AU644290B2 - Fastener - Google Patents

Description

64290

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 0* COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: GANG-NAIL AUSTRALIA LTD.

'Actual Inventor(s): John Fairlie Address for Service: Griffith Hack Co.

601 St. Kilda Road Melbourne, Victoria 3004 Australia 0• co Invention Title: "FASTENER" Details of Associated Provisional Application Nos: Application No. Country Date of Application PK6388 AU 30th May 1991 PK8408 AU 17th September 1991 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- S 2 o

FASTENER

*o *This invention relates to a fastener and in

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particular to a timber fastener for joining a truss to a top plate of a wall.

Trusses are conventionally connected to the top plate of a wall by a bracket type fastener which includes a number of holes for receiving nails. Conventional fasteners are in general fastened from below the truss and top plate but they can also be fastened from above the truss and top plate. Fastening from above is generally quicker than fastening from below but it is more difficult to balance, handle nails and brackets and nail a fastener in place. However, with conventional fasteners fastening from below is considerably safer. Although fastening from below is safer in order to fasten the truss to the top plate a carpenter is required to brace the truss in position and then locate the bracket in place and nail it to both the truss and top plate. In view of the number of nails which are required to secure the bracket in place and the fact that the carpenter should perform this operation from beneath the truss the operation is time consuming and difficult. Furthermore, it is necessary for the carpenter to use scaffolding, ladders of the like to elevate himself to a position where he can reach the truss and top plate.

The object of this invention is to provide a fastener which can be used to join a truss to a top plate and which can be safely, easily and quickly applisd from a position above the top plate.

The invention provides a fastener formed from a strip of material having first and second longitudinal side edges 20 and first and second transverse end edges, including: a first portion; a second portion integral with the first portion and joined to the first portion along a bend line in the strip of material so that the first and second portions are 25 arranged transverse with respect to one another; the bend line extending from said first longitudinal edge to said second longitudinal edge at an angle to the longitudinal edges from a first point on the first longitudinal edge which is closer to the first transverse end edge than the second transverse end edge to a second point on the second longitudinal edge which is closer to the second transverse end edge than to the first transverse end edge; and AThl at least one of said first or second portions having teeth at an end thereof adjacent to the first or second transverse end edge.

Since the fastener has the two portions arranged transverse to one another the fastener can be applied to a truss and a top plate by a carpenter merely standing above the top plate in the roof of a building and hammering the teeth of one portion into the truss and fixing the ether portion into the top plate. Thus, the fastener is simpler to use than conventional fasteners and enables the builder to safely apply the fastener from a position in the roof which is much easier than having to apply the fastener from a position beneath the roof.

In order to fix the other portion into the top plate the other portion at an end thereof may be provided with teeth or with openings through which nails can be hammered to join the other portion to the top plate.

In one preferred arrangement one of the first and second :o portions has an end portion bent at an angle to the said one of the first or second portions.

Bending of the end portion enables any teeth on the end 0 0 25 portion to be clear of a truss in the event that the fasteners are secured to a truss at a manufacturing site.

6 The bent end portion enables trusses to be stacked without the teeth interfering with one another or the stacked *e trusses.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Sj-\ Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fastener embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the fastener of figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the fastener in use; Figure 4 is a view along the line IV-IV of figure 3; Figures 5 to 8 show perspective views of further embodiments of the invention; Figure 9 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 is a plan view of the embodiment of figure 9; and Figures 11 to 18 are views of still further embodiments of the invention, With reference to figure 1, the fastener 1 comprises a first planar portion 10 and a second planar portion 12.

;The planar portions 10 and 12 are integral with each other 20 and formed from a strip of metal which has a first longitudinal edge 50, a second longitudinal edge 51, a first transverse end edge 52 and a second transverse end edge 53. The strip from which the portions 10 and 12 are formed is bent along a line 15 which forms a common edge to 25 the portions 10 and 12 so that the portion 10 is substantially at right angles with respect to the portion

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12 and with the bend line 15 extending from a point A on the first longitudinal edge 50 which is closer to end edge 52 than and edge 53 to a point B on the second longitudinal t 30 edge 51 which is closer to second end edge 53 than to first end edge 52 so that the bend line 15 is angled with respect to the first and second longitudinal edges 50 and 51. The portion 10 has an end portion 14 which is provided with a .LIA plurality of punched teeth 16 which are punched from the d5 35 material from which the end 14 is made. Preferably the end 4B 14 is integral with the portion 10 but it could be joined to the portion 10 in any suitable manner.

Similarly the portion 12 has an end portion 18 which is provided with teeth 20 which are punched from the material from which the end 18 is made. Once again the end, portion 18 may be integral with the portion 12 or joined to the potion 12 in any suitable manner.

The end portions 14 and 18 are preferably provided with four sets of teeth 16 and 20 respectively which are a 0* 6 .000.

0 *0 49 0* 00 6 0 0 o 0 5 formed in a punching operation so that the teeth 16 are punched out to leave slots 22 and the teeth 16 and extend outwardly from each end of each of the slots 22.

Preferably the slots 22 are staggered with respect to one another.

With reference to Figure 3 and 4, in order to secure a truss 50 to a top plate 60 of a wall, which includes studs 62, the truss 50 is arranged in place. The fastener 1 can be applied to the truss 50 and top plate 60 from a position in the roof and therefore the carpenter need only support himself in the roof of the building as is conventional in building operations and hammer the teeth 16 of the portion 10 into the truss 50 and the teeth 20 of the portion 18 into the top plate 60. It can easily be achieved by the carpenter supporting himself in the roof and therefore it is not necessary for the carpenter to work .99.

from below the roof level or to use ladders, scaffolding or the like for support.

With reference to Figures 5 to 8 which show further embodiments of the invention which are generally similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 and 2 except that in Figure tylock (trade mark) teeth 16 are provided at end 14. In 9.

Figure 6 tylock teeth 16 are provided at end 14 and holes are provided at tlhe end 18. Figure 7 shows tylock teeth 16 at both the ends 14 and 18. Figure 8 shows teeth of '"generally the same configuration as in Figures 1 and 2 at gooo* the end 14 with holes 70 at the end 18.

Figures 9 and 10 show yet a further embodiment in which the portion 10 has its end 14 bent at an angle to the remainder of the portion 10. The portion 14 is bent at an angle to the remainder of the portion 10 so that if it is desired to locatethe fastener on a truss when the truss is manufactured and before it is installed in a roof the end portion 14 and in particular any teeth 16 on the end portion will not interfere with stacking and transportation of the trusses which may otherwise cause the ends 14 and teeth to catch on articles and be damaged. The bending of the end portion 14 can also provide clearance when the trusses are installed so that the fastener does not interfere with frame members or the like in a roof when the truss is installed. When it is desired to secure the end 14 to a top late or the like in a roof the end 14 is hammered with a hammer to drive the teeth 16 into the top plate and at the same time straighten the end portion 14.

Figures 11 to 17 show further configurations which include a bent end portion 14 and basically include different combinations of teeth, tylock teeth and holes.

In figure 11 teeth of the type shown in figures 1 and 2 are at the end 18 and tylock 16 are at the end 14. Figure 12 shows the opposite configuration where tylock teeth are at the end 18 and teeth of the type shown in figures 1 and 2 are at the end 14. Figure 13 shows tylock teeth at both ends 14 and 18. Figure 14 shows holes 70 at the end 14 and teeth 16 at the end 18. Figure 15 shows holes 70 at the end 18 and 16 at the end 14. Figure 16 shows holes at the end 14 and tylock teeth 16 at the end 18. Figure 17 shows o tylock teeth 16 at the end 14 and holes 70 at the end 18.

0 Finally, figure 18 shows a further embodiment in which the o end portions 14 and 18 are at an angle with respect to the remainder of the strip of material from which the fastener 1 is formed. The bend line 15 extends from point A to point 25 B which are located inwardly from the angled end portions 14 and 18.

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Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within i the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of s. example hereinabove.

Claims (4)

1. A fastener formed from a strip of material having first and second longitudinal side edges and first and second transverse end edges, including: a first portion; a socond portion integral with the first portion and joined to the first portion along a bend line in the strip of material so that the first and second portions are arranged transverse with respect to one another; the bend line extending from said first longitudinal edge to said second longitudinal edge at an angle to the longitudinal edges from a first point on the first longitudinal edge which is closer to the first transverse end edge than the second transverse end edge to a second point on the second longitudinal edge which is closer to the second transverse end edge than to the first ,i transverse end edge; and at least one of said first or second portions having teeth at an end thereof adjacent to the first cr second transverse end edge.

2. The fastener according to claim 1 wherein the other portion at an end thereof is provided with teeth or with openings through which nails can be hammered.

3. The fastener according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein one of the first and second portions has an end portion bent at an angle to the said one of the first or second portions.

4. A fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 27th day of September 1993 GANG-NAIL AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. By Its Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH RACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. too$ 00006 0.4.6 ABSTRACT A fastener for joining a truss to a top plate of a wall is disdlosed. The fastener comprises a first portion 12 and a second portion 14 which are bent at right angles with respect of one another and which have a common border Teeth 20 are stamped out of one end 18 of one portion 12 and the other portion 14 is provided with teeth 22 or holes 70 for receiving nails. o..0 *#00 S* 9 5 o