GB2204088A

GB2204088A - Stud and socket fastenings

Info

Publication number: GB2204088A
Application number: GB08710492A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Keen
Original assignee: Am & S Europ
Current assignee: Am & S Europ
Priority date: 1987-05-02
Filing date: 1987-05-02
Publication date: 1988-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-02
Also published as: GB8710492D0; GB2204088B

Abstract

An attachment device for holding sheet insulation material 2 against underlying structural components e.g. steel framework members 1 is in the form of a socket 4 which is attached to the structure and a plug 4d which fits into the socket and has a collar or flange 4d for holding the sheet insulation material against the structural framework. At least a portion of the stud and/or socket is made of thermally insulating material. The stud has a T-shaped projection to slidingly receive a brick-tie 5. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING TO THERMALLY INSULATED STRUCTURAL MEMBERS This invention relates two methods and devices for the attachment of thermally-insulating materials, usually in sheet or mat form, to underlying structural assemblies. The invention is especially applicable to assemblies wherein the load bearing members are in the forum of metal structural components arranged at right angles to one another e.g. as in steel-framed buildings and wherein the insulation material is applied to the outer surface of the steel frame, the insulation being separated, by a cavity, from an outermost cladding wall, as described in U.K. patent 2,119, 828P.

There is a need, when insulating steel or other structural members, to provide a simple and foolproof method of attaching sheet or mat insulating material to the exterior of the frame. The device should be simple to attach to the structural member and it should be easy two fix and--remove the insulation. Also it is highly desirable that the device used should provide attachment means to be used in tying the structural members to an outer cladding wall.

Such insulation materials are usually sheets or mats of mineral wool or glass fibre, although sheets of insulating plastics e.g. closed-ceil plastics foams may also be used.

We have now devised an insulating method and device which allows these objects to be fulfilled.

In a first aspect this invention consists in an attachment device for holding insulation material adjacent an underlying structural component, comprising a plug and socket combination, one end of plug or socket being adapted to be attached to the structural component, the socket having walls defining a hollow bore and the plug being adapted to lockingly engage within said bore, the plug or socket having a flange or collar adapted to hold and retain insulation material in proximity to said structural component, at least part of the plug and/or socket being of thermally-insulating material.

Preferably the collar or flange carries a feature which is adapted for the attachment of a wall-tie to extend outwardly to the outer cladding wall.

Preferably the socket is attached to the structural component by means of screws, more preferably self-tapping screws and the plug is lockingly engaged in the socket.

Preferably the wall-tie attachment feature is a T-shaped protrusion which extends from the collar of the socket in an opposite direction from the locking end of the plug.

Preferably the plug lockingly engages with the interior of the socket by means of "bayonet-type" fitting wherein the plug is twisted in order to lock it in the socket.

in a second aspect-the invention consists in a method of attaching insulation material to a structural component, comprising attaching a socket member to the structural component, this socket member having walls defining an outwardly extending hollow bore, fitting insulation material over said socket member so that it fits closely against said structural component and inserting a plug member into said socket wherein the plug is locked in the socket and a collar on said plug member holds the insulation material in proximity to saidstructural component.

Preferably wall tie end is then attached to the collar by means of cooperating features on wall-tie and collar and the opposite end of the wall-tie is attached to or built into the outer claddingwall.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying four figures of drawing wherein; FIGURE 1 is a plan view of -a device according to the invention and FIGURE 2 shows a half-section as cut by a plane indicated by the arrow A in Figure 1.

FIGURE 3 is a modification of the device shown in Figure 1.

FIGURE 4 shows a half-section of the device of Figure 3.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the underlying structural member is represented as steel frame section 1, an insulation material as 2 and a water-resistant vapour-permeable membrane covering the insulation as 3. The attachment device is generally indicated as 4 and the wall-tie, which may be attached to the device, as 5.

With reference to Figure 2, the component parts of the attachment device 4 are- shown as follows; 4a is a flexible skirt which surrounds the fixing end of the socket member.

4b is a screw-hole for fixing the socket member to the underlying steel frame member.

4c are walls defining a hollow cylindrical bore of the socket member.

4d is the plug member having a T-head which lockingly engages within the hollow bore of the socket member.

4e is a collar sectionwhic.h surrounds the end of the plug remote from that which fits into the socket, and 4f is an extension of 4e adapted for attachment to a wall-tie.

The wall-tie 5 has moulded water drips Sa, a flat end St for attachment to outer cladding material and a socket-like extremity designated 5c, which is adapted to engage with a T-shaped protruberance 4f attached to the collar on the plug 4e.

On assembly, the socket parfr 4b is attached by a screw-to the underlying steel framework member 1, and the skirt 4a is screwed into contact with: member 1. A moulded peg 4g prevents rotation of socket 4 by en-gagement with a hole in 1. The insulation material is then fitted over the cylindrical outer walls of the socket member 4 and the plug 4d is inserted in the socket and twisted to lock it position. The collar 4e then forms a flange which retains the insulation material in place by engagement with water-resistant membrane 3 which bounds the outer surface of the insulation material.

If required the T-shaped protruberance 4f on collar 4e may be engaged with socket portion Sc of wall-tie 5 and the other end of the wall-tie, 5b may be built into or otherwise attached to an outer cladding wall (not shown). It should be noted that the engagement of 4f with Sc can accommodate some vertical adjustment to allow for any misalignment.

Further features which are preferably included are (a) serrations on the faces of 4f which engage with Sc and (b) positive stops which prevent the wall-tie Sc being knocked downwardly off the -headed portion 4f of the plug.

The plug and socket components and the wall ties are all preferably moulded from thermally-insulating plastics material such as poly-propylene. Thus is provided an 2-piece fixing which allows attachment of insulating sheet material to underlying structures. At least one of the plug member and socket member should be made of thermally-insulating material, or should contain a thermally-broken section.

Turning now to Figures 3 and 4 in which similar parts are numbered as in Figures 1 and 2, these show the adaption of plug-end 4e for the attachment of a metal section 6 or for the attachment of a timber batten 7 used to attach an alternative cladding material for the assembly e.g. vertically-hung tiles may be attached to the timber batten.

Claims

1. An attachment device for holding insulation material adjacent an underlying structural component, comprising a plug and socket combination, one end of socket or plug being adapted to be attached to the structural component, the socket having walls defining a hollow bore, and the plug being adapted to lockingly engage within said bore, the plug or socket having a flange or collar adapted to hold and retain insulation material in proximity tosaid structural component, at least part of the plug and/or socket being of thermally-insulating material.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flange or collar carries a feature which is adapted for the attachment of a wall-tie or other fixing means extending outwardly to an outer cladding wall.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the socket is attached to the structural components by means of screws and the plug is lockingly engagedin the socket.

4. A device as claimed: in claim 2 wherein the attachment feature is a T-shaped protrusion which extends from the collar in an opposite direction from the locking end of the plug.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug lockingly engages within the interior of the socket by means of a wbayonet-typew flitting wherein the plug is twisted in order to lock it in the socket.

6. A method of attaching sheet or mat insulation material to a structural components, comprising attaching a socket member to the structural component, the said socket member having walls defining an outwardly-extending hollow bore, fitting insulation material over the socket member so that it fits closely against the structural component and inserting- a plug member into said socket wherein the plug locks into the socket and a collar or flange on the plug holds the insulation material in proximity to the structural component.

7. A method of building a wall comprising attaching insulation material to a structural component by a method as claimed in claim 6, followed by attaching a wall-tie to the collar or flange of the plug member and attaching the outer end of said wall-tie to an outer cladding wall.

8. An attachment device for insulation substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

8. An attachment device for insulation substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

9. An attachment device for insulation substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. An attachment device for holding insulation material adjacent an underlying structural component, comprising a plug and socket combination, one end of socket or plug being adapted to be attached to the structural component, the socket having walls defining a hollow bore, and the plug being adapted to lockingly engage within said bore, the plug or socket having a flange or collar adapted to hold and retain insulation material in proximity to said structural componentwhich collar carries a feature adapted for attachment of a wall-tie or other fixing means extending outwardly from the collar; at least part of the plug and/or socket being of thermally insulating material.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the socket is attached to the structural components by .means of screws and the plug is locking engaged in the socket.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment feature is a T-shaped protrusion whi-ch extends from the collar in an opposite direction from the locking end of the plug.

4. A devices claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug lockingly engages within the interior of the socket by means of a "bayonet-type" fitting wherein the plug is twisted in orderto lock it in the socket.

5. A method of attaching sheet or mat insulation material to a structural component, comprising attaching a socket member to the structural component, the said socket member having walls defining an outwardly-extending hollow bore, fitting insulation material over the socket member so that it fits closely against the structural component and inserting a plug member into said socket wherein the plug locks into the socket and a collar or flange on the plug holds the insulation material in proximity to the structural component and provides attachment means for a wall-tie or other fixing means.

6. A method of building a wall comprising attaching insulation material to a structural component by a method as claimed in claim 5, followed by attaching the inner end of a wall-tie to the collar or flange of the plug member and attaching the outer end of said wall-tie to an outer cladding wall.

7. An attachment device for insulation substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.