GB2092699A - Connecting elongate channel sections - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a coupler (30) having at least two and preferably three angularly spaced projections (32, 33, 34) each adapted to fit in an end of a respective channel section, such as between the limbs (6, 7) of a section (1). The device also comprises a transverse member (36) associated with each projection and having two ends (40) engageable in respective holes or as shown slots (41) in opposite sides (6, 7) of the channel section. The screw threaded means (37) is operable to draw the end of each projection towards a respective transverse member and the coupler into abutment with an end of the respective channel section. In order to hold each projection in its respective channel section, a retaining member (38) of channel-shaped section is associated with each projection and has a series of longitudinally extending serrations on each of its two sides for engagement with serrations on the limbs (6, 7). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for connecting together elongate channel sections This invention relates to a device for connecting together elongate channel sections.

According to the invention, the device comprises a coupler having a body and at least two angularly spaced projections extending from the body and each adapted to fit in an end of a respective channel section. a transverse member associated with each projection and having two ends engageable in respective holes or slots in opposite sides of the channel section so as to extend across the channel section and be held against movement in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the channel section, screwthreaded means associated with each projection and adapted to, in use,-extend through a respective transverse member in a direction normal to a line connecting the two ends of the transverse member, the screw-threaded means being operable, in use, to draw the end of each projection towards a respective transverse member and the body of the coupler into abutment with an end of a respective channel section, and a retaining member of channelshaped section associated with each projection and having two series of iongitudinally extending serrations on its two sides and engageable with serrations on the channel section to hold the projection in the channel section.

Preferably, each coupler has three projections extending at right angles to each other. In this case, the three projections may lie in a common plane, or alternatively, one of the projections may extend at right angles to the plane of the other two projections.

Preferably, the screw-threaded means comprises headed bolts, the free ends of which are screw-threaded and are engageable with complementary screw-threads formed in blind holes in the free ends of the projections.

Conveniently, each retaining member has two series of external serrations engageable with internal serrations on a respective channel section.

The device may be more particularly used for connecting together devices which are themselves used for joining panels (see British Patent Specification 2052004) and which each comprise first and second sections which, when connected together, provide recesses for receiving the edges of the panels, each section having at least two wall portions adapted to lie substantially parallel to the panels to be joined and a connection member between the wall portions, each connection member comprising two spaced limbs, the two limbs of said first section being adapted to be inserted into a recess formed between the two limbs of the second section and each limb of said first section being provided with a series of serrations engageable with a series of serrations provided on a respective one of said limbs of the second section, wherein the limbs of said second section, are substantially rigid and the limbs of said first section diverge before insertion and are resilient, so that upon insertion they are pressed together and cause their associated wall portions to be pushed into clamping contact with surfaces of the panels. In this case, preferably the two limbs of the second section constitute the sides of the channel section.

The invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded plan view of a device for joining panels, Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1, when assembled; Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 2 with the cover strip omitted for reasons of clarity; Figure 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a device according to the invention, with a device of Figures 1-3 joined thereto; Figure 5 is a plan view of a transverse member for use with the coupler of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 4.

Referring to Figures 1-3, the device shown therein comprises a single elongate outside section 1 and three inside sections 2, which are adapted to be connected to the section 1 in spaced relationship along the longitudinal extent of the section 1 - see particularly Figure 3. The outside section has two wall portions 3, 4 connected by a curved corner wall portion 5.

Extending parallel to each other from the wall portion 5 are two limbs 6, 7 which form therebetween a recess 8 and which are each provided with serrations 9 on their inner surfaces.

The wall portions 3, 4 are at right angles to one another, so that they lie parallel to panels at right angles to one another.

Each inner section 2 has wall portions 16, 17, also at right angles to one another, connected by an intermediate portion 1 8. Each inner section 2 has two limbs 11, 12 provided with serrations 1 3 on their outer surfaces. Each limb 11, 12 has a lead-in portion 14 to guide the limbs 11, 12 between the limbs 6, 7. It will be noted that the limbs 11, 12, diverge from each other slightly, e.g.

by an angle of 100.

Each section 2 has a pair of grooves 19, 20 formed at or adjacent the edges of the wall portions 1 6, 1 7 respectively remote from the limbs 11, 12. The grooves 19, 20 of the three sections 2 serve to support an elongate cover strip 21 which has adjacent each longitudinal edge an elongate flange 22, 23 engageable in a respective groove 19, 20 of each of the sections 2 and a cover portion 24, 25, which extends beyond the respective edge of each of the sections 2 (see particularly Figure 2).

The limbs 6, 7 of the section 1 are substantially rigid and the limbs 11, 12 of each section 2 are resilient so that when the limbs 11, 12 are inserted into the recess 8 formed between the limbs 6, 7 of the section 1 they are pressed together and cause their associated wall portions 16, 17 to be pushed towards the wall portions 3,4 respectively of the section 1 and thus into clamping contact with surfaces of the panels as will be described hereinafter.

The term "substantially rigid" is intended to encompass any construction of the limbs 6, 7 which renders the limbs 6, 7 undeformable or substantially undeformable as the resilient, diverging limbs 11, 12 are inserted into the recesses 8.

In a preferred embodiment, the material of which the section 1 is formed is less resilient than the material of which each section 2 is formed, e.g. section 1 may be formed of a metal such as aluminium and each section 2 may be formed of a plastics material. However, the sections 1 and 2 may be formed of the same material and the limbs 6,7 may have a greater dimension than the limbs 11, 12 in a direction parallel to the spacing between each pair of limbs or the limbs 6, 7 may be reinforced or they may be supported relative to a respective wall portion 3, 4.

In use of the device, panels 1 5 (see Figure 2) are positioned against the wall portions 3, 4, with their edges against inwardly extending projections 3t,4'. The edges of the panels will normally be cut off at right angles. While the panels 1 5 are held in this position, the limbs 11, 12 of each inside section 2 are inserted between the limbs 6, 7 of the outside section 1 so that the serrations 13 engage with the serrations 8. Each inside section 2 is pushed in as far as it will go, to reach the position shown in Figure 2. Because the limbs 11, 12 diverge and because the limbs 6, 7 are substantially rigid and the limbs 11, 12 are resilient, when the limbs 11, 1 2 are received between the parallel limbs 6, 7, they will be pressed towards one another.This will result in the wall portions 16, 17 moving in the direction of arrows 26, 27 so that they exert a clamping force on the panels 1 5.

As will be seen from Figure 3, the sections 2 are arranged in spaced relationship along the longitudinal extent of the section 1 and the elongate cover strip 21 is then fixed to the sections 2 by pressing the flanges 22, 23 into the respective grooves 1 9, 20, to give the joint a pleasing appearance.

The use of the interengageable serrations on the limbs of the section 1 and the section 2 renders the device capable of joining panels of various thickness, although each set of two panels so joined should be of equal thickness.

Referring now to Figure 4, the coupler 30 shown therein has a body 31 and three projections 32, 33 and 34 extending from the body 31 at right angles to each other. The projections 32 and 33 lie in a common plane whilst the projection 34 extends at right angles to the aforesaid plane. The coupler 30 is intended to form a corner joint of a cuboidal framework structure made up of the previously described devices and the body 31 has a shell portion 35 which when the joint is assembled joins the outer surfaces of three elongate outside sections 1 without any gaps therebetween.

The projections 32, 33 and 34 are of rectangular cross-section and each has an internal threaded blind hole 35 in its free end for a purpose which will become apparent later.

Each projection has a transverse member 36, a headed bolt 37 and a retaining member 38 associated therewith.

The transverse member has a cuboidal body 39 with a trunnion 40 at each of two opposite ends.

The body 39 has an aperture which extends therethrough normally to a line connecting the trunnions 40 and through which the free end of the headed bolt 38 can extend. The body 39 fits between the limbs 6 and 7 at the end of the outer section 1 and the trunnions 40 are engageable in respective slots 41 in the edges of the limbs 6 and 7 to hold the transverse member against movement in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the section 1.

The free end of the headed bolt 37 is screwthreaded and is engageable with the screw-thread of the blind hole 35.

Hence, to connect the coupler 30 to one of the outside sections 1, the projection 32 is fitted in the end of the section 1 between the limbs 6 and 7. The trunnions 40 of the transverse member are then fitted in the slots and the bolt 37 is inserted through the aperture in the transverse member and is threaded into the hole 35 initially until the head of the bolt engages the body 39 of the transverse member and then further until the body 31 of the coupler is drawn into engagement with the end of the outside section 1. It will be noted that the slots 41 slant towards the adjacent end of the outside section 1 as they extend inwardly and this is to assist in preventing the trunnions 40 slipping out of the slots 41 as the bolt 37 is tightened.

The retaining member 38 is of channel-shaped section and is similar to the inner- sections 2 but without the wall portions 1 6 and 1 7. The retaining member has two limbs 42 and 43 connected by an intermediate portion 44. Each limb 42, 43 is provided with longitudinally extending serrations 44 on its outer surface and has a lead-in portion 45. Preferably, limbs 42 and 43 diverge from each other slightly, e.g. by an angle of 10 before insertion and the retaining member 38 is formed of plastics.

The retaining member is inserted between the limbs 6 and 7 of the outside section so that the serrations 44 engage with the serrations 8, and at the end of the outside section between the transverse member 36 and the body 31 of the coupler 30. The retaining member is pushed in as far as it will go to reach the position shown in Figure 6. The projection 32 will be in the retaining member and hence, will be held in the end of the section 1.

The coupler is connected to two further outside sections 1 in similar manner.

Instead of a transverse member of the type described, the transverse member could be a bar or rod insertable in aligned apertures in the limbs 6 and 7 and having a transverse aperture.

Instead of an internally screw-threaded blind hole 35 in the free end of each projection, the free end of each projection could have an externally threaded stem which extends through the aperture in the transverse member, the free end of the stem engaging with a threaded nut.

The device could also be used to join three sections in a common plane and in this case the coupler will have three projections extending at right angles to each other in a common plane. An example of the type of section which such a coupler may join together is described with reference to Figure 4 of British Patent Specificiation No. 2052004.

Moreover, the device need only join together two sections and the projections of the coupler and, hence, the sections which the device is to join together need not extend at right angles to each other.

Finally, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a device for joining together sections of the type described above, but could be used to join together other channel sections.

Claims (12)

1. A device for connecting together elongate channel sections, comprising a coupler having at least two angularly spaced projections each adapted to fit in an end of a respective channel section, a transverse member associated with each projection and having two ends engageable in respective holes or slots in opposite sides of the channel section so as to extend across the channel section and be held against movement in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the channel section, screw-threaded means associated with each projection and adapted to, in use, extend through a respective transverse member in a direction normal to a line connecting the two ends of the transverse member, the screw-threaded means being operable, in use, to draw the end of each projection towards a respective transverse member and the coupler into abutment with an end of a respective channel section, and a retaining member of channel-shaped section associated with each projection and having a series of longitudinally extending serrations on each of its two sides and engageable with serrations on the channel section to hold the projection in the channel section.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupler has three projections extending at right angles to each other.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the three projections lie in a common plane.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein one of the projections extends at right angles to the plane of the other two projections.

5. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each transverse member is engageable in respective slots in opposite sides of the channel section and wherein the slots slant towards the adjacent end of the channel section as they extend towards the inner end of the channel section.

6. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the screw threaded means comprises headed bolts, the free ends of which are screw-threaded and are engageable with complementary screw-threads formed in blind holes in the free ends of the projections.

7. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each retaining member has external serrations engageable with internal serrations on a respective channel section.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the two sides of the retaining member diverge slightly with respect to each other before insertion.

9. The device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining member is of plastics material.

10. The device of any one of the preceding claims and connecting together devices which are themselves used for joining panels and which each comprises first and second sections which, when connected together, provide recesses for receiving the edges of the panels, each section having at least two wall portions adapted to lie substantially parallel to the panels to be joined and a connection member between the wall portions, each connection member comprising two spaced limbs, the two limbs of said first section being adapted to be inserted into a recess formed between the two limbs of the second section and each limb of said first section being provided with a series of serrations engageable with a series of serrations provided on a respective one of said limbs of the second section, wherein the limbs of said second section, are substantially rigid and the limbs of said first section diverge before insertion and are resilient, so that upon insertion they are pressed together and cause their associated wall portions to be pushed into clamping contact with surfaces of the panels.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the two limbs of the second section constitute the sides of the channel section.

12. A device for connecting together elongate channel sections, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 4-6 of the accompanying drawings.