Racking and load resistant ceiling and wall construction clip and method

Abstract

A rigid, metallic clip and a method for providing hard fastened, anti-racking ceiling and wall construction. A flat, perforated body portion bordering an integral, perforated tab extends downwardly from a junction at the midpoint. A pair of spaced apart and parallel fingers projecting forwardly engage the top plate, snugly resting beneath insulation to temporarily retain clips for screwing. A pair of elongated, reinforcing grooves extending from the clip rear to the junction are convex, so the bottom of the clip flushly mates with the ceiling sheet. The rigid, integral tab projects downwardly at a preferred angle of eighty-seven degrees. Clips positioned on the top plate are fastened by screws that penetrate the tab. The horizontal ceiling sheet can then be screwed to adjoining clips. A sidewall sheet disposed substantially vertically is then screwed to framing. The sheets cover the clip body, and no jagged edges or sharp points remain visible.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A metallic construction clip for hard fastening abutting panels adjacent construction framework, the clip comprising: 
 a front, a rear and a top;    a rear body portion that in use is oriented substantially horizontally, the rear body portion comprising: 
 a length;  
 a central, perforated region for blindly receiving screws to fasten a ceiling panel; and,  
 integral, adjoining sides adjacent to said perforated region;  
   an integral, perforated tab projecting downwardly from said rear body portion, the tab having a width and a length, said tab length substantially equal to said rear body portion length;    a pair of integral, spaced apart and parallel fingers projecting forwardly from said clip for engaging framework such as a top plate, the fingers coplanar with the clip rear body portion, and the fingers having a length approximately equal to the length of said rear body portion;    a gap between the fingers, the gap having a width that is larger than the width of the tab; and,    wherein the length of the fingers is greater than the width of said tab.    
   
   
       19 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 18  wherein said sides of said rear body portion are coplanar and coextensive with said fingers.  
   
   
       20 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 19  wherein said clip comprises a junction formed between the tab and said rear body portion and radiused stress relief notches formed at said junction.  
   
   
       21 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 20  further comprising an indexing hole defined within said junction.  
   
   
       22 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 18  wherein the fingers have ends that are gently radiused to enable them to smoothly slide beneath layers of insulation disposed atop the top plate.  
   
   
       23 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 18  further comprising a pair of elongated, parallel reinforcement grooves defined in said clip adjacent said perforated region, said grooves extending from said clip rear towards said clip front.  
   
   
       24 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 23  wherein the reinforcement grooves are convex at the top of the clip so that the bottom of the clip can flushly mate with a ceiling panel fastened to the clip.  
   
   
       25 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 24  wherein said sides of said rear body portion are coplanar and coextensive with said fingers.  
   
   
       26 . A metallic construction clip for hard fastening abutting panels adjacent construction framework, the clip comprising: 
 a front, a middle, a top, a bottom, and a rear;    a rear body portion that in use is oriented substantially horizontally, the rear body portion comprising: 
 a length;  
 a central, perforated region for blindly receiving screws to fasten a ceiling panel; and,  
 integral, adjoining sides adjacent to the perforated region;  
   an integral, perforated tab projecting downwardly from said rear body portion, the tab having a width and a length, said tab length substantially equal to said rear body portion length;    a junction formed between the tab and said rear body portion at the clip middle;    a pair of integral, spaced apart and parallel fingers projecting forwardly from said clip for engaging framework such as a top plate, the fingers coplanar with the clip rear body portion, and the fingers having a length approximately equal to the length of said rear body portion;    a gap between the fingers, the gap having a predetermined width, and the gap width being larger than the width of the tab;    a pair of elongated, parallel reinforcement grooves for reinforcing said clip.    
   
   
       27 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 26  wherein said sides of said rear body portion are coplanar and coextensive with said fingers.  
   
   
       28 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 27  wherein said clip comprises radiused stress relief notches formed at said junction.  
   
   
       29 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 28  wherein the length of the fingers is greater than the width of said tab.  
   
   
       30 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 26  wherein the reinforcement grooves are convex at the top of the clip so that the bottom of the clip can flushly mate with a ceiling panel fastened to the clip.  
   
   
       31 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 30  wherein the fingers have ends that are gently radiused to enable them to smoothly slide beneath layers of insulation disposed atop the top plate.  
   
   
       32 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 26  wherein multiple clips are stackable to minimize shipping and storage volume.  
   
   
       33 . A metallic ceiling construction clip for hard fastening abutting panels adjacent construction framework, the clip comprising: 
 a middle, a top and bottom, and a rear;    a rear body portion that in use is oriented substantially horizontally, the rear body portion comprising: 
 a length;  
 a central, perforated region for blindly receiving screws to fasten a ceiling panel; and,  
 integral, adjoining nonperforated sides adjacent to the reinforcement grooves;  
   a perforated tab projecting downwardly from said rear body portion that is adapted to be attached to the framework, the tab having a length substantially equal to the length of the rear body portion, and the tab having a width;    a junction formed between the tab and said rear body portion at the clip middle;    a pair of integral, spaced apart and parallel fingers projecting forwardly from said clip for engaging framework such as a top plate, the fingers coplanar with the clip rear body portion, and the fingers having a length;    a gap between the fingers, the gap having a width greater than the width of the tab but smaller than the length of the fingers; and,    a pair of elongated, parallel reinforcement grooves defined in said clip, the grooves extending from said clip rear towards said clip front, the grooves convex at the top of the clip so that the bottom of the clip can flushly mate with the ceiling panel fastened to the clip.    
   
   
       34 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 33  wherein said clip comprises radiused stress relief notches and an indexing hole defined at said junction.  
   
   
       35 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 34  wherein the fingers have ends that are gently radiused to enable them to smoothly slide beneath layers of insulation disposed atop the top plate.  
   
   
       36 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 33  wherein multiple clips can be nested together to minimize shipping and storage volume.  
   
   
       37 . A metallic construction clip for hard fastening abutting panels adjacent construction framework, the clip comprising: 
 a middle, a top and bottom, and a rear;    a rear body portion that in use is oriented substantially horizontally, the rear body portion comprising: 
 a length;  
 a central, perforated region for receiving fasteners to secure a ceiling panel; and, integral, adjoining sides;  
   an integral, perforated tab projecting downwardly from said rear body portion, the tab having a width and a length, said tab length substantially equal to said rear body portion length;    a junction formed between the tab and said rear body portion at the clip middle;    a pair of integral, spaced apart and parallel fingers projecting forwardly from said clip for engaging framework such as a top plate, the fingers coplanar with the clip rear body portion, and the fingers having a length approximately equal to the length of said rear body portion;    wherein said sides of said rear body portion are coplanar with said fingers;    a gap between the fingers, the gap having a predetermined width, the gap width being larger than the width of the tab; and,    a pair of elongated, parallel reinforcement grooves defined in said rear body portion, the grooves parallel with said fingers and extending from said clip rear towards said clip front, the grooves convex at the top of the clip so that the bottom of the clip can flushly mate with the ceiling panel fastened to the clip.    
   
   
       38 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 37  wherein the tab has a width and length of the fingers is greater than the width of said tab.  
   
   
       39 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 38  wherein the fingers have ends that are gently radiused to enable them to smoothly slide beneath layers of insulation disposed atop the top plate.  
   
   
       40 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 39  wherein said clip comprises: 
 radiused stress relief notches formed at said junction between said tab and rear body portion; and,    an indexing hole defined within said junction to facilitate manufacturing.    
   
   
       41 . The ceiling clip as defined in  claim 40  wherein multiple clips can be nested together to minimize shipping and storage volume. providing a plurality of ceiling clips, each clip comprising: integral, adjoining sides adjacent to the perforated region.  
   
   
       42 . A method for hard fastening abutting panels adjacent construction framework, the method comprising the steps of: 
 locating framework comprising a horizontal top plate and a plurality of spaced apart vertical studs that are perpendicular to said top plate;    securing a plurality of ceiling clips to a top plate, each clip comprising: 
 a front, a rear and a top;  
 a rear body portion that in use is oriented substantially horizontally, the rear body portion comprising: 
 a length;  
 a central, perforated region for blindly receiving screws to fasten a ceiling panel; and,  
 integral, adjoining sides adjacent to said perforated region;  
 
 an integral, perforated tab projecting downwardly from said rear body portion, the tab having a width and a length, said tab length substantially equal to said rear body portion length;  
 a pair of integral, spaced apart and parallel fingers projecting forwardly from said clip for engaging framework such as a top plate, the fingers coplanar with the clip rear body portion, and the fingers having a length approximately equal to the length of said rear body portion;  
 a gap between the fingers, the gap having a width that is larger than the width of the tab; and,  
 wherein the length of the fingers is greater than the width of said tab; and,  
 Screw fastening the clips to the top plate through their tabs; and,  
 Screw fastening a horizontal panel to the rear body portion of multiple tabs.  
   
   
   
       43 . The method as defined in  claim 42  said sides of said rear body portion are coplanar and coextensive with said fingers.  
   
   
       44 . The method as defined in  claim 42  wherein said clip comprises a junction formed between the tab and said rear body portion and radiused stress relief notches formed at said junction.  
   
   
       45 . The method as defined in  claim 42  wherein said clip comprises an indexing hole defined within said junction.  
   
   
       46 . The method as defined in  claim 42  wherein the fingers have ends that are gently radiused to enable them to smoothly slide beneath layers of insulation disposed atop the top plate.  
   
   
       47 . The method as defined in  claim 42  including the step of reinforcing the clips with elongated, parallel reinforcement grooves defined in said clip adjacent said perforated region, said grooves extending from said clip rear towards said clip front.  
   
   
       48 . The method as defined in  claim 42  including the step of reducing interference by making the reinforcement grooves convex at the top of the clip so that the bottom of the clip can flushly mate with a ceiling panel fastened to the clip.  
   
   
       49 . The method as defined in  claim 42  wherein said sides of said rear body portion are coplanar and coextensive with said fingers.