Sheet metal clip

摘要

An improved sheet metal clip is interconnected in a collated stack of clips with a plastic rope inserted within slots on each side edge of each clip. Each clip is generally U-shaped having a crown portion with a pair of parallel spaced leg portions depending from the crown portion. The rope is inserted within slots formed in the side edges of each clip. The preferred embodiments of the improved clip include slots which are obliquely angled relative to the side edge of the clip, slots which are in a keyhole configuration having a narrowed throat portion and an enlarged opening, and slots which are both obliquely angled and in the keyhole configuration. The rope can be retained within the slots by deflecting a tab section of the crown portion to enclose the rope within the slot or by sizing the rope to be larger in diameter than the width of the narrowed throat portion of the keyhole slot and to be retained within the enlarged circular opening portion of the keyhole slot. Additional methods to retain the rope within the slots include applying a hot melt adhesive deposit within each slot after the rope has been inserted therein or to heat a thermally activated portion of the plastic rope after it has been inserted within the slot to thereby engage the slot and retain the rope therein. The collated stack of clips interconnected with the plastic rope of the present invention provides the needed flexibility and tensile strength for use in manufacturing applications and does not detrimentally affect the operation of the clip in clamping wires and springs together.