Notice is hereby given that the following patent document contains original material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to connectors used to temporarily hold a single piece of rebar in a fixed position in a temporary form later filled with wet concrete and allowed to cure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Concrete footings are constructed by assembling a wood form at a desired location on the ground and then pouring wet concrete into the form and allowing the concrete to cure. After the concrete as cured, the form is dissembled and a self-standing footing is created.
When constructing concrete footings on residential houses or small offices, pieces of horizontal and vertical rebar are placed in fixed locations in the footing space created by the form. The rebar must positioned at fixed locations in the foot space according to the building plans. Wet concrete is poured into the footing space, all or portions of the rebar is covered. Because the rebar may move inside the footing space when wet concrete is poured into the footing space, the rebar is usually securely tied together or tied to the forms.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,125 discloses a relatively simple, inexpensive concrete footing cleat incorporated by reference, designed to hold two, parallel side boards in a fixed, spaced apart position to construct a concrete form and support pieces of horizontal and vertical angle rebar, placed inside the form. The cleat includes a footing member typically made magnetically attractive material, such as steel, with a centrally aligned stub that extends vertically and perpendicularly from the top surface of the footing member. The stub is a hollow tube square or rectangular in cross-section. Attached to the opposite ends of the footing member are two optional, downward extending end brackets. Holes are formed each bracket designed to receive a nail to temporarily attach the foot member to the outside surfaces of the two side boards.
The properly spacing, aligning and tying pieces of rebar together or to the footing form with tie wire when constructing a footing or a vertical wall is very time consuming and expensive. Unfortunately, some contractors will attempt to cut costs and only partially tie the rebar together.
What is needed is a clip that can be easily and quickly attached to a footing cleat identical or similar to the cleat shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,959,125 that will temporarily hold a single piece of rebar in the footing space when wet concrete is poured into the footing or a single piece of rebar aligned vertically in a wall.
A rebar holding clip that selectively attaches to a stub or to a flange surface on a footing cleat or similar structure and used to temporarily hold a single piece of rebar.
In one embodiment, the clip includes a short, tubular main body with at least alignment arm mounted on one side of the main body. The main body is configured to be inserted into or extended around a stab and rotationally locked thereon to it does not axially rotate.
On one embodiment, there are two straight, rigid parallel alignment arms longitudinally aligned with and attached to on one side of the main body. The ends of each alignment arm are elevated above the side surface of the main body and evenly spaced apart forming a continuous receiving space between them that is longitudinally aligned with the main body. A narrow cavity is formed between the ends of the alignment arms and the side surface of the main body.
In one embodiment, two flat magnets are inserted into the two narrow cavities formed under the upper and lower ends of the two alignment arms. The magnets extend across the outside surface of the side of main body and under the upper and lower ends of the two alignment arms. The two alignment arms are relatively narrow so the middle section of each magnet is partially exposed to the receiving spaced formed by the two alignment arms. When a rebar is longitudinally aligned over the receiving space and in between the two alignment arms, the two magnets are in close proximity with the adjacent surface of the steel rebar magnetically attaching the rebar to the main body. The two arms are sufficiently narrow and sufficiently spaced apart so the steel rebar may nest between the two alignment arms when attracted to the magnet and prevented from rotating or twisting.
Each magnet has a sufficient magnetic field to hold up to a 40 lb piece of rebar in place between the two alignment arms. The main body may also be made out of material magnetic attracted to the magnet which holds the magnets in place on the main body.
In another embodiment, the tubular main body is replaced with a U-shaped, biased slide finger that slides over one of the footing cleat's flanges.
In still another embodiment, the tubular main body is replaced with an insert member that engages the bore on the footing cleat's stub.
Optional handles may be attached to the clip that allows the clip to be easily grasp and pulled from the footing cleat.
A rebar holding clip that temporarily holds a single piece of rebar that selectively attaches to a stub or to a flange surface on a footing cleat.
As shown in
In the first embodiment, the rebar clip 100 a tubular main body 102 designed to slide over or inside the stub 14. Mounted the outer surface 104 of one side of the main body 102 are two parallel alignment arms 110, 120. Also attached to the outer surface of the main body 102 and inside the two alignment arms 110, 120 is an elongated receiving space 130. Attached to the main body 102 and exposed in the receiving space 130 is at least one flat magnet 140. In the embodiment shown, two flat magnets 140 and 145 are used.
The two arms 110, 120 are configured and spaced apart so a piece of rebar 95 may be positioned over and in between the two alignment arms 110, 120 and in sufficient close proximity to the two magnets 140, 145.
Inserted into each narrow cavity 240, 245 is a flat magnet 250, 260. The two pairs of alignment arms are relatively narrow so the middle section of each magnet 240, 245 is partially exposed to the receiving space 270 formed by the two pairs of alignment arms 220, 225, 230, and 235. When a rebar 95 is longitudinally aligned over the receiving space and in between the two pairs of alignment arms 220, 225, 230, and 235, the two magnets 240, 245 are in close proximity with the adjacent surface of the steel rebar 95 to magnetically attach the rebar 95 to the main body 204. Like the two arms used in the first embodiment of the clip 100, the pair of arms 220, 225, 230, and 235 are sufficiently narrow and sufficiently spaced apart so the steel rebar may 95 nest between the two pairs of alignment arms when attracted to the magnets 250, 260 and prevented from rotating or twisting.
Located inside or attached to the front surface of the main bracket 402 are one or two flat magnets 460, 470. The two arms 420, 430 are vertically aligned and sufficiently narrow and sufficiently spaced apart so the steel rebar may 95 nest between them when attracted to the magnets 460,470 and prevented from rotating or twisting.
It should be understood that the size of the alignment arms in each embodiment, tha the length and width of the receiving space created between the arms is adjustable during manufacturing and depends on the size of the rebar 95 the clip is designed to be used with. Generally, the Figs show number 4 rebar that is ½ inch in diameter. The receiving space 130 is approximately 9/16 inches wide. The invention is not limited to these sizes and widths.
In compliance with the statute, the invention described has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown comprises the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, appropriately interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.
This utility patent application is based upon and claims the filing date benefit of U.S. provisional patent (Application No. 61/760,424) filed on Feb. 4, 2013.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61760424 | Feb 2013 | US |