Clamp

Claim 1

A clamp for securing to one another adjacent end end portions of a pair of longitudinally aligned reinforcing bars having planar end surfaces, said clamp including: a radially contractible sleeve having a longitudinal passage, said sleeve having a pair of diametrically opposed and longitudinally substantially centrally located slots; a substantially circular planar support means disposed in said sleeve and having a pair of extensions extending radially outwardly and movably in opposite directions through said slots of said sleeve whereby said support means is located at substantially the middle of said sleeve, said support means extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said passage over a major portion of the cross sectional area of said passage and having oppositely facing planar surfaces engageable with planar end surfaces of aligned reinforcing bars telescoped in opposite ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having a longitudinal opening to facilitate radial contraction thereof, said sleeve being provided along opposite edges of the opening with outwardly turned wedge flanges which diverge longitudinally from each other to constitute wedge means; and A contractor having internal flanges for engaging substantially the entire length of said wedge flanges of said sleeve and for radially contracting said sleeve into constricting, gripping engagement with adjacent end portions of reinforcing bars positionable in opposite end portions of said sleeve upon longitudinal movement of said contractor relative to said sleeve.