Drywall Edge Clip
A drywall or sheet rock edge clip device that can hold joints of drywall together at the apex of vaulted ceilings or at any other drywall seam at any angle. The device can include tabs and a head or cross member coupled by a stem that fits through the seam or joint and pulls and holds it together. A wire-tie version of the invention can have serrations along the stem and pull up and tighten like a wire-tie. The unused tail section can be broken off by bending it from side to side.
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This application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/006,095 filed Dec. 28, 2007, which was a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/280,948 filed Nov. 16, 2005, now abandoned, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional application 60/629,024 filed Nov. 18, 2004. Application Ser. Nos. 12/006,095, 11/280,948 and 60/629,024 are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of drywall construction and installation and more particularly to an edge clip to capture and hold adjoining edges of sheet rock or drywall.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Non-Horizontal, or vaulted, ceilings are common in all construction. Also, building framing many times settles with time after construction due to shrinkage or expansion of framing materials or their foundations, particularly in wood framed structures. It is common to hang sheet rock and to tape the joints before a frame has settled. This causes the taped joints between adjoining sheets of sheet rock to be damaged (pop, delaminate, etc.). This damage has to be fixed. This is particularly evident and common at the apex of vaulted or non-horizontal ceilings. When a frame settles, the angle between sheets can change and/or the sheets can move relative to one another.
It would be advantageous to have a clip the would capture and hold adjoining edges of sheet rock or drywall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a drywall edge clip that holds drywall edge joints together that has an elongated top member, a stem attached to the top member at a proximal end, the stem being approximately perpendicular to the top member, and a pair of tabs attached to a distal end of the stem, the tabs being of approximately equal length having a hinge between them so that they can take any angle between being parallel to the top member to being perpendicular to it. The device can be metal or plastic or any other rigid or semi-rigid material. An embodiment of the invention can have serrations along the length of the stem to act as a wire-tie, where the tabs slide along the serrated stem with a locking device that only allows the tabs to move toward the top member (being tightened). In this embodiment, the unused tail of the stem can be broken off using a side to side movement. This breaking process can be facilitated by having additional serrations on the side of the stem.
Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to aid in the understanding of the present invention. The scope of present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is related to a specially designed clip to capture and hold adjoining edges of sheet rock (drywall), particularly at the apex, or top joint of a vaulted ceiling. The adjoining sheets of sheet rock may not be screwed to the frame along the edge of each adjoining sheet that form the joint between sheets at the apex of the vaulted, or angled, ceiling. The clips of the present invention can be put in place to capture adjoining edges of each sheet and hold them relative to one another. With the edge of the sheet at the apex of the ceiling free of the frame and joined to the adjacent sheet at the apex joint, the two adjoining edges can be held together relative to one another and stay together even if frame settling occurs. Also, because the edges are normally held firmly together at the apex they will not be able to droop or sag. Being mutually attached the edges will mutually support each other in a manner similar to how an arch supports itself. The remainder of the sheet can be attached to the building frame as is currently specified. The numbers of nails or screws and their location will need to be determined to completely support the sheet while allowing the apex joint to move free of the building frame.
The tabs 1 can angle downward and outward and can bend on a hinge 10 that allows insertion between drywall sheets. The hinge 20 is optional; the present invention can be made without any hinge. After insertion, the stem 2 runs through the seam with the back 3 pulling against the tabs 1 to hold the seem together. The optional hinge 10 can be made in the tabs by placing a slot or groove between the tabs.
Several descriptions and illustrations have been provided to better aid in the understanding of the present invention. One skilled in the art will understand that many changes and variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A single piece drywall edge clip that holds drywall edge joints together comprising:
- an approximately rectangular top member with a flat top and bottom surface;
- a thin approximately rectangular elastic tab also with top and bottom surfaces;
- a stem with a proximal and distal end, said proximal end attached to the bottom surface of said top member at an approximate center location and said distal end attached to the top surface of said tab also at an approximate center location;
- the bottom surface of said tab having a groove running widthwise at said approximate center location, said groove forming a hinge dividing said tab into a first half and a second half;
- said first and second halves of said tab foldable downward along said groove flexibly and repeatably adjustable to any angle of from around 0 degrees to around 180 degrees with each other;
- and wherein said single piece drywall edge clip can be inserted between edges of two pieces of sheetrock from one side holding said pieces of sheetrock together after being inserted.
2. The single piece drywall clip of claim 1 wherein said top member, said stem and said tabs are plastic.
3. The single piece drywall clip of claim 1 wherein said tabs are plastic.
4. The single piece drywall clip of claim 1 wherein at least one of said top member or said stem is metal.
5. A method of holding unscrewed drywall sheets in an edge joint comprising the steps of:
- butting said sheets together at a desired angle to form said joint;
- inserting a single piece edge clip device into said joint between said sheets, said edge clip device holding said sheets together in said joint, said edge clip device comprising:
- an elongated top member;
- the elongated top member having an integral stem and a thin rectangular bottom, tab, said rectangular bottom tab having a pair of longer sides and a pair of shorter sides, and having a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface, said flat lower surface containing a groove running side-to-side along a centerline, said groove approximately perpendicular to said longer sides and approximately parallel to said shorter sides;
- said stem with a proximal and distal end attached to said top member at said proximal end, said stem approximately perpendicular to said top member;
- said bottom tab attached on said flat upper surface to the distal end of said stem, said tab repeatably foldable downward along said grove to form two halves of said of said tab, said halves forming an angle of from around 0 degrees to around 180 degrees with each other;
- and wherein said single edge clip device can be inserted between edges of two pieces of sheetrock holding said pieces of sheetrock together after being inserted from one side of said pieces of sheetrock.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said top member, said stem and said tabs are plastic.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein said tabs are plastic.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of said top member or said stem is metal.
9. A two-part edge clip comprising an elongated serrated stem with an elongated narrow rectangular head attached perpendicularly to said stem; a base clip that slides onto said stem and adjustably grips serrations on said stem, said base clip including a pair of rectangular wings, said wings forming an approximate 45 degree angle away from said head, and wherein said stem being adapted so that part of said stem below said base clip can be broken off after insertion.
10. The two-part edge clip of claim 9 wherein said stem and base clip are plastic.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 28, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 30, 2010
Applicant: STRUCTUS BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC (Bend, OR)
Inventors: Douglass Wambaugh (Bend, OR), Timothy Smythe (Bend, OR), Michael Lorenzen (Bend, OR)
Application Number: 12/568,168
International Classification: E04B 1/38 (20060101); E04B 2/00 (20060101); E04C 2/20 (20060101);