AU603129B2 - Cladding clip - Google Patents

Description

A Ua I XALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(OR!IGINAL)

FOR OFFI7CE USE: Application Number: Lodged: Class Int. Class Ogg 60 a 129 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published:

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.Pri~rity: Related Art: N~ame of AppI;.cant(s): Address of Applicant(s): GREENHOUSE PARK LIMITED Corner Spring Street and Cainercn Road* Tauranga NEW ZEALAND Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service:' ALAN KIETH PETERSCN Kelvin Lord &Co., 4 Doturo Place, WEST PVRTH, Western Australia 6005.

Complete Specification for the. invention entitled: "CLADDING CLIP" The. frdli"4 lrufment it 161 ft ,-ti-ion of tfis invemtion. Inclucinv th,- he-o rmohnri opfnfrmilnu it known to tne!us r i This invention concerns greenhouses, shadehouses, propagating rooms, nursery shelters and similar structures where the cladding material is film, reinforced film or shade cloth rather than glass.

In particular the invention concerns a clip for securing the cladding to the frame.

In our co-pending application for patent no. 216846 we have described horticulture frames in which the ridge, eaves, rafters and footings all have extrusions which permit leakproof attachments of cladding film to the frame, the contents of which specification are hereby incorporated by way of reference.

The major problem in the provision of film clad horticultural structures is satisfactory location of the film. The frames can easily be made sufficiently strong to take anticipated wind forces, snow loads and the like but the permanenet anchorage of the film is in practice difficult to achieve. In our copending application described above we disclose a film anchor which is an upstanding rib with a substantially mushroom section head. We also disclosed a plast'c extrusion cap for snap fitting onto the head of the anchor. The cap had a cross-section which was substantially keyhole shaped, the diverging legs reaching down on both sides of the anchor to press the film flat against the planar zurfaces of the frame extrusions. This partially solved the problem of retaining the film by ensuring that the legs reached the planar surfaces of the extrusion of which the anchor formed an extension and thereby resisted rotation of the cap about the long axis of the mushroom head of the anchor, whenever the film was stretched.

We have however found that a more secure method for anchoring the cap is desirable.

It Is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clip for securing film to a structures.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description.

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S 3 This invention provides a clip for securing film to a structure by engaging a rib extending from the structure, said rib consisting of an elongate body section with a head therefor; said clip comprising a resilient, elongate, substantially H-shaped body section having portions which define a groove at one end and a pair of outwardly diverging gripping flanges at another end, said gripping flanges converging at an inner portion and defining a cavity of a complementary shape to the rib head, there also being provided a pair of inwardly directed projections disposed upon inner surfaces of the gripping flanges, wherein in use *the clip can secure a film placed over the rib by engaging the rib head with the gripping flanges and inserting an It f* insert into the groove so that the gripping flanges are forced slightly downwards and inwards such that the rib head is retained within the cavity by the inwardly directed projections.

g.g More particularly the invention provides a clip for securing Ce C film to horticultural frames by engaging the substantially S" 20 male-section head of the frame rib which has film supporting margins on both sides of the rib, comprising a resilient, substantially H-section body with an upper and lower L• conformation, the lower conformation having a pair of mutually opposed, inwardly directed projections which snap over the head of the rib and a pair of diverging legs which act both as ramp faces for the projections and prevent rotation of the cap about the axis of the rib head by contact with the film supporting margins and means to lock A he clip onto the rib.

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0b :I 3a- The means to lock the rib may comprise a separate insertion which is a force fit in the upper conformation of the body, such insertion causing the projections and legs to close towards each other and grip the rib head.

The upper conformation may therefore have a slot, the entrance to which is restricted by a pair of inwardly directed opposed projections which ensure a snap fit when the insertion is added.

The clip may exert a localised film anchoring effect like a clothespeg but more usually the clip will be made as an extrusion for example of PVC which is cut off from a standard extruded length to conform with the length of the frame member bieng clad.

The insert may be a rod of the same or different material which is a drive fit in the slot.

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One embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fi:gre 1: is a cross-section of the clip passing over the rib head, and Figure 2: is a cross-section of the clip with a locking insert in position.

Referring now to the drawings the frame member generally indicated by arrow 1 go* is an aluminium rafter of modified T-section, as described in our copending application no. 216846. The rafter 1 has a flat spar which provides film-supporting margins 2 on both sides of upstanding rib 3. The rib 3 terminates in a mushroom section head 4.

A clip generally indicated by arrow 5 is designed to secure film 6 (figure 2) onto S the frame 1. The clip 5 comprises a resilient substantially H-section body 7 which defines a groove 8 and a pair of gripping legs 9. The film 6 is secured on the frame 1 when a wedge such as bar 10 is located in the groove 8 which spreads the arms 11 open and at the same time causes the legs 9 to close on the head 4 capturing the film 6, with the central portion 12 of the body 7 acting as a pivot.

o Inner arcuate surfaces 13 of the legs 9 define a cavity 14 complementary to the shape of the head 4 of the rib 3, and the legs 9 extend outwardly and downwardly away from the cavity 14. Between the cavity 14 and each of the legs 9 there is a shoulder 15, which when the clip is locked onto the rafter locks the clip in position relative to an adjacent point of the head 4.

The insert 10 is arranged to be a snap-fit in the groove 8. In the example shown the insert 10 is an elongate bar and the inner surfaces of the groove 8 are semicircular to suit. Other means (not shown) of spreading the arms 11 may include -4i p.

individual wedges or such-like forced into an undersized portion of the groove.

The legs 11 include inwardly directed entry portions which assist the entry of the insert into the groove 8.

It is to be appreciated that a clip In accordance with the present invention could in comhination with a male rib-section member which is mounted on a mounting flange or other member (not shown) be used to fix film or sheet materials to any S structure, It can be seen that the clip described turns the trapped film through a series of acute angles and it is believed that these change in direction together with the enhanced grip that the insert ensures are responsible for the improved performance of the clip. The entrapment of the film allows for some slippage lessening the chance of the film ripping.

o•C Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only 'nd i t is to be appreciated that modifications and additions thereto can be made S without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (3)

1. 2. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the groove receives rn insert which is a snap-fit in the groove.
2. 3. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the .groove section is semi-circular to receive an elongate insert of complementary section.
3. 4. A clip as claimed in any one of Claims I to 3 wherein the inner surfaces of the gripping flanges and/or the groove include inwardly directed entry surfaces. A clip as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the cavity defined by the gripping flanges is substantially mushroom-shaped to accommodate a rib head of like shape. S R6. A clip substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED JULY 12 1990 GREENHOUSE BARK LIMITED By their Pp.tent Attorneys KELVIN LORD AND COMPANY PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 0Sg fs cli~