Wire rebar chair

Abstract

A unitary wire chair is disclosed for supporting concrete reinforcing rebar or the like above a supporting surface onto which concrete is poured. The unitary wire chair is so constructed such that it may be snapped or otherwise secured onto the rebar or other concrete reinforcing element and retained thereon without the use of any tie wire or other attachment devices.

1 . A unitary wire chair for supporting concrete reinforcing rebar or the like above a supporting surface while concrete is poured onto that supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 at least three parallel cross bars connected by two connecting bars, a central one of said three parallel cross bars being adapted to be received atop a rebar and the other two parallel cross bars being adapted to be received on the underside of said rebar; and    riser bars extending downwardly away from an end of each of said other two parallel cross bars.    
   
   
       2 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 1  wherein said two connecting bars are connected to opposite ends of said central one of said three parallel cross bars.  
   
   
       3 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 1  wherein each of said riser bars is connected at its lower end to a supporting foot.  
   
   
       4 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 3  wherein each supporting foot comprises a linear bar which extends parallel to said three parallel cross bars.  
   
   
       5 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 1  wherein said chair is adapted to be secured onto a rebar by locating the rebar between two of said three parallel cross bars and then rotating said chair 90° to lock said chair onto said rebar.  
   
   
       6 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 1  wherein said chair is subjected to heat treatment after formation of said chair.  
   
   
       7 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 6  wherein said heat treatment comprises heating said chair to a temperature of between 450° to 550° F. and then cooling said chair to impart improved form stability to said chair.  
   
   
       8 . A unitary wire chair for supporting a concrete reinforcement element above a supporting surface while concrete is poured onto that supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 at least three parallel cross bars connected by two connecting bars, a central one of said three parallel cross bars being adapted to be received atop a reinforcement element and the other two parallel cross bars being adapted to be received on the underside of said reinforcement element; and    riser bars extending downwardly away from an end of each of said other two parallel cross bars.    
   
   
       9 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 8  wherein said two connecting bars are connected to opposite ends of said central one of said three parallel cross bars.  
   
   
       10 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 8  wherein each of said riser bars is connected at its lower end to a supporting foot.  
   
   
       11 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 10  wherein each supporting foot comprises a linear bar which extends parallel to said three parallel cross bars.  
   
   
       12 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 8  wherein said chair is adapted to be secured onto a reinforcement element by locating the reinforcement element between two of said three parallel cross bars and then rotating said chair 90° to lock said chair onto said reinforcement element.  
   
   
       13 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 8  wherein said chair is subjected to heat treatment after formation of said chair.  
   
   
       14 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 13  wherein said heat treatment comprises heating said chair to a temperature of between 450° to 550° F. and then cooling said chair to impart improved form stability to said chair.  
   
   
       15 . A unitary wire chair for supporting a concrete reinforcing element above a supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 at least three parallel cross bars connected by at least two connecting bars, at least one of said parallel cross bars being adapted to be received atop a reinforcing element and at least two parallel cross bars being adapted to be received on the underside of said reinforcing element; and    riser bars extending downwardly away from an end of at least two of said parallel cross bars.    
   
   
       16 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 15  wherein each of said riser bars is connected at its lower end to a supporting foot.  
   
   
       17 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 16  wherein each supporting foot comprises a linear bar which extends parallel to said three parallel cross bars.  
   
   
       18 . A unitary wire chair for supporting concrete reinforcing element above a supporting surface while concrete is poured onto that supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 at least three parallel cross bars connected by two connecting bars, a central one of said three parallel cross bars being adapted to be received atop a concrete reinforcing element and the other two of said three parallel cross bars being adapted to be received on the underside of said concrete reinforcing element, said two connecting bars being connected to opposite ends of said central one of said three parallel cross bars; and    a pair of riser bars extending downwardly away from an end of each of said other two parallel cross bars.    
   
   
       19 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 18  wherein each of said riser bars is connected at its lower end to a supporting foot.  
   
   
       20 . A unitary wire chair for supporting concrete reinforcing rebar or the like above a supporting surface while concrete is poured onto that supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 at least three parallel cross bars connected by two connecting bars, said two connecting bars being connected to opposite ends of a central one of said three parallel cross bars; and    a riser bar extending downwardly away from an end of each of said other two parallel cross bars.    
   
   
       21 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 20  wherein each of said riser bars is connected at its lower end to a supporting foot.  
   
   
       22 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 21  wherein each supporting foot comprises a linear bar which extends parallel to said three parallel cross bars.  
   
   
       23 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 21  wherein said chair is adapted to be secured onto a rebar or the like by locating the rebar between two of said three parallel cross bars and then rotating said chair 90° to lock said chair onto said rebar or the like.  
   
   
       24 . A unitary wire chair for supporting concrete reinforcing rebar or the like above a supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 a central section of said wire having generally U-shaped loops formed at its opposite ends, each of said loops terminating in a generally vertically extending riser bar; and    a supporting foot formed on an end of each riser bar.    
   
   
       25 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 24  wherein said central section of wire is a straight linear section of wire.  
   
   
       26 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 24  wherein said central section of wire is generally V-shaped.  
   
   
       27 . A unitary wire chair for supporting concrete reinforcing rebar or the like above a supporting surface, which chair comprises: 
 a lower central foot supporting section;    riser bars extending upwardly from said lower central foot section;    generally U-shaped loops formed on the upper ends of each of said riser bars, said loops being adapted to be snap-fit onto a rebar or other type of concrete reinforcing wire or rod.    
   
   
       28 . A unitary wire chair for supporting concrete reinforcing rebar or the like, said chair being formed from a single length of wire having at least one portion of the wire so configured that it may be snap-fit onto a rebar or the like and retained thereon without any other attachment device.  
   
   
       29 . The unitary wire chair of  claim 28  wherein said chair comprises riser bars which support said snap-fit portion spaced from at least one supporting foot portion of said chair.