GB2402985A

GB2402985A - Beam clip

Info

Publication number: GB2402985A
Application number: GB0313859A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luke Richard John Whale; Douglas Wilson Cullen
Original assignee: Cullen Building Products Ltd
Current assignee: Cullen Building Products Ltd
Priority date: 2003-06-16
Filing date: 2003-06-16
Publication date: 2004-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-16
Also published as: GB0313859D0; GB2402985B

Abstract

A beam clip (1) for coupling an I-beam to a reinforcement member, including fixing means (3) connectable to an I-beam; and support means (5) projecting outwards from the fixing means (3) and defining a space in which an end section of the reinforcement member is supportably accommodated when coupled to the I-beam.

Description

1 2402985 Improved Beam Clip The present invention relates to beam clips

and in particular to beam clips used to couple together joists such as flooring joists with reinforcement means known as naggings.

Modern building construction uses flooring joists such as I-beams in order to support flooring. In order to 1() prevent excessive deflection or bending of the flooring it is desirable for the flooring to be supported by perimeter edge naggings fixed between the timber joists.

Typically, timber joists run at right angles to a wall and parallel to one another and where the joists meet the wall a row of naggings is fixed between joists at their edges before the flooring is laid.

In addition, naggings are required along the length of the joists at intervals of 600mm or so where flooring 2() panels are used which do not have tongue and groove connections between panels. Noggings are also required where the floor is to support a partition wall at a point not directly above a joist i.e. not running along the length of the joist but either across the joist or parallel to it.

Timber naggings are presently made of solid timber and are fixed to the joists either using skew nailing or proprietary Z-clips. Figure l shows a proprietary Z clip. These clips are predominantly used where floors are supported by I-joists because skew nailing would cause the flanges of the I-joist to split and therefore weaken the entire structure.

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Constructions of housing using I-joists is increasingly popular and manufacturers of I-joists find that during the manufacturing process a substantial number of off- cuts of the I-joists are generated where I-joists have been cut to fit a specific building. In addition, I- joists are relatively expensive and because these off- cuts have the same dimensions as the I-joists which are in use as floor supports, it is desirable to attempt to use these off-cuts especially as it would appear that they could be conveniently used as naggings.

At present, I-joists cannot be used as naggings between the joists because skew nailing would split the flanges and proprietary Z-clips cannot be fitted onto I-joist flanges because the web of the I-joist cannot be accommodated in the structure of the clip.

Figure 3 shows an adapted Z-clip where a central portion has been cut out of the Z-clip in order to accommodate 2() the web of the I-joist. However, the removal of this section weakens the Z-clip and makes it more flexible which means that nails must be inserted through the Z- clip into both the top of the I-beam and the lower surface of the I-joist nagging in order to secure the I joist nagging to the I-beam. The use of a large number of nails weakens the I-joist and the I-joist nagging and it has been found to be extremely time-consuming and difficult to fit nails into the underside of the I-joist nogglng.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved beam clip suitable for use in these circumstances.

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In accordance with the present invention there is provided a beam clip for coupling a beam to a reinforcement member, the beam clip comprising: fixing means connectable to a beam; and support means projecting outwards from the fixing means and defining a space in which an end section of the reinforcement member is supportably accommodated when coupled to the beam.

1() Preferably, the beam is an I-beam.

Preferably, the reinforcement member is an I-beam.

Optionally, the reinforcement member is a solid beam.

Preferably, the fixing means is a metal plate having at least one fixing aperture.

Preferably, the fixing aperture is arranged in the centre of the metal plate.

Preferably, the metal plate is provided with at least one projection containing said fixing aperture, the projection defining a space in which the projection from the fixing means of the second beam can be accommodated.

Preferably, the support means is a continuous body.

Preferably, the support means is a mesh. 3()

Preferably, the support means extends around the space to define a channel through which part of the reinforcement member can project.

4 e'e. ce. À. :e À . Preferably, the beam clip is integrally formed from a single piece of material.

Preferably, the material is metal.

Optionally, the metal is galvanised steel.

Preferably, the material is plastic.

1() Optionally, the material is wood.

Preferably, the fixing means is provided with reinforcement means.

Preferably, the support means is provided with reinforcement means.

Preferably, the reinforcement means extends across the fixing means and the support means.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first type of prior art nagging support clip; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second type of prior art nagging support clip; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third type of prior art nagging support clip attached to a nagging and I- beam; s..

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of S the present invention.

Figure 4 is the first embodiment of the present invention and comprises a building support or beam clip 1 having a beam connecting portion 3 and nogging support means 5.

I() In this example, reinforcement means consisting of three reinforcing ribs 7 shaped from the mild steel body of the beam clip 1 are provided. The reinforcement ribs 7 extend across the junction between the beam connecting portion 3 and the nogging support means 5 to improve the load bearing properties of the beam clip 1.

Fixing aperture 9 is provided in the centre of the beam connecting portion 3. The fixing aperture allows nails, screws or other appropriate fixing means to be used to attach the beam clip 1 to an I-beam or solid joist.

The nogging support means 5 consists of a substantially square section configured to wrap around almost the entire body of the nogging. The space 11 defined by the nogging support means 5 encloses the nogging and the nogging is supported on support surfaces 15 when in position. It should also be noted that in this example a channel 13 is provided for use where the nogging is an off-cut of an I-beam of the type shown in Figure 3 and 3() well known in the art. As is known, these I-beams consist of two wooden flanges 27 connected by a connecting web 25.

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In use with an I-beam nogging, the nogging support means is slid over the end of the I-beam nogging such that the web of the I-beam nogging is accommodated in channel 13 and one of the flanges of the I-beam nogging is accommodated in the space 11. Once the I-beam nogging has been accommodated in this space, the beam clip can be fixed to an I-beam or joist using fixing aperture 9.

Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the present I() invention in which beam clip 100 consists of a beam connecting portion 103, nogging support means 105, reinforcement means 107 and space 111 defined by a nogging support means 105 having two support surfaces 115.

In this example, the beam connecting portion 103 consists of a pair of projections 116 separated by a space 118.

The distance between the support means 105 and the far end of the beam connecting portion 103 is twice the corresponding distance shown in Figure 4 for the first embodiment of the invention. As this distance is larger in the embodiment shown in Figure 5, it is likely that if two beam clips were used for naggings connected at either side of an I-beam, the beam connecting portions would overlap. Consequently, the beam connection portion 103 of the present invention has been arranged with these projections separated by a gap 118 in order to accommodate similar beam connecting portions 103 arranged on the same I-beam. 3()

Therefore, the naggings can be arranged in a single continuous line at the junction between the I-beam and the wall, rather than having to stagger the naggings at different distances from the junction of the I- beam and 7 tIs I.: '4e:' it: I a the wall as would be required to avoid the beam

connecting portion of prior art naggings from

overlapping.

Advantageously, the present invention does not require fixing means to be used in the I-joist naggings because the structure of the wrap around nagging support means provides sufficient strength and support to the nagging to avoid the need for any further fixing. The present I() invention provides support for the nagging along its length inside the support structure via support surfaces 15/115 and their adjoining walls.

Additionally, only one fixing is required and is inserted into the supporting I-joist or beam making it a very quick and easy connection to install.

It has been found that the building support or beam clip of the present invention is of sufficient strength to 2() allow naggings to be used which have been cut shorter than the gap between the supporting joists or beams whilst still providing adequate support to the nagging.

This is not the case with the alternative clip design shown in Figure 3. In this prior art case the nagging has to be accurately cut to length in order for the connection to be robust.

The following benefits of the present invention have been identified.

1. Stronger/stiffer nagging support now provided than can be provided by existing designs; 2. A more tolerant design to poorly cut or short naggings; À: 't 8 À2. À "'. 2 '2'.

3. Quick, simple installation with only one nail or fixing means required; 4. No fixing into the nagging is required thereby avoiding the possibility of splitting an I-joist nagging.

Improvements and modifications may be incorporated herein without deviating from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A beam clip for coupling a beam to a reinforcement member, the

beam clip comprising: fixing means connectable to a beam; and support means projecting outwards from the fixing means and defining a space in which an end section of the reinforcement member is supportably accommodated when coupled to the beam.
2. A beam clip as claimed in Claim l wherein, the beam is an I-beam.
3. A beam clip as claimed in Claim l or Claim 2 wherein the reinforcement member is an I-beam.
4. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the reinforcement member is a solid beam.

2()
5. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the fixing means is a metal plate having at least one fixing aperture.
6. A beam clip as claimed in Claim 5 wherein, one of said at least one fixing apertures is arranged in the centre of the metal plate.
7. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the metal plate is provided with at least one 3() projection containing said at least one fixing aperture, the projection defining at least part of the boundary of a space in which the projection from the fixing means of a second beam clip can be accommodated.
8. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the support means is a continuous body.
9. A beam clip as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7 wherein, the support means is a mesh.
10. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the support means extends around the space to define a channel through which part of the reinforcement l() member can project.
11. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the beam clip is integrally formed from a single piece of material.
12. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the beam clip is made from metal.
13. A beam clip as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the metal is galvanised steel.
14. A beam clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 wherein the material is plastic.
15. A beam clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11
16. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the fixing means is provided with reinforcement means.
17. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the reinforcement means extends across the fixing means and the support means.

17. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the support means is provided with reinforcement means.

18. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the reinforcement means extends across the fixing means and the support means.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows: 1. A beam clip for coupling an I-beam to a reinforcement member, the beam clip comprising: fixing means connectable to an I-beam; and support means projecting outwards from the fixing means and defining a space in which an end section of the reinforcement member is supportably accommodated when coupled to the I-beam.

2. A beam clip as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the reinforcement member is a I-beam.

3. A beam clip as claimed in Claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the reinforcement member is a solid beam.

4. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the fixing means is a metal plate having at least one fixing aperture.

5. A beam clip as claimed in Claim 4 wherein, one of said at least one fixing apertures is arranged in the centre of the metal plate.

6. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the metal plate is provided with at least one projection containing said at least one fixing aperture, the projection defining at least part of the boundary of a space in which the projection from the fixing means of a second beam clip can be accommodated.

7. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the support means is a continuous body.

8. A beam clip as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 wherein, the support means is a mesh.

9. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the support means extends around the space to define a channel through which part of the reinforcement member can project.

10. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim lo wherein, the beam clip is integrally formed from a single piece of material.

11. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the beam clip is made from metal.

12. A beam clip as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the metal is galvanised steel.

13. A beam clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 wherein the material is plastic.

14. A beam clip as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 15. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the fixing means is provided with reinforcement means.

16. A beam clip as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein, the support means is provided with reinforcement means. in