U.S. patent application number 09/777276 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-08 for picket clip.
Invention is credited to Lesenskyj, Anthony.
Application Number | 20020104985 09/777276 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25109793 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020104985 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lesenskyj, Anthony |
August 8, 2002 |
Picket clip
Abstract
A clip for securing a picket cap to a vertical profile of a
picket fence consists of a U-shaped thin piece of stainless steel,
or other suitable material, for frictionally fitting onto opposing
end tabs protruding from a bottom portion of the picket cap. A
backface of the picket clip has a barb-like portion formed thereon,
and bent into an interior portion thereof for permitting the clip
to be pushed onto one of the opposing tabs of the picket cap, but
preventing the removal of the clip therefrom by digging into the
material of an inside wall portion of the associated tab if an
attempt is made to remove the clip from the associated tab. One
such clip is installed on the two opposing tabs. The front face of
the clip includes a topmost barb portion bent away from the clip,
for digging into an inside wall portion of a recess in the top of
an associated vertical profile into which the tabs of the picket
cap are inserted, to permit removal of the associated picket cap
from the vertical profile.
Inventors: |
Lesenskyj, Anthony;
(Lawrenceville, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WATOV & KIPNES, P.C.
P.O. BOX 247
PRINCETON JUNCTION
NJ
08550
US
|
Family ID: |
25109793 |
Appl. No.: |
09/777276 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
256/65.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 17/1439 20130101;
E04H 17/006 20210101 |
Class at
Publication: |
256/65.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 017/14; E04H
017/20; E04H 017/24 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A clip for securing a picket cap to a vertical profile of a
picket fence, said picket cap including a top cap portion, and a
bottom portion having at least two opposing tabs for insertion into
a top end opening of a vertical profile, said clip comprising: a
U-shaped piece of material configured for frictionally fitting onto
said tabs; a front face having a topmost first barb portion bent
away from an interior portion, for digging into an inside opposing
wall portion of the vertical profile to prevent removal of the
associated picket cap therefrom; and a back face having a second
barb portion formed thereon bent into an interior portion in a
manner permitting said clip to be pushed onto a said opposing tab,
but preventing the removal of said clip therefrom by digging into
the material of an inside wall portion of an associated said
opposing tab in the event an attempt is made to move an installed
clip off of the associated said opposing tab.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to picket fences,
and more particularly to picket fences fabricated from plastic
components, and mechanisms for securing picket caps to vertical
profiles or slats of the fence.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Picket fences fabricated from plastic materials, and other
artificial materials, typically require the use of adhesives,
screws, and so forth for securing the various components of the
fence together. The use of screws for securing components of a
picket fence together can be time consuming, and the screws can
come loose over time. Also, the use of adhesives is not only time
consuming for securing parts together, but requires extra clean up
measures. One particularly troublesome area in assembling picket
fences fabricated from plastic materials is the securement of
picket caps to vertical profiles or slats such a picket fence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] One object of the invention is to provide an improved
mechanism for securing a picket cap to a vertical profile of a
picket fence consisting of plastic material.
[0004] Another object of the invention is to provide an improved
mechanism for permanently securing a picket cap to the top end of a
vertical profile of a picket fence of plastic or similar
material.
[0005] With these and other objects in mind, and in view of the
problems in the art, the present invention includes generally
U-shaped clips of appropriate material for installation on opposing
end tabs of a picket cap. A backside of the clip includes an
inwardly extending and downwardly projecting partial cut-out
portion for providing a barb member that partially embeds itself
into a portion of the inside wall of the associated end tab of a
picket cap the clip is installed on, for preventing removal or
dislodgement of the clip from the end tab of the associated picket
cap. The front face of the clip is in one embodiment of the
invention shorter than the backface of the clip, and has a front
lip portion bent away from the clip body at an angle sufficient for
having the bent lip portion act as a barb for partially penetrating
into an associated inside wall of a vertical profile into which the
associated end tab of a picket cap is installed or pushed into. The
barb-like lip of the front face of the clip extends across the full
width of the front face, and prevents the picket cap once installed
in the open end of a vertical profile from being removed from the
vertical profile. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention,
with the inventive clips installed on opposing end tabs of a picket
cap, once the associated cap is installed on the end of a vertical
profile, it will become permanently attached thereto, thereby
enhancing the reliability and durability of the associated picket
fence.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Various embodiments of the present invention are described
in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which like items
are identified by the same reference designation, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a side elevational view of a picket fence
incorporating one embodiment of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing an exploded
assembly view of picket clips for one embodiment of the invention
in the process of being installed on opposing end tabs of a picket
cap;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the exploded assembly diagram
of FIG. 2, looking toward the bottom of a picket cap;
[0010] FIG. 4 shows a pictorial view looking toward the bottom of a
picket cap with the clips of one embodiment of the invention
installed on opposing end tabs of the picket cap;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the picket cap of FIG.
4;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional diagram taken along 6-6 of FIG.
5;
[0013] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the "A" designated area of
FIG. 6, for more clearly showing the securement of a clip to an end
tab of a picket cap for one embodiment of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 shows the sectional view of the clip of FIG. 7 for
showing typical dimensions and angles for an embodiment of the
invention;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the clip of FIG.
8;
[0016] FIG. 10 is a back or rear elevational view of the clip of
FIG. 8;
[0017] FIG. 11 is a pictorial view of a clip for one embodiment of
the invention; and
[0018] FIG. 12 is a partial pictorial view of a picket fence
showing a picket cap with clips of one embodiment of the invention
installed on opposing end tabs thereof, just prior to insertion of
the bottom portion of the picket cap 10 into a top opening of a
vertical profile of the picket fence.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] In FIG. 1, a portion of a picket fence fabricated from
plastic or similar material is shown. The fence includes a post cap
2 secured to the top of a post 4, with a horizontal profile 6
secured to an upper inside side portion of the post 4, as shown. A
plurality of vertical profiles are rigidly secured to the
horizontal profile and spaced apart juxtapositioned to one another,
as shown. Two of the vertical profiles 8 shown have picket caps 10
secured to their top portions. One of the vertical profiles 8 as
shown just before assembly with a picket cap 10 that includes
opposing end tabs 12 having clips 16, respectively, secured
thereto, and spaced apart side tabs 18, as shown. As will be
explained in greater detail below, after the picket cap 10 has its
end tabs 12 and side tabs 18 pushed into an opening in the top of
the associated vertical profile 8, through use of the inventive
clips 16 the picket cap 10 will be permanently installed to the
associated vertical profile 8.
[0020] In the exploded assembly diagram of FIG. 2, clips 16 are
shown just prior to being pushed onto opposing end tabs 12 of a
picket cap 10. This is more clearly shown in the pictorial view of
FIG. 3. The pictorial view of FIG. 4 shows the clips 16 installed
on the opposing end tabs 12 of the associated picket cap 10.
[0021] The side elevational view of FIG. 5 shows a clip 16 of the
present invention as installed on an end tab 12 of the associated
picket cap 10. The cross sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along 6-6
of FIG. 5 shows securement features of the clip 16 for permanently
retaining it on an associated end tab 12, once installed thereon.
The enlarged view of area A, as shown in FIG. 7, more clearly shows
that the clip 16 includes a partially cutout portion for permitting
the formation of a barb 20 by pushing the partially cutout portion
of the clip material inward. The barb 20 tends to dig into or
protrude partly into the material of the associated end tab 12, and
will even more rigorously dig into the material if an attempt is
made to pull the associated clip 16 off of the end tab 12. The clip
16 also includes a lip portion at the top of the front face that is
bent away from the clip for forming a front face barb 22 to prevent
the associated picket cap 10 from being pulled away from the top of
a vertical profile 8 once installed therein, as will be described
in greater detail below. An example of dimensions in inches or
portions of an inch for a typical clip 16 are shown in FIG. 8,
along with the bend angles of the back face barb 20, and front face
barb 22. It should be noted that the dimensions are given for
purposes of illustration only, and are not meant to be limiting.
The clip 16 can be dimensioned as required for accommodating the
dimensions of any particular fence and associated picket caps.
[0022] In FIG. 9, a front elevational view of the clip 16 of FIG. 8
is shown. FIG. 10 shows a back elevational view of the clip 16, and
FIG. 11 a pictorial view thereof. Note the partially cut through
portions 24 on the back face of the clip 16 for providing the barb
20 which is formed by bending the partially cutout portion along
with fold line 25 to protrude into the interior clip 16. Also as
clearly illustrated, the front face barb 22 is formed by a top lip
of the front face of clip 16 that is bent away from the interior
portion of the clip 16, as shown.
[0023] FIG. 12 shows a pictorial view of a portion of a picket
fence. As shown in this embodiment, the vertical profiles 8 include
a hollow top portion 26 that in this example is rectangular in
shape, for receiving the bottom portion of a picket cap 10. As
shown, for the centermost vertical profile, a picket cap 10 with
clips 16 installed on opposing end tabs 12 is positioned for being
pushed into the open end 26 of a vertical profile 8 for securement
of the picket cap 10 thereto. Note that the side tabs 18 are
designed for frictionally engaging inside surfaces of the front and
back portions of the associated vertical profile 8.
[0024] Although various embodiments of the invention have been
shown and described, they are not meant to be limiting. Those of
skill in the art may recognize certain modifications to these
embodiments, which modifications are meant to be covered by the
spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the vertical
profiles 8 of the fence can be configured to be other than
rectangular, such as square, or rectangular, for example. The
design of the picket cap 10 will vary in accordance with the design
of the associated vertical profiles, with the design being modified
in a manner for permitting the clip 16 to permanently secure the
picket cap 10 to the associated vertical profile 8, as previously
described. Also, the clip 16 in a preferred embodiment of the
invention consists of stainless steel, but can be made from any
other suitable material. In addition, the clip 16 may also be
installed on the side tabs 18 of a picket cap 10 in addition to
being installed on the end tabs 12, or in some combination
thereof.
* * * * *