AU635164B2 - A clip - Google Patents

Description

1 635164 S F Ref: 195272

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFCATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

1k S. 0 O S 05 0 55 0 ec. 00 0 50 Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Rondo Building Services Pty Limited 1 Glossop Street St. Marys New South Wales 2760

AUSTRALIA

Derek William Mills and Sergio Cariolato Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia A Clip 000500 0 0500 F' 5* 0 ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [31] Application No(s) [33] Country PK2900 AU [32] Application Date 19 October 1990 0.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/3 -2- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to ceiling suspension systems, and more particularly, to clips for use in such systems to facilitate the coupling of the suspended ceiling panel to the building framework.

In a known ceiling suspension system, the ceiling panel, commonly made of plasterboard, is attached to a number of so-called furring channels which are arranged in parallel. Top cross rails are then laid across the furring channels and are coupled thereto, for example by means of joining clips. This composite construction of the panel and the latticework of channels and cross rails is then suspended from a suitable bracket affixed to the concrete slab or wooden joist forming part of the framework of the building.

The suspension has been achieved by clipping a plurality of suspension clips to suspension rods which are hung from various types of fixings. The suspension clips are then attached to cross rails using a mechanical device to secure them in place. Thus, it has been necessary to use three relatively small clips which could easily be dropped and if not mechanically secured in place, would cause a safety hazard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 20 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide •a ceiling suspension clip which will overcome or at least reduce some of these disadvantages.

Accordingly, the invention provides a ceiling suspension clip formed from a longitudinally extending resilient member and comprising a 25 first substantially planar portion including a first end portion of the member provided with a recess shaped to clamp around a ceiling panel support element and a second portion contiguous with the first portion and providina a substantially arcuate portion having first and second end portions extending out of the plane of the first portion of the member, the arcuate portion having two apertures arranged for receiving a ceiling suspension rod therethrough, one aperture being positioned in each of the first and second end portions of the arcuate portion, the first end portion of the arcuate portion being at least p ,lJy formed by a tab cut out of the member and arranged to extend out of the plane of the first portion of the member, the resilience of the member being such that when the end portions of the arcuate portion are biased towards each other, ,9-r2 Fthe rod passes through the apertures and when the arcuate portion is not 3 so biased, the end portions thereof move apart so that the suspension rod is clamped in position, wherein the first portion of the member is provided with a longitudinal slit extending from the recess in the first end portion of the member towards but not as far as the second portion of the member.

In a preferred embodiment, one or both end portions of the arcuate portion is/are provided with a gripping mean to facilitate compression of the arcuate portion. The first and second end portions of the arcuate portion can then be easily compressed by a compressive force, e.g. thumb and fingers, acting on the gripping means.

In a further preferred embodiment, the second end portion of the arcuate portion is formed by the second end of the member. Strengthening ribs are preferably provided in the member. A clearance space is preferably provided between the tab and the member.

The arcuate portion may be a smooth curve, e.g. a crescent shape, or may include a number of substantially flat portions separated by discrete folds so as to form a generally arcuate shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be more fully 20 described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a ceiling suspension clip according to the invention attached to part of a suspended ceiling; Figures 2 to 4 show different methods of attaching a suspension rod to a building framework; 25 Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a ceiling suspension clip according to the invention; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a Sceiling suspension clip according to the invention; Figure 7 shows a front view of the clip of Figure 6; Figure 8 shows a side view of the clip of Figure 6; and Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a ceiling suspension clip according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Thus, as shown in Figure 1, a ceiling suspension clip 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is formed from a planar, longitudinal resilient piece of metal. The clip 1 comprises a -4first portion 2 for attaching to a cross rail 3 connected to a furring channel 4 on a ceiling panel 5. The first portion 2 is shaped so as to easily clamp over the cross rail 3 by torsionally twisting the clip 1 until it clamps over the cross rail. As can be seen, the clip 1 has a cut-out portion 6 of the same shape as the cross-section of the cross rail 3 and further including a slit 7 extending inwardly from the end of the portion 2 so as to allow the portion of the clip to be torsionally opened to clamp over the cross rail 3.

A second portion 2' of the clip 1 extends from the first portion 2, and is tapered towards a narrower portion 8 bent into an arcuate shape out of the plane of the clip such that the free end of the arcuate portion 8 lies approximately in the plane of the first portion.

Thus, the arcuate portion 8 is substantially crescent shaped when looked at from the side of the clip 1.

The arcuate portion 8 is provided with two apertures 9, 10 at opposite ends of ti:j crescent and substantially In-line with each other so as to receive a suspension rod 11 therethrough. In order to pass the rod 11 through the apertures, the arcuate portion 8 is compressed so as to bring the apertures 9,10 Into line with each other. The rod 11 is 20 then passed through the apertures and the compression on the arcuate portion is removed so that it relaxes back to its normal shape thereby clamping the rod in position.

In order to facilitate the compressing of the arcuate portion by a person fitting the rod into the clip, the free end of the arcuate portion is provided with a bent over portion to provide a finger grip 12. Furthermore, the clip 1 is provided with a gripping lug 13 between the first portion and the arcuate portion and extending out of the plane of the first portion. In this way, the arcuate portion 8 can be easily compressed by a person gripping the clip 1 between the finger grip 12 and 30 the gripping lug 13.

In order to suspend the ceiling, the suspension clip 1 Is 06.. 0 connected to the suspension rod 11 using finger and thumb, with the suspensicn rod then being connected to a suitable bracket fixed to the building structure. The suspension clip 1 is then sprung onto the cross rail 3 ensuring a secure fixing without the need for a mechanical device to secure it. Furring channels 4, of whichonly one is shown, are then connected to the cross rails 3, of which only one is shown, and the ceiling panel 5 is screw fixed to the furring channels.

csh/l124E As can be seen in Figures 2 to 4, the suspension rod 11 is provided with a hook portion 14 which is hooked through an aperture in a suitable bracket. In Figure 2 the bracket 15 is simply screwed or nailed to the side of a wooden joist 16; in Figure 3, the bracket 17 is right-angled and bolted to the underside of a concrete floor slab 18; and in Figure 4, the bracket 19 is designed to be fixed to a C-shaped extruded channel 20. It will be appreciated, however, that the suspension rod 11 can be fixed in any desired manner to the building structure.

Figures 5, 6 to 8, and 9 show three further embodiments of a clip according to the invention in which similar parts to those shown in Figure 1 have identical reference numerals. In the embodiment of the clip shown in Figure 5, the arcuate portion 21 is not relatively smoothly curved, as in the clip shown in Figure 1, but is formed by a number, in this case three, of flat portions separated by bends arranged at angles chosen so as to produce a generally arcuate shape.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 8, the clip includes

S..

an arcuate portion 22 formed by a first flat portion 23 bent out of the b plane of the first portion 2 of the clip, a second flat portion 24 9*9* 20 forming part of the tapered portion 2' of the clip and a third flat portion 25 which is formed by a tab cut out of the centre of the first oportion 2 of the clip and bent out of the plane thereof. The aperture 9 is provided in the third flat portion 25 and the aperture 10 is provided in the first flat portion 23. Strengthening ribs 26 and 27 are punched out of the first portion 2 on either side of the tab The embodiment shown in Figure 9 is similaer to that of Figures 6 to 8, except that the width of the tab 25 is made slightly smaller than the width of the cut out portion so that a clearance space 28 is provided on either side of the tab 25. This clearance space 28 30 facilitates storing the clips in bundles by reducing the possibility that they will become entangled and therefore allowing easy separation thereof, when required.

It will therefore be appreciated that what has been described is a ceiling suspension clip which allows a ceiling to be more quickly and easily suspended than hitherto with a reduced number of parts and consequent reduction in possibility of parts being dropped, lost or incorrectly fitted. The safety factor of the assembly has been increased dramatically and the time needed for assembly of the components has been reduced by approximately csh/l 124E

Claims (12)

1. A ceiling suspension clip formed from a longitudinally extending resilient member and comprising a first substantially planar portion including a.first end portion of the member provided with a recess shaped to clamp around a ceiling panel support element and a second portion contiguous with the first portion and providing a substantially arcuate portion having first and second end portions extending out of the plane of the first portion of the member, the arcuate portion having two apertures arranged for receiving a ceiling suspension rod therethrough, one aperture being positioned in each of the first and second end portions of the arcuate portion, the first end portion of the arcuate portion being at least partly formed by a tab cut out of the member and arranged to extend out of the plane of the first portion of the member, the resilience of the member being such tha when the end portions of the arcuate portion are biased towards each other, the rod passes through the apertures and when the arcuate portion is not so biased, the end portions thereof move apart so that the suspension rod is clamped in position, wherein the first portion of the member is provided with a longitudinal slit extending from the 20 recess in the first end portion of the member towards but not as far as ~i the second portion of the member. .0

2. A ceiling suspension clip according to claim 1, wherein one or both end portions of the arcuate portion is/are provided with a gripping means to facilitate compression of the arcuate portion.

3. A ceiling suspension clip according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second end portion of the arcuate portion is formed by the second end of the member.

4. A ceiling suspension clip according to any preceding claim, wherein strengthening ribs are provided in the member.

5. A ceiling suspension clip according to any preceding claim, wherein a clearance space is provided between the tab and the member.

6. A ceiling suspension clip according to any preceding claim, wherein said first end portion of the member is provided with a pair of opposed jaws defining said recess for fitting to the ceiling panel support element and said slit permits the jaws to be torsionally opened for fitting. /1124E 7

7. A ceiling suspension clip according to any preceding claim, wherein said arcuate portion is in the shape of a smooth curve.

8. A ceiling suspension clip according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said arcuate portion includes a number of substantially flat portions separated by discrete folds.

9. A ceiling suspension clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings.

A ceiling suspension clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5 of the drawings.

11. A ceiling suspension clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 to 8 of the drawings.

12. A ceiling suspension clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 9 of the drawings. DATED this EIGHTH day of JANUARY 1993 •m ~Rondo Building Services Pty Limited :a Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON o o 4 S 124E Abstract Ceiling Suspension Clip A ceiling suspension clip is formed from a planar, longitudinal resilient piece of metal. The clip comprises a first portion for attaching to a cross rail connected to a furring channel on a ceiling panel The first portion is shaped so as to easily clamp over the cross rail by torsionally twisting the clip until it clamps over the cross rail. A second portion of the clip (1) extends from the first portion and is tapered towards a narrower portion bent Into an arcuate shape out of the plane of the clip such that the free end of the arcuate portion lies approximately in the plane of the first portion. The arcuate portion is provided with two apertures 10) at opposite ends of the crescent and substantially In-line with each other so as to receive a suspension rod (11) St*, 15 therethrough. In order to pass the rod (11) through the apertures, the arcuate portion is compressed so as to bring thp apertures (9,10) into line with each other. The rod (11) Is then passed through the apertures and the compression on the arcuate portion is removed so that it relaxes back to Its normal shape thereby clamping the rod in position. The rod is then attached to the ceiling supporting structure. •Figure 1 4 8665 :sh/ 124E