US2681487A - Molding clip - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1954 o. J. PouPn-cH MOLD'ING CLIP Filed May 3, 1952 INVENT`0R. @gg/e5@ des ,a @ww/g Patented June 22, 1954 MOLDING CLIP Ougljesa Jules Poupitch, Chicago, to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago,

tion of Illinois Ill., assigner Ill., a corpora- Application May 3, 1952, Serial No. 285,891`

4 Claims.

\ This invention relates to an improved clip for securing molding to a panel, and more particularly to an improved fastening clip for s-ecuring channel-shaped molding to a panel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive clip which may be easily installed on a panel, such as a panel of an automobile, which clip is adapted to retain the lstandard channel type molding, such` as that usually fastened to an automobile.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple one-piece clip for retaining a channel type molding to a panel, which clip is provided with integral fastening means adapted to be inserted through an opening in the panel and then spread outwardly to firmly grip the panel, thus securely fastening the clip and a molding held thereby to the panel.

Another object of this invention is to construct a molding clip of the above type in such a manner that the material of the clip is cold Worked during fabrication and assembly with the work piece, whereby the material is strengthened, thus enabling lighter gauge material to be used.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a simple one-piece molding retaining clip which can be made preferably from a rectangular metal blank substantially without scrap, thereby reducing costs to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following description and the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing devices involving the present invention assembled with a panel and a molding being retained by such devices;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the longitudinal axis of my improved clip which is being assembled with a panel;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along line 4 4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the under side of a clip involving the present invention; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar to Figs. 2 and 4, but showing a modified form of my improved clip.

The embodiment of my improved clip shown in Figs. l through 5` is formed from a rectangular blank I0, preferably of sheet metal of the desired gauge. Theupper edge of the blank I0 is bent outwardly to form a molding retaining ange I2. The lower edge of the blank I0 is bent outwardly to form a flange I4 similar to flange I2. The end portion of flange I4 is then bent rearelement 53 of the blank I0.

wardly to form flange I6. Because of this structure, the inwardly turned flange I8 of the channel-shaped molding 20 may be rst positioned under the flange I2 of the blank IE), and then the flange 22 of the molding 20 may be forced over the outer surface of the flange I6 of the blank IB which forms a guideway to guide the inwardly turned flange 22 over the end of flange I4 of the blank II] and into the assembled position shown in Fig. 4. It is readily seen, therefore, that the molding 2G may be quickly and easily assembled merely by positioning the flange i8 under the flange I2 and then pressing down on the molding 20, which pressing action will cause the flange 22, which is being guided by the flange I6 to spring outwardly over the end of ilange I4 and into position. The corners of the blank I6 may be notched as at 24, Fig. 1, or they may be left solid as shown in Fig. 5.

The blank II) may be curved to conform to the shape of the panel 26 to which it is to be secured and which, for example, may be a body panel of an automobile. However, my improved device is not limited to use on automobile panels, but it may be used on any suitable panel curved or flat. Hence, the blank I0 may be flat, when the work surface is flat. If desired, beads 28 and 3d may be formed adjacent the edges of the blank IB to provide added strength and rigidity. Preferably, the blank Ii) is made large enough to completely cover the flange receiving opening 32, whereby foreign material is prevented from dropping through the opening.

The structure for fastening my device to the panel 26 is preferably formed from the mid-portion of the blank I. This structure includes pairs of flanges 34, 36, 38, and 40. These flanges are stamped or otherwise formed from the blank IIJ. As shown in the drawings, the longitudinal axes of these flanges extend perpendicular to the molding retaining flanges I2 and I4 of the blank Ill, but it is within the purview of my invention to form the flanges 34, 36, 38, and 4U extending at any desired angle to the flanges I2 and I4.

The flanges of each pair are separated from each other by notches 42 and 44 for a purpose more fully described below. The flanges 34 and 38 are integrally joined along lines 46 and 48 to the The flanges 36 and 40 are similarly `joined to the element 52 of the blank ID.

rEhe elements 53 and 52 constitute astrap and are integrally joined to each other at their inner ends along bend line 54. After the flanges 34, 3E, 38, and 40 have been formed, the strap portions 55 and 52 are bent and drawn outwardly as shown in Fig. 2, so that the junction line 54 is raised substantially above the upper surface of the blank l0. As shown in the drawings, the elements are preferably bent so that they extend at an angle of about 30 to the blank IG. This angle can be varied either way within reasonable limits. The notches' 42 and 44 serve to eliminate the material which would otherwise be compressed and wrinkled when the elements 5l! and 52 are bent to the inclined position shown in Fig. 2.

Flanges 34, 36, 38 and 40 are provided with panel engaging ends or edges o'r surfaces 55, 58, fill, and S2. These edges or surfaces preferably extend from points adjacent the junction of the lower or outer ends of the strap portions and 52 with the blank I0. As shown in Figs. 2 through 5, the edges 56 and 58 are inclined relative to the member 55 outwardly toward the fiangeV l2, and the edges 60 and 52 are inclined relative to the member 52 outwardly towards the flange i4. The angle of inclination between the edges 56 and 58 to the inclined strap portion 5e and the angle betweenV the edges 60 and 52 and the in clined strap portion 52 are substantially the same as the angle between the inclined strap portions 55 and 52 and the blank lll, or about 30. Because of this structural relationship, the panel engaging edges or surfaces 55 to 62 extend sube stantially perpendicularly to the plane of the blank l0, as shown in Fig. 2. This allows the flanges 34, 36, 38, and 40 to be readily inserted through the nange receiving opening 32 in the panel 25. The flange receiving opening 32 is preferably of rectangular shape and is of sulficient size to allow flanges 34 through 4@ to pass therethrough when they are in Vtheir inclined position shown in Fig. 2, but small enough to retain the flanges 34 through 4l) when they are in the collapsed position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. If desired, however, the opening 32 may be circular or any other desired shape.

When assembling my improved device with the panel 25, the flanges 34, 36, 38, and s@ are inserted through the flange receiving opening 32, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the inclined strap portions 50 and 52 are pounded, or otherwise deformed, downwardly until the strap portions 5G and 52 lie in the plane of the blank lil, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This causes the panel engaging edges or surfaces 56, 58, 60, and 52 to spread outwardly and engage the underside of opposite edges of the opening 32, thus securely fastening and locking the clip to the panel 26.

It has been found that during the application of the fastening device to relatively thin panels, such as automobile fenders, the above described pounding operation sometimes causes the panel to be deflected since the panel engaging edges or surfaces 56, 58, 60, and 62 engage the edges of the aperture and thus resist the complete flattening of the inclined strap portions 5S and 52. Therefore, means has been provided to enable the panel engaging edges to yieldably engage the panel to enable the inclined elements to be flattened relatively easily while still providing a secure assembly. In the embodiment shown in Figs. l through 5, this means takes the form of elongated cutout portions 5I, 59, 6l, and 53 provided in the flanges adjacent to and preferably substantially parallel to the panel engaging edges 56, 58, 65, and E2, as shown best in Fig. 2. Furthermore, the junction line between the flanges and the inclined elements 5U and 52 are slit as 4 at 65, 61, 69, and 'H so that the material of the flange between the cutouts and the panel engaging edges provides collapsible resilient ngers. Thus, when the inclined elements are flattened, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, these fingers yield to allow the panel engaging edges 56, 58, 5G, and 62 to yieldably engage the panel, whereby the inclined elements may be relatively easily flattened.

The cold working of the metal adjacent the bend line 54, which results from the above described bending and drawing operations, strengthens the strap portions 5 and 52. This cold working enables a relatively lighter gauge material to be used to provide a secure fastening device.

Figs. 6 and 7, in which parts similar to the embodiment of Figs. l to 5 are designated by the same numerals, show a modification of my improved device which is similar to the embodiment shown in Figs. l through Y5, except that a hooking finger 64 extends outwardly from the lower end of the panel engaging end or edge 6! of the flange 33. A similar finger, not shown, also extends from the edge 56 of the flange 34.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cutout portions of the panel engaging flanges have been eliminated, and other means has been provided for increasing the resiliency of the fastener to enable it to be relatively easily assembled. In this form of the invention, the material of the inclined strap portions 5G and 52 at the junction line 54 is drawn outwardly to form a looped hinge section I3 which provides a relatively flexible connection between the inclined elements.

This modification of my improved clip is as sembled with the panel 2B in the same manner as was described above, except that it isV necessary first to insert the hooking fingers under one edge of the opening 32, as shown in Fig. 6. The hooking fingers serve to temporarily retain the device in assembled relationship with the panel 26, until the inclined strap portions 50 and 52 can be deformed downwardly as was described above.

From the above description, it is seen that the present molding clip is very simple to make and to install. Because the blank is cold worked along the junction of the inclined strap portions, a very strong and rigid fastening means is provided which enables lighter weight material to be used. Furthermore, itis seen that the present clip may be made substantially without waste of material, thereby further reducing its cost.

It is understood that various changes may be made in the structure of my improved device as shown and described herein without departing from the spirit Vand scope of the following claims.

I claim: Y

l. A one piece device for securing a molding to a panel and comprising a relatively broad sheet material plate-like body member having end and side margins, and integral fastening means located generally centrally within the margins of said body member and adapted to be inserted through an aperture in the panel, said fastening means including a strap separated from the body member along the longitudinal edges thereof and projected outwardly from the body member to form a pair of inclined strap portions, said strap portions having an integrally joined central portion forming a hinge thereacross and having the opposite end portions integrally joined to the body member, and an integral flange extending inwardly from opposite longitudinal separated edge portions of each of said strap portions, each of said flanges having panel engaging edges at the ends thereof remote from said hinge and extending inwardly from the body member for engaging opposite sides of the panel aperture incident to inward deformation of the inclined strap portions from their initial outwardly projected position, and each said flange being substantially longitudinally coextensive with its associated strap portion and integral therewith from adjacent said hinge throughout at least a major portion of its length for resisting bending of the inclined strap portions between the hinge and the opposite end portions and to thereby localize bending thereof at the hinge whereby the sheet material at the hinge is cold worked by stretching and bending to the outwardly projected position and by compressing and bending to the inwardly deformed position to thus stiien the integral connection at the hinge and restrain loosening of the device when assembled with the panel.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hooking linger extends from one of said anges to project through the panel opening and engage 6 the under surface of the panel before the strap portions are deformed inwardly whereby the device may be temporarily retained in assembly with the panel until the strap portions are deformed inwardly to securely fasten the device to the panel.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge comprises a iiexible loop at the central portion of the strap.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said flanges is severed from the body member adjacent the panel engaging edge and inwardly recessed to provide a resilient nger constituting the panel engaging edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date o 2,208,541 Churchill July 16, 1940 2,588,251 Kost Mal'. 4, 1952 2,611,166 Wiley Sept. 23, 1952

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