CA1315951C - Connector device - Google Patents

Abstract

A B S T R A C T

A connector for making and end-face butt joint between two plates . The plates are in each case provided in the connecting zone with two connector fittings with at least one clamping screw which is mounted in each case in one of the fittings and supported on the other and which applies a traction force mutually connecting the structural elements . An adjustment device is provided for adjusting the relative positions of the connector fittings and thus of the plates in height at right angles relative to the clamping direction. In one of the connector fittings there is arranged an elastic ,or elastically pre-stressed locking part which when the fittings are mutually assembled engages in or with the adjustment device mounted in the respective other connector fitting and thus mutually couples the two connector fittings

Description

- ~ - 13~59~1 Thc inv~ntion relat~ to A connactor doYic~ for mutually connoctin~ t~o con~truction el~m~nts, prcferably for m~kin~
~n end-f~ce connaction or butt-Joint betwern two pl~tos, e~ch con~truction olement being provided in the connectio~
S zone ~ith ~ connoctor fitting ~nd At lea~t ono tight~nins ~cr0w ~r ths likc baing provid0d,mountad in cno of tha r~Jpcctiv~ fi~tin$~ ~nd 3upported on *hc ~th~r to ~pply a tr~ction f~rc~ in ~ diroction of tight~ning the con~truction elom~nt~ rolativo to ~chothcr, with Adju4ting me~nJ for .10 ~djusting tho r~l~tive po~ition.~of the conn~ctor fittings and thu~ of the a~oci~tcd construction ~l~m~nts sub~t~nti~lly at right ~ngles rqlAtiv~ to tha dir~cti~n of tightening.

Co~l~ctor~ of thi~ kind ~ro alroady known in m~ny form3.
P~rticularly for m~king ~nd-fac~ connoction3 sf plates it i~ import~t th~t tho top ~urf~c~ ~hould be pr~ci~ely alignad ~lu~h with o~choth~r in ~ common pl~ne ~inca even ~ minor ~tcp would gre~tly impede ~ub~ffquant ~ork ~n the pl~te.
B~id~ uch ~t~p~ ~ro ~l~o undo3ir~ble for Aosthetic ro~o~q. With mAny exi ting connector~ which compri~a only ~ tic-bolt or tcn~ion 3crew the plat~s,~l~b~ ~r othcr con~truc-tion ele~ent~ c~n b~ moved into tho corrcct ralativo position~
only by a labo riou.~ and time-t~king pu~hing Qnd pulling op~ration.

US-PS 3236~87 describes ~ conn~ctor dovice wherein thc two connector fittings arc mutu~lly o~nn~cted by mean~ of a horizont~l tie-rod. In one of the fitting~ there is ~ounted a verticAl height-~dju~tment ~crew which b~ar~ on the re~pectiv~
other fitting. Con~equently it i~ po~ible to obtain relative height Adju~tment of tho pl~te3 by turning thc ~id heisht-~dju~tm~nt ~crow. ConvcntionAl connector~ have the drAwback that for th~ mutu~l aa~embly of tho pl~tes comparatively much l~t~r~l ~p~cc must be ~v~ bl~, th~t i~ tc say ~p~c~ in the direction of tightenin~ of the tie-rod3Jbccau~e the plate~
mu~t first be brought; ~t le~st ~pproxim~toly, into A common hori~ont~l plano ~nd only thon th~ cnd face ~f one plAte c~n ~'. !, .

_ 2- ~31~

be l~tor;lllly offercd up Rnd Appro~ch~ld to the cnd fi~ce of the other pl~te.
P~ V~, 1 QS
-It i~ ~h~ ~im of ~h.~-invention -~o-~te-~ connector dcvice whereby it i~ po.~ iblo for one pl~to lying immediAtoly beside S tho othcr plato to bo Approach~d to thc l;lttor from ~bov~
~o th~t during ~ mbly no moro ~pACe i~ roquired l~terallf th~n ActuAlly n~eded for tho pl~tos in tho final mutually a:~:30mbl~d ~t~te .
c~\ 5 ~ p c o\l a s the inverltion ~:~7,d~--i~improv-i-n~ A connec tor ~f th~ kind apecified in ~uch ~ m;lnnlsr AS to AllOW tho t~ro fitting~s *o b~ mutually coupled, ~t le~st provi~ion~lly;
v~ry quickly And without the ~id of tool~.
~l o r ~ p ~ ~ {. ~L I c.,r ~ + ~ e, r~ t ( o ~ ~ p ~ o ~
--thc-Yc- ~roblem~--by~r~ one3 t~f the connector fittirlg~ with an elastic or ~ tically load~d locking p~rt which,when thc two fitting~ ~re mutusllly a~emblcd, cngage~ in~Or ~n~ the ~dju~tmont dovic~ ~hich i~ provided in,or ~n,the rç~pcctive othcr fitting.

Thi~ arr~ngem~nt ~l~o ~llow3 ~ pl~te being approached or offered up fro~ Abo~o And thu~ to bo moved into th~ c~nnocting po~ition ~t~gGr~ . Thc cla~tic, or spring loaded locking part i~
capable of yielding initi~lly ag~in~t tho force in ~ spring And thcre~ftPr ~ng~ging in,or on,the (hoight)adjustment devic~
pr~vidcd in th~ othor fitting wheroupon the f~cility of rolative plato adjuYtment is alr~ady providedO

A preferred embodiment wherein the locking part arrangad in onc of the conncctor fitting3 i~,when the fitting~ ~re in the correct po-~ition fcr connection ~o be made~ola~tic~lly pre-ten3ioned or bi~sod ~ub3t~nti~11y in the dir~ction tow~rd3 thc other fitting , pro~id~ in ~ v~ry ~implo m~nner ~n ~ur~nce for thc rcli~bl~ int~rongag~m~nt ~f tho ~djustmant dovice And locking part ~ithin ~ c~rt~in r~nge irrespactiYe of tho r~latiYo po~ition of the two fitting~ in the clamping dircction. With tolcranco3 in the fini~hing treatment of the - 3 ~ 131~ 9 5 ~
ond f~c~ ~nd in the cl~ping t~g~th~r of tho plAtc~ thi~
~rr~ngement alw~y~ cn3ure3 ~Afe height adju~tm~nt. It i~
even poa~ible to clamp the plato~ lightly together,then, perh~pa by finger-touch examin~tion,to make the corroct rol~iv~ hoight ~djustmont, ther~ftor to push the plAtes ~lightly Apart ag~in in order to Apply Adhe~iYo or silicon therob~t~cen ~nd fin~lly to cl~mp the plat~ perm~ne~tly together. In tho cour3~ of ~uch movement~ in the cl~mping dir~ction tho ~la~tic~lly pro-stro~od locking p~rt follo~J
the (height)Adju~tment device of the r~pective other fitting ~nd thu3 guArantees thAt tho eff~ct~d hcight adju~tment will be ~u~tained.

It i~ ~n Advant~ge to provide th~t th~ adju~tmont d~lco con~iYts of ~ screw ~ith ~ diYc-~h~pod h~ad ~hich i~ ~nga$ed by th~ locking p~rt.

In ono ~mb~diment of the inv~ntion tho l~cking p~rt i~ a #pring 10af or ~pring plate which yield~ in tho direction of traction ~nd compri~e~ a Ylit in ~hich the 0dge or rim of tho ~cr~w head ongages.

Th~ ~pring plate or leaf mAy be h~ld by two web~ in the connector fitting ~-hich h~ve ~lits in which the ~pring leaf i~ ~upported.

According to ~n adv~ntageou~ provi~i~n of thiY inv~ntion ono of thc connoctor fittingY i~ ofbox- or cup-like do~ign and the other conn~ctor fitting compri~ n extension lug ~dApted to be inscrted into the fir~t fitting sub~t~ntially At right angle~ rolative to the cl~mping diroction.

Anothor ombodim~nt ~f the invention provide~ th~t th~ locking part i~ ~ ~pring loadod l~v~r mounted pivot~lly on ~ Yertic~l axi~.

Tho lever i~ preferably po~itivoly guid~d in th~ connector fitting, that i~ to Y~y it can yield neither upw~rd~ nor down-wards. If now thi~ lever compri~e~ a not~h with ~n upper ,,, : ,y~

'. '.~i' ': ~' _ 4 - 1 3 ~ ~ 9 ~ ~

and ~ low~r ~nd ~top f~co in which the rim of the ~crew h~d ~ng~ge~, thon th~ fittin$ in Nhich th~ ~crow lg mountcd c~n b~ ~dju~tod in hoight by r~t~tion of th~ ~cr~ relAtivo to thc fitting in ~hich th~ l~ver i~ mount~d.

In crdor to f~cilitAto the prcs~ing do~n of onc fitting onto thc othor ~nd tho ~c~p~ or yiolding of tho lev~r it i~ An advant~g~ to ~rrAngc for the l~vcr to bo providod ~t it~ lo-~er ~dg~ within thc rAng~ of the ~crow with ~n inclined fac~
boc~u~ than the lcvor will initially yiold ~utom~tic~lly and thon ong~g~ of it~ own ~ccord with,or in,tho ~dju3tm~nt devico.
The ~id notch i~ of ~gment-lik~ c~nfigurAtion ~ viow~d from ~bovo.

In order to All~ ~implo rol~tive di~ng~gomcnt of th~ two fitSing~ of tho connector device ,~ccording t0 A pref~rr~d embodiment of th~ invontion,~n ~xccntric i~ provided by mcan~
of which the lov~r c~n bo pirotcd Rgain~t th~ ~pring loading ~nd thu~ liftcd off thc h~d of th~ ~crcw whlch r~pre~ont~
tho h~ight ~dju~tmcnt dovice ~n ths ono hand Rnd the ~nap-engagemont p~rt on tho cther.

According to A further ~dv~nt~g~ou~ provi~ion of thi~ invention the cl~mpins Jcrow ~nd the ~crow of th~ adju~tment device aro r~lutivcly ~ligned in par~llel and the cl~mping or tightening ~crew has ~ tapered point whercby it boar.q on A conical fac~
provided in or on thc other hou3ing-or fitting p~rt.

By ~nap fit ~ng~gement o~ the-el~.~tic~lly ~tr~ed or inh~rqntly el~tic locking part in or ~ith th~ ~djustment device ~nd ~imult~n~ou~ eng~gement ~f the tight~ning 8CreW ~r the liko with ~n inclin~d f~c~ of thc oth~r connoctor fitting it i~
0 po~sible to ~chiov~ ~a.~ily ~nd/q~o~ the Aid of tool~ a provision~l connection ~t~te ~fter which height ~djuYtm~nt and~fin~l cl~mping tog~ther will till bg ~eco~sary.

~ !

~ 5 ~ 131 ~ ~ 51 In A proferr~d ombodlment tno inventio~ provide~ for the clAmping or tight~ning scr~w And th~ ~crcw of the ~dju~tm~nt do~ic~ to bo ~rr~nged ~id~ by ~ide tr~n~v~r~oly of thc dirocti~n of tightaning the connector fittinss.

It i3 n~umed thAt At le~Yt two connoctor devico3 Are requircd for mutuAlly connecting two pl~te~. It i~ thercfore of no con~equonce if the clamping screw is ~rrAnged off-centr~.
Any torquc component~ which m~y occur will be comp~ns~ted in the sy3tem ~ ~ wholo.

It i~ further providcd th~t thc conn~ctor fitting~ Aro of box-or cup~liko configuration And co~pri~ ~t l~st one fl~ngc wlth ono or morc ~0curing screw~.

Two embodimcnt~ of the invention ~re hereinaftor more p~rticularly dc~cribed by w~y of ex~mpl~ with refercnc~ to the Rccomp~nying dr~wing~.

Figure 1 iq ~ top view of A connector devico according to the invention, Figure 2 is A view from benc~th of the connector dovice ~ccording to the inv~ntion, Figure 3 iq ~ ~ection taken on line C-D in Figure 2, Figure 4 i~ ~
~cction t~k~n on line G-H in Figuro 2, Figurc 5 i~ a ~ection taken on line E-F in Figure 2, ~igure 6 show~ thc elev~tion J
of Figur~ 3, Figure 7 i~ ~ top vi~w of another embodimont of the connoctor device, Figur~ section on linc I-K in Figure 7, Figure 9 i9 X persp~ctive vi~w of the ~pring leaf and Figure lO schematic~lly illustratcs the a~sembly of two con~truction element~ wi-th thc aid of a connector ~ccording to the invention.

Now follow A description of the embodim~nt ~cco~ding to Figur~ l to 6.

The connector devico 3hown in thcse figur~s or the fixed And prcci~c ~utu~l conn~ction of the two work pl~teY lO,ll 6 ~ 3 ~

con~i~t~ of the two conn~ctor fitting~ 1,2, which ar~ ~daptod to b~ insertcd ro~pectivoly into ~ rcce~ ~or~ed by milling in the work pl~to~ 10,11. The connector fitting3 1,2 are concoived a~ hou~ing~ compri~ing a box 12 and ~ fllnge 13.
The flange~ 13 hAve h~le~ 14 for tho ~ecuring ~crswY 15.
Tho fitting 1 ha~ ~ lug or extcn~ion 16 oxtonding into fitting 2 in which lug 16 the tightening or cl~mping ~cr~w 7 ~
~oll A~ tho ~crow 6 uhich con~titute.~ the udju~tment d~vice are mounted.

Tho cl~ping ~cr~w 7 A~ ~ell ~ ~creu 6 ~r~ ~rrangod vorticRlly in the ~ embly po~ition, th~t 1~ t~ ~ay ~t right ~ngl~
to the direction ~f tightening S which i9 gencrally horizonS~l in ordor to pull the two plate~ 10,11 clo~ely together by their ond f~c~a.

Th~ cl~ping screw 7 i~ thereforo providnd with ~ t~pered point 17 which,~ ~hown in Figurc 5, re~t~ ~gain~t ~ conical f~c~ 18 providod on a ~houlder or projoction 19 of fitting 2 Tho furthor th~ Jcrew 7 i.~ .~crewed do~l into fitting 1, the tightor will fittings 1 and Z bo clampod together.

Screw 6, which conYtitute~ the adju~tment mean~ ,al~o ~erve~ to en~ure tho lockin~ ~r mutual coupling oE the twc fitting~ 1,2 oIt i~ provided with ~ di~c-ch~ped head 9.

In conncctor fitting 2 ~ l~ver 3 i~ supported on ~ be~ring bolt 8 which for~ a vertical axi~. The levor 3 i~ loaded by ~ ~cre~ ~pring 4.

On tho opposito ~ide to tho ~crew ~pring 4 the l~ver 3 i~
provided with ~ notch 20 which i.~limitod by ~n upper and lower end top face 21,Z2. The notch 20 iY of ~ogmental configuration a~ viowed from ~bovc, A~ will be soen b~t in ~iguro 2.

At tho bottom tho lover 3 i.~ providod, ~t lo~st within th~
rango cf screw 6, with ~n inclinad faco 2~.

. ' '~,. ' ,'. ~' , .. . .

~ 3 1 ~
Figure lO ~how~ th~ position in which tho two pl~t~ 10,11 arc fitted togothcr. Whan plate 11 i~ pre~ ad down a~ indi-c~ted by th~ ~rrow i~ Figure 10 tho ho~d of acreu 6 will fir~t ~f all pu~h l~vor 3 b~ck in opposition to tho l~ading of ~pring 4 ~nd tho connoctor fitting 2 c~n b~ mov~d with th~ lev~r ~ufficiently f~r down until thc ~cre~ ho~d 9 ong~gcs in notch 20. Sinc3 at the s~me tlmo th~ clAmping ~cr~w 7 engage~ behind ~houlder 19 th0 csnnoctor fitting~ l,Z
Arc thu~ ~utomaticAlly mutu~lly coupled. Lovor 3 function~
~ locking part. From thi~ provi~ionAlly couplcd or holding po ition it i~ pos~iblo to ~ffcct tho sub~oqu~ntly d~scribod height adju~tmellt and th~r~aft~r th~ final cl~mping together of tho pl~te~.

Sinc~ thc notch 20, a~ ~lre~dy menti~nod, h~s an upper ~nd a lowor end stop f~cc 21,22, the ho~d 9 ~f scro~ 6 is positively rct~ined in l~ver 3. By rotation of scr~w 6 tho fitting l m~y now be ~ovod up or down rcl~tive to fitting 2 For improved ~t~bility of the conncctor the levnr is likewi~o po~itivoly rotained, prefer~bly between two plate.~ 24,25 of which th~ former ropro~ont~ the bott~m ~f hou~ing 12, ~s . ~hown in Figure 5.

In order to en~ble e~sy diYengagoment or remoYal of the connoctor ~ccording to the invontion ~n cxccntric 5 i~ mounted in connoctor fitting 2. With tha ~id of this excentric cam 5 the lovor 3 ,as shown in Figuro 6, c~n be liftnd latorally off tho he~d 9 ~f scrcw 6 in ~ppo~ition to thc pre~urc ~pplicd by ~crew ~pring 4 wheraby thc connoction b~twcen the two conn~ctor fittings 1,2 i~ c~ncollod.

In the illu~tr~ted ox~mple the flange~ 13 of c~nnoctor fitting~ 1,2 ar~ in ~ch c~c rec~ d in ~ roce~s 26 in plato~ 10,11.

- 8 _ ~ 315951 In the embodi~ent ~ho~n in Figure~ 7 to 9 ~ ~pring le~f or pl~te 27 ls Arranged in fitting 2 inst~d of levçr 3. Thi~
~pring l~af 27 i~ ~upport~d by wcb3 28 of fitting 2 ~hlch h~v~ ~lit~ 29 in ~hich th~ ~pring le~f 27 i~ ~upport~d~

A~ ~hown in Figur~ 7 tho ~pring leaf 27 i~ ~rched touard~
~crew 6 ~nd can yield in th~ dircction ~f arrow A.

In thi~ ombodimont the ~cr~w 6 which roprosont-~ the ~dju~tment mo~n~ for h~ight ~dju~tmont ~f the c~nncctor And th~ cl~mping ~crsw arc ~rr~ng~d bohind eAchother, thAt i~ to ~y in the cl~mping dir~ction.

Th~ cl~mping ~crow 7 ag~in pr~es with it~ point 17 ~gAin~ t tho tRp~red fAc~ 18 of 3houldor 19 on fitting 2.

Tho clAmping ~crow 7 and ~crew 6 ar~ ~g~in #upport~d in un oxtcn3ion lug 16 of connector fitting 1.

A~ will bs ~e~n from th~ drawing~ th~ Ypring leAf 27 ha~
-qlit 30. Bene~th thi~ ~lit 30 th~ro i~ ~n inclined face 31 which correcpond3 to the inclin~d fac~ 23 on lev~r 3.

For ~embly, or mutual conn~ct~on of pl~toY 10,11 tho~o aro ~gain, ~ ohown in Figure lO,rclativoly ~dju~t~d in height whil~t boing directly mutu~lly ~d~accntO

During ~uch verticAl ~dju~tment the h~d 9 of ocr~w 3 ~) tr~vel~ ~long inclincd face 31 of ~pring l~af 27 t- pu3h th~ latter bAck in th~ dirccti~n of arrow A in Figure 7 until : it ong~go~ in ~lit 30. Since at the ~ame time th~ paint 17 of .~crew 7 Ag~in eng~geq with ohould~r 19 it follow3 thAt thc two connoctor fittingi~ 1,2 ~rc ~utomatic~lly locked togeth~r.
Ini~t~d of the ~lit 30 there might conceiv~bly b~ proYided ~ mero dcpre3~ion, th~t ii~ to .~y again ~ notch~ in ~logou manner:to th~ previou~ly de~cribcd ombodimont. The only important feii~ture reside3 in thAt the head 9 cannot ~ccid~ntally i~lip out of Apring l-af 27.

.

- 9 - 1 3~9~

As m~y bo ob~orv~d from Figur~ 8, th~ hoad 9 i3 held ~o tightly betw~en the od3es 32,33 ~f ~lit 30 that a relAtive height ~djustment of fitting~ 1,2 i3 ~g~in posaible by rotation of ~crow 6.

Tho t~o 3tructur~1 el~montY, or the ~ociated two connoctor fitting~ 1,2Jcan bo ~lightly ~lidingly di~plac~d in or opposito to the clamping diroction S whil~t tho ol~tic locking part 3 ,~r 27, 3imply follow~ ~uch movcm~nt ~nd remAin~ in eng~g~m~nt with tho h~ight ~dju~r.lont mean~.
Such ~liding in tho clAmping dir~ction occur~ during th~
tightcning of th~ work plate~ And tho oxtent or desree of Juch ~liding di~placoment may ~l~o d~p~nd on ~ny fini~hing wcrk applied, for ~xample, to *ho ond fAc~3 of tho plates by tho fitter. In tho ca.~e of an ~embly modc which is Appli~d in practico tho mai~ton~nc~ of hoight ~dju~tmcnt during rol~tivo ~liding di~pl~c~ment~ of ~itting~ 1,2 or aaæoci~t~d plate~ i~ ,or oppo~ite to,tho cl~mping direction i~ found to be of particul~r ~dvant~go: Follo~ing prelimin~ry asaembly from the position ~hcwn in Figure 10 in ~hich locking part 3 engaga3 with,or ~n,th~ height ~dju.qtment moanY
(pl~tc 9 ongages in groovo 20,Figur- 3) th~ p~rts aro lightly clamp~d or r~l~tiY~ly tightancd by ~e~na of clamping ~crow 7. Then precise hoight adju~tmont i~ obtainod by turning ~crew 6 (e.g. by checking the j~int ~t tho pl~t~
~urf~ce with A finger) Before tha plato~ Are finally clamp~d tognther th~ cl~mping ~cr~w 7 may bc ~l~ckened Again. This ~llow~ the plate~ to bo ~lightly rel~tively ~p~rat~d once more by introduction ~nd tur~ing ~ a Jui-tablo tool (~.g. acrewdrive~ blAd~) in th~ recoss 34 (Figure 2) i~-connector fitting 2 in ord~r t~ f~d ~dh~sivo or ~ilicon into th~ joint~ Sub~equently the fin21 clAmping ~nd tight~ning opcration is ~pplied vi~ acr~ 7 whilst th~ provi~usly co~pleted h~ight ~dju~tmont i~ fully ~u~t~inod. Whil~ the plAtCS ~ro pu~hod apart ~pring 4 r~l~xe~ and en3ur~s that l~v~r 3 ~ loc~ing part) AlWayg romains ~pplied to plate or di~c 9 ~f the h~ight-adju~tmont ~cr~w 6.

. . 7~
. , ,, , ~ . ., ~.; '` i~J, ,, "' ,~,','1 13~9~1 In order to allow th~ pl~te~ or c~nn~ctor fittings 1,2 b~ing lin~d,up l~torally, ti-~t i9 to ~y in th~ diroction of tho butt joint~, th~ connector fittlng 2 is provid~d with two r~ce~so~ 35,36 for tho ~pplic~tion th~r~t~ of ~uit~blc 5: ~ tools (Figuro 2) whoroby tho xhouldor or projoction 16 o~ fittillg 1 c~n be di~pl2c~d r~l~tivo to fitting 2.

Th~ connoctor fittings 1,2 Aro prdf~r~bly m~dc Or plA~tiCS
m~t~ri~l or dic c~qtingY.

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Claims (19)

1. Connector for mutually connecting two construction elements, each construction element being provided in a connection zone with a connector fitting and at least one clamping screw or the like being provided which is mounted in each case in one of the fittings and supported on the other and which applies a tension force in a clamping direction mutually connecting the construction elements, with an adjustment device for adjusting the relative position of the connector fittings and thus of the construction elements substantially at right angles to said clamping direction, characterised by the provision in one connector fitting of an elastic or elastically loaded locking part which, when the fittings are put together engages in or on the adjustment device mounted in the respective other connector fitting.

2. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjustment device is vertically or height adjustable.

3. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that with the connector fittings in connecting position, the locking part which is arranged in one fitting is elastically pre-stressed or biased substantially in the direction towards the other connector fitting.

4. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjustment device is a screw having a disc-shaped head which is engaged by the locking part.

5. Connector according to claim 4, characterised in that the locking part is a spring leaf which comprises a slit in which engages a rim of the head of the screw.

6. Connector according to claim 5, characterised in that the spring leaf is held by two webs in the connector fitting which are provided with slits in which the spring leaf is supported.

7. Connector according to claim 5, characterised in that the spring leaf has an inclined face at its lower edge.

8. Connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that one of the connector fittings is of box-like configuration and the other fitting is provided with an extension lug adapted to be inserted in the first fitting substantially at right angles to the clamping direction.

9. Connector according to claim 4, characterised in that the locking part is a spring loaded lever mounted pivotally on a vertical axis.

10. Connector according to claim 9, characterised in that the lever is positively guided in the connector fitting.

11. Connector according to claim 9, characterised in that the lever is provided with a notch comprising an upper and a lower end stop face wherein engages the rim of the head of the screw.

12. Connector according to claim 9, characterised in that the lever presents an inclined face at its lower edge within the range of the screw.

13. Connector according to claim 11, characterised in that the notch is of segment-configuration as viewed from above.

14. Connector according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterised by the provision of an eccentric cam whereby the lever can be pivoted in opposition to the bias applied by the associated spring.

15. Connector according to claim 4, characterised in that the clamping screw and the screw of the adjustment device are arranged mutually parallel and the clamping screw comprises a tapered point whereby it presses against a tapered face of the other connector fitting.

16. Connector according to claim 1, characterised in that the connector fittings are of a box-type design and comprise at least one flange with one or more securing screws.

17. Connector according to claim 4, characterised in that the clamping screw and the screw of the adjustment means are arranged side by side transversely of the clamping direction for the connector fittings.

18. Connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, 9 to 13, or 14 to 17, adapted for making end-face butt connections of two plates.

19. Connector according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the leaf spring yields elastically in the opposite direction to the direction of clamping.