Z-clip with angled base for depth alignment
A z-clip has a back side member that is angled relative to the front face. A wedge is designed to be used with the z-clip, where the wedge has an angle that matches the angle of the back side member of the z-clip. Thus, the wedge can be slid under the z-clip at a desired position to angle the z-clip in its use position, while allowing the z-clip to be horizontally offset from the wall. The system provided by the z-clip and wedge can quickly and easily set z-clips on a wall to a vertical reference plane, thus providing an easy fit for a wall panel to be subsequently attached thereto. Further provided are quick offset blocks that can attach to ends of each row of z-clips to provide a way for spanning a string therebetween, thus providing a vertical reference line for aligning z-clips along the vertical reference line.
1 . A mounting system comprising:
a bracket, the bracket including:
a main body having a main body front side and a main body back side;
a lower portion, extending from and formed integrally with the main body, the lower portion having a lower portion front side and a back side, the lower portion front side and the back side defining non-parallel planes, the back side being continuous and linear with the main body back side, the back side of the lower portion and the main body back side defining a bracket back side configured for placement against a surface; and
an upper portion extending in a direction opposite the lower portion, wherein a back side of the upper portion is spaced away from the surface when the lower portion is attached to the surface; and
a quick offset block, the quick offset block being removably attachable to the bracket and having a front face that is parallel to and spaced apart from the front side plane when the quick offset block is attached to the bracket, wherein the quick offset block includes a tie arm extending outward from opposite sides thereof.
2 . The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the bracket back side forms a bracket angle with the front side plane from about 4 degrees to about 10 degrees.
3 . The mounting system of claim 2 , further comprising a wedge, the wedge comprising:
a wedge back side configured to be positioned against the surface, with at least a portion of the wedge back side being disposed between the bracket back side and the surface; and
a wedge front side configured to be slidable along the bracket back side, wherein
the wedge back side and the wedge front side form a wedge angle to provide a continuously increasing thickness along a length of the wedge, from a tip end to a distal end thereof.
4 . The mounting system of claim 3 , wherein the wedge further includes a non-sloped portion, at the distal end thereof, where the wedge front side is parallel to the wedge back side at the non-sloped portion.
5 . The mounting system of claim 4 , wherein the wedge further includes a slot extending along a portion of the length of the wedge, from the tip end and ending at or into the non-sloped portion, the slot extending through the wedge, from the wedge back side to the wedge front side.
6 . The mounting system of claim 5 , wherein the slot aligns with a hole in the tapered lower portion of the bracket.
7 . The mounting system of claim 3 , wherein the wedge angle matches the bracket angle.
8 . The mounting system of claim 3 , wherein the front side plane is parallel to the surface when the wedge is positioned between the surface and the bracket.
9 . The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the tie arm is positioned in front of the front side plane when the quick offset block is positioned on the bracket.
10 . A mounting system comprising:
a bracket comprising:
a main body having a main body front side and a main body back side;
a lower portion, extending from and formed integrally with the main body, the lower portion having a back side continuous and linear with the main body back side, the back side of the lower portion and the main body back side defining a bracket back side configured for placement against a surface;
an upper portion extending in a direction opposite the lower portion, wherein a back side of the upper portion is spaced away from the surface when the lower portion is attached to the surface, wherein
the bracket back side is disposed non-parallel to a front side plane defined by a front side of the upper portion and the main body front side; and
a wedge comprising:
a wedge back side configured to be positioned against the surface, with at least a portion of the wedge back side being disposed between the bracket back side and the wall; and
a wedge front side configured to be slidable along the bracket back side, wherein:
the wedge back side and the wedge front side form a wedge angle to provide a continuously increasing thickness along a length of the wedge, from a tip end to a distal end thereof; and
a position of the wedge relative to the bracket provides a continuously variable horizontal displacement of the bracket from the surface; and
a quick offset block, wherein:
the quick offset block being removably attachable to the bracket and having a front face that is parallel to and spaced apart from the front side plane when the quick offset block is attached to the bracket;
the quick offset block includes a tie arm extending outward from opposite sides thereof; and
the tie arm is positioned in front of the front side plane when the quick offset block is positioned on the bracket.
11 . The mounting system of claim 10 , wherein:
the bracket back side forms a bracket angle with the front side plane from about 4 degrees to about 10 degrees; and
the wedge angle matches the bracket angle.
12 . The mounting system of claim 10 , wherein the wedge further includes a slot extending along a portion of the length of the wedge, from the tip end and ending at or into the non-sloped portion, the slot extending through the wedge, from the wedge back side to the wedge front side.
13 . The mounting system of claim 10 , wherein the front side plane is parallel to the surface when the wedge is positioned between the surface and the bracket.
14 . A method of attaching one or more brackets on a surface in a single vertical reference plane, the method comprising:
placing the one or more brackets horizontally along the surface in a first row, each of the one or more brackets comprising:
a main body having a main body front side and a main body back side;
a lower portion, extending from and formed integrally with the main body, the lower portion having a back side continuous and linear with the main body back side, the back side of the lower portion and the main body back side defining a bracket back side, the lower portion having a hole with a fastener extending therethrough for attaching the one or more brackets on the surface;
an upper portion extending in a direction opposite the lower portion, wherein a back side of the upper portion is spaced away from the surface when the lower portion is attached to the surface, wherein
the bracket back side is disposed non-parallel to a front side plane defined by a front side of the upper portion and the main body front side; and
placing one or more wedges between each of the one or more brackets and the surface, each of the one or more wedges comprising:
a wedge back side positioned against the surface, with at least a portion of the wedge back side being disposed between the bracket and the wall;
a wedge front side slidable along the bracket back side; and
a slot extending along a portion of the length of the wedge, from a tip end thereof, the slot extending through the wedge, from the wedge back side to the wedge front side, wherein:
the wedge back side and the wedge front side form a wedge angle to provide a continuously increasing thickness along a length of the wedge, from a tip end to a distal end thereof;
sliding each of the one or more wedges, with the slot aligned with the fastener, to provide a horizontal displacement of each of the one or more brackets to position each of the one or more brackets along the single vertical reference plane;
removably attaching a quick offset block to each of the one or more brackets, wherein the quick offset block has a front face that is parallel to and spaced apart from the front side plane; and
extending a string from a tie arm of a first quick offset block at one side of the first row to a second quick offset block at an opposite side of the first row; and
using the string to align the one or more brackets in the single vertical reference plane by adjusting a sliding position of each of the plurality of wedges behind each of the one or more brackets.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the bracket back side forms a bracket angle with the front side plane from about 4 degrees to about 10 degrees; and
the wedge angle matches the bracket angle.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the wedge aligns the upper portions of each of the one or more brackets at a uniform horizontal distance from the surface.