GB1585858A

GB1585858A - Detachable connections particularly for furniture

Info

Publication number: GB1585858A
Application number: GB13395/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HASLIVAG
Current assignee: HASLIVAG
Priority date: 1977-04-29
Filing date: 1978-04-05
Publication date: 1981-03-11
Also published as: CH616993A5; ES469165A1; BE865889A; ATA200578A; IT7822264A0; FR2389031B1; AT361172B; NL7803961A; FR2389031A1; IT1096116B; DE2816134A1

Abstract

The tongue plate comprises two diametrically opposed tongue parts (4, 5), each of which has a hook (40, 50) which engages into the hook mouth (53, 43) of the other hook (50, 40) when the tongue plate is assembled. The assembled tongue plate then forms a two-sided figure which is delimited by identical arcs of a circle. The diagonal, acting as the separating plane, of said two-sided figure is aligned with opposite guiding surfaces (near the ends of the arrows 4, 5) and with inner surfaces, acting against each other, of the hooks (40, 50). The tongue parts (4, 5) can be inserted into grooves (1'', 2'') which are in the form of portions of a circle and belong to structural parts (1, 2), the surfaces (1', 2') of the structural parts (1, 2) then being aligned with the said diagonal of the assembled tongue plate. The structural parts (1, 2) can be connected when the hooks (40, 50) of the tongue parts (4, 5) are pushed one into the other, for which purpose the surfaces (1', 2') of the structural parts are laid one upon the other and the structural parts (1, 2) are displaced along these surfaces (1', 2') in the direction of the hooks (40, 50). The connection is released conversely. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DETACHABLE CONNECTIONS, PARTICULARLY FOR FURNITURE (71) We, HASLIVAG AG, a Swiss jointstock company, of Vogelsang, CH-6052 Hergiswil, Cantone Nidwalden, Switzerland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement::- The present invention resides in a detachable key-and-slot connection of two structural components abutting one another along a dividing plane, with a key plate engaging into oppositely positioned slots of the structural components, said key plate consisting of two corresponding parts each having a body portion fixedly embedded in the slot of one of said structural components and a hook engaging in the hook of the other part of said key plate the body portion of which is fixedly embedded in the slot of the other structural component, each body portion of said key plate having a plane surface flush with the dividing plane of said structural components and abutting the corresponding plane surface of the body portion of the other part of said key plate, each of said hooks having a plane surface flush with said dividing plane and abutting the corresponding plane surface of complementary hook, and wherein for detaching said structural components from one another, they, together with one part of said key plate, are mutually movable in the general direction of said oppositely arranged slots to disengage the hooks and may thereafter be separated transversely of said dividing plane.

The invention resides also in the key plate itself as used for said connection.

A detachable connection of structural components is of particular importance for furniture. As a rule, such detachable connections are established by a tapped sleeve firmly embedded in one structural component while a screw bolt is mounted in the other structural component. Such screw connections are eXpensive and may be easily overstressed and destroyed. Moreover they must be executed with play in order that the screw bolts may be inserted into the tapped sleeves, for which reason additional dowel connections are necessary for accurately positioning the structural components relative to each other.

Key-and-slot connections are simpler, but those known hitherto could not provide a sufficiently stable connection since they were not firmly resisting tension.

It is an object of the present invention to establish a detachable connection particularly for furniture which is economic, simple, robust and resistent to tension, both in production and assembly, transversely of the dividing plane.

Owing to said hooks having mutually abutting plane surfaces flush with the dividing plane they are capable of taking tensile loads transversely of said dividing plane.

By chamfering the points of said hooks a certain small tension may be set up on assembly, which however cannot become excessive.

In order to facilitate assembly of the body portions of the key plate in the complementary grooves of the structural components, it is advantageous to give the hooks of the parts of the key plate oblique back faces.

A safe seat of the body portions of the key plate in their grooves in the structural components is improved by suitably profiling, preferably serrating the side faces of said body portions. An adhesive or glue may be used further to improve the connection with the body portions in their grooves.

The body portions of the parts of the key plate have preferably a circle-segment shape fitting into a complementarily shaped groove or slot of the respective structural component. Since for the production of such circlesegment shaped grooves a number of production tools is available which permit their ready and precise formation, accurate positioning of the structural components is made possible not only transversely of the grooves but also in the longitudinal direction thereof.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an embodiment illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken off of the components of a detachable connection according to the invention, in an exploded view.

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 with the components partly assembled as at the beginning of the assembly.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 with the components contacting each other.

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 of the finished assembly of the components.

Fig. 5 is a section on line V-V of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the key plate in the direction of the arrow VI of Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is a section on the line VIl-VIl of Fig. 4.

The structural components 1 and 2 to be connected with each other are here illustrated as two plates abutting one another on a dividing plane 3 (Figs. 3, 4 and 7) with their plane surfaces 1' and 2' (Figs. 1, 2 and 5).

From these surfaces, part-circular grooves 1", 2" are cut into said components 1 and 2 (Figs. 1 and 5).

A key plate consisting of two identical parts 4 and 5, each consisting of a body portion 41, 51, respectively, and a hook 40, 50, respectively, has a width substantially corresponding to that of the grooves or slots 1", 2" of the components 1, 2, respectively, in which their body portions are embedded (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 7). The side faces of these body portions may be serrated in order to secure a firm seat (Figs. 5, 6 and 7) which may be assisted by a glue or cement if desired.

The hooks 40, 50 whose side faces are not serrated and whose width is accordingly slightly smaller than that of the body portions 41, 51, enclose recesses 43, 53 with said body portions into which these hooks engage on assembly (Figs. 3 and 4). The inner faces of these hooks are plane and, on assembly, flush with the dividing plane 3 of the components 1, 2 (Figs. 3 and 4. The faces 44, 54 of the hooks 40, 50 facing away from the engaging ends are oblique to the dividing plane so as to fit into complementary recesses in the body portions of the opposite body portions 41, 51. The ends of the hooks 40, 50, may be chamfered at 45, 55 in order to facilitate assembly (see Figs. 3 and 4). The body portions 41, 51 have also plane faces 41', 51' which, on assembly, are flush with the dividing plane 3 (Figs. 3, 4 and 7).

The connection illustrated is established as follows:- The body portion is firmly embedded in groove 1" and the body portion 51 in groove 2" of the component 1, 2, respectively.

The structural components 1, 2 are made to approach one another (Fig. 2) until they contact one another on the dividing plane 3 (Fig. 3), and then shifted in the sense of the arrows 10, 20 (Fig. 3 until the hooks 40, 50 engage one another (Fig. 4). Thus the connection is established, and may be disengaged by movements in reverse.

The key plate may consist of metal or synthetic plastics, or a combination of both.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A detachable key-and-slot connection of two structural components abutting one another along a dividing plane, with a key plate engaging into oppositely positioned slots of the two structural components, said key plate consisting of two corresponding parts each having a body portion fixedly arranged in the slot of one of said structural components and a hook engaging in the hook of the other part of said key plate the body portion of which is fixedly embedded in the slot of the other structural component, each body portion of said key plate having a plane surface flush with the dividing plane of said structural components and abutting the corresponding plane surface of the body portion of the other part of said key plate, each of said hooks having a plane surface flush with said dividing plane and abutting the corresponding plane surface of the complementary hook, and wherein for detaching said structural components from each other, they, together with one part of said key plate, are mutually movable in the general direction of said oppositely arranged slots to disengage the hooks and may thereafter be separated transversely of said dividing plane.

2. A connection according to claim 1, wherein each hook has a face oblique to the dividing plane and facing away from the engaging end.

3. A connection according to claim 1 or to claim 2, wherein each hook has a chamfered point.

4. A connection according to any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the sides of the body portion of each part of the key plate are serrated.

5. A connection according to any of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the body portion of each part of the key plate is circle-segment shaped.

6. A key plate for use in a key-and-slot connection having two identical parts each having a body portion and a hook engaging the hook of the other part of said key plate, each body portion having a plane surface abutting the corresponding plane surface of the other part, and each hook also having a plan surface flush with the plane- surface of its body portion and abutting the corresponding plane surface of the complementary hook, and wherein for detaching the two parts of the key plate from each other they are mutually movable in the general direction of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken off of the components of a detachable connection according to the invention, in an exploded view. Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 with the components partly assembled as at the beginning of the assembly. Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 with the components contacting each other. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 of the finished assembly of the components. Fig. 5 is a section on line V-V of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an end view of the key plate in the direction of the arrow VI of Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is a section on the line VIl-VIl of Fig. 4. The structural components 1 and 2 to be connected with each other are here illustrated as two plates abutting one another on a dividing plane 3 (Figs. 3, 4 and 7) with their plane surfaces 1' and 2' (Figs. 1, 2 and 5). From these surfaces, part-circular grooves 1", 2" are cut into said components 1 and 2 (Figs. 1 and 5). A key plate consisting of two identical parts 4 and 5, each consisting of a body portion 41, 51, respectively, and a hook 40, 50, respectively, has a width substantially corresponding to that of the grooves or slots 1", 2" of the components 1, 2, respectively, in which their body portions are embedded (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 7). The side faces of these body portions may be serrated in order to secure a firm seat (Figs. 5, 6 and 7) which may be assisted by a glue or cement if desired. The hooks 40, 50 whose side faces are not serrated and whose width is accordingly slightly smaller than that of the body portions 41, 51, enclose recesses 43, 53 with said body portions into which these hooks engage on assembly (Figs. 3 and 4). The inner faces of these hooks are plane and, on assembly, flush with the dividing plane 3 of the components 1, 2 (Figs. 3 and 4. The faces 44, 54 of the hooks 40, 50 facing away from the engaging ends are oblique to the dividing plane so as to fit into complementary recesses in the body portions of the opposite body portions 41, 51. The ends of the hooks 40, 50, may be chamfered at 45, 55 in order to facilitate assembly (see Figs. 3 and 4). The body portions 41, 51 have also plane faces 41', 51' which, on assembly, are flush with the dividing plane 3 (Figs. 3, 4 and 7). The connection illustrated is established as follows:- The body portion is firmly embedded in groove 1" and the body portion 51 in groove 2" of the component 1, 2, respectively. The structural components 1, 2 are made to approach one another (Fig. 2) until they contact one another on the dividing plane 3 (Fig. 3), and then shifted in the sense of the arrows 10, 20 (Fig. 3 until the hooks 40, 50 engage one another (Fig. 4). Thus the connection is established, and may be disengaged by movements in reverse. The key plate may consist of metal or synthetic plastics, or a combination of both. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A detachable key-and-slot connection of two structural components abutting one another along a dividing plane, with a key plate engaging into oppositely positioned slots of the two structural components, said key plate consisting of two corresponding parts each having a body portion fixedly arranged in the slot of one of said structural components and a hook engaging in the hook of the other part of said key plate the body portion of which is fixedly embedded in the slot of the other structural component, each body portion of said key plate having a plane surface flush with the dividing plane of said structural components and abutting the corresponding plane surface of the body portion of the other part of said key plate, each of said hooks having a plane surface flush with said dividing plane and abutting the corresponding plane surface of the complementary hook, and wherein for detaching said structural components from each other, they, together with one part of said key plate, are mutually movable in the general direction of said oppositely arranged slots to disengage the hooks and may thereafter be separated transversely of said dividing plane.

the key plate plane along the abutting surfaces of the body portions of the key plate to disengage the hooks, and thereafter may be separated transversely of said abutting surfaces.

7. A detachable connection according to claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

8. A key plate according to claim 6, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.