GB2028958A

GB2028958A - Joining wall panels

Info

Publication number: GB2028958A
Application number: GB7927887A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Portakabin Ltd
Current assignee: Portakabin Ltd
Priority date: 1978-08-19
Filing date: 1979-08-10
Publication date: 1980-03-12
Also published as: GB2028958B

Abstract

This invention relates to a clip for connecting together walls of a prefabricated building. The clip comprises a pair of limbs 11, the limbs being joined together along a line of intersection 15 each limb formed by removing a cut-out part extending from adjacent said line of intersection over part of the width of the clip and from one end of the clip to an inner position intermediate its ends, the removal of each cut-out part defining an edge 12 which extends inwardly from said one end 16 to said inner position 18, each edge being spaced further from the line of intersection at said one end than at the inner position. Two walls may be connected together by positioning them in the desired relationship and then moving the clip longitudinally of the line of intersection to engage abutment means 35. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to prefabricated buildings.

This invention relates to a connecting means for connecting together the walls of the prefabricated building of the type which is transported in "knocked-down" form and erected on site.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved connecting means for the above described purpose.

According to one aspect of the invention we provide a connecting means for connecting together the walls of prefabricated building comprising a clip having a pair of limbs, the limbs being joined together along a line of intersection each limb having a cut-out part extending from adjacent said line of intersection over part of the width of the clip and from one end of the clip to an inner position intermediate its ends, each cut out part defining an edge which extends inwardly from said one end to said inner position, each edge being spaced furtherfrom the line of intersection at said one end than at the inner position.

The limbs may be planar and lie in the same plane or in inclined planes, for example, planes inclined at 900 or 1200.

However the limbs are preferably inclined at 900.

The edges defined by the cut-out parts may comprise a first pair of converging edges and a second pair of edges which are parallel to each other and which extend from the converging edges to the inner positions of the cut-out parts.

According to another aspect of the invention we provide a prefabricated building in which at least two of the walls are connected together by at least one connecting means according to the first aspect of the invention and wherein the wall3 have connecting parts which extend parallel to the connecting means, the connecting parts each having abutment means which abut with at least a part of said edges of the connecting means to connect the walls together.

Where the edges comprise a first pair of converging edges and a second pair of parallel edges the walls may thus be connected together by positioning them in the desired relationship and then moving the connecting means longitudinally of the line of intersection to engage the abutment means with said first pair of edges, which act to draw the walls together, and then with the second pair of edges to hold the walls in their connected relationship.

Preferably, a plurality of connecting parts and connecting means are provided along each of the walls.

The connecting parts may each comprise a Jsection bracket the longer limb of which overlies and is fixed to an outer surface of a wall adjacent the edge thereof and the shorter limb of which -lies in a rebate formed in said surface of the wall.

The abutment means may comprise the Usection part of the J-section bracket, one of the limbs of the connecting means being received within the U-section part and abutting the base thereof.

A cover strip may be provided to cover the connecting means.

The cover strip may comprise a pair of mutually inclined inter-connected limbs having inturned portions at their free edges which engage the free ends of the longer limb of the J-section brackets.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section showing two walls of a prefabricated building connected together by a connecting means embodying the invention, FIGURE 2 is a perspective view to an elarged scale of the connecting means of Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of an alternative ernbodiment, and, FIGURE 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 of the embodiment of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, a connecting means embodying the invention is shown in Figure 2 and is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a pair of limbs 11 mutually inclined to each other at 960 and formed integrally with each other. Each limb has a cut-out part 14 extending inwardly from one end 1 3 of the connecting means to an inner position 1 9 intermediate its ends and from the line of intersection 1 5 between the limbs 11 over a part of the width of the connecting means.

The cut-out parts are formed so as to provide a first pair of edges 1 6 which converge from open end 17 of the cut out part 14 towards the inner position 1 9 and a second pair of edges 18 which lie parallel to each other and extend from their first pair of edges 1 6 to the inner position 19, hereinafter referred to as the closed end 1 9 of the cut-out part 14.

Although in the example illustrated the first and second pair of edges are shown with a sharp discontinuity 1 2 therebetween, if desired the first pair of edges 1 6 may merge progressively with the second pair of edges 18 or they may comprise opposite end parts of a rectilinearly extending edge.

Referring now to Figure 1 the prefabricated building has walls generally indicated at 20 and 21. It will be seen that the end surface 22 of the wall 21 is located in abutting relationship with the inwardly directed surface 23 of the wall 20. If desired an intermediate element may be interposed such as a compressible foam rubber strip, not shown. The end surface 24 of the wall 20 is aligned with a surface 25 of a rebate 26 formed in the outwardly facing surface 27 of the wall 21.

A rebate 28 is similarly formed in the outwardly facing surface 29 of the wall 20.

J-section brackets 30, 3 1 are fixed to each wall 20, 21, the longer limb 32 of each bracket 30, 31 overlying its associated outwardly facing surface 29, 27 and being fixed thereto by suitable securing means such as a nail 33. The shorter section limb 34 of each bracket 30,31 lies in an associated rebate 28, 26 and affords with the inner end portion of the longer limb 32, a Usection part.

To connect the two walls 20,21 together, first they are positioned as shown and then the connecting means 10 shown in Figure 2 is placed above the brackets 30, 31 and is moved downwardly so that initially the converging edges 1 6 engage the base parts 35 of the brackets 30, 31 to draw the walls into abutment, and then the parallel edges 18 engage the parts 35 which thus act as abutments to hold the walls connected together.

It will be appreciated that relative movement between the walls in a direction to disengage the surfaces 18 from their associated abutment surfaces 35 is prevented as follows.

In the case of movement of the wall 21 towards the wall 20 this is prevented as a result of abutment between the surfaces 23 of the wall 20 and the end 22 of the wall 21. In the case of movement of the wall 20 to the right in Figure 1 this is prevented as a result of abutment between its end surface 24 and the adjacent part of the limb 11 of the connecting means 10.

A plurality of pairs of brackets 30,31 and associated connecting means 10 are provided at spaced positions along the walls 21 and 20, for example four. To cover the edges of the walls and the connecting means, a flexible cover strip 40 is provided which has two limbs 41 mutually connected together and inclined to each other at right angles and having inturned end portions 42 which engage over the free ends of the longer limbs 32, of the brackets 30, 31. For convenience these ends may be inclined as shown in Figure 1 to facilitate engagement of the cover strip 40 wherewith.

Because of the configuration of the abutment between the walls, the limbs of the connecting means 10 are of unequal width as shown in Figures 1 and 2. If the walls are as shown in Figure 3 i.e. the rebates 28 and 26 are of unequal length, the limbs of the connecting means 10 need to be of equal length as shown in Figure 4.

Afurther alternative is shown in Figure 5 where the wall 21 has no rebate. In this case movement of the wall 20 to the right in Figure 5 is prevented by abutment with the bracket 31 and a screw S may be provided to secure the wall 20 to the bracket 31. A compressible strip is shown at C and screws 33' are used as securing means.

In all other respects the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4 and Figure 5 are the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the same reference numerals have been used to refer to corresponding parts.

Although in the above examples the wails 20, 21 have been described as being inclined at right angles, if desired the invention may be applied to walls inclined at an angle other than right angles.

For example, in the case of a hexagonal building the walls inclined at an angle of 1200 in which case the limbs 11 of the connecting means 10 would be inclined at the appropriate angle, for example 1 200 in the hexagonal case mentioned hereinbefore. Simiiarly the limbs 41 of the cover strip 40 would likewise be inclined at the same angle as the angle of the walls. Of course, if desired when the major part of the walls are not inclined at 900 the walls may be provided with edge portions which are inclined at 900 in which case securing means and a cover strip as illustrated in the figures would be used.

If desired the means for connecting together a wall and floor described in our co-pending application based on earlier application 34077/78 may be incorporated in a building embodying the connecting means of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connecting means for connecting together the walls of prefabricated building comprising a clip having a pair of limbs, the limbs being joined together along a line of intersection each limb having a cut-out part extending from adjacent said line of intersection over part of the width of the clip and from one end of the clip to an inner position intermediate its ends, each cut-out part defining an edge which extends inwardly from said one end to said inner position, each edge being spaced further from the line of intersection at said one end than at the inner position.

2. A connecting means according to Claim 1 wherein the limbs are planar and lie in the same plane.

3. A connecting means according to Claim 1 wherein the limbs are planar and lie in inclined planes.

4. A connecting means according to Claim 3 wherein the limbs are inclined at 900.

5. A connecting means according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the edges defined by the cut-out parts comprise a first pair of converging edges and a second pair of edges which are parallel to each other and which extend from the converging edges to the inner position of the cut-out part.

6. A prefabricated building in which at least two of the walls are connected together by at least one connecting means according to any one of the preceding claims and wherein the walls have connecting parts which extend parallel to the connecting means, the connecting parts each having abutment means which abut with at least a part of said edges to connect the walls together.

7. A prefabricated building according to Claim 6 wherein a plurality of connecting parts and connecting means are provided along each of the walls.

8. A prefabricated building according to Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the connecting parts each comprise a J-section bracket the longer limb of which overlies and is fixed to an outer surface of a wall adjacent the edge thereof and the shorter limb of which lies in a rebate formed in said surface of the wail.

9. A prefabricated building according to Claim 8 wherein the abutment means comprises the U section part of the J-section bracket, one of the limbs of the connecting means being received within the U-section part and abutting the base thereof.

10. A prefabricated building according to any one of the Claims 6 to 9 wherein a cover strip is provided to cover the connecting means.

11. A prefabricated building according to Claim 10 where dependant on Claim 8 wherein the cover strip comprises a pair of mutually inclined inter-connected limbs having inturned portions at their free edges which engage the free ends of the longer limb of the J-section brackets.

12. A connecting means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 3. A prefabricated building substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.