METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING POLYMER PLASTIC LUMBER

METHODE ET APPAREIL POUR FIXER LE BOIS SYNTHETIQUE POLYMERE

English Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing polymer plastic
lumber. The apparatus includes a body having a first end, a
second end, a first planar portion and a second planar portion.
The first planar portion and the second planar portion meet
substantially at a right angle. Both the first planar portion
and the second planar portion have at least one opening whereby
fasteners are accommodated. A tab projects from the body. The
tab is substantially co-planar with the first planar portion.
The tab has a slot that extends between the first end and the
second end. Expansion and contraction of the polymer plastic
board is accommodated by movement of the fastener along the
slot.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An apparatus for securing polymer plastic lumber,
comprising:
a body having a first end, a second end, a first planar
portion and a second planar portion, the first planar portion
and the second planar portion meeting substantially at a right
angle, both the first planar portion and the second planar
portion having at least one opening whereby fasteners are
accommodated;
a tab projecting from the body, the tab being
substantially co-planar with the first planar portion, the tab
having a slot that extends between the first end and the second
end.


2. A method for securing polymer plastic lumber, comprising
the steps of:
Firstly, providing a plurality of clips, each of which
comprises:
a body having a first end, a second end, a first
planar portion and a second planar portion, the first planar
portion and the second planar portion meeting substantially at
a right angle, both the first planar portion and the second
planar portion having at least one opening whereby fasteners
are accommodated;
a tab projecting from the body, the tab being
substantially co-planar with the first planar portion, the tab
having a slot that extends between the first end and the second
end.
Secondly, securing the clips to a support beam intended
to support a polymer plastic lumber board by means of fasteners
extending through the at least one opening in the first planar
portion and the at least one opening in the second planar
portion; and
Thirdly, securing the polymer plastic lumber board to the
support beam by extending a fastener through the slot in the
tab and into the polymer plastic lumber board, such that
expansion and contraction of the polymer plastic board being
accommodated by movement of the fastener along the slot.

Description

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TITLE OF THE lNV~NllON:

method and apparatus for securing polymer plastic lumber


NAME OF lNV~NlOR:

David L. Little

FIELD OF THE lNV~NlION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus
for securing polymer plastic lumber.

BACKGROUND OF THE lNV~NLlON

Polymer plastic lumber differs from wood lumber. Unlike
wood lumber, polymer plastic lumber experiences wide variations
in length with variations in temperature. A 16 foot length of
polymer plastic lumber may experience a variation in length of
as much as 2 inches. During the coldest day of winter polymer
plastic lumber will have a length of 15 feet 10 inches. During
the warmest day of summer polymer plastic lumber will have a
length of 16 feet. This thermal expansion and contraction has
the effect of pulling out fasteners and buckling materials.


SUMMARY OF THE lNV~NLlON

What is required is a method and apparatus for securing
polymer plastic lumber that will accommodate thermal expansion
and contraction.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided an apparatus for securing polymer plastic lumber which

CA 02219467 1997-10-28



includes a body having a first end, a second end, a first
planar portion and a second planar portion. The first planar
portion and the second planar portion meet substantially at a
right angle. Both the first planar portion and the second
planar portion have at least one opening whereby fasteners are
accommodated. A tab projects from the body. The tab is
substantially co-planar with the first planar portion. The tab
has a slot that extends between the first end and the second
end.
According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided a method for securing polymer plastic lumber. The
first step involves providing a plurality of clips
substantially as described above. The second step involves
securing the clips to a support beam intended to support a
polymer plastic lumber board. Fasteners are extended through
the at least one opening in the first planar portion and the
at least one opening in the second planar portion. The third
step involves securing the polymer plastic lumber board to the
support beam by extending a fastener through the slot in the
tab and into the polymer plastic lumber board. Expansion and
contraction of the polymer plastic board is accommodated by
movement of the fastener along the slot.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for
securing polymer plastic lumber in accordance with the
teachings of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view of the apparatus
illustrated in FIGURE 1 in use securing polymer plastic lumber
in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, an apparatus for securing
polymer plastic lumber generally identified by reference
numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1
and 2.

Referring to FIGURE 1, apparatus 10 includes a body 12
having a first end 14, a second end 16, a first planar portion
18 and a second planar portion 20. First planar portion 18 and
second planar portion 20 meet substantially at a right angle
22. Both first planar portion 18 and second planar portion 20
have a plurality of openings 24, which are intended to
accommodate fasteners as will hereinafter be further described.
A tab 26 projects from body 12. Tab 26 is substantially co-
planar with first planar portion 18. Tab 26 has a slot 28 thatextends between first end 14 and second end 16 of body 12.

The use of apparatus 10 will now be described in relation
to the preferred method and with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2.
The preferred method for securing polymer plastic lumber
involves the following steps. Referring to FIGURE 1, the first
step involves providing a plurality of clips substantially in
the form of apparatus 10. Referring to FIGURE 1, the second
step involves securing the clips 10 to a support beam 30.
Referring to FIGURE 2, clips 10 are secured to support beam 30
by extending fasteners 32 through openings 24 in first planar
portion 18 and openings 24 in second planar portion 20.
Referring to FIGURE 2, the third step involves securing a
polymer plastic lumber board 34 to support beam 30 by extending
a fastener 32 through slot 28 in tab 26 and into polymer
plastic lumber board 34. Fastener is not secured so tightly as
to preclude movement. Expansion and contraction of polymer
plastic board 34 is accommodated by movement of fastener 32
along slot 28. It will be appreciated that each polymer
plastic lumber board 34 will require a number of clips 10 to
secure it in position on support beam 30.

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It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter defined in the Claims.

Representative Drawing