Patent ID: 7900419

Claim:
A method of attaching and aligning reinforcing bars for supporting a concrete matrix, comprising: (a) providing a plurality of substantially identical molded plastic clips for alternatively attaching and holding two parallel reinforcing bars of equal diameter or two transverse reinforcing bars of equal diameter, each clip including: two transverse supports; two pairs of lower legs extending downwardly from the two transverse supports, the two pairs of lower legs defining spaced lower seats of a first diameter, each pair of lower legs having a lower gap defining an opening from lower ends of the lower legs to the lower seats; two pairs of upper legs extending upwardly from the two transverse supports, the two pairs of upper legs defining spaced upper longitudinal seats parallel to the lower seats and having diameters equal to the first diameter of the lower seats; two longitudinal supports extending between the two pairs of upper legs, the two longitudinal supports joining upper ends of one pair of upper legs to upper ends of the other pair of upper legs, the two longitudinal supports having an upper gap therebetween defining an opening to the upper longitudinal seats; and two spaced upper transverse seats defined on lower surfaces of the two longitudinal supports, the upper transverse seats being transverse to the lower seats and having diameters equal to the first diameter of the lower seats; (b) engaging the lower legs of a first one of said clips with a first reinforcement bar and pressing the clip against the first reinforcement bar and spreading open the lower gap sufficiently for insertion of the first reinforcement bar into the lower seats of the clip; (c) positioning a second reinforcement bar of equal diameter as the first reinforcement bar in position above the first one of the clips and in a parallel orientation to the first reinforcement bar held in the lower seats, and then engaging the second reinforcement bar with the two longitudinal supports and pressing the second reinforcement bar against the clip and spreading open the upper gap sufficiently for insertion of the second bar into the upper longitudinal seats of the clip; (d) positioning a third reinforcement bar of equal diameter as the first reinforcement bar transversely to one of the first and secnd reinforcement bars; and (e) placing a second one of said clips over the third reinforcement bar and said one of the first and secnd reinforcement bars so that the third reinforcement bar is received in the upper transverse seats of said second clip and so that said one of the first and second reinforcement bars is received in the lower seats of the second clip; wherein in step (a), the upper gap is larger than the lower gap when each clip is in an unstressed position prior to steps (b)-(e).