Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REBAR SUPPORT PEG
This invention relates to a support peg which can be driven into the
ground and includes a support receptacle for a reinforcing bar to be received
in a
concrete pour.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In pouring of concrete to form base pads or roadway panels, it is
typical to lay reinforcing bars in a grid pattern over the hard packed base
layer onto
which the concrete is poured.
The bars must be supported from the ground at a height above the
ground so as to be buried at the required depth in the poured concrete.
One style of support comprises a peg or nail which is driven into the
hard packed layer to a required depth and which includes a shelf or arm which
carries the bar. An array of such pegs is used across the pad to be poured.
A number of prior art patents show pegs designed to or suitable to
support reinforcing bars during the pouring of concrete. These include:
US Patent 2,031,265 (Keseling) issued February 18, 1936 which
discloses a peg formed from sheet metal bent to form a channel in horizontal
cross
section with a rear wall of the channel shaped with a top recess to receive
the bar
and one side of the channel projecting upwardly to form a leg which can bend
over
the bar to hold it in place. A flap in the rear wall is bent outwardly to form
a depth
gauge to engage the ground at the required depth. It is not clear how a
hammering
force is applied to the peg to drive it into the ground.
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US Patent 3,572,001 (Munchinsky) issued March 23, 1971 which
discloses a peg formed from sheet metal bent to form a right angle in
horizontal
cross-section with two legs projecting upwardly which can bend over the bar to
hold
it in place. A plurality of holes are provided to receive a pin at a selected
to depth
form a depth gauge to engage the ground at the required depth. It is not clear
how a
hammering force is applied to the peg to drive it into the ground.
US Patent 3,758,062 (Caldwell) issued September 11, 1973 which
discloses a peg formed from sheet metal bent to form a channel in horizontal
cross-
section with a series of holes to receive a wire to support the bar. A cap is
applied
over the upper end to receive a hammering force applied to the peg to drive it
into
the ground.
US Patent 6,112,494 (Hardy) issued September 5, 2000 which
discloses a molded structure with an upper cradle for the reinforcing bars and
a
depending leg for standing on the ground.
US Patent Application 2008/0209843 (Helms) published September 4,
2008 which discloses a sheet metal bent holder with a series of upper slots
for the
bars and a pair of horizontal flaps at the rear which engage over a piece of
the rebar
driven into the ground as a peg. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the invention to provide a support peg which can be
driven into the ground and includes a support receptacle for a reinforcing
bar.
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According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a support
peg for a reinforcing bar comprising:
a peg body formed from sheet metal bent along a bend line to define
two plates each extending from the bend line outwardly to a side edge of the
body
with the plates meeting at the bend line at an angle;
the plates each having a plate portion at the bend line which extends
continuously from an upper edge of the peg body to lower edge of the peg body;
the plate portions being tapered at the lower edge to define a bottom
pointed portion to be driven into the ground;
the plate portions being coterminous at the top edge so that the top
edge lies substantially in a common plane to define a horizontal top surface
which
can receive hammer blows for the peg to be driven into the ground;
at least one of the plates having a side portion standing outwardly from
a side edge of the plate portion thereof and defining a bottom shoulder of the
side
portion facing downwardly for engaging the ground and acting as a depth gauge
when the peg is driven into the ground;
at least one of the plates having a side portion standing outwardly from
a side edge of the plate portion thereof and defining a receptacle for
receiving a
reinforcing bar and for supporting the reinforcing bar on the side portion at
a position
spaced from the ground.
In a preferred arrangement, both the plates have a respective side
portion standing outwardly from a side edge of the plate portion thereof and
defining
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a bottom shoulder of the side portion facing downwardly for engaging the
ground
and acting as a depth gauge when the peg is driven into the ground.
In one preferred arrangement, the receptacle is located in a top edge
of the plate portion and preferably there is provided a second peg comprising
a peg
body formed from sheet metal bent aiong a bend line to define two plates each
extending from the bend line outwardly to a side edge of the body with the
plates
meeting at the bend line at an angle; the plates each having a plate portion
at the
bend line which extends continuously from an upper edge of the peg body to
lower
edge of the peg body; the plate portions being tapered at the lower edge to
define a
bottom pointed portion to be driven into the ground; the plate portions being
coterminous at the top edge so that the top edge lies substantially in a
common
plane to define a horizontal top surface which can receive hammer blows for
the peg
to be driven into the ground; one of the plates having a side portion standing
outwardly from a side edge of the plate portion thereof and defining a bottom
shoulder of the side portion facing downwardly for engaging the reinforcing
bar
supported on the peg.
In a second preferred arrangement, the receptacle is located in a side
edge of the plate portion so as to form a covering edge which holds the rebar
down.
In a third preferred arrangement, the plate portion is cut to form a strap
portion which can wrap over the reinforcing bar with the strap portion being
formed
by cutting the plate portion along the outer side edge thereof leaving the
strap
portion attached to the plate portion adjacent the receptacle.
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In a fourth preferred arrangement, both the plates have a respective
side portion standing outwardly from a side edge of the plate portion thereof
and
each defining a receptacle for receiving a reinforcing bar and for supporting
the
reinforcing bar on the side portion at a position spaced from the ground so
that the
5 supported reinforcing bars are at right angles and at different heights.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an
array of reinforcing bars for reinforcing a concrete pad comprising:
a first set of parallel reinforcing bars extending in a first direction;
a second set of parallel reinforcing bars extending in a second
direction at right angles to the first direction;
a plurality of support pegs, each driven into the ground and arranged to
support one or more of the reinforcing bars;
each support peg comprising:
a peg body formed from sheet metal bent along a bend line to define
two plates each extending from the bend line outwardly to a side edge of the
body
with the plates meeting at the bend line at an angle;
the plates each having a plate portion at the bend line which extends
continuously from an upper edge of the peg body to lower edge of the peg body;
the plate portions being tapered at the lower edge to define a bottom
pointed portion to be driven into the ground;
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the plate portions being coterminous at the top edge so that the top
edge lies substantially in a common plane to define a horizontal top surface
which
can receive hammer blows for the peg to be driven into the ground;
at least one of the plates having a side portion standing outwardly from
a side edge of the plate portion thereof and defining a bottom shoulder of the
side
portion facing downwardly for engaging the ground and acting as a depth gauge
when the peg is driven into the ground;
at least one of the plates having a side portion standing outwardly from
a side edge of the plate portion thereof and defining a receptacle for
receiving a
reinforcing bar and for supporting the reinforcing bar on the side portion at
a position
spaced from the ground.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a first peg according to the
present invention.
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the peg of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a hold down peg for use with the
peg of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an isometric view of the hold down peg of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an isometric view of a second peg according to the present
invention.
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Figure 6 is an isometric view of a third peg according to the present
invention.
Figure 7 is an isometric view from the opposite side of the peg of
Figure 6.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A support peg for engaging into the ground to support an array of
reinforcing bars is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and comprises a support peg body
10
formed from sheet metal which is bent about a vertical bend line 11 to form
two
plates 12 and 13. Each of the plates includes a first plate portion adjacent
the bend
line shown as plate portion 12A of the plate portion 13A of the plate 13.
These plate
portions extend from a coterminous top edge 14 downwardly to a lower edge 15
where each of the plate portions 12A and 13A is tapered as indicated at 1213,
13B to
define a pointed section 16 which can be driven into the ground.
Beyond the side of each of the plate portions 12A and 13A as defined
by dash lines 12C and 13C is formed an extended side portion 12D and 13D
respectively. It will be appreciated that the dotted lines 12C and 13C are in
effect
imaginary lines within the plate itself. However it will also be appreciated
that these
side edges of the plate portion are continuous through the structure from the
top
edge 14 to the bottom pointed portion 16. Therefore the plate portions 12A and
13A
define a structurally sound element which has -sufficient material thickness
and
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sufficient plate width to withstand the necessary hammering force applied to
the top
edge 14 to drive the pointed lower end 16 into the ground. In the casting of
concrete, the ground or surface underneath the poured layer of concrete is
typicafly
a packed layer of hard core or gravel so that the hammering action necessary
to
drive the peg into the ground is significant. However it will be appreciated
that the
gauge or thickness of the material can be selected relative to the size of the
peg to
allow such hammering action to occur thus driving the peg into the ground.
The side portions 12D and 13D extend outwardly beyond the main
right angle portion defined that part of the peg that is to be driven and thus
form flaps
or projecting portions not intended to contribute significantly to the
strength of the
portion of the peg to be driven. However these side or flaps define a common
bottom edge 12E, 13E which are arranged at a common height spaced upwardly
from the pointed portion 16 by a distance measuring the length of the peg
portion to
be driven into the ground. The bottom of the flaps or side portions thus
define a
shoulder which butts the ground when the peg is driven sufficiently into the
ground
so also to provide stabilizing support for the peg and also to define a depth
gauge for
the peg.
In the embodiment of Figure 1 the side portion 13D is greater in width
than the side portion 12D. This portion 13D has a receptacle 13F at its upper
edge
with the receptacle being recessed from the top edge 14 to be hammered. The
receptacle has a width and a height sufficient to receive the diameter of the
reinforcing bar to be supported. The receptacle includes a side upstanding
portion
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13G which is arranged to engage a side of the reinforcing bar to hold it
within the
receptacle.
The upper part of the receptacle is open allowing the reinforcing bar
simply to be dropped in from the top resting against the upstanding retaining
member 13G and also against the side 13H of the receptacle which is along the
line
13C.
The peg thus formed can simply replace nails or other longitudinal
driven members with the structure of the sheet metal providing the butting
shoulder
at the bottom defining the depth gauge and also defining the receptacle to
carry the
reinforcing bar without the necessity for additional elements to be welded in
place on
the peg itself.
In Figures 3 and 4 is shown a second element 20 which is arranged to
act as a hold down to engage the top of a reinforcing bar sitting within the
receptacle
13F. Thus the hold down member 20 is similarly formed from sheet metal to
define
plates 21 and 22 again arranged at a right angle with those plates having
portions
21A and 22A at the bend line 23 which act as a structural peg member extending
from a pointed portion 24 at the lower to an upper hammering surface 25 at the
upper end. The plate 21 carries a projecting side portion 21 B with a
receptacle 21 C
in a bottom edge of the plate portion 21 B so that this receptacle can engage
over the
reinforcing bar within the receptacle 13F and hold it down against the bottom
of the
receptacle 13F thus trapping the reinforcing bar between the two pegs.
In Figure 5 is shown an arrangement similar to that of Figure 1 so as to
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define a peg 30 having plates 31 and 32 again extending from a pointed lower
end
33 to an upper hammering surface 34. In this embodiment each of plates 31 and
32
includes a plate portion 31A and 32A extending outwardly from a side edge 31B
and
32B of the plates respectively. Each of these plate portions includes a
receptacle
5 31 C and 31 D. The receptacle 31 D is of the same construction as the
receptacle
shown in Figure 1.
As an alternative embodiment, the receptacle 31 C is formed in the side
edge 31 D of the plate portion rather than in the top edge. This forms a mouth
31 E
through which the reinforcing bar can be inserted with that reinforcing bar
dropping
10 downwardly into a bottom of the receptacle 31C to rest against a surface
31F. Thus
the receptacle 31 C acts to confine the reinforcing bar in both side to side
and vertical
directions.
The receptacle 31 C is arranged below the receptacle 31 D so that the
reinforcing bar extending through the receptacle 31C is at right angles to the
reinforcing bar in receptacle 31 D and underneath the reinforcing bar and
receptacle
31D. This single peg therefore holds the reinforcing bar of the right angle
grid
pattern of reinforcing bars commonly used. The number of pegs can therefore be
reduced by ensuring that each peg is located at a junction between two
reinforcing
bars of the grid pattern with the peg supporting both those of those
reinforcing bars.
A hold down member of the type shown in Figures 3 and 4 can be used if
necessary
to hold the reinforcing bar in the receptacle 31 D downwardly into the
receptacle.
In Figures 6 and 7 is shown a yet further arrangement again of
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basically the same construction providing a peg 40 with plates 41 and 42 of
the
construction previously described. The plate 42 includes a plate portion 42A
outwardly of a line 42B but again forms a receptacle 42C for the reinforcing
bar at
right angles to the plate portion 42A. In this embodiment a strip portion 42D
is cut
from the side edge 42E of the plate portion 42A and is sufficiently narrow so
that it
can be bent manually from its position along side the edge 42E upwardly and
over a
top reinforcing bar 44 sitting on a reinforcing bar 45 within the receptacle
42C. Thus
the strip portion from the side edge of the plate portions 42A can act as a
hold down
by bending over the reinforcing bar 44 thus hold both reinforcing bars 44 and
45
downwardly against the bottom surface of the receptacle 42C. The reinforcing
bar
44 simply sits on the reinforcing bar 45 and thus is supported at the required
spaced
position from the ground again using the bottom edges of the plate portion 42A
as a
depth gauge.
Also in Figures 6 and 7 there is shown a slot 46 which is cut in the
body so as to lie along the bend line 47 at the lower pointed portion 48. This
slot is
cut in the metal while it remains at a flat blank form at the same time as the
remaining edges and shapes are cut and prior to bending. The slot counteracts
the
increased difficulty of bending the body to form the plates 41 and 42 at the
bend line
47 due to decreasing width of the plates at the lower pointed portion 48. The
slot
starts at an upper end 46A at or adjacent the upper end of the pointed portion
and
extends to a lower end 46B close to but spaced from the tip of the pointed
portion.
In this way the tip remains intact and cannot split onto two parts which may
bend
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and interfere with the engagement into the ground. The slot is of a width
which is
effectively the minimum which can be cut and the material removed at the bend
line,
thus weakening the material at the bend line to allow bending without
weakening the
structure sufficiently in the longitudinal direction to interfere with ground
penetration.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein
above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made
within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit
and
scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying
specification shall
be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
