US2848758A - Wall board securing cleat - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1958 e. R. CHlSHOLM WALL BOARD SECURING CLEAT Filed March 15, 1955 a212, CiziskoZm INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,848,758 Fatented Aug. 26, 1958 WALL BOARD SECURING CLEAT Gordon R. Chisholm, St. Louis, Mo. Application March 15, 1955, Serial No. 494,500

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-4) This invention relates to cleats used in building construction for securing composition wall boards commonly used in the construction of room or closet walls, at the corners and edges of such rooms or closets, for the purpose of providing means to which such wall boards may be nailed, for securing them in place.

An important object of the invention is to provide means in the form of a cleat which is so constructed that nails used in nailing or securing wall board sections in position, may be driven into such cleats and gripped by the cleats, effectively securing the wall boards in position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cleat, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through wall board sections secured in position by means of cleats forming the subject matter of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a cleat illustrating a nail as gripped thereby.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail the cleat comprises a body portion 5 stamped from a length of sheet metal material and provided with flanges 6 disposed along the longitudinal side edges of the body portion. Separated from the body portion 5 is a tongue 7 which is bent laterally and extended at right angles with respect to the body portion 5, the free end of the tongue 7 being extended in parallel relation with the body 5, as at 8. The extended free end 8 of the tongue 7 is formed with piercing points 9 that are adapted to be driven into studding or a beam such as indicated at 10, for holding the cleat in position.

An opening 11 is formed in the tongue 7 and is designed to receive a securing nail or screw used in further securing the cleat in position.

Formed in the body portion 5 at a point beyond the tongue 7 is a slot 12 disposed longitudinally of the body portion 5. The side edges of the slot 12 are pressed inwardly a distance to provide a space therebetween which is slightly less than the diameter of a nail such as indicated at 13, so that when the nail is driven into the slot 12, the edges of the slot will grip the nail in such a way as to hold the nail against accidental displacement.

Thus it will be seen that due to this construction, a length of wall board material such as indicated at 14 may be securely fastened to the cleat, by merely driving a nail through the wall board and into the slot 12, thereby securely fastening the wall board without the necessity of providing a securing beam or the like at the rear of the wall board to receive such securing nails.

In the use of the cleat, the cleat is positioned at one end of a studding or beam such as indicated at 10 and shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The piercing points 9 are driven into the beam and the body portion 5 of the cleat is thereby held in a position to receive a wall board section such as shown at 14. The wall board section is fitted against the front surface of the body portion 5 of the cleat and a nail 13 driven through the wall board section and into the slot 12, wherein the side edges of the slot grip the nail and hold the nail against accidental displacement. It will, of course, be understood that prior to the positioning of the Wall board section 14 a securing nail 15 is driven through the opening 11 of the tongue 7 and is embedded in the end of the studding or beam 10. The wall board section 16 is now positioned against the end of the studding or beam 10 and overlies the tongue 7 of the cleat, where it is secured by the nail 17.

By using a number of cleats as described, it will be seen that the wall of a room or closet may be securely positioned and held by the cleats, eliminating the necessity of supplying beams as a part of the building structure to receive the nails, which is not only a complicated procedure, but is one that cannot be readily carried out in small or restricted areas.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a cleat for securing wall boards together along the adjacent edges com prising an elongated body portion, a tongue extending laterally from said body portion, a pair of beam piercing points extending angularly from said tongue, said tongue having an opening adapted to receive a securing nail, and said body having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and disposed above said tongue, the edges of said sl'ot adapted to bite into a securing nail driven into the slot for holding a board and last mentioned nail against accidental displacement.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a cleat for securing wall boards together along their adjacent edges comprising a body portion formed of a length of sheet metal material, the longitudinal side edges of said body portion being extended laterally providing flanges, a tongue stamped from said body portion extended laterally from the body portion adapted to fit over a supporting beam, said tongue having an opening through which a securing nail is adapted to be extended, said body portion having an elongated slot extending lengthwise of said body portion, said cleat providing a wall board rest, the side edges of said slot adapted to bite into a securing nail driven into the slot for holding a board and nail against accidental displacement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,625,637 Abel Apr. 19, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 146,282 Australia May 1, 1952

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