GB2116816A - Constructional kit - Google Patents

Abstract

A constructional kit comprises a plurality of elongate tubular members (1), and either a plurality of coupling members (2), each having holes (3, 4) at right angles to one another for receiving the tubular members, or a plurality of mounting brackets (6), each having a body portion (7) to allow attachment of the bracket to a supporting surface and at least one spigot (8, 9) projecting from the body portion to engage the tubular members. The kit may also comprise a base member (15) for supporting a plurality of tubular members (1), adaptor members (23) for securing the mounting brackets (6) to a support member 30, cap members (not shown) for closing the ends of the tubular members, and soil penetration members (also not shown) for facilitating the insertion of a structure formed from the kit in the soil. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Constructional kit This invention relates to constructional kits and integers thereof for constructing various structures especially, but not exclusively, horticultural structures such as trellises, cloches and fruit cages.

The invention provides a small number of parts or integers, which may be sold in various combinations as constructional kits to form a variety of useful structures. The integers allow a user flexibility of design and ease of construction, and are desirably manufactured as plastics mouldings or extrusions.

The first and basic integer is a tubular member of substantial length which in use is interconnected with other tubular members by at least one of the integers described below, so as to provide the desired structure.

The second integer is a coupling member provided with holes extending at right angles to one another and each adapted to receive a said tubular member, so that in use two tubular members can be interconnected to extend at right angles to one another. Conveniently the holes of the coupling members are formed as sleeves. Preferably the holes of the coupling member and the tubular member are adapted to prevent relative rotation when engaged with each other. The coupling member and tubular member may be suitably adapted by providing a tubular member of generally square outer cross-section and providing the holes of generally square cross-section.

The third integer is a mounting bracket for fixing a structure formed from the constructional kit, to a supporting surface, e.g. a wall, comprising a body portion adapted to allow attachment of a mounting bracket to a supporting surface and at least one spigot member projecting from the body portion and adapted to internally engage the tubular member. The body portion may be suitably adapted by providing therein a through hole for receiving a fixing screw or the like so that in use a mounting bracket can be positioned as desired on a surface, a screw inserted into the screw hole and screwed into the surface until the head of the screw engages the body portion of the mounting bracket.It may be desirable to prevent relative rotation of the mounting bracket and tubular members engaging the spigot(s) thereof and this can be suitably achieved by providing tubular members of generally square internal cross-section and adapting the spigots for cooperating nonrotational engagement.

The fourth integer is a base member for fixing at least two tubular members to a surface e.g. a wall so that, at least initially, the at least two tubular members extend in generally the same direction, comprising a mounting portion adapted to allow the base member to be fixed to a surface and a tubular member receiving portion having a plurality of sockets for respectively receiving an end of a tubular member. Preferably the receiving portion of a base member comprises a plurality of sockets arranged so that when the base member is fixed to a surface tubular members received by the sockets may extend at least initially generally vertically front the base member.

The fifth integer is an adaptor member whereby a mounting bracket may readily be secured to a slotted structural member of an aluminium green house, comprising a spigot portion adapted to engage within a tubular body portion of a mounting bracket, and a slot engaging portion adapted to be insertable into a slot in a greenhouse structural member and to be rotated therein to engage with and locate in the member. Thus in use an adaptor member may be located in a structural member and the mounting bracket secured to and located on the adaptor. The adaptor member thus allows for use of the mounting brackets and thus other of the above mentioned integers in an aluminium greenhouse without requiring drilling and screwing to the structural members of the greenhouse.

The sixth integer is a cap member having a spigot portion adapted to internally engage one of said tubular members and a flange portion to close the open end of the tubular member, thus preventing the ingress of moisture and insects.

The seventh integer is a soil penetration member having a spigot portion adapted to internally engage one of said tubular members and a tapered portion adapted to penetrate soil. The use of this integer permits tubular members to be securely positioned substantially upright in the soil. A flange for closing the open end of the tubular member may be provided between the spigot portion and the tapered portion.

As has been stated the integers of the invention may be combined in variety of ways to provide useful structures. A number of the structures which may be produced will now be described in general terms, but are not to be regarded as limiting.

By using the three tubular members, together with two coupling members, its possible to construct a part structure comprising a cross member with two substantially parallel legs. Two such sub-structures may be joined together by using two further tubular members of equal length to provide a structure which is generally rectangular and has four substantially parallel legs and this may be used, with suitable covering, to form a garden cloche. For such a use it is preferable that the tubular members and the coupling members are joined in non-rotational engagement to provide suitable rigidity which may be enhanced by using a suitable adhesive to secure the members together.

A trellis structure may be formed by suitablity combining a plurality of tubular members with a plurality of coupling members in a grid formation. Mounting brackets having alignment spigots may be positioned in the trellis structure between linearly disposed tubular members and the trellis structure may then be screwed to a wall by use of the mounting brackets. It may be desirable again, to fix the constituent members of the structure together by suitable adhesive though for temporary structures this may not prove necessary.

A fan shaped supporting structure for plants may be suitably provided on a wall by using a base member in conjunction with a plurality of tubular members, which should be slightly flexible, and a number of mounting brackets.

The ends of a number of tubular members can be inserted into the sockets in the base member and the base member mounted on the wall, the spigots of mounting brackets can then be inserted in the other ends of the tubular members and the tubular members splayed apart to form a fan shape and secured in position by fixing the mounting brackets to the wall. Further tubular members may be attached to the mounted brackets and these further tubular members attached to the wall be means of further mounting brackets.

By using a number of adaptor members in conjunction with a number of mounting brackets, tubular members may be mounted inside a greenhouse either to form simple horizontal supports or to form a trellis structure by additionally using a number of coupling members.

Free-standing frameworks can be asembled from tubular members and coupling members; vertical tubular members or tubular members inclined relative to the vertical being provided with soil penetration members.

Cap members can be used as required to close exposed open ends of the tubular members.

It will be readily appreciated that the integers of the invention, and constructional kits of various combinations thereof, allow for great flexibility and ease of construction since a limited number of different integers are provided which can be arranged in a large variety of ways.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded view showing preferred forms of integers according to the invention and the manner in which they engage with other integers; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a possible method of construction of the corner of a cloche using some of the integers of the invention; Figure 3a is a sketch view of a trellis structure made from various integers of the invention; Figure 3b shows a fan-shaped structure for supporting a plant, made from various integers of the invention; Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an adaptor member and mounting bracket in use in conjunction with a structural member of an aluminium greenhouse; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Figure 6 is a perspective exploded view showing a tubular member in conjunction with further integers of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the first integer is a tubular member 1 of substantially square internal and external cross-section. Each tubular member is formed from extruded PVC and has walls of sufficient thickness to make the tubular members generally rigid while giving a limited amount of flexibility. Since the tubular members are made of PVC they may be cut or sawn to any desired length.

The second integer is a cross-over coupling 2 which is provided with sleeve like holes 3 and 4 of square cross-section which extend at right angles, for slidingly receiving one of the tubular members 1. An adhesive injection hole 5 is provided in the cross-over coupling 2 where it forms a wall of the hole 3 so that, if desired, adhesive may be applied between one of the tubular members 1 and the crosscoupling 2. The hole 4 is internally ribbed to provide a friction fit with one of the tubular members 1 so that in use it is possible to semi-permanently position one of the tubular members 1 in the hole 4. The cross-over coupling is formed from ABS plastic by pressure moulding.

The third integer is a mounting bracket 6 (see also Fig. 4) which has a tubular body portion 7 closed at one end and from which project opposed aligned spigots 8 and 9. The closed end of the body portion 7 has a through hole 10 for receiving a screw 11 to allow attachment of the mounting bracket 6 to a wall. The closed end is recessed at 1 3 for receiving the head of the screw 11. A tubular section 12 of the body-portion serves to receive an adaptor member as hereinafter described. The screw 11 shown in Fig. 1 is of suitable length for engagement with the adaptor member as hereinafter described, and a longer screw than illustrated would be required to extend through the body portion 7 and engage with a wall. The spigots 8 and 9 are generally of I cross-section and are dimensioned to internally engage with the tubular members 1 with a friction fit. It will be appreciated that the provision of an I crosssection for the spigots 8 and 9 permits nonrotational engagement with the tubular members 1. The mounting bracket 6 is made from ABS plastic by pressure moulding.

The fourth integer is a base member 1 5 which has a mounting portion 1 6 provided with holes 1 7 for allowing the base member 1 5 to be fixed to a wall with screws, etc., and a tubular member receiving portion 1 8 projecting perpendicularly from mounting portion 1 6 and provided with depending sockets 1 9 for respectively receiving an end of one of the tubular members 1. The mounting portion 1 6 provides a generally flat surface for engagement with a wall and adjacent the fixing holes 1 7 is of increased thickness to there provide added strength.The sockets 1 9 are interconnected with the mounting portion 1 6 by strengthening ribs 20. The sockets 1 9 have a substantially square internal cross-section of dimension slightly greater than the external dimension of the tubular members 1 and are provided with a lower inwardly projecting lip 21 for engagement with the end of a tubular member 1 while a central aperture 22 allows for drainage. The base member 1 5 is formed from polypropylene.

Referring to Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the fifth integer is an adaptor member 23 for use in conjunction with the mounting bracket 6, and has a cylindrical spigot portion 24 for slidingly and rotatably engaging the tubular section 1 2 of the mounting bracket 6, a second cylindrical portion 25 provided with semi-arcuate extensions 26 and 27 for interlocking engagement with a slot in a structural support member 30 of an aluminium greenhouse, and interposed between the portions 24 and 25, a generally square cross-section portion 28 for engagement with a spanner or like device. A slot 29 for guiding a self tapping screw 11, is provided in the spigot portion 24.In use the extensions 26 and 27 of the adaptor member 23 are inserted (shown dotted in Fig. 5) into the slot 31 in the support member 30, a spanner fitted about the square cross-sectioned portion 28, and the adaptor member 23 rotated (anti-clockwise as shown in Fig. 5) so that the extrusions 26 and 27 engage with side walls of the slot of the support member 30, thus fixing the adaptor member 23 in position. The mounting bracket 6 may then be slid onto the spigot portion 24 and rotated to be in a desired attitude, a self tapping screw is then screwed into the adaptor member 22, guided by a slot 29, so that the mounting bracket 6 and adaptor member 23 are fixed together. Alternatively, the mounting bracket 6 may be positioned on the spigot portion 24 prior to the adaptor member 23 being fitted into the slotted support member.In this way a structure may be mounted in a greenhouse by fitting a number of adaptor members 23 to mounting brackets 6 provided in the structure and then fixing the adaptor members in place in the slotted support members.

Fig. 6 shows a sixth integer in the form of a cap member 33 having a spigot portion 34 of I-shaped cross-section similar to the spigot portion 9 of the bracket 6. The cap member 33 also has a flange portion 35 whose dimensions correspond to the outer dimensions of the tubular members 1. When the cap member is pressed into the open end of a tubular member, so that the flange makes contact with and hence closes the open end, the ingress of water or insects into the tubular member is prevented.

Fig. 6 also shows a seventh integer in the form of a soil penentration member 36. The soil penetration member 36 comprises a spigot portion 37, again of I-shaped cross-section, for engagement with the interior of a tubular member 1. The spigot 37 terminates at a flange portion 38 having the same dimensions, and serving the same function as, the flange 35 of the cap member 33. The soil penetration member 36 finally comprises a tapered portion 39 of cross-shaped cross-section, terminating in a rounded end.

Examples of structures which may be formed from these integers will now be described with particular reference to Figs. 2, 3a and 3b.

Fig. 2 shows an arrangement whereby three tubular members 1 may be mutually perpendicularly interconnected by means of two cross-over couplings 2. This arrangement can form, for example, one corner of a garden cloche; the other three corners having similar arrangements. For a cloche the generally vertical tubular member 1 a would be one of four legs and the other two tubular members 1 would form two sides of a generally rectangular arrangement of four tubular members. A suitable covering material e.g. polyethylene would then be supported by this structure.

The arrangement of Fig. 2 shows a number of important aspects of the use of the tubular members 1 and the cross-over couplings 2.

First, it is quite simple to form the mutually perpendicular arrangement of three tubular members by using two cross-over couplings and thus the basis for a wide variety of structures, and in particular free standing ones, is provided. Second, the tubular member 1 a, the load bearing leg of the cloche, is fitted into the internally ribbed hole 4a of cross-over coupling 2a, so that the tubular members 1 a is held in a frictional fit. It is, therefore, not necessary for the tubular member la to be glued in place unless the structure has to support a substantial weight. By thoughtful use of the cross-over couplings, using the internally ribbed hole 4 for engagement with vertically disposed tubular members, it may not be necessary to glue the parts of the structure together.However, if it does prove necessary, the provision of the internally ribbed hole 4 allows for ease of construction prior to glueing: the cross-over coupling can be positioned on one tubular member by use of the ribbed hole 4 and then glued in place on another tubular member by applying adhesive in the adhesive injection hole 5. If it is desired to glue the tubular member in the ribbed hole 4 in position, the tubular member can be moved slightly, adhesive applied, and the tubular member then repositioned.

Since the tubular members are made of PVC and the cross-over couplings, and other integers, are made of ABS plastic they are well suited to being bonded together by suitable adhesives, for example cyanoacrylate ester adhesives.

Fig. 3a shows the use of tubular members 1, cross-over couplings 2, and mounting brackets 6 to form a trellis structure for mounting on a wall. The tubular members and the cross-over couplings are formed into a lattice structure in a similar manner to that described for the cloche corner, with the mounting brackets 6 interposed between and in interlocking engagement with lengths of the tubular members 1. As with the cross-over couplings the mounting brackets 6 may be glued in place with suitable adhesive. The trellis structure is mounted on a wall by means of the brackets 6 and suitable screws.

Fig. 3b shows the use of the base member 1 5 in conjunction with tubular members 1 and mounting brackets 6 to form a fan-shaped supporting structure for a plant. The structure may be built by first glueing a number of lengths of the tubular member 1 in place in the sockets 1 9 of the base member 1 5 with a suitable adhesive. The base member 1 5 can be then fixed to a wall by screws passing through the holes 1 7. The lengths of tubular members 1 can then be slightly splayed apart and fixed in position by means of mounting brackets 6a inserted in the ends of the tubular members 1 and screwed to the wall.Further lengths of the tubular member 1 can then be fitted on to the mounting brackets 6a, the further lengths of the tubular member splayed apart and fixed in position by means of further mounting brackets 6b. The mounting brackets 6a, 6b may be glued to the tubular members 1 if desired.

Although the structure shown in Fig. 3b has a base member 1 5 receiving five lengths of the tubular member 1 it will be appreciated that any number of lengths of the tubular members, up to five, could be received or the base member, which is made of ABS plastic, could be cut or sawn to provide a fewer number of adjacent sockets 1 9.

The use of the adaptor member 23 to attach the mounting bracket 6 to a structural member of an aluminium greenhouse has already been described, and it will now be readily apparent that a wide range of structures could thus be mounted in the greenhouse. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement with tubular members 1 extending generally vertically. Horizontal tubular members could be provided by using cross-over couplings. Alternatively, since the attitude of the mounting bracket is pre-settable prior to it being fixed in position by the self tapping screw 11, the mounting bracket may be set with the spigots 8 and 9 generally horizontal, to support horizontally extending tubular members. If desired vertically extending tubular members could then be attached to the horizontal tubular members by means of cross-over couplings.

In general, the integers according to the invention can be arranged to provide a large variety of useful structures. These structures may be temporary or, if the integers are glued together, permanent. Strong bonding between the tubular members and the other integers is possible using suitable adhesive and a facilitated by the tubular members being made of PVC and the other integers being made of ABS plastic. For some uses, e.g. in a greenhouse, where high light levels are encountered it may be appropriate to use tubular members made from PVC with resistance to attack from ultra-violet light and enhanced high temperature performance.

Constructional kits according to the invention comprise tubular members together with any one or more of the following namely coupling members, base members and mounting brackets with or without mounting bracket adaptors.

Claims (11)

1. A constructional kit comprising a plurality of elongate tubular members and at least one of the following: (a) a plurality of coupling members, each coupling member having holes at right angles to one another, each hole being adapted to receive one of said tubular members; and (b) a plurality of mounting brackets, each mounting bracket comprising a body portion to allow attachment of the mounting bracket to a supporting surface and at least one spigot member projecting from the body portion adapted to internally engage one of said tubular members.

2. A kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holes are formed as sleeves.

3. A kit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said tubular members have a noncircular outer cross-section and said holes are shaped so as to engage said tubular members without permitting rotation thereof.

4. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said body portion of the mounting bracket has a through hole therein for receiving a fixing screw or the like.

5. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said tubular members have a non-circular internal cross-section and said spigots are shaped so as to co-operate with said internal cross-section so as to prevent rotation of the tubular members.

6. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a base member having a mounting portion adapted to allow the base member to be fixed to a surface and a tubular member receiving portion having a plurality of sockets for respectively receiving an end of a tubular member.

7. A kit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sockets are substantially parallel.

8. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising at least one adaptor member having a spigot portion adapted to enter a tubular body portion of a mounting bracket and a slot engaging portion adapted to be insertable into a slotted structural member of a greenhouse and to be rotated therein to secure the adaptor member to said slotted member.

9. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising at least one cap member having a spigot portion adapted to internally engage one of said tubular members and a flange portion to close the open end of said tubular member.

10. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising at least one soil penetration member having a spigot portion adapted to internally engage one of said tubular members and a tapered portion adapted to penetrate soil.

11. A kit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each said mounting bracket comprises two opposed aligned spigot members.

1 2. A constructional kit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.