The present invention concerns a fastener for securing items to the steel plate of a construction.

In particular, the present invention concerns a suspension means which is further designed to be firmly secured to the steel plate so as to form a hold onto which said items can be secured or suspended from on the sheet steel roof.

Without limiting the invention thereto, the invention in particular relates to a fastener in the shape of a suspension means for securing items to the steel plate of a sheet steel roof in a hanging manner.

Such sheet steel roofs formed of steel plates are typically applied in larger hangars, stables, industrial buildings and the like, and the steel plates used therefor are usually profiled and often have a profile with a corrugated, pointed or trapezoidal pattern, but other profiles can be applied as well. The items that are suspended from such a sheet steel roof can be of any nature whatsoever and they may for example be gas, electricity, water, heating or ventilation pipes, fittings for lighting or for air conditioning equipment or the like, or they may be other structural elements, for example for creating a false ceiling at a certain distance from the steel sheet roof, and so on. Of course, the invention is not restricted to the above- mentioned applications and examples.

Thus, it is possible to apply a fastener according to the invention on vertical steel walls or lofts formed of steel plates in combination with other materials, such as a combination of steelplate and concrete.

Fasteners or suspension means which are used for that purpose are already known, yet these known fasteners or suspension means have a number of disadvantages.

Thus, there are the known suspension means in the form of a V-shaped bracket provided with holes, also known as a V- hanger, which are laterally attached to the lower part of a profiled steel plate.

A disadvantage of these suspension means in the shape of a

V-hanger is that securing them requires a lot of additional tools and is very time-consuming.

After all, in order to secure such a known V-hanger, holes must be successively drilled in the lateral parts of the steel plate at the location of the relevant lower part thereof, a bolt must be provided through the holes in the V-hanger and through the drilled holes, and said bolt must be tightened by means of a nut.

Performing these actions is anything but practical, as this has to be done in places that are hard to reach. Moreover, a large number of V-hangers are often required for suspending the items concerned to the sheet steel roof, such as for example pipes, lighting or the like, so that these time-consuming operations need to be repeated a lot.

Another disadvantage of such a known suspension means in the shape of a V-hanger is that it occupies quite a lot of space and that a certain amount of space must necessarily be left between the sheet steel roof concerned and the items to be suspended, which is not always desirable.

Yet another disadvantage of this known type of fasteners in the shape of suspension means is that the manner in which they are secured in the steel plate is not ideal for absorbing the vertical forces due to gravity exerted on the steel plate by the weight of the items, such as lighting and the like, which are subsequently suspended from the suspension means.

Another known type of fastener or suspension means that is currently being used for the intended purpose are the so- called tumbler plugs or tumbler nuts. These fasteners or suspension means are mainly formed of a bolt and a nut to which is provided a tilting or hinged portion which can move between a retracted position in which it closely fits the shape of the bolt and an unfolded position in which the moving part extends radially as of the bolt, usually at right angles to the bolt . Thus, in the retracted position of the movable portion, such a tumbler plug or tumbler nut can be provided in a hole which has been drilled in the steel plate beforehand, and by putting the movable portion in the unfolded position, the tumbler plug or tumbler nut can be securely fastened in the steel plate, for example by tightening a nut .

Such a working method is necessary, as the top of the steel roof plate is not accessible to the fitter.

The disadvantages of the latter known fasteners or suspension means are of the same nature as those of the above-discussed known fasteners or suspension means, i.e. securing them is complicated and time-consuming, requires a lot of means for drilling holes and tightening nuts and in some cases does not provide a good solution for absorbing the vertical forces exerted on the steel roof plates by the weight of the items that are secured to or suspended from said fastener or suspension means.

Additionally, such a known fastener or suspension means in the shape of a tumbler plug or tumbler nut is disadvantageous in that it is only suitable to be secured in sections of the steel plate which are flat or substantially flat and which extend horizontally or substantially horizontally, so that it cannot be decided at liberty in which position such a known fastener is to be provided in the steel plate.

Of course, this strongly restricts the options during the works . It makes their use with profiled steel plates all the more unattractive . Also, the present invention aims to provide a solution to one or several of the aforesaid and/or other problems.

In particular, the invention aims a fastener or suspension means which can be secured in a very efficient and fast manner to a steel plate.

Another aim of the invention consists in providing a fastener or suspension means which can be secured in a very stable manner to the steel plate of a construction such as a sheet steel roof, so that optimal use can be made of the strength of the construction, for example the roof, for supporting items suspended from or secured to the construction. To this end, the present invention concerns a fastener of the above-mentioned type, whereby the fastener is further provided with:

- one or several protrusions for perforating, punching or piercing the steel plate; and,

- a mechanism for perforating, punching or piercing the steel plate by means of the above-mentioned protrusion or protrusions and for anchoring the fastener in the steel plate with the above-mentioned protrusion or protrusions. A major advantage of such a fastener according to the invention is that it is provided with protrusions which are integrated in the fastener and with which the steel plate of a steel sheet roof can be pierced, perforated or punched, as well as a mechanism that makes the latter possible . The intention is that the above-mentioned mechanism can be activated either manually or with additional means.

In addition, the protrusions are such that they make it possible to anchor the fastener or suspension means directly in the respective steel plate.

Thus, a fastener according to the invention can be secured directly, without any additional means, to a steel sheet roof .

This results in tremendous time-saving during the assembly, which of course also strongly reduces the costs associated with suspending items from a sheet steel roof. In a preferred embodiment of a fastener according to the invention, the fastener is provided with an aforesaid protrusion at two ends, and the mechanism makes it possible to alter the distance between the far ends of the suspension means so as to be able to simultaneously obtain a piercing or perforation of a steel plate at both ends, such that the fastener can be fixed in the steel plate since it protrudes with the respective protrusions at both ends through the steel plate. A major advantage of this embodiment of a fastener according to the invention is that, in a single movement, an anchoring of the fastener in a steel plate of the construction is obtained, namely in two places in the respective steel plate situated at a certain distance from one another, in particular at the respective far ends of the fastener.

Thus, by a proper choice of the location where the fastener is to be secured, a very stable attachment of the fastener in such a steel plate of the construction, for example of a sheet steel roof, can be obtained. This will be further explained in detail in the text with reference to the figures.

Another preferred characteristic of a fastener according to the invention consists in additionally implementing the mechanism such that, in order to pierce, perforate or punch a steel plate at both far ends of the fastener by means of the mechanism, the distance between both far ends is increased. Thus, the fastener can thereby be clamped with the far ends between two portions of a profiled steel plate which each form a wall on either side of a hollow portion, duct or groove formed in the profiled steel plate. A major advantage of this embodiment of a suspension means according to the invention is that the fastener can be clamped smoothly in such a hollow portion, duct or groove of the steel plate, as a result of which a lot of place is gained .

In addition, such an embodiment makes it possible to secure the fastener up against the upper portions of the sheet steel roof, whereby a clamping can be realised in the corners of the hollow portion, the duct or the groove, which provides a very stable attachment. Alternatively, in another embodiment of a fastener according to the invention, the mechanism may be further embodied such that, in order to pierce, perforate or punch the steel plate at both ends of the fastener by means of the mechanism, the distance between both far ends is reduced.

Thus, the fastener can engage with both ends in a profiled steel plate, in particular in two portions of the profiled steel plate which each form a wall on one side of a spherical portion, protuberance or elevation formed in the profiled steel plate.

Such an embodiment of a fastener according to the invention thus makes it possible to provide the fastener over a spherical portion, protuberance, bump or elevation of a profiled steel plate.

Consequently, by making use of the latter two embodiments of a fastener according to the invention, fasteners according to the invention can be secured anywhere on profiled steel plates of a construction, such as for example a sheet steel roof, without any additional means being required. In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments of fasteners according to the invention are described, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: figure 1 shows a section through a sheet steel roof; figure 2 shows a section through a known suspension means in the shape of a V-hanger;

figure 3 shows the use to a larger scale of the V- hanger from figure 2 in a sheet steel roof as illustrated in figure 1;

figures 4 and 5 show sections of another known suspension means in the shape of a tumbler plug, in a retracted and unfolded state respectively;

figure 6 is a section to a smaller scale of the application of the tumbler plug from figures 4 and 5 in a roof as represented in figure 1;

figure 7 is a side view of a first embodiment of a fastener according to the invention, shown in a first position;

figures 8 and 9 show views in perspective of the fastener according to the invention from figure 7, of its upper side according to arrow F8 and of its lower side according to arrow F9 respectively;

figure 10 is a side view of the fastener according to the invention from figure 7 in a second position;

figures 11 and 12 show views in perspective of the fastener according to the invention as represented in figure 10, of its upper side according to arrow Fll and of its lower side according to arrow F12 respectively;

figures 13 and 14 illustrate the application of the first embodiment of a fastener according to the invention seen as a section and used as a suspension means in a sheet steel roof as represented in figure 1;

figure 15 is a perspective view which schematically shows a second embodiment of a fastener according to the invention;

figure 16 shows a bottom view according to arrow F16 of the fastener from figure 15;

figures 17 and 18 represent yet two other possible embodiments of a fastener according to the invention, seen as a section, applied in a roof as represented in figure 1;

figures 19 and 20 show sections of yet another embodiment of a fastener according to the invention, before its anchoring and after its anchoring in a roof respectively; and,

figure 21 shows yet another possible embodiment of a fastener according to the invention, again applied in a roof as represented in figure 1. Figure 1 shows a section of a typical roof construction 1 comprising a sheet steel roof 2 formed of profiled steel plates 3 with a profile in the shape of successive trapezoidal portions 4. The sheet steel roof rests on an underlying supporting structure which is not represented in the figure and which consists for example of beams and walls and the like.

On top of the sheet steel roof 2 is in this case provided a vapour screen 5, on which is provided a layer formed of heat-insulating insulation material 6. The roof construction 1 is further finished with a waterproof cover layer 7, made for example of a PVC membrane and bituminous roofing or a synthetic rubber or the like.

The sheet steel roof 2 is accessible from the underside 8 and comprises, due to its trapezoidal profile, elongated hollow portions or ducts 9 extending parallel to one another over the surface of the sheet steel roof 2.

These ducts 9 are separated from one another by intermediate, elongated and bulge-shaped portions, protuberances or elevations 10. These protuberances 10 are directed downward and can be considered as a protuberance 10 in that they extend up to a certain vertical distance H, corresponding to the height H of the trapezoidal portions 4, from the bottom 11 of the ducts 9.

Naturally, the bottom 11 of a duct 9 forms a protuberance 10 on the top side 12 of the sheet steel roof 2.

Figure 2 shows a known fastener or suspension means 13 in the shape of a V-hanger.

The V-hanger has a flat bottom 14 in which is provided a hole 15, whereby in the extension of the hole 15, an internally threaded nut 16 is secured to the bottom 14. From the bottom 14 extend two wings 17 and 18 in a slanting manner, provided with a hole 21 at their far ends 19 and 20. The angle A formed between the bottom 14 and the wings 17 and 18 of the V-hanger 13 corresponds to the angle B formed between the bottom 11 and the side walls 22 of the protuberances 10 of the trapezoidal portions 4 in the steel sheet roof 2.

Figure 3 illustrates how the V-hanger 13 is provided over a protuberance 10 of the sheet steel roof 2 and how it is secured to the steel plates 3 of the sheet steel roof 2. To this end, holes 23 have been drilled in the side walls 22 of the protuberance 10 and a bolt or pin bolt 24 has been mounted through the holes 21 and 23, after which the V-hanger can be screwed against the side walls 22 of the protuberance 10 of the sheet steel roof 2 by means of nuts 25.

Further, a bolt or wire rod 26 is screwed in the nut 16 through the hole 15 in the bottom 14 of the V-hanger 13, and this bolt or wire rod 26 can be further used for suspending items such as lighting fixtures and the like.

It is clear that these operations are laborious, time- consuming and difficult to implement in the limited space that is available in a duct 9.

Moreover, the V-hanger 13 extends far below the steel sheet roof 2, which is not desirable in some cases. Figures 4 and 5 represent another known fastener or suspension means 27, this time in the shape of a tumbler plug 27.

Such a tumbler plug 27 is essentially a bolt 28 provided on the top side with a tilting portion 29 which can tilt between a folded position, whereby the tilting portion 29 closely fits up to the bolt 28, which folded position is represented in figure 4, and an unfolded position, whereby the tilting portion 29 extends at right angles to the bolt 28, which position is represented in figure 5.

Such a tumbler plug 27 can be used as a suspension means 27 in a sheet steel roof 2, which is illustrated in figure 6.

To this end, a hole 30 is drilled in a protuberance 10 of the profiled plates 3, and the tumbler plug is provided through the hole 30 in its folded position, after which, as a result of the tilting of the tilting portion 29, a hold can be obtained on the sheet steel roof 2 by screwing down a nut 31. The disadvantages of this known fastener or suspension means 27 have been discussed in detail in the introduction .

Figures 7 to 12 show a first embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention. The fastener 32 in this case comprises two hinged portions, in particular a first hinged portion 33 and a second hinged portion 34, which are hinge-mounted by means of a hinge 35.

The hinged portions 33 and 34 have a U-shaped profile 36 and are formed of two parallel side walls 37 which are connected by means of an intermediate section 38. The side walls 37 of the first hinged portion 33 are provided with an oval tumbler hole 40 near a first end 39 in which a pen 41 of the hinge 35 is each time provided.

At the other far end 42 of the first hinged portion 33, in particular at the angles 43 of the side walls 37 near the intermediate section 38, the first hinged portion 33 is each time provided with a protrusion 44 designed for perforating a steel plate 3. The pens 41 are part of the second hinged portion 34.

The pens 41 are provided near a first far end 45 of the second hinged portion 34 and they extend at right angles to the side walls 37 thereof.

The side walls 37 of the second hinged portion 34 fit between the side walls 37 of the first hinged portion 33, and thus the second hinged portion 34 is partly encased by the first hinged portion 33.

At the first far end 45 of the second hinged portion 34, in particular at the angles 46 of the side walls 37 thereof which are the furthest from the intermediate section 38, two protrusions 47 are again provided which are designed for perforating a steel plate 3. The protrusions 44 and 47 are uniform and they are formed with a sharp tip 48 protruding somewhat above the respective side edges 49 on the side walls 37 and the far ends 39 and 45. The portion 50 of the second hinged portion 34 extending between the hinge 35 and the second far end 51 thereof has a length L which is somewhat shorter than the length L' over which the portion 52 of the first hinged portion 33 extends between the hinge 35 and the second far end 42 thereof.

By rotating the hinged portions 33 and 34 towards each other according to the arrows represented in figure 7, the corresponding portion 50 of the second hinged portion 33 can in this way be provided between the side walls 37 of the portion 52 of the first hinged portion 34 without its second far end 52 protruding outside the contours of the first hinged portion 34. This is shown in more detail in figure 10.

The second hinged portion 33 extends over a length M between the hinge 35 and the first far end 45 thereof, which length M is somewhat larger than the length M' over which the first hinged portion 33 extends between the hinge 35 and the first far end 39 thereof. By rotating the hinged portions 33 and 34 towards each other as mentioned above according to the arrows represented in figure 7, the portion of the second hinged portion 33 is provided with its length in the extension of the first hinged portion 33, whereby the protrusions 47 protrude from this first hinged portion 33, which is again represented in figure 10.

The lengths L and L' are considerably larger than the lengths M and M' , such that the corresponding portions 50 and 52 of the first and second hinged portion 33 and 34 form lever arms 50 and 52.

Thus, a relatively small force exerted on the second far ends 42 and 50 can be converted into a relatively large force at the first far ends 39 and 45, such that the protrusions 44 and 47 can be pressed relatively easily through a steel plate 3. The hinged portions 33 and 34 with the hinge 35 and the lever arms 50 and 52 in this manner form a mechanism 53 for piercing steel plate 3 by means of the protrusions 44 and 47. The fastener 32 according to the invention is further provided with locking means 54 designed for locking the mechanism 53 after the fastener or suspension means 32 has been secured by perforating a steel plate 3 by means of the protrusions 44 and 47. Preferably, these locking means 54 can be unlocked, for example so as to make it possible to detach the fastener or suspension means 32. In the first embodiment represented in figures 7 to 12, the locking means 54 are formed of inwardly directed lips which have been partially punched from the side walls 37 of the first hinged portion 34. As the hinged portions 33 and 34 rotate towards each other, the side walls 37 of the second hinged portion 34 temporarily press the lips 54 in the side walls 37 of the first hinged portion 33 and, as soon as both hinged portions 33 and 34 have been put in line, in a position as represented in figures 10 to 12, the lips 54 snap back in and the second hinged portion 34 is locked in the first hinged portion 33, such that it is made impossible for the hinged portions 33 and 34 to rotate away from each other around the hinge 35.

A fastener 32 according to the invention is preferably additionally provided with holes 55 for connecting other elements, such as for example for suspending items that need to be suspended from a steel sheet roof 2, or with connecting elements for coupling several such fasteners 32 secured to a sheet steel roof 2.

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate how such a first embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention can be secured in a steel sheet roof 2. The fastener or suspension means 32 is provided against the bottom 11 of a duct 9 in the sheet steel roof 2, whereby the intermediate section 38 of the first hinged portion 33 is directed towards the bottom 11.

The first hinged portion 33 and the second hinged portion 34 have been put in a position, as represented in figures 7 to 9, at an angle C in relation to one another. The protrusions 44 and 47 hereby rest against the side walls 22 of the duct 9, in particular in the corners 56 between these side walls 22 and the bottom 11.

This position is represented in figure 13.

By rotating the hinged portions 33 and 34 towards each other, according to the arrows represented in figure 13, whereby the lever arms 50 and 52 are brought towards one another, a position is obtained as represented in figure 14, whereby the hinged portions 33 and 34 are aligned.

It is clear that the distance P between the far ends 44 and 47, in a non-aligned position of the hinged portions 33 and 34, as represented in figures 7 to 10 and 13, is smaller than the distance P' between the far ends 44 and 47 in their aligned position, as is represented in figures 10 to 12 and 14.

The lever formed by the mechanism 53 makes sure that the protrusions 44 and 47 can simultaneously pierce the side walls 22 of the steel plate 3 relatively easily during the above-mentioned rotation. Thus, the fastener or suspension means 32 is anchored in the steel plate 3 by means of the protrusions 44 and 47. In other words, while the fastener or suspension means 32 is being secured to the sheet steel roof 2, in this case the distance P between the far ends 44 and 47 is increased by the mechanism 53. This is indeed useful in case the fastener or suspension means 32 must be secured in a duct 9 between two side walls 22.

Figures 15 to 20 show other embodiments of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention whereby this is the case as well.

However, according to the invention, it not excluded to use a mechanism 53 with hinged portions 33 and 34 whereby a reduction of the intermediate distance between the far ends with protrusions 44 and 47 results in a clamping in a steel plate 3.

A second embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention is illustrated very schematically in figures 15 and 16.

In this second embodiment, the fastener or suspension means 32 is provided with sliding portions 57 and 58 which can be moved back and forth in the suspension means 32, which is mainly embodied as a U-shaped profile 59. A far end 60 of each sliding portion 57 and 58 is provided with several protrusions 61 in the shape of a series of teeth 61. Further, the fastener or suspension means 32 is provided with a mechanism 53 having a rotatable member 62, which is represented in figure 16, whereby by rotating that member 62 according to a turning angle represented in figure 16, the far ends 60 of the sliding portions 57 and 58 are moved away from one another.

In this case, the mechanism 53 is such that, by rotating the rotatable member 62, the sliding portions 57 and 58 move away from each other in order to pierce a steel plate 3 by increasing the distance P between the far ends 60, which is typically applied for piercing side walls 22 adjacent to a duct 9 in a sheet steel roof 2.

In other embodiments, however, it may be ensured that the mechanism 53 is such that by rotating a rotatable member 62, the far ends 60 are moved towards one another, with the intention of piercing a steel plate 3 by said movement, for example at the side walls 22 of a protuberance 10.

In figure 16, the rotatable member 62 is represented as an elliptical member 62 which is centrally provided with a shaft 63 around which it can rotate, for example by turning it by means of a key 64 with a hexagon head 65.

It is clear, however, that these figures 16 and 17 merely reflect the principle that can be applied and should by no means be regarded as a realistic version of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention.

Figure 17 shows a third embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention which is comparable to the first embodiment in that it also comprises a mechanism 53 which is provided with two hinged portions 33 and 34 having protrusions 44 and 47, which are connected in a rotating manner by means of a hinge 35.

However, the fastener or suspension means 32 is in this case designed to be secured in the duct 9 of a sheet steel roof 2 at the corners 66 formed between the side walls 22 and the protuberance 10.

The length Q of the hinged portions 33 and 34 is somewhat larger to this end than half the length R at these corners 66, so that, in the initial position, the hinged portions 33 extend at a small angle E in relation to one another, practically in line with each other.

By exerting a vertical force F on the hinged portions 33 and 34 at the hinge 35, the hinged portions 33 and 34 are place in line with each other, whereby the protrusions 44 and 47 are thus pressed in the steel plate 3.

In order to exert such a force F, the mechanism 53 can be provided with additional means, but this need not necessarily be the case according to the invention. Figure 18 shows a fourth embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention, which is analogous to the third embodiment. The hinged portions 33 and 34 are provided with an additional arm 67 which can reach into a nearby duct 9 of the steel sheet roof 2.

On these arms 67 are also provided protrusions 68 which, during the securing of the fastener or suspension means 32, find support in the side walls 22 of the nearby ducts 9.

The fastener or suspension means 32 according to this fourth embodiment makes it possible to anchor the protrusions 44 and 47 in the side walls 22 of the duct 9 in which it has been provided, in particular at a certain distance from the corners 66 and 56. Figures 19 and 20 represent a fifth embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention, whereby the fastener or suspension means 32 is this time provided with a leaf spring 69 provided at each of its far ends 70 and 71 with one or several protrusions 72 for piercing steel plate 3.

The leaf spring 69 can be moved between a somewhat curved position, as represented in figure 19, and a less curved or straight position, as represented in figure 20.

The mechanism 53 further comprises means, which are not further shown in detail, for exerting a force F on the leaf spring 69 and which make the leaf spring 69 move from the somewhat curved position to a less curved or straight position . During this movement, the distance U between the far ends 70 and 71 of the leaf spring 69 is increased to the distance U' , which again has for an effect that the protrusions 72 can be pushed in the side walls 22 so as to pierce them and to anchor the fastener or suspension means 32 in the steel sheet roof 2.

Finally, figure 21 shows a sixth embodiment of a fastener or suspension means 32 according to the invention whereby the fastener or suspension means 32 is in this case a V- shaped hanger 73 comprising two wings 74 and 75 whose far ends 76 are relatively movable in relation to each other.

Each wing 74 and 75 is provided with one or several protrusions 77 directed towards each other.

The wings 74 and 75 of the V-shaped fastener or suspension means 32 can be moved towards each other by screwing a nut 78 on a bolt 79 which connects both wings 74 and 75. Thus, a piercing of the steel plate 3 with the protrusions 77 is again achieved, whereby the mechanism 53 formed by the movable or deformable wings 74 and 75 and the bolt 79 and nuts 78, is such that, in order to pierce the steel plate 3, the distance V between both 76 far ends is reduced instead of increased, as was the case in the preceding embodiments. Thus, the fastener or suspension means 32 can engage in the steel plate 3 with both far ends 76, in particular in two portions of the profiled steelplate 3 which each form a wall 22 on one side of a protuberance 10 of the profiled steel plate 3.

Of course, many other embodiments which apply the principle of the invention can be developed, and features mentioned herein can be combined as desired, for example.

The invention is by no means restricted to the embodiments of a fastener 32 according to the invention described by way of example and illustrated in the figures; on the contrary, such fasteners 32 can be realised in different ways while still remaining within the scope of the invention .