Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for mounting architectural moldings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Architectural moldings are used in the construction of all residential and commercial buildings. They are used to cover gaps in construction associated with the joining of walls with ceilings, floors, doors, and windows; and are also used for decorative purposes. 
     There are various existing methods of attaching molding to flat surfaces with the most common being, nailing, stapling, screwing and gluing. In all of the common methods of attaching molding, the desired result is a semi-permanent installation. With the exception of gluing on molding, most of the methods of installing molding involve penetration by nails, staples, screws or other fasteners through the front face of the molding. As a result, the surface of the molding is blemished. In order to hide the blemish, the nail, staple or screw is covered by a filler material and the front face of the molding is refinished. 
     Once molding is attached with the above methods, and it needs to be removed, there is normally some form of damage sustained by the molding during removal. Since the molding has to be pried and pulled from the flat surface there is commonly cracking, breaking or disfiguring of the molding material. When the molding is replaced the same process as was originally used to put the molding on must be employed. 
     The attaching of molding by gluing does not involve penetration that would blemish the front face of the molding. However, as with the above described methods of attachment, the glued molding is hard to remove. During removal of the molding damage is invariably sustained to both the molding and the surface to which the molding was glued. 
     The above described difficulties in removing moldings arise every time renovations are undertaken that involve painting, wallpapering, or refinishing walls, or modifying floor coverings. In order to avoid removing moldings, people will apply masking or shielding on the molding when jobs such as painting of walls are undertaken. This procedure dramatically increases the amount of labor, and consequently the cost, associated with the renovation. Even with masking, care is required in order to avoid getting paint on the molding. 
     In order to avoid the above described problems some removable molding systems have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. is 5,467,571 granted to Khatibi describes the use of a round headed screw which engages with a female snap component. The design was meant to be reversible in roles where the round headed screw could be fastened to the back face of the molding or to the face of the flat mounting surface. In either case the female snap component would be attached to the opposite piece. The main problem with Khatibi&#39;s design is that most molding is so thin that whether the round headed screw is screwed into the molding or the female component is set into the molding it would adversely affect the strength characteristics of the molding. In order for the female component to be imbedded completely into the molding, the molding must be sufficiently thick that the integrity of the molding is not compromised. There will be a similar problem with installation of the round headed screw, due to the depth that the shank of the screw must penetrate the molding. The screw tends to promote splitting or splintering of thin molding. There are other problems also associated with the Khatibi design. A number of different tools are required to complete the installation. The craftsman installing the female component has to be very exact while drilling holes into the mounting surfaces, so as to allow proper mating of the male and female components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,123 granted to Lamont et al is characterized by an elongate channel recessed into the front face of the moulding. The channel is adapted to releasably retain an elongate strip-like panel. The channel is defined by upper and lower side walls and a recessed floor. The side walls partly occlude the mouth of the channel and serve to retain the panel within the channel. This design is both expensive to make and expensive to install. There are a limited number of moldings that can be manufactured in  1 accordance with the teachings of Lamont et al. The main reason for this is that most of the existing molding available is so thin that its integrity will be severely compromised. 
     Canadian Patent Application 2,142,384 by David M. Simonar entitled “Molding Fastener System” disclosed a molding fastener system that utilized snap fasteners. The system addressed a number of problems in the prior art in that it had a compact profile that could be used with thinner styles of molding. The problem with the system was that it involved too many component pieces and, as such, was labour intensive to install. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     What is required is an alternative form of architectural molding fastener system. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for mounting architectural moldings. A molding is provided with a retaining groove. A two part fastener is provided having a female portion and a male portion. The female portion is asymmetrical with a first width in a first direction that is less than a narrowest width of the retaining groove and a second width in a second direction larger than the narrowest width of the retaining groove. The female portion is inserted into the retaining groove when oriented in the first direction. The female portion is then rotated within the retaining groove until the female portion is wedged in the retaining groove in the second direction and thereby precluded from removal. The male portion is mounted to a surface prior to mating with the female portion. 
     The method, as described above, provides a simple and unobtrusive mode of attachment for the molding that can easily be detached when required to facilitate household maintenance. Unlike the previous system by Simonar the insertion of the female portions of the two part fasteners into the retaining groove can be performed rapidly. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, manually exerting a force to rotate the female portions can be awkward. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the female portion has a surface profile that accommodates a tool and permits the female portion to be rotated by the tool like a rotatable fastener. This saves wear and tear on the installers fingers and permits more torque to be applied. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, if a force of sufficient magnitude acted upon the female portion of the two part fastener, it would be dislodged from the retaining groove. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the retaining groove is a dovetail groove having a base portion that defines a maximum width and a terminus of converging sidewalls that define a narrowest width. It is much more difficult to dislodge the female portion from such a dove-tail groove. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, the holding effect of the dovetail groove can be even further enhanced when the female portion of the two part fastener has sidewalls which converge inwardly from a first face toward a second face. The first face has a width substantially corresponding to the maximum width of the dovetail retaining groove. The second face has a width substantially corresponding to the narrowest width of the dovetail retaining groove. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, there is a need to fasten moldings securely where they abut. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the moldings are connected by inserting a connecting member into the retaining grooves at a first end of a first molding and at a second end of a second molding. It will be appreciated that the connecting member can be linear for straight sections or angular for corner sections. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, even more beneficial effects can be obtained to holding power of the connecting member when the connecting member has flexible sidewalls defining a channel. The connecting member can then be secured in position within the retaining groove by inserting a male member into the channel to expand the flexible sidewalls outwardly to engage the retaining groove. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when the male member has a groove in a back and top of it, thereby enabling a tool to be inserted in the male member to facilitate its removal from the connecting member. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when a locator tack is provided having a base of sufficient size to fit inside a hole of the female portion of the two part fastener and a sharp point which is longer than a height of the retaining groove in the molding, thereby facilitating the marking of the fastening points of the male portions of the two part fastener to a surface. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for mounting architectural moldings. This apparatus includes, in combination, a molding with a retaining groove and a two part fastener having a female portion and a male portion. The female portion being asymmetrical with a first width in a first direction that is less than a narrowest width of the retaining groove and a second width in a second direction larger than the narrowest width of the retaining groove. 
     As described above, the functionality of the apparatus can be further enhanced by selected features. By providing the female portion with a tool receiving profile, the rapid insertion of the female portion can be facilitated. By making the retaining groove in a dovetail groove configuration, the holding power of the retaining groove can be improved. Further, the holding effect of the dovetail groove can be even further enhanced when the female portion is configured to more closely fit the dovetail groove. By providing a connecting member that is insertable the retaining grooves at a first end of a first molding and a second end of a second molding, the connection to moldings can be facilitated. By making connecting member with flexible sidewalls defining a channel, the connecting member can be locked in place by the insertion of a male member into the channel. By placing a groove in the male member, a tool may be inserted in the male member to facilitate its removal from the connecting member. By providing a locator tack that mates with the female portion of the two part fastener, the positioning of the male portion along a surface can be rapidly and accurately marked. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the molding fastens system and how components fit together. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of engaged fastener with molding, as in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of a fastener engaged with molding, as in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of engaged fastener with molding, as in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the female portion of the fastener. 
     FIG. 6 is a cut away end elevation view of the female portion of the fastener, as in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is cut away side elevation view of the female portion of the fastener as in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a molding installed using the molding fastener system. 
     FIG. 9 is a cut away side elevation view of the installed molding illustrated in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded side elevation view of the installed molding illustrated in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is perspective view of male locator tack and centering washer. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a flat 90° corner molding clip. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a 90° outside corner molding clip. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a 90° inside corner molding clip. 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a straight run molding clip. 
     FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of an installation involving a straight molding clip, as in FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 17 is a top plan view, in section, of a molding clip holder assembly. 
     FIG. 18 a side elevation view of the molding clip holder assembly taken along section lines A—A of FIG.  17 . 
     FIG. 19 is an exploded side elevation view, in section, of an alternative embodiment of molding system constructed in accordance ith the teachings of the present invention. 
     FIG. 20 is a side elevation view, in section, of the alternative embodiment of molding system illustrated in FIG.  19 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment of architectural molding and a preferred method of installing the same will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 20. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment uses a dovetail groove  48  made in the molding  54 , a nail or screw  38 , and a two part fastener system which has a female portion and a male portion. The male portion is hereinafter identified as a circular male snap  44  and the female portion is hereinafter referred to as a female molding snap  20 . Various configurations of connecting members are provided in the form of molding clips for connecting pieces of molding  54  together: molding clip  68  is illustrated in FIG. 12, molding clip  80  is illustrated in FIG. 13, molding clip  82  is illustrated in FIG.  14  and molding clip  84  is illustrated in FIG.  15 . Referring to FIGS. 16 through 18, male members, hereinafter referred to as molding clip holder assemblies  86 , are used to secure the above identified molding clips in position. Referring to FIG. 11, locator tacks  106  are used to locate the mounting positions of male snaps  44 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, molding  54  must be of adequate thickness so that the dovetail groove  48  does not adversely affect the strength requirements of the molding  54 . The groove  48  will have bevelled sides  56  which slope outwards and which meet on the same plane  50  at the bottom of the groove. Referring to FIG. 3, the bevelled sides  56  must be of sufficient depth to accept the full length of the circular male snap  44 . Referring to FIG. 1, although a number of “pockets” could be used, it is preferred that the plane surface  50  of the groove  48  will be of constant depth over the entire length of the molding  54  and will be a consistent parallel distance/width from edges  58  and  52  over the entire length of the molding  54 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  9 , and  10 , circular male snap  44 , made of body  42 , will be fastened to the desired flat surface  64  by screw/nail  38 . The male snap  44  and screw/nail  38  will be attached to the flat surface  64  in such a manner that it will match with the positioning of the female molding snap  20  in the molding  54 . When attaching the screw/nail  38  and male snap  44  to a flat surface  64  the base of male snap  44  must be snug/flush with the flat surface  64 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, female molding snap  20  is made of flat sides  26 , bevelled sides  22 , expansion grooves  28 , circular opening  30  and consists of flat top  24  and flat bottom  32 . The sides will consist of flat sides  26  and bevelled sides  22  and both are of approximate depth of the molding groove  50  plus the base of the circular male snap  44 . The thickness or depth of female molding snap  20  will correspond with the difference in depth of the molding groove  48  and the base of the male snap  44 . The hole in the geometric center of the female molding snap  20  has bevelled sides and diameter  30  and be of adequate size to be smaller in diameter than the snap end of circular male snap  44 . The female molding snap  20  will be positioned on molding  54  to match the position of male snap  44  and screw/nail  38 . Side width bevelled dimension C—C in FIG. 6 of female molding snap  20  is slightly larger than the inside bevel width  56  of the molding groove  48 . Side width dimension D—D in FIG. 7 of female molding snap  20  is slightly smaller than side dimensions from  52  to  58  of molding groove  48 . The female molding snap  20  has a smaller inside diameter of bevelled lip  30  than the head diameter  40  of male snap  44 . The diameter  34  at the bottom of female molding snap will be slightly larger than diameter  40  of male snap  44 . The small grooves  28  on the top of female molding snap  20  will be of sufficient depth, width and number to enable the bevelled diameter  30  to expand enough to allow the end  40  of male snap  44  to be inserted with sufficient force. Bevelled diameter  30  is designed to force the base  46  of male snap  44  against flat top  24  of female molding snap  20 . The small grooves  28  also accommodate a tip of a screw driver (not shown). It is preferred that the bevelled sides  22  have very small raised ridges (not shown) which extend from the flat top  24  and flat bottom  32  of female molding snap  20 . These ridges assist in obtaining a snug friction fit between female snap  20  and molding groove  48 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, female molding snap  20  is first inserted in molding groove  48  with dimension D—D in FIG. 7, parallel with sides  52  and  58  of molding groove  48 . The female molding snap will be turned by one quarter turn such that dimension C—C in FIG. 6 is parallel to sides  52  and  58  of molding groove  48  such that the female molding snap is fitting snugly in groove  48 . Referring to FIG. 3, when the female molding snap  20  is properly installed it will resist movement in the molding groove  48  unless sufficient force is applied. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, once the female molding snap  20  is in place and is aligned with the male snap  44  (which is securely fastened to a flat surface  64 ), the molding  54  can then be snapped securely to the male snap  44  on the flat surface  64 . The amount of snap assemblies will be determined by the fit between the molding  54  and flat surface  64 , and the limit of installed snaps will be based on the assembly length and molding  54  length. It is expected that the number of fasteners on a molding  54  would be similar to the number of fasteners required if the molding  54  were nailed, stapled or screwed. 
     The molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82 , and  84  as shown in FIGS. 12,  13 ,  14  and  15  are inserted into the two matching corresponding molding  54  pieces which can meet in any manufactured angle in flat corners, internal and external corners or in straight run lengths. The desired effect holds two opposing pieces of molding  54  together such that when molding clip holder assemblies  86  are inserted in each end of the molding clip it securely holds the clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  and securely holds two pieces of molding  54  together. Each molding clip of bodies of  68 ,  80 ,  82 , and  84  will consist of flat tops  70  and sides  78 . The sides will consist of legs  74  which are of approximate depth of the molding groove  48  and a leg  76  which extends outward to be in close tolerance to the base of the molding groove  50 . The top of the molding clips will consist of top  70  and sides  78 . The sides  70  will be in close tolerance with the sides of molding groove  56 . The thickness or depth of the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  will be less than, but in close proximity in depth of the molding groove  50 . When molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  are installed properly they will be inserted such that each matching molding will meet each other in a snug secure manner. 
     Referring to FIGS. 16 through 18, the molding clip holder assembly of body  86  is of sufficient depth  96  to slide conformably inside the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  and be of a height dimension slightly less than depth  74 . The molding clip holder assembly  86  has a flat top  98  and bottom  100 . It has sides  96  which have rounded insertion ends  92  and of width  102  and  104  such that it is slightly larger than the side dimensions  78  of the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  and when the molding clip assembly  86  is inserted in the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  it forces the sides  76  into the bottom of the dove tailed groove  50  of the molding  54 . The molding clip holder assembly  86  will have an end  94  which will have a width wider than the inside dimension of  78  such that when it is inserted it will not fully enter the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84 . There will be a groove  88  which will remain exposed once the molding clip holder assembly  86  is inserted in the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84 , the molding clip holder assembly  86  can then be easily removed by sliding it out by using the groove  88  to hang on to. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, male snap locator tack  106  of pointed end  108  and flat base  116  will be made of a strong high tensile strength metal which will have the ability to penetrate any flat surfaces  64  as desired for molding installation. It will have dimensions such that the base  116  will have a diameter such that it is smaller than the bevelled diameter  30  of the female molding snap  20 . The height of the pointed end  108  will be more than the height of the groove  48  of sides  56  such that when the molding  54  is resting on a flat surface  64  and is struck with the palm of a hand, the male snap locator tack  106  will stick into the flat mounting surface  64 . A small centering washer  112  will be made of a soft resilient material such that the pointed end  108  of the male snap locator tack  106  fits snugly in the hole  110  in the geometric center of the flat sides  114  of the washer  112 . The washer  112  will have a height and diameter such that when it is placed over the male snap locator tack  106  and when they are both inserted into a female molding snap  20 , it will sit inside the bevelled diameter  30  such that it is unable to fall out and is held securely enough to keep it there while the molding  54  is put into position on the flat mounting surface  64 . After the molding  54  is hit sufficiently hard enough by the palm of a hand the centering washer will be released from the bevelled hole  30  of the female molding snap after the male molding snap locator tack is forced into the flat mounting surface  64 . Even if the male snap locator tack  106  does not stick into flat mounting surface  64  it will leave a visible marked location for the male snap  44  and mounting screw or nail  38 . The male snap locator tack  106  and centering washer  112  can be kept and used for many molding installations. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the molding groove  48  with bevelled (dovetail) sides  56  enables the female molding snap  20  to be held securely in the molding. The desired effect is to obtain a flush fit between a flat mounting surface and the back of the molding  60 . To obtain a flush fit the total depth of the molding groove  54  will be equal to the cumulative thickness of base of male snap  44  and thickness of female molding snap  20 . 
     The molding  54  may be made of any type of material, and is not limited to materials the same or similar to existing manufactured molding. The molding can be made of any type of material, as long as the material is resilient enough to hold female molding snap  20 . This enables materials to be used that previously would not have been viewed as suitable. The circular male snap  72  may be made of plastic or metal, but it must incorporate a thin flat base and a hole in the middle for use in attaching to a flat surface  64  with nail or screw  38 . Nail or screw  38  will be made of metal and will consist of a head  36  which will fit inside the head of circular male snap  44 . The nail or screw will be of sufficient length to accomplish a snug fit between the base of the circular male snap  46  and the flat mounting surface  64 . In the case that normal gyp rock (wallboard) is the flat surface  64 , the nail or screw  38  will be required to penetrate solid backing behind the wall board  66 . Where a screw wall anchor is employed, then a screw  38  of sufficient length and head  36  must be used to attach the circular male snap  44 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the female molding snap  20  will be made of any type of material which is resilient enough to sit conformably on flat molding surface  50 . The female molding snap  20  will preferably be made of a resilient plastic material, which can be formed or machined. The key elements of the female molding snap are; flat sides  26 , bevelled sides  22 , and the grooves  28  which allow the smaller diameter with bevelled edges  30  to accept and hold the male snap  44 . The shape and dimensions of the female molding snap  20  create the snug fit between it and the molding  54 . The female molding snap  20  is fit securely within the molding groove  48  by inserting it in the groove with the flat sides of the snap  26  parallel the sides of the groove  52  and  58  and then turning the snap one quarter turn. The total size and dimensions of the female molding snap  20  will be determined by the size of the molding groove  48  and the male snap  44  used. It is anticipated that a standard size of grooves  48  would be made in molding or trim and the snaps would be a standard size so that there would not be errors associated with having different sized grooves  48 . The female molding snap  20  can also be made of any other resilient material which also has the flexibility so that it can expand enough in the inside bevelled diameter  30  to accept the male molding snap  44 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 11 through 16, the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82 , and  84  will preferably be manufactured using a thin metal material or plastic to allow it to expand and grip the base of the molding groove  50  and be resilient enough to hold and accept the molding clip holder assembly  86 . The thickness or depth of the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82 , and  84  will be determined by the depth of the groove  50  in the molding  54 . Preferably a thin but high tensile strength metal or plastic will be used to allow the clips with sides  78  to spring back to original position when molding clip holder assemblies are removed allowing the clips to slide freely from the ends of the molding grooves  50 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 16 through 18, the molding clip holder assembly  86  will likely be made out of plastic or metal, which will allow it to be easily inserted or withdrawn from the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84 . It must be of dimensions and resilient enough to force the sides  78  of the molding clips  68 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  into the sides of the molding groove  50  securely. 
     Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, there is illustrated how the male component can be incorporated as part of a fastener  138 , such as a nail or a screw or a wall anchor. Male fastener  138  has a flat head  142  and a round bevelled diameter  140 . Male fastener  138  is securely fastened to flat surface of wallboard  64  and extends into solid backing  66  behind wallboard  64 . Molding  54  is then secured in place by snapping female molding snap  20  onto head  142 . The depth of penetration of male fastener  138  relative to flat surface  64  will be selected according to the depth of molding groove  48 , so that head  142  protrudes from flat surface  64  a distance closely approximating the depth of molding groove  48 . With this system, the distance of head  142  from surface  64  can be varied. This provides an advantage when an installer discovers that a portion of surface  64  is not completely flat. By adjusting the depth of penetration of male fastener  138 , the irregularity or defect can be accommodated. 
     It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the profile of retaining groove  48  can change as long as there is a corresponding change to the profile of the female snap component. It will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that other modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the claims.

Technology Category: 0