Tile clip

Abstract

 A tile clip for securing e.g. a roof tile to a batten, comprises a first portion 6′ for engaging an edge of the tile, and a second portion 7′ having a bore 9 for receiving and guiding a fastening element 8, such as a nail, which secures the tile to the batten. The second portion is twisted such that the fastening element is directed towards the edge of the tile and slightly away from the undersurface.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a clip for holding a tile, such as a roof tile, to a support element, such as a roof batten.

[0002] It is known to provide roof tiles with interlocking portions at their lateral edges so that adjacent tiles can interlock with one another. A conventional tile clip is known which has a portion that engages a tile in such an interlocking portion, and a second portion that is adapted to be fixed to a batten by a fastening element such as a nail. This second portion conventionally includes a bore for receiving and guiding the fastening nail into the batten in a direction parallel to the edge of the tile being fixed.

[0003] A disadvantage of this arrangement is that since the clip is relatively small, it can be difficult to hammer the nail into the batten. In particular, the edge of the tile can present an obstacle to the hammering action. Furthermore, the hammering of the nail must be done carefully if damage to the tile is to be avoided.

[0004] Viewed from one broad aspect the present invention provides a tile clip for fixing a tile to a support element, comprising a first portion for engaging an edge of the tile and a second portion for receiving a fastening element for securing said tile to said support element, said second portion being adapted to guide said fastening element in use so that said fastening element extends at an angle toward said tile edge.

[0005] By thus inclining the fastening element, e.g. a nail, at an angle to the tile edge, so that the head of the fastening element is directed away from the tile, more room is provided for hammering the fastening element into the support element, e.g. a roof batten, and the above problems are mitigated.

[0006] Preferably the fastening element is directed toward the edge of tile at an angle of about 45° to the edge.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the second portion of the clip also serves to guide the fastening element away from the undersurface of the tile, preferably by directing the fastening element at an angle of about 10° to the plane containing the undersurface. An advantage of this arrangement is that as the fastening element is driven into the support element the tile is fixed progressively more securely to the support element.

[0008] As mentioned above the fastening element is preferably a nail or similar such element. The tile clip itself is made of any conventional material, e.g. a non-corrosive steel such as stainless steel.

[0009] Viewed from another aspect the invention provides a tile clip comprising a planar first portion having a hook member extending along a longitudinal axis, and a second portion extending from said first portion and defining a bore at a distal end thereof, at least the distal end of said second portion being angled relative to said first portion such that said bore extends at an angle to a plane passing through said longitudinal axis and normal to said planar first portion.

[0010] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of roof tiles fixed to a batten with a conventional tile clip;

Fig. 2 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 and 4 are plan and frontal views respectively of a tile clip according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 but with the tile being fixed by the clip of Figs. 3 and 4.

[0011] Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2 a conventional arrangement is shown in which a lower end of a first tile 1 rests on the head of a lower second tile 2 which in turn rests on a batten 3. The head of tile 1 (not shown) will rest on a batten in a manner corresponding to the head of the second tile 2. A lateral edge 4 of the first tile 1 is formed with an interlocking portion which is adapted to engage with a corresponding portion on an adjacent tile (not shown). A complete roof covering is achieved by providing a large number of such overlapping and interlocking tiles. The lower end of tile 1 is fixed to the batten 3 by means of a clip 5. The clip has a first portion 6 that engages the interlocking edge 4 of the tile 1, and a second portion 7 that receives and guides a fastening nail 8 that secures the clip, and thus the tile, to the batten 3. The second portion 7 lies generally in a plane parallel to the edge of the tile and normal to the surface of the tile.

[0012] As can be seen from Fig. 1 in particular, the nail 8 extends into the batten 3 in a line parallel to the edge 4 of the tile 1. This makes hammering of the nail 8 difficult, as discussed above, since the edge 4 of the tile 1 is obstructive.

[0013] Figs. 3 and 4 show an embodiment of a tile clip 5′, which is made of stainless steel, according to the present invention. As with the prior art, the clip 5′ has a generally planar first portion 6′ adapted to engage the interlocking edge of a tile by a hooked portion. The second portion 7′, however, is twisted out of the plane parallel to the edge of the tile and normal to the surface of the tile in which the second portion 7 of the prior art clip was located. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the lower end of the second portion 7′ is folded round to define a bore 9 for receiving and guiding a fastening nail. As is shown in Fig. 3 the lower second portion 7′ is twisted such that the centre line of bore 9 is at an angle α to a line in the plane of the tile and perpendicular to the edge 4′ of the tile. This angle α is preferably about 45° to the tile edge 4′. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the centre line of bore 9 is also angled so that it is directed away from the underside of the tile in use. To this end the bore 9 is angled at an angle β, preferably about 10°, away from a plane parallel to the undersurface of the tile.

[0014] Figs. 5 and 6 show how the clip 5′ is used to fix a tile to a batten. As with the prior art the first portion 6′, which is in the form of a hooked portion, engages in the interlocking grooved portion provided at the edge 4′ of the tile. A nail 8′ is passed through the second portion 7′ and is driven into the batten 3′. Because of the angling of the bore 9 the nail 8′ is directed toward the edge of the tile and extends into the batten beneath the tile being fixed. As can be seen particularly from Fig. 5 this inward direction of the nail means that the head of 10 of the nail is more exposed and can thus be hammered into the batten more readily.

[0015] The angling of the bore 9 away from the undersurface of the tile is shown particularly in Fig. 6. The effect of this is that as the nail is driven into the batten the tile is pulled down progressively tighter.

[0016] From a comparison of Figs. 2 and 6 it will also be noted that the clip 5′ is shorter in length than the prior known clip; this reduction in the length of the clip being achieved as a result of the inclining of the nail away from the undersurface of the tile. This reduction in length has an advantage in terms of weight and cost. A further advantage, however, is that the nail 8′ contacts the underside of the lower tile 2′. As a consequence, bending of the nail is reduced and any wind uplift force has to overcome the tile nail 11 of the lower tile 2′ in addition to the clip 5′.

[0017] The clip of the present invention is particularly suitable for securing roof tiles, but may also be used to secure similar like cladding elements in other applications.

Claims

1. A tile clip for fixing a tile to a support element, comprising a first portion for engaging an edge of the tile and a second portion for receiving a fastening element for securing said tile to said support element, said second portion being adapted to guide said fastening element in use so that said fastening element extends at an angle toward said tile edge.

2. A tile clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fastening element is directed toward the edge of tile at an angle of about 45° to the edge.

3. A tile clip as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the second portion of the clip further acts to guide the fastening element away from the undersurface of the tile.

4. A tile clip as claimed in claim 3 wherein the fastening element is directed at an angle of 10° away from the plane containing the undersurface of the tile.

5. A tile clip comprising a planar first portion having a hook member extending along a longitudinal axis, and a second portion extending from said first portion and defining a bore at a distal end thereof, at least the distal end of said second portion being angled relative to said first portion such that said bore extends at an angle to a plane passing through said longitudinal axis and normal to said planar first portion.

6. A tile clip as claimed in claim 5 wherein said angle is 45°.

7. A tile clip as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the distal end of said second portion is angled such that said bore extends away from the plane containing said first portion.

8. A tile clip as claimed in claim 7 wherein said bore extends away from the plane containing said first portion at an angle of 10°.

Drawing