Clip for joining reinforced members for use in reinforced concrete slabs and/or columns

Abstract

A clip for joining reinforcing members, which includes a first pair of legs, each of the legs of the first pair of legs having a portion having a curvature thereto and adapted to wrap around a lower surface of a first reinforcing member, a second pair of legs, each of the legs of the second pair of legs having an inner surface adapted to exert a force against at least a portion of a side surface of a second reinforcing member, the second reinforcing member residing perpendicular to the first reinforcing member, and a mid-portion, which connects the first pair of legs to the second pair of legs, and wherein the mid-portion is formed by crossing the first pair of legs over one another.

1 . A clip for joining reinforcing members comprising:
 a first pair of legs, each of the legs of the first pair of legs having a portion having a curvature thereto and adapted to wrap around a lower surface of a first reinforcing member;   a second pair of legs, each of the legs of the second pair of legs having an inner surface adapted to exert a force against at least a portion of a side surface of a second reinforcing member, the second reinforcing member residing perpendicular to the first reinforcing member; and   a mid-portion, which connects the first pair of legs to the second pair of legs, and wherein the mid-portion is formed by crossing the first pair of legs over one another.   
     
     
         2 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein each of the second pair of legs includes an inner portion and an outer portion thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The clip of  claim 2 , wherein the inner portions of the second pair of legs are adapted to wrap around the side surface of the second reinforcing member. 
     
     
         4 . The clip of  claim 2 , wherein the second pair of legs comprises a partial inner loop, which fits around the side surface of the second reinforcing member. 
     
     
         5 . The clip of  claim 2 , wherein the second pair of legs comprises a pair of outer partial loops, which extend downward, and an inner partial loop, which extends upward. 
     
     
         6 . The clip of  claim 5 , wherein the outer partial loops are U-shaped, and the inner partial loop is U-shaped, the outer partial loops facing an opposite direction of the inner partial loop. 
     
     
         7 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the clip is formed from a single piece of wire. 
     
     
         8 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the clip is formed of a stiff resiliently yielding material. 
     
     
         9 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the clip is formed of spring steel. 
     
     
         10 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the first pair of legs includes a hook portion, which extends outward from a mid-portion of each of the first pair of legs. 
     
     
         11 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein a downward load imposed on the second pair of legs translates into an upward lift of the first pair of legs around the lower surface of the second reinforcing member. 
     
     
         12 . A system for joining reinforcing members comprising:
 a first reinforcing member;   a second reinforcing member, which resides perpendicular to the first reinforcing member; and   a clip comprising:
 a first pair of legs, each of the legs of the first pair of legs having a portion having a curvature thereto and adapted to wrap around a lower surface of the first reinforcing member; 
 a second pair of legs, each of the legs of the second pair of legs having an inner surface adapted to exert a force against at least a portion of a side surface of the second reinforcing member; and 
 a mid-portion, which connects the first pair of legs to the second pair of legs, and wherein the mid-portion is formed by crossing the first pair of legs over one another. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the second pair of legs includes an inner portion and an outer portion thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the inner portions of the second pair of legs are adapted to wrap around the side surface of the second reinforcing member. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second pair of legs comprises a partial inner loop, which fits around the side surface of the second reinforcing member. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second pair of legs comprises a pair of outer partial loops, which extend downward, and an inner partial loop, which extends upward. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the outer partial loops are U-shaped, and the inner partial loop is U-shaped, the outer partial loops facing an opposite direction of the inner partial loop. 
     
     
         18 . A method of joining reinforcing members comprising:
 positioning a first reinforcing member perpendicular to a second reinforcing member; and   attaching the first reinforcing member to the second reinforcing member with a clip, the clip comprising:
 a first pair of legs, each of the legs of the first pair of legs having a portion having a curvature thereto and adapted to wrap around a lower surface of the first reinforcing member; 
 a second pair of legs, each of the legs of the second pair of legs having an inner surface adapted to exert a force against at least a portion of a side surface of the second reinforcing member; and 
 a mid-portion, which connects the first pair of legs to the second pair of legs, and wherein the mid-portion is formed by crossing the first pair of legs over one another.