A Fastening Assembly for a Structure

This invention relates to a fastening assembly for a structure. The invention also relates to a structural assembly, and to a method of assembling a structure.

The fastening of structural components, such as decking planks, or similar structural components, to a substructure, such as an array of joists is traditionally done by nailing or screwing the structural components to the substructure to form a structure, such as a deck or decking. This requires that each structural component be evenly spaced from a preceding structural component prior to fastening the structural component to the substructure. When the structure is a deck or decking, it is usual for spacers to be used to achieve such consistent spacing between the decking planks.

However, it remains a relatively difficult job for a layperson to secure decking planks to joists in an aesthetically and functionally acceptable manner. One of the issues is the fact that individual openings are often required to be drilled through the decking planks and partially into the joists prior to screwing in the screws, or otherwise driving fasteners, such as nails, through the openings and the joists. This drilling of openings is particularly necessary with hardwoods to avoid splitting, or deformation of the screws or nails during the fastening process. Not only is the process time-consuming, but there is the added aesthetic requirement that the openings be evenly spaced so that heads of the fasteners are set out in an acceptable pattern.

An issue with the fastening of planks to joists by using fasteners that pass through the planks is that it can be difficult to dismantle the decking without damaging the planks. This is particularly undesirable when the planks have high value, such as hardwood planks, and are required to be re-used or recycled. Even if the planks can be removed without splintering or cracking, the fasteners need to be removed, leaving openings in the planks. This limits the ability to recycle the planks.

A variety of fastening arrangements have become available, which are directed to achieving a quicker and simpler deck assembly process.

However, such fastening arrangements often require that the decking planks be modified to suit the fastening arrangements. This can include a groove or shoulder extending along vertical sides of the decking planks. As a result, such fastening arrangements are not suitable for conventional planks, thus limiting the choice of decking. Furthermore, planks of high-value timber, such as various hardwoods, are generally not provided with such grooves or shoulders. Such planks are often recycled and refurbished from older sites, so are usually conventional, with generally flat sides. It follows that such fastening arrangements are not suitable for such planks.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastening assembly for a structure having a plurality of structural components fastened to a substructure, the fastening assembly comprising:

The spacer may define 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.

The spacer may include 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.

The intermediate portion may define 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 gripping member is driven towards the substructure.

The, or each, spreader formation may have 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.

Each arm of the, or each, gripping member may have a gripping portion that terminates the arm. The gripping portions may extend outwardly to correspond with the sloped surfaces of the spreader formation.

Each gripping portion may define a pointed end that can be driven into the structural components as the gripping member is driven towards the substructure.

The intermediate portion may define 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.

The fastening assembly may include 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.

The central portion may define opposed faces, and each spreader formation may define opposed faces that terminate the sloped surfaces, the faces of the central portion and spreader formations being substantially aligned with each other.

The fastening assembly may include one gripping member and one corresponding spreader formation, the spreader formation being interposed between the end locating formations.

The fastening assembly may include 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. The cover mechanism may include a cover that is engageable with the spacer. The, or each, cover may be 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.

The substructure may include a plurality of joists and the spacer may be shaped to accommodate an upper side of a joist, to facilitate positioning of the spacer on the joist.

The spacer may define 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 may be 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.

At least a portion of a floor of each recess may be ramped outwardly and downwardly to cause the arms to be driven away from each other as the gripping member is driven downwardly.

The free end of each arm may define an outwardly extending ridge for embedding in the structural components when the arms are driven away from each other.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a structural assembly that comprises:

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling a structural assembly as described above, the method comprising the steps of:

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a structural assembly that comprises:

The substructure may include a plurality of joists, and the structural components may include a series of decking planks positioned on the joists. The spacer may be configured for positioning on one of the joists.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided 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:

The structural assembly may be a decking assembly. The substructure may include a plurality of joists, and the structural components may include a plurality of decking planks positioned on the joist.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastening assembly for a structure having a plurality of structural components fastened to a substructure, the fastening assembly comprising:

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastening assembly for decking having a plurality of joists with planks positioned on the joists, the fastening assembly comprising:

The spacer may define 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 joist and drive the gripping member towards the joist so that the spacer is received between the arms, as the spacer is fastened to the joist.

The spacer may include end locating formations with a width corresponding to the predetermined thickness, 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 respective adjacent sides of said adjacent planks.

The intermediate portion may define at least one spreader formation that is receivable between the arms of the gripping member to spread the arms as the gripping member is driven downwardly.

The, or each, spreader formation may have opposed sloped surfaces that extend downwardly and outwardly from the upper face of the spacer to facilitate spreading of the arms as the gripping member is driven downwardly.

Each arm of the gripping member may have a gripping portion that terminates the arm, the gripping portions extending outwardly to complement the sloped surfaces of the spreader formation.

Each gripping portion may define a sharpened point that can be driven into the planks, as the gripping member is driven towards the joist.

The intermediate portion may define guide slots on respective sides of the, or each, spreader formation, the 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 to bring the opening in the web into register with the passage through the spacer.

The fastening assembly may include 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, each end portion defining one of the spreader formations.

The central portion may define opposed faces, and each spreader formation may define opposed faces that terminate the sloped surfaces, the faces of the central portion and spreader formations being aligned with each other.

Opposed feet may extend from respective faces of the central portion.

The fastening assembly may include one gripping member and one corresponding spreader formation, the spreader formation being interposed between the end locating formations.

The fastening assembly may include a cover mechanism that is operatively engageable with the spacer to cover the, or each, gripping member to protect the gripping member.

The cover mechanism may include at least one 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 gripping member, and an inoperative position in which the cover is positioned away from the gripping member to facilitate access to the gripping member.

The, or each, cover and the spacer may include complementary, releasable securing formations so that the cover can be secured to the spacer in the operative position, and released from the spacer to be pivoted into the inoperative position.

The spacer may be shaped to accommodate an upper side of the joist, to facilitate positioning of the spacer on the joist.

The spacer may define at least one recess on each of the sides of the spacer, and accessible from the 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.

At least a portion of a floor of each recess may be ramped outwardly and downwardly to cause the arms to be driven away from each other as the gripping member is driven downwardly.

The free end of each arm may define an outwardly extending ridge for embedding in the planks when the arms are driven away from each other.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a decking assembly that comprises:

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of assembling a deck with the fastening assembly described above, the method comprising the steps of: