Support for concrete reinforcing members

• US 6,663,316 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terry L. Harris
• Original Assignee: Terry L. Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US10/126,823
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 404/62, 404/135, 404/136, 526/77, 526/87
• US Class Current: 404/136
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/167 Connection by means of clips or other resilient elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/168 Spacers connecting parts for reinforcements and spacing the reinforcements from the form
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 5/20 of material other than metal or with only additional metal parts, e.g. concrete or plastics spacers with metal binding wires E04C5/168 takes precedence

Abstract

A structure is described for supporting concrete reinforcement bars in a substantially orthogonal relationship above a surface. The structure includes a base member having a central opening. At least a pair of long leg members extend upward from the base member on opposite sides of the central opening. At least a pair of short leg members also extend upward from the base member on opposite sides of the central opening, where the short leg members are positioned at about 90 degrees about the central opening relative to the long leg members. Attached to the upper extremities of the long leg members are upper bar-support members having opposing sidewalls which together form a upper channel therebetween. Similarly, attached to the upper extremities of the short leg members are lower bar-support members having opposing sidewalls which together form a lower channel therebetween. Each of the sidewalls of the upper bar-support members meet and are attached to an adjacent sidewall of one of the lower bar-support members at an angle of about 90 degrees. The upper bar-support members form an upper cradle for receiving an upper reinforcement bar, and the lower bar-support members form a lower cradle for receiving a lower reinforcement bar. To retain the reinforcement bars within the cradles, preferred embodiments of the invention include retaining members that protrude inward from the inner surfaces of the opposing sidewalls. These retaining members offer interference to any upward movement of the reinforcement bars.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting reinforcement bars in a concrete structure, the apparatus comprising:

a base member having a lower surface and an opposing upper surface;

a pair of opposing first leg members extending upward from the upper surface of the base member;

a pair of opposing second leg members extending upward from the upper surface of the base member, the second leg members alternatingly disposed between the first leg members;

an upper cradle attached to the first leg members for receiving an upper reinforcement bar, the upper cradle comprising;

a first upper bar-support member having a pair of opposing first upper sidewalls separated by an upper channel, and

a second upper bar-support member having a pair of opposing second upper sidewalls separated by the upper channel; and

a lower cradle attached to the second leg members for receiving a lower reinforcement bar, the lower cradle comprising;

a first lower bar-support member having a pair of opposing first lower sidewalls separated by a lower channel, one of the first lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the first upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees, and another of the first lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the second upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees, and

a second lower bar-support member having a pair of opposing second lower sidewalls separated by the lower channel, one of the second lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the first upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees, and another of the second lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the second upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base member has a central opening disposed between the opposing first leg members and between the opposing second leg members.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first leg members are longer than the second leg members.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the first upper sidewalls are substantially parallel to each other;

the second upper sidewalls are substantially parallel to each other;

each of the first upper sidewalls is substantially coplanar with an opposing one of the second upper sidewalls;

the first lower sidewalls are substantially parallel to each other;

the second lower sidewalls are substantially parallel to each other; and

each of the first lower sidewalls is substantially coplanar with an opposing one of the second lower sidewalls.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

upper retaining members protruding inwardly from the opposing first upper sidewalls and the opposing second upper sidewalls to retain the upper reinforcement bar within the upper cradle; and

lower retaining members protruding inwardly from the opposing first lower sidewalls and the opposing second lower sidewalls to retain the lower reinforcement bar within the lower cradle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base member, first and second leg members, upper cradle, and lower cradle comprise a unitary structural element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base member, first and second leg members, upper cradle, and lower cradle are formed from a continuous piece of thermoplastic material.

8. An apparatus for supporting reinforcement bars in a concrete structure, the apparatus comprising:

a base member having a lower surface, an opposing upper surface, and a central opening;

a pair of opposing first leg members extending upward from the upper surface of the base member, the first leg members disposed on opposing sides of the central opening;

a pair of opposing second leg members extending upward from the upper surface of the base member, the second leg members disposed on opposing sides of the central opening and alternatingly disposed between the first leg members, the second leg members shorter than the first leg members;

an upper cradle attached to the first leg members for receiving an upper reinforcement bar, the upper cradle comprising;

a first upper bar-support member having a pair of opposing and parallel first upper sidewalls separated by an upper channel,

a second upper bar-support member having a pair of opposing and parallel second upper sidewalls separated by the upper channel,

each of the first upper sidewalls substantially coplanar with an opposing one of the second upper sidewalls, and

upper retaining members protruding inwardly from the opposing first upper sidewalls and the opposing second upper sidewalls to retain the upper reinforcement bar within the upper cradle; and

a lower cradle attached to the second leg members for receiving a lower reinforcement bar, the lower cradle comprising;

a first lower bar-support member having a pair of opposing and parallel first lower sidewalls separated by a lower channel, one of the first lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the first upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees, and another of the first lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the second upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees,

a second lower bar-support member having a pair of opposing and parallel second lower sidewalls separated by the lower channel, one of the second lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the first upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees, and another of the second lower sidewalls attached to an adjacent one of the second upper sidewalls at an angle of about 90 degrees,

each of the first lower sidewalls substantially coplanar with an opposing one of the second lower sidewalls, and

lower retaining members protruding inwardly from the opposing first lower sidewalls and the opposing second lower sidewalls to retain the lower reinforcement bar within the lower cradle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the base member, first and second leg members, upper cradle, and lower cradle comprise a unitary structural element.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the base member, first and second leg members, upper cradle, and lower cradle are formed from a continuous piece of thermoplastic material.