Bar Connecting Apparatus

• US 20080115449A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dayton Superior Corporation (White Cap Supply Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kodi Klip Corporation
• Inventors: Kodi, Jon R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/719
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/167 Connection by means of clips or other resilient elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/122 Machines for joining reinforcing bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44769 Opposed engaging faces on gripping member formed from single piece of resilient material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7171 Two rods encompassed by single connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7176 Resilient clip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7194 Crossed rods

Abstract

A bar connecting apparatus applies clips to connect transverse bars used in reinforced concrete. A clip string is fed into the bar connecting apparatus by a clip feed assembly, so several pairs of transverse bars can be connected in rapid succession. A hammer reciprocates in the barrel of the bar connecting apparatus, and drives a clip from the barrel into engagement with the bars. An alignment head aligns the bar connecting apparatus with the transverse bars so the clips properly engage the bars.

Claims

1. An apparatus for connecting bars comprising:

a barrel having a distal end and a clip receiving cavity, the clip receiving cavity dimensioned to receive a clip;

a hammer received in the barrel, wherein the hammer reciprocates longitudinally within the barrel; and

an alignment head at the distal end of the barrel, the alignment head having a first and second pair of notches wherein the first pair of notches are deeper than the second pair of notches such that a bar engaged in the first pair of notches would be transverse to and above a bar engaged in the second pair of notches.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a drive, wherein the drive is connected to the hammer for reciprocating the hammer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the drive further comprises a handle and a biasing spring, the biasing spring biasing the handle proximally, and wherein the handle is manually actuated to cycle the drive.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the drive further comprises a trigger for actuating an automatic drive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a clip feed assembly, wherein the cycling of the hammer cycles the clip feed assembly for urging a clip into the clip receiving cavity

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the barrel includes a slot;

the hammer includes a hammer plate extending through the barrel slot, and the hammer plate has an angled section;

the clip feed assembly further comprises;

a cam plate having an inclined section and at least one running fit, wherein the inclined section faces the angled section of the hammer plate;

a guide shaft secured to the barrel, wherein the guide shaft is received in the running fit;

a spring for biasing the cam plate towards the hammer plate; and

a finger pivotally connected to the cam plate for engaging and advancing a clip into the clip receiving cavity with each reciprocation of the cam plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a clip track, wherein the clip track is connected to the barrel, and wherein the clip track is parallel to the guide shaft.

8. An apparatus for connecting bars, comprising:

a barrel having a clip receiving cavity and a slot;

a hammer received in the barrel, the hammer reciprocating longitudinally in the barrel, wherein the hammer includes a hammer plate extending through the barrel slot, and the hammer plate includes an angled section; and

a clip feed assembly including;

a cam plate, wherein the cam plate includes an inclined section which faces the angled section of the hammer plate, and wherein the cam plate includes at least one running fit;

at least one guide shaft connected to the barrel, the guide shaft received through the running fit;

a spring to urge the cam plate towards the hammer plate; and

a finger pivotally connected to the cam plate.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a clip track connected to the barrel.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the clip track is parallel to the guide shaft, and the clip track is connected to the barrel adjacent the clip receiving cavity.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising at least one safety plate connected to the barrel adjacent to the hammer plate and the cam plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a guide shaft bracket, wherein the guide shaft has a first and second end, and the first end is connected to the barrel and the second end is secured in the guide shaft bracket.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising at least one resilient catch positioned adjacent the clip track, wherein the resilient catch is positioned to engage a clip received on the clip track.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a drive connected to the hammer, wherein the drive reciprocates the hammer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 where in the drive includes a handle for manual actuation, and the drive includes a biasing spring for biasing the handle proximally.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the drive includes a trigger for actuating an automatic drive.

17. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising an alignment head at the distal end of the barrel, wherein the alignment head includes a first pair of notches deeper than a second pair of notches, and wherein the notches of each pair are positioned opposite each other for engaging transverse bars perpendicular to the barrel with one bar on top of the other bar.

18. A clip string comprising:

a plurality of connected clips, wherein each clip has at least one adjacent clip, wherein each clip comprises a seat for positioning a first bar, a plurality of hooks for positioning a second bar wherein at least one hook has an upper body, and a joining portion wherein the hooks are joined by the joining portion; and

at least one connection point defined on each clip, wherein each clip is connected to the adjacent clip at the connection point such that the clips are consistently oriented.

19. The clip string of claim 18 wherein the clip string has a length, and wherein the upper bodies of the hooks of each clip define a cradle for a bar, and the cradles defined by the upper bodies are aligned perpendicular to the length of the clip string.

20. The clip string of claim 18 wherein the clip string has a length, and wherein the upper bodies of the hooks of each clip define a cradle for a bar, and the cradles defined by the upper bodies are aligned parallel to the length of the clip string.

21. The clip string of claim 18 wherein the clips are comprised of plastic.

22. The clip string of claim 18 wherein the connection point further comprises a tab with a length such that adjacent clips are separated by the tab length.

23. The clip string of claim 22 wherein the tab includes an indent for providing a breaking point.

24. The clip string of claim 18 wherein each clip comprises four hooks, four upper bodies, and two joining portions, wherein each joining portion connects two hooks, and each upper body is connected to one other upper body.

25. The clip string of claim 18 wherein every clip is the same size.

26. A method of connecting bars comprising:

(a) providing a bar connecting apparatus, the apparatus including a barrel with a clip receiving cavity, a hammer received in the barrel, and a clip feed assembly;

(b) inserting a terminal clip of a clip string into the clip receiving cavity;

(c) aligning the bar connecting apparatus on two transverse bars; and

(d) reciprocating the hammer in the barrel of the bar connecting apparatus such that the hammer contacts and expels the terminal clip to connect the bars with the clip.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising advancing a new terminal clip into the clip receiving cavity for a subsequent clip application after step (d).

28. The method of claim 26 wherein step (c) further comprises positioning an alignment head having two pair of notches with different depths on the transverse bars to be connected such that each bar is engaged in one pair of notches.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

providing at least a first and second clip string, wherein the clips of the first clip string are of a different size than the clips of the second clip string, and wherein the first and second clip strings have the same distance between a front end of adjacent clips; and

selecting a clip string having clips of one size before step (b).