Abstract:
A cage spacer for spacing reinforcing rods or welded fabric a specified distance from mold walls for poring concrete during construction projects. The cage spacer comprises two intersection bodies oriented perpendicular to each other and preferable with one body having a base higher than the other. A pair of pads on opposite ends of a first body base for stabilizing the body on the rebar. A pair of rebar engaging clips on opposite ends of the second body base for snapping onto and gripping a perpendicularly intersecting rebar such that the rebar is held securely in the clips. The cage spacer attaches over the intersection of a pair of rebars. At least one apex of the bodies engages a mold wall to keep the mold wall a specified distance from the rebars while concrete is being poured in the mold.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/304,774 filed Oct. 26, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/224,837 filed Aug. 21, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to clip on spacers for rebars or welded fabric used in structures to space the rebars or welded fabric a specified distance from concrete mold walls.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    In the past concrete rebars or welded fabric have been held in place by a variety of devices. Some of the devices are for holding the rebars or welded fabric a specified distance above the ground and so have a large ground contacting area to form a stable base for holding the rebars or welded fabric up without the spacer tipping over. Other spacers are used to hold mold walls away from a lattice of intersecting rebars or welded fabric. In this use a large contact area with the wall will leave a large area of the spacer exposed when the mold is removed. The concrete is thereby prevented from filling in the volume against the mold wall in the space occupied by the spacer. It is important to have as small a footprint of the spacers at the mold so that the edges of the poured concrete has more concrete on the outer surface for greater strength and for a better appearance.  
           [0006]    Some spacers have clip on portions where two clips on each rebar are very close together such that the spacer can twist or turn on the rebar. These spacers are thus not held sufficiently straight, resulting in variations of spacing distance between the mold wall and the rebars or welded fabric. It is important to have spacers that will stay aligned to hold the mold wall a specified distance from the rebars or welded fabric.  
           [0007]    Some spacers have clip on connections, which can come loose during impacts received during the construction process. It is desired to have clips that will stay connected once installed on the rebars or welded fabric.  
           [0008]    Strike Tool 31785 64 th  Ave., Cannon Falls, Minn. 55009, has a pyramid spacer with a C-shaped clip-on portion for engaging rebars.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The pyramid spacers have a pointed tip for contacting the mold walls thus leaving a small footprint on the outer portion of the poured concrete. The pyramid spacers also have a wide base with the clips spaced at the ends of the base for engaging rebars or welded fabric to provide stability against twisting forces such that the pyramid spacer remains oriented to space the rebars or welded fabric at a specified distance from the mold walls. Further the clips on the pyramid spacers have a rebar engaging portion for the rebar or welded fabric to fit into and two arms pressing on the rebar or welded fabric to lock the rebar or welded fabric snugly in place. The pyramid spacers also have a pair of pads at the corners of the base for engaging a perpendicularly crossing rebar or welded fabric to stably hold the pyramid spacers in a plane defined by the intersection of the rebars or welded fabric. Having only one pair of clips makes it easier to install the pyramid spacers.  
           [0010]    In another embodiment the cage spacers have a trapezoid body portion and a double apex body portion with pads and clips for engaging the rebars or welded fabric. The double apex embodiment provides more stability of the cage spacer relative to the mold wall by having two contact points. In a further embodiment the cage spacer has two perpendicular double apex portions providing four apexes for engaging the mold wall and defining the plane of contact such that the cage spacer is stable on all axis against the mold wall.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    It is an object of the invention to provide a spacer for spacing rebars or welded fabric a specified distance from molds.  
           [0012]    It is an object of the invention to provide a spacer that will not come off of the rebars or welded fabric once installed.  
           [0013]    It is an object of the invention to provide a spacer that will not twist or turn once installed which will change the distance of the rebars or welded fabric to the mold wall.  
           [0014]    It is an object of the invention to provide a small footprint of the spacer at the mold wall.  
           [0015]    It is an object of the invention to provide spacers with clips that are easy to install.  
           [0016]    It is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, reliable and durable spacer. 
       
    
    
       [0017]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a top angled perspective view of the cage spacer with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a bottom angled perspective view of the cage spacer with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a front view of the cage spacer with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a side view of the cage spacer with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a top angled perspective view of the cage spacer with a downward facing clip.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a bottom angled perspective view of the cage spacer with a downward facing clip.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 is a side front of the cage spacer with a downward facing clip.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is a side view of the cage spacer with a downward facing clip.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is a bottom angled perspective view of the cage spacer with a sideways facing clip having rebar engaging pins and feathers.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a top angled perspective view of the cage spacer having two apexes with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 is a bottom angled perspective view of the cage spacer having two apexes with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a front view of the cage spacer having two apexes with a sideways facing clip.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 13 is a side view of the cage spacer having two apexes with a sideways facing clip. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]    There are two cage spacer clip orientations shown in the figures. In FIGS.  1 - 4  the cage spacer  10  has a sideways facing clip portion  80  for engaging a reinforcing rod. In a second embodiment, shown in FIGS.  5 - 8 , the cage spacer  100  has a downward facing clip portion  180  for engaging a reinforcing rod. In all other respects the structure of cage spacers  10  and  100  are the same in the two embodiments.  
         [0032]    The cage spacer  10  has a pyramid portion  20  comprising two triangle body portions  30  and  40 , intersecting right angles to each other and overlapping in their center portions along a common central apex axis. The triangles  30  and  40  are offset at their tips and bases such that the top of triangle portion  40  is the tip of apex  70 . The tip of triangle  30  is slightly lower than the tip of triangle  40 . The footprint of the apex  70  of the cage spacer  10  is thus reduced at the interface with the mold thus increasing the concrete available at the mold surface. The base  35  of triangle  30  is lower than the base  45  of triangle  40  to accommodate the difference in height of the intersecting rebars or welded fabric to which they are attached. Triangle portion  30  has the clip portions  80  attached at the corners of base  35 . Triangle  40  has pad portions  50  attached at the corners of base  45  for engaging a rebar. Aperture  60  is removed from the center of triangle portion  30  at its base  35  to accommodate a rebar passing therethrough. Thus the cage spacer is designed to attach at the intersection of two rebars or at the intersection of the fabric in the welded fabric such that the cage spacer apex  70  it perpendicular to the plane formed by the intersecting rebars or of the welded fabric.  
         [0033]    Clip  80  has a rebar engaging portion  82 , two arm supporting segments  86 , and two angled arms  84  angling inward from the arm supporting segments  86  toward the open end of the rebar engaging portion  82  near the center of clip  80 . Clip  80  is placed on the rebar by forcing the angled arms  84  apart until the rebar rests in the rebar engaging portion  82 . Then the angled arms  84  are able to spring back into their unstressed position. When the rebar is enclosed in the rebar engaging portion  82  it can not escape since arms  84  have captured it in place. Clips  80  are spaced apart at the ends of base  35  on triangular body portion  30  such that the cage spacer  10  is stabilized.  
         [0034]    The cage spacer  10  is held securely on the plane defined by the intersecting rebars or intersecting fibers in a welded fabric by pads  50  and clips  80 . The apex  70  of the pyramid is thereby held firmly so that it will always provide a specified distance from the plane of the rebars or welded fabric to the mold surface.  
         [0035]    Clip portion  80  has arms  84  forming an entry to the rebar engaging portion  82  at a right angle to the apex axis may present a problem in that it may be difficult to force the cage spacer  10  on to the rebar or the fabric in a welded fabric from the side. It would be easier to place the cage spacer  10  on the rebars or fabric of the welded fabric at the intersection of the rebars or fabric of the welded fabric if the clip portion  80  was oriented to push straight down on the rebars or welded fabric.  
         [0036]    In a second embodiment  100 , shown in FIGS.  5 - 8 , the cage spacer  100  has clip portion  180  rotated 90 degrees compared to the first embodiment cage spacer  10 . In this embodiment the cage spacer  100  can be attached by pushing the cage spacer  100  straight down into the plane of the intersecting rebars or the intersecting fabric of a welded fabric.  
         [0037]    There are tradeoffs between the embodiments of cage spacer  10  and cage spacer  100 . In cage spacer  10  the clips  80  are at 90 degrees to the plane of the base of the pyramid and are more difficult to install over the rebars or the fabric of a welded fabric. The advantage is that the rebar engaging portion  82  has a wall engaging the rebar such that there will be very little play to move the spacer on the rebar such that the apex  70  will more reliably point perpendicular to the plane of the intersecting rebars or fabric of a welded fabric.  
         [0038]    In the embodiment of cage spacer  100  the cage spacer is easier to install but the arms  84  may allow the cage spacer to pivot on the axis of the rebar or welded fabric due to the arms  84  not being as solid a barrier and as well positioned as the wall  88  of the clip portion  80  of cage spacer  10 .  
         [0039]    The arms  84  are designed to have their ends engage the rebar or fabric of the welded fabric at angles such that the rebar or fabric of the welded fabric is held snugly in the recess of the rebar engaging portion  82  with the ends of arms  84  blocking the escape of the rebars or fabric of the welded fabric by engaging the rebars&#39; or fabrics&#39; circumference.  
         [0040]    The triangular body portions  30  and  40  do not have to be of equal heights, or have equal length bases, or equal angles. The triangles  30  and  40  may be offset in height by differing amounts. Alternatively triangular body portions  30  and  40  need not be offset at all, such that the apex of both triangles are at the apex of the pyramid. Further, a pin  75  (FIG. 8) may be extended from the apex of the higher of the pyramids to form the tip of the cage spacer and extent the height of the cage spacer while presenting a small footprint at the mold wall. Similarly, feathers  175  (FIG. 9) on the base of pads  50  also provide a smaller footprint of the pads  50  on the rebars or welded fabric the cage spacers  100  are installed on. Further, when the rebars or welded fabric contact the feathers  175  the feathers are deformed or bent over by the pressure at the contact points. The contact points absorb shocks and vibrations and reduce the movement of the rebars or welded fabric on the pads.  
         [0041]    As FIG. 9 shows, pins  90  can be used to position the top rebar or fabric on a welded fabric between the pins  90  to align the top rebar or fabric of the welded fabric within aperture  60  and to serve as a back stop for the bottom rebar in clip portion  80 . The pins  90  also align with the back portion of rebar engaging portion  82  to act as a guide for installing the cage spacer on the rebars or fabric of the welded fabric and to hold the rebars or fabric of the welded fabric in a straight line.  
         [0042]    Although the triangular body portions  30  and  40  are shown as equilateral triangles any triangles may be used. Further, the apex and base of the first and second triangle segments can vary is as to which is has the higher apex and lower base. Alternatively, one triangle segment can have the higher apex and the lower base.  
         [0043]    In a third embodiment  200 , shown in FIGS.  10 - 13 , the cage spacer  200  has two apexes  270  spaced apart from each other providing two points of contact with a wall for linearly aligning the cage spacer  200  with the wall on one axis. A single point of contact  70  can be tilted to the side relative the clip portions  80  whereas two points of contact form a line so that the cage spacer is not tilted on this axis. Pads  50  on cage spacer  200  are spaced apart and provide a line of contact with reinforcing rods on a perpendicular axis to the two apexes  270  in contact with the wall. In this manner the cage spacers  200  are made more stable and do not twist relative to the face of the wall due to a non exact fit of clip portion  80  on a rebar or fabric of a welded fabric.  
         [0044]    Cage spacer  200  has a base portion the same as the base portions of cage spacers  10  and  100 . Cage spacer  200  has pads  50 , aperture  60 , and a clip portion  80  which can be either perpendicular (as in cage spacer  10 ) or parallel (as in cage spacer  100 ) to the top to bottom axis.  
         [0045]    Cage spacer  200  has a trapezoid portion  230  and a double apex portion  240  which are perpendicular to each other and have a plateau portion  290  at their intersection. The apexes are on opposite sides of the cage spacer to provide for stability when in contact with a wall. In another embodiment the trapezoid portion  230  can be replaced with another double apex portion  240  to provide stability in four corners so that the plane of the cage spacer is defined with respect to the wall it engages.  
         [0046]    Cage spacer  200  may have different styles of apex portion  240  portions. As shown the apex is at the top of a triangular extension from plateau  290  however any style of height extension may be employed. Further a pin  75  may be employed to extend the apex  270  so that the pin  75  engages the wall with a smaller cross section of cement being displaced at the interface of the wall and the cage spacer.  
         [0047]    The cage spacers  10 ,  100  and  200  can be made to fit various sized rebars or welded fabrics and have differing heights for spacing the mold walls at different distances from the rebars or welded fabric. Although the cage spacers are described as attaching to rebars or welded frabrics throughout the application wires or other means for making cages to support cage spacers and reinforce the concrete can be used with the cage spacers.  
         [0048]    The cage spacers  10 ,  100  and  200  can each optionally have features such as the pins  75  and  90  or feathers  175 .  
         [0049]    Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.