A fastening assembly for a structure

Abstract

A fastening assembly for a structure having a plurality of structural components fastened to a substructure includes a spacer for positioning on a substructure between adjacent structural components. The spacer is configured to maintain a desired spacing between the structural components. The fastening assembly includes at least one gripping member, the, or each, gripping member including opposed arms and a web that interconnects the arms, with the spacer being receivable between the arms. The spacer and the arms are configured so that when the spacer is received between the arms, the arms are driven away from each other so that free ends of the arms bear against respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components to secure the structural components to the spacer.

1 . A fastening assembly for a structure having a plurality of structural components fastened to a substructure, the fastening assembly comprising:
 a spacer for positioning on a substructure between adjacent structural components, the spacer being configured to maintain a desired spacing between the structural components; and   at least one gripping member, the, or each, gripping member including opposed arms and a web that interconnects the arms, with the spacer being receivable between the arms, the spacer and the arms being configured so that when the spacer is received between the arms, the arms are driven away from each other so that free ends of the arms bear against respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components to secure the structural components to the spacer.   
     
     
         2 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spacer defines at least one passage that extends, top to bottom, through the spacer, the web of the, or each, gripping member defining an opening, so that a shank of a fastener can be received through the web and the passage to engage the substructure and drive the, or each, gripping member towards the substructure so that the spacer is received between the arms, as the spacer is fastened to the substructure. 
     
     
         3 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the spacer includes end locating formations and an intermediate portion interposed between the end locating formations, the intermediate portion being receivable between the arms of the, or each, gripping member, the intermediate portion and the arms being configured so that when the intermediate portion is received between the arms, the arms are driven away from each other so that the free ends of the arms bear against the respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components. 
     
     
         4 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate portion defines at least one spreader formation that is receivable between the arms of the, or each respective, gripping member to drive the arms apart as the, or each, gripping member is driven towards the substructure. 
     
     
         5 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the, or each, spreader formation has opposed sloped surfaces that extend downwardly and outwardly from the upper face of the spacer to facilitate driving the arms apart as the, or each, gripping member is driven towards the substructure. 
     
     
         6 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein each arm of the, or each, gripping member has a gripping portion that terminates the arm, the gripping portions extending outwardly to correspond with the sloped surfaces of the spreader formation. 
     
     
         7 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each gripping portion defines a pointed end that can be driven into the structural components as the gripping member is driven towards the substructure. 
     
     
         8 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate portion defines guide slots on respective sides of the, or each, spreader formation, the, or each respective, gripping member having opposed walls that depend from respective sides of the web, each wall having two slots to define the arm and two legs, with the arm interposed between the legs, the legs and the guide slots being configured so that the legs can slide into the guide slots as the, or each, gripping member is driven towards the substructure. 
     
     
         9 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , which includes two spreader formations, the intermediate portion defining a central portion interposed between end portions, each end portion being interposed between the central portion and one of the end locating formations, and each end portion defining one of the spreader formations. 
     
     
         10 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the central portion defines opposed faces, and each spreader formation defines opposed faces that terminate the sloped surfaces, the faces of the central portion and spreader formations being substantially aligned with each other. 
     
     
         11 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , which includes one gripping member and one corresponding spreader formation, the spreader formation being interposed between the end locating formations. 
     
     
         12 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes at least one cover mechanism that is operatively engageable with the spacer to cover the, or each respective, gripping member to protect the gripping member. 
     
     
         13 . The fasting assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the, or each, cover mechanism includes a cover that is engageable with the spacer, the, or each, cover being hinged to the spacer and pivotal between an operative position in which the cover is located over the, or each respective, gripping member, and an inoperative position in which the cover is positioned away from the, or each respective, gripping member to facilitate access to the gripping member. 
     
     
         14 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the substructure includes a plurality of joists and the spacer is shaped to accommodate an upper side of a joist, to facilitate positioning of the spacer on the joist. 
     
     
         15 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spacer defines at least one recess on each of the sides of the spacer, and accessible from an upper face of the spacer, each arm of the gripping member being slidably receivable, from the upper face towards a lower face of the spacer, in a respective one of the recesses, the recesses being shaped so that the arms are driven away from each other as the arms slide downwardly in the respective recesses. 
     
     
         16 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of a floor of each recess is ramped outwardly and downwardly to cause the arms to be driven away from each other as the gripping member is driven downwardly. 
     
     
         17 . The fastening assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the free end of each arm defines an outwardly extending ridge for embedding in the structural components when the arms are driven away from each other. 
     
     
         18 . A structural assembly that comprises:
 a substructure;   a plurality of structural components positioned on the structural components; and   a plurality of fastening assemblies as claimed in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         19 . A method of assembling a structural assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , which comprises the steps of:
 positioning the structural components on the substructure;   positioning the spacer between adjacent structural components to set a spacing between the structural components; and   driving the, or each, gripping member towards the substructure so that the spacer is received between the arms and the arms are driven away from each other to bear against respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components.   
     
     
         20 . A structural assembly that comprises:
 a substructure;   a plurality of structural components positioned on the substructure; and   a plurality of fastening assemblies, each fastening assembly comprising:
 a spacer for positioning on the substructure between adjacent structural components, the spacer being configured to maintain a desired spacing between the structural components; and 
 at least one gripping member, the, or each, gripping member including opposed arms and a web that interconnects the arms, with the spacer being receivable between the arms, the spacer and the arms being configured so that when the spacer is received between the arms, the arms are driven away from each other so that free ends of the arms bear against respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components to secure the structural components to the spacer. 
   
     
     
         21 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , which is in the form of a decking assembly wherein the substructure includes a plurality of joists, and the structural components includes a series of decking planks positioned on the joists. 
     
     
         22 . The structural assembly as claimed in  claim 21 , the spacer being configured for positioning on one of the joists. 
     
     
         23 . A method of assembling a structural assembly having a plurality of structural components fastened to a substructure with a fastening assembly that comprises a spacer for positioning on the substructure between adjacent structural components, the spacer being configured to maintain a desired spacing between the structural components, and at least one gripping member, the, or each, gripping member including opposed arms and a web that interconnects the arms, with the spacer being receivable between the arms, the spacer and the arms being configured so that when the spacer is received between the arms, the arms are driven away from each other so that free ends of the arms bear against respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components to secure the structural components to the spacer, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning at least two of the structural components on the substructure;   positioning the spacer between the structural components to set a spacing between the structural components; and   driving the, or each, gripping member towards the substructure so that the spacer is received between the arms and the arms are driven away from each other to bear against respective adjacent sides of said adjacent structural components.   
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the structural assembly is a decking assembly, the substructure includes a plurality of joists, and the structural components include a plurality of decking planks positioned on the joist.