Rebar chair with depth gauge

Abstract

A combined rebar chair and depth gauge supports reinforcing steel within an open-sided mold or form, with controlled spacing from outboard and inboard sides of a resultant formed concrete shell structure, e.g., a concrete shell for a swimming pool. The rebar chair has a broad base seated against a closed side of the form defined by soil or a wooden form structure. At least one gusset projects from the base and carries a support member for receiving and supporting a reinforcing steel bar with predetermined spacing from the form. A rod-shaped depth gauge projects a predetermined distance beyond the support member. In use, the concrete shell structure is formed by spraying concrete material against the form until a free end of the depth gauge is covered, thereby insuring a predetermined minimum spacing between an inboard side of the shell structure and the reinforcing steel supported therein.

1 . In a rebar chair having a chair base of relatively large surface area for contacting a closed mold side, at least one gusset projecting from the base, and a support member carried by the gusset in predetermined spaced relation to the base, said support member being adapted to receive and support a reinforcing bar, the improvement comprising: 
 a depth gauge carried by said chair and projecting in a direction away from said chair base and terminating at a free end disposed beyond and in predetermined spaced relation with said support member.    
   
   
       2 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said depth gauge comprises an elongated rod.  
   
   
       3 . The improvement of  claim 2  wherein said rod has a plurality of length markings formed along the length thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said chair base has an enlarged and generally circular shape.  
   
   
       5 . The improvement of  claim 4  further including at least one fastener-receiving hole formed in said chair base.  
   
   
       6 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said at least one gusset has a relatively narrow cross sectional profile shape.  
   
   
       7 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said at least one gusset comprises a pair of intersecting, generally triangular gussets extending from said base in a first direction.  
   
   
       8 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said support member comprises a cradle-shaped element carried by said at least one gusset.  
   
   
       9 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said depth gauge is carried by said support member.  
   
   
       10 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein said rebar chair including said depth gauge comprises an integrally molded plastic element.  
   
   
       11 . A rebar chair, comprising: 
 a chair base having a relatively broad surface area adapted for seated placement against a closed side of an open-sided form;    at least one gusset projecting from said base in a first direction, said at least one gusset defining a relatively narrow cross sectional shape profile;    a support member carried by said gusset in predetermined spaced relation to said base, said support member being adapted to receive and support a reinforcing bar; and    an elongated depth gauge projecting in said first direction beyond said support member and terminating in a free end disposed in predetermined spaced relation with said support member.    
   
   
       12 . The rebar chair of  claim 11  wherein said depth gauge comprises an elongated rod.  
   
   
       13 . The rebar chair of  claim 12  wherein said rod has a plurality of length markings formed along the length thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The rebar chair of  claim 11  wherein said depth gauge is carried by said support member.  
   
   
       15 . The rebar chair of  claim 11  wherein said chair base has a generally circular shape.  
   
   
       16 . The rebar chair of  claim 15  further including at least one fastener-receiving hole formed in said base.  
   
   
       17 . The rebar chair of  claim 11  wherein said at least one gusset comprises a pair of intersecting, generally triangular gussets extending from said base in said first direction.  
   
   
       18 . The rebar chair of  claim 11  wherein said support member comprises a cradle-shaped element carried by said at least one gusset.  
   
   
       19 . The rebar chair of  claim 11  comprising an integrally molded plastic element.  
   
   
       20 . In a rebar spacer block having a base for contacting a closed mold side, and a free end for supporting a reinforcing bar in predetermined spaced relation to the closed mold side, the improvement comprising: 
 a depth gauge carried by said spacer block and projecting in a direction away from said base and terminating at a free end disposed beyond and in predetermined spaced relation with said spacer block free end.    
   
   
       21 . A method of producing a reinforced shell structure within an open-sided form, comprising the steps of: 
 constructing an open-sided form defining the shape of the to-be-formed shell structure;    constructing a reinforcing cage from a plurality of reinforcing bars; supporting the cage relative to the open-sided form by means of a plurality of rebar chairs each having a base adapted to seat against the open-sided form, at least one gusset projecting from the base in a direction away from the open-sided form, and a support member for receiving and supporting one of the cage-forming bars in predetermined spaced relation from the open-sided form;    at least some of the rebar chairs further including a depth gauge projecting in a direction away from the open-sided form and each having a free end disposed a predetermined distance beyond the associated support member; and    applying shell-forming material to the open-sided form sufficient to cover each of said depth gauges, whereby the reinforcing cage is supported within the formed shell structure by predetermined spacing dimensions from outboard and inboard surfaces of the formed shell structure.    
   
   
       22 . A method of producing a reinforced shell structure within an open-sided form, comprising the steps of: 
 constructing an open-sided form defining the shape of the to-be-formed shell structure;    constructing a reinforcing cage from a plurality of reinforcing bars;    supporting the cage relative to the open-sided form in predetermined spaced relation from the open-sided form;    positioning a plurality of depth gauges relative to the cage and projecting in a direction away from the open-sided form, wherein said depth gauges each define a free end disposed a predetermined distance beyond the cage; and    applying shell-forming material to the open-sided form sufficient to cover each of said depth gauges, whereby the reinforcing cage is supported within the formed shell structure by predetermined spacing dimensions from outboard and inboard surfaces of the formed shell structure.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said supporting step comprises supporting the cage relative to the open-sided form by means of a plurality of rebar spacer blocks each having a base adapted to seat against the open-sided form, and a free end for supporting the cage in predetermined spaced relation to the open-sided form, and further wherein said depth gauges are carried respectively by said rebar spacer blocks.