Patent Publication Number: US-6655099-B1

Title: Clip fastening system for walls

Description:
THIS INVENTION relates to a clip fastening system. The invention is particularly, but not solely, directed to the use of clip-like fittings to fasten metal wall sheets to top and bottom rails of a frame, to thereby facilitate the assembly and erection of prefabricated small structures or buildings such as garden sheds, garages, shadehouses, aviaries and the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Many small structures, such as garden sheds, storage sheds, cubby houses, etc., are sold in kit form for assembly by the customer. The assembly or erection of such structures usually requires the customer to fasten wall sheets to frame components, such as top and bottom rails. Such components are normally fastened together by rivets or screws. 
     The screwing or riveting of wall sheets is tedious and time consuming. Such methods of fastening may also require two persons, one to hold the components in place, and the other to screw or rivet them together. Furthermore, many customers do not have a rivet gun readily available. For the foregoing and other reasons, potential customers are often deterred from buying garden sheds and other structures which they have to assemble themselves. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,651 describes a method of constructing a wall frame for a building in which vertical frame members (studs) are secured to horizontal frame members (plates) by clips or brackets and deformations formed in the plates. Although this method avoids the use of screws and rivets, it requires separate locking clips  18 . Furthermore, although the method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,651 is suitable for fixing frame members to each other, the wall sheets must still be fixed to the studs and plates by screwing or riveting. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a clip fastening system which facilitates and/or expedites the assembly and erection of small structures, or which at least provides a competitive alternative to known erection/assembly systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one form, the invention provides a method of fixing a generally planar wall member to an elongate frame member of a small metal building, including the steps of 
     providing a plurality of clip-like fittings at spaced locations along the frame member, each clip-like fitting having a resilient detent, 
     providing a plurality of apertures adjacent an edge portion of the wall member at spaced locations corresponding to the clip-like fittings, and 
     fixing the wall member to the frame member by inserting the edge portion into the clip-like fittings such that the detents of the clip-like fittings locate respectively in the apertures and thereby captively retain the wall member to the frame member. 
     In another form, the invention provides an assembly for constructing a small metal building, including 
     at least one elongate frame member, 
     a plurality of clip-like fittings attached or attachable to the frame member at spaced locations along its length, each clip-like fitting having at least one resilient detent, and 
     at least one generally planar wall member having a plurality of apertures adjacent an edge portion thereof at spaced locations corresponding to the clip-like fittings on the frame member, 
     whereby the edge portion is insertible in the clip-like fittings to cause the detents to locate respectively in the apertures and captively retain the wall member to the frame member. 
     Throughout this specification, where the context permits, the term “small metal building” shall include a garden shed, storage shed, garage, shadehouse, cubbyhouse, aviary or similar structure. 
     The frame member is typically a U-shaped channel section which may serve as a top or bottom rail of the frame. The wall member is typically a side wall of the structure, e.g. formed of roll-formed metal sheet. Normally, the bottom edge of the side wall is first fastened to a bottom rail of the frame in a push-lock action, and then a top rail is fastened to the top of the side wall in a similar manner. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, each clip-like fitting is formed separately from the frame element, but attachable thereto. The clip-like fitting comprises a generally U-shaped body having two spaced opposing sides, at least one side having a resiliently flexible detent extending inwardly towards the other side. 
     More preferably, one side of the U-shaped body has two spaced riser portions, each having an inwardly directed pawl-like detent. This detent is typically formed integrally with the fitting, by pressing and deforming a tab in each riser portion. The other side of the U-shaped body has a single riser portion located between the two riser portions on the opposite sides. The single riser portion has a hook-like fitting at the top thereof. 
     In this embodiment, slots are provided in the channel-shaped frame member at the predetermined spaced locations to receive the clip-like fittings. The riser portions of each clip-like fitting are inserted through slots formed in the frame member, and the hook-like formation retains the clip-like fitting to the frame member. 
     Apertures are provided adjacent an associated edge of the side wall at locations corresponding to the detents on the clip-like fitting. When the edge portion of the side wall is inserted between the frame member and the clip-like fitting, the detents locate in the apertures, and prevent the side wall from being pulled out of engagement with the frame member. Hence, a side wall can be manually fastened to a frame element in a simple “push lock” manoeuvre. 
     In another embodiment, each clip-like fitting is formed integrally with the channel-shaped frame member by pressing a flap outwardly from a side wall of the frame member, and forming an inwardly directed detent on the flap. When an edge portion of side wall having apertures at predetermined locations thereon is inserted between the side wall of the frame member and the flap, the detents on the flaps locate in respective apertures, and prevent the side wall from being pulled out of engagement with the frame. 
     Advantageously, an outwardly-directed detent is formed in the side wall of the frame member between each pair of flaps which each have an inwardly directed detent. The three detents locate in corresponding apertures in the edge portion of a side panel when the edge portion of the side panel is fastened to the frame, the oppositely directed detents providing secure retention of the side wall to the frame. 
     In yet another embodiment of the invention, the frame member is an upright post of the frame, and the clip-like fittings are provided at vertically spaced locations on the post. The wall member is a side panel which spans between posts and is fastened to the clip-like fittings on the posts in a push-lock action. 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clip suitable for use in the clip fastening system of this invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the clip of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the clip of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of components of the clip fastening system prior to assembly, including the clip of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the components of FIG. 4 partially assembled, 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 4 when assembled, 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional elevation of the assembled components of FIG. 6, 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view of other components of the clip fastening system prior to assembly, including the clip of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the components of FIG. 8 partially assembled, 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 8 when assembled, 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional elevation of the assembly of FIG. 10, 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of components of a clip fastening system prior to assembly, according to a second embodiment of the invention, 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 12 when assembled, 
     FIG. 14 is a sectional elevation of the assembled components of FIG. 13, 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of other components of the clip fastening system prior to assembly, according to the second embodiment of the invention, 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 15 when assembled, 
     FIG. 17 is a sectional elevation of the assembled components of FIG. 16, 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a post having clips according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing wall panels being mounted to the clips on the post of FIG.  18 . 
     FIG. 20 is an enlarged perspective view of the clip mounting of FIG. 19, and 
     FIG. 21 is a sectional side view of the clip mounting of FIG.  20 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a fastening clip  10  is in the form of a generally U-shaped body  11 . One side of the body  11  has two spaced riser portions  11 A, while the other side of the body  11  has a single riser portion  11 B located between the two portions  11 A, as shown in FIG. 1 
     The upper edge of portion  11 B is turned inwardly to form a lip  12  which has a hook-like function, as described below. Each portion  11 A has a punched out tab  13  which is bent inwardly towards the other side of the clip, to form a pawl-like formation, as shown in FIG.  3 . The tab  13  has a return portion  14  at its bottom. Each portion  11 A also has an angled flange  15  at its top. 
     The clip  10  is typically formed from metal sheet which is generally stiff, but has a suitable degree of resilient flexibility. The clip is normally made by punching and pressing operations. 
     The clip  10  can be used to fasten wall panels to frame members in the erection or assembly of small metal buildings, such as garden sheds. FIGS. 4-7 illustrate the use of the clip  10  to fasten wall sheets  20  to a channel which forms the bottom plate or rail  30  of a building frame. The rail  30  is typically an elongate metal strip which has been roll formed into an inverted channel section  32  with a laterally extending flange or tab  33 . This flange or tab is usually fixed to a floor structure. However, any other suitable cross section may be used. 
     At predetermined locations along its length, the rail  30  is provided with 
     (i) a pair of spaced elongate apertures  34  located at the junction of the flange  33  and the adjacent side wall of the channel section  32 , 
     (ii) a pair of apertures  35  located in the face of that side wall, each above a respective one of the apertures  34 , and 
     (iii) an elongate aperture  36  located at the junction of that side wall and the web of the channel section, between the apertures  35 ,  34 . 
     The apertures  34 ,  35 ,  26  are typically punched in the sheet before it is roll formed. 
     Corresponding apertures  21  are provided at predetermined locations along the bottom of the wall sheets  20 . The apertures  21  are formed in pairs, and spaced to correspond in position with apertures  35 . Preferably, an aperture  21  is provided near each vertical edge of a wall sheet  20 . The edges of the wall sheets are roll formed, and designed to overlap or nest one within the other. The apertures  21  are located such that when the roll formed edges of the wall sheets overlap, the spacing between the apertures  21  correspond to the spacing between the apertures  35 . 
     In use, the clip  10  is first inserted into the rail  30 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The clip  10  is inserted in the direction shown in FIG. 4, i.e. from under the rail. (This can be done by first inverting the rail  30  and pushing the clip down into the rail). The clip  10  is inserted such that the risers  11 A pass through the apertures  34 . The pawl-like tabs  13  may deflect as they pass through apertures  34  but they spring back and locate in apertures  35  of the channel portion  32  as shown in FIG.  7 . 
     The middle riser  11 B locates on the inside of the side wall of the channel section  32  such that the lip  32  passes through aperture  36  and hooks over the bottom edge of that aperture. That is, the lip  12  hooks onto the channel section  32  and prevents the clip from being pushed out of engagement with the rail  30 . In this manner, the clip is retained securely in position in the rail. 
     Once the roll formed vertical edges of the wall sheets  20  have been overlapped as shown in FIG. 5, the overlapped wall sheets are positioned over the rail  30  so that the apertures  21  in the wall sheets are located above the tabs  13 . The wall sheets are then pressed down into the rail/clip assembly as shown in FIG. 6, the wall sheets passing between the side wall of the channel section  32  and the outer wall of the clip  10  containing the portions  11 A. This outer wall may flex outwardly, until the apertures  21  register with the. tabs  13 , whereupon the tabs  13  snap-fit in the apertures  21  and lock the wall sheets to the rail  30 . The flanges  15  assist in guiding the wall between the channel section  32  and outer wall of clip  10 . 
     As shown more clearly in the sectional drawing of FIG. 7, as the wall sheet  20  is pressed down between the rail  30  and the clip  10 , it deflects the resilient tab  13  slightly outwardly. However, once an aperture  21  registers with a corresponding tab  13 , the resilient pawl-like tab  13  springs back into the aperture. The re-entrant or bottom portion  14  of the tab traverses the bottom edge of the aperture  21 , and prevents the wall sheet from being pulled upwardly out of engagement with the rail/clip assembly. 
     The above procedure is.repeated along the walls progressively so that all of the wall sheets are locked to the bottom rail. 
     A top rail of the structural frame is then fastened to the top of the wall sheets in a similar manner, as illustrated in FIGS. 8-11. The top rail  40  comprises an inverted channel section  41  having a pair of spaced apertures  44  at the junction of the web and a side wall thereof, as well as a pair of spaced apertures  45  in the side wall, below the respective apertures  44 . The spacing between the apertures corresponds to the spacing between the riser portions  11 A of the fastening clip  10 . 
     In use, the clip  10  is first inserted in the apertures in the top rail  40 . The portions  11 A of the clip are inserted through the apertures  44 , so that the tabs  13  locate in apertures  45 . The middle portion  11 B passes on the outside of the rail, and the lip  12  hooks onto the bottom edge of the rail, as can be seen in FIG.  9 . 
     The top edges of the wall sheets are provided with apertures  22  adjacent the roll formed vertical edge portions. When the edge portions are nested, the spacing between the apertures  22  corresponds to the spacing between the apertures  45 . 
     Once the roll formed edge portions of the wall sheets are nested, the top rail/clip assembly is located over the wall sheets, with the apertures  45  directly above the apertures  22 . The rail/clip assembly is then pushed down onto the wall sheets so that the wall sheets pass between the portions  11 A and the side wall of the rail  40 . The resilient tabs  13  lock into the apertures  22  of the wall sheets, as depicted in FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 11 illustrates how the top rail  40  is locked onto the wall sheets  20  by the clip  10 . Namely, the tab  13  springs through a corresponding aperture  22  as the wall sheet slides past the deflected tab  13 , and the return portion  14  of the tab prevents the rail/clip assembly from being pulled off the wall sheets. 
     The clip  10  thereby enables the wall sheets to be fastened to the top and bottom rails of a structural frame in a simple push-lock arrangement, without the need for special tools. The clip can be constructed simply and economically, from commonly available material. No major modification is required to the rails and the wall sheets, apart from some apertures which can be easily punched. 
     In the abovedescribed embodiment, the clip is a separate element, which is inserted into a rail to form a combined clip/rail assembly before being fixed to the wall sheets. In another embodiment of. the invention, the clip is formed as an integral portion of the rail. 
     As shown in FIGS. 12-14, a plurality of clips  50  are formed in a rail  51  at predetermined spaced locations along the rail. The rail has a similar cross section to the bottom rail of the embodiment of FIG. 4, namely a channel section  52  formed by a web and two side walls, and a flange  53  extending from the bottom of one of the side walls. 
     Each clip  50  is formed by punching and pressing out a flap  54  from the side wall of the channel section  52 . The top part  55  of the flap is bent outwardly to facilitate the entry of a wall sheet into the gap between the flap and the side wall of the channel section. A centre portion of the flap  54  is pushed inwardly to form an indent  56 . 
     Reverse indents, i.e. outwardly protruding deformations  57 , are formed on the side wall of the channel section, between each pair of clips  50 . Preferably, a locating tab  58  is formed on the side wall at a location corresponding to the edge position of the wall sheet when inserted. 
     Elongate slots  59  are formed on the bottom of the wall sheets  60 . These slots or apertures  59  correspond in spacing to the indent  56  and the reverse indents  57 . 
     In use, a wall sheet  60  is located over the bottom rail, so that the apertures  59  register vertically with the indents  56  and  57 . The tabs  58  assist in locating the ends of the wall sheet at the proper locations. The wall sheet is then pressed down into the gap between the side wall of the channel section  52  and the flaps  54  as shown in FIG.  13 . 
     Due to the resilient flexibility of the flaps  54 , they deform outwardly as the wall sheet  60  is pushed down. However, once the apertures  59  register with the indents  56  and  57 , the flaps  54  spring back, causing the pawl-like indents  56  to locate in the outer apertures  59 , and the reverse indents  57  to locate in the middle aperture  59 . These indents lock the wall sheet in position, preventing it from being pulled upwardly out of the clips  50 . 
     Preferably, at least one stiffening rib  61  is formed at the base of each flap  54  (FIG.  14 ), e.g. by pressing out a gusset-like indentation at the junction of the flap  54  and the flange  53 . 
     Fastening clips may also be formed integrally with a top rail, as illustrated in FIGS. 15-17. Each clip  70  in the top rail  71  is formed by pressing inwardly a flap  72  in the side wall of the channel-shaped rail  71 . The free edge  72  of the flap  72  is bent further inwardly, to facilitate the entry of the top of a wall sheet between the flap  72  and the side wall of the rail  71 . 
     An outwardly directed indent  74  is formed in the centre of each flap  72 . Reverse indents  75 , i.e. protruding into the channel-shaped rail  71 , are formed in the rail side wall between each pair of clips  70 . Wall sheet locating tabs  76  are conveniently formed on the side wall of the rail  71 , at locations marking the desired position of the edge of a wall sheet. 
     Sets of apertures are formed at spaced locations along the top of the wall sheets  60 . Each set of apertures  77  comprises three rectangular slots, corresponding in spacing to the indents  74  and the reverse indents  75 . 
     In use, once a wall sheet  60  has been placed in the desired position relative to the top rail, as indicated by the locating tab  76 , the rail  71  is then pressed down onto the wall sheet, with the top edge of the wall sheet passing between the channel rail  71  and the inwardly deformed flap  72  of each associated clip  70 . As the rail  71  is pushed down onto the wall sheet  60  and the apertures  77  register with the indents  74 ,  75 , the flaps  72  spring back and the pawl-like indents  74 ,  75  locate in their respective apertures  77 . These indents prevent the top rail from being pulled upwardly off the top of the wall sheet  60 , as shown in FIG.  17 . 
     The clip fastening system of this invention enables small structures to be erected quickly and easily by one person, without the aid of special tools. 
     The reverse indents  57  and  75  on the bottom and top rails, respectively, may be omitted as the indents  56  and  74  are sufficient to fasten the wall sheets securely to the rails of the frame structure. 
     In the above described embodiments, the wall members have been fixed to horizontal frame members. This invention also allows members to be fixed to vertical frame members. 
     As shown in FIG. 18, a vertical frame member, in the form of a post  80 , has clips  81  formed thereon at vertically spaced locations. Each clip  81  is formed by pressing out a flap  82  from the post  80 . The flap  82  is preferably bent into a re-entrant profile as shown in FIG. 21, and has a detent  83  formed by pressing an indent or tab inwardly from the flap  82 . 
     An additional pair of detents  84  are provided on either side of the clip  81 . The detents are fixed in position and are formed by pressing out indents or tabs from the post  80 . 
     The clips  81  are used to mount wall panels to the posts  80 . The wall panels  85  are slat-like panels with half-rolled top and bottom edges  86 ,  87 . Spaced apertures  88  are punched in the bottom edge portion of the panels  85 , as shown in FIG.  20 . The apertures  88  correspond in spacing and position with the detents  84 . 
     In use, the wall panels are used to span between a pair of posts  80 . The bottom rolled edge  87  of a panel  85  is pushed down into clips  81  on the spaced posts  80 . When the bottom rolled edge  87  is pushed down into a clip  81 , as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the flap  82  deflects outwardly to permit the rolled edge  87  to pass the detent  83 . Once the rolled edge  87  has passed the detent  83 , the resilient flap  82  springs back. The detent  83  prevents the bottom edge  87  from being lifted out of engagement with its respective clip  81 . 
     Moreover, the detents  84  on the post  80  locate in apertures  88  in the wall panel  85 . The detents  83 ,  84  thereby captively retain the wall panel  85  in the clips  81 . 
     Adjacent wall panels  85 ,  85 A are joined to each other by hooking their adjacent rolled edges  87 ,  86 A, as shown in FIG.  19 . Suitable cut-outs  89  may be provided in the top of panels  85  to accommodate the clips  81 . 
     The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the invention, and modifications which are obvious to those skilled in the art may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.