Clamp for fastening concrete rebar intersections
First Claim
1. A structure for clamping two rods transversely to one another, comprisinga. first and second cross members each extending transversely to one another to end portions from a central union along a first axis,b. the end portions of the first cross member supporting a seating surface crossing over the union along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, said seating surface having a basal portion facing away from said union,c. the end portions of the second cross member supporting a pair of retainers separated from each other on opposite sides of said seating surface, each retainer having a shank and top portion defining a side opening under the top portion, the side openings being co-aligned along a third axis that is perpendicular to said first and second axes, said side openings facing opposite directions, the top portion of the retainers being spaced from the basal portion of the seating surface only to an extent effective to cause a second rod received in said retainer openings upon rotation of said structure about said first axis to press normally on a first rod received in said seating surface upon said rotation to clamp the two rods transversely together at an intersection of said first, second and third axes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A structure for clamping two rods mutually transverse to one another is described. An upwardly open seating surface has a longitudinal direction for rotationally vertically receiving a first rod in the longitudinal direction. A pair of side opening rod retainers are supported above and on opposite sides of the upwardly open longitudinal seating surface. The side openings of the retainers open in opposite directions for rotationally laterally receiving opposite sides of a second rod along a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. The retainers include top portions spaced from the lower seating surface a distance effective to cause a rod rotationally laterally received in the side openings to exert a compressive force against a rod rotationally vertically received on the lower seating surface, thereby clamping the rods mutually transversely to each other. The clamping structure may be rotated into the intersection to vertically receive the first rod in the longitudinal seat and to laterally receive opposite sides of the second rod under the top retainer portions to press the second rod forcibly against the first rod in the longitudinal seat. Using the clamping structure in the form of a chair, a mat is formed using the chairs to transversely clamp a plurality of first and second rods at right angles, concrete is poured on the mat supported over a pour surface by the chairs, and a reinforced concrete slab is formed in which the mat is positioned at a predetermined position internally in the slab.
48 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A structure for clamping two rods transversely to one another, comprising
a. first and second cross members each extending transversely to one another to end portions from a central union along a first axis, b. the end portions of the first cross member supporting a seating surface crossing over the union along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, said seating surface having a basal portion facing away from said union, c. the end portions of the second cross member supporting a pair of retainers separated from each other on opposite sides of said seating surface, each retainer having a shank and top portion defining a side opening under the top portion, the side openings being co-aligned along a third axis that is perpendicular to said first and second axes, said side openings facing opposite directions, the top portion of the retainers being spaced from the basal portion of the seating surface only to an extent effective to cause a second rod received in said retainer openings upon rotation of said structure about said first axis to press normally on a first rod received in said seating surface upon said rotation to clamp the two rods transversely together at an intersection of said first, second and third axes.
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2. A structure for clamping two rods mutually transverse to one another, comprising:
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a. a support, b. an upwardly open seating surface supported by said support, having a longitudinal direction for rotationally vertically receiving a first rod in said longitudinal direction, and c. a pair of side opening rod retainers supported by said support above and on opposite sides of said upwardly open longitudinal seating surface, the side openings of said retainers opening in opposite directions for rotationally laterally receiving opposite sides of a second rod along a direction transverse to said longitudinal direction, said retainers including a top portion spaced from said lower seating surface a distance effective to cause a rod rotationally laterally received in said side opening to exert a compressive force against a rod rotationally vertically received on said lower seating surface, thereby clamping the rods mutually transversely to each other.
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3. A chair structure for clamping two rods mutually transverse to one another above a pour surface, comprising:
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a. a support including a base, b. an upwardly open lower seating surface supported by said support and having a longitudinal direction, and c. a pair of side opening rod retainers supported by said support above said lower longitudinal seating surface, each rod retainer comprising a raised shank portion terminating in a top portion extending outwardly in a direction opposite from the outwardly extending top portion of the other shank, each retainer being adapted to receive a rod under said outwardly extending top portions transverse to said longitudinal direction, each shank portion preventing lateral movement of a rod rotationally received under said top portions except in the outwardly extending direction of said top portions, each retainer being spaced from the other retainer on opposite sides of said lower longitudinal seating surface with said top portions spaced from said lower seating surface a distance effective to cause a rod rotationally laterally received under said top portions to exert a compressive force against a rod rotationally vertically received on said lower seating surface clamping the rods mutually transverse to each other. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. A structure for clamping two rods mutually transverse to one another, comprising:
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a. a longitudinal seat having a first seating surface between seat sides and oriented in a first direction for vertically rotationally receiving and seating a first rod longitudinally inside said sides, b. first and second resilient retainers each comprising a recess about a common axis transverse to said first direction, said recesses having oppositely facing side openings, said retainers being spaced apart along said axis above and to the sides of said longitudinal seat, said recesses each having a second seating surface for seating a second rod rotationally laterally received in the recess and an opposite surface for pressing the second rod against the second seating surface, a deepest portion of the second seating surfaces of the recesses being spaced from a deepest portion of said first seating surface a distance equal to or less than the thickness of said first rod. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A chair body of relatively resilient plastic material for clamping two rods mutually transverse to one another a predetermined distance above a ground on which the chair sits, comprising:
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a. a base; b. four legs extending vertically from said base horizontally equidistantly spaced apart, a first pair of legs being horizontally spaced 180 degrees apart and a second pair of legs being horizontally spaced 180 degrees apart, said second pair extending vertically higher than said first pair, said first pair having; i. a first leg supporting a first segment of a vertically open longitudinal rod support oriented in a first direction and having a first single side and an interior bottom surface for receiving a first portion of a first rod in said first direction, and ii. a second leg supporting a second segment of a vertically open longitudinal rod support oriented in a first direction and having a second single side and an interior bottom surface for receiving a second portion of said first rod in said first direction, said first and second segments uniting in said bottom surface about a common axis, and said second pair having; iii. a first leg supporting a first resilient retainer above and to one side of said rod support, said first retainer comprising a first recess with surfaces about an axis transverse to said first direction, said surfaces of the first recess including a lower seating surface for seating a first portion of a second rod rotationally received in the first recess and an upper surface for pressing the first portion of the second rod against the seating surface of the first recess, with a bottom of the seating surface of the first recess supported a distance higher than said bottom surface of the rod support equal to or less than the thickness of said first rod, said first retainer having upper and lower projections extending toward each other at an side opening of the recess for laterally retaining said first portion of said second rod within said first retainer, and iv. a second leg supporting a second resilient retainer spaced from said first retainer above and to a side of said rod support opposite said one side, said second retainer comprising a second recess with surfaces about a common axis to said first recess, said surfaces of said second recess including a lower seating surface for seating a second portion of said second rod rotationally received in the second recess and an upper surface for pressing the second portion of the second rod against the seating surface of the second recess, with a bottom of the seating surface of the second recess supported said distance higher than said bottom surface of the rod support, said second retainer having upper and lower projections extending toward each other at an side opening of the second recess for laterally retaining said second portion of said second rod within said second retainer,
said side openings of said first and second recesses oppositely facing in said first direction for rotationally laterally receiving opposite sides of said second rod and grippingly transversely clamping said second rod down onto said first rod, andc. wherein said single sides of said first and second segments of said longitudinal seat are respectively adjacent the side openings of the first and second retainers, wherein each such seat side has a top that slopes to the interior of the seat, and wherein a ramp slopes from a side of each said retainer adjacent said longitudinal seat to said top of said single side of said longitudinal seat adjacent said side opening of said retainer.
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14. An assembly comprising:
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a. a base, b. an upwardly open lower seating surface supported by said base and having a longitudinal direction, c. a first longitudinal rod rotationally received in said longitudinal direction on said lower seating surface, d. a pair of rod retainers supported by said base above said lower longitudinal seating surface, each rod retainer comprising a raised retainer terminating in a portion extending outwardly in a direction aligned in said longitudinal direction and opposite the direction of the outwardly extending portion of the other retainer, e. a second rod rotationally received transverse to said longitudinal direction under said outwardly extending portions, each retainer preventing lateral movement of said rod rotationally received under said portions except in the outwardly extending direction of said portion, each retainer being spaced from the other retainer on opposite sides of said lower longitudinal seating surface with said portions spaced from said lower seating surface a distance effective to cause said second rod to exert a compressive force against said first rod rotationally received on said lower seating surface, clamping the rods mutually transverse to each other.
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15. A method of clamping two rods mutually transverse to one another, comprising:
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a. placing a second rod transversely against a first rod to form an intersection, b. placing a structure adjacent said intersection, said structure comprising a support, an upwardly open lower seating surface supported by said support and having a longitudinal direction, and a pair of side opening rod retainers supported by said support above and on opposite sides of said upwardly open longitudinal seating surface, the side openings of said retainers opening in opposite directions for rotationally laterally receiving opposite sides of a second rod along a direction transverse to said longitudinal direction, said retainers including a top portion spaced from said lower seating surface a distance effective to cause a rod rotationally laterally received in said side opening to exert a compressive force against a rod rotationally vertically received on said lower seating surface, thereby clamping the rods mutually transversely to each other; c. rotating said structure into said intersection to vertically receive said first rod in said longitudinal seat and to laterally receive opposite sides of said second rod under said top retainer portions to press said second rod forcibly against said first rod in said longitudinal seat.
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16. A method of assembling a mat of longitudinal rods for a concrete pour, comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of intersectional rod supports each comprising i. a base, ii. an upwardly open lower seating surface supported by said base and having a longitudinal direction, and iii. a pair of rod retainers supported by said base above said lower longitudinal seating surface, each rod retainer comprising a raised retainer terminating in a portion extending outwardly in a direction opposite from the outwardly extending portion of the other retainer, each retainer being adapted to receive a rod under said outwardly extending portions transverse to said longitudinal direction, each retainer preventing lateral movement of a rod rotationally received under said portions except in the outwardly extending direction of said portion, each retainer being spaced from the other retainer on opposite sides of said lower longitudinal seating surface with said portions spaced from said lower seating surface a distance effective to cause a rod rotationally received under said portions to exert a compressive force against a rod rotationally received on said lower seating surface clamping the rods mutually transverse to each other. b. laying out a plurality of first rods spaced substantially parallel to one another in a first rod direction; c. laying out a plurality of second rods spaced substantially parallel to one another atop said first rods in a second rod direction transverse to the first rod direction to provide intersections of first and second rods at predetermined intervals; d. placing a said rod support under an intersection of a said first rod and a second rod such that said upwardly open longitudinally directed lower seating surface is under the first rod, and rotating said rod support to align the first rod longitudinally with said longitudinally directed lower seating surface and receive the second rod under said oppositely extending portions of said retainers to clamp said second rod down onto said first rod lodged in said longitudinal lower seating surface; and e. repeating step (d) for a plurality of said intersections.
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17. A method of constructing a concrete slab comprising:
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a. constructing a mat of intersecting longitudinal reinforced rods, b. locking the intersections of the rods a predetermined height above a surface on which the slab is to be laid, using a plurality of intersectional rod supports each comprising i. a base, ii. a pedestal extending upwardly from said base, iii. an upwardly open longitudinal rod support supported by said pedestal, oriented in a first direction and having sides and an interior bottom surface for longitudinally receiving a first rod in said first direction, iv. first and second resilient retainers respectively comprising interior recesses with surfaces about a common axis transverse to said first direction, said surfaces of each recess including a lower seating surface for seating a second rod rotationally received in the recess and an upper surface for pressing the second rod against the seating surface of the recess, said retainers being supported by said pedestal spaced apart from one another above and to the sides of said rod support with a bottom of the seating surface of each of the recesses supported higher than said bottom surface of the rod support a distance equal to or less than the thickness of said first rod, said recesses each having an side opening oppositely facing in said first direction for rotationally laterally receiving opposite sides of said second rod and grippingly transversely clamping said second rod down onto said first rod.
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18. A concrete slab having a top and bottom and comprising between the top and bottom a mat of intersecting longitudinal reinforced rods the intersections of which are locked a predetermined height above the bottom of the slab by a plurality of intersectional rod supports each comprising:
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a. a base, b. a pedestal extending upwardly from said base, c. an upwardly open longitudinal rod support supported by said pedestal, oriented in a first direction and having sides and an interior bottom surface for longitudinally receiving a first rod in said first direction, d. first and second resilient retainers respectively comprising interior recesses with surfaces about a common axis transverse to said first direction, said surfaces of each recess including a lower seating surface for seating a second rod rotationally received in the recess and an upper surface for pressing the second rod against the seating surface of the recess, said retainers being supported by said pedestal spaced apart from one another above and to the sides of said rod support with a bottom of the seating surface of each of the recesses supported higher than said bottom surface of the rod support a distance equal to or less than the thickness of said first rod, said recesses each having an side opening oppositely facing in said first direction for rotationally laterally receiving opposite sides of said second rod and grippingly transversely clamping said second rod down onto said first rod.
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Specification