Abstract:
A support device for use in tilt-wall construction including a support body having at least two support legs and a bottom extending between the support legs, and a base formed of a polymeric material. The base is affixed to the bottom of the support body. The base has a plurality of legs extending outwardly therefrom. The support body is of a generally U-shaped or L-shaped cross-section. The support body is formed of a single piece of a metal material. The support legs each have a slot formed adjacent an edge opposite the bottom. These slots open on opposite sides of the support legs.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present utility patent application claims the benefit of earlier filed U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/109,459, filed on Nov. 23, 1998 and entitled “CONSTRUCTION CHAIR WITH PLASTIC BASE”, 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to construction chairs. More particular, the present invention relates to devices for supporting rebar and mesh a desired distance above an outer surface of a wall used in tilt-wall construction. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In reinforced concrete construction applications, such as highways, or in floors, or in the walls of buildings, spacer devices, commonly referred to as chairs, are required for supporting and maintaining reinforcing rods or bars which are positioned in the area where the concrete is to be poured. These reinforcing rods are sometimes referred as “rebars”. Depending on such parameters as the total surface area and the thickness of the end product of concrete, reinforcement is mandated in varying degrees by building codes. One such method of reinforcement involves a steel mesh, while in major concrete construction, such as highways, and for high-rise buildings, reinforcing rods of various diameters, typically one-half inch or more, are required. In addition, on such jobs, the reinforcing bars may be positioned in spaced layers due to the thickness of the floor, for example. In some installations, a first layer of rebar is provided, with the reinforcing rods or rebars in spaced parallel relation, that is, they are parallel to each other, and generally parallel to the surface on which the concrete is to be poured. A second layer of rebar is then added, with the orientation of the second layer perpendicular to the first layer, thus forming a grid or latticework. After the reinforcing bars or latticework is prepared, the concrete is then poured over this grid or framework, which is ultimately embedded within the highway, floor or wall. 
     By way of example, for a concrete floor on a prepared surface, spacers or chairs are utilized for providing the vertical separation of the rebar grid from the surface on which the concrete is to be poured. The prepared surface may be a wood or plywood structure or form, or may be a compacted surface, the latter of which may be provided with a layer of compacted sand, with a plastic sheet covering thereon providing a moisture barrier. Spacers or chairs are positioned on the prepared surface for supporting the rebars in a plane generally parallel to the prepared surface. 
     Such spacers are also utilized in forming walls, such as in the construction of buildings referred to as concrete tilt-up structures. With prior art metallic rebar chairs, after the wall is poured and sets, all spacer or chair locations are checked for exposure of any portion of the chair at the surface of the wall. All of such exposed metallic edges are ground and then sealed to protect from the formation of rust, which attacks the metal of the rebar or chair on the interior of the wall, causing structural weaknesses. In addition, in tilt-wall constructions, the metal from the chair can rust and eventually bleed into the concrete at the outer wall. This can create an unsightly and unprofessional appearance of the concrete structure. As such, a need has developed so as to protect such structures from the corroding chairs. 
     In the past, various U.S. patents have issued relating to such chair constructions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,981 describes a chair having a flat base with a U-shaped metallic chair extending upwardly therefrom. The metallic chair has a pair of slots formed on the legs of the chair. The slots serve to receive mesh or rebar therein. The slots are oriented in opposed relationship. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,270, issued on Feb. 12, 1985 to R. J. Ilukowicz, describes a support for reinforcing rods or mesh. The support includes a plate of substantially planar construction. A cruciform structure is provided beneath and supporting the plate. The cruciform structure includes a plurality of legs and tips depending from the legs. The tips are adapted to expose a relatively minimal part of the structure with the support being embedded in a substance such as concrete. A structure is provided on the top of the plate to limit movement of the rod or mesh. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,933, issued on Jun. 6, 1989 to F. P. Yung, describes a spacer assembly with a body having a base portion with a generally centrally disposed support post portion. A clamp member is provided for simultaneously securing mutually perpendicular rebars to the chair. The clamp member includes a generally U-shaped lower portion. An arrangement of legs extend downwardly from the bottom portion of the spacer assembly so as to support the planar surface base portion thereabove. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction chair particularly adapted for use with tilt-wall construction. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a construction chair which minimizes the problem of rust associated with metallic chairs. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a construction chair which minimizes exposure to the outside surface of the wall associated with tilt-wall construction. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a construction chair which is easy to use, easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a chair having a plastic base which is adapted for use in association with tilt-wall construction. The chair is formed of a metallic material. The chair is U-shaped or L-shaped and is formed from a single sheet of material. Slots are formed on the upper edge of the support legs of the chair. The slots face in opposite directions so as to receive mesh or rebar therein. The bottom of the chair extends between the support legs. The bottom is a generally flat surface. The bottom of the chair includes holes for connecting to the plastic base. 
     The plastic base is affixed to the bottom of the chair. The plastic base has a generally square configuration with legs extending downwardly therefrom. The plastic base is attached in surface-to-surface contact with the bottom of the chair. Flanges extend upward from a surface of the plastic base on opposite sides of the base. The bottom of the chair is secured between such flanges. The legs extend downwardly from the four corners of the base. Each of the legs has a flat bottom surface. The plastic base has projections which extend upwardly therefrom. These projections are rigidly received in the holes in the bottom of the chair. These projections extend through the holes and upwardly above the bottom of the chair. These projections are arranged on a diagonal extending across the base. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the construction chair for receiving mesh in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the construction chair of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the construction chair of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the construction chair in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the use of the construction chair of the present invention in association with tilt-wall construction. 
     FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment showing a construction chair for receiving rebars in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of the alternative embodiment of FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown at  10  the construction chair in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The construction chair  10  is a mesh chair which includes metallic chair  12  and plastic base  14 . The plastic base  14  has legs  16  extending downwardly therefrom. The plastic base  14  is secured to the bottom  18  of chair  12 . 
     The chair  12  is substantially U-shaped and is preferably formed of a single strip of metal with the bottom  18  having a generally flat surface and legs  20  and  22  extending vertically upwardly from base  18 . It should be noted that the juncture of the flat bottom  18  with the support legs  20  and  22  is preferably curved or rounded to eliminate any sharp edges or projections. It can be appreciated that the metallic chair  12  can be used for supporting wire mesh. It can also be appreciated that the legs  20  and  22  are shown formed integrally with the bottom  18 . However, such legs  20  and  22  could also be secured to the bottom  18  by welding or other suitable securing means without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     Each of the legs  20  and  22  includes a laterally or horizontally extending notch  15  formed therein for receiving a strand of wire mesh therein. The slots  15  are formed near the upper edge  26  of leg  20  and the upper edge  28  of leg  22 . The notches  15  face or open in opposite directions relative to each other. Each of the notches  15  terminates at approximately the lateral midpoint of the support legs  20  and  22  into which they are cut. As such, the notches  15  form a shoulder or stop for engaging and securing a strand of mesh at approximately midway between the opposite edges or sides of the legs  20  and  22 . Since each of the notches  15  extends in opposite directions relative to each other, the stops  15   a  are also opposed relative to each other and will therefore engage opposite sides of the strand or mesh extending therethrough. 
     After the mesh has been inserted laterally into the notches  15 , which may be accomplished simply by aligning the mesh with the opposite open ends of such notches  15  and rotating the chair  12  horizontally until the mesh engages the stops  15   a  at the terminal ends of the notches  15 . The tabs  30  which are disposed above the notches  15  can be twisted around and under the mesh to thereby grip it or lock it into position adjacent to the stops  15   a  so as to firmly securely the mesh within the chair  12 . 
     The notches  15  are preferably formed with the lower portion  15   b  having tapered or rounded portions adjacent their open ends. The tapered portion  15   b  facilitates the insertion of the wire of the mesh into the notches  15 . 
     In FIG. 1, it can be seen that the base  14  has a projection  34  extending upwardly through a hole in the bottom  18  of the chair  12 . The base  14  has legs  16  extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom. The legs  16  occur at each of the four comers of the generally rectangular or square base  14 . Each of the legs  16  has a flat bottom. The base  14 , along with legs  16 , is formed of a polymeric material. The base  14  has flanges  19   a  and  19   b  extending upwardly on opposite sides thereof. The flanges  19   a  and  19   b  secure the bottom  18  of the chair  12  therebetween. 
     FIG. 2 shows the relationship of the plastic base  14  with the chair  12 . In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the support legs  20  and  22  extend vertically upwardly from the bottom  18 . Projections  34  and  36  extend through holes in the bottom  18  and upwardly above the top surface of the bottom  18 . The projections  34  and  36  serve to securely mount the planar base  14  to the bottom  18  in surface-to-surface contact therewith. Legs  16  are shown as extending downwardly from the base  14 . Flange  19   a  extends upwardly above the bottom  18  of chair  12 . 
     In FIG. 3, the chair  12  is shown as having its notch  15  and tab portion  30  extending thereabove. The plastic base  14  has projections  34  and  36  extending upwardly through the bottom  18  of the chair  12 . Legs  16  have a flat bottom. Legs  16  extend downwardly from the base  14 . 
     In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the bottom  18  of chair  12  is secured between the flanges  19   a  and  19   b . These flanges  19   a  and  19   b  assure that the metallic chair  12  is properly secured in relation to the base  14 . The flanges  19   a  and  19   b  also serve to guide the holes over the projections  34  and  36 . 
     In FIG. 4, it can be seen that the plastic base  14  has four legs  16  extending downwardly from the four corners of the generally square-shaped base  14 . Projections  34  and  36  are illustrated in broken line fashion as extending above the top surface of the plastic base  14 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the manner in which the chairs  10  can be used in tilt-wall construction. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the chairs  10  receive a mesh or rebar  50  therein. The mesh or rebar  50  is suitably anchored within the concrete  52 . The slab of concrete  52  is poured with the mesh or rebar  50  residing therein. The slab  52  is formed on the earth  54 . Suitable formwork can be applied around the exterior of the slab  52  so as to create the slab  52 . As can be seen in FIG. 5, the legs  16  serve to support each of the chairs  10  a desired distance from the exterior wall  56  of slab  52 . Since the legs  16  are of a plastic material, they will not corrode, rust, or otherwise bleed into the exterior wall  56 . The metallic chair  12  is positioned a suitable distance away from the exterior wall  56  so as to prevent any bleeding from occurring. After the slab  52  is created, it can be tilted upwardly (in the manner shown by the arrow in FIG. 5) so as to reside in a vertical orientation. 
     In FIG. 6, alternative embodiment  70  of the present invention is illustrated. The chair apparatus  70  has a chair portion  72  suitable for the receipt of rebar therein. The chair  72  is formed of metal so as to have sides  74  and  76  extending at a right angle to each other. A notch  78  is formed in side  76  and a notch  80  is formed in side  74  adjacent to the top  82  of the chair  72 . A tab  84  is associated with notch  78  and a tab  86  is associated with notch  80 . The notches  78  and  80  are suitable for receiving rebar therethrough. The chair apparatus  70  is particularly designed so as to receive rebar that might extend in a lattice form. Holes  89  and  91  are formed on sides  74  and  76 , respectively. 
     In FIG. 6, it can be seen that the plastic base  90  is affixed to the bottom of the chair  72 . Plastic base  90  has a configuration similar to that described hereinbefore. The plastic base  90  has legs  92  extending downwardly therefrom. As such, the chair apparatus  70 , as illustrated in FIG. 6, can also be used in tilt-wall construction. 
     FIG. 7 shows the interior configuration of the chair apparatus  70  in relation to the plastic base  90 . Flanges  94  and  96  extend upwardly along opposite sides of the bottom  98  of the chair  72 . This serves to secure the chair  72  in a proper position relative to the plastic base  90 . A split  100  is formed in the bottom  98  so as to allow the chair  72  to be formed of a unitary construction. The projections  102  and  104  extend through holes formed in the bottom  98 . Since the metal chair  72  has a slight memory when formed, the combination of the flanges  94  and  96  with the projections  102  and  104  will cause the split  100  to be maintained in its desired position, will enhance the structural integrity of the chair  72  and will prevent any undesired tilting of the bottom  98  with the respect to the plastic base  90 . 
     The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.