GB2037862A

GB2037862A - Clip for Concrete-reinforcing Rods

Info

Publication number: GB2037862A
Application number: GB7848885A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LEUNG YAT SHING TRADING AS ON
Current assignee: LEUNG YAT SHING TRADING AS ON
Priority date: 1978-12-18
Filing date: 1978-12-18
Publication date: 1980-07-16

Abstract

In order to locate and hold the metal reinforcing rods relative one another before and during the pouring of reinforced concrete structure, a synthetic plastics material clip 10 is used. This clip includes at least two recesses 12, 14 into which the reinforcing rods are a snap fit, each recess being defined in part by a pair of resilient ears 24 which can be forced apart as the rod enters the recess and resiliently close behind the rod. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and Relating to a Positioning Clip This invention relates to the making of reinforced concrete structure and is particularly concerned with a positioning clip used to hold the reinforcing rods in reinforced concrete together before the concrete sets.

As is well-known reinforced concrete structure such as a floor or a roof usually contain a grid of steel rods which are postioned so as to accept the tensile stresses of the structure and ensure that the concrete is maintained under compressive stresses. The setting up of the reinforcing rods is, however, a time consuming job.

In addition it has often been the practice where the reinforcing rods cross one another and it is desirable that they be located and held spaced apart, that they be located relative one another by means of small concrete blocks containing grooves in opposed faces, the rods resting in and being retained by these grooves. Such concrete blocks are naturally very heavy and so their handling is a cumbersome and slow operation.

The invention is therefore concerned with an improved way of joining together and locating the reinforcing rods relative to one another.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of making a reinforced concrete structure which includes a number of metal reinforcing rods which become embedded in the concrete after this is poured to reinforce the concrete, in which the rods are positioned relative one another before the concrete is poured by clips made from synthetic plastics material which are fixed between pairs of reinforcing rods, each clip comprising at least two recesses for accommodating respective rods and each recess being defined in part by a pair of resilient ears which can be forced apart as the rod enters the recess and resiliently close behind the rod so as to hold it in position.

The invention also extends to the clip itself.

Therefore, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a clip made from synthetic plastics material and comprising at least two recesses for accommodating respective rods, each recess being defined in part by a pair of resilient ears which can be forced apart as a rod enters the recess and will resiliently close behind the rod so as to hold it in position.

As will be appreciated these clips can be very light and so their handling causes no difficulty to the person assembling the reinforcing rods and they provide a very quick and simple way of locating the rods relative one another since the clips can be a press-fit over the rods. In addition, the act of joining two rods by these clips can be very quick and positive operation and the clips hold the rods in position securely both before and during the pouring of the concrete whereas the previously used small concrete blocks could easily become displaced.

The various possible arrangements of reinforcing rods and reinforced concrete structure are well-known and do not need full discussion here. Thus rods can be arranged in, for example, two sets on a grid arrangement with at least one parallel set of rods crossed at approximately right angles by at least one other parallel set of rods.

Such an arrangement is particularly useful when the concrete structure is a floor or roof. This arrangement however is not essential and the clips of the invention can, for example, be used to align substantially parallel pairs and sets of rods.

Further the rods which are to be joined need not all be the same size and so the clip of the invention can have one recess whose size is such as to accommodate one diameter of rod while another recess can be of a size to accommodate a different diameter of rod.

In the event that the clip of the invention is to be used to join pairs of reinforcing rods which crossed one another, for example, at right angles, the two recesses will be aligned at approximately right angles to one another, It will be appreciated, however, that this is not essential and the two recesses could be parallel in the event that two parallel rods are to be joined or at any angle between 0 to 900 if the rods which are to be joined are at an angle between those limits.

The clip of the invention can be used to join more than two reinforcing rods and can be provided, for example, with three recesses so as to position and join three reinforcing rods although for simplicity and speed of assembly of the rods, it is usually preferred that one clip be used to join only a pair of rods.

The positioning clip is made from a synthetic plastics material and can conveniently be mass produced by injection or like moulding. The clip needs to be made of a material which is relatively rigid as opposed to elastomeric but at the same time at least the ears need to be sufficiently resilient to allow the reinforcing rods to be snapped into place. One suitable synthetic plastics material is polyvinyl chloride but other synthetic plastics materials can be used.

That portion of the clip which contains a recess is preferably horse shoe shaped in cross section, the arms of the horse shoe constituting the ears which are forced apart as the rod enters the recess. In order to assist the entering of the reinforcing rods into the recess, therefore, the outer ends of the ears are preferably terminated by outwardly directed flanges which cam the ears apart when a reinforcing rod is pressed against them so allowing the rod to pass between the ends of the two ears and down into a cylindrical recess which accommodates the rod.

The invention will now be illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clip according to the invention; Figure 2 is an upright cross section through the clip; and Figure 3 shows the positioning of a number of metal reinforcing rods relative to one another by means of a clip as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The positioning clip 10 shown in the drawings has a pair of recesses 12 and 14 formed in either end thereof. The longitudinal axes 1 6 and 1 8 of the recesses 12 and 14, respectively, are oriented at 900 relative to one another.

Each recess 12 or 14 is defined in part by a pair of outwardly extending ears 20. As best shown in Figure 2 these ears are analogous to the arms of a horse shoe when seen in cross section.

At the outer ends of the ears 20 are outwardly directed flanges 22 having camming surfaces 24.

These surfaces on opposite pairs of ears are outwardly inclined relative to one another. When these camming surfaces 24 are contacted by a metal reinforcing rod being pushed into a recess, they will force the ears 20 apart and allow the rod to pass down into a recess.

The positioning clip has been injection moulded from polyvinyl chloride.

When a concrete reinforced structure is to be formed, reinforcing rods 30 are first of all positioned. In the example shown in Figure 3 a grid is formed from one set of parallel rods 30 which are crossed by another set of parallel rods 30. At the positions where the individual rods cross one another they are located and spaced by means of clips 10. Thus, for example, the lower group of rods 30, in the sense shown in Figure 3, are first of all positioned, positioning clips 10 are then snapped into place over these rods and finally the upper rods 30, in the sense viewed in Figure 3, are pressed down against the camming surfaces 24 and so snapped into the recesses 14.

As will be appreciated this can be a very quick and simple operation and in addition, because the clips 10 are made from synthetic plastics material they are of relatively light weight and so can be conveniently handled and carried around. The clips hold the rods 30 relative to one another both during the assembly of the reinforcing grid and during the pouring of the concrete. In the event that the grid is subjected to mechanical forces during assembly of the rods and during pouring of the concrete, the rods will not be readily misplaced.

Claims

1. A method of making a reinforced concrete structure which includes a number of metal reinforcing rods which become embedded in the concrete after this is poured to reinforce the concrete, in which the rods are positioned relative one another before the concrete is poured by clips made from synthetic plastics material which are fixed between pairs of reinforcing rods, each clip comprising at least two recesses for accommodating respective rods and each recess being defined in part by a pair of resilient ears which can be forced apart as the rod enters the recess and resiliently close behind the rod so as to hold it in position.

2. A method of making a reinforced concrete structure as claimed in Claim 1 in which camming surfaces are provided on the free ends of the ears for camming the ears apart when these surfaces are contacted by a metal reinforcing rod which is being urged to a position within the recess.

3. A method of making a reinforced concrete structure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A clip made from synthetic plastics material and comprising at least two recesses for accommodating respective rods, one at each end of the clip, each recess being defined in part by a pair of resilient ears which can be forced apart as a rod enters the recess and will resiliently close behind the rod so as to hold it in position.

4. A clip made from synthetic plastics material and comprising at least two recesses for accommodating respective rods, each recess being defined in part by a pairofresilient ears which can be forced apart as a rod enters the recess and will resiliently close behind the rod so as to hold it in position.

5. A clip as claimed in Claim 4 in which camming surfaces are provided on the free ends of the ears for camming the ears apart when these surfaces are contacted by a metal reinforcing rod which is being urged to a position within the recess.

6. A positioning clip substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

7. A method of making reinforced concrete structure as claimed in Claim 1 in which the positioning clip is a clip as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6.

8. A reinforced concrete structure which has been made by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 and 7.

New Claims or Amendments to Claims filed on 28 March 1980.

Superseded Claims 1 and 4.

New or Amended Claims:

1. A method of making a reinforced concrete structure which includes a number of metal reinforcing rods which become embedded in the concrete after this is poured to reinforce the concrete, in which the rods are positioned relative one another before the concrete is poured by clips made from synthetic plastics material which are fixed between pairs of reinforcing rods, each clip comprising at least two recesses for accommodating respective-rods one at each end of the clip and each recess being defined in part by a pair of resilient ears which can be forced apart as the rod enters the recess and resiliently close behind the rod so as to hold it in position.