Granted Patent B2

US 12,624,549 · App. 18/105,323 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: Gloria M. Buley (Whitewater, WI); Travis C. Buley (Whitewater, WI)

E04C5/167B21F15/04E04C5/0604

Abstract

Claims (62)

1 . A reinforcing bar cage connector comprising:

a first clamp portion comprising:

a first base comprising first two opposite ends, a first front surface facing a first direction and extending between the first two opposite ends, and a first rear surface opposite the first front surface and extending between the first two opposite ends;

first sides extending in the first direction from the first two opposite ends of the first base, wherein the first sides comprise first inward facing side surfaces and first outward facing side surfaces; and

a first opening formed by the first front surface of the first base and the first inward facing side surfaces of the first sides;

a second clamp portion comprising:

a second base comprising second two opposite ends, a second front surface, and a second rear surface opposite the second front surface, wherein the second front surface of the second base faces a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the second rear surface of the second base contacts the first rear surface of the first base;

second sides extending in the second direction from the second two opposite ends of the second base, wherein the second sides comprise second inward facing side surfaces and second outward facing side surfaces; and

a second opening formed by the second front surface of the second base and the inward facing side surfaces of the first sides,

wherein the first opening is perpendicular to the second opening, and

a metal tie wire operable to be twisted to compress the first sides of the first clamp portion towards the first opening and the second sides of the second clamp portion towards the second opening.

2 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein the first rear surface of the first base is fixedly attached to the second rear surface of the second base.

3 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein the first clamp is oriented perpendicular to the second clamp.

4 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein the first clamp portion comprises an alignment tab extending from a lateral edge of one of the first outward facing side surfaces, the alignment tab operable to guide the metal tie wire along the first outward facing side surfaces.

5 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein the first sides extending from the first base curl inwards to define the first inward facing side surfaces of the first clamp portion.

6 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein ends of the second sides are flared outward and comprise tie wire guide slots, the metal tie wire extending through the tie wire guide slots.

7 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein:

one or both of the first base and the first inward facing side surfaces comprises a first at least one punch grip configured to engage with a first deformation pattern on a first reinforcing bar received within the first opening of the first clamp, and

one or both of the second base and the second inward facing side surfaces comprises a second at least one punch grip configured to engage with a second deformation pattern on a second reinforcing bar received within the second opening of the second clamp portion.

8 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein the metal tie wire comprises a first wire end and a second wire end, and wherein each of the first wire end and the second wire end comprises a metal tie wire loop.

9 . The reinforcing bar cage connector of claim 1 , wherein the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion are made of high carbon steel and coated with rust-resistant material.

10 . A reinforcing bar cage comprising:

a reinforcing bar guide;

a reinforcing bar rod; and

a reinforcing bar cage connector comprising:

a first clamp portion comprising:

a first base comprising first two opposite ends, a first front surface facing a first direction and extending between the first two opposite ends, and a first rear surface opposite the first front surface and extending between the first two opposite ends;

first sides extending in the first direction from the first two opposite ends of the first base, wherein the first sides comprise first inward facing side surfaces and first outward facing side surfaces; and

a first opening formed by the first front surface of the first base and the first inward facing side surfaces of the first sides,

wherein the first opening is configured to receive one of the reinforcing bar guide or the reinforcing bar rod;

a second clamp portion comprising:

a second base comprising second two opposite ends, a second front surface, and a second rear surface opposite the second front surface, wherein the second front surface of the second base faces a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the second rear surface of the second base contacts the first rear surface of the first base;

second sides extending in the second direction from the second two opposite ends of the second base, wherein the second sides comprise second inward facing side surfaces and second outward facing side surfaces; and

a second opening formed by the second front surface of the second base and the inward facing side surfaces of the first sides,

wherein the second opening is configured to receive an other one of the reinforcing bar guide or the reinforcing bar rod, and wherein the first opening is perpendicular to the second opening; and

a metal tie wire operable to be twisted to compress the first sides of the first clamp portion towards the first opening and the second sides of the second clamp portion towards the second opening.

11 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion are made of high carbon steel and coated with rust-resistant material.

12 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the first rear surface of the first base is fixedly attached to the second rear surface of the second base.

13 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the first clamp is oriented perpendicular to the second clamp.

14 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the first clamp portion comprises an alignment tab extending from a lateral edge of one of the first outward facing side surfaces, the alignment tab operable to guide the metal tie wire along the first outward facing side surfaces.

15 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the first sides extending from the first base curl inwards to define the first inward facing side surfaces of the first clamp portion.

16 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein ends of the second sides are flared outward and comprise tie wire guide slots, the metal tie wire extending through the tie wire guide slots.

17 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the reinforcing bar guide and the reinforcing bar rod comprises a deformation pattern.

18 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 17 , wherein:

one or both of the first base and the first inward facing side surfaces comprises a first at least one punch grip configured to engage with the deformation pattern, and

one or both of the second base and the second inward facing side surfaces comprises a second at least one punch grip configured to engage with the deformation pattern.

19 . The reinforcing bar cage of claim 10 , wherein the metal tie wire comprises a first wire end and a second wire end, and wherein each of the first wire end and the second wire end comprises a metal tie wire loop.

20 . A method of constructing a reinforcing bar cage, the method comprising:

inserting a reinforcing bar guide in a first opening of a first clamp portion of a reinforcing bar cage connector, wherein the reinforcing bar cage connector comprises:

the first clamp portion comprising:

a first base comprising first two opposite ends, a first front surface facing a first direction and extending between the first two opposite ends, and

a first rear surface opposite the first front surface and extending between the first two opposite ends;

first sides extending in the first direction from the first two opposite ends of the first base, wherein the first sides comprise first inward facing side surfaces and first outward facing side surfaces; and

the first opening formed by the first front surface of the first base and the first inward facing side surfaces of the first sides;

a second clamp portion comprising:

a second base comprising second two opposite ends, a second front surface, and a second rear surface opposite the second front surface, wherein the second front surface of the second base faces a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the second rear surface of the second base contacts the first rear surface of the first base;

second sides extending in the second direction from the second two opposite ends of the second base, wherein the second sides comprise second inward facing side surfaces and second outward facing side surfaces, and wherein a distal end of each of the second sides are flared outward and comprise a tie wire guide slot configured to receive a metal tie wire; and

a second opening formed by the second front surface of the second base and the inward facing side surfaces of the first sides, and

the metal tie wire operable to be twisted to compress the first sides of the first clamp portion towards the first opening and the second sides of the second clamp portion towards the second opening;

inserting a reinforcing bar rod in the second opening of the second clamp portion of the reinforcing bar cage connector, wherein the first opening is perpendicular to the second opening;

manipulating the metal tie wire around the first outward facing side surfaces of the first clamp portion and through the tie wire guide slot in the distal end of each of the second sides of the second clamp portion; and

twisting ends of the metal tie wire together to compress the first sides of the first clamp portion on the reinforcing bar guide and the second sides of the second clamp portion on the reinforcing bar rod.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (59)