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:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a device for separating rebar from tangled bundles of rebar. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Rebar comprises the elongated cylindrical steel rods which are placed within concrete to reinforce such concrete. 
   The rods of rebar come in bundles and often become entangled with one another. 
   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. 
   The only 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. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   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. Such vibration tends to separate rods of rebar that are tangled with one another when initially placed upon the crossbars. 
   The crossbars are placed atop horizontal racks that are traditionally used to hold rebar and are isolated from such racks by cushions which can be filled with fluid, preferably, air. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a crossbar placed atop two cushions resting on two inflatable cushions atop longitudinal channels of a horizontal rack. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a first inflatable cushion. 
       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 . 
       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. 
       FIG. 5  shows a first branched, hollow line inserted, with fluid communication, between a first longitudinal channel and several first inflatable cushions. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a second branched, hollow line inserted, with fluid communication, between a second longitudinal channel and several second inflatable cushions. 
       FIG. 7  shows hollow lines replacing the first and second longitudinal channels in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , for the purpose of supplying fluid. 
       FIG. 8  depicts a substantially rigid torsion bar attached to several crossbars. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   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 . 
   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 . 
   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 . 
   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 . 
   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 . 
   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 . 
   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 . 
   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. 
   Preferably, the top  25  of the crossbar  1  slants 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. 
   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 . 
   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). 
   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.