Abstract:
A coupler system is disclosed which secures ends of masonry reinforcement bars together. The coupler secures the ends of the bars in a variety of means, so as to strengthen the structural integrity of a building. The coupler system includes masonry reinforcement bars with holes in the ends which allow pins to pass through the coupler to secure the bar.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    Climate changes in the latter part of the 20 th  century and in the first decade of the 21 st  century have necessitated a change in construction techniques. Buildings methods that once allowed houses, schools, and commercial buildings to last at least 100 to 200 years have been found to be inadequate in the increasingly powerful storms that have brought the world more powerful and more frequent tsunamis, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Additionally, as the population in the coastal areas around the Pacific Rim has increased almost exponentially, buildings must be built that can withstand not just storms, but earthquakes. 
         [0002]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,297,021 (Quinones)(herein incorporated by reference in its entirety) discloses the use of rebar for constructing and reinforcing modular block construction comprising placing on one top or more modular blocks a plurality of separators (masonry reinforcement bar). These masonry reinforcement bars placed between blocks give the wall or structure a greater ability to withstand weather forces that would otherwise destroy the structure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    The present disclosure teaches a coupler that provides a strong linkage between two masonry reinforcement bars, thereby greatly increasing the strength and resilience of the reinforced structure. More specifically, the masonry reinforcement bars are placed on top of a layer of blocks or bricks such that each row of blocks has a layer of reinforcement bars before any cement or any cement or mortar is added. This acts as a reinforcement for the structure to withstand stressful conditions. To further strengthen the structure, the ends of the masonry reinforcement bars are connected by couplers, and secured in place by a few different devices, including the use of pins. The couplers are fitted to the masonry reinforcement bars over a well of the brick or block, which is where the ends of the masonry reinforcement bars meet, and the well is filled with cement. This further increases the strength of the wall or the building. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, the ends of two masonry reinforcement bars are fitted into a coupler. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment the ends of the two masonry reinforcement bars are held within the coupler by pins. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, each of the ends of the masonry reinforcement bars within the coupler by pins. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment of the disclosure, one end of the coupler is welded to a masonry reinforcement bar, and the other masonry reinforcement bars fits in and is held by a pin. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment of the disclosure each end of the coupler is beveled. 
         [0009]    In different embodiment of the disclosure, one end of the coupler is threaded, the complementary masonry reinforcement bar is threaded, and at the other end of the coupler the coupler is reverse threaded, and the complementary masonry reinforcement bar is reverse threaded. 
         [0010]    In yet another embodiment of the disclosure, the coupler is hexagonal. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment of the disclosure the ends of the coupler are each attached to the coupler by the use of separate pins. 
         [0012]    Another embodiment of the disclosure allows for notches near or at the ends of the masonry reinforcement bar to be complementary notched, such that one projection fits into the complementary notch on the other masonry reinforcement bar, and the coupler fits over the couple notches. 
         [0013]    In another variation of an embodiment, the ends the notches are not rectangular but are in fact rounded 
         [0014]    In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the coupler has two parts, with one section having a top notch, and the other section having a bottom section with a swivel pin connecting said two sections. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment, the rebar is distressed. In another embodiment, the rebar is a grooved steel bar. In yet another embodiment, cold roll steel bars are used for the rebars. 
         [0016]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the disclosure in view of the drawings and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more preferred embodiments of the disclosure and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure. The dimensions, materials, and specifications described in the drawings illustrate only certain embodiments and may be different for different embodiments. In the drawings: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a single coupler; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a single coupler; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the single coupler hole; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is an end wire with a single coupler hole; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a small single coupler pin; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a large single coupler pin; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a top view of a masonry reinforcement bar welded to a coupler; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the masonry reinforcement bar welded to a coupler; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a single couple and the positioning of both masonry reinforcement bars in position with each other; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the coupler with the masonry reinforcement bar inserted; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of two couplers inserted into a coupler; 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a view of a large single coupler pin prior to passing through the coupler and the two masonry reinforcement bars; 
           [0030]      FIG. 13  is a side cutaway view of a large single coupler pin inserted through the pinholes in the masonry reinforcement bars and the coupler; 
           [0031]      FIG. 14  is a side cutaway view of a large single coupler pin secured through the pinholes in the masonry reinforcement bars and the coupler; 
           [0032]      FIG. 15   a  is a side cutaway view of a masonry reinforcement bar welded to a coupler; 
           [0033]      FIG. 15   b  is a side cutaway view of the a masonry reinforcement bar to be inserted into the other side of the coupler of  FIG. 15   a;    
           [0034]      FIG. 16  is a side cutaway view of a masonry reinforcement bar showing the insertion of the non-welded masonry reinforcement bar in relation to the coupler holes in the coupler; 
           [0035]      FIG. 17A  is a side view of a coupler pin; 
           [0036]      FIG. 17B  is a cutaway side view of another embodiment of the coupler; 
           [0037]      FIG. 17C  is a cut away side view of the is a side cut away view of a masonry reinforcement bar showing the insertion of the non-welded masonry reinforcement bar in relation to the coupler holes in the coupler with the insertion of the small coupler pin; 
           [0038]      FIG. 18  is a side cutaway view showing the bent legs of the small coupler pin after insertion through the holes of the non-welded masonry reinforcement bar and the coupler; 
           [0039]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of an end rod seat of a non-welded masonry reinforcement bar; 
           [0040]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the end rod seat of a non-welded masonry reinforcement bar; 
           [0041]      FIG. 21  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the coupler; 
           [0042]      FIG. 22  is a perspective cutaway view of a notched non-welded masonry reinforcement bar; 
           [0043]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of complementary notched non-welded masonry reinforcement bars; 
           [0044]      FIG. 24  discloses a cutaway perspective view of the complementary notched non-welded masonry reinforcement bars inside a coupler; 
           [0045]      FIG. 25  is a perspective cutaway view of a rounded notched non-welded masonry reinforcement bar; 
           [0046]      FIG. 26  is a perspective view of complementary rounded notched non-welded masonry reinforcement bars; 
           [0047]      FIG. 27  is a cutaway perspective view of the complementary rounded notched non-welded masonry reinforcement bars inside a coupler; and 
           [0048]      FIG. 28A  is a cutaway perspective view of one arm of a swivel coupler and a masonry reinforcement bar; 
           [0049]      FIG. 28B  is a cutaway perspective view of a masonry reinforcement bar within one arm of a swivel coupler; 
           [0050]      FIG. 28C  is a cutaway perspective view of a masonry reinforcement bar within the one arm of a swivel coupler with the securing pin positioned through its hole; 
           [0051]      FIG. 29  is a cutaway view of the swivel coupler with the masonry reinforcement bars inserted therein; 
           [0052]      FIG. 30  is a cutaway perspective view of another embodiment of dual coupler pins in a coupler for securing reinforcement bars; 
           [0053]      FIG. 31  is a side cross view of another embodiment of dual coupler pins; 
           [0054]      FIG. 32  is a perspective view of a threaded coupler showing the positioning of the threaded reinforcement bars; 
           [0055]      FIG. 33A  is an overhead view of an end of one of the arms of the swivel coupler; 
           [0056]      FIG. 33B  is a cross sectional side view showing the distal end of one of the arms of the swivel coupler; 
           [0057]      FIG. 33C  is an end view of one of the swivel arms; and 
           [0058]      FIG. 34  is a perspective cutaway side view of another embodiment for a coupler. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0059]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-28 , the coupler system comprises a coupler  1 , which is hollow, ranges in length from about 1.5 to about 6 inches, and has openings  30  and  31  at each end. In another embodiment, the length of the coupler is from about 2 to about 4 inches in length and in another embodiment, the coupler  1  is about ½″ tall or wide; put another way, the coupler has a diameter of its outer circumference of about ½″, measured from the outer circumference  2 . Under some circumstances, the diameter of the coupler may be larger or smaller than that illustrated in the figures. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the coupler is made of cold roll steel. The coupler  1  could also be made of copper, aluminum, magnesium, palladium, platinum, or any other metal, as well as fiberglass, a hard plastic, or ceramic. 
         [0060]    The coupler  1  has four holes  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  passing through the wall of the coupler. Hole  3  in the top  7  of the coupler  1  is aligned with hole  5  in the bottom  8  of the coupler  1 . Similarly, hole  4 , which is positioned about ½″ to about 1½″ from the other hole, is aligned with hole  6  in the bottom  8  of the coupler  1 . 
         [0061]    Coupler pin  9  ( FIG. 5 ,  6 ) is comprised of a material that the does not chemically react with the coupler  1 . The coupler pin  9  comprises a bridge  10  and two legs  11  and  12 . The distance between the two legs can be about a half inch, with ranges from about ¼″ to about ¾″. In another embodiment for a large coupler pin  13 , the bridge is longer, being about 1½″ in length, although the length may vary from about 1″ to about 2″. The length of the legs  14 ,  15  of the larger coupler  13  or the legs of the small depends on the width of the coupler, although the legs can be from about ¾″ to about 1½″ long, with 1″ also being acceptable. The pins themselves range in width from about 0.100 inches to about 0.25 inches. The pins are also a standard 0.125″ in diameter. The pins are made of a material that will not react with either the masonry reinforcement bar or the coupler  1 . It should be noted that the bridge of the pin should be the same length as the distance between the holes of the coupler into which the legs of the pin are fitting. 
         [0062]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  9 - 14 , the ends  16 ,  17  of the masonry reinforcement bars  18 ,  19  have holes  23 ,  24  drilled through the top section  21   22  of the masonry reinforcement bars  18 ,  19  all the way through the bottoms  25 ,  26  of the masonry reinforcement bars. These hole  23 ,  24  should be drilled approximately from ½″ to 1″ from the end of the bar , and in one embodiment is drilled ¾″ from the end of the masonry reinforcement bar. The bar itself is ¼″ in diameter, but the range of the bar can vary. The dimensions should be such that when two masonry reinforcement bars are each inserted into the opposing openings  30 ,  31  of the coupler  1 , the holes of the coupler and the masonry reinforcement bar align and that legs of the coupler pin can fit through holes  3  and  4 . 
         [0063]    Referring to  FIGS. 9-14 , each of the masonry reinforcement bars is inserted into an opposing opening  30 ,  31  of the coupler, and the holes in the masonry reinforcement bars are aligned with the holes in the coupler. A large coupler pin  13  is then inserted such that one leg  14  of the coupler pin fits through one of the masonry reinforcement bars and the other coupler leg  15  fits through the other masonry reinforcement bar. The legs  14 ,  15  are long enough that they extend past the bottom  8  of the coupler  1 . The legs are bent parallel with the bottom  8  of the coupler. This secures the masonry reinforcement bars in the coupler. 
         [0064]    It should be noted that the mortar used between the layers of block is usually ⅜″ thick. In fact, the separators are no more than ⅝″ in height and therefore it is advisable that the coupler be no wider than ⅝″ in height, and, in another embodiment, ½″ in height. The ends of the masonry reinforcement bars are connected by the couplers over a well of the block, into which the cement is poured, thereby giving the connection an even greater strength. 
         [0065]    In another embodiment (shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  15 - 18 ), one of the ends of the mason reinforcement bars  40  is welded with and inside of the coupler  41 . The coupler  41 , for illustration and practical purposes is 3″ long and ½″ high, and the welded rebar takes up 1½″ of the coupler. The unwelded section of the coupler  41  has two ⅛″ holes  42 ,  43  passing through the coupler  41  from the top  44  through the bottom  45 . These two holes may be from about ¼″ to about an inch apart. In the figures, the holes are about ½″ apart. 
         [0066]    A small pin  9  having a bridge of ½″ or the length between holes  42  and  43  is fitted in through holes  46 ,  47  that pass through the second masonry reinforcement bar  48 . The legs  11 ,  12  of the pin  9  are then bent to secure the masonry reinforcement bar within and to the coupler. 
         [0067]    In another embodiment ( FIG. 30 ), the coupler  50  can have two sets of two pass through holes ( 51 ,  52  and  53 ,  54 ), and each of the two masonry reinforcement bars  55 ,  56  can each have two pass through holes ( 57 ,  58  and  59 ,  60 ) positioned appropriately so pin  61  can pass through holes  51 ,  52 ,  57 ,  58  with enough clearance so that legs  62   63  have enough clearance to be bent to secure masonry reinforcement bar  55 , and so pin  64  can pass through  53 ,  54 ,  59 ,  60 , with enough clearance so that legs  59 ,  60  can be bent to secure masonry reinforcement bar  56 . 
         [0068]    In another embodiment ( FIG. 31 ) of the disclosure the coupler  70  comprises two single pass through hole  71 ,  72 , (one at each end) and with masonry reinforcement bars  73 ,  74  each having a single pass through hole  75 ,  76 . Two single pins  77 ,  78  fit through the respective holes to secure the masonry reinforcement bars  73  and  74  within the coupler  70 , whereupon the pins are bent in the section that passes through the coupler, as shown in the coupler pin described supra. 
         [0069]    Because the width of the coupler is by necessity wider than the width of the masonry reinforcement bars, a coupler  80  ( FIG. 21 ) comprises a sleeve  81  to allow for a tight fit of the masonry reinforcement bars. For example, if the masonry reinforcement bars are the standard 0.250 inches in diameter, and the outer diameter of the coupler is ½″. The sleeve  81  within the coupler  80  narrows the diameter of the inside  82  of the coupler  80  to 0.251 inches. In another embodiment, the sleeve is beveled  83 ,  84 ,  85 ,  86  near the openings  87 ,  88  of coupler  80 . 
         [0070]    In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 32 , the coupler can have pass through holes through which pins can pass through, as discussed, supra. In another embodiment for a coupler  90 , there are no pass through holes. Instead one end  91  of the sleeve  92  having opening  94  is threaded  93 . The masonry reinforcement bar  96  is threaded  95  at the end of the masonry reinforcement bar  96  that passes through the opening  94 , so that the coupler  90  and the masonry reinforcement bar can be secured together. At the other end  97  of the coupler  90 , the coupler sleeve is reverse threaded  98 . At the end  99  of the masonry reinforcement bar  100  that is to be inserted into the coupler  90  through opening  101 , there is a reverse thread  100 . Hence when the coupler  90  is turned rotated and both reinforcement bars  96  and  100  are positioned through the respective openings  94  and  101 , the ends of the masonry reinforcement bars  96 ,  100  are firmly secured to and in the coupler  90 . In one embodiment the flat surfaces, hexagonal 
         [0071]    Referring to  FIGS. 19-20  and  22 - 27 , another method of securing the masonry reinforcement bars involves the coupling of the ends of the bars to one another by means of complementary notches  200  in the masonry reinforcement bars themselves. These notches  200 ,  201  are designed such that one notch is positioned to be complementary either vertically or horizontally. In one embodiment, the notches are square or rectangular in shape. In another embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 25-27 , the notches are curved, resembling semi-circles. 
         [0072]    The coupler  202  is slipped over one of the two masonry reinforcement bars( 203 ,  204 ). The end of one of the masonry reinforcement bars  203  having notch  200  projects from the end of the coupler  202 . The rectangular end  206  of masonry reinforcement bar  204  fits into notch  200  and the rectangular end  205  of masonry reinforcement bar  203  fits into the notch  201  of masonry reinforcement bar  204 . The coupler is then slipped over the two masonry bars  203 ,  204  securing the interfitting bars together. In another embodiment (not shown), there are two holes going through the coupler  202  and each of the two masonry reinforcement bars  203 ,  204  has a hole so that the legs  14 ,  15  of pin  13  pass through the couplers  203 ,  204 , whereupon the ends of the legs  14 ,  15  are bent. 
         [0073]    The couplers so far described are for rectangular structures such that the couplers and the masonry reinforcement bars are relatively all in a straight line. However, there are situations during construction of some buildings where there are angular walls and hence the masonry reinforcement bars are not in a straight line alignment. To use the reinforcement masonry bars in such a situation,  FIGS. 28   a - 29  a swivel coupler  300 . The swivel coupler  300  has two half couplers  301  and  302 . Both half couplers  301 ,  302  are identical and have a tubular structure, with a lead opening  303 ,  304  for the masonry reinforcement bars running lengthwise through the tube  304 ,  305  and a hole  306 ,  307  perpendicular to the length of the half coupler  301 ,  302  the hole being from about ¼″ to about 1″ from the proximal end of the tube where the lead opening  303 ,  304  is. At the distal end of the half coupler is a rectangular cutout  308 ,  309  which allows the two half couplers to mate. Above or below the rectangular cutout  308 ,  309  (depending whether the half coupler is held with the rectangular cutout  308 ,  309  is facing up or down) is a pivot pin hole  310 ,  311  through which an pivot pin  312  is inserted when the rectangular cutouts  308 ,  309  are positioned facing each other and wherein the pivot pin holes  310 ,  311  are positioned to line up with one another. 
         [0074]    Each of the two masonry reinforcement bars  320 ,  321  have a hole  322 ,  323  positioned from about ½″ to about ¾″ from their end. These holes are aligned with the holes  306 ,  307  in the half couplers  301 ,  302 . A pin  330  is inserted through hole  306 , whereupon the pin is bent as it exits the bottom side of the half coupler, such that the pin cannot fall out. If there no head on the pin, the top part of the pin is also bent. Similarly, pin  311  is inserted through hole  307 . In another embodiment, the hole in the masonry reinforcement bar does not penetrate through the width of the bar. The pin can be secured by the snugness of the hole, or by the cement that will be poured over the coupler. 
         [0075]    While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.