The invention relates to a clip for indicating a particular height or level of an element of construction for buildings and to a method of installation. The invention is directed particularly but not solely towards a clip for indicating a foundation or floor level in a building.

Background of Invention

'Setting out' is a building construction term used to describe staking out certain building reference points and markers to guide the construction of a structure such as for example buildings, roads or retaining walls. In particular, foundations which include providing reinforced concrete footings involve a setting out process using timber formwork installed by hand. As part of this process extra pegs must be used to provide a setting out level for forming the wall from concrete blocks. This process is time consuming and liable to error.

The process can involve sourcing materials such as rough sawn timber or steel and then cutting pegs to an appropriate length with end tips, setting up a laser and staff, checking and setting to a reduced level, placing the pegs into a perimeter of a footing and finally tapping or driving down the pegs while checking the height until the required height or level is achieved.

Depending on the size of foundations this method of using timber pegs, means that a significant number of pegs must be sourced, transported, stored and located on site. After use, the number of pegs, pose more problems in retrieving and disposing of. Additionally using such timber pegs means that there is always some damage to the pegs by tapping into place, meaning that more pegs may be needed simply as replacements which further effects storage requirements and retrieval after they have been used.

Additionally such pegs after ground fixing which are intended to upwardly protrude, are too easily accidentally moved or hit by machinery or people or by poured concrete, whereby the pegs have to be continually manually rechecked for accuracy. Further more protruding pegs can also be a hazard to all construction staff in the work place

In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is refen'ed to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

Object of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a height clip that ameliorates some of the disadvantages and limitations of the known art or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Summary of Invention

In a first aspect the invention comprises a height clip for marking or defining the height of a particular level by being able to grip an elongate member, the height clip including a body comprising a support portion 2 with a height indicating portion 3 extending from at least one side of support portion 2 and a holding portion 4 extending from another side of support portion 2, the height indicating portion 3 includes a platform 10 extending from a platform support portion 11 which is connected or formed to one side 5 of support portion 2 which includes at least an upper surface 13 to provide the level, the holding portion 4 includes at least one gripping assembly comprising a gripping arm assembly 24 spaced from an adjacent gripping arm 25 forming a throat entrance 60 leading to a mouth 61 there between and the gripping arm assembly 24 includes a pair of arms 36, 37 forming an arm space 35 there between the arms being adapted and shaped to receive at least a portion of the gripping arm 25 therein, whereby the mouth 61 is adapted receive and retain a portion of the elongate member and the gripping arm 24 is held between the pair of arms 36, 37, to circumferentially hold the height clip in place to the elongate member according to a desired height or level.

Preferably each gripping assembly comprises a gripping arm assembly 24 spaced from an adjacent gripping arm 25 forming a throat entrance there between leading to a mouth in one plane whereby the mouth is adapted receive and retain a portion of the elongate member with the gripping arm assembly and gripping arm circumferentially grip the elongate member.

Preferably the gripping arm assembly includes a pair of arms forming the arm space being a curved elongate space there between being adapted and shaped to receive one gripping arm 25 therein.

Preferably, the pair of arms of the gripping arm assembly 24 include an outer and inner curved arm, and the gripping arm comprise curved elongate members having ends and side walls.

Preferably, one end of the gripping arm assembly and gripping arm are joined at a common end to at least a portion of the support portion by at least one hinge.

Preferably, the outer arm includes serrations on an inner side, the inner arm includes serrations on an inner side facing the serrations on the inner side of the outer arm and the gripping arm has serrations on both its sides.

Preferably, at least a portion of the gripping arm is adapted to be received by the arm space 35 between the outer and inner arms 36, 37 in one plane, to be frictionally held by serration to serration gripping there between.

Preferably, the platform support portion 11 is supported and connected by including a substantially L shaped support portion located under the platform which is joined to a side of the support portion wherein the L shaped supporting portion, platform and support portion are planar members whereby the L shaped supporting portion is oriented parallel and substantially vertically with the support portion.

Preferably, the ends of outer and inner arm are curvingly angled inwards towards each other.

Preferably, the end of the second gripping arm is point shaped to facilitate entry into the curved elongate space of the gripping arms assembly. Preferably one side of the inner arm 37 and gripping arm 24 or 27 face each other and are contiguous with each other, and include spaced ribs thereon to enhance the circumferential gripping of height clip to the sides of the elongate member.

Preferably the gripping assembly includes at least an upper gripping assembly 20 and lower gripping assembly 21 wherein the upper gripping assembly has a major plane oriented parallel in the same plane as a major plane of the platform 10.

Preferably the outer arm 36 is thicker than the inner arm 37 and gripping arm 24.

Preferably there is provided electronic means in form of a transmitter, a receiver and at least one sensor, programmed to enable proximal or remote monitoring and measuring.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and application of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be limiting.

Brief Description

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a right hand upper front perspective view of the height clip in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an upper rear perspective view of the height clip

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the height clip

Figure 4 is an upside down side view of the height clip looking at the outer arms side

Figure 5 is a front end view of the clip with the platform on the right but not seen

Figure 6 is an upper side perspective view of the height clip

Figure 7 is a rear side perspective view of the height clip

Figure 8 is upside down side view showing the single gripping arm Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the height clip

Figure 10 is a side view similar to figure 4

Figure 11 is schematic cross section of the height clip in use.

Description of Drawings

The following description will describe the invention in relation to preferred embodiments of the invention, namely a height clip 1 which is adapted to circumferentially grip at least a portion of an elongate member for marking the height of a particular level in building construction. The invention is in no way limited to these preferred embodiments as they are purely to exemplify the invention only and that possible variations and modifications would be readily apparent without departing from the scope of the invention.

Figures 1-11 show height clip 1 which includes a body. The body comprises a support portion 2 with a height indicating portion 3 extending from at least one side of support portion 2 and a holding portion 4 extending from another side of support portion 2. Support portion 2 is in use a vertically oriented elongate member having sides 5 and upper end 6 and lower end 7.

Height indicating portion 3 includes a platform 10 extending from a platform support portion 11 which is connected or formed to one side 5 of support portion 2. In use platform 10 is a planar member with a major plane having an upper planar surface 13 forming a surface area oriented in a horizontal plane or whatever plane or level is required. The planar member also has a lower surface 15 which can be of a similar orientation to upper surface 13. Upper 13 and lower surfaces 15 are bordered by perimeter side edges 16. Platform support portion 11 is also a planar member with side edges 16 in a major plane, being oriented in use in a substantially vertical plane or at right angles to the plane of the upper 13 and lower surface 15 of the platform 10. As seen in figures 1-11 platform support portion 11 is approximately in a side view, L shaped with a truncated corner 19.

Holding portion 4 includes at least one gripping member assembly oriented with a major plane in one plane. In this example, there can be an upper gripping assembly 20 and lower gripping assembly 21 in two different planes eg substantially horizontal. Upper gripping assembly 20 extends or is joined to upper end 6 of support portion 2 and lower gripping assembly 21 extends from or is joined to lower end 7 of support portion 2. Upper and lower gripping assemblies 20 & 21 are identical in shape and function which include when viewed from a front of height clip 1 (see figure 2 or figure 9), on the left is an upper gripping arm assembly 24 and on a right hand side there is an upper gripping arm 25 and similarly for the lower gripping member assembly 21, on the left there is a lower gripping arm assembly 27 and on the right there is lower gripping arm 28.

Upper gripping arm assembly 24 and gripping arm 25, and lower gripping arm assembly 27 and gripping arm 28 are shaped as elongate curved resilient members having a length with ends being curved towards each other (almost mirror like) but not meeting forming an almost enclosed space there between as seen in figure 2. The length of the arms being generally curved commensurate when in use in a horizontal plane or be parallel to the plane defined by upper surface 13 of platform 10. Gripping arm assemblies 24 and 27 are shaped similar to each other while gripping arms 25 and 28 are shaped the same as each other.

Gripping arm assemblies 24 and 27 each include a pair of arms which are parallel with each other and spaced there apart by a curved elongate arm space 35 being a curved recess in plan view with a curved end wall and entrance, whereby there is an outer arm 36 and inner arm 37. Outer arm 36 includes a distal end which is joined or extends from a distal end of inner arm 37. Outer arm 36 includes an outer planar curved vertical surface and an inner serrated curved vertical surface 40. Inner arm 37 includes a curved inner (with respect to the space 35) serrated vertical side surface 41 and an outer curved vertical planar surface 43 with vertical spaced ribs 44. However outer curved vertical planar surface 43 is inner with respect to the mouth 61 (see page 7).

Upper gripping arm 25 and lower gripping arm 28 include an outer curved serrated vertical surface 46 and an inner curved serrated vertical surface 47 with respect to the mouth 61 (see page 7). Outer arm 36 has an angled end 50 being directed inwardly towards inner arm 37 which also has an angle end 51 directed towards outer arm 36. Upper and lower griping arms 25 and 28 have a pointed end 53 and 54 to facilitate entry into the curved elongate space 35 of the gripping arms assembly. Curved vertical planar surface 43 of the inner arm 37, is contiguous with the inner curved serrated vertical surface 47 of the upper and lower gripping arm 25 and 28.

For outer and inner arms 36, 37 the end distal to pointed ends 53 & 54 and for adjacent the upper and lower gripping arms 25, 28, the end distal to end 50, each have a hinge 55 in the form of a living hinge which comprises a reduced thickness section (facing the platform 10) which allows multiple bending there about of the gripping assemblies 24 and 27.

Additionally at a base of the inner curved serrated vertical surface 47 of gripping arms 25 and 28 there can be a hinge in the form of a notch 56 to facilitate inward bending thereabout.

As shown in the figures there is a throated gap between inner arm 37 and opposing second gripping arm 28 with there being a narrow entrance or throat 60 leading to a wider cavity or mouth 61. In use the height clip 1 is slid over or circumferentially around a portion of elongate member 63 which passes past throat 60 and into mouth 61. The elongate member 63 can be for example a bar, rod, reinforcing bar, deformed bar or rebar in a foundation 64 with a certain proposed level 65. Throat 60 can be dimensioned to be greater in width than the width of space 35.

To circumferentially grip the elongate member 63, having an outer surface, each upper gripping arm assembly 24 (lower gripping arm assembly 27) and opposing upper gripping arm 25 (lower gripping arm 28) at the upper and lower gripping assemblies 20 and 21, are resiliently bent towards each other to further narrow the throat 60 whereby pointed ends 53 of the upper and lower gripping arms 25, 28 each enters each elongate space 35 whereby the serrated surface 47 of the upper and lower gripping arms 25 & 28 is frictionally intermeshed with opposing seiTations 40 & 41 of outer arm 36 and inner arm 37 whereby an outer surface of the elongate member 63 abuts inner surface 43 with ribs 44 and serrations 46. One can unclip or remove the height clip 1 from the elongate member 63 by simply flexibly lifting at least the outer arm 36 or even just be cutting the arms.

The distance between opposing side walls (parallel to the side surfaces of the support portion 2 or platform side portion 11) of the outer arm 36 and inner arm 37 and of the upper and lower gripping arms 25 and 28 define a thickness dimension whereby the thickness of inner arm 37 is less than the thickness of upper and lower gripping arms 25 & 28 and of outer arm 36. Outer arm 36 can have the greatest thickness of all the arms.

In use the height clip 1 grips the outer portion of the reinforcing bar 63 to enable the height clip 1 to be held in place according to a desired height or level to withstand any unintentional movement knocking or concrete being poured, wind and rain as required when being used on site.

Parts or Components of the Invention

1. Height clip

2. Support portion

3. Height indicating portion

4. Holding portion

5. Side

6. Upper end

7. Lower end

10. Platform

11. Platform support portion

13. Upper surface of the platform

15. Lower surface

16. Side edges

9. Truncated corner

0. Upper gripping assembly

1. Lower gripping assembly

4. Upper gripping arm assembly

5. Upper gripping arm

7. Lower gripping arm assembly

8. Lower gripping ami

5. Curved elongate arm space

6. Outer arm

7. Inner arm

0. Inner serrated vertical surface

1. Inner serrated vertical surface 43. Outer curved vertical surface

44. Vertical spaced ribs

46. Outer curved serrated vertical surface

47. Inner curved serrated vertical surface

50. Angle end of outer arm 36

51. Angled end of inner arm 37

53. Pointed end of upper gripping arm 25

54. Pointed end of lower gripping arm 28

55. Hinge

56. Hinge in gripping arm

60. Throat between gripping arm assembly and gripping arm

61. Mouth of the throat

63. Elongate member eg rebar or reinforcing member

64. Foundation

65. Desired level

Advantages

a) Simple installation

b) Very modest cost to make

c) Very modest cost to consumers

d) Easy to store

e) Easy to see

f) Can be made to suit any size rebar or reinforcing rod

g) Any number gripping assemblies are possible

Variations

Throughout the description of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprising" and "comprises", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Though an upper and lower gripping members 20 and 21 are shown, equally there can be as a minimum only one gripping member. The area, length, thickness and height of the platform 13 and arms can be varied to suit any particular requirements. The number of gripping arms ie upper and lower gripping members can be varied to suit requirements, size or diameter of elongate member 63. The size of the throat 60, mouth 61 and space 35 can also be varied to suit particular requirements or size of rebar or reinforcing rod. The number and depth of hinges 55 or notches, ribs etc can also be varied in space and size. Support portion 2 and platform support portion 11 can be varied in shape and orientation.

In yet other variations platform 13 can be made height adjustable with regard to the gripping arm assemblies 24, 27 and gripping arms 25, 28 and rebar 63. The planes for the upper and lower gripping assemblies can be in the same plane or in different planes.

Similarly the spacing of ribs 44 or serrations 40, 41 , 47 can be varied. More than one height clip 1 can be used on the one reinforcing bar 63 or there can several height clips on different reinforcing bars 63 to define a particular surface height. Height clip 1 can be fabricated from any suitable material such as for example plastics or metal and can be made in a colour coded format which can be recyclable or biodegradable.

In yet other variations, the height clip 1 can include electronic means to enable proximate or remote measuring and/or monitoring, checking or reading of presence, location and actual height. This can include providing transmitting and receiving means (eg a transmitter and a receiver) with sensing (eg at least one sensor) operatively connected together and controlled by programmable circuit board. Height clips 1 can also have labelling or markings or have power for lighting eg solar or battery as required.

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is hereinbefore described.

It will also be understood that where a product, method or process as herein described or claimed and that is sold incomplete, as individual components, or as a "kit of Parts", that such exploitation will fall within the ambit of the invention. These and other features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the method of operation and functions of the related elements of structures and the combination of parts and economics of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

For puiposes of the description hereinafter, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "lateral", "longitudinal", "side", "front", "rear" and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing figures. However it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative variations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the invention. Hence specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.