WO2019030656A1

WO2019030656A1 - Fastener

Info

Publication number: WO2019030656A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/055914
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wesley Raymond CHAPMAN; Marc Peter MINNE
Original assignee: Chapman Wesley Raymond
Priority date: 2017-08-06
Filing date: 2018-08-06
Publication date: 2019-02-14

Abstract

This invention relates to a fastener (1) and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a fastener for use in securing deck boards (14, 15) onto a substructure. In accordance with this invention there is provided a fastener (1) comprising a body having securing means (19) and engaging means (13) for engaging a securing means (19) and deck board engaging means (4a, 4b) for engaging a deck board (14, 15).

Description

FASTENER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fastener and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a fastener for use in securing deck boards onto a substructure.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Fasteners for securing deck boards or floorboards to joists of a substructure are well-known and widely used.

A prior art fastener (similar to the fasteners of figures 1 to 12 hereto but for the novel and inventive features described later herein) receives a screw through a hole in a base section thereof. The hole is large enough to comfortably receive the screw threaded shaft of the screw without restricting aligned movement of the screw into and out of the hole. This creates a difficulty when one wants to pre-engage screws and fasteners prior to packaging thereof. The screws will not necessarily remain engaged in the fasteners after packaging and during shipment.

When the screw is engaged in the hole and screwed into a substrate, such as a joist underneath the fastener, the screw head forces apart two parallel walls thereof. This deforms the fastener and may affect its efficacy.

Prior art fasteners are bent from cut or punched sheet metal blanks. Their resultant base sections are curved at the long edges thereof to form a somewhat concave base section. If the screw is screwed in far enough so that the underside of the screw head engages the curved edges, the fastener is forced open further, thereby further adversely affecting the efficacy of the fastener. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a fastener which, at least partially, alleviates some of the above-mentioned difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a fastener comprising body having securing means and engaging means for engaging a securing means and deck board engaging means for engaging a deck board.

The body includes a securing means seat.

There is provided for the seat to be formed on the securing means engaging means.

There is further provided for the fastener to include securing means receiving means for receiving the securing means there through.

A still further feature of the invention provides for the securing means receiving means to be a hole in the body.

There is provided for the hole to be in a base of the body.

The deck board engaging means is least one wing extending from the body.

There is yet further provided for the wing to extend from a side wall of the body; and more particularly, from an upper edge of a side wall of the body.

An underside of the head of the securing means abuts on the seat, preferably when the securing means is fully received in the securing means engaging means. The securing means engaging means are tabs extending inwardly into cutaway sections of the sidewalls of the body.

The securing means engaging means are integral with the sidewalls of the body. Inner edges of the tabs engage the securing means.

A further feature of the invention provides for the securing means to be a screw and for the inner edges of the tabs engage in a thread of the screw.

Legs at opposite ends of the sidewalls terminate operatively lower than the base of the body, are aligned in a plane operatively lower than a plane defined by the base of the body.

The legs diverge outwardly from a plane defined by their corresponding sidewalls.

The invention extends to 1 fasteners each fastener having securing means engaged in a securing means engaging means thereof.

These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a front upper perspective view of a fastener;

Figure 2 shows a rear upper perspective view of the fastener figure 1 Figure 3 shows a front lower perspective view of the fastener of figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 shows a rear lower perspective view of the fastener of figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 shows a top view of the fastener figures 1 to 4;

Figure 6 shows a front view of the fastener of figures 1 to 5;

Figure 7 shows a rear view of the fastener figures 1 to 6;

Figure 8 shows a right side view of the fastener of figures 1 to 7;

Figure 9 shows a left side view of the fastener figures 1 to 8;

Figure 10 shows a cutaway rear view of the fastener of figures 1 to 9 with the fastener located on a sub structure and a side view of a screw for use in securing the fastener;

Figure 1 1 shows the same view of figure 1 0 but with the screw engaged in the fastener;

and

Figure 12 shows a left side view of the fastener of figures 1 to 1 1 attached to a substructure and engaged with a first deck board and a second deck board being engaged with the fastener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings, a fastener is generally indicated by reference numeral 1 The fastener 1 is bent from a pre-cut or punched sheet metal blank. All the parts of the fastener 1 are thus integrally formed.

Once bent, the fastener 1 , is substantially U-shaped in cross-section forming a channel section with a base 2 and two side walls 3. The U-shaped channel section has two wings (4a and 4b) extending integrally from the upper edges of the side walls.

The base 2 is substantially flat and elongate. The long opposite edges of the base 2 curve upward into the opposed, parallel and operatively upward extending side walls 3. The base is shorter in length than the sidewalls 3. The base 2 has a centrally located hole therein for receiving a screw 19 there through as is described in more detail below.

A central, substantially rectangular or square section of each side wall, adjacent and aligned with the hole in the base, is cut away save for leaving two tabs 13 extending part way inwardly into each cutaway section 1 1 . The tabs 13 extend inwardly in the same plane as the wall with which it is integrally formed into their corresponding cut out sections 1 1 from opposite upper sides of the cut out sections 1 1 so that the tabs 13 point towards each other.

Inner edges 13a of the four tabs are shaped to engage in a screw thread 22 of the screw 19 as is more fully described below.

The height of the free ends of the tabs 13 is small enough so that the inner edges 13a thereof will engage in the screw thread 22. Alternatively, the tabs may have reduced free ends as is shown in the figures. Upper and lower sides of the tabs 13 may be cut away at an angle so that the free ends of the tabs 13 are thinner (smaller in height) than at their bases.

Each tab has an upper operatively horizontal, flat section 13b, approximate its base for receiving an underside of the head 20 of the screw 1 9 there on. The length of the cut out sections in the two walls, disregarding the upper, inwardly extending tabs 13, is larger than the diameter of the hole in the base section 2.

The wall sections 3 terminate, in their length, at opposite ends, in leg formations 10. An underside of each leg formation 10 is operatively lower than an underside of the base 2 so that the fastener is supported on its four leg formations when placed on a joist. The leg formations 10 diverge slightly outwardly from the planes defined by the wall sections thus increasing the stability of the support of the fastener on the leg formations.

Inner parts of operatively upper edges on either side of the cut away sections 1 1 of the wall sections 3 curve outwardly into the the substantially operatively horizontally extending wings 4a and 4b.

The first wing 4a has a first elongate level section 8, parallel with the axis of the channel, and extending operatively horizontally from parts of an upper long edge of its corresponding wall section. Wing 4a is bent along its centre so that it terminates in an upwardly extending, elongate, parallel and upwardly extending outer section 9. Section 9 extends at an angle of about 45° upwards from the horizontal.

Wing 4b is similarly bent along its centre, about its long axis to form an inner elongate upwardly and outwardly extending flat section 6 and an outer elongate downwardly extending flat section 7. The inner elongate section 7, which is integrally attached to parts of upper edges of its corresponding wall, extends upwards and away from the sidewall, at an angle of between 25° and 45° with the horizontal, but at least greater than 0° with the horizontal.

Outer section 7 extends downwards at an angle of greater than 0° with the horizontal. The outer free edge 5 of outer section 7 is serrated.

In use, the fastener is placed on a joist so that it rests on its four legs 10 and so that its wing 4b engages in a slot 18 of a deck board, which deck board also rests on the joist, adjacent the fastener. The distance "d" from an underside of the legs 10 to an underside of the serrated edge 5 such that the serrated edge engages snugly on a lower wall of the slot in the deck board when both the deck board and the fastener are resting on the joist.

The screw is now used to secure the fastener to the joist. The screw is screwed into the fastener with the inner edges 13a of the tabs 13 engaging in the screw thread of the screw so that the screw is forced downwards through the hole in the base 2 and into the joist until an underside of the screw head engages on the flat surfaces 13b of the tabs 13. At this point legs 10 are forced onto, and possibly slightly into (depending on the hardness of the material of the joist) the joist to increase the downward pressure of the serrated edge 5 of wing 4b onto the inner wall of the slot of the deck board. This ensures that the deck board is securely held in place, without any adverse deformation of the fastener. The force of the screw is absorbed by the legs through the flat surfaces of the tabs in the walls. The screw does not force open the walls 10 or flatten the base as is the case with prior art fasteners. From the above explanation is also obvious that the distance "d" is important i.e. it must match the distance from the underside of the deck board to the lower surface of the slot in the deck board. This will ensure that the fastener remains in place on its four legs without any adverse deformation thereof.

The next step is to engage a second deck board 15 with the fastener. A slot in the second deck board can now be engaged with wing 4a by bringing an edge of the deck to 15 in contact with the joist at an angle as is shown by arrow 1 6 in figure 12 and ensuring that at least upwardly extending section 9 of wing 4a locates in a slot in the side of the deck board 15. The angle of inclination of the deck board can now be reduced in the direction of arrow 1 7 in figure 1 2 until the deck board is flat on the joist where after the deck board is moved closer to the fastener. The upwardly extending section 9 of wing 4a facilitates ease of engagement of the slot of the deck board with wing 4a. The distance from the underside of the legs 10 to the underside of level section 8 of wing 4a is substantially equal to the distance from the underside of the deck board to the surface of the lower wall of a slot in a side of the deck board 15. In an alternative method, the deck board 15 can first be placed flat on the joist before it is moved, slidably, whilst flat on the joist, into engagement with wing 4a. It is envisaged that the fastener described herein will be convenient to use as screws can be pre- engaged in fasteners at the time of packaging thereof. The screws will not easily be disengaged from the fasteners as in the case of prior art fasteners as the screws will be held in place by the inner edges 13a of the tabs 13 engaging in the threads of the screws. Deformation of the fasteners when fastened are limited in that an underside of this heads of the screws are supported on flat surfaces 13b to thereby transfer downward pressure, through aligned walls which are integral with the tabs 13 (and thus surfaces 13b) to the four legs.

The fastener is not limited to the precise details as described herein and many other embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. The fastener is described in relation to securing deck boards but any other construction element having a slot in its side can be used with the fastener described herein.

Claims

1 . A fastener comprising body having securing means and engaging means for engaging a securing means and deck board engaging means for engaging a deck board.

2. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 in which the body includes a securing means seat.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 2 in which the seat is formed on the securing means engaging means.

4. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the fastener includes securing means receiving means for receiving the securing means there through.

5. A fastener as claimed in claim 4 in which the securing means receiving means is a hole in the body.

6. A fastener as claimed in claim 5 in which the hole is in a base of the body.

7. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the deck board engaging means is least one wing extending from the body.

8. A fastener as claimed in claim 7 in which the wing extends from a side wall of the body.

9. A fastener as claimed in claim 8 in which the wing extends from an upper edge of a side wall of the body.

10. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which an underside of a head of the securing means abuts on the seat.

1 1 . A fastener as claimed in claim 10 in which the underside of the head of the securing means abuts on the seat when the securing means is fully received in the securing means engaging means.

12. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the securing means engaging means are tabs extending inwardly into cutaway sections of the sidewalls of the body.

13. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the securing means engaging means are integral with the sidewalls of the body.

14. A fastener as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 13 in which inner edges of the tabs engage the securing means.

15. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the securing means is a screw and for the inner edges of the tabs engage in a thread of the screw.

16. A fastener as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 15 in which legs at opposite ends of the sidewalls terminate operatively lower than the base of the body, are aligned in a plane operatively lower than a plane defined by the base of the body.

17. A fastener asclaimed in any one of claims 8 to 16 in which the legs diverge outwardly from a plane defined by their corresponding sidewalls.