Clip for the assembly of composite structural members

Claim 1

A clip for assembling two hollow, elongate sheet metal channel members having a generally C-shaped, cross-section, to form a composite structural member, the clip comprising a first structural member-connecting portion having two opposite side margins, and a first and a second lip each extending at an angle from two other, opposite side margins of said portion, said first lip having opposite side margins, at least one of said side margins of both said member-connecting portion and of said first lip being provided with a notch adjacent to the intersection of said first lip and said first member-connecting portion thereby forming at least two notches on opposing sides of said clip, extending into said lip a distance sufficient to accommodate therewithin the terminal portions of the side flanges of one of the structural members, one of said notches being offset with respect to the other of said notches, and wherein said second lip has a width which is less than the distance of separation between said notches, whereby said lip may be inserted between the terminal portions of the side flanges of one of the structural members thereby contacting each of the terminal portions of the side flanges to prevent the clip from twisting with respect to said one structural member.