GB2435299A

GB2435299A - Grating fastener with guide member

Info

Publication number: GB2435299A
Application number: GB0702083A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Foser; Markus Durig
Original assignee: Hilti AG
Current assignee: Hilti AG
Priority date: 2006-02-20
Filing date: 2007-02-02
Publication date: 2007-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-02
Also published as: JP2007225113A; FR2897660A1; US20070196168A1; DE102006008112A1; JP5296321B2; GB2435299B; GB0702083D0; FR2897660B1

Abstract

A fastener 10 for fixing a grating 50 to a support 40 comprises first and second engaging members 11, 12 which can be braced against one another along a clamping axis A by a screw 30. An elongated guide member 13 is arranged on one engaging member 12 and is oriented towards the other engaging member 11, the guide member being guided through an opening 20 in the other engaging member 11 at a distance from the clamping axis A. The second engaging member 12 may comprise an opening 15 and abutment face for the screw, and the first engaging member 11 may comprise a thread 24 to engage with a corresponding thread 31 on the screw. The first engaging member 11 may further comprise teeth 26 to fix the fastener to the support 40.

Description

GRATING FASTENER

The present invention relates to a fastener for gratings, such as gridirons, of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1.

Known from US 4 362 422 is a multi-part fastener for gratings which comprises a base member for engaging on a support, a saddle clamp for engaging on the gridiron and a screw connecting both parts. A swivel clamp which is rotatable about an axis and is loaded elastically in a direction of rotation by means of a spring element is also mounted on one end of the base member. The swivel clamp can be placed against an underside of a grating while the end of the base member oriented away from the swivel clamp can be placed against a support. The saddle clamp can be placed against an upper side of the grating and can be braced with respect to the base member by means of the screw.

Disadvantages of this known fastener are poor practicability and the necessary high complexity and cost of installation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastener which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and which is simple to install. This object is achieved according to the invention by the measures specified in claim 1.

According to this claim an elongated guide member is arranged on one of the engaging members and is oriented towards the other engaging member, which guide member is guided displaceably, at a distance from the clamping axis defined by the screw means, in an opening in the other engaging member, both members preferably being arranged in a captive manner on one another. Through this measure the fastener can be installed in one operation and can be used flexibly for gridirons of different heights and thicknesses.

With regard to manufacture, it is advantageous if the elongated guide member is formed in one piece with the second engaging member.

The unit comprising the second engaging member and the elongated guide member may advantageously be formed as a part punched and folded from sheet metal, whereby the unit can be produced at low cost.

It is further advantageous if at least one projection, which is formed as a stop for a wall section of the opening oriented away from the second engaging member, is arranged on the end of the elongated guide member oriented away from the second engaging member. In this way the elongated guide member can be arranged in a captive but displaceable manner in the opening in the first engaging member at low cost.

The elongated guide member advantageously has over at least a portion of Its length a U-shaped cross-section, imparting to the elongated guide member high stiffness and good guidance in the opening.

At least one guide element for the elongated guide member, preferably formed by one or more guide faces, is advantageously provided on the opening, thus improving guidance of the elongated guide member in the opening.

It is further advantageous if the first engaging member with the opening is swivelable at least in one plane, which is defined by a longitudinal axis of the elongated guide member and a longitudinal arm axis of the first engaging member, through an angle from -15 to +100, preferably from -12 to +50, with respect to a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated guide member. As a result of this measure gratings can be mounted in a simple manner to supports or substructures of different thicknesses.

It is further advantageous if an opening with an abutment face for a screw means is arranged on the second engaging member, and if a corresponding thread for a thread of the screw means, and at least one retaining means oriented towards the second engaging member, for fixing the fastener to a support, are arranged on the first arm-shaped engaging member. In this way the fastener can be fixed to grating and support with high retaining force by a screw means, so that the grating cannot be easily removed by an unauthorised party from a support or substructure.

Further advantages and measures of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings, in which the invention is shown in one embodiment and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fastener according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a portion of the fastener of Fig. 1 in a different perspective, and Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the fastener of Fig. 1 in a state fastened to a grating and a support.

Figs. 1 to 3 show a fastener 10 according to an embodiment of the invention for fixing gratings 50 or gridirons to supports 40 or the like of a substructure in one embodiment. The fastener 10 has a multi- part configuration and has a substantially 0-shaped form. The fastener 10 comprises a first arm-shaped engaging member 11 for a support 40 and a second engaging member 12 or holding part for a grating 50, both of which project on the same side from an elongated guide member 13 connecting the two engaging members 11, 12 to one another.

The elongated guide member 13 is rigidly connected to the second engaging member 12 and is formed, in particular, in one piece therewith. The unit comprising the second engaging member 12 and the elongated guide member 13 is produced, for example, as a part punched and folded from sheet metal.

An opening 20 for the elongated guide member 13 is arranged in the first engaging member 11, in which it is guided displaceably (cf. arrow 32 in Fig. 1) in the direction of a longitudinal axis L defined by the elongated guide member 13. The elongated guide member 13 has in a region which is guidable in the opening a U-shaped cross-section, imparting high stiffness and good guidance in the opening 20 to the elongated guide member 13. At least one projection 29, which is formed as a stop for a wall section 28 of the opening 20 oriented away from the second engaging member 12, is arranged on the end of the elongated guide member 13 which is oriented away from the second engaging member 12.

In relation to the longitudinal axis L, the projection 29 extends laterally from the elongated guide member 13 and prevents the longitudinal guide member 13 from being withdrawn completely from the opening 20, and thus prevents the first engaging member 11 from being detached from the elongated guide member 13. In addition, guidance elements in the form of guide elements 21, 22 for the elongated guide member 13 are provided on the opening 20, forming guide faces which define a kind of guide channel which improves guidance of the elongated guide member 13. The opening 20 with the guide elements 21, 22 is so coordinated with the elongated guide member 13 that the first engaging member 11 with the opening 20 is swivelable in a plane, which is defined by a longitudinal axis L of the elongated guide member 13 and a longitudinal arm axis S of the first engaging member 11, through an angle alpha of not more than -15 to +100 with respect to a perpendicular position of the elongated guide member 13 in relation to the longitudinal axis L. The second engaging member 12 has a recess 14 with an opening 15 and an abutment face for a screw means 30. In addition, the second engaging member 12 includes, on three sides surrounding the recess 14 and arranged at right angles to one another, saddle-shaped first to third abutment zones of 17, 18 and 19 which, in the installed position of the fastener 10, engage on transverse 51 and/or longitudinal bars 52 of the grating (cf. Fig. 3) . In this embodiment the saddle-shaped abutment zones 17, 18, 19 have different widths Bi, B2 and B3, so that easy installation on gratings of different mesh widths is possible. The relatively large width 81 of the first abutment zone 17 permits displaceability of the fastener 10 on the grating for precise positioning.

The first engaging member 11 has a hole 25 located opposite the opening 15 in the second engaging member 12, against which hole 25 is arranged a nut 23 with a corresponding thread 24 in which the screw means 30 can engage with its thread 31 (cf. Figs. 2 and 3). The nut may be fixed by suitable measures, with a positive, nonpositive or material connection, to the first engaging member 11. The screw means 30, or the opposed hole 25 and opening 15, define a clamping axis A along which the two engaging members 11, 12 are braced with respect to one another when the screw is inserted into the nut and tightened. The clamping axis A is spaced from the longitudinal guide member 13 attached to the second engaging member 12 and from the opening 20 in the first engaging member 11.

The first engaging member 11 also has a U-shaped cross-section for stiffening, so that it can resist high tensile forces. In an end region 27 oriented away from the opening 20 the first engaging member also has retaining means 26 in the form of teeth, which face towards the second engaging member 12. The first engaging member 11 extends beyond the second engaging member 12 in the direction of a longitudinal arm axis S. In the region of the opening 20 in the first engaging member 11 there is formed thereon a projection 16 extending laterally therefrom in relation to the longitudinal arm axis S and the longitudinal axis L, which projection 16 acts as an abutment for the underside of a bar of the grating 50 in the installed state of the fastener 10.

During Installation of the fastener 10, the first engaging member 11 and the elongated guide member 13 are swivelled through an opening between two transverse bars 51 of the grating 50 (not shown in the Figures), so that the end portion 27 of the first engaging member 1]. with its retaining means 26 is positioned under a support 40. Only after the first engaging member 11 and the elongated guide member 13 have been swivelled into position is the screw means 30 inserted through the opening 15 along the clamping axis A and into the hole 25.

After the fastener has been arranged on the grating 50 and the support 40, the projection 16 serving as a stop abuts a longitudinal bar 52 of the grating 50 on a side facing away from the second engaging member 12. For this purpose the projection 16 lies in the projection of the third abutment zone 19. It is thereby ensured that the projection 16 is in all cases positioned below a bar of the grating 50.

The fastener 10 is fixed by insertion of the thread 31 of the screw means 30, which passes through the opening 15, into the corresponding thread 24 in the nut 23, whereby the first engaging member 11 is displaced along the elongated guide member 13 in the direction of the second engaging member 12 until the retaining means 26 arranged on its end portion 27 engage the underside of the support 40 and their teeth are embedded therein. The two engaging members 11, 12 are thereby braced against one another, so that the grating 50 or the gridiron is fixed to the support 40 (Cf. Fig. 3).

In this installed state the saddle-shaped abutment zones 17, 18, 19 of the engaging member 12 bear against transverse bars 51 and longitudinal bars 52 of the grating 50.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Fastener for fixing gratings (50) to supports (40), comprising an arm-shaped first engaging member (11) and a second engaging member (12) which can be braced against one another along a clamping axis (A) by screw means, wherein an elongated guide member (13) is arranged on one (12) of the engaging members and is oriented towards the other engaging member (11), which guide member (13) is guided displaceably in an opening (20) in the other engaging member (11) at a distance from the clamping axis (A).

2. Fastener according to claim 1, wherein the elongated guide member (13) is formed in one piece with the second engaging member (12).

3. Fastener according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second engaging member (12) is formed with the elongated guide member (13) as a part punched and folded from sheet metal.

4. Fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one projection (29), which is formed as a stop for a wall section (28) of the opening (20) oriented away from the second engaging member (12), is formed on the end of the elongated guide member (13) oriented away from the second engaging member (12).

5. Fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the elongated guide member (13) has a U-shaped cross-section over at least a portion of its length.

6. Fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one guide element (21, 22) for the elongated guide member (13) is provided on the opening.

7. Fastener according to claim 6, wherein the first engaging member (11) with the opening (20) is swivelable at least in one plane, which is defined by a longitudinal axis (L) of the elongated guide member (13) and a longitudinal arm axis (S) of the first engaging member (11), through an angle alpha of -15 to +10 with respect to a perpendicular position of the elongated guide member (13) in relation to the longitudinal axis (L).

8. Fastener according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an opening (15) with an abutment face for a screw means (30) is arranged in the second engaging member (12), and in that a corresponding thread (24) for a thread (31) of the screw means (30), and at least one retaining means (26) oriented towards the second engaging member (12) for fixing the fastener (10) to a support (40), are arranged on the first arm-shaped engaging member (11).

9. A fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.