Patent ID: 7143563

Claim:
A tie for binding together adjacent concrete reinforcing bars, the tie comprising: a frame including a base and elongated resilient sides extending from the base and terminating in arcuate claws defining grooves; the base and sides together defining a generally U-shaped channel extending in a first axial direction, and the grooves in the arcuate claws extending parallel to the first axial direction; and an elongated wedge having lateral extremities adapted for forcible location within the grooves of the arcuate claws; the base and sides together comprising means for engaging with a concrete reinforcing first bar and a concrete reinforcing second bar stacked on top of the first bar, and the wedge comprising means for engagement with an arcuate upper surface portion of the second bar whereby compressive forces are developed on the first and second bars to force them against one another between the base and the wedge; wherein the elongated sides are each configured to define first and second pairs of legs, respectively, each of the legs of the first pair being spaced apart to define a first opening, and each of the legs of the second pair being spaced apart to define a second opening axially aligned with the first opening to define a through passage extending in a second axial direction transverse to the first axial direction for selectively receiving the first bar with the second bar overlying the first bar and extending in the channel in the first axial direction and transverse to the first bar, whereby the first bar can selectively be positioned in the base to extend in the first axial direction in the channel and parallel to the second bar, or in the through passage in a direction transverse to the second bar, the extremities of the first and second pairs of legs including the arcuate claws for engaging the wedge against the second bar to bind together the first and second bars regardless of the direction of the first bar relative the second bar.