CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application No. 62/260,661, filed 30 November 2015, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of plastering construction surfaces, more particularly to devices and methods for fastening screeds to surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plastering is a building process in which a constructed surface, like an outer wall, inner wall, ceiling, fence or any other type of constructed surface, is coated with one or several layers of plaster. Plaster is a mixture of lime or gypsum, sand and water, sometimes with additional additives like cement and fiber, spread on a constructed surface to form a smooth hard surface when dried. Plastering is one of the crucial construction processes, since it determines the outer look of the constructed surface.

In order to obtain a smooth and highly leveled layer of plaster, care should be taken to get a high quality of finish of the upper plaster layer.

A widely used technique for ensuring uniform thickness of the plaster layer is the usage of screeds, also known as plastering strips or plaster flatness guides. A screed is a strip of a rigid material, for example wood, plastic, metal like aluminum and galvanized metal, preferably in a length of 2.0-3.5 meters having a profile.

Screeds are attached vertically to the surface to be plastered normally in a distance ranging between 1.20-1.50 meters, or the like, between each other. The screeds are leveled vertically, normally by using a wire and level. After the upper layer of plaster is applied on the surface, and before the plaster dries out, a smooth and straight professional plasterer's ruler tool, normally made of metal, like aluminum, is slid on two adjacent parallel screeds vertically attached to the surface, and over the plaster layer in order to flatten the plaster layer and give it a smooth and leveled appearance.

At the end of the plastering process the screeds are covered with plaster and cannot be noticed. Alternatively, the screeds are removed from the surface at the end of the plastering process, and the gap generated in the plaster layer is filled-in with plaster and flattened using a trowel or the like.

A common technique of attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered, after being precisely leveled using for example a spirit level and a wire, is by using an adhesive material suitable for adhering objects to a constructed surface, for example concrete or cement. However, this technique has several drawbacks. One drawback is that the plastering process cannot start before the adhesive material dries out, which normally takes a day. Another drawback is that while the adhesive material is still wet and soft, the screed may slide downwards as a result of gravity, and this may result in the loss of leveling of the screed. Yet another drawback of the current technique is the dependency on a skillful and experienced professional to attach the screeds to the surface to be plastered in a precise and highly leveled position.

Therefore, there is a need for a rapid and robust means for attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered, enabling an immediate start of the process of plastering after the attachment of screeds to a surface to be plastered, and ensuring precise leveling of the screeds, not necessarily by a highly skillful and experienced professional.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a screed fastener, configured to fasten an elongated rigid member to a surface, the screed fastener comprising a fastening member and a screw, wherein the fastening member comprises: at least one clamping part configured to tightly grip the elongated rigid member; and at least one opening through which the screw may be screwed into the surface, and wherein the screw is configured to anchor the fastening member to the surface, wherein the screw comprises a bolt head.

According to one embodiment, the bolt head of the screw is configured to be locked between the fastening member and the elongated rigid member when an elongated rigid member is gripped by the at least one clamping part, in a manner that ensures tight attachment of the elongated rigid member to the surface.

According to another embodiment, the screed fastener further comprises a screw anchor configured to be inserted into a surface and the screw is configured to be screwed into the screw anchor.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided method for fastening an elongated rigid member to a surface, the method comprising: entering a screw into an opening of a fastening member; attaching the fastening member to a surface by screwing the screw into the surface, while ensuring that the fastening member is precisely leveled; and gripping an elongated rigid member with an at least one clamping part of the fastening member attached to the surface.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fastening an elongated rigid member to a surface, the method comprising: drilling a hole in a surface; inserting a screw anchor into the hole which is in the surface; entering a screw into an opening of a fastening member; attaching the fastening member to the surface by screwing the screw into the screw anchor that is in the surface, while ensuring that the fastening member is precisely leveled; and gripping an elongated rigid member with an at least one clamping part of the fastening member attached to the surface.

According to an additional embodiment, the surface is a surface to be plastered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the embodiments. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how several forms may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

- Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an unassembled screed fastener and an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 2A is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener fastening an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 2B is a back perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener fastening an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 3A is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener fastening an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 3B is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener fastening an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 3C is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener fastening an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of an unassembled screed fastener and an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener fastening an elongated rigid member serving as a screed.

- Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a use of two elongated rigid members, serving as screeds, in flattening a plaster layer on a surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Before explaining at least one embodiment in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. In discussion of the various figures described herein below, like numbers refer to like parts. The drawings are generally not to scale.

For clarity, non-essential elements were omitted from some of the drawings.

All the dimensions of parts, specifically stated or inferred from the drawing should be viewed as non-limiting examples.

One aim of the present invention is to provide a means for attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered in a simple manner, which may be performed not necessarily by a skilled and experienced professional, but yet giving rise to a highly leveled position of screeds on a surface to be plastered.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a means for rapidly attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered.

Yet, another aim of the present invention is to provide a means for attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered, enabling an immediate start of the plastering process after the attachment of screeds to a surface to be plastered, without having to wait for a prolonged period of time.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a means for attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered, ensuring precise leveling of the screeds.

Yet a further aim of the present invention is to provide a method for fastening a screed to a surface to be plastered, using the means for attaching screeds to a surface to be plastered of the present invention.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a screed fastener 1 for fastening an elongated rigid member 5, serving as a screed, to a surface to be plastered.

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an unassembled screed fastener 1 and an elongated rigid member 5. According to one embodiment, the screed fastener 1 comprises a fastening member 10 configured to fasten an elongated rigid member 5 to a surface, and an anchoring member 20 configured to anchor the fastening member 10 to the surface. According to one embodiment, the surface is to be plastered.

Any anchoring member 20 known in the art that is configured to anchor the fastening member 10 to a surface is under the scope of the present invention, for example but not limited to, an adhesive, a nail, and the like. According to a preferred embodiment, the anchoring member 20 is a screw 20. According to another preferred embodiment, the screw 20 comprises a bolt head 25.

According to a further embodiment, the fastening member 10 is flat in shape and made of a rigid material, for example but not limited to, metal, wood and plastic. According to a preferred embodiment, according to which the anchoring member 20 is a screw 20 having a bolt head 25, the fastening member 10 further comprises at least one opening 12, through which the screw 20 may be screwed into a surface. Therefore, the size of the at least one opening 12 should be smaller than the size of the bolt head 25. The fastening member 10 further comprises at least one clamping part 15, preferably two clamping parts 15, projecting away from the surface.

According to one embodiment, the at least one clamping part 15 is configured to tightly grip the elongated rigid member 5. Thus, the size and shape of the at least one clamping part 15 fits the size and shape of an elongated rigid member 5, in a manner enabling the at least one clamping part 15 to tightly grip the elongated rigid member 5. When an elongated rigid member 5 is gripped by the at least one clamping part 15, the bolt head 25 is locked between the fastening member 10 and the elongated rigid member 5, thus ensuring tight attachment of the elongated rigid member 5 to the surface. This embodiment of the screed fastener 1, comprising a fastening member 10 and a screw 20, suits to a surface into which a screw 20 may be easily screwed, for example but not limited to, a surface made of wood and gypsum.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for fastening an elongated rigid member 5 to a surface, using one embodiment of the screed fastener 1 comprising a fastening member 10 and a screw 20. The method comprises:

entering a screw 20 into an opening 12 of a fastening member 10;

attaching the fastening member 10 to a surface by screwing the screw 20 into the surface, while ensuring that the fastening member 10 is precisely leveled, and

gripping an elongated rigid member 5 with an at least one clamping part 15 of the fastening member 10 attached to the surface. According to one embodiment, the surface is a surface to be plastered.

Fig. 2A is a front perspective view and Fig. 2B is a back perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener 1, comprising a fastening member 10 and a screw 20, fastening an elongated rigid member 5. Fig. 2A shows the exposed view from the outside, and Fig. 2B shows an invisible view from within the surface, of the elongated rigid member 5 gripped by the at least one clamping part 15, when the screw 20 is screwed into a relatively soft surface, made for example, but not limited to, of wood and gypsum. Fig. 3A is a front view, Fig, 3B is a side view and Fig. 3C is a top view of the same embodiment of the screed fastener 1, comprising a fastening member 10 and a screw 20, when fastening an elongated rigid member 5.

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of an unassembled screed fastener 1 and an elongated rigid member 5 serving as a screed. According to this embodiment, the screed fastener 1 comprises a fastening member 10 as described above, an anchoring member 20 - preferably screw 20, as described above, and a screw anchor 30, also known as wall plug, or dowel. The screw anchor 30 may be of any type known in the art, and made of any material known in the art that fits to the surface, for example plastic and metal. This embodiment of the screed fastener 1, comprising a fastening member 10, a screw 20 and a screw anchor 30, is suitable to hard surfaces, into which a screw 20 cannot be screwed, for example but not limited to, surfaces made of concrete, bricks, cinder block and cement. According to some embodiments, the screw anchor is configured to be inserted into a surface and the screw is configured to be screwed into the screw anchor.

In another embodiment of the method for fastening an elongated rigid member 5 to a surface, using another embodiment of the screed fastener 1 comprising a fastening member 10, a screw 20 and a screw anchor 30, the method comprises:

drilling a hole in a surface;

inserting a screw anchor 30 into the hole which is in the surface;

entering a screw 20 into an opening 12 of a fastening member 10;

attaching the fastening member 10 to the surface by screwing the screw 20 into the screw anchor 30 that is in the surface, while ensuring that the fastening member 10 is precisely leveled, and gripping an elongated rigid member 5 with an at least one clamping part 15 of the fastening member 10 attached to the surface.

According to one embodiment, the surface is a surface to be plastered.

Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a screed fastener 1, comprising a fastening member 10, a screw 20 and a screw anchor 30, fastening an elongated rigid member 5. Fig. 5 shows an exposed view from the outside of the elongated rigid member 5 gripped by the at least one clamping part 15, when the screw 20 is screwed into a screw anchor 30, which is inside a hole made in hard surface, made for example, but not limited to, of concrete, bricks, cinder block and cement.

Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a use of two elongated rigid members 5, serving as screeds, in flattening a plaster layer on a surface. The two elongated rigid members 5 are attached to a surface to be plastered with the screed fastener 1 of the present invention, according to embodiments described herein, particularly in Fig. 5, in a distance ranging between 1.20-1.50 meters, or the like, between each other, and vertically leveled. After the upper layer of plaster is applied on the surface, and before the plaster dries out, a plaster flattening member 60, for example, but not limited to, a professional plasterer's ruler tool, is slid on the two adjacent parallel elongated rigid members 5, and over the plaster layer, preferably from top to bottom, in order to flatten the plaster layer.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.