BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and improved way of attaching a welded wire soil-reinforcing grid to a facing system for use in mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining structures. The invention is an improvement over the prior art in that it places even stress on the tension elements, defined herein as the longitudinal wires of the soil-reinforcing grid. Further, the present invention allows a welded wire grid to translate in a horizontal plane with respect to the facing panel.

One form of art relies on attaching welded wire reinforcing grid by forming a loop or special crimp in individual longitudinal wires of the grid. The loops are formed by bending the wire 180.degree. and welding the bent end to the longitudinal wire. This forms an integrated loop. This apparatus appears in U.S Pat. No. 4,725,170-Davis. The loop of the welded wire grid is then placed through a coiled anchor that is cast into the back of a concrete face panel. The loop of the soil reinforcing grid and anchor are in a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the back face of the panel.

In another prior art MSE system the longitudinal wire is bent 900 and attached with a plate and bolt to the back of the facing unit. In another system the longitudinal wire is crimped and joined to an anchor with a connection pin. These can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,749,680--Hilfiker and 4,324,508--Hilfiker, respectively. The arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,680 allows the reinforcing grids to translate in a horizontal plane with respect to the facing panels.

Other prior art places the transverse wire of the welded wire grid work behind a loop that is formed in a panel anchor. The welded wire grid is attached to the panel anchor with a connection pin. This appears in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,704-Orgorchock.

Still other prior art bends a single longitudinal wire 180.degree. to form a wire hairpin configuration. Welded to the paired longitudinal wires are transverse wires, which form a welded wire grid work. This combination forms an integral loop at the lead end of the soil-reinforcing element. The anchoring element protruding from the back of a panel is a formed loop. The soil-reinforcing element and loop are joined with the aid of a snap together mechanism. This can be seen in the prior art Alviterra connection shown in FIG. 1.

One block system utilizes a reinforcing element having parallel longitudinal wires with loops formed in each end. Each longitudinal wire is placed in counter bores formed in the top surface of a block. Rods are inserted through the counter bores and loops to secure the reinforcing element in the block. This arrangement, can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,623-Anderson.

A second block system utilizes a flat polymeric soil-reinforcing mat that is placed between blocks. The soil-reinforcing mat is sandwiched between the blocks. The blocks are secured together by a pin that anchors the grid. This can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,876-Forsberg.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,030-Anderson, a welded wire grid is formed with loops in each end the loops are then deflected toward one another so each loop through bore-lines up. The welded wire grid is then attached to a panel or block by passing a pin or bolt through the through-bore.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,748-Anderson discloses a welded wire grid in which a pair of substantially straight parallel wires are welded to a flat plate that has at least one through bore in the end nearest the MSE structure (see FIG. 55). The flat plate is then attached to the panel or block with the aid of a pin. This patent is also of interest in that FIGS. 47 to 52 disclose a connection which includes overlapping loops which are engaged between or over connecting elements embedded in the face panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for attaching the face of an earthen retaining structure to a soil-reinforcing element through means of a pin element attached to the reinforcing element. Attachment is achieved by extending the pin element through a connection element on the face, or into a concrete block connection element for the blocks making up the face. The pin element is attached directly to longitudinal wires of the reinforcing element and the pin is attached to a face so it is free to rotate about the connection axis. This allows the soil-reinforcing element to be skewed at an angle to the face. The connection is mechanical and does not rely on the weld shear of a transverse wire of the grid work. Further, the soil-reinforcing element can be rotated to pass obstructions. Additionally, since two longitudinal wires are utilized in lieu of one there is twice the strength available.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the prior art Alviterra mat;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the connection of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the first embodiment connection, turned 90.degree. from the illustration of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the first embodiment connection;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the first embodiment connection, shown secured to a concrete face panel;

FIG. 6 is an side elevational view of first embodiment connection shown connected to a concrete face panel;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a modification of the first embodiment connection, wherein the end of the connecting element is hooked;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the FIG. 7 modification of the first embodiment, shown connected to a concrete face panel;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a second embodiment connection of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an end elevational view of the second embodiment connection, shown turned 90.degree. from that illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the second embodiment connection;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the second embodiment connection, shown connected to a concrete face element;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the second embodiment connection, shown connected to a concrete face element;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of a modified version of the second embodiment connection, wherein the end of the connecting element is hooked;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the modified second embodiment connector of FIG. 14, shown connected to a concrete face element;

FIG. 16 top plan view of a third embodiment of the connection of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is an end elevational view of the third embodiment, turned 90.degree. from the illustration of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18, is a side elevational view of the third embodiment connection;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the third embodiment connection, shown connected to a concrete face element;

FIGS. 20 is a side elevational view of the third embodiment connection, shown connected to a concrete face element;

FIGS. 21 and 22 are plan and elevational views, respectively, showing the first embodiment connection engaged in a penetration formed in a concrete block element;

FIGS. 23 and 24 are plan and elevational views showing the second embodiment connection engaged in a penetration formed in a concrete block element;

FIG. 25 is an elevational view of the modified form of the first embodiment connection, showing the hooked end of the connection engaged with a welded wire facing element; and

FIG. 26 is a side elevational view showing the modified second embodiment connection with the hooked end thereof engaged with a welded wire facing element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

The first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 and embodies a welded wire grid 1 having a pair of longitudinal wires 2A, 2B that are substantially parallel to one another. Cross members 3 are joined to the longitudinal wires in a perpendicular fashion by a welds at their intersections 4. The lead ends of the longitudinal wires 2A, 2B are resistance welded to a coil 5. The coil is defined by a series of wires that are formed into a coil with a through-bore 6. A pin 7 is placed through the opening of the coil loop and formed with a head end 8 and bent end 9. The bent end is formed at a 90.degree. angle relative to the body of the pin in close proximity to the end of the coil. The head end has a diameter larger than the through-bore 6 and the portion of the pin that passes through the coil. As a result, the coil 5 is captured between the head 8 and bent end 9 and the pin cannot be removed form the coil.

The bent end extends through an opening 10A in an anchor 10B cast in place within concrete face panel 11. The pin is secured against removal from the anchor 10B by parallel wire loops 12 that are cast in place in the panel 11 above and to either side of the anchor and receive a pin element 13 having a 90.degree. bend at one end (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

The modified version of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7 has the pin fabricated with a hooked end 14. The hooked end is received in the opening 10A of the anchor 10B (see FIG. 8) and avoids the need for the loops 12 and pin 13.

Second Embodiment

The second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 9 to 15 and embodies a welded wire grid 1 having paired longitudinal wires 2A, 2B that are substantially parallel to one another. Cross members 3 are joined to the longitudinal wires in a perpendicular fashion by welds at their intersections 4. The lead ends of the longitudinal wires 2A, 2B are resistance welded to a bent rod 16. The rod has a body portion 18 to which the wires 2A, 2B are welded and bent end 20 extending laterally from the body portion. The bent end is formed by a 90.degree. angle in close proximity to the ends of longitudinal wires 2A and 2B.

The bent end 20 extends through the opening 10A of an anchor 10B embedded in a concrete face panel 11 to secure the grid 1 to the face panel. The bent end is secured against removal from the anchor 10B by a nut 22 threadably received on the distal end 24 of the bent end (see FIG. 13).

The modified version of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 14 has the bent rod 16 fabricated with a hooked end 26. The hooked end is received in opening 10A of the anchor 10B (see FIG. 15) and avoids the need for the nut 22.

Third Embodiment

The third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 16 to 20 and embodies a welded wire grid 1 having paired longitudinal wires 2A, 2B that are substantially parallel to one another. Cross members 3 are joined to the longitudinal wires in a perpendicular fashion by a welds at their intersections 4. The lead ends of the longitudinal wires 2A, 2B are resistance welded to a coil 5. The coil is defined by a series of wires that are formed into a coil with a through-bore 6.

A bolt 28 with a threaded end 30 is placed through the opening of the coil 5. The bolt is then screwed into a ferrule insert 32 that is cast into a concrete panel 34 (see FIGS. 19 and 20).

USE OF THE CONNECTION

The first and second embodiment connections can be used with panels or with concrete elements that have depressions formed in their top surface and a circular penetration or bore to accept the pin element. FIGS. 21 and 22 show the first embodiment engaged in a concrete block 36 so formed. FIGS. 23 and 24 show the second embodiment engaged in a corresponding block 36. The penetration or bore is designated 37.

The first and second embodiments with the modified hooked end could be used with a wire-facing element. FIG. 25 shows the first embodiment in such a usage, with the wire facing element being designated 34. FIG. 26 shows the second embodiment with the modified hooked end engaged in a corresponding wire facing element 34.

While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather is defined by the accompanying claims.