Abstract:
A siding securement system for attaching siding to a structure. The system includes threaded fasteners having a portion of the shank non-threaded. The threaded portion of the shank is inserted into a metal stud using a self-tapping tip, while the siding is provided with elongated slots which ride along the non-threaded portion of the fastener. The freedom of movement of the siding along the non-threaded portion of the fastener prevents the siding from buckling, bubbling or warping which accompanies expansion, contraction and movement as the result of elemental effects on the siding.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates in general to a system for securing siding to a structure and, more particularly, a system for securing flexible siding to a structure in a manner which allows the siding to move in relationship to the fastener utilized to secure the siding to the structure. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    It is known in the art to use vinyl siding to cover the exterior surfaces of structures, such as residential housing. Vinyl siding has particular advantages over wood based products in that vinyl siding is relatively non-porous and, therefore, not as susceptible to damage associated with mold and rot. Although it is known in the art to provide siding constructed of metal and the like, aluminum siding has the disadvantage of being less resilient than vinyl and more susceptible to dents and other damage. 
         [0005]    It is known in the art to provide vinyl siding with elongated slots along its upper surface which allow the siding to be secured to the structure. Typically, unthreaded fasteners such as nails are provided through the slots to secure the siding through wall sheathing provided on the structure and into studs provided behind the sheathing. While nails work well to secure the siding to wooden studs, when it is desired to secure the vinyl siding through sheathing to metal studs, it is preferable to use self-tapping screws to avoid inadvertent and undesirable dislodgement of the fastener from the metal stud. To provide a screw type fastener with substantially the same strength characteristics of a nail type fastener, the shank of both the screw and nail must be substantially similar. 
         [0006]    As the slots provided in the vinyl siding are typically designed to accommodate a shank of a nail, the slots are provided with a smallest dimension just slightly larger than the diameter of the nail shank. Accordingly, when a screw type fastener is used instead, the diameter of the thread crest associated with the screw is larger than the shank and, therefore, is often larger than the narrowest dimension of the slots provided in the vinyl siding. While the slots can be bent and the screw forced through to secure the screw to the metal stud, the siding slot comes to rest between the thread crests, providing very little longitudinal movement of the siding relative to the screw without contacting the threads of the screw. 
         [0007]    With the thread crests of a larger diameter than the narrowest dimension of the slot, as the siding expands and contracts, instead of moving longitudinally in relationship to the screw, the slot catches on the threads of the screw, causing the vinyl to bend and warp. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a fastening system for securing vinyl siding to a metal stud which included the securement advantages of a screw type fastener and the longitudinal movement advantages associated with a nail type fastener. The difficulties in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In an advantage provided by this invention, a siding securement system is provided which is of a low cost manufacture. 
         [0009]    Advantageously, this invention provides a siding securement system which may be installed with standard tools. 
         [0010]    Advantageously, this invention provides a siding securement system which holds siding securely to metal studs. 
         [0011]    Advantageously, this invention provides a siding securement system which allows siding to move longitudinally in relationship to the fastener. 
         [0012]    Advantageously, in a preferred example of this invention, a system for securing siding to a structure is provided. The siding is secured to a metal stud with a fastener. The fastener includes a first threaded portion secured to the metal stud and a second non-threaded portion. The siding rests on the non-threaded portion of the fastener, allowing the siding to move longitudinally in relationship to the fastener as the siding expands and contracts. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the siding securement system of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side elevation of the fastener of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side elevation in cross-section of the siding securement system of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    The siding securement system of the present invention is shown generally as ( 10 ) in  FIG. 1 . The system ( 10 ) includes a first length of siding ( 12 ) overlapping a second length of siding ( 14 ). The lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) are preferably constructed of vinyl or similar material in a manner known in the art. The lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) are preferably constructed with a curled over top portion forming nail hems ( 16 ) and ( 18 ). The lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) are also preferably provided with elongated slots ( 20 ) and ( 22 ), and locks ( 24 ) and ( 26 ). The lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) are also preferably provided with locking legs ( 28 ) and ( 30 ), in a manner such as that known in the art. The lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) are preferably placed over wall sheathing ( 32 ), fastened in place onto metal stud ( 34 ), using standard fastening techniques. To secure the lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) to the wall sheathing ( 32 ) and metal stud ( 34 ), special fasteners ( 36 ) are provided. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the fastener is provided with a head ( 38 ) which, in the preferred embodiment, is a phillips type pan head. The head ( 38 ) may, of course, be of a wafer, “S”, truss or washer head type, or any other suitable type known in the art. The diameter of the head ( 38 ) is preferably between ¼ inch and 1.0 inch, and most preferably about ⅜ inch in diameter. Secured to the head ( 38 ) is a shank ( 40 ) which is preferably 1/16 inch to ½ inch in diameter, and most preferably about ⅛ inch in diameter. The shank ( 40 ) is preferably between ½ inch and 5.0 inches in length, and most preferably 1⅛ inches in length. The shank ( 40 ) is provided with a non-threaded portion ( 42 ) and a threaded portion ( 44 ). In the preferred embodiment, the non-threaded portion is ⅜ inch in length and the tip ( 46 ) is preferably ⅕ inch in length. The shank ( 40 ) is preferably threaded between the tip ( 46 ) and the non-threaded portion of the shank ( 42 ). The shank ( 40 ) may be of any desired length, but in the preferred embodiment is preferably 1¼ inches long. The threads ( 48 ) may be of any design known in the art, but in the preferred embodiment are provided with a major diameter of 0.161 inches and a minor diameter of 0.119 inches. The tip ( 46 ) of the fastener ( 36 ) is preferably of a self tapping type, such as that known in the art for insertion into metal studs. The entire fastener ( 36 ) is preferably constructed of steel and coated with a non-corrosive coating, such as zinc or the like. The dimensions and threading of the fastener ( 36 ) may be adjusted as desired, but preferably the non-threaded portion ( 42 ) of the shank ( 40 ) is at least ¼ to ½ inch in length, to allow for the slots ( 20 ) and ( 22 ) of the lengths of siding ( 12 ) and ( 14 ) to move thereon without becoming caught in the threads ( 48 ). 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , when it is desired to utilize the siding securement system ( 10 ) of the present invention, the second length of siding ( 14 ) is positioned on the wall sheathing ( 32 ) and secured thereto utilizing the fastener ( 36 ). The tip ( 46 ) of the fastener is positioned through the slot ( 22 ) aligned with the metal stud ( 34 ) positioned behind the wall sheathing ( 32 ). A driving mechanism, such as a screw driver or electric drill (not shown) or the like, is utilized to drive the fastener ( 36 ) through the slot ( 22 ), wall sheathing ( 32 ) and into the metal stud ( 34 ). The self tapping tip ( 46 ) allows the fastener ( 36 ) to penetrate the metal stud ( 34 ). Preferably, the major diameter of the thread crests ( 50 ) is greater than the distance between the top ( 52 ) and bottom ( 54 ) of the slot ( 22 ). 
         [0020]    The fastener ( 36 ) is inserted into the metal stud ( 34 ) until the head ( 38 ) of the fastener ( 36 ) contacts the nail them ( 18 ). The nail hem ( 18 ) maintains the head ( 38 ) a sufficient distance away from the wall sheathing ( 32 ) to allow the second length of siding ( 14 ) to move laterally relative to the fastener ( 36 ) along the non-threaded portion ( 42 ) of the shank ( 40 ). In prior art fastening systems, the threading extends nearly to the head of the fastener, allowing the slot to ride along and bind upon the threads. This binding causes the siding to have a warped or bubbled appearance. By allowing the second length of siding ( 14 ) to move along the non-threaded portion ( 42 ) of the fastener ( 36 ), expansion, contraction and movement of the siding as a result of the elements does not cause the siding ( 14 ) to bind. While fasteners with a thread crest diameter smaller than the distance between the top ( 52 ) and bottom ( 54 ) of the slot ( 22 ) would reduce the amount of binding on the threads ( 48 ), the irregular surface associated with the threads would still cause binding as the siding moved, and such a fastener would have far less strength than a fastener of a suitable diameter. The second length of siding is then secured in a similar manner to regularly spaced metal studs (not shown). 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , once the second length of siding ( 14 ) has been secured to the metal stud ( 34 ), the first length of siding ( 12 ) is positioned over the second length of siding ( 14 ). As shown, the lock ( 24 ) of the first length of siding ( 12 ) is positioned over the lock ( 26 ) of the second length of siding ( 14 ). Similarly, the second nail hem ( 18 ) is provided over the first nail hem ( 16 ), and the first locking leg ( 28 ) is provided over the second locking leg ( 30 ). The first length of siding  12 ) is then slid laterally relative to the second length of siding ( 14 ) until the slots ( 20 ) and ( 22 ) are aligned as desired. Once the slots are aligned as desired, a second fastener ( 56 ) is inserted through slots ( 58 ) and ( 60 ), through the wall sheathing ( 32 ) and into a second metal stud ( 62 ). 
         [0022]    Preferably, the slots ( 20 ), ( 22 ), ( 58 ) and ( 60 ) are positioned a predetermined distance relative to one another so that metal studs ( 34 ) and ( 60 ) located between the sheathing ( 32 ) can be identified merely by counting the number of slots and inserting fasteners ( 36 ) and ( 56 ) as desired. Once the second fastener ( 56 ) has been inserted sufficiently to contact the head ( 64 ) of the second fastener ( 56 ) with the first nail hem ( 16 ), additional fasteners ( 66 ) are inserted at regular intervals into metal studs to secure the remainder of the first length of siding ( 12 ). As shown in  FIG. 3 , once the first length of siding ( 12 ) has been secured to the metal stud ( 62 ), a third length of siding ( 68 ) is provided over the first length of siding ( 12 ) with a locking leg ( 70 ) of the third length of siding ( 68 ) engaged with the lock ( 24 ) of the first length of siding ( 12 ). The third length of siding ( 68 ) is then secured using fasteners ( 66 ) in a manner such as that described above. 
         [0023]    Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full, intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, it is anticipated that fasteners of any length, dimension, configuration or construction may be utilized in association with any type of siding known in the art, and applied to any type of structure known in the art.