Clips

Abstract

 A clip (2) for attachment of a segment of expanded metal mesh to a support post consists of a plate (4) having four inwardly directed flanges (6, 8, 10, 12) which are configured to hold captive the sides of the segment so as to confine the segment against horizontal or vertical movement. The clip is provided with a series of spaced apertures (20) or a single slot-like aperture (22) to permit fastening of the clip to the post even when the mesh segment is offset laterally from the post. The apertures (20, 22) are arranged asymmetrically within the clip to accommodate a lateral offset of the mesh to either side of the post by inversion of the clip.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to clips, and more particularly to clips for fastening expanded wire mesh forming the wall of an enclosure to support posts therefor.

[0002] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clip for attachment of a segment of expanded metal mesh to a support post therefor, said clip comprising a body of plate-like form adapted to overlie the segment with inwardly-directed flanges configured to hold captive the sides of the segment, and one or more apertures in the body for passage of a fastening pin driven into the post, the or each said aperture being so configured within the clip as to permit fastening of the clip to the post when the segment is offset laterally relative to the axis of the post.

[0003] Advantageously, the clip is asymmetrically shaped to provide greater lateral extension of the body of the clip to one side of a vertical axis of symmetry of the mesh segment than to the other side, the part of the body extending to the said one side of the vertical axis of symmetry being apertured to receive a said fastening pin at a predetermined maximum offset relative to the vertical axis of symmetry in either direction by simple inversion of the clip.

[0004] Further according to the present invention, there is provided an enclosure comprising upstanding posts and expanded wire mesh defining a circumferential wall of the enclosure and attached to the posts by clips as defined above, said clips being fastened to the posts by pins driven through the bodies of the clips into the posts.

[0005] Advantageously, the pins are hardened pins driven by means of an explosively actuated driving tool.

[0006] Particularly advantageously, the enclosure forms a bin for collecting produce such as sugar cane and for transporting the produce.

[0007] Further according to the invention, there is provided a clip for attachment of a segment of expanded metal mesh to a support therefor, said segment being generally of a diamond shape, said clip comprising a body of plate-like form adapted to overlie the segment with inwardly directed flanges adapted to lie adjacent to different outer sides of the segment to hold the sides of the segment captive, and one or more apertures in the body of the clip for passage of a fastening pin driven into the support, the body of the clip when applied to the mesh segment having a greater lateral extension to one side of an axis of symmetry of the segment than to the other side, and the body of the clip being apertured within a laterally outer portion of its part of greater extension whereby to permit fastening of the clip to the support when the segment is offset laterally at the said one side of the support, with lateral offset of the segment to the other side of the support being accommodated by inversion of the clip through 180°.

[0008] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a clip in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from the rear of the clip shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view from the front showing the application of the clip of Figures 1 and 2 to a segment of an expanded metal mesh to secure the mesh to a support post, the post being omitted for the purpose of clarity;

Figure 4 is a rear view equivalent to Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are views equivalent to Figures 1 and 2 of a second form of clip.

[0009] In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention an enclosure in the form of an open topped bin consists of a base with upstanding support posts arranged around the periphery of the base. The sides of the bin are formed by expanded wire mesh secured to the posts by clips to be described to form a circumferential wall. A bin of this form is particularly suitable for collecting sugar cane after harvesting and for subsequent transportation to a processing facility. It is however to be understood that a bin of this type could have other applications. Expanded metal mesh is produced from metal sheet punched with rows of parallel slits and expanded in a direction perpendicular to the slits so that the slits open to form a "diamond" mesh, the mesh being composed of interconnected segments of substantially parallelogram shape. This type of expanded mesh is well known per se. Expanded metal mesh of this type is substantially stronger than, and has greater structural rigidity than, wire mesh of equivalent thickness and thereby provides a robust structure for the sides of the bin.

[0010] The expanded metal mesh is attached to the upstanding support posts by clips which will now be described. To ensure the required strength of construction, the support posts are made of metal such as mild steel and the clips are attached to the posts by hardened pins fired directly into the posts by means of an explosively actuated fastener driving tool. Such tools are well known per se for driving hardened pins directly into masonry and steel in building construction and a range of such tools is produced by the present applicants.

[0011] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, each clip 2 comprises a body in the form of a plate 4 having four inwardly-directed flanges 6, 8, 10, 12. The plate 4 is sized and shaped to overlie one segment of the mesh consisting of four sides which define substantially a parallelogram shape as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The four flanges 6-12 are positioned and orientated such so as to extend part way along the outer edge of each of those sides, with adjacent pairs of flanges 6, 12 and 8, 10 being spaced to define a gap 14, 16 which corresponds to the zone of connection 18 of the adjacent segments of the expanded mesh. Accordingly, when the clip is applied to one segment of the mesh that segment is confined against horizontal or vertical movement by being held captive by means of the inwardly-directed flanges 6-12 of the clip projecting inwardly to engage the outer edges of the four sides of the segment.

[0012] Effectively, the co-operation between the flanges of the clip and the sides of the segment provides positive location between the clip and segment with only little play. It is possible that the position of the individual segments relative to the upstanding posts may not always accurately align with a post to enable a fastening pin to be driven into the post to retain the clip and the relative rigidity of the expanded mesh will preclude lateral manipulation of the mesh to effect proper alignment with the post. To facilitate proper application of the clip to the post in a condition when the associated segment of the mesh is itself not aligned laterally with the centre of the post, particularly when the post is of round cross section, the clip is provided with a series of spaced apertures 20 arranged along its central longitudinal axis, each aperture 20 being sized to receive a fastening pin. The clip is shaped so that the gaps 14, 16 which receive the zones of connection 18 are asymmetrical relative to a central vertical axis of the clip whereby the lateral extension of the clip at one side of those gaps, and hence at one side of the vertical axis of symmetry of the segment, is greater than that at the other side. This can readily be seen in the illustrated clip where the flanges 6, 8 to the right hand side of the gaps 14, 16 have a greater length than the flanges 10, 12 at the left hand side. Of the three apertures 20, the central aperture is aligned with the centre of the gaps 14, 16, the left hand aperture (as viewed in Figure 1) is relatively close to the central aperture and the right hand aperture is substantially further from the central aperture, this being permitted by the increased lateral extension of the clip at that side. As a result of the differential spacing between the apertures 20 the clip can accommodate a predetermined range of possible offset between the mesh segment and the post either to the right or to the left of the post by simple inversion of the clip. The asymmetry of the clip permits substantial range of offset to be accommodated while minimising the material content of the clip as the largest offset is to one side of the clip only.

[0013] The clip shown in Figures 1 to 4 is provided with a series of apertures arranged along the longitudinal axis of the clip for receiving a fastening pin. The clip shown in Figures 5 and 6 is provided with an elongate slot 22 for receiving a fastening pin, the slot 22 extending along the central longitudinal axis; otherwise the clip is the same as that of Figures 1 to 4. The end portion of the slot 22 to the right of the centre of the gaps 14, 16 (as viewed in Figure 5) has a greater extension from the centre than the left hand end portion to accommodate the maximum lateral offset of the segment from the post.

[0014] The clips can be manufactured by pressing or stamping from metal sheet.

[0015] The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A clip for attachment of a segment of expanded metal mesh to a support post therefor, said clip comprising a body (4) of plate-like form adapted to overlie the segment with inwardly-directed flanges (6, 8, 10, 12) configured to hold captive the sides of the segment, and one or more apertures (20, 22) in the body (4) for passage of a fastening pin driven into the post, the or each said aperture (20, 22) being so configured within the clip as to permit fastening of the clip to the post when the segment is offset laterally relative to the axis of the post.

2. A clip according to claim 1, wherein the clip is asymmetrically shaped to provide greater lateral extension of the body (4) of the clip to one side of a vertical axis of symmetry of the mesh segment than to the other side, the part of the body extending to the said one side of the vertical axis of symmetry being apertured to receive a said fastening pin at a predetermined maximum offset relative to the vertical axis of symmetry in either direction by inversion of the clip.

3. A clip according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the clip has a plurality of said apertures (20) spaced along an axis substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of symmetry of the mesh.

4. A clip according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the said aperture (22) is of elongate form along an axis substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of symmetry of the mesh.

5. A clip according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the clip has four said flanges (6, 8, 10, 12) each lying along a respective side of a parallelogram corresponding in shape to that of each segment of the expanded mesh.

6. A clip according to claim 5, wherein respective pairs of said flanges are spaced by a gap (14, 16) adapted to receive a zone of connection (18) of the mesh segment to an adjacent mesh segment.

7. An enclosure comprising upstanding posts and expanded wire mesh defining a circumferential wall of the enclosure and attached to the posts by clips as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, said clips being fastened to the posts by pins driven through the bodies of the clips into the posts.

8. A clip for attachment of a segment of expanded metal mesh to a support therefor, said segment being generally of a diamond shape, said clip comprising a body (4) of plate-like form adapted to overlie the segment with inwardly directed flanges (6, 8, 10, 12) adapted to lie adjacent to different outer sides of the segment to hold the sides of the segment captive, and one or more apertures (20, 22) in the body of the clip for passage of a fastening pin driven into the support, the body of the clip when applied to the mesh segment having a greater lateral extension to one side of an axis of symmetry of the segment than to the other side, and the body (4) of the clip being apertured within a laterally outer portion of its part of greater extension whereby to permit fastening of the clip to the support when the segment is offset laterally at the said one side of the support, with lateral offset of the segment to the other side of the support being accommodated by inversion of the clip through 180°.

Drawing