Masonry Insulation and Siding Connector

Abstract

A connector strip is mechanically pressed into a slot formed in a concrete wall. The connector strip has a distal end with resilient, deformable legs that engage the walls of the slot—when the strip is pressed into the slot the legs deform from a resting position and press against the walls of the slot, preventing the strip from being pulled out of engagement in the slot. The proximal end of the connector strip is defined by transverse retaining arms that retain insulation board against the concrete, and which serve as a surface into which siding and sheetrock may be anchored with nails or screws.

1 . A connector for attaching insulation and siding to a wall, comprising:
 a central rib section;   a nailing member extending transverse to the central rib section at a proximal end thereof; and   at least one pair of opposed retaining legs extending from the central rib section at a distal end.   
     
     
         2 . The connector according to  claim 1  in which the nailing member extends from the central rib section on both sides thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The connector according to  claim 1  wherein the connector is a one-piece member constructed of a resilient material that normally urges the at least one pair of opposed retaining legs toward a first position defining a first width that is greater than the width of a slot into which the retaining legs may be inserted, and the retaining legs being movable to a second position defining a second width that is less than the first width to prevent removal of the connector from the slot into which it is inserted. 
     
     
         4 . The connector according to  claim 3  including a stop extending transversely from the central rib section. 
     
     
         5 . The connector according to  claim 4  wherein the stop is between the nailing member and the at least one pair of opposed retaining legs to define a space for receiving insulation between the nailing member and the at least one pair of opposed retaining legs. 
     
     
         6 . The connector according to  claim 5  including plural opposed pairs of retaining legs. 
     
     
         7 . The connector according to  claim 6  wherein all of the retaining legs are attached to the central rib section at an acute angle. 
     
     
         8 . The connector according to  claim 4  wherein the stop extends from only one side of the central rib member and extends a distance greater than ½ of the first width. 
     
     
         9 . The connector of  claim 1  in combination with a concrete wall having a slot therein, in which the at least one pair of opposed retaining legs are lodged in the slot and the connector is attached to the concrete wall, and including an insulation board retained between the nailing member and the concrete wall, and further including siding attached to the connector with a fastener driven through the siding and the nailing member. 
     
     
         10 . A connector for attaching insulation and siding to a wall, comprising:
 an elongate central section having first and second sides;   a nailing member extending from the first and second sides transverse to the elongate central section at a proximal end;   a retaining means at a distal end of the elongate central section for retaining the connector in a slot in the wall; and   a stop between the nailing member and the retaining means.   
     
     
         11 . The connector according to  claim 10  wherein the retaining means includes at least first and second opposed retaining legs extending from the central section at acute angles relative thereto, the first retaining leg extending from a first side of the elongate central section and the second retaining leg extending from the second side of the elongate central section. 
     
     
         12 . The connector according to  claim 11  including plural pairs of first and second opposed retaining legs extending from the central section. 
     
     
         13 . The connector according to  claim 12  wherein the retaining legs are made of a resilient material that normally urges the retaining legs toward a first position defining a first width that is greater than the width of a slot into which the retaining legs may be inserted, and the retaining legs being movable to a second position defining a second width that is less than the first width to prevent removal of the connector from the slot into which it is inserted. 
     
     
         14 . The connector of  claim 14  in a wall layout comprising:
 a concrete wall having a first slot and a second slot spaced apart from the first slot; 
 wherein the retaining legs of a first connector are lodged in the first slot and the first connector is thereby attached to the concrete wall, and the retaining legs of a second connector are lodged in the second slot and the second connector is thereby attached to the concrete wall and spaced apart from the first connector; and 
 an insulation board retained against the wall between the first and second connectors 
 
     
     
         15 . The connector of  claim 14  in a wall layout further comprising siding attached to the first and second connectors with fasteners driven through the siding and into the first and second connectors. 
     
     
         16 . A method of attaching insulation to a wall, comprising the steps of:
 a) forming or cutting a slot in the wall;   b) lodging a connector in the slot by inserting a pair of opposed retaining legs of the connector into the slot, the connector defined by a member having a central rib section, a transverse nailing member extending transverse to the central rib section and at least one pair of opposed retaining legs extending from the central rib section and the connector further defining an insulation receiving portion between the nailing member and the retaining legs; and   c) attaching insulation to the connector to retain the insulation against the wall by inserting an edge of the insulation into the receiving portion of the connector.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  including the step of attaching siding by applying siding over the insulation and driving fasteners through the siding and the nailing member. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of lodging the connector in the slot includes the step of inserting the pair of opposed retaining legs into the slot until a stop on the connector abuts an outer surface of the wall. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  including the step of lodging a second connector in a second slot in the wall, the second connector having an insulation receiving portion, and inserting a second edge of the insulation in the insulation receiving portion of the second connector. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  including the step of attaching siding by applying siding over the insulation and the first and second connectors and driving fasteners through the siding and nailing members of both the first and second connectors.