GB2376710A

GB2376710A - Tool for inserting a resilient capping strip into a groove of a fixing strip

Info

Publication number: GB2376710A
Application number: GB0114563A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Hobbs; Peter Stewart
Original assignee: CPD Distribution PLC
Current assignee: CPD Distribution PLC
Priority date: 2001-06-15
Filing date: 2001-06-15
Publication date: 2002-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-15
Also published as: GB0114563D0; GB2376710B

Abstract

A tool 10 is of rectangular cross section and comprises first and second end faces 30,32 (Fig 3A). The tool further comprises an abutment surface 12,14,16, having a raised guide member 24,26,28 and a recess 18,20,22 which extends between the first and second end faces. The width of each recess is the same at each end face but reduces in between. To insert a capping strip 8 into a rebated groove 4, the capping strip is placed over the groove and the tool is positioned such that the guide member is engaged against the longitudinal edge of a fixing strip 2, and the recess is aligned with the groove. Downward pressure is then applied to the tool followed by longitudinal motion along the fixing strip to press the capping strip into the groove. A plurality of abutment surfaces may be provided to allow for different designs of fixing strips.

Description

LOCATING TOOL The invention relates to a locating tool for assisting in the insertion of a strip into a groove.

The insertion of a capping strip of resilient flexible material into a rebated groove in a member such as a fixing strip used in a partition wall framework is well known. These capping strips serve an aesthetic function in hiding the heads of fixing screws from view, but may also perform a protective function if they are raised above the surface of the member into which they are inset. These strips of resilient flexible material can be difficult to insert into the rebated grooves and this can lead to damage such as marking or tearing occurring, or to the strips being positioned incorrectly.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these problems by providing a locating tool to allow easy and rapid insertion of the resilient flexible material into rebated grooves in members such as fixing strips used in partition wall frameworks.

According to the present invention there is provided a locating tool for assisting in the insertion of a length of resilient flexible material into a

rebated groove in a surface of an elongate member having a longitudinal edge extending parallel to the groove, said locating tool comprising :a first end face; an abutment surface adapted to engage against said surface of the elongate member; a first recess in said abutment surface extending away from said first end face; and a guide member extending longitudinally with respect to said first recess and being adapted to engage against said longitudinal edge of the elongate member; wherein said guide member is disposed relative to said first recess so that, in use, when the guide member is engaged against the longitudinal edge, and the abutment surface is engaged against said surface of the elongate member, the said first recess is aligned with the groove, and wherein said first recess has a width which at said first end face is not less than the width of the groove and which tapers away from said first end face so that, at a location spaced from said first end face, the width of said first recess is less than the width of the groove.

In use, the resilient flexible material is positioned above the rebated groove on the surface of the elongate member, the locating tool is

positioned such that the guide member is engaged against the longitudinal edge of the elongate member and the recess in the abutment surface is aligned with the rebated groove. Downward pressure is applied to the locating tool causing a short region of the resilient flexible material to be located in the rebated groove and the abutment surface to abut against the surface of the elongate member. Movement of the locating tool along the elongate member in a direction such that the first end face is the leading end face, results in insertion of the resilient flexible material into the rebated groove. Insertion is effected by the reducing width of the recess causing the resilient flexible material to be deformed and directed into the rebated groove where it returns to substantially its original shape.

Preferably, said recess has mutually opposing longitudinal side edges which are inclined at different angles with respect to the longitudinal direction of extent of the guide member. Thus, in use, one edge of the length of flexible material is inserted into the groove in advance of the other.

Preferably, the tool has a second end face disposed at the opposite end of the abutment surface to the first end face, and a second recess in the abutment surface extending away from said second end face and towards

the first recess, wherein the second recess has a width which at said second end face is not less than the width of the groove and which tapers away from said second end face so that, at a location spaced from said second end face, the width of said second recess is less than the width of the groove. Said first and second end faces may be joined with one another.

Preferably, said second recess is identical to and aligned with said first recess.

In a preferred embodiment, the tool has a plurality of abutment surfaces with respective recesses and guide members of the type defined above.

The dimensions of the recess (es) in each abutment surface may vary as may the distance between guide members and recesses so that the tool can be used for different designs of grooved elongate member by appropriate choice of the abutment surface employed.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a typical fixing strip and resilient flexible capping strip upon which a locating tool of the present invention is designed to act; Fig. 2 is an end view of a locating tool of the present invention possessing three recessed abutment surfaces; Figs. 3 A-C are schematic plans of the abutment surfaces of the locating tool of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 A-C are representations of the locating tool of Fig. 2 and Figs. 3 AC in use with fixing strips of differing dimensions.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the fixing strip 2 is an elongate extruded section used for fixing panels in a partition wall framework. It is of channel cross section containing a rebated groove 4 and having longitudinal side walls 6 which run parallel to the rebated groove 4. The rebated groove contains screw holes (not shown) for connecting the fixing strips during construction of a partition wall. The resilient flexible capping strip 8 is of shallow channel section having outward facing lips 9 positioned on the ends of the verticals. The width of the capping strip 8 is of the same as that of the opening of the rebated groove 4 of the fixing strip, with the width including the lipped regions 9 being slightly greater than that of the opening of the rebated groove 4.

Referring now to Fig. 2 and Figs. 3 A-C, the locating tool 10 is of generally rectangular cross-section with three of the four sides thereof defining respective planar abutment surfaces 12,14 and 16. Each abutment surfaces 12, 14, 16 has a respective recess 18,20, 22 in the form of a channel running from a first end face 30 to an opposite second end face 32 of the body 10. Each abutment surface 12, 14,16 also has a respective raised guide member 24,26, 28 extending substantially perpendicularly between the first end face 30 and the second end face 32.

Each recess 18,20, 22 is spaced from its respective guide member 24,26, 28 by distance Dl, D2, D3 respectively. These distances correspond to the distance between the longitudinal side wall 6 of the fixing strip 2 and the rebated groove 4 therein in common embodiments of the fixing strip 2. The distances D1, D2, D3 on the locating tool 10 may differ between abutment surfaces, but the distance D on a single abutment surface is same at each end face 30,32.

The recess 18, 20, 22 is of substantially the same width as the width of the rebated groove 4 at the point where it meets the end face 30,32. Each recess tapers away from each end face 30,32 into the abutment surface so

as to define a narrow channel in a central region of each abutment surface.

In this embodiment the width of the recess 18,20, 22 is the same on each abutment surface 12, 14, 16, but embodiments in which the width of the recess 18, 20,22 differs on each abutment surface can be envisioned so that the tool can be used on fixing strips having rebated grooves of different widths.

Figs. 4 A-C show the locating tool 10 positioned for use with differing designs of fixing strip. Figs. 4 A-C show respectively the abutment surfaces 14,12, 16 of the locating tool 10 engaged against the surface of various embodiments of the fixing strip 2. The respective guide members 24, 26, 28 are abutted against the longitudinal side wall 6 of the fixing strip so that the respective recesses in each abutment surface overlie the rebated groove 4.

In use the capping strip 8 is placed over the rebated groove 4 and the locating tool 10 is placed over the capping strip 8. The locating tool 10 is positioned such that the appropriate abutment surface 12,14, 16 is in contact with the capping strip 2 and the guide member 24, 26, 28 abuts

against the longitudinal side wall 6 of the fixing strip 2. Downward pressure is applied to locating tool 10 causing a portion of the capping strip 8, under the locating tool 10, to be forced into position in the rebated groove 4. The locating tool 10 is moved in either direction along the fixing strip 2 causing the capping strip 8 to be located in the rebated groove 4. The capping strip 8 becomes positioned due to the geometry of the tapered recess 18,20, 22. One wall of the recess 36 has a more acute angle than the other wall of the recess 38. This causes the wall 36 to position one side of the capping strip 8 in the rebated groove 4 whilst the other remains free. As the locating member 10 is moved along the rebated groove 4 the capping strip 8 becomes deformed by the recess 18, 20, 22. This causes the second side of the capping strip 8 to be inserted into the rebated groove 4 by a twisting action. Once inserted into the rebated groove 4 the capping strip 8 returns to its original shape and becomes fixed by engagement of the lips 9 in the rebated regions of the groove 4.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A locating tool for assisting in the insertion of a length of resilient flexible material into a rebated groove in a surface of an elongate member having a longitudinal edge extending parallel to the groove, said locating tool comprising :a first end face; an abutment surface adapted to engage against said surface of the elongate member; a first recess in said abutment surface extending away from said first end face; and a guide member extending longitudinally with respect to said first recess and being adapted to engage against said longitudinal edge of the elongate member; wherein said guide member is disposed relative to said first recess so that, in use, when the guide member is engaged against the longitudinal edge, and the abutment surface is engaged against said surface of the elongate member, the said first recess is aligned with the groove, and wherein said first recess has a width which at said first end face is not less than the width of the groove and which tapers away from said first end

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face so that, at a location spaced from said first end face, the width of said first recess is less than the width of the groove.
2. A locating tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recess has mutually opposing longitudinal side edges which are inclined at different angles with respect to the longitudinal direction of extent of the guide member.
3. A locating tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, having a second end face disposed at the opposite end of the abutment surface to the first end face, and a second recess in the abutment surface extending away from said second end face and towards the first recess, wherein the second recess has a width which at said second end face is not less than the width of the groove and which tapers away from said second end face so that, at a location spaced from said second end face, the width of said second recess is less than the width of the groove.
4. A locating tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and second end faces are joined with one another.

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5. A locating tool as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein said second recess is identical to and aligned with said first recess.
6. A locating tool as claimed in any preceding claim, having a plurality of abutment surfaces with respective ones of said recesses and guide members in each abutment surface.
7. A locating tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the dimensions of the recess (es) vary in each abutment surface vary.
8. A locating tool as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the distance between guide members and recess (es) in each abutment surface vary.
9. A locating tool as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.