GB2254667A - "u-bolts" - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener for connecting a member 17 to a box member 18, comprises a U-shaped bolt 10 having two spaced parallel arm portions 11 and 12 and a transverse portion 13 between the arm portions 11, 12, the free ends of the arm portions 11, 12 being externally threaded for nuts 14, 15. The transverse portion 13 has one (or more) bearing surfaces 16 which bear against the box member 18 after the fastener has been manipulated so that the two arm portions 11,12 project through the two apertures 19, 20 respectively. Double-sided adhesive tape is fixed to the bearing surface(s) to hold the bolt 10 in place until the nuts 14, 15 are tightened, and to isolate the bearing surface(s) from the internal face of the purlin 18. <IMAGE>

Description

A FASTENER AND METHOD OF USING SAME This invention relates to a fastener and more particularly to a fastener which can be used to connect one member to another in circumstances in which it is difficult or impossible to obtain access to one side of the intended connection. The invention also relates to a method of using the fastener.

There are many instances where it is not possible to use a nut and a bolt to connect one member to another chiefly because it is difficult or impossible to obtain access to one side of the intended connection. For example, it is not possible to use a nut and a bolt to fasten one member to a hollow member such as a box section beam. Welding is not always convenient particularly when connecting members together on site. Self tapping screws and various forms of expandible connectors are known alternatives to welding.

However, self tapping screws, if not properly fitted, can pull out. Also, the heads of the screws have been known to shear away. Expandible connectors do not always grip and if they start to turn in a hole it is difficult to tighten the connection.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a fastener for connecting one member to one face of another member, comprising a generally U shaped bolt having two spaced parallel or substantially parallel arm portions and a transverse portion between one end of one arm portion and the corresponding end of the other arm portion, the other end of each arm portion being threaded and provided with a co-operating nut, the transverse portion having bearing surface means which lies in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each arm portion and which will in use bear against an opposite face of the other member after the fastener has been inserted in one of two spaced apertures in the other member and manipulated so that the two arm portions project through the two apertures, respectively.

Preferably, the bearing surface means does not extend over the entire longitudinal extent of the transverse portion but is spaced from each of the two arm portions and lies proud of the remainder of the transverse portion.

Preferably, the bearing surface means is in the form of a single flat bearing surface which is, advantageously, of elongate shape having its major axis parallel to the longitudinal extent of the transverse portion. Alternatively, the bearing surface means could comprise two or more spaced bearing surfaces which lie in a common plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each arm portion.

Preferably, the arm portions and the transverse portion of the fastener are of unitary construction.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of connecting one member to one face of another member using a fastener according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two apertures in each member to be connected together, the apertures being centered at positions which are spaced apart by a distance equal or substantially equal to the distance between the axes of the two arm portions of the bolt, (b) inserting one arm portion and then the transverse portion of the bolt through one of the two apertures in the other member and then manipulating the bolt so that the two arm portions project through the two apertures, respectively, of the other member, (c) holding the bolt in place while placing the one member over the fastener so that the two arm portions of the fastener project through the two apertures of said one member, and (d) placing the two nuts on respective arm portions and tightening the nuts to draw the bearing surface means of the bolt into engagement with the opposite face of the other member.

Preferably, the said other member is a hollow member, such as a box section beam which typically forms part of a glazing assembly, and the one member is connected to one wall of the hollow member.

In a third aspect of the invention there is provided a glazing assembly incorporating one or more fasteners according to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view showing two members connected one to the other by one embodiment of a fastener according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a view in the direction of arrow A of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a view showing the manner in which the fastener is manipulated into place.

Referring to the drawings, the fastener shown therein comprises a generally U-shaped bolt 10 having two externally threaded, cylindrical arm portions 11 and 12 and a transverse portion 13, and two internally threaded nuts 14 and 15 which co-operate with the threaded arm portions 11 and 12.

The bolt 10 is typically of mild steel or stainless steel, and the arm portions 11 and 12 and the transverse portion 13 are of unitary construction. The arm portions 11 and 12 are arranged in spaced parallel relationship and the transverse portion 13 extends perpendicularly to the arm portions between one end of one arm portion 11 and the corresponding end of the other arm portion 12.

The transverse portion 13 is of generally cylindrical shape having cross-sectional dimensions comparable with the cross sectional dimensions of the arm portions 11 and 12, and is provided intermediate its ends with a flat bearing surface 16 on the inside of the U-shaped bolt. The bearing surface 16 lies in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each of the two arm portions 11 and 12 and is of elongate, typically rectangular, shape having its major axis parallel to the longitudinal extent of the transverse portion 13.

The bearing surface 16 does not extend over the entire longitudinal extent of the transverse portion 13, although it does preferably extend over at least half the longitudinal extent thereof, and is spaced from each arm portion 11, 12 and lies proud of the remainder of the transverse portion 13.

This fastener is intended primarily for connecting one member to another in circumstances in which it is difficult or impossible to obtain access to one side of the intended connection. It could therefore be used to connect an object to a cavity wall, or to a flat panel having one major face concealed. It can also be used to attach a member to an elongate box section beam or other hollow member. In the particular example shown, the fastener is used in a glazing assembly to connect a bracket 17 which is used to hold a glazing bar (not shown) to a box section structural member such as a purlin 18.

Two apertures 19 and 20 are drilled or preformed in the purlin 18. These apertures 19 and 20 are centered at positions which are spaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between the axes of the two arm portions 11 and 12 and have diameters which are greater than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the bolt 10.

The arm portion 11 is inserted through the aperture 20 as shown in broken lines at A in Figure 3.

The transverse portion 13 is then inserted through the aperture 20 as shown in broken lines at B of Figure 3.

The bolt 10 is then manipulated through the position shown in broken lines at C of Figure 3 until the two arm portions 11 and 12 project respectively through the two apertures 19 and 20 and the bearing surface 16 bears against a flat internal face of the purlin 18 as shown in full lines in Figure 3.

The bolt 10 is then held in place while the bracket 17 is placed over the bolt so that the two arm portions 11 and 12 of the bolt project through two preformed apertures 21 and 22 provided in the bracket 17.

Washers 23 and 24 and then nuts 14 and 15 are placed on respective arm portions 11 and 12 and the nuts 14 and 15 are tightened to draw the bearing surface 16 into firm engagement with the internal face of the purlin 18.

This fastener has the advantage that the transverse portion 13 anchors the arm portions 11 and 12 with respect to the purl in 18 and prevents rotation of the arm portions 11 and 12 in respective apertures in the purl in as the nuts 14 and 15 are tightened.

A strip .of double-sided, self-adhesive tape (not shown) may be affixed to the flat bearing surface 16 of the transverse portion 13 of the U-shaped bolt 10 to hold the bolt in place until the nuts 14 and 15 are tightened, and to isolate the bearing surface 16 of the bolt 10 from the internal face of the purlin 18.

The embodiment described above is given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example the single bearing surface 16 could be replaced by two or more spaced bearing surfaces lying in a common plane perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each arm portion. In this case, a strip of double-sided, adhesive tape could be affixed to each bearing surface. Also, the bearing surface need not necessarily be proud of the remainder of the transverse portion 13 and indeed it could be part of a cylindrical outer surface of the transverse portion, but could still have a strip of double-sided, adhesive tape affixed thereto.

Claims (13)

1. A fastener for connecting one member to one face of another member, comprising a generally U-shaped bolt having two spaced parallel or substantially parallel arm portions and a transverse portion between one end of one arm portion and the corresponding end of the other arm portion, the other end of each arm portion being threaded and provided with a co-operating nut, the transverse portion having bearing surface means which lies in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each arm portion and which will in use bear against an opposite face of the other member after the fastener has been inserted in one of two spaced apertures in the other member and manipulated so that the two arm portions project through the two apertures, respectively.

2. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing surface means does not extend over the entire longitudinal extent of the transverse portion but is spaced from each of the two arm portions and lies proud of the remainder of the transverse portion.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bearing surface means is in the form of a single flat bearing surface.

4. A fastener as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bearing surface means is of elongate shape having its major axis parallel to the longitudinal extent of the transverse portion.

5. A fastener as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bearing surface means comprises two or more spaced bearing surfaces which lie in a common plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each arm portion.

6. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm portions and the transverse portion of the fastener are of unitary construction.

7. A fastener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein double-sided, adhesive tape is affixed to the bearing surface means of the transverse portion of the bolt.

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

9. A method of connecting one member to one face of another member using a fastener according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing two apertures in each member to be connected together, the apertures being centered at positions which are spaced apart by a distance equal or substantially equal to the distance between the axes of the two arm portions of the bolt, (b) inserting one arm portion and then the transverse portion of the bolt through one of the two apertures in the other member and then manipulating the bolt so that the two arm portions project through the two apertures, respectively, of the other member, (c) holding the bolt in place while placing the one member over the fastener so that the two arm portions of the fastener project through the two apertures of said one member, and (d) placing the two nuts on respective arm portions and tightening the nuts to draw the bearing surface means of the bolt into engagement with an opposite face of the other member.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the said other member is a hollow member and the one member is connected to one wall of the hollow member.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hollow member is a box section beam.

12. A method of connecting one member to one face of another member, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings

13. A glazing assembly incorporating one or more fasteners according to any one of claims 1 to 8.