Fastener

Abstract

A fastener for engaging wood members and for holding pipe or other conduit to a nailable surface. The fastener has a sheet metal central strap optionally formed in a U-shape to snuggly encircle a pipe and includes bendable shanks on each leg of the central strap and further includes integrally formed nails at the outer ends of each of the bendable shanks.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The fastener of this invention is used to engage wood members and to attach pipe or electrical conduit to wooden or other material nailable surfaces. It may be used as a substitute for ordinary toenailing as well as being a replacement for the long existent fastener which has a U-shape center and side extensions with holes therethrough. These prior fasteners are used with separate nails. A user was therefore required to hold three separate items (a fastener, a nail, and a hammer) at one time in order to apply the pipe fastener. With the present device the integral nails reduce the parts to be held to two, making it easy to apply. The invention resides in the construction of the bendable shanks and integral nails.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The only basically similar device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,821. However, the present device is formed with a combination of flange treatments with an optional pipe encircling U-shaped center.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved fastener for engagement with a nailable surface.

An important object of this invention is to provide a novel fastener for wood in which there is a center strap having bendable shanks on each end of the strap and with an integral nail on the outer end of each shank.

An important object as set forth in the preceding paragraph in which the bendable shanks and integral nails employ a combination of flange treatments for reinforcement.

An important object of this invention is to provide a formed sheet metal member to provide a pipe holding portion and including integral clinching type nails on each side of the pipe holding center portion.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a U-shaped sheet metal member to snuggly engage and hold a pipe therein and have integrally formed nails at the outer ends of bendable shank portions to permit the application of the fastener over a pipe and to a wooden or other material surface capable of nail penetration.

Other and further important objects and advantages will become apparent from the disclosures in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the sheet metal formed pipe or conduit fastener of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fastener of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the fasteners of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the fastener of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the fastener of this invention applied to a wooden surface and holding a pipe or conduit thereto.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

AS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a centrally located sheet metal strap optionally formed with an inverted U-shape 11 and laterally extending shanks 12 and 13 projecting outwardly and somewhat upwardly from the lower ends of the legs of the center portion 11. At the outer end of the bendable shank 12 there is an integrally formed nail 14 which is disposed generally vertically and projects downwardly. The nail 14 is curved slightly inwardly. At the outer end of the shank 13 there is an integrally formed nail 15 which projects downwardly in a substantially vertical position comparable to the nail 14. Both nails are curved slightly inwardly toward each other so that when they are finally driven into nail receiving members such as wood there is a clinching action.

The integral nail 14 is formed with a sharp point 16. The outer surface of the point 16 is preferably milled or serrated to prohibit a slipping of the nail within the wood into which it is ultimately driven. The nail 14 is provided with generally parallel spaced-apart side flanges 17. These side flanges are disposed at generally right angles to the back body portion of the nail 14 and act as reinforcing members for the fabricated integral nail. The underside of the shank 12 is provided with turned in side flanges 18 which are generally flattened with respect to the top surface of the shank 12. These side flanges 18 are continuations of the raised side flanges 17 on the nail portion of the fastener. The flanges on both the nail and the shank constitute reinforcements for the fastener of this invention.

The nail 15 is provided with a sharp point 19 which is preferably similarly milled or otherwise roughened on its outside as is the point 16 of the nail 14. The nail 15 is provided with raised side flanges 20 located above the point 19 and extending upwardly to substantially the juncture between the nail and the shank 13. Similarly flattened side flanges 21 of the shank 13 constitute extensions of the side flanges 20 of the nail 15. The flanges 17 and 20 of the nails 14 and 15 are preferably bent at an angle of approximately 90.degree. relative to the back or body portion of the nails whereas the side flanges 18 and 21 of the shanks 12 and 13 respectively are folded downwardly and thence inwardly and flattened against the bottom surface of the shanks. This construction causes great reinforcement and rigid construction for the preformed nails on the pipe or conduit fastener of this invention.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the fastener 10 is shown applied to a wood member 22 and holding a pipe or conduit 23 to the wood member. In the application of the device of this invention the inverted U-shaped center portion 11 is slipped over a pipe or conduit and the operator drives the integral nails 14 and 15 into the supporting wood member by means of a hammer or other pressing or impact equipment. The fact that the nails are formed integrally with the U-shaped clamping portion of the fastener makes them very convenient to use inasmuch as the user does not have to hold a separate nail and attempt to balance both a fastener, a nail and a hammer with two hands. The U-shaped center portion of the fastener is preferably designed to provide for snuggly holding pipe or conduit therein and the geometry of the nails is such that when they are driven into the back up wood the fastener actually clinches within the wood thereupon securely holding the pipe 23 to the wood support 22.

Claims

I claim:

1. A sheet metal fastener for application to a nailable surface comprising a centrally located sheet metal strap, a laterally extending bendable shank integral with each end of the centrally located sheet metal strap, said shanks inclined upwardly and outwardly from the ends of the centrally located sheet metal strap, integrally formed nails at the outer end of each shank, said nails disposed generally vertically downwardly and curved slightly inwardly toward each other, said nails having sharp points at their lower ends, said nails reinforced with generally spaced-apart parallel side flanges located above the points and extending outwardly at substantially right angles from the nail body, said shanks reinforced with side flanges which are downwardly and inwardly flattened against the bottom surface of the shanks, said shank side flanges constituting extensions of the side flanges of the nails.

2. A fastener as set forth in claim 1 in which the centrally located sheet metal strap is U-shaped to encircle an object to be fastened to the nailable surface.