GB2117820A

GB2117820A - Resilient clip

Info

Publication number: GB2117820A
Application number: GB08210199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Michael Fletcher
Original assignee: Pandrol Ltd
Current assignee: Pandrol Ltd
Priority date: 1982-04-06
Filing date: 1982-04-06
Publication date: 1983-10-19

Abstract

The clip is made from a resilient metal bar of circular cross-section and less than 12 mm. in diameter. A first, substantially straight, portion 11 and third and fifth portions 13 and 15, on opposite sides of the first portion, are connected by second and fourth reverse bend portions 12 and 14. When the first portion is horizontal and the lowest points at opposite ends of it lie in the same horizontal plane D and the lowest points on the third and fifth portions lie in the same horizontal plane C as one another, no point on the upper side of the bar between the free end of the first portion and the cross-section which contains the lowest point on the third portion is spaced from the first plane D by more than one and a half times the diameter of the bar. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Resilient clips According to the invention, there is provided a clip comprising a bar of resilient metal of circular cross-section and less than 1 2 mm diameter which has been bent so that it comprises, proceeding from one end of the bar to the other end, a first portion which constitutes a substantially straight leg, a second portion in the form of a reverse bend, a third portion beside the first portion to one side thereof, a fourth portion in the form of a reverse bend and then a fifth portion which terminates at said other end of the bar and is beside the first portion to the opposite side thereof, the configuration being such that when the clip is in a position (which is called below "the defined position") in which the first portion is horizontal and the lowest points at opposite ends of the first portion lie in the same horizontal plane as one another and the lowest points on the third and fifth portions lie in the same horizontal plane as one another, no point on the upper side of the bar between said one end and the cross-section of the bar which contains the lowest point on the third portion is spaced from the first-mentioned plane by more than one and a half times the diameter of the bar.

Preferably, no point on the upper side of the bar between said one end and the cross-section of the bar which contains the lowest point on the third portion is spaced from the first-mentioned plane by more than one and a quarter times the diameter of the bar.

The two horizontal planes mentioned may coincide or very nearly coincide. Alternatively, the second may be at least a millimetre or two above or below the first.

Examples according to the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates an assembly including a clip according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a side view of the clip, Figure 3 shows a plan view of the clip shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 shows an end view of the same clip, and Figure 5 shows a view, corresponding to that of Figure 4. of another clip according to the invention: Figure 1 shows a structure 1 formed with a hole 2 passing through it. A member 10 bearing a load (not shown) has a shank portion 6, part of which lies in the hole 2, and, at the bottom of the shank portion 6, an enlarged head 7 which is in contact with a flat surface 8 on the bottom of the structure 1, adjacent the hole 2.At the top of the member 10, there is a hole 9 into which there is driven a portion 11 of a clip which has a portion 1 3 bearing downwardly on the top of the structure 1 on one side of the hole 2 and a portion 1 5 bearing downwardly on the top of the structure 1 on the other side of the hole 2. Portions 12 and 14 of the clips interconnect portions 11 and 13 and portions 1 3 and 15, respectively.

The member 10 is urged upwardly by the portion 11 of the clip, which is deformed and stressed, pressing upwardly on the material forming the upper side of the hole 9, with the result that the head 7 of the member 10 is pressed against the surface 8. If the member 10 moves downwardly with respect to the hole 2, so that the head 7 comes out of contact with the surface 8, the clip becomes increasingly deformed and stressed and it urges the member 10, and the load carried by it, to rise so that the head 7 comes back into contact with the surface 8.

The clip shown in Figure 1 in a deformed and stressed state and in Figures 2 to 4 in an undeformed and unstressed state is made by bending a bar of resilient steel of circular crosssection so that, proceeding from one end A to the other end B of the bar, the clip has a substantially straight leg 11, then a reverse bend 12, then a portion 13 which runs beside the leg 12 to one side of that leg, then a reverse bend 14 and finally a portion 1 5 which runs beside the leg 11 to the opposite side of that leg, the end of the portion 1 5 being up-turned as shown in Figure 2.

When the clip shown in Figures 2 to 4 is in a particular position, as shown, the leg 11 is horizontal, the lowest points at opposite ends of the leg 11 lie in a horizontal plane D and the lowest points on the portions 13 and 1 5 lie in a horizontal plane C which substantially coincides with the plane D. Then the highest point E on the upper side of the bar, between the end A and that cross-section of the bar which contains the lowest point on the third portion 1 3 of the clip, is spaced from the plane D by not more than 14 times the diameter of the bar, in fact 9.7 mm, compared with the bar diameter of 8.2 mm.

The clip could be such that the plane D is significantly below the plane C. In Figure 5 there is shown a clip which is such that the plane D is higher, for example about 2 mm higher, than the plane C. The point E is again the highest point on the upper side of the bar between the end A and that cross-section of the bar which contains the lowest point in the third portion of the clip and this point E is spaced from the plane D by exactly the diameter of the bar. The plan view of the clip shown in Figure 5 is similar to Figure 3.

Various measures may be taken to prevent undesired movement of the clip such that the leg 11 of the clip comes out of the hole 9, for example any one or any appropriate combination of the following:- (a) an upward projection on the free end of the leg 11, which comes out of the far end of the hole 9 when the clip is driven, (b) a hole through the leg 11 near its free end, which comes out of the far end of the hole 9 when the clip is driven and into which a pin is then inserted, (c) a recess in the structure 1 which receives the portion 13 of the clip, (d) a recess in the structure 1 which receives the portion 1 5 of the clip, (e) an upward projection on the structure 1 behind which the end B of the clip drops when the clip is driven, and (f) a step in the under side of the clip, a rising face of which engages stop means on the structure 1 if the clip tends to move as indicated above.

Claims

1. A clip comprising a bar of resilient metal of circular cross-section and less than 12 mm diameter which has been bent so that it comprises, proceeding from one end of the bar to the other end, a first portion which constitutes a substantially straight leg, a second portion in the form of a reverse bend, a third portion beside the first portion to one side thereof, a fourth portion in the form of a reverse bend and then a fifth portion which terminates at said other end of the bar and is beside the first portion to the opposite side thereof, the configuration being such that when the clip is in a position (which is called below "the defined position") in which the first portion is horizontal and the lowest points at opposite ends of the first portion lie in the same horizontal plane as one another and the lowest points on the third and fifth portions lie in the same horizontal plane as one another, no point on the upper side of the bar between said one end and the cross-section of the bar which contains the lowest point on the third portion is spaced from the first-mentioned plane by more than one and a half times the diameter of the bar.

2. A clip according to claim 1 which is such that when it is in the defined position no point on the upper side of the bar between said one end and the cross-section of the bar which contains the lowest point on the third portion is spaced from the first-mentioned plane by more than one and a quarter times the diameter of the bar.

3. A clip according to claim 1 or 2 which is such that when it is in the defined position the two horizontal planes mentioned in claim 1 coincide.

4. A clip according to claim 1 or 2 which is such that when it is in the defined position the first horizontal plane mentioned in claim 1 is at least 1 millimetre above the second horizontal plane.

5. A clip according to claim 1 or 2 which is such that when it is in the defined position the first horizontal plane mentioned in claim 1 is at least 1 millimetre below the second horizontal plane.

6. A clip according to any preceding claim having means for preventing the first portion coming out of a hole in a member in which it is driven.

7. A clip according to claim 6 in which there is an upward projection on the free end of the first portion.

8. A clip according to claim 6 in which there is a hole through the free end of the first portion.

9. A clip according to claim 6 in which there is a step in the under side of the clip.

10. A clip substantially as described above with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings or with the modification shown in Figure 5.