limited by the rotation stop  540  to then strike the nut  51 , and thereby letting go of the front anchor  4 . Furthermore, with the configuration of the rear anchor  5  of this embodiment, this operation can be done in a simple manner since when the cover  54  is detached from the support plate  50 , the nut  51  is not coupled to any other part of the rear anchor  5  and can therefore be unscrewed from the threaded end  60  of the tie rod  6  without any problems. 
     In other possible embodiments, the rotation stop could be detachably coupled to the support plate  50 . 
     In this embodiment, the rear anchor  5  comprises a sealing element  55  which is arranged in the second end of the nut  51 , said sealing element  55  sealing both the rear anchor  5  with respect to the rear formwork panel  3 , and the rear anchor  5  with respect to the tie rod  6  housed in the threaded hole of the nut. 
     In this embodiment, the support plate  50  comprises a support wall  504  with a fixing system configured for fixing the rear anchor  5  to the rear formwork panel  3 . The fixing system comprises a fixing key  505  which is arranged in a housing of the support wall  504  and a pin  506  projecting perpendicularly with respect to said support wall  504 . In this embodiment, when the cover  54  is fixed to the support plate  50 , the actual cover  54  prevents the fixing key  505  from coming out of the housing of the support wall  504  of the support plate  50  in which it is housed, such that the cover  54  makes that the fixing key  506  cannot be detached from the rest of the rear anchor  5 . 
     In this embodiment, when the rear anchor  5  is arranged fixed to the rear formwork panel  3 , the tubular portion  516  of the nut  51  is housed in the bushing  32  of the rear formwork panel  3 , whereas the rear face  523   b  of the perimetral portion  523  of the dome plate  52  and the rear face  504   a  of the support wall  504  are supported against the outer face  33  of the rear formwork panel  3 . 
     The following clauses represent example embodiments. 
     Clause 1. A rear anchor for a vertical formwork, comprising
         a dome plate ( 52 ) comprising a spherical-shaped central section ( 520 ) comprising an opening ( 521 ), and   a nut ( 51 ) with a threaded hole ( 510 ) configured for housing a threaded end ( 60 ) of a tie rod ( 6 ), the nut ( 51 ) comprising a spherical portion ( 515 ) which is arranged in the opening ( 521 ) of the dome plate ( 52 ), the spherical portion ( 515 ) of the nut ( 51 ) and the central section ( 520 ) of the dome plate ( 52 ) being coupled like a ball and socket joint, and   a support plate ( 50 ) configured for being fixed to a rear formwork panel ( 3 ), said support plate ( 50 ) comprising a housing ( 500 ) in which the dome plate ( 52 ) is arranged, with freedom of radial movement with respect to the support plate ( 50 ) inside the housing ( 500 ).       

     Clause 2: The rear anchor according to clause 1, comprising coupling means for retaining the dome plate ( 52 ) inside the housing ( 500 ) of the support plate ( 50 ). 
     Clause 3: The rear anchor according to clause 2, wherein the support plate ( 50 ) comprises an outer wall ( 501 ) demarcating the housing ( 500 ), said outer wall ( 501 ) comprising an opening ( 502 ), the coupling means comprising a coupling plate ( 53 ) arranged outside the housing ( 500 ) of the support plate ( 50 ) and facing the outer wall ( 501 ) of said support plate ( 50 ), said coupling plate ( 53 ) being fixed to the dome plate ( 52 ) by means of a plurality of fixing elements ( 530 ) through the opening ( 502 ) of the outer wall ( 501 ), at least part of said coupling plate ( 53 ) being supported on the outer wall ( 501 ) in any of the positions of the dome plate ( 52 ) inside the housing ( 500 ). 
     Clause 4: The rear anchor according to clause 3, wherein the opening ( 502 ) of the outer wall ( 501 ) comprises a central area ( 502   a ) and further comprises a side area ( 502   b ) associated with each fixing element ( 530 ), each fixing element ( 530 ) being movable within the respective side area ( 502   b ). 
     Clause 5: The rear anchor according to clause 4, wherein the central area ( 502   a ) of the opening ( 502 ) of the outer wall ( 501 ) of the support plate ( 50 ) is circular-shaped and the side areas ( 502   b ) are arch-shaped, preferably semioval-shaped. 
     Clause 6: The rear anchor according to clause 5, wherein the coupling plate ( 53 ) is attached to the dome plate ( 52 ) by means of three fixing elements ( 530 ), said fixing elements preferably being equally spaced. 
     Clause 7: The rear anchor according to any of clauses 3 to 6, wherein the coupling plate ( 53 ) is C-shaped. 
     Clause 8: The rear anchor according to any of clauses 3 to 7, wherein the dome plate ( 52 ) comprises one spacer ( 522 ) for each fixing element ( 530 ), each fixing element ( 530 ) being fixed to a respective spacer ( 522 ). 
     Clause 9: The rear anchor according to any of the preceding clauses, comprising a cover ( 54 ) detachably fixed to the support plate ( 50 ), the cover ( 54 ) and the support plate ( 50 ) delimiting a housing in which the nut ( 51 ) is retained. 
     Clause 10: The rear anchor according to clause 9, wherein the nut ( 51 ) comprises a radial prolongation ( 517 ) cooperating with a rotation stop ( 540 ) detachably coupled to the support plate ( 50 ). 
     Clause 11: The rear anchor according to clause 10, wherein the cover ( 54 ) comprises the rotation stop ( 540 ), the cover ( 54 ) and the rotation stop ( 540 ) preferably forming a single part. 
     Clause 12: A vertical formwork comprising:
         one front formwork panel ( 2 ) and one rear formwork panel ( 3 ) which are arranged facing one another,   one front anchor ( 4 ) fixed to the front formwork panel ( 2 ),   one rear anchor ( 5 ) according to any of the preceding clauses fixed to the rear formwork panel ( 3 ), and   one tie rod ( 6 ) fixed to the front anchor ( 4 ) and to the rear anchor ( 5 ).