Clip and clip installation apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to clip ( 1 ) and clip installation apparatus and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a decking board clip for securing decking boards to a support structure and apparatuses for installing decking board clips. The clip comprising a body having an inner part ( 3 ) made of a first material and an outer part ( 4 ) made of a second material, the body having a first retaining formation and a second retaining formation ( 8 ), the first retaining formation being resiliently moveable between an engaged position in which it engages in a groove of a decking board to provide a bias onto part of the groove and a disengaged position wherein it is not engaged inside the groove of the decking board and extends freely from the body, the body also having a receiving formation ( 5 ) for receiving a fastener to fasten the clip to a support.

1 . A clip comprising a body having an inner part made of a first material and an outer part made of a second material, the body having a first retaining formation and a second retaining formation, the first retaining formation being resiliently moveable between an engaged position in which the first retaining formation engages in a groove of a decking board to provide a bias onto part of the groove and a disengaged position wherein the first retaining formation is disengaged not engaged inside the groove of the decking board and extends freely from the body, the body also having a receiving formation for receiving a fastener to fasten the clip to a support. 
     
     
         2 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the first material is a metal. 
     
     
         3 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the second material is a plastics material. 
     
     
         4 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the second material is a composite plastics material. 
     
     
         5 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the inner part of the body is substantially T-shaped in cross section with the retaining formations extending operatively horizontally from an upper section of a central base. 
     
     
         6 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the inner part of the body is substantially washer-shaped. 
     
     
         7 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the length of the retaining formations is larger than a width of the retaining formations extending from the central base. 
     
     
         8 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which width of the retaining formations is larger than a length of the retaining formations extending from the central base. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the second retaining formation extends substantially normally from the base. 
     
     
         11 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which the outer part of the body partially fills the primary securing bore to form a secondary co-axially extending bore therethrough, the secondary bore thus having a smaller diameter than the primary bore. 
     
     
         18 . A clip as claimed in  claim 17  in which the secondary bore includes radially extending slots. 
     
     
         19 . A clip as claimed in  claim 17  in which the radially extending slots are V-shaped so that the secondary bore is star-shaped or asterisk-shaped in top view or cross-sectional view. 
     
     
         20 . A clip as claimed in  claim 17  in which a lower section of the secondary bore is enlarged to form a cavity. 
     
     
         21 . A clip as claimed in  claim 17  in which a lower section of both the primary and secondary bore is enlarged to form a cavity. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which clips are connected in series, end-to-end, with clips having break-away connection means to connect them in a strip of connected clips and with outer ends of end clips at opposite ends of the strip having attachment means to receive complementary attachment means of end clips of other strips of clips. 
     
     
         24 . A clip as claimed in  claim 1  in which an operatively underside of the second retaining formation includes a downwardly extending gripping protrusion. 
     
     
         25 . A method of manufacturing a clip comprising the steps of:
 cutting a sheet into a blank, the blank having two retaining formations, one on each side of a hole; shaping the blank in a press so that the hole is deformed to form a downwardly extending primary bore, a first side thereof extends downwardly and terminates in an upwardly extending lip to form, in use, a first retaining formation, an opposite side thereof has an operatively downwardly extending gripping formation and a third and a fourth side has outwardly extending connector tabs forming a support for connection formations;   placing the formed blank in a tool; and   moulding a clip body by associating a plastics material into the tool to cover the formed blank with a layer of plastics material.   
     
     
         26 - 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . A clip installation apparatus comprising a clip magazine for receiving a series of clips with screws partially screwed into secondary fastening bores of the clips for feeding the clips to a fastening end of the magazine, and a fastening support, in use, attachable to a power source to drive a screw through the secondary fastening bore of a front most clip in the magazine to secure the clip to a support and to a deck board. 
     
     
         48 - 57 . (canceled)