US1140204A - Reinforcing-clip. - Google Patents

Description

H. l. STEFFA.

REINFORCING CLIP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, IBM.

Patented May 18, 1915.

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Specification of Lettei's Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1914. Serial No. 830,992.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER I. STEFFA, a .citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Reinforcing-Clips, of'which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to reinforcing clips, and more particularly to the class of soffit clips for use in reinforcing fire-proofing on floor beams, girders, columns or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a clip or reinforcement for holding the soflit or under horizontal por-- tion of the cementitious material surrounding a floor beam, girder, column or the like, and thereby sustaining such material up against the lower portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clip of this character wherein the same can be readily applied to the flanges of the beam, girder or the like, and is of novel form to reinforce the fire-proofing or cementitious material surrounding the beam at the weak points about the same, the clip being of novel form to insure the easy and quick application thereof and to give strength and durability to the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clip of this character which is extremely-simple in construction, reliable and efiicient in its purpose, capable of being rigidly mounted upon the beam, girder or the like, and also which can be manufactured at a minimum expense.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view through a floor beam and fire-proofing material, showing the clip constructed in accordance with the invention applied to the said beam and supporting a conduit. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary .vertical longitudinal sectional View showing the beam in side elevatlon, and an edge elevation of the clip. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clip removed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of clip constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates a steel beam, shown in this instance as an I beamv embedded in cementitious material B, which is poured into the form provided by the centering or molding boards C. The latter may be of any ordinary wellknoWn construction and form no part of the present invention, but are merely illustrated to show the manner of formation of the cementitious material about the beam, the weak points in the sofiit, which is the horizontal portion of the reinforcing material, usually occurs at E at each side of the lower portion of the beam, but in reinforcing thesofiit the clips applied for this purpose should not interfere with the free flow of material between the mold boards and the beam so that the material may be tamped on all sides and underneath the beam to form a complete monolithic mass.

The improved form of clip comprises a single length of resilient wire having the requisite rigidity to assure strength and durability, yet allowing a certain amount of yieldability at determined points in the length. However, it is to be understood in lieu of the wire a bar, rod or the like of metal can be employed, and the said length thereof is bent to form a substantially U-shaped frame 5 with downwardly con-.

vergent limbs 6 formed with hooks 7 and reversely extended ends 8 which are at right angles to the plane of the frame 5, the hooks being designed to engage the lowermost flange of the I beam A so that the frame 5 will be spaced from the beam at predetermined distance at all sides thereof. When the hooks 7 are engaged with the edges of the flange of the beam A the ends 8 will rest at two points against the said flange, thus holding the frame rigid and perpendicular with respect to the horizontal disposition of the beam, and in this manner the frame is prevented from rocking or twisting, as it will be firmly held in such perpendicular position. It will be noted that the frame 5 is embedded in the sofiit so as to hold the same up against the beam and to reinforce the cement-itious material at both sides of the said beam. Furthermore,

should the occasion require, a conduit D can Patented May as, a are.

"be held in position by the clips which are disposed at intervals throughout the length of the I beam. The limbs 6 of the frame 5 are suificiently resilient to permit the easy and quick engagement of the hooks 7 on the flange of the beam. In fact, the flange will spread the limbs 6 apart when upward pressure is exerted upon the frame so that the hooks will automatically engage the flange of the beam.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modified form of soflit clip wherein the limbs 9 of the frame 10, which are identical in construction with respect to the frame and limb hereinbefore described, have the lower stretches 11 of the hook 12 reversely angularly bent to bring the ends 13 in transverse alinement with each other, or in other words, in alinement with the plane of the frame 10 so that the ends 13 will rest against the flange of the I beam at directly opposed points to serve a function identical with the ends 8 hereinbefore set forth.

It is to be understood that the frames can be employed for hanging reinforcing rods, blocks, or other parts in position relative to the I beam and the cementitious material surrounding the said beam.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manner of use of the device will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

What is claimed is:

As an article of manufacture, a soflit clip comprising a single length of metal material bent to form a substantially U-shaped frame having portions of its limbs bent inwardly and downwardly in convergent relation to each other, and hook terminals formed on the convergent portions of the limbs, the bills of the hook terminals being reversely extended and are disposed in the same plane parallel with each other so as to lie crosswise of the frame to project beyond opposite sides thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOMIER I. STEFFA. Witnesses:

CLAUDE J. WAGONER, GUY M. Soo'rr.

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