GB2066343A - Improvements in or relating to a clip - Google Patents

Abstract

A clip comprises two jaw members, 1, 2, each having jaw forming portions 5, the jaw members being flexibly mounted on a base 3. A strap 11 on which the clip is mounted comprises a loop 8 surrounding projections 9 on the jaw members so that as a higher tension is applied to a member grasped by the jaws at 7, a corresponding force is applied to the strap loop forcing the jaws together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to a clip The present invention relates to a clip and more particularly to a clip adapted to be mounted on a loop of strap and adapted releasably to engage a bead formed at the edge of, for example, a sheet of flexible material.

The present invention also relates to a method of securing a covering utilising a clip in accordance with the invention.

According to the broadest aspect of this invention there is provided a clip adapted to engage a bead provided, for example, at the edge of a sheet of resilient material, said clip comprising two jaw members interconnected so that the jaw members are movable from a bead-engaging position to a bead-releasing position, each jaw member comprising an upper member adapted to engage the bead, two side members and a transverse member spaced from and parallel to the said upper member, the said transverse members being adapted to be surrounded by a strap loop so that as an increasing tension is applied to the strap loop the said transverse members, and thus the jaw members, are driven together.

Preferably the clip is constituted by two identical jaw members made of a plastics material connected together by bolts or the like.

Conveniently the clip is provided with a strap loop.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method of securing a cover, said cover being provided with a bead at the edge of a sheet forming part of the cover, said method comprising the step of securing clips according to said broadest aspect to anchor points and clipping the clips to the bead.

Preferably said sheet is a peripheral skirt welded to the cover, and wherein said straps are secured to a skirt that is connected to the cover by a sliding clasp fastener.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further faatures thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clip in accordance with the invention with parts thereof cut away; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a clip in accordance with the invention being mounted in position on a bead provided at the edge of a flexible sheet; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an arrangement securing a covering in position utilising clips in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 a clip in accordance with the present invention comprises two body members 1, 2 formed of plastics material, the body members being identical and being located in face-to-face relationship so that the assembled clip is symmetrical. In the portion as illustrated in the drawings each body member comprises a bottom horizontal bar 3 and two vertical side members 4, and an upper horizontal bar 5 interconnecting the upper ends of the two side members 4, the bar 5 having a protrusion 6 and recess 7 on the face thereof that faces the corresponding bar 5 of the second body member so that a jaw is defined. Each vertical member 4 is connected to the bottom horizontal bar 5 by means of a thin web 8 so that the vertical members 4 and the horizontal bar 5 can move outwardly away from the other body member constituting the clip.A further horizontal bar 9 extends between the two vertical members 4 between the lower horizontal bar 3 and the upper horizontal bar 5. The two body members 1, 2 constituting the clip are secured together by means of a nut and bolt arrangement 10 at each end of the clip.

A loop of strap 11 is inserted in the clip, the loop passing between the two lower horizontal bars 3 and around the two further horizontal bars 9.

Referring now to Figure 2 a clip as described in Figure 1 may be clipped to a sheet 12 which has a bead 1 3 at the edge thereof merely by pressing the clip upwardly towards the bead 13. The rounded upper surfaces of the member 5 act as cam surfaces, forcing the jaw members constituted by the vertical members 4 and the interconnecting horizontal bars 5 and 9 away from each other, the thin webs 8 thus deforming.

Consequently the bead 1 3 is introduced into the recess 7. Due to the natural resilience of the plastics material constituting the clip elements, the clip elements return to their initial position thus trapping the bead in position. The bead will only tend to be withdrawn from the recess 7 when a strong tension is applied to the bead. However, when such a strong tension is applied to the bead a correspondingly strong tension will be applied to the strap loop 11 and this tension will tighten the strap and will thus tend to draw the two horizontal members 9 towards each other, thus preventing the jaws of the clip constituted by the members 5 from opening to release the bead. Thus, as a higher pressure is applied so the clip will grip the bead more strongly.

It is envisaged that clips in accordance with the invention may be utilised in many applications.

The clips may be used, for example, for holding tarpaulins in position on lorries or in many other applications. However, one particular application of the clip will now be described by way of example.

When equipment, such as militarv equipment, for example tanks and vehicles, is to be stored for a long period of time, for example during times of peace, it is necessary to store the equipment in dry conditions. It has been proposed to store the equipment outside, but enclosed by sheets of flexible moisture proof material. However, for this expedient to be effective means must be provided for making a hermetically sealed enclosure to prevent the ingress of moisture.Consequently it has been proposed to provide an upstanding peripheral skirt of the flexible moisture proof material secured to a moisture proof base, such as a suitably prepared concrete base, so that an item of military equipment such as a tank or lorry may be mounted on the concrete base, an appropriately shaped cover being provided adapted to be located over the tank or vehicle and a sliding clasp fastener arrangement being provided to enable the skirt to be sealed to the cover to provide a hermetically sealed enclosure.

A sliding clasp fastener of this type is described, for example, in British Patent Specification No.

914,203. Whilst sliding clasp fasteners of this type are effective, when a cover provided with such sliding clasp fastener is subjected to a high wind loading for example, under gale conditions, the sliding clasp fastener can become released as a result of the high depending stresses applied across the sliding clasp fastener.

Figure 3 illustrates a portion of such a cover, and it will be noted that a skirt 1 5 is provided which is connected to a portion of the cover 16 by means of a sliding clasp fastener 17, which is only shown schematically in the present drawings, but which could, for example, be as described in prior British Patent Specification No. 914,203. In order to prevent the sliding clasp fastener 17 from becoming separated when the cover 16 is subjected to a high wind loading, a flap 18 of flexible material is welded or otherwise secured to the cover 1 6 adjacent the sliding clasp fastener 17, this flap terminating in a bead 1 9 at the edge thereof.A plurality of clips 20 in accordance with the present invention are provided, the clips each having their strap loops 11 welded or otherwise secured to the skirt 15.

When the cover has been located in position and the sliding clasp fastener has been closed the clips are connected to the bead 1 9 thus securing the cover 1 6 to the skirt 1 5. When the cover is subjected to a high wind loading the resultant stresses are transmitted through the clips 20 rather than through the sliding clasp fastener 1 7.

It is to be noted that when a cover is provided with a flap as described above, the flap provides additional weather protection for the sliding clasp fastener 1 7 and rain will be deflected away from the sliding clasp fastener, but no rain trap is provided. Also the flap 1 8 protects the sliding clasp fastener 17 from direct sunlight and this may well prove advantageous since it will prevent degradation of the plastics material constituting the sliding clasp fastener as a result of irradiation by sunlight.

It is to be appreciated that the spacing of the clips 20 may easily be selected with regard to the particular application.

It is envisaged that the above described clips may be simply and rapidly located in position to engage the bead merely by pressing the clip towards the bead. When it is desired to release the clip from the bead preferably the tension applied to the clip is removed by manually drawing the bead and clip towards each other, and then, by sliding one or more fingers between the sheet and one of the jaw members 5 engaging the sheet the jaw members are separated enabling the clip to be slipped from the beading. Thus the clip may readily be removed from the beading, even in cold conditions.

It is to be appreciated that in utilising an arrangement as illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings there is no need for the clips to have any precise predetermined location relative to the sheet that carries the bead since the bead is of a uniform section throughout its length and each clip can thus readily engage any part of the bead. This is in direct contrast with prior proposed straps and buckles since if a strap and buckle are to be interconnected they must be substantially aligned. Similar difficulties exist with prior proposed "D" rings and toggles.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to one embodiment of clip and one particular application of the clip it is to be appreciated that the invention is not limited to these particularly described embodiments.

Claims (9)

1. A clip adapted to engage a bead provided, for example, at the edge of a sheet of resilient material, said clip comprising two jaw members interconnected so that the jaw members are movable from a bead-engaging position to a beadreleasing position, each jaw member comprising an upper member adapted to engage the bead, two side members and a transverse member spaced from and parallel to the said upper member, the said transverse members being adapted to be surrounded by a strap loop so that as an increasing tension is applied to the strap loop the said transverse members, and thus the jaw members are driven together.

2. A clip according to Claim 1 wherein each jaw member further comprises a lower horizontal member connected to the base of each of the upright members by a thin web which acts as a hinge.

3. A clip according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, when the clip is constituted by two identical jaw members made of a plastics material connected together by bolts or the like.

4. A clip according to any one of the preceding claims provided with a strap loop.

5. A clip substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of securing a cover, said cover being provided with a bead at the edge of a sheet forming part of the cover, said method comprising the step of securing clips according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 to anchor points and clipping the clips to the bead.

7. A method according to Claim 6 wherein said sheet is a peripheral skirt welded to the cover, and wherein said straps are secured to a skirt that is connected to the cover by a sliding clasp fastener.

8. A method of securing a cover substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.