US2345325A - Sheet metal fabric clip - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1944. W H CHURCHILL 2,345,325

' v SHEET METAL FABRIC CLIP Filed Deo. 10, 1942 DI.' )4.01.1 A A A A @W//////////////////////////////// 31A/umm I 8 my y Patented Mar. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET METAL FABRIC CLIP Wilmer H. Churchill, Saugus, Mass., assgnor to i United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 10, 1942, Serial No. 468,556

(Cl. 24g-87) 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to sheet metal fabric clips of the type shown in the Rutledge Patent No. 2,275,683, granted March 10, 1942, and aims generally to improve clips of that type.

In fabric covered installations, as for example,

the Wing surfaces and interior finish of airplanes and similar installations where a fabric covering is to be attached to a metal support it is quite essential that the fabric be held in place securely on the support against any outward pull either of the support or the fabric. The supports are conveniently apertured and the fabric may be secured to the support by an elongated clip such as disclosed in the Rutledge patent. Heretofore, such clips have been made from metal bar stock which involves not only an excess of metal required for the purpose, but excessive machining operations and produces a clip that may not be confined to the small compass of clips of the present invention.

The present invention aims to improve clips of the type described above, for example, as shown in the Rutledge patent, by the provision of a clip made from very thin sheet metal which may be rapidly and economically formed on stamping M machines and it will lie flat against the fabric and occupy a minimum of space above the fabric when applied thereto.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following more detailed description of one embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a clip in place, the sheet metal support and the fabric covering being illustrated in section;

Fig, 2 is a similar view illustrating the manner of engaging the clip with the fabric and the support;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the clip according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the blank of sheet metal from which the clip is made;

Fig. 6 is an end View thereof;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the clip is simple in form and comprises an elongated band I of thin sheet metal which may be formed with a longitudinally disposed reinforcing rib 2 pressed outwardly from the plane of the band to reinforce and add stiffness to the latter throughout its length. The band is formed at its two ends with Shanks 3 which may be of a width slightly less than the band I and which are adapted to be bent angularly tothe band forming a fillet 4. Beyond the shanksY 3 there is provided a spadeshaped end `5 on the blank presenting abrupt shoulders 6 and arcuate edges 1 converging toward a point 8 along thelongitudinal center line of the blank.

In shaping the clip', the spade portions 5 are folded along the longitudinal central line so that the shoulders 6 are disposed inwardly of the fillets 4 and in spaced relation to the band I and the arcuate edges 1 present inwardly facing cam surfaces connecting the innermost ends ofthe shoulders 6 with theY point 8, thus forming a folded sheet metal pointed barb. The pointed barb enables the clip to pierce the fabric and to locate the clip with reference to the apertures in the support.

Advantageously the clip is used to secure a fabric I0 to a metal support II which may be of sheet metal and which is provided with a pair of spaced apertures I2. Preferably, the barbs are spaced apart longitudinally a distance slightly less than the spacing between the apertures so that in application they will engage the fabric and support under tension. As is illustrated in Fig. 2, the clip is applied to the installation by passing one barb through the fabric and one of the apertures I2. The point of the opposite barb is then pressed inwardly into the opposite aperture I2. Since the barbs are spaced apart a distance less than the spacing of the apertures I2 and must underlie the sheet metal support I0, there is a yielding and flexing of fillets 4 to permit relative lateral expansion of the barbs in passing through the two apertures I2. The resilience of the fillets 4 permits the barbs to return to their normal position as soon as they have passed through the apertures I2, thus assuring that the shoulders 6 will underlie the adjacent face of the support II.

Preferably the shoulders 6 of the barb are spaced below the adjacent face of the band I a distance equal to or very slightly less than the combined thickness of the support Il and fabric I0. This construction, when considered with the fact that the band is of thin sheet metal, permits the band to lie ush with or slightly embedded in the fabric thus avoiding the necessity of especially channelling the support so that the fabric and clip may be confined therein` While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope of my invention is best deiined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal clip for'securing fabric to an underlying support formed with a pair of Y widely spaced apertures, said clip comprising la thin stiff flat sheet metal band having angularly disposed resilient shanks at opposite ends and on the same side thereof, and opposed barbs formed of folded sheet metal at the ends of said shanks and presenting shoulders spaced from said band.

an underlying support formed with a pair of widely spaced apertures, said clip comprising a still, flat elongated sheet metal band having angularly disposed resilient Shanks at opposite ends and on the same side thereof and an opposed inwardly facing barb formed of folded sheet metal at the ends of said shanks and presenting inwardly facing shoulders spaced from said band.

3. A sheet metal clip for securing fabric to an underlying support formed with a pair of widely spaced apertures, said clip being formed from 4from a single elongated blank of sheet metal having opposed spade-shaped ends and an inter- ,mediate connecting strip connecting said ends,

1 l5 2. A sheet metal clip for securing fabric to said strip providing a thin relatively stiff flat band and angularly disposed shanks at opposite lends and on the same side thereof, and said spade-shaped ends being folded along a longitudinal median line to form barbs having substantially straight outer faces in the plane of said Shanks and cam-shaped inner faces extending from the lower terminus of saidvouter facesl angularly toward said band and toward each other to a plane spaced from said band and presenting inwardly facing shoulders spaced from said band a distance substantially equal to the combined thickness of the support and fabric, the barbs being spaced apart less than the distance between the support apertures, said Shanks being yieldable to pass said inwardly facing barbs through said support apertures by a snapping action, thus positioning said shoulders in engagement with the under side of said support intermediate said Shanks to hold the band flat against the fabric.

WILMER H. CHURCHILL..

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