Fixing devices for roofing and siding sheets

Claim 2

A fixing device for roofing and siding sheets, each of which has a male rib at one end, a female rib at the other end and at least one intermediate hollow rib with internal pockets, the device being securable to a structural member and having a. means for locating the device with respect to a male rib of a first one of the sheets, the locating means being engageable with the said male rib so that the fixing device and the said first sheet are restrained from a relative lateral movement, b. a snap-action fastening clip spaced from the locating means and including spring arms having free ends for engagement with the internal pockets of an intermediate rib of a second one of the sheets, which second sheet is to be secured to the structural member adjacent the first sheet, c. a spacing member having the locating means at one end and the clip at the other end and maintaining the locating means and clip at a predetermined distance apart, and d. wherein the fixing device is integrally formed of sheet metal, the locating means are in the form of a trough upwardly directed from a strap constituting the spacing member, and the clip means includes an upwardly formed rib, an inner wall on each side of the upwardly formed rib joined at its lower end to a lower part of the rib, and the said spring arms are two in number, one being downwardly and outwardly directed on each side of the clip and joining the upper end of the inner wall on that side.

Claim 3

A fixing device according to claim 1 wherein the device, including the locating means and the clip means, is formed integrally of sheet metal.

Claim 4

A fixing device according to claim 1 wherein the device is securable to a structural member by means of at least two apertures in the device to receive screw or like securing devices, one aperture being in or close to the locating means and another adjacent or close to the clip means.

Claim 5

An assembly of cladding sheets having hollow ribs with pockets in the side walls opening into the inside of the rib and a fixing device having locating means to locate against a portion of a lateral rib of a first sheet, snap-action fastening clip means including spring arms having portions to latch by a snap-action into the pockets in the hollow rib side walls of a second sheet which is to be adjacent the first sheet on application of pressure to the second sheet towards the clip means to lock the fixing device to the hollow rib of the second sheet, each spring arm being joined to one end of a resilient upstanding inner wall which joins at its other end a central portion of the clip means, the central portion providing abutments between the said inner walls to limit movement of the two inner walls towards each other, the clip means further including a fastening strap joining the locating means and the clip means and having means whereby it can be secured to a structural member.

Claim 6

An assembly of cladding sheets having hollow ribs with pockets in the side walls opening into the inside of the rib and a fixing device having locating means to locate against a portion of a lateral rib of a first sheet, snap-action fastening clip means including spring arms having portions to latch by a snap-action into the pockets in the hollow rib side walls of a second sheet which is to be adjacent the first sheet on application of pressure to the second sheet towards the clip means to lock the fixing device to the hollow rib of the second sheet, each spring arm being joined to one end of a resilient upstanding inner wall which joins at its other end a central portion of the clip means, the central portion providing abutments between the said inner walls to limit movement of the two inner walls towards each other, the clip means further including a fastening strap joining the locating means and the clip means and having means whereby it can be secured to a structural member.

Claim 7

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the first sheet has an upwardly formed lateral rib with a downwardly formed portion for engagement by the locating means and the second sheet has an upwardly formed lateral rib to overlie and interlock with the male rib of the first sheet, the hollow rib securable by the fixing device being intermediate the edges of the second sheet.

Claim 8

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the sidewalls of the hollow rib have lower edges towards which they slope outwardly and downwardly, the said pocket in each side-wall being close to or adjacent the lower edge of the side-wall.

Claim 9

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the pockets of the side-walls have upwardly directed mouths.

Claim 10

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the sprIng arms of the clip means are substantially parallel to the side-walls of the hollow rib before and after the rib is fixed to the clip means.

Claim 11

An assembly of cladding sheets and a fixing device according to claim 4 wherein the said first and second sheets each have a hollow rib with pockets provided in side-walls of the hollow rib and each sheet has a lateral rib in addition to the hollow rib, the lateral rib having a downwardly formed portion for engagement with the locating means of the fixing device.

Claim 12

A fixing device for roofing and siding sheets, each of which has a male rib at one end, a female rib at the other end and at least one intermediate hollow rib with internal pockets, the device being securable to a structural member and having a. means for locating the device with respect to a male rib of a first one of the sheets, the locating means being engageable with the said male rib so that the fixing device and the said first sheet are restrained from a relative lateral movement, b. a snap-action fastening clip spaced from the locating means and including spring arms having free ends for engagement with the internal pockets of an intermediate rib of a second one of the sheets, which second sheet is to be secured to the structural member adjacent the first sheet, c. a spacing member having the locating means at one end and the clip at the other end and maintaining the locating means and clip at a predetermined distance apart, and d. wherein there are two said spring arms, one being downwardly and outwardly directed from each of the opposed sides of the clip, each arm being joined at its upper and inward end to an upstanding member, the two upstanding members being resiliently joined to the device at their lower ends, there being abutment means between the said upstanding members which prevent their movement towards each other beyond fixed limits.

Claim 13

A fixing device for roofing and siding sheets, each of which has a male rib at one end, a female rib at the other end and at least one intermediate hollow rib with internal pockets, the device being securable to a structural member and having a. means for locating the device with respect to a male rib of a first one of the sheets, the locating means being engageable with the said male rib so that the fixing device and the said first sheet are restrained from a relative lateral movement, b. a snap-action fastening clip spaced from the locating means and including spring arms having free ends for engagement with the internal pockets of an intermediate rib of a second one of the sheets, which second sheet is to be secured to the structural member adjacent the first sheet, c. a spacing member having the locating means at one end and the clip at the other end and maintaining the locating means and clip at a predetermined distance apart, and d. wherein there are two said spring arms, one being downwardly and outwardly directed from each of the opposed sides of the clip, each arm being joined at its upper and inward end to an upstanding member, the two upstanding members being resiliently joined to the device at their lower ends, there being abutment means between the said upstanding members which prevent their movement towards each other beyond fixed limits.

Claim 14

A fixing device according to claim 10 wherein the locating means is a trough suitable to receive a projecting portion of the said male rib of the first sheet.

Claim 15

A fixing device according to claim 10 wherein the junction of each said upstanding member and the respective spring arm is so positioned as to be capable of sliding engagement with internal walls of the intermediate hollow rib of the said second sheet engaged by the clip whereby the said upstanding members are bent inwardly towards each other when pressure is applied to the second sheet to urge it towards the clip.

Claim 16

An assembly of at least two cladding sheets and a fixing device for use with the sheets, a. each cladding sheet having a male rib at one end and a female rib at the other end and at least one intermediate hollow rib with internal pockets, the said male rib of a first sheet being capable of underlying and interlocking with the said female rib of a second sheet when the first and second sheets are juxtaposed, b. the fixing device being securable to a structural member and having c. means for locating the device with respect to the said male rib of the said first sheet, the locating means being engageable with the said male rib so that the fixing device and the said first sheet are restrained from a relative lateral movement, d. a snap-action fastening clip spaced from the locating means and including spring arms having free ends for engagement with the internal pockets of an intermediate rib of the said second sheet which second sheet is to be secured to the structural member adjacent the first sheet, and e. a spacing member having the locating means at one end and the clip at the other end and maintaining the locating means and clip at a predetermined distance apart, the said predetermined distance apart of the locating means and the clip being equal to the distance apart of the said male rib of the first sheet and the said intermediate rib of the second sheet engaged by the clip when the said male rib of the first sheet and the said female rib of the second sheet are interlocked.

Claim 17

An assembly of at least two cladding sheets and a fixing device for use with the sheets, a. each cladding sheet having a male rib at one end and a female rib at the other end and at least one intermediate hollow rib with internal pockets, the said male rib of a first sheet being capable of underlying and interlocking with the said female rib of a second sheet when the first and second sheets are juxtaposed, b. the fixing device being securable to a structural member and having c. means for locating the device with respect to the said male rib of the said first sheet, the locating means being engageable with the said male rib so that the fixing device and the said first sheet are restrained from a relative lateral movement, d. a snap-action fastening clip spaced from the locating means and including spring arms having free ends for engagement with the internal pockets of an intermediate rib of the said second sheet which second sheet is to be secured to the structural member adjacent the first sheet, and e. a spacing member having the locating means at one end and the clip at the other end and maintaining the locating means and clip at a predetermined distance apart, the said predetermined distance apart of the locating means and the clip being equal to the distance apart of the said male rib of the first sheet and the said intermediate rib of the second sheet engaged by the clip when the said male rib of the first sheet and the said female rib of the second sheet are interlocked.

Claim 18

An assembly according to claim 13 wherein the said male rib of the first sheet has a downwardly directed part suitable for engagement with a trough of the fixing device forming the said locating means.