Abstract:
A system for attaching siding to an exterior wall through use of a fastener rip that is held within or against the nailing hem of a siding panel so as to allow the slide along the guide strip during thermally induced expansion and contraction of the panel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to siding panels for covering the exterior of buildings and more particularly to a fastener guide used to facilitate proper location of fasteners along the length of a siding panel.  
         [0002]     Vinyl siding is produced in a multitude of colors and styles, typically through extrusion of heated, colored plastic through a die shaped to impart the desired cross-sectional profile. The texture of the panel faces may be made to resemble wood clapboards or shingles. The most common type of individual vinyl siding panels resemble two courses of wooden clapboards attached to one another; other types resemble single clapboards. Siding panels are nailed or screwed through a nailing flange molded into the top of each siding panel in order to attach the panels to the exterior wall of a building to be clad in siding.  
         [0003]     Vinyl siding is typically installed using lock-together panels or sub-components designed to accommodate the expansion and contraction of the vinyl material that typically occurs with temperature variations. This expansion and contraction can be quite significant in seamless siding applications wherein panels are typically extruded to a length sufficient to span the width of the attachment wall. Vinyl siding can distort if installed improperly—particularly if fasteners are not properly placed within the elongated slots provided in the nailing flange. A fastener should be placed in the center of a slot so that movement of the siding relative to the fastener can occur in either direction. In addition, fasteners should be attached loose enough to allow siding to slide past the fastener without binding.  
         [0004]     In one common siding panel design, a J-shaped channel or trough is molded into the bottom of each siding panel, typically by forming the bottom edge of the panel so that it turns rearward (toward the wall) and upward. A generally U-shaped lip projects forward and downward from the panel near the bottom margin of the nailing flange. This lip is sized to interlock or fit within the channel of the above panel which is installed to overlap and overlie the nailing flange and lip of the panel below. Therefore, the bottom of each panel can be hooked onto the top portion of the previously installed panel below it and the nailing flange and nails are concealed by the overlying, upper panel. Even if double course panels are installed, therefore, it should not be evident to the observer which courses belong to a given panel; rather, the courses should present the appearance of individually installed courses of lap siding.  
         [0005]     Unfortunately, during installation it is not uncommon for the installer to drive fasteners into the slots in the nailing flange such that, for example, two adjoining fasteners are each installed outward or each installed inward of the center point in their respective slots thereby limiting the length of travel available for the siding in that location. When such errors occur, distortion or rippling of the panel due to uneven panel movement during expansion or contraction of the panel can be considerable. Such distortion, seen as bending, twisting or outward flaring of individual panels is not only visually unattractive but may allow moisture infiltration to the cladded wall surface. In addition to the above problem of improper fastener placement within the slots, fasteners may be driven into the wall too tightly thereby causing binding even if the fastener is properly placed in the center of the slot.  
         [0006]     Therefore there exists a need for a siding installation system that assures proper fastener placement within a nailing slot and that limits binding due to over-tightening of fasteners.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A system for attaching siding panels to the exterior wall of a building comprises a fastener guide member provided as an elongated strip of resilient material having a generally rectangular cross sectional profile, i.e. relatively wide front and rear faces and relatively narrow top and bottom edges. The strip is sized to fit inside or against the securement flange or nailing hem of a siding panel and includes fastener guides, preferably comprising holes, spaced apart along the length of the strip to align with corresponding slotted apertures in the securement flange. Since the apertures in the securement flange and the holes in the guide member have equally spaced centers, once one hole in the guide member is centered on one aperture in the securement flange all the other holes along the length of the guide member will be similarly centered on their corresponding apertures. During installation or attachment of the siding panels to the wall surface, fasteners such as screws are driven into each guide hole thereby assuring that all fasteners will be centered within securement flange apertures. During later expansion and contraction of the siding panels due to outdoor temperature fluctuations, each panel may simply slide as needed along its associated guide member to relieve internal stresses (which are greatest along the longitudinal axes of the panels). Since the guide members are directly attached to the wall, rather than the panels, and the fasteners are all appropriately spaced within the flange apertures, binding and distortion of the panels is greatly reduced.  
         [0008]     In a further embodiment of the system, a collar is provided surrounding each guide hole, at least on the rearward side of the guide member but alternatively on each side thereof. The collars on the rearward side of the guide member are sized diametrically to pass through the corresponding apertures in the securement flange to thereby make contact with the attachment wall surface. These rearward collars are typically generally cylindrical in shape and of a length that exceeds the thickness of the flange so that even upon tightening of a fastener the collar causes the guide member to stand off from the wall a sufficient distance to prevent binding of the flange. In other words, the collars reduce friction between the flange and the wall surface by providing space for the flange to slide along the guide member even though the guide member itself is tightly fastened to the wall.  
         [0009]     Other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a siding panel according to the prior art.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view of the siding panel taken along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partial, perspective view of a fastener guide member according to the present invention engaged with a siding panel.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the siding panel and fastener guide member taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a partial, perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a fastener guide member engaged with a side panel.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a partial, perspective view of a further alternative embodiment of a fastener guide member engaged with a side panel.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view illustrating insertion of a fastener guide member into the fastener strip of a siding panel.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     As required, a detailed embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.  
         [0019]     With reference to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a prior art siding panel  1  attached to an attachment surface or substrate A such as the exterior wall of a building. The panel  1  includes an upper panel section  2  and a lower panel section  3 . The upper panel section  2  has an upper edge  4 , from which the upper panel section  2  extends downward and forward to a lower edge  5 , and a shoulder  6  that projects rearward from the lower edge  5 . At a position sufficiently rearward to approximate the plane of a prospective attachment surface A, the shoulder merges with an upper edge  7  of the lower panel  3 . The lower panel  3  extends downward and forward from its upper edge  7  and then projects rearward at its lower edge  8  to form a shoulder  9 . A lip  10  extends generally upward from an upward bend at the rearward margin of the shoulder  9 , thereby forming an upward facing, U-shaped channel or trough defined by the face of the lower panel  3  and its shoulder  9  and lip  10 .  
         [0020]     A lip  11  is formed along the upper edge  4  of the upper panel section  2  as an extension projecting downward and frontward from the upper edge  4  to form a downwardly opening U-shaped channel  12  along the upper edge  4  and then curving forward and upward to form an upwardly and rearwardly opening L-shaped channel  13 . A rearward bend from the top of channel  13  returns to generally meet the vertical plane of a prospective attachment surface and then continues upward generally along said plane to form a nailing hem, fastener strip or securement flange  14 . A forward and downward bend at the top  15  of the nailing hem  14  creates a downwardly opening U-shaped channel  16  extending between a forward wall  17  and a rearward wall  18  of the nailing hem  14 . Both walls  17  and  18  of the nailing hem  14  have apertures  19  for accepting fasteners  20 . Apertures  19  in the forward wall  17  are aligned with apertures  19  in the rearward wall  18  and both sets of apertures  19  are typically shaped as horizontally elongated slots  19 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates the panel  1  as it would appear attached to a substrate A, including fasteners  20 , such as nails  20 , driven though slots  19  in the nailing hem  14  of the panel  1  and then into the substrate A. Siding panels  1  of this type are designed to allow for thermal expansion of the panel through the provision of the elongated slots  19  in the nailing hem  14  of the panel  1  so that, in theory, the panel  1  may move, relative to the fixed nails  20 , along the slots  19 . To allow expansion and contraction of the panel  1  along its length, which may span the entire length of the associated wall, the nails  20  must be spaced uniformly in the slots  19 , preferably in the center of each slot  19 . Siding panels  1  are typically installed quite rapidly, however, and not always by personnel sufficiently experienced or motivated to center each nail  20  appropriately. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , nails  20  are often placed non-uniformly along the length of a siding panel  1  which creates locations where portions of the panel  1  are bound and therefore unable to move along the nails  20 . This causes the panel  1  to bend and warp over time, particularly when subjected to wide ranging temperature fluctuations. In addition to being unsightly, warped panels  1  allow for moisture to infiltrate behind the panels  1  to the substrate A which typically causes premature degradation of the substrate A due to weathering effects such as rot and freeze-thaw cycles.  
         [0022]     An additional problem of the prior art attachment method described above, that can also lead to binding, is due to nails  20  being too forcefully driven into the attachment substrate A. Ideally, nails  20  are driven into the slots  19  until the nail head  21  touches the outer surface of the forward wall  17 . This firmly attaches the panel  1  against the substrate A yet does not create excessive friction between the nail  20  and the panel  1  or the panel  1  and the substrate A. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , however, in practice nails  20  are often driven into the substrate A until the hem  14  is pinched between the nail  20  and the substrate A creating considerable resistance to movement of the panel  1  relative to the nail  2  and substrate A. As with improper nail  20  placement within the slots  19 , this causes binding that restricts proper uniform movement of the panel  1  relative to the substrate A during expansion and contraction of the panel  1 .  
         [0023]      FIGS. 3 through 8  include drawings of various embodiments of fastener guides, fastener guide members or fastener guide strips of the present invention that may be used to alleviate binding. The fastener guide members function in cooperation with a siding panel  1  such as the prior art panel  1  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , as well as other panel designs.  
         [0024]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a first embodiment of a fastener guide member  22  has a main body  24  comprising an elongated strip of resilient material such as plastic or metal having a generally rectangular cross sectional profile. The body  24  has relatively wide front  25  and rear  26  faces and relatively narrow top  27  and bottom  28  edges, as well as relatively narrow first and second opposing ends. The body  24  is sized to cooperate with the nailing hem  14  of a siding panel  1 .  
         [0025]     In the case of a double-walled nailing hem  14 , the guide  22  is sized to fit within the channel  16  of the nailing hem  14  between the forward  17  and rearward  18  walls. Substantially circular holes or guides  23  are formed along the length of the guide  22  to project through the front  25  and rear  26  faces of the body  24  and are evenly spaced apart from one another to align with corresponding apertures  19  in the fastener strip  14  so that a fastener  20  passing through a slot  19  in the forward wall  17  passes through a corresponding hole  23  in the guide member  22  and then through a slot  19  in the rearward wall  18 . A cross sectional view of the guide member  22  installed within the fastener strip  14  is provided in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0026]     When engaging a guide member  22  with a siding panel  1 , the guide member  22  is positioned, as shown in  FIG. 3 , so that a first hole  23  in the guide member  22  is centered on a first slot  19  in the nailing hem  14 . Due to the uniform spacing of slots  19  and holes  23 , it is thus assured that every hole or guide  23  will be aligned and centered on its respective slot  19  along the entire length of the panel  1 . The guides or guide holes  23  in the guide member  22  are preferably sized slightly larger in diameter than the shaft of the fastener, but smaller than the head thereof, so that driving the fastener into the wall to which the siding is attached does not drive the guide member  22  into the wall and cause binding.  
         [0027]     In a further embodiment of a fastener guide member  29 , holes  23  are surrounded on the front face  25  of the body  24  by front collars  30  (see  FIG. 5 ). Rear collars  31  may also surround the holes  23  on the rear face  26  of the body  24  (see cross sectional views in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The front collars  30  each have a bore that is an extension of the hole  23  in the main body  24  and may include an area of relief in the shape of a frustocone (frustoconical space  32 ) in the forward-most portion of the collar  30  to accept the head  33  of a screw  34 . The rear collars  31  also have a bore that is an extension of the hole  23 . The front collars  30 , in cooperation with the rear collars  31 , create a generally cylindrical overall structure that is able to withstand the substantial force that may be applied when a fastener, such as a screw  34 , is driven through the guide member  29  and into the attachment substrate  36 .  
         [0028]     The collars  30  and  31  may be generally cylindrical in shape or may be ovoid or oblong (see collar  30   a  in  FIG. 6 ) with the larger diameter aligned with the longitudinal axis of a further alternative embodiment of a fastener guide member  35 . The rear collars  31  of fastener guide members (such as embodiment  29  or  35 ) are sized diametrically to pass through the corresponding apertures (slots)  19  in associated nailing hems or fastener strips  14  to thereby make contact with the attachment substrate  36  (see  FIG. 7 ).  
         [0029]     Nailing hems or securement flanges of various designs may be used with fastener guides as described in the above embodiments, including a single wall nailing strip (not shown) having only a rearward wall  18 . Such a nailing strip could be used with any of the embodiments of the fastener guide described above, the disadvantages of such a strip including, however, lack of a forward wall to hold the guide in place adjacent to the flange prior to installation. For this reason, it is advantageous if the rear collars  31  of the guide fit closely into the apertures  19  in the rearward wall  18  so that friction may hold the assembly in place during installation of the associated panel.  
         [0030]     Fastener guide members  22  without collars, as shown in  FIG. 3 , are easier to utilize with a siding panel  1  having a double wall nailing hem  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , because the guide member may simply be slid between forward and rearward walls  17  and  18  of the nailing hem  14  after fabrication of the panel  1 . The siding panel  1  with the forward and rearward walls  17  and  18  may also be used with embodiments of the guide member  29  having collars  30  and  31  in which case the guide member  29  may be installed during formation of the panel  1 . Typically, a panel  1  is formed by an extrusion process. For a siding panel  1  having a double wall nailing hem  14 , the siding panel  1  is initially extruded through a dye with the nailing hem  14  extending in a single plane. Two parallel rows of the elongated slots  19  are then formed or cut out of the nailing hem  14 , which is then folded over (while still warm or after localized heating) to form the forward and rear walls  17  and  18  of the nailing hem  14 . In the present application, the guide member  22  may be inserted adjacent the portion of the planar nailing hem  14  which will form the rearward wall  17  after cutting of the elongated slots  19  and prior to folding of the forward wall  17  over the rearward wall  18 . The portion of the nailing hem  14  forming the forward wall  17  is then folded over the portion forming the rearward wall  18  with the guide member positioned between the forward and rearward walls  17  and  18 . If the guide member  22  includes collars  30  and  31 , the collars  31  may be aligned with the elongated slots  19  in the portion of the hem  14  forming the rearward wall  18  as the guide member  22  is positioned adjacent that portion. The hem  14  is then folded such that the elongate slots  19  in the portion of the hem  14  forming the forward wall  17  align with the collars  30  on the nail guide member  22 .  
         [0031]     The advantages of using a double wall fastener strip  14  include the ability to securely hold a guide in place prior to installation, including during packaging and shipping. The disadvantages may include loss of the benefits of using guides with collars, if the guide must be slid into place, or the necessity of having to enclose the guide within the walls of the strip during formation of the panel as described above. In the embodiment of a double wall fastener strip  37  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) which is shown used in association with a guide member  35  having oval front collars  30   a  (see  FIG. 6 ) the slots  38  in the forward wall  39  are typically enlarged from those found in prior art panels  1  in order to accommodate the collars  30   a.    
         [0032]      FIGS. 5, 7  and  8  illustrate use of a fastener guide member  29  with a single-wall nailing hem  40  having a lip  41  along the top margin of the hem  40 . As with prior embodiments, apertures  19  are evenly spaced along the length of the rear wall  18  of the hem  40 . The forward and downward curving lip  41  is provided along the top margin of the hem  40  to form an upper guide engagement channel  42  that holds the top edge  27  of the guide member  29  in place, particularly prior to installation of the panel with fasteners. Advantages of this embodiment of a nailing hem  40  include ease of use with various guide embodiments, including those having forward facing collars  30  or  30   a , since the lip  41  may be sized to terminate prior to contact with the topmost edge of the collars  30  or  30   a . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the guide member  29  may be placed in operative position by tilting the top end  27  of the guide member  29  and slipping it into the upper channel  42  then tilting the bottom end  28  of the guide member  29  so that the rearward facing collars  31  are fully inserted into their corresponding apertures  19  and the rearward face  26  of the guide member  29  abuts the wall  18  of the hem  40 .  
         [0033]     In order to hold the guide member  29  more securely in engagement with the nailing hem  40 , the lower portion of the hem may be curved downward to form a lower guide engagement channel  43  to receive the bottom end  28  of the guide member  29  (thereby providing a means for the guide member  29  to snap securely into place). Forward of the lower guide engagement channel  43 , a raised ridge  44  also may be provided to assist holding the guide member  29  within the channel  43 .  
         [0034]     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof. For example it is to be understood that instead of comprising holes, the guides could comprise areas of reduced thickness or score lines or other indicia or markings on or in the guide members  22 ,  29  or  35  to indicate where the fastener is to be driven. 
        Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: