AU753259B1

AU753259B1 - Supporting bracket

Info

Publication number: AU753259B1
Application number: AU37019/02A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian W. Cole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-08-14
Filing date: 2002-04-29
Publication date: 2002-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-29

Description

53018 GEH:PFB P/00/011 AUSTRALIA Regulation 3.2 Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: JOHN FREDERICK TREACEY Name of inventor(s): IAN W COLE Address for Service: COLLISON CO., 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: SUPPORTING BRACKET Details of Associated Provisional Applications: PR6996 dated 1 4 th August 2001 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: This invention relates to a supporting bracket, more particularly to a bracket self attaching to a wall such as a brick wall and to support articles while attached to the wall.

The invention is particularly applicable to the attachment of articles to walls such as brick walls without having to damage the wall by drilling holes or the like.

Various attempts have been made to attach a bracket to a brick wall without damaging the wall.

US Patent No 4337915 describes a spring clip to engage the upper edge of a brick the lower end of the clip having a separate bow shaped clip to be depressed and released to engage the lower edge of the brick. Hooks are ififfilip having an elongated body portion to span at least two recesses, said body having at its upper end an extending leg to engage in an upper recess on the upper surface of the respective wall element, a lower leg to resiliently engage in a lower recess on the lower surface of the respective wall element, said lower leg at its end being bent to return in a downward and outward manner to beyond the surface of the wall to provide a portion for attachment of a load, whereby said load tends to force the lower leg into the recess.

Additionally there is provided according to the invention spring clip to provide support to a member on a surface such as a wall having elements separated by parallel recesses, said spring clip having an elongated metal body to span a least one of said elements, a hook shaped leg at an upper end of said body, a hook shaped leg on the other end of said body to resiliently engage in a respective recess and locate on the respective end surface of said element, and locating and holding members on the body to extend laterally of the body to locate and hold planar member on the surface of the wall.

Furthermore there is provided according to the invention a spring clip for supporting an object on a wall such as a brick or concrete block or other vertical wall having a protruding portion similar to a brick on a brick wall, were not lodged with this application hereinafter called a brick, said spring clip having a hook at one end to engage the upper surface of said brick in the grout area, a curved hook portion at the other end to engage in the grout area of the brick to engage the lower surface of the said brick, said curved hook portion being shaped to extend downwards and away from the surface of the wall to provide a portion of the clip spaced outwardly of the wall adapted to support the object, the downward force applied by the object to the portion of the clip thus tending to force the curved hook portion into the grout area and onto the upper surface of the next lower brick.

In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 4 are four variations of the clip, the second leg having different configurations, Figure 5 is a view.of a clip to support an edge of an item such as a sign, Figure 6 is a view of a clip supporting the edges of adjacent signs, Figure 7 is a view of a clip to be attached to an item such as a concrete block, Figure 8 shows a clip in position on a brick wall, and Figure 9 is a side elevation of one of the clips showing the line of force on the clip when supporting a load.

Referring to the spring clip of Figure 1, the spring clip has a body portion 1 and at one end has a leg 2 to face the wall or other structure to which the clip is to be attached. At the other end of the body there is provided a second leg 3. In this instance the leg 3 has a protruding portion 4 extending at right angles from the body on the same side of the body as the leg 2. The leg 3 then extends at 5 downwardly and away from the structure to an outwardly and upwardly extending portions 6 and 7 to terminate in an inwardly curled end 8.

A load can be supported at the bend between the portions 5 and 6. By supporting the load at this point the load will force the portion 5 and bend 9 into contact with the adjacent edge of the adjacent element and the portion 4 and the bend 10 into the recess between the two elements and into further contact with the edge of the first element.

Figure 2 shows a similar clip but in this instance the portion 4 is upwardly extending, and the portion 7 is generally parallel to the body 1, while Figure 3 shows a clip similar to Figure 2 but with the roll 8 extending outwardly.

In Figure 4 the leg 3 terminates at the end of portion 6. The load can be applied at the bend 9 or can be attached to the portion 6 through a hole (not shown) in the portion 6 or by any convenient attachment means.

When a sign in the form of a flat board or sheet is to be attached to a structure such as a wall, two or more clips can support the bottom of the sign. Instead of clips at the top clips as shown in Figure 5 can support the edges of the sign.

Thus the clip has a cross portion attached to the body, the cross portion having an offset portion to engage the surface of the sign. The amount of offset will depend upon the thickness of the sign, whether it be particle board, plastic sheet, foam plastic sheet or corrugated sheets. The offset would be chosen to suit the various thickness signs.

Figure 6 shows a similar clip but with an offset portion on each side of the clip.

This can be used where the two signs are to be placed side by side to support the adjacent edges of the two signs.

Figure 7 is an example of a clip suitable for large items such as concrete blocks.

Thus it will be seen that the clips can be of any desired length, whether to suit a brick wall, concrete block wall or other structures having grooves or recesses suitable for use of the clips.

It is to be realised the clips are used not only in the vertical sense, but can also be used horizontally. Thus where, for instance, a horizontal line or tension member is required, clips may be positioned horizontally spaced from each other and the horizontal line or tension member tensioned between the spaced clips which are thus held in position. The force applied by the line or tension member ensures the clips are locked in position.

Figure 8 shows the clip attached to a brick wall, leg 2 engaging the top edge of the brick 13, and leg 3 engaging the lower edge, and also entering the recess to engage the top edge of the lower adjacent brick 14, thus securely locating the clip in position by engaging the top edge of the brick.

Turning now to Figure 9 which shows a typical clip in side elevation. It is to be noted the bend 9 in which the load is to be supported is spaced from the plane of the body portion of the clip away from the wall or other structure.

Thus it can be seen that this downward force F is applied to the clip below the leg 3 and spaced away from the wall or other structure. This downward force F thus tends to move the bend 10 into the recess and up against the lower face of the brick or other construction element. By the positioning of this downward force on the spring clip below the lower portion of the clip there is no tendency to pull the upper leg 2 away from the wall and also forces the lower leg 3 into greater engagement with the lower face of the brick, and also the bend will engage the upper surface of the lower brick.

Thus there is provided a spring clip which is easy to position on the wall. The top of the clip is positioned on the top of the brick and the spring clip may be slightly bowed to engage the lower leg against the lower edge of the brick.

When a load is applied to the lower leg the force applied to the leg will tend to move the portion of the leg further into the recess and to deflect the leg to engage the top surface edge of the lower adjacent brick. This more securely engages the clip on the brick by the downward pull on the lower leg. This provides a distinct advantage over the prior art clips having the load applied to the body of the clip between the upper and lower legs which tend to pull the top leg away from the brick. To overcome this the prior art clip was provided with a saw tooth edge on the upper clip.

7 While it is preferred the spring clip is a metal spring clip, it is to be realised the clip can be made of other materials, such as a suitable plastics material.

Although various embodiments have been described it is to be realised the invention is not to be limited thereto but can include variations and modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A spring clip for supporting an object on a wall or other structure having parallel recesses in the surface of the wall, the clip having a body to extend at least over the distance between at least two recesses, a first extending leg portion to engage in an upper recess, a second leg to resiliently clip into a lower recess, said second leg being so shaped that a load attached thereto will tend to force the lower clip into further engagement with the recess.

2. A spring clip for supporting an object on a wall or other structure having parallel recesses defining surfaces at right angles to the recesses, the clip having a body to extend across between two recesses, an upper leg on the upper end of the body to engage a lower surface of one recess, a lower leg on the body to resiliently engage the upper surface of a lower recess, the lower leg having a portion extending downwardly and away from the wall to provide a load bearing portion spaced from the wall or other structure and below the engaging point of the lower leg to its recess.

3. A metal spring clip to support a load on a vertical surface such as a wall having elements separated by recesses, said clip having an elongated body portion to span at least two recesses, said body having at its upper end an extending leg to engage in an upper recess on the upper surface of the respective wall element, a lower leg to resiliently engage in a lower recess on the lower surface of the respective wall element, said lower leg at its end being bent to return in a downward and outward manner to beyond the surface of the wall to provide a portion for attachment of a load, whereby said load tends to force the lower leg into the recess.

4. A metal spring clip as defined in claim 3 wherein the lower leg is so shaped that when a load is applied thereto the return portion of the leg can be forced into contact with the upper surface of the next lower element to assist in securing the clip to the wall.

A metal spring clip as defined in either of claims 3 or 4 wherein the upper leg extends from the body portion in an outward and downward manner to engage the upper surface of the respective element when in use.

6. A metal spring clip to provide support to a member on a surface such as a wall having elements separated by parallel recesses, said metal clip having an elongated metal body to span a least one of said elements, a hook shaped leg at an upper end of said body, a hook shaped leg on the other end of said body to resiliently engage in a respective recess and locate on the respective end surface of said element, and locating and holding members on the body to extend laterally of the body to locate and hold planar member on the surface of the wall.

7. A metal spring clip for supporting an object on a wall such as a brick or concrete block or other vertical wall having a protruding portion similar to a brick on a brick wall, hereinafter called a brick, said spring clip having a hook at one end to engage the upper surface of said brick in the grout area, a curved hook portion the other end to engage in the grout area of the brick to engage the lower surface of the said brick, said curved hook portion being shaped to extend downwards and away from the surface of the wall to provide a portion of the clip spaced outwardly of the wall adapted to support the object, the downward force applied by the object to the portion of the clip thus tending to force the curved hook portion into the grout area and onto the upper surface of the next lower brick.

8. A metal spring clip substantially as herein before described with references to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. Dated this 29th day of April 2002 JOHN FREDERICK TREACEY By his Patent Attorneys, COLLISON CO.