WO2002018697A1

WO2002018697A1 - Fabric securing clip

Info

Publication number: WO2002018697A1
Application number: PCT/AU2001/001104
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barry Charles Burrows
Original assignee: Maystai Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-01
Filing date: 2001-09-03
Publication date: 2002-03-07

Abstract

A clip for attaching a fabric (14) to a wire (12) said clip having a pair of closely spaced oppositely directed lugs (20) forming a transverse slot therebetween for the initial entry of a wire (12) and a portion of fabric (14), said lugs (20) and correspondingly spaced tongues (24) forming a second slot at an angle to said first slot into which said fabric (14) and wire (12) is locked. The wire (12) and fabric (14) are locked in the clip by rotating the clip.

Description

FABRIC SECURING CLIP

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fabric securing clip, more particularly, the present invention relates to a clip for securing a fabric to a wire or similar element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many forms of clips or pegs used for securing a fabric to a wire, the common ones being termed clothes pegs. Most of these pegs rely on a spring to apply pressure to a pair of legs which extend over the wire and each of which legs resiliently press on the fabric or clothes to hold the fabric or clothes on the wire or the clothes line.

Whilst these arrangements are perform generally adequately in domestic situations, they are not always satisfactory in commercial situations. For example, it is becoming common for large areas of shade cloth or other fabric to be used in horticultural industries to protect crops. For example, grape vine crops are, when bearing almost mature fruit, very vulnerable to damage from wind, and storm, particularly hailstorms. It will be readily appreciated that exposure of delicate grapes to hail storms can in a short space of time cause sufficient damage for the crop to be ruined and consequently, for the grower to lose an entire season's production. The financial cost to the grower of the loss is immense. Thus, there is an interest in protecting crops by way of a covering fabric. The fabric serves as a barrier between the crop and the damaging weather.

Many grape vines both in the table grape industry and the wine industry are grown on and supported on trellises. A long roll of fabric is placed over the vine row and the fabric is fastened by clips or pegs to the lateral wires extending along the vine row. It is to be appreciated that the with long rows of vines in windy conditions the wind loading on the fabric can be quite substantial due to the large surface area of the fabric. Hence a form of clip or peg is required which will securely hold the fabric on the wire, and yet such clip must be easy to attach and remove from the wire. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus there is provided according to the invention a clip for attaching a fabric to a wire, said clip having a pair of closely spaced oppositely directed lugs forming a slot therebetween for the initial entry of a wire and a portion of fabric, said lugs and correspondingly spaced tongues forming a second slot at an angle to said first slot into which said fabric and wire is locked.

In the context of the present invention it should be noted that the term fabric is to be given a broad interpretation and should not be restricted to woven material but should includes any flexible sheet like material that might be connected to a wire.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent when taken into consideration with the following drawings and specifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings:-

Figures 1-6 illustrate a fabric securing clip in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention in perspective view as a wire is presented to, received in and secured in the clip;

Figures 7-9 illustrate the fabric securing clip of figure 1 in end view as the wire is presented to, received in and secured in the clip;

Figures 10-12 illustrate the fabric securing clip of figure 1 in side view as the wire is presented to, received in and rotated to secure the clip;

Figures 13-15 illustrate the fabric securing clip of figure 1 in front view as the wire is presented to, received in and rotated to secure the clip;

Figure 16 illustrates in cross-sectional view the location of fabric secured in the clip of figure 1 ; and

Figure 17 illustrates in perspective view the arrangement of figure 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Shown in the drawings is a clip 10 formed in accordance with the present invention. Figures 1-15 present the clip 10 and a wire 12 to which the clip is to be secured in various views omitting the fabric that would, in use, be placed over the wire 12. Figures 16 and 17 illustrate the appearance of the clip 10 when used to secure fabric 14 to the wire 12.

Shown in figures 1 ,2,7,10 and 13 is the clip as it presents to the wire 12.

The clip 10 includes a body portion 16 having at a first end a gripping portion 18 serving as a handle. The gripping portion 18 is a flat tab shaped extension of the body 16 and is generally narrower in cross-section than the remainder of the body 16. The plane of the gripping portion is offset with respect to the plane of the body portion 16, which in some cases is considered desirable. However, it is to be realised the offset angle of the gripping portion is a matter of preference and that individual users may prefer a planar arrangement of body and handle.

The clip 10 further includes a pair of closely spaced oppositely directed lugs 20 extending from a second end of the body 16. As can be seen from the drawings the lugs 20 emerge from opposing faces A and B of the body 16 and are sized so as to form a longitudinal slot or channel 22 there between. The slot 22 extends through the planar body 16 from edge to edge as shown in figures 2 and 7. The slot 22 is defined on one side by a lug 20 and on an opposing side by a corresponding tongue 24. Each tongue 24 extends from the body 16 of the clip 10 and is generally parallel to the lug 20 but is spaced therefrom, the slots 22 therefore being formed between the lugs 20 and tongues 24.

Further, the lugs 20 each include an inwardly turned end 26. The inwardly turned ends 26 serve to close off the slots 22, this can be seen to advantage in figures 10,11 , and 15.

Each lug 20 extends from an edge of the clip 10 inwardly a distance of less than half of the width of the clip10. Similarly, each tongue 24 corresponding to the lugs 20 also extend from an edge of the clip inwardly a distance of less than half of the width of the clipl 0. Thus, between the lugs 20 there is a further slot 28 that extends transversely through the clip 10 from face to face. The slot 28 can be seen to advantage in figures 12, 13 and 14 and forms an opening in the lower edge of the clip 10. It should also be noted that the two slots 22, 28 are interconnected, at the point where the slot 28 intersects the slot 22 formed between the lugs 20 and corresponding spaced opposing tongue 24.

In use, the clip 10 is presented to a wire 12, the wire having a protective fabric 14 draped thereover as shown in figures 16 and 17. The clip 10 is presented in a transverse position such that the clip 10 can be inserted over wire 12 and fabric 14. The wire 12 and fabric 14 are thus received in the slot 28. The clip is now rotated through approximately 90. Rotating the clip 10 in this fashion brings the wire 12 into the opening of the slot 22. Moreover, as can be seen in figure 11 the wire 12 is retained in the slot 22 by the inwardly turned ends 26 of the lugs 22 that close off the slot 22. A simple push locates the wire 12 and fabric 14 into the deepest part of the slot 22 where they are retained between the lugs 20 and tongues 24. In some embodiments of the invention the location of the wire 12 and fabric 14 in the slot may be further assured by providing a ridge on an interior surface of the slot 22 over which the wire and fabric mush be pushed, the ridge serving as a means for restraining any outward movement of the wire and fabric.

As shown in figures 16 and 17the lugs 20 grip on opposite sides of the wire 12 and the fabric 14 is pressed in one direction to one side of the wire 12 by one lug 20 and in- turned end 26 and to the opposite side of the wire 12 by the second lug 20 and in- turned end 26. The internal dimensions of the slots 22 and 28 are such that the fabric 14 looped around the wire 12 is a snug fit in the slots.

Thus the slot 28 forms a location for the initial entry of the wire 12 and fabric 14, and the lugs 20 and correspondingly spaced tongues 24 forming the second slot 20 at an angle to said first slot 28 into which said fabric and wire is locked.

It has been found that the fabric is securely locked to the wire by the clip, and tests have shown that the fabric will pull out of the clip with out tearing. The fabric is easily released from the wire by a reverse action on the clip 10. The fabric is pulled to bring the wire outwards towards the opening of the slot 22 and the clip is then rotated through 90 so that the fabric and wire are then engaged in the transverse slot 28 thereby allowing them to be freed from engagement with the clip 10.

In the present embodiment the two slots 22, 28 in the clip 10 run at right angles to one another. It is to be noted however that the invention is not restricted to a form where two slots are formed at right angles to one another, and that it has been found that the second slot may be at any angle so long as the clip is turned to lock the wire and fabric in the clip.

It will be realised that the clip is formed of any suitable material, preferably UV resistant plastics material that has a degree of memory and resiliency, such that the lugs of the clip will return to the locking position and will not become fatigued after prolonged use.

Also, the clips can be manufactured in various sizes to be used with various diameters of wires.

Although the clip has been described with reference to use for holding fabrics on vines, it is to be realised that the clips of the invention cab be used wherever a fabric has to be attached to a wire or thin rod, such as in the erection of shade houses, or even as clothes pegs.

Other changes may be made to the present invention whilst still falling within its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims

1. A clip for attaching a fabric to a wire, said clip having a pair of closely spaced oppositely directed lugs forming a transverse slot therebetween for the initial entry of a wire and a portion of fabric, said lugs and correspondingly spaced tongues forming a second, slot at an angle to said first slot into which said fabric and wire is locked.

2. A clip according to claim 1 , wherein said clip further includes a body portion having at a first end thereof and a gripping portion serving as a handle.

3. A clip according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is a flat tab shaped extension of the body and is generally narrower in cross-section than the remainder of the body.

4. A clip according to claim 3, wherein the plane of the gripping portion is offset with respect to the plane of the body portion.

5. A clip according to any one of claims 1-4, in which the pair of closely spaced oppositely directed lugs extend from a second end of the body and wherein the lugs emerge from opposing faces of the body to thereby form the second slot therebetween.

6. A clip according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein said first and second slots are arranged at right angles to one another.

7. A clip according to any one of claims 1-6, in which the second slot extends through the planar body from edge to edge and is defined on one side by one lug and on an opposing side by the corresponding to.

8. A clip according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, the lugs each include an inwardly turned end serving to close off the slots.

9. A clip according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein each lug extends from an edge of the clip inwardly a distance of less than half of the width of the clip and each corresponding tongue extends from an edge of the clip inwardly a distance of less than half of the width of the to thereby form the first slot therebetween extending transversely through the clip from face to face.

10. A clip according to any one of claims 1 -9, wherein the first and second slots are interconnected.

11. A method of securing a fabric to a wore using a clip form in accordance with any one of claims 1-10, in which, the clip is presented to a wire having a protective fabric draped thereover, the clip being presented in a transverse position such that the clip can be inserted over the wire and fabric 14 so that the wire and fabric are received in the first slot and then rotating the clip to brings the wire into the second slot, said fabric and wire thereby being locked in said clip.