WITH RETAINING CLIPS

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates in general, to envelope type filler insulation with separable clip type fasteners for static structures. The invention more particularly relates to expansible multi-layered reflective foil sup¬ ported between bays in structures with compressible retaining clips which secure the insulation to the flange of structural beams or members.

BACKGROUND ART

Previously, insulating material in the form of folded flexible metal foil blankets have been installed in building structures using wooden studs, beams or framing members attached with nails, staples, tacks, brads or the like.

Benedict in U.S. Patent 2,101,836 discloses a tack for fastening insulating blankets to framing members with the ends of the blanket folded over for support. Patent 2,251,581 of Finck likewise utilized tacks to attach a blanket to the studs with a marginal strip added by sewing, pasting etc. Giles, Patent 2,739,703 employs adhesive, staples or the like to an overlapped section of insulation comprising of kraft paper treated with asphalt and metalized with heat reflective

material. Nails are applied as fasteners by Schwartz et al, in Patent 2,777,786 for fastening purposes. Wiser teaches the use of a tack to the outer panel members of the heat reflective sheet. Fastening into wood surfaces of prior art is well known however, the need has existed for a simple device for use with metal structural members to attach easily and maintain tension of the insulation blanket between the span. Joyce in U.S. Patent 2,385,209 takes advantage of a clamp adapted to a beam, however the flange of the member is only engaged by the clamp itself without providing mounting surfaces contiguous with the web. Williams in Patent 925,962 issued in Great Britain uses a U-clip for flange mounting however, the flange of the clip, while in intimate contact with the web, lacks sufficient surface area to support insulating blankets. U.S. Patent 3,164,230 of Adams uses a spring clip attached to a T-bar but again only limited surface contact is maintained.

For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates reference may be made to the following patents:

U.S. Patent 2,786,004 Schwartz, et al U.S. Patent 2,906,655 Blumenstein

U.S. Patent 2,914,148 Bock

U.S. Patent 4,255,910 Wendt (Netherlands)

U.S. Patent 7,614,053 Alco (Great Britain)

Patent 869,718 United-Carr Fastener Corporation No prior art presently provides the combination of attaching reflective insulation blankets with retaining clips to static structural building members.

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SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In the past, it has been difficult to effectively insulate metal industrial and agricultural buildings or the like since the roof and wall structure of such buildings do not necessarily utilize construction members to which insulation blankets can be readily attached. Such conventional buildings normally employ I-beam, Z-members or bars or other angle iron beams making it difficult to convenientally attach insulating blankets. More recently the rising costs of energy has made it desirable to insulate such large buildings as it has been shown that by using such insulation on the inside of the roof, up to 30 percent in fuel for heat¬ ing and cooling these spaces can be saved. Therefore, a long standing need has been present to provide suitable clips or fasteners which may be readily deployed to secure insulating blankets directly to such bars or beams os that the blankets are readially secured thereto. The above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention in which it is among the pri¬ mary objects to provide a pair of heat treated spring clips adapted to cooperate with each other in order to hold insulation blankets in place against construction members of different cross sections.

One important object allows the insulation and clips to be easily adapted to variable areas such as walls, floors, subfloors, roofs and ceiling providing a minimum number of configurations for size and space variations.

Another object provides safety provisions as all material is either fireproof, such as the metalic clips and aluminum foil, or flame retardant as in the treated kraft paper allowing safety and applicable building codes to be satisfied.

Still another object of the present invention is the permanence of the structure as the insulation does not attract moisture causing deterioration nor is any carcinogenic agent used as in some prior building insulating material.

Yet another object provides an installation proce¬ dure that is simple, requires no special tools, and the blanket snaps into place when fully deployed, audiably indicating its position. The weight of the system allows use in conventional structures with no reinforcing or modification necessary. Transportation and storage is also eased as the blanket is folded and rolled and the blanket can be easily cut to length for installation with common shears. A further object provides a vapor sealed dead air space with reflective surfaces when the open ends are folded and closed. It is well known that the use of reflective metal foil is a very effective barrier against the transmission of radiant heat when used in conjunction with a dead air space.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the sub¬ sequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 is a partial isometric view of the pre¬ ferred embodiment illustrating I-beam members in conjunction with the insulation blanket attached with separable clips.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view of the preferred embodiment with separable clips and closable faced insulation.

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FIGURE 3 is a partial isometric view of the preferred embodiment with the separable clip removed from the beam but positioned together.

FIGURE 4 is a partial isometric view of another embodiment illustrating I-beam members in conjunction with insulation attached with individual clips .

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view of another embodiment as in FIGURE 4 with individual clips and single insulation. FIGURE 6 is a partial isometric view of another embodiment with individual clips positioned plannar to each other.

FIGURE 7 is a partial isometric view of another embodiment illustrating Z-members in conjunction with the insulation blanket attached with a single clip.

FIGURE 8 is an elevation view of another embodiment as in FIGURE 7 with a single clip and single insulation.

FIGURE 9 is a partial isometric view of another embodiment comprising a single clip for use with a Z-member.

FIGURE 10 is a partial isometric view of still another embodiment illustrating Z-members in conjunction with the insulation blanket attached with separable clips . FIGURE 11 is an elevation view of sill another embodiment as in FIGURE 10 with separable clips and single insulation.

FIGURE 12 is a partial isometric view of still another embodiment comprising a pair of separable clips for use with a Z-member.

FIGURE 13 is a partial isometric view of the double insulating blanket attached to a wood member.

FIGURE 14 is an elevation view of the double insu¬ lating blanket attached to a wood member. FIGURE 15 is a partial isometric view of the single insulating blanket attached to a wood member.

FIGURE 16 is an elevation view of the single insulating blanket attached to a wood member.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now more specifically to the referenced characters of the drawing, the invention in the pre¬ ferred embodiment, best depicted in FIGURE 1, utilizes an insulating blanket consisting of a principle re¬ flective foil 20, with a surface that reflects on the outer part, tensioned between structural members of a building. The principle foil 20 is either composed of a single layer of aluminum or laminated kraft paper with aluminum foil on one or both sides. The principle foil 20 is folded for transportation and is opened with the creases being stretched flat when installed. The aluminum foil is usually annealed to a "o" temper or dead soft varying in thickness from 0.00025 inches (0.006 mm) to 0.006 inches (0.152 mm). The kraft paper may be any suitable weight from 18 to 100 pounds (8 to 45 kilograms) base weight treated for fire retardancy and vermin or fungus resistance. An outer reflective foil 22 is juxtaposed with the principle foil 20 and is parallel in the central portion. Each end is secured to the principle foil 20 at the termination point however, the outer foil 22 is longer in length creating a bulge of material when tensioned flat. The material of the outer foil 22 is the same as that of the principle foil 20 with at least one reflective surface on the outside. A single embodiment with a pair of foils is depicted in FIGURES 4, 5, 10, 11, 15 and 16. A second outer reflective foil 24 is attached to the primary foil 20 in like manner creating a double embodiment best illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2, 7, 8, 13 and 14. This second outer foil 24 is inverselly opposed to the outer reflective foil 22 and is similar

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in all respects of composition.

A mounting flange 26 is fixably positioned between the principle foil 20 and the outer foils 22 and 24 at each end. The flange 26 may be any structural material such as metal, cloth, thermoplastic, cardboard with flame retardant chipboard being preferred. A certain amount of rigidity is required in the flange 26 main¬ taining integrity with the structural member and mounting clip. A pair of expanders 28 are secured to the principle foil 20 on one end and the outer foil 22 and 24 on the other. These expanders 28 are positioned geometrically to each other near the ends of the foils 22 and 24 and mounting flanges 26. When the blanket is extended an air pocket is created between the principle foil 20 and outer foils 22 and 24. Also a secondary pocket is created between the expanders 28 and the same surfaces. All of the above elements are permanently bonded to¬ gether at contiguous points with structural adhesive or the like making one composite blanket with a plura¬ lity of dead air spaces when stretched taut. The in¬ dividual pleats necessary for rolling and transportation are eliminated when tension is applied to the mounting flanges 26. In application the insulation blanket is installed between the flanges of building structural members in the form of I-beams 30 shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 4, and 5, Z-members 32 illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8, 10 and 11 or wood studs, beams, rafters, joints or the like 34 depicted in FIGURES 13 through 16.

Attachment to wooden members may be made by conven¬ tional attaching means such as nails, staples, tacks, screws,adhesive or the like or a combination thereof. In all embodiments of the insulating blanket the reflective side of the foil is always on the outside surface allowing a maximum amount of reflectability to

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be utilized effectively reducing the transmission of heat therethrough.

The blanket is attached to the metalic building structural me bers at the web by holding the flange 26 tightly against the member. In the preferred embodiment that is accomplished by the use of a pair of clips 36 each consisting of an elongated base 38 rectangular in form with a U-shaped arcuate fold 40 on one end con¬ tinuing with an arcuate bearing surface 42 that is in intimate contact with the blanket and structural member 30, 32 or 34.

Each clip 36 is resiliently biased and compress¬ ably embraces the mounting flange of the structural member 30, 32 or 34. The base 38 is contiguous with half of the lower external surface of the structural member leg with the U-shaped arcuate fold 40 contacting the upper surface of the leg maintaining the compress- able engagement. This configuration of the clip 36 allows the insulation blanket flange 26 to be tensioned against the web of the structural member maintaining attachment when stretched between parallel structural members. In the preferred embodiment, best depicted in FIGURE 3, the second clips 36 are in a pair containing at least two upwardly depending parallel side flanges 43 for insertably receiving the width of the first clip base 38, in the pair, holding them together in spaced relationshi .

A plurality of spaced projections 44 are upset from the parent material on the underside of the first clip base in the pair. A plurality of parallel ribs 46 are also upset from the parent material on the top side of the second clip base and are adapted to register with the spaced projections 44 of the first clips. This arrangement maintains a tensioned relationship when assembled together on the building structural member.

A second arcuate portion 48 continues from the arcuate bearing surface 42 and is curved in reverse of the above surface 42. This portion 48 provides a rounded bearing surface to prevent tearing or creasing of the blanket and a downwardly depending outwardly projecting lip on the end thereof creates a second bearing area. This bearing area has a sharp edge and maintains compression between the blanket and the web of the building structural member 30 or 32 with con- sentrated linear force maintained through the spring action of the bend.

The clip 36 is constructed of a material having the characteristics of a high modulus of elasticity and yield strength such as spring steel or iron based alloys containing chromium as the major alloying constituent or any other substance having the structural integrity for the purpose.

In another embodiment best illustrated in FIGURE 6 and shown installed in FIGURES 4 and 5 the clip 36 consists of two identical parts. Each part grips the leg of the structural member 30 or 32 and act as pairs on opposite sides or may be used individually at the end of the run or with different structural shapes such as an angle or the like. The second arcuate bearing surface 42 is at right angles to the base 38 allowing continuious contact with the web of the structure 30 or 32. The clip further contains the means for securing the blanket to the member consisting of one or more outwardly projecting barbs 50 engaging the blanket mounting flange 26 into the member 30 or 32 in a piercing manner. This embodiment allows a single clip to be used near a right angle surface such as a wall or floor.

Another embodiment shown pictorally in FIGURE 9 and illustrated installed in place with the blanket

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in FIGURES 7 and 8, utilizes a single one piece element. The base 38 has a pair of U-shaped arcuate folds 40 and an arcuate bearing surface 42 as well as a pair of second arcuate portions 48 with downwardly depending outwardly projecting lips. This clip is configured to correspond with building Z-members 32 having one longer portion encompassing the leg of the member 32 and the other embracing the web on the opposite side only.

A final embodiment incorporates the same mounting characteristics to a Z-member 32 and is shown in

FIGURES 10, 11 and 12. This embodiment is in two separ¬ ate pieces with the same basic form as above described for the Z-member 32 except the length of the base is not the same. It can be seen that the performed insulation blan¬ kets may be readily installed in metal buildings employing I-beam, Z-bars or angle iron structural members by selecting one of the preceding four sets of retaining clips. In each instance, the clip halves are placed on opposite sides of the beam and slid together so that their respective bases engage while contact points engage respective flanges on opposite sides of the web of a particular structural member. The tension provided by the clip halves or mated portions holds the flanges of the respective insulation blankets in place against the web of the beam. Therefore, effective insulation for metal buildings, industrial and agri¬ cultural buildings can now be provided through the efficient use of this combination. While the invention has been described in complete detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying draw¬ ings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope

thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.

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