Spacer for aligning concrete blocks

• US 7,555,872 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Beach
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Beach
• Inventors: Beach, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield; Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Herring; Brent W
• Application Number:
  US11/029,766
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 526/77, 526/86, 527/19, 524/54, 525/65, 527/471.2, 524/19, 524/31, 524/32, 524/42, 522/853, 524/26, 527/451, 527/451.3, 524/39, 524/34, 525/61, 525/66, 525/13, 523/79, 526/12, 527/450.9, 527/450.1, 298/973, 298/973.1, 298/973.12, 298/973.2, 298/973.4, 294/53, 295/250.1, 403/67, 403/218, 403/397
• US Class Current: 52/745.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/02 built-up from layers of building elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/0282 Separate spacers
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/1841 Means for positioning building parts or elements strutting means for wall parts E04G21/26
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/1883 Spacers, e.g. to have a constant spacing between courses of masonry

Abstract

A spacer that attaches to wire grids used in laying concrete block or similar type block. A number of spacers are used to lay out a pattern in the block. The spacers have fingers that extend upward from the spacers. These fingers are used to align the blocks, above and below, to assure that each course remains level, plumb and square, with the courses of block remaining in proper alignment throughout the construction.

Claims

1. A method of use for a device for aligning masonry block for use with reinforcing wire having a pair of parallel members connected by a plurality of perpendicular braces, such that each of said plurality of perpendicular braces attaches to each of said pair of parallel members, forming a plurality of joints, and wherein the device has a spacer body having a lateral member and a perpendicular member, said lateral member and a perpendicular member forming a “

T”

shaped member, wherein said lateral member and a perpendicular member having a base and further wherein said base has two perpendicular grooves formed therein; and

an alignment finger, formed on said perpendicular member and extending upward therefrom, comprising the steps of;

a) placing a line of masonry block in a desired location,

b) preparing a length of the reinforcing wire by the steps of;

i) positioning one each of said device on each of said plurality of joints such that one device is aligned with a section of the reinforcing wire such that the perpendicular grooves align with one of the parallel members and one of the plurality of perpendicular braces; and

ii) pressing said device onto said reinforcing wire until the one of the parallel members and one of the plurality of perpendicular braces snap into the perpendicular grooves on the device; and

c) positioning the prepared length of reinforcing wire on top of said line of masonry block.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of devices is attached to the reinforcing wire in a rectangular pattern.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of devices and reinforcing wire are used in the construction of a block wall.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the each of the masonry blocks has a pair of ends, the method further comprising the step of aligning each of said devices with one of said pair of ends in said line of masonry blocks.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the each of the masonry blocks has a pair of ends, the method further comprising the step of aligning each of said devices with one of said pair of ends in said line of masonry blocks.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the block wall has a stack bond configuration.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the block wall has a running bond configuration.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning a device on each of said plurality of joints further includes the steps of:

a) positioning a first pair of devices oppositely disposed on a first pair of joints;

b) positioning a second pair of devices oppositely disposed on a second pair of joints; and

c) repeating steps a and b for the length of the reinforcing wire.

9. A method of use for a device for aligning masonry block for use with reinforcing wire having a pair of parallel members connected by a plurality of perpendicular braces, such that each of said plurality of perpendicular braces attaches to each of said pair of parallel members, forming a plurality of joint pairs extending in a longitudinal direction down the length of the pair of parallel members, and wherein the device has a spacer body having a lateral member and a perpendicular member, said lateral member and a perpendicular member forming a “

T”

shaped member, wherein said lateral member and a perpendicular member having a base and further wherein said base has two perpendicular grooves formed therein; and

an alignment finger, formed on said perpendicular member and extending upward therefrom, comprising the steps of;

a) positioning a first pair of devices oppositely disposed on a first pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the first pair of devices extend upwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire;

b) skipping over the next pair of joints; and

c) positioning a second pair of devices oppositely disposed on a third pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the second pair of devices extend downwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

a) after step c, skipping over a fourth pair of joints;

b) positioning a third pair of devices oppositely disposed on a fifth pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the third pair of devices extend upwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire;

c) skipping over a sixth pair of joints;

d) positioning a fourth pair of devices oppositely disposed on a seventh pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the fourth pair of devices extend downwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire; and

e) repeating steps a and d for the remainder of the joints on said length of reinforcing wire.

11. A method of use for a device for aligning masonry block for use with reinforcing wire having a pair of parallel members connected by a plurality of perpendicular braces, such that each of said plurality of perpendicular braces attaches to each of said pair of parallel members, forming a plurality of joint pairs extending in a longitudinal direction down the length of the pair of parallel members, and wherein the device has a spacer body having a lateral member and a perpendicular member, said lateral member and a perpendicular member forming a “

T”

shaped member, wherein said lateral member and a perpendicular member having a base and further wherein said base has two perpendicular grooves formed therein; and

an alignment finger, formed on said perpendicular member and extending upward therefrom, comprising the steps of;

a) positioning a first pair of devices oppositely disposed on a first pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the first pair of devices extend upwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire;

b) skipping over the next pair of joints; and

c) positioning a second pair of devices oppositely disposed on a third pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the second pair of devices extend downwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

a) after step c, skipping over a fourth pair of joints;

b) positioning a third pair of devices oppositely disposed on a fifth pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the third pair of devices extend upwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire;

c) skipping over a sixth pair of joints;

d) positioning a fourth pair of devices oppositely disposed on a seventh pair of joints such that the alignment fingers on the fourth pair of devices extend downwardly with respect to said length of reinforcing wire; and

e) repeating steps a and d for the remainder of the joints on said length of reinforcing wire.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein a plurality of devices is attached to the reinforcing wire in a rectangular pattern.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the each of the masonry blocks has a pair of ends, the method further comprising the step of aligning each of said devices with one of said pair of ends in said line of masonry blocks.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the block wall has a stack bond configuration.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the block wall has a running bond configuration.