Beam clip with teeth

Abstract

A saddle connector, having an inverted channel, engages a bulb of a beam in the grid of a suspended ceiling. The channel has hardened teeth staggered along the opposing walls of the channel. The teeth are forced into the bulb of the beam, one at a time, by the full force exerted by hand operated pliers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a saddle connector capable of being secured to a steel bulb of a steel beam in a grid of a suspended ceiling, wherein the steel bulb extends along the top of the steel beam,
 the improvement comprising:
 (a) a saddle connector with an inverted channel comprising an opposing first and opposing second side wall, 
 (b) a first clear surface area on the first opposing side wall and a first tooth in the second opposing side wall that is opposite the first clear surface area, 
 (c) the first clear surface area being capable of forming a support for a first jaw of a pair of manually operated pliers to force the first tooth in the second opposing side wall into the steel bulb by a force from a second jaw of the pair of manually operated pliers, with the first tooth piercing the steel bulb, wherein when inserted the first tooth creates a second clear surface area on the second opposing side wall, 
 (d) a second tooth in the first opposing side wall that is opposite the second clear surface area such that the first tooth and the second tooth are staggered along the opposing first and opposing second side walls, wherein the first and second tooth are each formed of hardened metal, and 
 (e) the second clear surface area is capable of forming a support for the first jaw of the pair of manually operated pliers to force the second tooth in the first opposing side wall into the steel bulb by a force from the second jaw of the manually operated pliers, the second tooth piercing the steel bulb. 
   
     
     
         2 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein the saddle connector is capable of securing the steel beam in the grid to a wall molding. 
     
     
         3 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein the saddle connector is capable of securing the steel beam in the grid to another beam. 
     
     
         4 . The improvement of  claim 3 , wherein the saddle connector is capable of further securing a cross beam to a main beam. 
     
     
         5 . The improvement of  claim 3 , wherein the saddle connector is capable of further securing opposing cross beams to a main beam.