Telescoping Chair For Supporting Bars

Abstract

A chair for supporting bars is comprised of telescoping sections which lock in an extended position. The chair is intended for supporting the reinforcing bars utilized in reinforced concrete construction, but can also support other long bodies. The sections of the chair can be extended and locked individually, so the height of the chair is determined by which sections of the chair are extended and which sections are collapsed. Each section may have two or more different locking heights to increase the height adjustability of the chair.

1 . A chair for supporting a bar comprising:
 a top section, a bottom section, and at least one intermediate section, wherein the top section is telescopingly received within the at least one intermediate section, and the at least one intermediate section is telescopingly received within the bottom section, such that the sections telescope between a collapsed position and an extended position;   a first lock between the top section and the at least one intermediate section, the first lock arranged to lock the top section in an extended position relative to the at least one intermediate section;   a second lock between the at least one intermediate section and the bottom section, the second lock arranged to lock the at least one intermediate section in an extended position relative to the bottom section; and   a seat defined on the top section;   wherein the first lock further comprises:   at least one detent extending radially from a flexible finger on one of the top section and the at least one intermediate section; and   at least one slot defined in the other of the top section and the at least one intermediate section wherein the detent is engaged in the slot.   
   
   
       2 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a J-slot. 
   
   
       3 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a J-slot including two closed ends, so that the detent may selectively engage one of the closed ends to define the collapsed position and the extended position of the top section relative to the at least one intermediate section. 
   
   
       4 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a J-slot including an indented step along the J-slot, so that the detent may engage the indented step to lock the top section in a selected extended position relative to the at least one intermediate section. 
   
   
       5 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slot comprises a J-slot including at least two indented steps along the J-slot at differing heights, wherein the detent may engage a selected one of the at least two indented steps to lock the top section in a selected extended position relative to the at least one intermediate section. 
   
   
       6 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the seat further comprises:
 at least a first pair and a second pair of concave recesses of different sizes, wherein the first pair and second pair of concave recesses are oriented and sized to receive different size bars.   
   
   
       7 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one intermediate section comprises at least two intermediate sections arranged such that the at least two intermediate sections telescope between a collapsed position and at least one extended position.   
   
   
       8 . A chair for supporting a bar comprising:
 a first section and a second section both having upper and lower ends, wherein one section slides into the other section;   a cradle for receiving at least one bar, the cradle being defined on the upper end of the first section;   a lock between the first section and the second section, the lock configured to selectively lock the first section in one of a collapsed position and at least one extended position relative to the second section, wherein the lock includes:
 at least one arm extending from one of the first section and the second section; 
 a protrusion defined on the arm; and 
 a J-slot on the other of the first section and the second section wherein the protrusion is engaged in the J-slot. 
   
   
   
       9 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the J-slot further comprises:
 two closed ends;   an upper and a lower edge; and   at least one indented step defined on at least one of the upper and the lower edge;   wherein the protrusion is received in the J-slot and selectively engages one of the two closed ends and at least one indented step to define the collapsed position and the at least one extended position of the first section relative to the second section.   
   
   
       10 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the chair further comprises:
 at least one adjustment section, wherein the second section slides into the at least one adjustment section.   
   
   
       11 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the chair is comprised of plastic. 
   
   
       12 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the protrusion is cylindrical. 
   
   
       13 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the arm further comprises:
 a free end and a connected end; and   wherein the protrusion is defined closer to the free end than the connected end.   
   
   
       14 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the cradle further comprises:
 at least a first pair and a second pair of concave recesses of different sizes, wherein the first pair and second pair of concave recesses are oriented and sized to receive different size bars.   
   
   
       15 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein the cradle further comprises:
 a cylindrical ring defined on the top end of the first section, the cylindrical ring including:
 an inner diameter equal to the inner diameter of the first section; and 
 an outer greater than the outer diameter of the first section, configured such that the first section can not slide through the second section. 
   
   
   
       16 . A chair for supporting a bar comprising:
 an inner section, a middle section of smallest cross sectional area, a middle section of intermediate cross sectional area, a middle section of greatest cross sectional area, and an outer section, wherein the inner section is telescopingly received within the middle section of smallest cross sectional area and the middle section of greatest cross sectional area is telescopingly received within the outer section, such that all the sections telescope between a collapsed and at least one extended position;   a cradle for receiving at least one bar defined on the inner section;   a base for supporting the chair defined on the outer section;   a first lock between the inner section and the middle section of smallest cross sectional area, the first lock arranged to selectively lock the inner section in one of a collapsed and an extended position relative to the middle section of smallest cross sectional area;   a second lock between the middle section of greatest cross sectional area and the outer section, the second lock arranged to selectively lock the middle section of greatest cross sectional area in one of a collapsed and three extended positions relative to the outer section;   wherein the first lock includes:
 an arm having a free end and a connected end, the arm defined on the inner section; 
 a pin extending radially from the arm, the pin being defined closer to the free end of the arm than the connect end of the arm; and 
 a slot defined on the middle section of smallest cross sectional area.