Method and apparatus for fastening a sheet of material to a support

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for installing a sheet material such as vinyl siding to a support, such as a wall stud, comprising positioning the sheet material adjacent the support; moving a first portion of a fastener means through the sheet material and into the support at a location adjacent an edge of the sheeting so as to at least partially cut an elongated slot therein; positioning a second portion of the fastener so that it extends through the slot; and controlling the dimensions of the slot so that it is larger than that portion of the fastener means located within the slot thereby permitting relative movement between sheeting and fastening means.
The invention also includes providing a fastening portion on the fastener which preferably includes forming an initially straight third portion of the fastener into a loop that extends over an adjacent edge of the sheeting and into contact with the support structure so as to limit movement of the sheet material away from the support.
The present invention also provides a staple-like, integral fastener for attaching a sheet of material to a substrate support structure, which fastener has first, second and third portions, and an end view configuration resembling three sides of a rectangle.
The first portion comprises a U-shaped structure, and the second portion comprises a shank extending from the connecting portion of the U and the third portion comprises an extension of the shank.