GB2314862A

GB2314862A - Clip for fixing ceiling battens

Info

Publication number: GB2314862A
Application number: GB9712891A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian Mark Dison; John Michael Dison
Original assignee: H Gordon and Co Ltd
Current assignee: H Gordon and Co Ltd
Priority date: 1996-06-24
Filing date: 1997-06-20
Publication date: 1998-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-20
Also published as: GB2314862B; GB9712891D0; GB9613162D0

Abstract

A ceiling clip of the type intended for fastening battens to the underside of a beam. In order to cater for tolerance variations in the size of a beam, the clip comprises a tab (1) for hanging the clip from a floor/roof beam (19), a leg (3) extending downwardly from the hanging tab to a support for, or connection with, a pair of downwardly extending oppositely disposed laterally spaced limbs (5) and (7), and a tolerance compensating abutment means (13) extending to one side of said leg and upwardly from said support or connection whereby, in use, said abutment means is adapted to engage the underside of said floor/roof beam. Conveniently the abutment means is formed as a rolled end to a tongue. The fixing limbs preferably comprise a separate elongate member which is supported by a tongue of said leg. The rolled end conveniently holds the legs in place.

Description

TITLE: Ceiling Clip DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a ceiling clip especially of the type intended for fastening battens to the underside of pre-cast concrete floor beams.

An existing design of clip for this application comprises a tab formed at one end of a leg. The other end of the leg is wrapped around the central portion of a C-shaped foot. The clip is fixed in position by knocking the tab into the joint between the beam and a flooring block. The leg has a length to suit the beam size. The battens are secured in place by nailing through side holes in the laterally spaced side elements of the C-shaped foot.

If the sides of the C-shaped part were extended in length, it would be possible to bend the limbs around the underside of the batten so that nailing could take place upwardly against the resistance of the concrete beam.

However, house floor beams can vary in depth by up to 5mm due to the manufacturing process. The existing design of clip is made to cope with a beam flange of the maximum likely size. A potential disadvantage of this for beams which are of less than the maximum size is that where seeking to nail upwardly, forces are transferred through the clip to the block which risks dislodgement of the block. On the other hand if the clip is undersize in relation to the beam fixing in place may result is distortion of the clip and this in turn can create a spring effect tending to dislodge the clip.

The present invention aims to provide a ceiling clip which can cater for tolerance variations in the size of a beam and thereby overcome or avoid the afore-mentioned problems as the case may be.

Accordingly the present invention provides a ceiling clip comprising a tab for hanging the clip from a floor/roof beam, a leg extending downwardly from the hanging tab to a support for, or connection with, a pair of downwardly extending oppositely disposed laterally spaced batten fixing limbs, and a tolerance compensating abutment means extending to one side of said leg and upwardly from said support or connection whereby, in use, said abutment means is adapted to engage the underside of said floor/roof beam.

Variations in beam thickness are accommodated by flexing of the leg, but the tolerance compensating abutment means always remains in contact with the soffet of the beam so that upward nailing forces are transmitted to the beam rather than through the leg to the block resting on the hanging tab. By arranging for the abutment means to contact the underside of the beam at a point inset from the bottom corner of the beam (ie. offset from the leg) the flexing of the leg still ensure that contact of the batten with the clips is still in the vicinity of the abutment means rather than shifted to the line of the leg as was the case previously. Accordingly the clip remains secure. We have found that a contact point l5mm in from the bottom corner works particularly well. For most practical purposes the contact point will be at least 7.5mm in from the bottom corner.

More particularly said abutment means is formed by a rolled back portion of a tongue. The contact with the floor/roof beam is spaced from the plane of said downwardly depending leg. The hanging tab typically comprises a plate member extending sideways at substantially 90" to the plane of the leg. The abutment means is intended to be more rigid than the leg so that it will serve as a force transmission path into the beam in preference to force being transmitted via the leg to the hanging tab which could result in dislodging of any associated floor block or the clip itself.

By using a pronounced roll for the abutment means, a larger variation in beam depth can be accommodated. An abutment means in the form of a roll is preferred, as rolling the material back onto itself provides a self-supporting function. An alternative abutment means can be formed by folding the tongue back at an acute angle and providing a further fold to define a fulcrum point and with the free end of tab arranged to contact the tongue to provide support for the abutment means.

A simpler embodiment, albeit less preferred, merely provides an upstanding tab for the abutment means.

The present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of clip according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the clip of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view showing installation of the clip of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of clip, and Figure 5 is a side view of a yet further alternative embodiment of clip.

Referring now to the drawings, a clip of Figure 1 comprises a hanging tab 1 disposed at substantially right angles to a downward depending leg 3. A foot comprising a generally C-shaped member has two legs 5, 7 downwardly depending from a bridge portion 9. The legs 5, 7 are relatively slender and provide a plurality of holes 11 to receive nails. The lower end of leg 3 is bent at right angles to wrap underneath the bridge portion 9 and is then returned back on itself to overlie the bridge portion 9 at 15 and to form a pronounced roll 13 which acts as an abutment means offset from the plane of the leg 3. The return serves to hold the foot in place.

In use, the clip is fitted to a concrete beam 19 by inserting the hanging tab 1 between the concrete beam 19 and a block 21 supported on the beam. Any tolerance variation of the beam 19 is accommodated by flexing of the leg 3 which may result in legs 5, 7 being inclined. However, the roll 13 makes contact with the underside of the beam 19 as shown in Figure 3.

The contact is at a point offset from the bottom corner of the beam. When a batten 23 is placed in position, it contacts the clip in the region of the roll 13. Where the legs 5, 7 are bent underneath the batten and the batten is secured by nailing upwardly then the forces are transmitted via the roll into beam 19 rather than via the leg 3 of the block 21.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of clip in which the roll configuration is replaced by a line contact arrangement in which a tongue portion 25 is turned back on itself to form an upwardly inclined limb 26 and which is further returned to define a fulcrum edge 27. The further returned portion 28 is arranged to contact the bridge portion 9 connecting limbs 5, 7.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment that is most suited to the case where the limbs 5, 7 are formed integrally with the other portions of the clip whereby the projecting tongue 25' is provided with an upwardly extending limb portion 26' at its outer end to provide the abutment means.

Of course, the earlier described embodiments could be formed from one piece if so desired.

Claims

1. A ceiling clip comprising a tab for hanging the clip from a floor/roof beam, a leg extending downwardly from the hanging tab to a support for, or connection with, a pair of downwardly extending oppositely disposed laterally spaced batten fixing limbs, and a tolerance compensating abutment means extending to one side of said leg and upwardly from said support or connection whereby, in use, said abutment means is adapted to engage the underside of said floor/roof beam.

2. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 1 in which, in use, variations in beam thickness are accommodated by flexing of the leg, with the tolerance compensating abutment means remaining in contact with the soffet of the beam so that upward nailing forces are transmitted to the beam.

3. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the abutment means is configured so that in use it contacts the underside of the beam at a point inset from the bottom corner of the beam (ie. offset from the leg).

4. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 3 in which the contact point is at least 7.5mum in from the bottom corner.

5. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 3 or 4 in which the contact point is 15mm in from the bottom corner.

6. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5 in which said abutment means is formed by a rolled back portion of a tongue.

7. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 6 in which the contact of the abutment means with the floor/roof beam is spaced from the plane of said downwardly depending leg.

8. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 7 in which the hanging tab comprises a plate member extending sideways at substantially 90 to the plane of the leg.

9. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in which the abutment means is more rigid than the leg so that it will serve as a force transmission path into the beam.

10. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in which the abutment means comprises a roll-like configuration.

11. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 10 in which the abutment means is formed by rolling material thereof back onto itself to provide a self-supporting function.

12. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 9 in which the abutment means is formed by folding the tongue back at an acute angle and providing a further fold to define a fulcrum point and with the free end of tab arranged to contact the tongue to provide support for the abutment means.

13. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 9 in which the abutment means comprises an upstanding tab.

14. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in which the pair of fixing limbs are bent from an elongate strip of material and a connecting portion thereof is supported by a support portion of said leg.

15. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 14 in which the support portion comprises a tongue bent at approximately 90 to the plane of said leg and an extension thereof forms the abutment means.

16. A ceiling clip as claimed in claim 14 or 15 in which the abutment means is folded back so that its free end overlies said connection portion.

17. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 13 in which said pair of fixing limbs are fixed integrally with at least the leg.

18. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of claims 14 to 17 in which the fixing limbs are apertured to receive batten fixing nails.

19. A ceiling clip as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in which the components thereof are made from sheet material.

20. A ceiling clip constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.