US2632477A

US2632477A - Channel strip with snap on holder

Info

Publication number: US2632477A
Application number: US167461A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Weibel
Original assignee: CURTIS LIGHTING Inc
Current assignee: CURTIS LIGHTING Inc
Priority date: 1950-06-10
Filing date: 1950-06-10
Publication date: 1953-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 1970-03-24

Description

CHANNEL STRIP WITH SNAP ON HOLDER Filed June. 10, 1950 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHANNEL STRIPWITH SNAP ON HOLDER William A. Weibel, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Curtis Lighting, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 10,1950, Serial No. 167,461

' 'ment or removal of the plate from position of use.

To accomplish this end, it has been thepractice to provide separate clamping means for rigidly securing the holderplate onto the channel member. Suitable clamping means of the type which have heretofore been employed comprise complex structures; which are not only expensive but are very often difficult to mount in their assembled relation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved clamping means which is formed of relatively few simple parts thatare easily inserted in their mounted relation and which securely fixes the holder plate in position of use on the channel member.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of parts which permits assembly of the plate holder in its mounted relation in a channel strip to'be effected by the use of a snap fastener which is easily and simply inserted into position of use and just as easily and simply removed, and which is effective in its mounted relation to prevent inadyertent disengagement or displacement of the holder plate, and it is a related objectto produce a new and. improved snap fastener for use in an assemblyof the type described.

2 Claims. (01. 138-75),

' More specifically, the channel strip of the type shown in the drawings is an elongate rectangular housing having a top wall It and depending side walls l5 and I6 with an inwardly grooved portion I! or continuous indenture in each side wall just below the top wall. The indentures are adapted to be operatively engaged by gripping or other clamping elements by which the channel is fixed the ceiling structure. Integral with the lower edges of the

side walls

15 and 16 are horizontally disposed flanges I8 and 19, respectively, which extend in the direction towards each other for a short distance. The flanges are formed with an integral up-turned portion 20 and a subsequent rearward extending portion 2| and a forwardly extending portion 22 which provide resilient facing grooves I I and I2 spaced inwardly a short distance from their respective side walls I5 and I6. Such grooved portions when formed in a manner described in combination with their integral flanges may have the appearance of an S-shaped member.

The holder plate or base plate I0, which may be used in the practice of this invention, comprises a flat rectangular rigid member having a width corresponding to the span between grooves H and I2 such that the plate l0 snaps into position between the grooves upon insertion from the underside. Because of the resilient nature of the receiving grooves, as well as the possibility of re1- ative longitudinal movement of the plate within the grooves, the holder plate i subject to dis-- Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of i1: lustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective fragmentary view of a holder secured in position of use in a channel strip by means embodying features of this invention;

. Figure 2 is a sectional viewtaken along the line 2-2 of Figure l but showing one snap fastener in position of use while another is shown in position for displacement into position of use; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a snap fastener embodying features of this invention.

placement by intention or by inadvertence.

In order to fix the plate in its mounted relation, a new and improved fastening means is provided which makes use of a series of

slots

23 and 24 arranged in spaced parallel relation with each other and the respective side edges of the plate.

Insertable through each pair of

slots

23 and 24 in a manner which will hereinafter be'described to secure the parts in their assembled relation, is a snap fastener 25 in the form of an As shown in the drawings, the concepts of this elongate strip of resilient relatively rigid material, such as plastic, spring metal and the like. One end of the strip is offset to provide a spaced curvilinear end portion which is adapted to be inserted through the outermost slot 23 in the holder plate and resiliently to engage the rear wall of the adjacent groove H or 12 in which the plate is positioned while the other end of the strip is provided with a flanged portion which snaps into the innermost slot 24 to hold the fastener in its mounted relation. Morespecifically. the strip is formed with a relatively flat body portion 26 which corresponds inlength substantially to the distance between

slots

23 and 24. Integral with one end of the body portion is an offset portion 21 having an end 28 spaced from the body portion by an amount which is slightly less than the distance between the outermost slot 23 and the rear wall 29 of the engaged groove ll. Integral with the other end of the body portion 26 is a depending lip or flange 30 which may have an intermediate portion 3| offset in the direction of the outermost slot to establish a tensioned gripping relation when the lip is inserted through the innermost slot 24. Instead of providing an offset portion 3|, the lip may be formed to extend at an angle slightly less than 90 with the body portion, or other securing means may be provided for causing the lip to snap into operative position or for holding the fastener in its mounted relation.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the

curvilinear portion 21 is in the form of a semicircular section offset to one side of the body portion and having a, diameter slightly less than the distance between the outermost slot and the adjacent edge of the plate plus the thickness of the material through the grooved section II. The end of the semicircular section has an outturned lip 32 to enhance establishment of the tensioned mounted relation.

In operation, a plate holder 19 having the necessary fixture holding parts (not shown) thereon is snapped into position from below by insertion between the grooves H and I2 of the channel strip I3 which may be fixed in the ceiling structure. The curvilinear end portion 28 of the snap fastener 26 is inserted from below through the outermost slot 23 and then the body portion of the fastener is rocked in the direction to bring the body portion into juxtaposition with the under side of the holder plate Hl. While such swinging movement occurs, the end 28 of the curvilinear section 21 resiliently engages the rear wall 29 of the grooved flange and the lip 30 enters and is forced through the innermost slot 24. After the offset 3| is passed the lip snaps into position which thereafter is tensionally maintained with sufficient force to resist inadvertent displacement of the snap fastener from its mounted relation. The snap fastener can be intentionally displaced upon the application of force from within to displace the lip from the groove, whereupon the fastener may be swung to permit withdrawal of the curvilinear end portion. Suflicient force to displace the lip 30 may be secured by the use of tools in the event that access cannot be had from within. When the holder plate is held in position with a fastener for establishing operative engagement with each receiving groove, the holder plate is firmly held in position in a manner to resist displacement from its mounted relation.

It will be understood that the features of this invention are not limited to practice with channel members or lighting fixtures exclusively, but

that they may be employed in any arrangement wherein it is desired to mount a plate or like member in fixed relation between spaced grooves. The assembly described has the effect of fixing the spaced relation between the resilient side walls of the channel members or the spaced grooves when the assembled relation has been established.

It will be further understood that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a lighting fixture, an elongate channel strip having an inwardly grooved portion through the length of the strip in the side wall portion just below the top wall, inwardly extending flanges integral with the lower free edges of the side walls, S-shaped members integral with the flanges to provide facing receiving grooves in closely spaced apart relation with their respective side walls, a base plate dimensioned to seat within the grooves when in position of use, said base plate being provided with a pair of spaced inner and outer slots in parallelism with said side walls, and a snap fastener for each pair of openings comprising a strip of resilient rigid material formed with the body portion corresponding in length to the space between slots, an integral portion oifset from the'end of the body portion and adapted to extend through the outermost slot to the side of the base plate opposite that against which the body portion is located when in the assembled relation to provide a resilient end section spaced from the body portion by an amount slightly less than the distance between the outermost slot and the rearward wall of the engaged groove, and a flange portion integral with the other end of the body portion for insertion through the innermost slot to establish a gripping relation which prevents inadvertent displacement.

2. In a lighting fixture, an elongate channel strip having a top wall and spaced side walls extending therefrom in spaced apart relation, the free edge portions of the side walls being turned inwardly and up to provide a skirt portion in closely spaced relation with the corresponding side wall, an outwardly extending curvilinear portion in the intermediate portion of the skirt to provide facing grooves in the skirt portions, 2. base plate dimensioned to seat within the facing grooves and cover the open end of the channel end when in the mounted relation and having a pair of inner and outer slots spaced from the side edges thereof, a snap fastener for securing the base plate to the channel section comprising a strip of resilient sheet material having a relatively flat body portion corresponding in length to the spaced relation between slots in each pair, a curvilinear portion integral with one end of the body portion adapted to extend inwardly through the outer slot and to extend into the space between the side wall and the corresponding skirt and bear against the outer wall thereof when in the mounted relation, and a tail integral with the outer end of the body portion adapted to enter the inner slot of the pair resiliently to engage the base plate when in the mounted relation to prevent inadvertent displacement.

WILLIAM A. WEIBEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the