Construction tie for securing U-channels vertically in columns
View Patent ↗A construction tie for securing vertical U-channels of a motorized retractable screen unit to surrounding building material, such as brick, stone, or stucco. The tie includes a U-shaped clip that closely conforms to the shape of the U-channel. One or more flanges extend laterally from the clip to overlie the adjacent bricks. A plurality of these ties may be spaced vertically along the length of the U-channel. Once the brick façade is complete, the ties are not visible. Making the ties out of magnetically detectable material allows for locating their positions. The number of flanges may vary; one may extend from each side of the clip, or a single flange may extend rearwardly from the back of the base. A method of installing a screen unit may include the use of the inventive construction ties. A kit for installing the screen unit may include a plurality of the ties.
1 . A method for installing a retractable screen system in a structure wherein the screen system comprises first and second vertical U-channels that receive side edges of a screen panel, wherein the structure includes façade material that has a depth when installed, wherein the installed façade material comprises a plurality of units joined by mortar, and wherein the each of the first and second U-channels is U-shaped in cross-section comprising a back and first and second sides and defining a vertical screen receiving space therebetween, the method comprising:
anchoring first and second U-channels in the structure, wherein each of the first and second U-channels is sized to receive a side edge of the screen panel, and wherein anchoring the first and second U-channels includes positioning the U-channels relative to each other so that when the screen system is installed in the structure the side edges of the screen panel will be received inside the vertical screen receiving spaces in the U-channels for vertical movement therein;
installing a first section of façade material adjacent the first and second sides of each of the first and second U-channels, the first section of façade material defining a top;
for each of the first and second U-channels, providing a plurality of construction ties each comprising:
a clip that is U-shaped in cross-section comprising a back section and first and second side sections, each of the back section and first and second side sections defining a vertical plane, the clip defining a channel receiving space for slidably receiving the vertical U-channel, wherein the clip has a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein the clip has a length, a width, and a depth, and wherein the depth of the clip is less than the depth of the installed façade material so that the tie is not visible when the facade material is installed; and
at least one flange joined to the bottom edge of one of the back section, the first side section, and the second side section of the clip, wherein the at least one flange is configured to be bent at the point adjacent the bottom edge of the clip from a first position in which the at least one flange extends downwardly from the bottom edge of the clip and defines a plane continuous with the plane of the back section, the first side section, or the second side section of the clip member from which the at least one flange extends to a second position in which the at least one flange extends laterally in a plane that intersects the plane of the back section, the first side section, or the second side section of the clip from which the at least one flange extends;
for each of the first and second U-channels, shaping a first construction tie by bending the at least one flange into the second position;
for each of the first and second U-channels, positioning the shaped first construction tie on the U-channel so that the at least one flange overlies the top of the first section of façade material and so that the back and first and second sides of the clip are adjacent the back and first and second sides, respectively, of the U-channel;
for each of the first and second U-channels, applying mortar over the at least one flange and the top of the first section of façade material;
for each of the first and second U-channels, installing a second section of façade material over the first section of façade material and around the anchored U-channel adjacent the first and second sides of the U-channel and over the at least one flange of the first construction tie; and
for each of the first and second U-channels, repeating the steps of installing the sections of façade material and positioning the shaped construction ties therebetween until the installation of the first and second U-channels is complete.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange is configured to engage the mortar.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one flange is formed with cut-outs to receive the mortar.
4 . The-method of claim 1 wherein the clip and the at least one flange is integrally formed.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange comprises a single flange.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the single flange is joined to the bottom edge of the back section of the clip.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the U-channel is formed of nonferrous material and wherein the construction ties comprise magnetically detectable material and further comprising:
magnetically detecting each of the installed construction ties; and
for each of the plurality of installed construction ties, securing the U-channel to the clip through the screen receiving space of the U-channel.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the tie comprises steel.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the step of shaping the first construction tie includes only bending the first flange into the second position.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange comprises a first flange extending from the bottom edge of the first side section of the clip and a second flange extending from the bottom edge of the second side section of the clip, and wherein the step of shaping the first construction tie includes bending the first flange into the second position.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one flange comprises a first flange extending from the bottom edge of the first side of the clip and a second flange extending from the bottom edge of the second side of the clip, and wherein the step of shaping the first construction tie includes bending the first and second flanges into the second position.
12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
for each of the plurality of installed construction ties securing the U-channel to the clip through the vertical screen receiving space of the U-channel.
13 . A method for installing in a structure the vertical U-channels of a retractable screen system using a plurality of construction ties wherein the screen system comprises vertical U-channels that receive side edges of a screen panel, wherein the façade material of the structure has a depth when installed, wherein the installed façade material comprises a plurality of units joined by mortar, and wherein the U-channels are U-shaped in cross-section comprising a back and first and second sides and defining a vertical screen receiving space therebetween, the method comprising:
anchoring first and second U-channels in the structure, wherein each of the first and second U-channels is sized to receive a side edge of the screen panel, and wherein anchoring the first and second U-channels includes positioning the U-channels relative to each other so that when the screen system is installed in the structure the side edges of the screen panel are received inside the vertical screen receiving spaces in the U-channels for vertical movement therein;
installing a first section of façade material adjacent the first and second sides of the anchored U-channel, the first section of façade material defining a top;
providing a plurality of construction ties each comprising:
a clip that is U-shaped in cross-section comprising a back section and first and second side sections, each of the back section and first and second side sections defining a vertical plane, the clip defining a channel receiving space for slidably receiving the vertical U-channel, wherein the clip has a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein the clip has a length, a width, and a depth, and wherein the depth of the clip is less than the depth of the installed façade material so that the tie is not visible when the facade material is installed; and
at least one flange joined to the bottom edge of one of the back section, the first side section, and the second side section of the clip, wherein the at least one flange defines a plane perpendicular to the plane of the back section, the first side section, or the second side section of the clip from which the at least one flange extends;
positioning the first construction tie on the U-channel so that the at least one flange overlies the top of the first section of façade material and so that the back and first and second sides of the clip are adjacent the back and first and second sides, respectively, of the U-channel;
applying mortar over the at least one flange and the top of the first section of façade material;
installing a second section of façade material on top of the first section of façade material and around the anchored U-channel adjacent the first and second sides of the U-channel and over the at least one flange of the first construction tie; and
repeating the steps of installing the sections of façade material and positioning the shaped construction ties therebetween until the installation of the U-channel is complete.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one flange is configured to engage the mortar.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one flange is formed with cut-outs to receive the mortar.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the clip and the at least one flange is integrally formed.
17 . The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one flange comprises a single flange.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the single flange is joined to the bottom edge of the back section of the clip.
19 . The method of claim 13 wherein the U-channel is formed of nonferrous material and wherein the construction ties comprise magnetically detectable material and further comprising:
magnetically detecting each of the installed construction ties; and
for each of the plurality of installed construction ties securing the U-channel to the clip through the screen receiving space of the U-channel.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the tie comprises steel.
21 . The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one flange comprises a first flange extending from the bottom edge of the first side of the clip and a second flange extending from the bottom edge of the second side of the clip.
22 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
for each of the plurality of installed construction ties securing the U-channel to the clip through the-vertical screen receiving space of the U-channel.