GB2461652A

GB2461652A - Y-shaped rafter clip

Info

Publication number: GB2461652A
Application number: GB0916420A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Perry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-01-13
Filing date: 2009-09-21
Publication date: 2010-01-13
Anticipated expiration: 2029-09-21
Also published as: GB2461652B; AU2009240811A1; GB0900457D0; GB0916420D0; GB2466845A; CA2685578A1

Abstract

A rafter clip for the purpose of retaining, compressing or fastening insulation between rafters or studwork comprises a main body 10 formed in a Y shape. The Y shape allows an end portion of the clip to be attached to the rafter or studwork while the fork of the Y extends from the rafter or studwork overlaying the insulation. The main body of the clip has at least one hole 33 for a nail or screw and is preferably longer than the fork of the clip. The body may also have channels or recesses, perforations of flanges and teeth or a combination of all these formed in the body for strengthening and flexibility purposes.

Description

Insulation Rafter Clip/Fixing This invention relates to an Insulation Rafter Clip/Fixing.

Insulation is widely used for many different purposes and this particular invention relates to insulation used within the construction industry.

There are many types of insulation, many brands, many thicknesses, many different materials used to produce it. There are rigid forms of insulation, for example fibreglass insulation board and flexible forms, for example wool insulation, When insulation is used within construction it is generally used to insulate cavities, floors, lofts, roofs and pipes etc and must reach particular building and thermal efficiency standards.

Over the last decade, the world has awakened to the effects of global warming and people have become much more environmentally friendly. We recycle waste, we try to reduce our carbon footprint and in general we are more interested in supporting a greener' planet. These green issues have now found their way into the construction industry and we are both demanding environmentally friendly products and also being regulated to use such products. Recently, building regulations have been changed so that insulation must be recyclable and where possible produced from a renewable resource and, must attain a certain level of thermal efficiency. Manufacturers are being deterred from producing fibreglass or mineral wool and are encouraged to use other materials such as recycled plastic bottles.

Sheep's wool has crept onto the market place on a very small scale and whilst this insulation is extremely effective, (in fact more effective than most other types), nobody uses it because nobody has commercialised it, So the point of all this is that sheep's wool insulation is very light, usually more flexible than other insulation types and, because it is effectively made from strands of hair it is also harder to cut and install. This is where the invention is relevant: Sheep's wool, glass fibre and recycled plastic bottle wool is often used between rafters to insulate roofs. There are many different types of roof structures and many different widths of the gaps between the rafters. Insulation is usually produced in large sheets, lengthy rolls or slabs and must be cut to fit and fill the gaps between the rafters. The problem with flexible types of insulation is that the very nature of this flexibility makes it extremely difficult to keep the material in place between the rafters.

It tends to bow and sag in the middle where the weight is concentrated through pressures of unseen forces and weight distribution, therefore, combined with the effects of gravity, falls out. Rigid forms of insulation tend to stay in place as it can be cut slightly larger than the gap between the rafters and pressure alone will hold it in place; not so with sheep's wool. So difficulty with the installation of flexible material such as sheep's wool is that it is usually only one person installing it themselves, usually into a pitched roof where space is limited and without the use of some sort of fixing or retaining device the insulation will inevitably fall out as soon as one lets go of the last section worked on/in due to opposing forces of gravity. The way the insulation is installed between rafters is: the user usually inserts the insulation at the bottom or lowest point of the rafters or framework section being insulated and using both hands simultaneously pushes the material between the rafters whilst keeping hold of it and working the material in up the length of the insulation and rafters towards the apex of the roof or the higher point.

Trouble begins when needing to move along to insulate the next gap -unless there is some means of retaining the last section of insulation worked on, the user will watch with annoyance as the material falls out due to forces of weight and gravity and his work will be undone before him.

Load is also very important on a roof structure and the invention should be light enough that it has a minimal weight effect on the roof when used in large quantities as it is highly likely that more than one unit of the invention will be used on any one project at any one time.

Therefore what is needed is a fixing that will adequately hold or retain the insulation in place but which is light enough to avoid overloading the roof structure and which must have strength in its design and also some flexibility. As there is very little space and room for manoeuvrability in the common loft, the clip must be able to be securely fastened in a quick and effortless manner using as Little space as possible to do so; even detail such as angles of screw holes is crucial, due to awkward ranges and limitation of movement of a user using a tool to insert the nails or screws through the body into the rafters due to space.

According to the Present invention there is provided a clip/fixing that retains or holds back the insulation between the rafters, which is light enough to avoid overloading the structure, strong enough to retain the weight of the insulation and simple enough in design so that it can be used by one person who can fit the clip whilst simultaneously installing the insulation, said invention may be formed in many different shapes and may incorporate holes for fastening it and/or flanges and/or perforated areas and/or apertured areas and/or recessed or hollow areas and so on all of or a combination of which will make the invention more effective in use.

The invention will now be described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1, IA & IB, IC & lD show in perspective the invention in both short and long shaft variations Figures 2, 2A and 2B show perspective views of the invention where the forks of the Y' shape are further apart.

Figures 3, 3A and 3B show in perspective a single shaft elongated version of the invention with raised inner main body.

Figures 4, 4A and 4B show how the invention is used to retain insulation between railers and effects of weight and sagging of insulation materials and comparisons between single shaft and forked versions.

Figure 5 shows how the invention is used in conjunction with insulation and rafters in 3 steps Figure 6 shows and illustrates effects upon the user of the invention of angled and/or countersunk holes compared to normal straight through holes Figures 6A and 6B show cross sectional differences between angled and upright holes, Figure 7 and 7A show and illustrate how the invention may have apertured areas for the purpose of overall weight reduction on the body.

Figures 8, 8A, 8B and 8C show some alternative shapes of the main body with flanges Figures 9,10 and 1OA shows the modification of the single shaft version by incorporating one or more perforated areas and formed channels or recesses for improved strength and the effects of such, Figures II, I JA and 118 show a modified version where the screw hole is encased or raised for additional body strength Figures 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e and 121 show alternative versions that have teeth for extra retaining grip The invention will now be described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings where Figures 1, IA and lB on page 1/12 show three perspective views of the invention formed in a Y' shape.

Figure 1 is a plan view, figure IA is an above side perspective and figure lB is a perspective view from underneath, In all views the main body 10 is flat and incorporates one hole 33 and two apertures 14. The leg or shaft or the Y' shape labelled as A' illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure IC by a dotted line to divide the leg from the forks or arms is shorter iii length than either fork of the Y' and the leg portion A' is where the hole 33 is positioned. There is one aperture 14 in each fork B' of the Y'.

Figure IC and lD also on page 1/12 show a long shaft version where the leg or shaft of the Y', A', is longer than either or both forks B'. The hole 33 is still positioned in the shaft A' but at the lower end.

The hole 33 is used for the purpose of securely fastening the invention to a third member such as a rafter by a nail or screw or other means not mentioned. The apertures 14 are purely for weight reduction of the overall body 10.

Figures 2 and 2A on page 2/12 show the same invention in another short shaft Y' shape but this time the forks of the Y' are spread slightly further apart and (lie apertures 14 are smaller; this is to demonstrate that the overall dimensions may not be equal or proportionate as long as the invention fulfils its purpose of retaining the insulation between the rafters. Figure 2B on page 2/12 shosvs a long shaft version where the forks are spread further apart as above.

The way the invention works is that the leg or shaft of the Y' labelled A' in figure IC on page 1/12 which has the hole 33 is led over the rafter and fastened by the nail or screw and the remaining portion of the main body 10 and forks of the Y' labelled B' protrude or extend out away from the rafter to overlie the insulation. This is illustrated in Figure 4B on page 5/12.

The Y' shape is very important as the main shaft or lower leg of the Y' is fastened to the railer (not shown) through the hole with a nail or screw or other means whilst the forks or arms extend in two directions away from the shaft which effectively allows the invention to overlie and retain a larger area of the flexible wool insulation material. This therefore vastly reduces sagging of the material around the invention and stops (lie material from falling out from the rafters, not only when being installed but when it is finally left to hang between the rafters and insulate the house. The forks or arms spread the load of the insulation where it is most opposing gravity -they act as hands with fingers holding back the mass of the insulation when fixed in place, whilst the user is moving onto the next piece of material to hang, so effectively the user is gaining an extra pair of hands which also makes the task of installing such insulation a one man job. The next important feature of the Y' body shape is that this particular shape is able to incorporate several apertured areas without reducing its strength but vastly reducing the overall weight of the invention, which is important as the roof cannot be overloaded through the invention being used in volume upon a roof structure Figures 3 on page 3/12 shows the invention 10 from an above side perspective, Figure 3A shows a front and rear elevation (both the same) and Figure 3B a side sectional drawing. The main body 10 is generally elongated and shows one hole 33 positioned at the lower end of the body which is the portion that would overlay and be fastened to a rafter not shown. Figure 3 shows the main body 10 has been formed so that the inner area has been raised so a lip II is formed around or incorporated into the perimeter of the main body 10 which is for the purpose of adding strength to an otherwise flat object.

Figure 3A shows the front elevation which illustrates the lip portion II slightly widens the lower portion of the main body 10. Figure 3D shows a cross section where the inner portion of the main body is slightly raised above the lip perimeter portion 11. The invention formed as an elongated rectangular shape as shown in Figure 3 on page 3/12 still retains the insulation and still does its job but this shape is not as effective as the Y' shape because as previously mentioned, low density, weighty, soft, flexible insulation produces a great deal of sagging when hung, which means a single shaft version does not prevent as much sagging as the forked finger Y' version. This is illustrated in Figures 4 and 4A on page 4/12 and 4B on page 5/12. These Figures show the invention in use and provide and demonstrate comparisons between the two alternative shapes when used with both flexible and rigid insulation types: Figure 4 on page 4/12 shows the invention 10 retaining a flat rigid insulation board 24 between two rafters 18. The rigid board 24 has been retained well and tightly by the invention 10 compared to figure 4A where the invention 10 is being used to retainfiexible wool insulation 25 and shows the effects of sagging of the more flexible wool insulation around the invention 10, when the invention comprises a singular elongated shaped body 10. In both Figures 4 and 4A the invention is thstened to the rafters via the hole 33 by a nail or screw 7 or other means not shown or mentioned. The main body in both Figures is shown having a slightly raised inner portion with a lower perimeter lip 11 for the purpose of strengthening the body 10 to prevent it bending under the weight on the insulation 24 and if a very thin material is used to produce the invention which would reduce production costs.

Figure 4B on page 5/12 again shows the invention securely fastened to the rafters 1 8 by a screw 7 via the hole 33 in the main body 10 and retaining flexible insulation 25 between two rafters 18. This version of the invention is the Y' shaped version having apertures 14 in the forks of the Y' and again the hole 33 in the leg or lower end of the body 10 which also has a raised inner portion and lower lip 11 for strengthening purposes. The main reason for the Figures 4, 4A and 4B are to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Y' body shape when compared to the straight singular finger like body shape.

Over long lengths of insulation, more than one unit of the invention must be used and as we can see in Figure 4A on page 4/12 there are two units of the invention being used but spaced much closer together than the two units of the invention being used in Figure 4B on page 5/12. This is because the singular finger like version allows much more sagging of insulation due to a smaller area of insulation being covered by the main body 10 compared to the Y' shaped version which allows the invention to be spaced much further apart when used in volume and highly reduces sagging of the insulation material. This means that the production costs are similar but the Y' version requires fewer units to be used in an application of this type and also reduces load on the roof, I think I've got my point across! Figure 5 on page 6/12 illustrates in 3 steps: 1-3, how the invention 10 is used in conjunction with the insulation 25 to insulate between rafters 1 8. We are assuming that the user will work from the bottom of the rafter 18 to the top, reducing the effects of gravity and sagging of the material to make the job easier. Now, the easiest way to use the invention 10 is to firstly fasten it to the a rafter 1 8 at a low point say for example 3 inches up from the end of the insulation material 25. The user would then insert the end of the insulation and push it behind the invention (clip) 10 where that portion will now be retained -Step 1; so that the user can then fasten another unit of the invention (another clip) 10 further tip the rafter 18 and continue pushing the insulation 25 behind the clips 10 whilst working tip towards the top of the rafter 18, Step 2. This will usually be to the apex of the roof or top of the section being insulated. The user has now worked the insulation in and hung it without any falling out, Step 3, and can now continue to the next section to be insulated knowing his work will not be undone. Less effort, peace of mind and a better job.

Angled holes and their relevance to this invention: Roof structures are built in all shapes and sizes but one thing they all usually have in common is that there is very little space and/or height to manoeuvre when trying to work iii or on it (I'm referring to pitched roofs not necessarily flat roofs). The common small home building commonly has a loft (open area inside the roof between the uppermost floor and the inside of the roof) where insulation is installed. These spaces are usually reasonably small and it is very difficult to work in the loft as the user will have a minimal range of movement and manoeuvrability. We have established that the invention requires a nail or screw to be forced into the rafter through the main body of the invention therefore securely fastening the body to the rafter. This is usually done by using a tool such as a hammer, a screwdriver or a motorised tool such as a battery powered hand drill etc. These items all require the user to have a good range of motion to be able to push some weight behind the implements to ensure the nail or screw is inserted with enough force, or obviously it will just fall out. This is easily done when one is in larger open areas but in a loft of a pitched roof structure, the user has to work under the limitations of the pitch of the roof itself, as the rafters will usually run tip towards a ridge plate or the apex of the roof at between 19 degrees and 45 degrees (some roof pitches fall either side of these figures). This means the user will generally have to crouch and look up towards the underside of the rafter running at a 45 degree angle to his head. So if the hole 33 on the main body 10 of the invention is formed as a straight through zero degree angled hole, the user has to contort his body at all sorts of angles to be able to give his arm a large enough range of motion to be able to use a tool such as a hammer to exert enough force upon the nail or screw at a zero degree angle that will be sufficient to force the nail or screw into the rafter and fasten the clip.

This is illustrated in Figure 6 on page 7/12 where there are two rafters 18 positioned one each side of a piece of insulation 25 held between the rafters 18 by the invention 10. There are axis lines to the left to demonstrate the angle of pitch of upto 45 degrees against a zero degrees vertical open space. There are two illustrations within the main Figure 6 marked A arid B both having a persons arm 48 with hand 47 holding a hammer (tool) 49 which is knocking a nail or screw 7 into the rafter 18 via the hole 33 in the inventions body 10. The purpose of illustrations A and B is to demonstrate the effectiveness of an angled hole compared to a straight through hole. Illustration A shows the users arm 48 with hand 47 clasping a hammer 49 at a angle where the tricep portion of the arm (not shown) is parallel to the ground. The hole 33 is a straight through hole requiring the nail 7 to be inserted through it at a zero degree vertical angle. Due to the opposing and conflicting angles between the rafter I 8, the ground XO and the vertical axis 0, the only way the user can hit the nail 7 directly and precisely is to hold the hammer 49 with the palm of the hand 47 facing upwards so that the range of motion X is obtained by the pivoting movement of the arm 48. In this body position when the tricep portion of the arm is parallel to the ground the user has only one pivot point available which is in the shoulder, meaning the range of movement X with the hammer 49 is very limited and the power exerted by the user is mainly through the users wrist and forearm which is a very awkward way of trying to force the nail 7 into the rafter 18, unless the shoulder and arm are twisted so the tricep is facing towards the apex of the roof or upwards. This altered position would transfer the pivot point P to the elbow so that the nail or screw 7 would be hit in a reverse movement of the arm using the power of the tricep muscle.

This is still very difficult and laborious compared to illustration B where the hole 33 in the body of the invention 10 is formed at a slanted angle say 30 degrees to the body 10. This means the hole 33 has then negated or offset the effect of the adverse position of the nail 7 and rafters 18 as the arm now has two pivot points P -one in the shoulder and one in the elbow, which means the nail can be inserted at a degree angle by the user exerting force from the bicep, shoulder, forearm and wrist in a forward motion from the elbow therefore being much safer, easier and taking less effort than if the nail and hole were at vertical zero degrees; there is a much larger range of motion X and the two pivot points P actually provide several ranges of motion X compared to one range of motion X in illustration A. So basically an angled hole is better! The angled hole may also be partially countersunk so that the countersunk portion of the hole acts as a slipway or channel for the nail or screw to follow and help stay on course towards and into the rafter at the desired angle. This is only necessary when fastening the invention to an angled or out of true' clamp member -a straight through hole would suffice for all other applications so therefore maybe a few alternative versions could be manufactured for different purposes.

Figure 6A and 6B also on page 7/12 show cross sectional views of the invention where the hole 33 is at a vertical zero degree to the body (Figure 6A) and where it is at a slanted 0-45degree angle to the body (Figure 6B) eniphasized by the nail 7 in each figure.

Figures 7 and 7A on page 8/12 illustrate how the apertures 14 within the main body 10 may not necessarily be symmetrical or even the same size as shown in Figure 1 on page 1/12 and may be randomly spaced. The only purpose of the apertures is to reduce body weight of the invention. The apertures could even be shaped in the outline of a company logo etc if one wanted to be really clever! The Figures 7 and 7A also illustrate two lengths of the shaft of the Y' shape. The reason for these two alternative lengths is that different roof structures have different spacing widths between rafters for example; a new build home may use a 600mm spacing and an older period home may only use a 300mm spacing therefore the mass or volume of insulation being retained is significantly different meaning that the clip may need to extend further across the insulation on the 600mm spacing hence a long shaft version or the clip may only need to extend and overlie the very edges of the insulation on the smaller 300mm spacing hence the short shaft version. What generally happens with sheep's wool insulation is that it sags in the middle and pulls the edges further away from the rafter; wider space, more sagging -longer shaft needed for the invention to extend further and offer the same retention capabilities.

Figures 8, 8A, RB and SC on page 9/12 show various alternative versions of the invention in terms of shape of the may body 10 with the addition of a flange 27 that may positioned anywhere around the body 10 that has a hole 33 to receive the nail or screw not shown. This is to illustrate the idea that other shapes will still retain the insulation and are useable but the Y' shape is still the most effective as the forks of the Y' spread the load and disperse the sagging effect much better. Figure 8 shows an oval shape, Figure 8A shows the rectangular shape, Figure 8B shows a spear head shape which has an apertured body 14 and Figure 8C shows a square shaped body 10, a flange 27 with hole 33 and aperture 14 and a recessed channel or lip 11 for strengthening purposes. Any of the shapes may have one or all of these modifications, Figure 9 on page 10/12 introduces the perforated area on the invention which is another alternative version. In this version the main body 10 has a flange 27 having a hole 33 and a perforated line 42 running horizontally across the body. This perforation is to give the invention the ability to bend at the perforation so that if there is a situation where the insulation is either recessed or protruding further forwards from the rafter, the invention has an element of flexibility so it can adapt to take these anomalies into account and still remain effective for the purpose. This is highlighted in figures tO and 1OA on page 10/12 where the body 10 shows two perforated areas 42 so the invention can bend twice to follow the shape of the rafter 18 and still overlie the insulation 25 in this Figure the insulation is recessed from the rafter 18.

Figures 11, 1 IA and JiB on page 11/12 show another alternative version of the invention incorporating a raised portion 57 of the body 10 that encases the screw hole 33 for the purpose of creating a housing for an angled screw to be able to exert force against this casing to tighten fasten the screw with a greater pressure. This is particularly useful for when the invention has to be fastened or mounted on the inner face of the rafter as opposed to the outer face. The encasement gives further strength which would otherwise be provided by the flat face of the rafter if the invention is lying and fastened straight over the top of the rafter as the body of the rafter itself provides the support strength rather than the body and encasement of the screw within the invention. Figures 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e and 12f on page 12/12 show alternative versions of the invention 10 that have teeth 38/39 for the purpose of biting into the insulation and hooking it or gripping it tightly to oppose the gravitational forces that produce the sagging of the insulation. The teeth pierce the surface of the insulation and help retain it behind the clips to stop it falling out. The teeth may be cut froni within the confines of the main body and/or shaft or can be incorporated around the perimeter or at the ends of the main body and bent away from the body towards the insulation. There nrny be at least one tooth but generally two teeth or more. The actual main body 10 may have a slightly curved tip shown in figure t2b marked X' where the teeth 39 are positioned to enhance the clawing effect of the invention against the insulation.

Figures 12 and 12a illustrate both the Y' shaped version and the finger like rectangle version both having teeth 39 positioned at the tip of the each fork and the end of the finger of the main body 10 which look like small hooks. The teeth 39 are formed as part of the body 10 but bent downwards towards the underside to bite into the insulation. Figures 12e and 12d show cross sections of the invention that illustrate the single tooth (12e) and the plurality of teeth 38/39 (12d). Figures 12e and l2f again show both versions of the invention 10 but having a plurality of teeth 38/39 that may also be cut from within the confines of the main body 10 and/or formed into and/or around the body 10. The figures 12d-12f show the teeth 38/39 may be curved to hook and hold back the insulation to help oppose the sagging that may occur once the insulation is hung. Figure 12e also shows the invention 10 having the recess channel 11 for strength, the apertures 14, nail or screw hole 33 and teeth 38/39.

Claims

CLAIMSI. A rafter clip for retaining, compressing or fastening insulation materials between rafters and/or partition wall studwork; wherein said rafter clip comprises a main body which is substantially flat and formed in a shape or an elongated finger like rectangle, said cy' shape allowing an end portion of the leg or body of the cy shape to be attached to the rafter/studwork whilst the remaining portion of the body and forks of the Y' extend from the rafter/studwork overlaying the insulation, said main body of the clip having at least one hole to allow a nail or screw to be fastened to the rafter/studwork via the clip.
2. A rafter clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clip is for retaining, compressing or fastening insulation materials in the form of rolls, slabs or boards.
3. A rafter clip as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the leg or body of the Y' shape is elongated compared to the forks of the Y' shape.
4. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one hole is wholly or partially countersunk.
5, A rafter clip as claimed in any one of claims ito 4, wherein the at least one hole is angled up to 45 degrees from the surface of the main body.
6. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one hole is encased, surrounded, supported or strengthened by having a higher density, or thicker portion of material formed around the hole and/or having a raised portion.
7. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body comprises one or more apertured areas.
8. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body comprises formed areas which are recessed hollow or ridged or channelled.
9. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body comprises one or more perforated areas.
10. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main body comprises a flange that has a least one hole; wherein said flange may be positioned anywhere around the main body, allowing the main body to be fabricated in alternative shapes.
11. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, Ilirther comprising at least one retaining tooth.
12. A rafter clip as claimed in claim ii, wherein the retaining at least one retaining tooth extends from a periphery of the clip.
13. A rafter clip as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one retaining tooth extends from an interior of the clip.
14. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the claims 11 -14, wherein the at least one retaining tooth is formed from material of the clip, cut and bent out of alignment with the remainder of the clip.CLAIMS
15. A rafter clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clip is made from metals, plastics, rubbet; wood or paper materials or a combination of any of these materials.
16. A railer clip substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.