Hidden Clip for Grooved Building Members

Abstract

A composite hidden clip includes a base and an elongated blade, and optionally a preset fastener. The base has a central slot and upwardly angled arms that secure the blade's ends in a pre-installed position, restricting both vertical and rotational movement. The blade is positioned atop lateral shoulders of the base and aligns with a central hole in the base for fastening. During installation, the blade is guided to rotate from an initial position laterally aligned with the base into the slot aided by ramp surfaces in the body, allowing the blade to engage with building elements such as grooved decking planks. The sides of the slot restricts further rotation of the blade to ensure that the ends of the blade engage within grooves of opposing building members. The configuration of the slot allows the clip to be used to install a variety of building members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clip for attaching grooved building members to an underlying support member, comprising:
 a base with a front and an opposite rear and extending longitudinally between a first side and an opposite second side, and defining a fastener opening extending therethrough; and   a blade engaged with the base in a rotatable relationship, the blade including a fastener hole aligned with the fastener opening in the base, wherein   the blade is configured to rotate relative to the base from an initial position until the wing and base rotationally abut at an interface.   
     
     
         2 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the blade is rotatable relative to the base via frictional engagement with a surface of an elongate fastener being rotatably driven through the opening and hole. 
     
     
         3 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a slot from the front to the rear within which the blade is retained when rotationally abutting the base at the interface. 
     
     
         4 . The clip of  claim 3 , wherein the slot is opened in its top end. 
     
     
         5 . The clip of  claim 4 , wherein
 the blade extends longitudinally above the opening in the top end of the slot in an initial position,   the blade falls into the top opening during rotation from driving a fastener through the fastener opening and hole, and   the blade is rotationally retained in the slot between opposing walls.   
     
     
         6 . The clip of  claim 5 , wherein further driving of the fastener drives the blade downward within the slot. 
     
     
         7 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises at least one ramp in one or both of the front and rear for aiding rotation of the blade. 
     
     
         8 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein
 the base comprises a slot from the front to the rear between opposing walls and terminating at a bottom,   the blade is rotationally retained in the slot between the opposing walls after moving from the initial position in a second position, and   the blade is vertically movable within the slot in the second position.   
     
     
         9 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises at least one ramp in one or both of the front and rear for aiding rotation of the blade. 
     
     
         10 . The clip of  claim 9 , wherein the base comprises a front ramp in the front and a rear ramp in the rear, each of the front ramp and rear ramp being on the respective longitudinal side to be traversed by the blade when rotatably moving clockwise. 
     
     
         11 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises a pair of opposing arms with each of the arms retaining an opposite end of the blade in the initial position. 
     
     
         12 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a lower undercut aligned with the opening and hole. 
     
     
         13 . A clip for attaching grooved building members to an underlying support member, comprising:
 a body extending longitudinally between a first end and second end and laterally between a front surface and rear surface;   a blade extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end and laterally between a third end and fourth end, the blade being engaged with the body, wherein   the body includes a first arm and an opposite second arm spaced from one another,   the blade is engaged with the body with the first end and second end of the body substantially aligned with the first end and second end of the body in an initial position of the clip,   in the initial position, the first arm engages the first end of the blade and the second arm engages the second end of the blade to assist holding the blade in the initial position, and   the blade is releasable from the initial position upon application of a force to the blade.   
     
     
         14 . The clip of  claim 13 , wherein a longitudinal distance between the first end and second end of the blade is greater than a thickness between the third end and fourth end of the blade. 
     
     
         15 . The clip of  claim 13 , wherein the blade is releasable from the initial position via application of a rotational force to the blade. 
     
     
         16 . The clip of  claim 13 , wherein
 the body further comprises a slot extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and   the blade is retained within the slot after release from the initial position with the first end and second end of the body not aligned with the first end and second end of the body.   
     
     
         17 . The clip of  claim 13 , wherein, in the initial position, the first arm and second arm limit movement of the blade rotationally and vertically. 
     
     
         18 . A method of attaching grooved building members to an underlying support member, comprising:
 (a) providing at least one clip having a base defining a fastener opening extending therethrough, and a blade engaged with the base in a rotatable relationship, the blade extending from a first end to a second end and including a fastener hole aligned with the fastener opening in the base;   (b) positioning two grooved building members on an underlying support member adjacent one another with adjacent grooved edges facing one other with a spacing between them in an aligned position;   (c) holding the grooved building members in their respective positions in an aligned position;   (d) inserting the at least one clip between the adjacent grooved edges of the two grooved building members in a pre-installation position either before or after step (c);   (e) driving an elongate fastener through the fastener opening and hole and into the underlying support member, thereby causing rotation of the blade relative to the body until the blade rotationally abuts the body at an interface with the first end received in one of the adjacent grooves and the second end received in the other of the adjacent grooves; and   (f) continuing to drive the fastener until the blade abuts a lower surface within each groove, defining an installation position with the building members attached to the support member.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein
 the base includes a slot extending through the body from a front a rear and delimited by opposite sides, and   rotation of the blade causes the blade to rotate into the slot between the opposite sides thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of holding is performed with a building member alignment tool, comprising an elongate rail engaged with a plurality of flanges, at least one flange being movable relative to the elongate rail and at least one flange is configured to provide the spacing between the adjacent building members.