AU2376499A - Joining connector - Google Patents

Description

SPECIFICATION

Country Applicant Title Application No.

Application Date Priority Date

AUSTRALIA

BRUCE SAMUEL WATSON JOiNING CONINECTOR PP2941 15 April 1999 15 April 1998 a a THIS INVENTION relates to framing and is more particularly concerned with the formation of so-called "mitre joints" and/or "butt joints" in a frame composed of, typically, four straight frame members. Specifically, the invention is directed towards a method of affixing two such frame members together so as to result in a mitre joint that is neat, firm, needs no further adjustment and is especially applicable to picture frames.

BACKGROUND ART Ideally, the junction line between adjacent frame members of a frame formed by the use of mitre joints should take the appearance of a straight fine line bisecting the angle of the corner. Any inaccuracy in a mitred corner is immediately apparent upon inspection as the junction line may well take the form of a wedge-shaped gap. For this reason it is customary to prepare a mitred joint with care. Usually, ajig is used which provides a flat firm support for the frame members to be cut and has a guide slot for ensuring that a saw or guillotine, used to cut the ends of the members, is at the correct angle of 45° to the longitudinal axis of the member being cut, If the ends of the members are accurately cut, a clean, precise mitre joint can be produced provided the members are correctly juxtaposed. The frame may be assembled by affixing adjacent mitred frame members together by nailing, screwing, glueing and the like. It is not uncommon to find picture frames the comers of which are not neatly jointed, although quite often the joint may be seen to have received further attention in an effort to produce the clean and pleasing appearance .a* _i I _I i i; DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide mitre joints having clean, neat and pleasing appearance. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jointing method whereby such mitre joints can be produced rapidly and easily.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provides a method of making a mitre joint between two frame members in the same plane; characterized in that said method comprises the steps of; forming a recess in a mitred butt face of each frame member, said recess being so dimensioned as to be able to accommodate substantially one half of a locking plate adapted to bridge said mitred butt faces when said two frames members are placed in juxtaposition; and inserting a pin through an aperture in each said frame member and thence into a co-acting aperture in said locking plate.

Preferably the locking plate is of circular configuration, perhaps an annulus or disc of metal or a suitable plastic material, and has its said co-acting apertures formed adjacent its perimeter, these apertures being diametrically opposed. Said co-acting apertures being of an elongated configuration and excentric to the central aperture of the said locking plate.

Each of the said recesses may thus be substantially semi-circular so as to snugly receive therein a substantial half of the locking plate. Each recess may have that radius which is normal to the junction line between the frame members slightly greater than that which coincides with the said junction line; in a further variation each recess may be shaped so as to permit a degree of adjustment along the said junction line.

o* BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- FIGURE 1 is an exploded rear view of a mitre joint according to the method of the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a broken-away view of a mitre end of a simplified frame member; FIGURE 3 is a corresponding side elevation but not broken away; FIGURE 4 and 6 are views of a typical location pins; FIGURE 5 is a view of a typical locking plate; FIGURE 7 views a cross section of the locking plate, indicating centre rotation aperture and excentric elongated apertures; FIGURE 8 is a broken-away view, similar to Figure 2 but of a second embodiment; and view of locking plate in position, and indicating adjusting space, referenced 12 FIGURE 9 viewing butt face referenced 18 showing tool access aperture, location pin aperture and movement space; In the drawings, for the sake of clarity, the frame members are shown as being of simple rectangular cross-section but it will be appreciated that they will usually be profiled, wooden or metal so-called "moldings",; the metal may well be aluminium or an aluminium alloy, preferably fabricated by extrusion.

*-o i 1 I -i Il.i _i MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows how two frame members 1 and 2 are joinable via a locking plate 3 so as to constitute a mitre joint. Each frame member 1, 2 has a mitred butt face, referenced 4 and respectively, and routed into each butt face is a recess, respectively 6 and 7. These recesses are so dimensioned as to be able to accommodate substantially one half of the locking plate, as will be seen. Drilled also into each butt face, referenced 4 5 respectively, is an aperture 6A 7A respectively to accommodate the shaft of a rotation tool.

Locking plate 3, which is adapted to bridge mitred butt faces 4 and 5 when frame members 1 and 2 are placed in juxtaposition to define a 45' mitred corner, is of circular configuration as a disc or annulus and, indeed, it may actually be a steel, plastic, fibre or brass washer. Diametrically opposed in locking plate 3 are a pair of apertures 8 and 9, both of which take the form of excentric elongated aperture. In the centre of locking plate 3 there is an aperture 16 which takes the form of an allen key, cross section shape.

For constructing a frame which is narrow, a small discoid locking plate, perhaps less than 20 mm in diameter, may be required, while a wide frame may need, say, a 50 mm diameter annulus.

From the back of frame member 1 an aperture 10 extends into routed recess 6, and from the back of frame member 2 an aperture 11 extends into routed recess 7 These apertures 10 and 11 are so positioned so as to align up with locking plate apertures 8 and 9 respectively when the three components are fitted together to make a mitre joint. In the embodiment illustrated, the locking plate 3 is affixed in frame member 1 by means of a pin (not shown, see Figure 4 which S is inserted through aperture 10 and thence into co-acting excentric elongated aperture 8 in the locking plate, the recess 7 is then pushed over the exposed half of locking plate 3 so that the aperture 11 aligns up with excentric elongated aperture 9, and a location pin inserted; (the construction of the camming action of locking plate 3 will be described later herein with reference to Figure With reference to Figure 4, the location pin has a shaft of suitable diameter referenced 14, with a flat circular head, referenced SFigures 2 and 3 show a broken-away view of a mitre end of a simple frame member of 4 *oo@9I rectangular cross-section. Frame member 1, which is essentially the same as that illustrated in Figure 1, has a semi-circular recess 6 routed into its mitred butt face 4 and a small semi circular aperture drilled into butt face 4; Figure 2 in particular shows frame member 1 broken-away, the better to reveal recess 6. It has been found advantageous to make recess 6 of such a shape that its radius which is normal to butt face 4 that is to say, of a length equal to that referenced 12 is very slightly greater than that radius which coincides with butt face 4 the length equal to that referenced 13.

Turning now to Figure 5, the previously-mentioned camming action generally referenced 3 is a circular locking plate of a suitable metal, plastic or fibre provided at its centre with an aperture 16 to enable it to be rotated by a screwdriver, allen key or similar type tool. Provided in the locking plate 3 are two diametrically opposed excentric apertures 8 and 9, locking plate 3 is adapted to be rotatably accommodated within a frame member aperture in such a way that the location pins 14 will engage the excentric elongated apertures of the locking plate 3. Rotation of locking plate 3 will thus cause frame members 1 and 2 to be drawn towards each other so as to bring their mitred butt faces into close abutment; in this way, a neat and firm mitred joint is ensured.

Figures 8 and 9 show a broken-away mitre end of a simple frame member of rectangular crosssection This frame member, referenced 18, has, routed into its mitred butt face 18, a recess 19 shaped so as to permit a degree of movement, generally referenced 12, to allow locking plate 3 9 to draw both frame members, 1 and 2 (Figure 1) together. It will be appreciated that the recess snugly fits its associated locking plate half

S.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applicable to the production of any sort of framing, such as window framing for example, but particularly to picture framing in which the members to be drawn o* together may comprise quite completely-profiled "moldings". The apertures, as those referenced

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S

_i 11 and 16 are provided in the rear face of the frame so as to avoid unsightly holes in the moldings when viewed from the front.

Other variations, modifications and embodiments of the present invention as has been described above may well be possible without departure from the spirit thereof and without exceeding the ambit of the following claims.

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Claims (10)

1. A method of making a joint between two frame members in the same plane; characterised in that said method comprises the steps of; forming a recess in a butt face of each frame members, said recess being so dimensioned as to be able to accommodate substantially one half of a locking plate adapted to bridge said mitred butt faces when said two frame members are placed in juxtaposition; and inserting a pin through an aperture in each said frame member and thence into a co-acting aperture in said locking plate. Rotation of the said locking plate within the said receses of the said frame members causing said locking plate to co-act on said location pins in said frame members causing said locking plate to draw said mitred butt faces in close abutment.

2. The method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said joint is a mitre joint or butt joint of any angle.

3. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said locking plate is of circular configuration, being an annulus or disc, and each said recess is semi-circular.

4. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said co-acting excentric apertures are formed adjacent the perimeter of said locking plate and are diametrically opposed therein.

5. Method claimed in Claim 1, wherein said location pins of a suitable diameter to engage in said locking plate apertures of excentric, elongated configuration.

6. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said locking plate is of circular configuration, being an annulus or disc, and each said recess is shaped so as to permit a degree of adjustment along the junction line between said frame members.

7. A method of making a mitre joint between two frame members in the same plane; characterised in that said method comprises the steps of; forming a substantially semi- 7 ~i ~j circular recess in a mitred butt face of each said frame member, said recess being so dimensioned as to be able to accommodate substantially one half of a circular locking plate adapted to bridge said mitred butt faces when said two frame members are placed in juxtaposition; inserting a location pin through an aperture in one of said frame members and thence into a first co-acting excentric elongated aperture in said locking plate so that substantially one half thereof is loosely affixed within its associated said recess; placing the exposed portion of said locking plate into the said recess in the other said frame member and inserting a said location pin through said aperture in the other said frame member and thence into a second, excentric elongated aperture in said locking plate, the said locking plate having a central aperture, the said central aperture ideally of a shape to O accept a tool to rotate said locking plate. Said central aperture shape, can be slotted, hexagon, star scan or phillips head or any shape designed to rotate said locking plate and rotating said locking plate to cause said locking plate to draw said mitred butt faces into close abutment.

8. The method as claimed in Claim 6, wherein that radius of each said substantially semi- circular recess which is normal to the junction line between said frame members is slightly greater than that which coincides with the said junction line.

9 A method for making a joint between two frame members in the same plane substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An article including a joint formed by the method of any one of the preceding claims. *••0O0 0 O 00 0 0000 @0 00@0 000 *000 0 0