Clips with overlapping engagement members

Claim 2

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween, said end portions being adapted to interengage in overlapped relationship to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated to provide a forked configuration defining first and second radially spaced and axially offset fork portions and the other end comprising first and second axially adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion radially overlaps substantially only said first part and said second fork portion is radially overlapped by substantially only said second part; and, abutment means extending radially from between said axially adjacent parts to engage axially between said first and second fork portions.

Claim 3

A clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion and said first part of said end portions are provided with cooperable ramp teeth for interengaging said end portions over a range of degrees of overlapped relationship.

Claim 4

A clip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gapped annular body comprises an integral thermoplastics moulding.

Claim 5

A clip as claimed in claim 3, wherein said body comprises two body portions hinged together.

Claim 6

A clip as claimed in claim 4, wherein a mounting member extends from one of said body portions.

Claim 7

A clip as claimed in claim 5, wherein a hook member is provided on the other of said body portions.

Claim 8

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween said end portions being adapted to interengage to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated so as to define first and second fork portions and the other end comprising first and second transversely adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion overlaps substantially only said first part and said second fork portion is overlapped by substantially only said second part, first abutment means on said other end portion for engaging first abutment means on said first fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said first fork portion across the second part of said other end portion and second abutment means on said other end portion for engaging second abutment means on said second fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said second fork portion across the first part of said other end portion, said first portion and said first part of said end portions being provided with cooperable ramp teeth for interengaging said end portions over a range of degrees of overlapped relationship, said ramp teeth being spaced from the side edges of said first fork portion and said first part remote from the second fork portion and the second part, and said first abutment means on said other end portion comprising ends of the ramp teeth thereon.

Claim 9

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween said end portions being adapted to interengage to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated so as to define first and second fork portions and the other end comprising first and second transversely adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion overlaps substantially only said first part and said second fork portion is overlapped by substantially only said second part, first abutment means on said other end portion for engaging first abutment means on said first fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said first fork portion across the second part of said other end portion and second abutment means on said other end portion for engaging second abutment means on said second fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said second fork portion across the first part of said other end portion, said first portion and said first part of said end portions being provided with cooperable ramp teeth for interengaging said end portions over a range of degrees of overlapped relationship, said ramp teeth being spaced from the side edges of said first fork portion and said first part remote from the second fork portion and the second part, and said first abutment means on said other end portion comprising ends of the ramp teeth thereon.

Claim 10

A clip as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first abutment means on said other end portion comprises a side face of a projection on said other end portion, said first abutment means of said first fork portion of said one end portion comprising a side edge thereof.

Claim 11

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween, said end portions being adapted to interengage to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated so as to define first and second fork portions and the other end comprising first and second transversely adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion overlaps substantially one said first part and said second fork portion is overlapped by substantially only said second part, first abutment means on said other end portion for engaging first abutment means on said first fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said first fork portion across the second part of said other end portion and second abutment means on said other end portion for engaging second abutment means on said second fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said fork portion across the first part of said other end portion, said first abutment means on said other end portion comprising a side face of a projection on said other end portion said first abutment means of said first fork portion of said one end portion comprising a side edge thereof, the first fork portion of said one end portion having a chamfered free end with which said projection is cooperable for guiding said first fork portion of said one end portion into overlapping relationship with said first part of said other end portion.

Claim 12

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween, said end portions being adapted to interengage to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated so as to define first and second fork portions and the other end comprising first and second transversely adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion overlaps substantially one said first part and said second fork portion is overlapped by substantially only said second part, first abutment means on said other end portion for engaging first abutment means on said first fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said first fork portion across the second part of said other end portion and second abutment means on said other end portion for engaging second abutment means on said second fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said fork portion across the first part of said other end portion, said first abutment means on said other end portion comprising a side face of a projection on said other end portion said first abutment means of said first fork portion of said one end portion comprising a side edge thereof, the first fork portion of said one end portion having a chamfered free end with which said projection is cooperable for guiding said first fork portion of said one end portion into overlapping relationship with said first part of said other end portion.

Claim 13

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween, said end portions being adapted to interengage to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated so as to define first and second fork portions and the other end comprising first and second transversely adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion overlaps substantially only said first part and said second fork portion is overlapped by substantially only said second part, first abutment means on said other end portion for engaging first abutment means on said first fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said first fork portion across the second part of said other end portion and second abutment means on said other end portion for engaging said abutment means on said second fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said fork portion across the first part of said other end portion, said second abutment means on said other end portion comprising a side face thereon, said second abutment means of said second fork portion of said one end portion comprising a side edge thereof, said side face on said other end portion comprising a side face of a recess therein for receiving the second fork portion of said one end portion.

Claim 14

A clip comprising a gapped annular body having two end portions defining a gap therebetween, said end portions being adapted to interengage to close the body, one of said end portions being bifurcated so as to define first and second fork portions and the other end comprising first and second transversely adjacent parts, said fork portions being arranged such that, when said end portions are interengaged, said first fork portion overlaps substantially only said first part and said second fork portion is overlapped by substantially only said second part, first abutment means on said other end portion for engaging first abutment means on said first fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said first fork portion across the second part of said other end portion and second abutment means on said other end portion for engaging said abutment means on said second fork portion for preventing transverse movement of said fork portion across the first part of said other end portion, said second abutment means on said other end portion comprising a side face thereon, said second abutment means of said second fork portion of said one end portion comprising a side edge thereof, said side face on said other end portion comprising a side face of a recess therein for receiving the second fork portion of said one end portion.

Claim 15

A clip as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second fork portion of said one end portion has a chamfered free end, with which said side face of said other end portion is cooperable for guiding said second fork portion of said one end portion into overlapping relationship with said second part of said other end portion.