Patent ID: 6655105
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: E04C,Y10T

Abstract:
A weldless stirrup spacer for connecting a first reinforcement wire and a second reinforcement wire in spaced-apart relation, the spacer being a unitary resilient wire member comprising:an elongated spanning portion, having an axis of elongation, adapted to extend between the first and second reinforcement wires; a hook end portion at one end of the spanning portion; a fastening end portion at the other end of the spanning portion; the hook end portion having a generally spiral-shaped pigtail portion extending from a juncture with said one end of the spanning portion laterally to one side of the spanning portion along an axis of curvature for engaging, along said axis of curvature, upwardly, outwardly, downwardly and inwardly facing surfaces of the first reinforcement wire, said axis of curvature of the spiral-shaped pigtail portion being substantially perpendicular to the axis of elongation of the spanning portion, said spiral-shaped pigtail portion extending from said juncture over the upwardly facing surface of the first reinforcement wire, then downwardly around the outwardly facing surface of the first reinforcement wire, then under and around the downwardly facing surface of the first reinforcement wire, then upwardly around the inwardly facing surface of the first reinforcement wire, and terminating in a free-end portion over the upwardly facing surface of the first reinforcement wire; and the fastening end portion having (1) a detent part curved to form a groove at a juncture with the other end of the spanning portion so as to engage upwardly, outwardly and downwardly facing surfaces of the second reinforcement wire at a first location; (2) a J-hook part shaped and positioned to form a groove so as to engage upwardly, inwardly and downwardly facing surfaces of the second wire at a second location along the second wire spaced apart laterally to said one side of the spanning portion from said first location; and (3) a loop part joining the detent part and the J-hook part.