Abstract:
A rebar separator having a crossbar situated atop one or, preferably, two vibrational insulators which are preferably inflatable cushions. Preferably, there are two or more such crossbars on one or two inflatable cushions. At least one vibrational motor is in contact with at least one crossbar. And preferably each crossbar slopes from a first end to a second end. A source of fluid is in communication with each inflatable cushion. Preferably, the vibrational insulators are placed on top of first and second longitudinal channels of a horizontal rack.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This is a continuation application of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/459,938, filed on Jun. 11, 2003, which will issue as U.S. Pat. No. 7,744,336 on Jun. 29, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a device for separating rebar from tangled bundles of rebar. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Rebar comprises the elongated cylindrical steel rods which are placed within concrete to reinforce such concrete. 
         [0006]    The rods of rebar come in bundles and often become entangled with one another. 
         [0007]    At a facility which cuts and, on occasion, bends the rebar to make it suitable for particular purposes, a bundle of rebar is placed upon a horizontal rack. Then, after removing the straps which hold the bundle together, an individual manually grasps and shakes one rod at a time until it is loosened from the other rods. Such rod is then moved to a portion of the horizontal rack which can have one edge lowered to dump the separated rod onto rollers to be transported for measuring and cutting. 
         [0008]    One prior non-manual separator for rebar of which the present inventor is aware is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,995. That separator utilizes a “blade-like member 55” that is moved longitudinally with respect to the rebar. Apparently, it is inserted between two intertwined pieces of rebar and then moved longitudinally. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,823 of Albert Musschoot shows a frame 6 on air spring isolators 4, 5. 
         [0010]    As a first, relatively minor, point, Musschoot discloses, in lines 29 through 31, “a plurality of vibratory feeders 1, 2, and 3 . . . with their individual controls,” not a separator. 
         [0011]    More importantly, though, the element in Musschoot which is analogous to the crossbars 1 of the present Application is the frame 6 to which the exciter 11 is attached in order to produce vibration and which frame 6 acts, according to line 39 through 42 in column 2 of Muschoot, as “a support for a shallow trough 9 serving as a material conveying surface.” And the frame 6 is not slanted. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,721 of Franklin D. Lakins discloses simply a box with an open top. The box is tilted from side to side in order to separate to unscramble bundles of bar stock. When the bundle has been sufficiently unscrambled, the box is tilted toward a side which has fluid-powered cylinders that push a selected bar high enough to fall over the lower side of the tilted box. 
         [0013]    Lines 46 through 58 in column 1 of Lakins explain, “Briefly described, the machine comprising the preferred embodiment of the invention is made up of a long box, capable of containing bar stock up to 22 feet in length, and bundles of such bar stock weighing as much as ten thousand pounds. The box is pivotally mounted along its center line and means are provided for alternately tilting the box along its pivot points up to 10° on both sides of horizontal, which causes the bar stock to roll from side to side until the individual bars are lying straight and are unscrambled. Thereafter, one side of the box is provided with selectively operable discharge means which functions to discharge the bar stock from the box in single fashion.” 
         [0014]    Lines 16 through 19 in column 2 of Lakins further clarify, “A plurality of cross rail angle irons 20 extend across the channel members 14, 16 and 18 and are affixed thereto by welding, or the like, to provide a floor for the machine . . . . ” 
         [0015]    And line 1 through 19 in column 3 of Lakins provide, “The mounting of the box on the supporting structure by means of the clevis brackets 70 and bearings 76 permit oscillation of the box about the horizontal plane. The oscillation of the box is effected by three tilt cylinders 102 which have a bracket 104 affixed between apertured ears 106 of a pair of plates 108 affixed to and carried by three of the support legs 92. The rod 110 of the cylinder 102 has a clevis 112 connected to its outer end, and the clevis is connected by means of a pin 114 to a depending boss 116 affixed to the underside of the channel member 18 at three spaced positions along the channel member 18. Accordingly, it will be seen that when fluid is admitted to the lower end of the cylinders 102, the box will be oscillated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, about the axis of the bearing pins 74 to about 10° from the horizontal plane, and when fluid is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 102, the box will be oscillated clockwise 10° of the horizontal plane.” 
         [0016]    Furthermore, the cylinders 102 of Lakins do not vibrate the box; as Lakins, itself, declares, the cylinders 102 “tilt” the box “along its pivot points.” 
         [0017]    Consequently, Lakins has no vibratory motor and lacks a vibrational insulator. 
         [0018]    As can be seen in the quotation from Lakins above, element 70 is clevis brackets which enable the box to pivot. Clevis brackets must be rigid structures to support the box and would not deter the passage of vibrations. [It should be noted that, in an apparent error, line 56 in column 2 of Lakins uses “70” also to designate “bolts.” Bolts, however, would also not deter the passage of vibrations.] 
         [0019]    Lakins, moreover, does not disclose slanted crossbars. The box of Lakins is composed of some bars, and the whole box is able to be tilted but such bars do not slant with respect to the box and are not permanently slanted with respect to the base of the Lakins machine. 
         [0020]    In addition to the two or more crossbars and the vibrational motor which U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,637 of Rudolf Graef has, in order to separate rods, Graef uses rollers in combination with the crossbars and vibrational motors. 
         [0021]    Graef states (in lines 46 through 49 of column 1, lines 44 through 50 of column 2, and lines 4 through 9 of column 3), “. . . the vibrations coupled with the brief interruptions in the forward push on the rods reduces the friction of the rods against each other and disentangles them . . . . 
         [0022]    “. . . at least one vibratory device positioned along said track for repeatedly lifting said rods off said rollers for a short interval of time; said repeatedly lifting of said rods off said drive rollers causing an intermittent stoppage of the forward movement of said rods so as to reduce the friction between said rods for a short interval of time . . . . 
         [0023]    “. . . said vibratory devices each periodically raising and lowering said rods as they pass thereover; and said periodic raising and lowering of said rods causing a brief stoppage of the forward movement of said rods so as to reduce the friction between and entanglement of said rods . . . . ” 
         [0024]    And, notably, the crossbars of Graef are not slanted. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The Rebar Separator of the present invention isolates one or more crossbars from a rack used to hold rebar and utilizes a motor to vibrate such crossbars. (“Vibration,” as used herein means rapid periodic movement, which Applicants believe is consistent with both ordinary understanding as well as the definition for “vibrate” given in  The Oxford English Dictionary,  second edition (1989), viz., “to move rapidly to and fro, to brandish, shake, etc. . . . . ”) Such vibration tends to separate rods of rebar that are tangled with one another when initially placed upon the crossbars. 
         [0026]    The crossbars are placed atop horizontal racks that are traditionally used to hold rebar; are isolated from such racks by cushions which can be filled with fluid, preferably, air; and preferably have a slanted top. 
         [0027]    Significantly, the crossbars and vibratory motor of the present invention perform the function of separating the rebar while eliminating the drive rollers of Graef. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates a crossbar, having a slanted top, placed atop two cushions resting on two inflatable cushions atop longitudinal channels of a horizontal rack. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a first inflatable cushion. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  provides a cross-sectional view of a second inflatable cushion, with the aperture in an alternate location from that in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  portrays, in cross-sectional view, a first longitudinal channel in fluid communication both with a first inflatable cushion and a source of fluid and a second longitudinal channel in fluid communication both with a first inflatable cushion and a source of fluid. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  shows a first branched, hollow line inserted, with fluid communication, between a first longitudinal channel and several first inflatable cushions. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  illustrates a second branched, hollow line inserted, with fluid communication, between a second longitudinal channel and several second inflatable cushions. 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  shows hollow lines replacing the first and second longitudinal channels in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , for the purpose of supplying fluid. 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  depicts a substantially rigid torsion bar attached to several crossbars. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the Rebar Separator has a crossbar  1  that is placed atop a first vibrational insulator, preferably an inflatable cushion,  2  and, preferably, also atop a second vibrational insulator, preferably an inflatable cushion,  3 . The first cushion  2  is preferably located on top of a first longitudinal channel  4  of a horizontal rack  5 ; the second cushion  3  is preferably located on top of a second longitudinal channel  6  of the horizontal rack  5 . 
         [0037]    The first cushion  2  contains an aperture  7 , depicted in  FIG. 2 , which aperture  7  communicates with the interior  8  of the first inflatable cushion  2 . Similarly, the second cushion  3  contains an aperture  9 , depicted in  FIG. 3 , which aperture  9  communicates with the interior  10  of the second inflatable cushion  3 . 
         [0038]    A fluid, preferably air, is provided to, and withdrawn from, the first inflatable cushion  2  through aperture  7 . Similarly, a fluid, preferably air, is provided to, and withdrawn from, the second inflatable cushion  3  through aperture  9 . 
         [0039]    If the first longitudinal channel  4  is hollow, such first longitudinal channel  4  is, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in fluid communication with a source  11  of fluid and contains an aperture  12  in fluid communication with the aperture  7  of the first inflatable cushion  2  of associated with each given crossbar  1  (since it is preferable to employ two or more crossbars  1  on each horizontal rack  5 ). A valve  13  is preferably inserted between the aperture  12  and the corresponding aperture  7  to control the flow of fluid into or from the first inflatable cushion  2 . And, even more preferably, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a first hollow tube  14  has a first end  15  attached to, and in fluid communication with, the valve  13 , which, in such option, is fluidically, but not necessarily physically, between the aperture  12  and the apertures  7 . (Also, in such option, the location of the aperture  12  is not necessarily the same as when the valve  13  is physically between aperture  12  and aperture  7 .) The first hollow tube  14  branches in order to have two or more, preferably three, second ends  16  with each of the second ends  16  connected to, and in fluid communication with, an aperture  7  of a first inflatable cushion  2 . 
         [0040]    Similarly, if the second longitudinal channel  6  is hollow, such second longitudinal channel  6  is, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in fluid communication with a source  11  of fluid and contains an aperture  17  in fluid communication with the aperture  9  of the second inflatable cushion  3  associated with each given crossbar  1  (since it is preferable to employ two or more crossbars  1  on each horizontal rack  5 ). A valve  18  is preferably inserted between an aperture  17  and the corresponding aperture  9  to control the flow of fluid into or from the second inflatable cushion  3 . And, even more preferably, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a second hollow tube  19  has a first end  20  attached to, and in fluid communication with, the valve  18 , which, in such option, is fluidically, but not necessarily, physically between the aperture  17  and the apertures  9 . (Also, in such option, the location of the aperture  17  is not necessarily the same as when the valve  18  is physically between aperture  17  and an aperture  9 ). The second hollow tube  19  branches in order to have two or more, preferably three, second ends  21  with each of the second ends  21  connected to, and in fluid communication with, an aperture  9  of a second inflatable cushion  3 . 
         [0041]    Optionally, as portrayed in  FIG. 7 , the first longitudinal channel  4  can, for the purpose of supplying fluid, be replaced by a first hollow tube  22 ; and the second longitudinal channel  6  can, for the purpose of supplying fluid, be replaced by a second hollow tube  23 . 
         [0042]    Also in contact with, and preferably attached to, the crossbar  1  is a vibrational motor  24 . The vibrational motor can be located anywhere on the crossbar  1  that will not impede the movements of rods of rebar, which are to be placed on the top  25  of the crossbar  1 , making the bottom  26  of the crossbar between the first inflatable cushion  2  and the second inflatable cushion  3  the preferred location for the vibrational motor  24 , as seen in  FIG. 1 . When several crossbars  1  are employed on a given horizontal rack  5 , it is, however, not necessary to have a vibrational motor attached to each crossbar  1 . 
         [0043]    Optionally, a substantially rigid torsion bar  27  is, as depicted in  FIG. 8 , attached to one or more, and preferably each, crossbar  1 , in order to increase the uniformity of vibration of the crossbars  1 . Substantially, in this context, means that the amount the rigid torsion bar  27  moves under force is only such that one of ordinary skill in the field would consider the torsion bar  27  to be rigid. 
         [0044]    Preferably, the top  25  of the crossbar  1  slants, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , downward from a first end  28  of the crossbar  1  to a second end  29  of the crossbar  1  in order to encourage the rods of rebar to move toward the second end  29  of the crossbar  1  when the vibrational motor  24  is activated, although the direction of movement of such rods tends to reverse when the vibrational motor  24  is operated in a reverse direction. 
         [0045]    Also, the second inflatable cushion  3  can be inflated less that the first inflatable cushion  2  in order to increase the tendency of the rods of rebar to move toward the second end  29  of the crossbar  1 . 
         [0046]    Preferably, the crossbar  1  is made of metal; and, optionally, a layer  30  that is softer than metal can be placed on the top  25  of the crossbar  1  in order to protect the rods of rebar. A preferred material from which the layer  30  is made is ultra-high-weight molecular plastic (UHWM). 
         [0047]    As used herein the term “preferable” or “preferably” means that a specified element or technique is more acceptable than another but not that such specified element or technique is a necessity.