GB2027836A - Securing pin - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a pin for securing together components such as the floor and wall of a prefabricated building. The pin comprises a radially resilient sleeve 13 or 30 having within it a member 10 or 33 providing a head 11 or 32, a nose 12 or 31 being provided on the member 10 or on the sleeve 30 itself, the head having a larger cross section than the sleeve and the nose a smaller cross section than the sleeve. The sleeve 13 or 30 may comprise a spiral member (Fig. 1) or a split cylinder (Fig. 3) made of spring steel. The sleeve 13 or 30 is larger in diameter than the holes in which it is engaged, so as to hold the components by friction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to prefabricated buildings Description of Invention This invention relates to a means for securing together components such as the floor and a wall of a prefabricated building of the type which is transported in "knocked-down" form and erected on site.

The invention has been particularly developed for use with such buildings in which the part of the wall adjacent the floor is relatively thick and comprises a compressible material such as wood, chipboard or the like whilst the part of the floor adjacent the wall and to which the wall is to be secured comprises relatively thin gauge metal such as an angle section one limb of which is pre-fixed to the floor to extend in a horizontal plane and another limb of which provides a vertically upwardly extending flange which is fixed on site to a lower end portion of the wall.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for securing together components of a prefabricated building.

According to one aspect of the invention we provide a securing means for connecting together components of a prefabricated building, comprising a radially resilient shank having a head at one end and a nose portion at the other end, the head having a larger cross section than the shank, and the nose portion a smaller cross section than the shank.

The radially resilient shank may comprise a spiral pin which may be made of spring steel or may comprise a split cylinder made of spring steel.

Alternatively, the shank may comprise any other radially resilient member.

Where the radially resilient shank comprises a spiral pin, the head and the nose portion may be formed integrally with or attached to a shaft which extends through the shank.

Where the radially resilient shank comprises a split cylinder, the cylinder itself may be of reduced cross section at one end to provide the nose portion, and the head may be formed integrally with or attached to a shaft which is received within the shank.

In either case, a nose portion and/or the shank may be of circular cross section, and the head may be of circular disc shape.

The nose portion may be frusto-conical.

According to another aspect of the invention we provide a prefabricated building in which components of the building are connected together by a securing means according to the first aspect of the invention.

One component, such as a wall, may include a relatively thick part of compressible material and the other component such as the floor may include an attachment part, extending parallel to the one component and of relatively thin material, the one component and attachment part having aligned apertures through which the securing means extends with the radially resilient shank in frictional engagement with the walls of the apertures in the one component and the attachment part.

The head of the securing means may abut the one component.

We have found, surprisingly, that a securing means according to the first aspect of the present invention provides a sufficient withdrawal load even when engaged with a relatively thin attachment part.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a first embodiment of a securing means according to the invention, and, Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through part of a prefabricated building incorporating the embodiment of the securing means of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of a securing means according to the invention and, Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through part of a prefabricated building incorporating the embodiment of the securing means of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a securing means 8 comprising a cylindrical shaft 10 having integral therewith at one end thereof a circular disc shaped head 11, and at the other end thereof a nose portion 1 2. The nose portion 1 2 is of frusto conical configuration having a larger diameter end 9 of greater diameter than that of the remainder of the shaft 10, its smaller diameter end facilitating introduction of the securing means 8 in use, as hereinafter to be described.

The shaft 10, head 11 and nose portion 1 2 may be made in mild steel and are preferably of a two part construction the nose portion 1 2 being secured to the shaft 10 for example, by means of a screw threaded connection to permit of the surrounding of the shaft 10 by a radially resilient shank comprising a conventional generally annular cross sectional spiral pin 1 3 made in spring steel. It will be noted that the nose portion 1 2 is of slightly smaller cross section than the outside diameter of the spiral pin 13.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a prefabricated building has a floor 20 to which a relatively thin angle section attachment member 21 is fixed with one limb 22 thereof being fixed to a floor 20 and lying parallel thereto whilst the other limb 23 extends vertically upwardly from the floor 20 parallel to a wall 24 which may be made of wood or other compressible material such as chip-board, at least at its lower end portion.

The member 21 in the present example is made of mild steel and is of ten gauge. The wall 24 and the member 21 have formed therein aligned apertures 25 and 26 and the securing means 8 is driven into the apertures until the head 11 thereof abuts the surface of the wall 24, the spiral pin 1 3 being in frictional engagement with the aperture 26 in the member 21.

When it is desired to connect together the wall 24 and floor 20 of the prefabricated building, the apertures 25 and 26 are first aligned and then the securing means 8 is inserted, nose portion 1 2 first, and the head 11 is hit with a hammer. Consequently the securing means will be driven into the position shown in Fig. 2, the radially resilient spiral pin deforming to the size of the aperture 26, and frictionally engaging the wall of the aperture.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 3, there is shown a securing means 28 comprising a radially resilient shank in the form of a split cylinder 30 having a slit 30a extending over its entire length, and a nose portion 31 and head 32.

The nose portion 31 comprises a reduced cross sectional end of the cylinder 30, and the head 32 is formed integrally with a threaded shaft 33 which is received within the cylinder 30 and extends over a part of the length only of the split cylinder 30.

The shaft 33 is threaded to increase the force for withdrawal from the shank 30.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a prefabricated building substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2, but the floor 20 and the wall 24 are connected together by the securing means 28 shown in Fig. 3, the head 32 abutting the wall 24.

The operation of the securing means is the same as that of the first embodiment described hereinbefore.

The securing means of Fig. 3 and 4 is provided with a washer 35 between the head 32 and the shank 30 to increase the effective surface area of the head 32.

It will be appreciated that the present invention provides a very simple manner in which the wall and floor or any other components of a knocked-down prefabricated building can be connected together during erection without requiring the exercise of any skill on the part of the operator other than the insertion of the securing means into the aligned apertures and the hitting of the head with a hammer.

If desired the means for connecting adjacent walls together described in our co-pending application based on earlier application 33974/78 may be embodied in a building embodying the securing means of the present invention.

Claims (11)

1. A securing means for connecting together components of a prefabricated building, comprising a radially resilient shank having a head at one end and a nose portion at the other end, the head having a larger cross section than the shank, and the nose portion a smaller cross section than the shank.

2. A securing means according to Claim 1 wherein the radially resilient shank comprises a spiral pin made of spring steel.

3. A securing means according to Claim 1 wherein the radially resilient shank comprises a split cylinder made of spring steel.

4. A securing means according to Claim 2 wherein the head and a nose portion are formed integrally with or attached to a shaft which extends through the shank.

5. A securing means according to Claim 3 wherein the cylinder itself is of reduced cross section at one end to provide the nose portion, and the head is formed integrally with or attached to a shaft which is received within the shank.

6. A securing means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the nose portion and/or the shank are of circular cross section, and the head is of circular disc shape.

7. A securing means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the nose portion is frusto conical.

8. A prefabricated building in which components of the building are connected together by a securing means according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A prefabricated building according to Claim 8 wherein one embodiment includes a relatively thick part of compressible material and the other component includes an attachment part extending parallel to the one component and of relatively thin material, the one component and attachment part having aligned apertures through which the securing means extends with the radially resilient shank in frictional engagement with the walls of the apertures in the one component and the attachment part.

10. A prefabricated building according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein the head of the securing means abuts the one component.

11. A prefabricated building according to any one of Claims 8 to 10 wherein one component is a wall and the other component the floor of the building.

1 2. A securing means substantially as described with reference to and as shown in Fig.

1 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A prefabricated building substantially as described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.