GB2160907A - Improvements relating to partitions - Google Patents

Abstract

A partition assembly comprises panels (12, 12') supported by generally vertical posts (11, 11') and generally horizontal transoms (111). Adjacent posts (11, 11') attached to adjacent edges of horizontally-adjacent panels (12, 12') are connected together by connecting plates (10) each having two outer portions (21, 21') which are received in respective channels (17, 17') of the posts (11, 11') and retained therein by biting engagement of projections (20, 20') on said outer portions (21, 21') with the posts (11, 11'). A transom (111) is connected to one of said posts (11) by connecting screws (110) which pass through apertures (40) in the post (11) and are received in respective channels (117) formed between pairs of ribs (214) on the transom (111), the screws (110) bitingly engaging the channels (117). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to partitions Description of Invention This invention relates to partitions of the kind which are erected in offices, shops, factories and other such places, comprising a plurality of panels and support members therefor.

Conventional such partitions comprise generally upright support members (i.e.

posts), horizontally adjacent panels being connected together by connection means, for example one or more connecting plates, acting between channels on two such posts which are respectively attached to adjacent edges of the respective panels.

It has been suggested to provide each post with a respective centrally located series of parallel ribs against which a conventional connecting plate may bite in order to remain in a retained position on the post or posts, but unfortunately, such centrally located ribs have proved to be not wholly satisfactory.

Conventional such partitions may comprise, in addition to generally upright support members (i.e. posts), one or more generally horizontal support members (i.e. transoms) extending between two posts situated at respctive opposite ends of a given panel so as to connect together those posts and also serve to edge the panel and/or divide the region between the posts into cells each capable of accommodating a respective panel.

Conventionally, ends of the transoms are connected to the posts using brackets which are rivetted to end portions of the transoms and removably secured, for example using nuts and bolts, to the posts. The required rivetting and bolting operations can be unsatisfactorily time consuming.

It is an object of the invention to enable partitions to be provided which are stronger and/or more easily constructed than such conventional partitions.

According to the present invention, there is provided, in or for a partition comprising a plurality of panels and support members therefor, a connecting element suitable for use in connecting together two such members, the connecting element having lateral peripheral portions capable of bitingly engaging at least one of said members in order to connect together said members.

The invention also provides, in or for a partition comprising a plurality of panels and support members therefor, a support member capable of being bitingly engaged by lateral peripheral portions of a connecting element, in order to be connected, by such engagement with the connecting element, to another of the support members.

Such biting engagement preferably takes place due to rotation of the connecting element, and may take place at locations sufficiently far apart to enable a satisfactory torque to be provided for opposing unintentional rotation of the element away from its bitingly engaging position, thereby increasing the strength of the connection obtained and hence also the strength of the partition.

The support member capable of being bitingly engaged may be a transom, in which case the other support member to be connected thereto by the connecting element may be a post.

The support member capable of being bitingly engaged may comprise at least one hollow receiving formation, at least on an end portion thereof, which formation has side walls capable of being bitingly-engaged by the connecting element on receipt thereof in a region between the side walls.

Said region may be in the form a channel.

The side walls may be provided by a pair of upstanding ribs on the support member, outermost edge portions of the ribs being inclined towards each other so as partly to enclose said region.

Preferably said receiving region is suited to use of a self tapping screw as the connecting element, such that a threaded shank portion of the screw may be passed through an aperture in said other support member (e.g. a post) so as to protrude therefrom and be inserted longitudinally into said region, between the side walls, rotation of the screw causing lateral peripheral portions of the thread thereof to engage, and bite into, inwardly facing surfaces of the side walls, thereby connecting together the support member (e.g. a transom) and said other support member.

Such connection may be achieved in a far simpler, and less time consuming manner than has been possible conventionally.

The support member may be formed by extrusion (e.g. from aluminium), in which case said side walls may extend along the entire length thereof, such that wherever the extruded material is cut, the resultant support member will have a respective such receiving formation at each end thereof.

Alternatively or additionally, the support members capable of being connected by biting engagement of at least one of the members by a connecting element may be two adjacent posts which are respectively attached to adjacent edges of respective horizontally adjacent panels, in which case the connecting element may be in the form of a connecting plate having two outer portions spaced from each other by a central portion, each outer portion being retained, in the assembled partition, within a channel of a respective one of the posts, the partition being assembled by inserting the outer portions into the respective channels and then rotating the connecting plate into a position wherein it is so retained, at least one of the outer portions being pro vided with one or more peripheral projections at or near opposite lateral extremities thereof which, in use, engage and bite into a respective post.

Preferably, both outer portions are provided with such projections.

Preferably, the projections are provided so as to abut resilient portions of the posts. In this manner, both said biting, and forces due to the resilience of the resilient portions, aid retention of the outer portions in the posts, Conveniently, the connecting plate may be stamped from steel plate which is of sufficient thickness to render the plate more rigid than at least portions of the post engaged thereby in use.

Conventionally the posts are formed by extrusion from aluminium.

The connecting plate may be of increased extent, transversely to the outer portions, between central zones of the outer portions, thereby facilitating positioning of the plate in said channels by reducing initial frictional resitance to rotation of the plate into said position.

When using a connecting plate in accordance with the invention with posts extruded from aluminium, biting by the projections may occur satisfactorily for posts differing in relevant dimensions by, for example, as much as the height of the projections.

Thus in the case of posts and/or transoms formed by extrusion, although dies used for such extrusion tend to become worn by use, so as to cause slight progressive variations in the dimensions of successively extruded members, satisfactory retention of the connecting element may continue to be obtainable by virtue of said biting engagement.

The invention also provides, in or for a partition of the kind comprising generally upright posts which support panels and wherein two panels are connected together by one or more connecting plates acting between two such posts which are respectively attached to adjacent edges of the respective panels, each connecting plate comprising two outer portions spaced from each other by a central portion, each outer portion being retained, in the assembled partition, within a channel of a respective one of the posts, the partition being assembled by inserting the outer portions into the respective channels and then rotating the connecting plate into a position wherein it is so retained, a connecting plate wherein at least one of the outer portions is provided with one or more projections at or near opposite lateral extremities thereof.

One partition assembly in which the invention is embodied will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional plan view of a portion of said partition assembly including connecting means embodying the invention, said connecting means being used to connect together two generally upright support members (i.e. posts) of the partition assembly; Figure 2 is a perspective view, from below, to a smaller scale than Fig. 1, of a further portion of said partition assembly, including a generally horizontal support member (i.e. transom) embodying the invention, the transom being connected to one of the posts by further connecting means; and Figure 3 is a partly cross-sectional, partly cut-away plan view, from below, to a larger scale than Fig. 1, of said further portion, in the direction of the arrow 111 shown in Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, connecting means embodying the invention comprises a connecting element in the form of a plate 10 which is used to connect together two posts 11 and 11' of the partition assembly, the posts 11 and 11' being respectively attached to partition panels 1 2 and 12' to form the partition assembly.

The posts 11 and 11' comprise respective back portions 1 3 and 13' which engage the panels 1 2 and 12' respectively. The posts 11 and 11' further comprise respective pairs of side portions 14, 14 and 14', 14' and respective pairs of flanges 15, 1 5 and 15', 15' extending inwardly from the respective side portions, thereby defining channels 1 7 and 17' which are partly enclosed by the posts 11 and 11' respectively.

The connecting plate 10 comprises a first outer portion 21 with two lateral extremities 19 and a second outer portion 21', spaced from the first outer portion 21, with two lateral extremities 19', the outer portions 21 and 21' being integrally formed with a central portion 1 8 of the plate 1 0.

Each lateral extremity 1 9 is provided with a respective peripheral projection 20, and each lateral extremity 19' is provided with a respective peripheral projection 20'.

In the use of the plate 10 to connect together the panels 1 2 and 12', the posts 11 and 11' are first engaged with the panels 1 2 and 12', with a gap substantially equal to the transverse extent of the plate 10 between the back portions 1 3 and 13' of the respective posts 11 and 11'. The connecting plate 10 is then inserted between the posts 11 and 11' inclined at an angle thereto, and moved so that the first outer portion 21 is received by the channel 17, and the second outer portion 21' is received by the channel 17', until a central axis A of the plate 10 lies substantially normal to the back portions 1 3 and 13'. The plate 10 is then rotated substantially about the axis A into the position shown in the drawing, wherein the projections 20 bite into respective rear surfaces 1 6 of the flanges 15, and the projections 20' bite into respective rear surfaces 16' of the flanges 15', thereby causing retention of the plate 10 in the position shown in the drawing, so as to connect together the posts 11 and 11' and hence also the panels 12 and 12'.

The posts 11 and 11' are extruded from aluminium, and, in addition to said biting, resilience of their flanges 1 5 and 15' and their side portions 14 and 14' aids retention of the plate 10 in said position. The plate 10 is stamped from steel plate and is of sufficient thickness to be rendered more rigid than at least the flanges 1 6 and 16' engaged by the plate 10 in use.

The transverse extent of the plate 10 has its greatest value between central zones of the outer portions 21 and 21' in order to facilitate positioning of the plate 10 between the posts 11 and 11' by ensuring that no significant frictional torque results from contact of the plate 10 with the back portions 1 3 and 13' during intial rotation of the plate 10 towards the position shown in the drawing.

Since the projections 20 are widely separated, and since the projections 20' are also widely separated, by virtue of being on opposite lateral extremities of the respective outer portions 21 and 21', said biting by the projections 20 and/or the projections 20' is capable of satisfactorily providing a frictional torque sufficient to prevent unintentional rotation of the plate 10 away from the position shown in the drawing, thereby ensuring that, at least under normal conditions of use, the posts 11 and 11' remain connected together by the plate 1 0.

Although preferred locations for the projections 20 and 20' on the plate 10 are shown in the drawing, such projections could, alternatively or additionally, be provided at different locations on the extremities 1 9 and/or 19', for example so as to bite into the side portions 14 and 14' and/or the back portions 1 3 and 13', whilst remaining sufficiently far apart to be capable of providing a satisfactory frictional torque unintentional rotation of the plate 10.

In order to conceal the connecting plate 10 and the channels 1 7 and 17' from view in the assembled partition, two cover strips 30 are inserted between the posts 11 and 11', between the flanges 1 5 and 15', one of the cover strips 30 being inserted on each side of the partition assembly, the cover strips 30 being held in position relative to the flanges 1 5 and 15' by interfitting formations.

Dies used for extruding posts such as the posts 11 and 11' tend to become worn by use, so as to cause slight progressive variations in the dimensions of successively extruded posts. However, when a connecting plate such as the plate 10 is retained in the posts by a biting action by projections formed on the plate, such biting may occur satisfactorily for variations in relevant post dimensions up to at least the height of the projections.

The posts could alternatively be formed wholly or partially from sheet steel which is preferably softer and/or thinner than the steel plate from which the plate 10 is stamped, the sheet being bent into shape to form the posts or parts thereof.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the partition assembly further comprises a transom 111 extending generally horizontally between the post 11 and another post (not shown) engaged with the opposite edge (not shown) of the panel 1 2. The transom 111 is connected at its respective opposite ends to the post 11 and to said other post (as will hereinafter be described in relation to the post 11) so as to connect these posts together, and serves as a lower edging member for the panel 1 2 and divides the region between the post 11 and said other post into two cells each capable of accommodating a respective panel (a further panel-not shown-could, for example, be received against the post 11, and against the underside of the transom 111).

The transom 111 is extruded from aluminium and comprises a web portion 11 3 and side portions 11 4 which extend generally perpendicularly to the web portion 11 3 on either side thereof. The panel 1 2 engages the transom 111 between the side portions 114, above the web 11 3 (whilst such a further panel would be received below the web 113, between the side portions 114).The web 11 3 has formed thereon two pairs of inwardly located "upstanding" downwardly facing riblike side walls 214, each pair of walls 214 defining therebetween a respective hollow channel-like receiving region 11 7. Outermost edge portion (i.e. portions furthest from the web 11 3) of each pair of walls 214 are inclined towards each other so as partly to enclose each respective region 117.

Opposite ends of the transom 111 are connected in like manners to the respective posts on opposite edges of the panel 1 2 by further connecting means comprising further connecting elements in the form of self-tapping screws 110, as will now be described in detail in relation to the post 11.

In order to connect the transom 111 to the post 11, threaded shank portions 11 8 of the screws 110 are passed through respective apertures 40 in the back portion 1 3 of the post 11 so as to protrude from the back portion 13, and are inserted longitudinally into the regions 11 7 between the side walls 214, rotation of the screws 110 (about respective axes A' and A") subsequent to their receipt in the regions 11 7 causing peripheral edges 1 20 of laterally projecting thread portions 11 9 on the shank portions 11 8 to engage, and bite into, inwardly facing surfaces 11 6 of the side walls 214, thereby causing the screws 110 to be retained in the positions illustrated, so as to connect together the transom 111 and the post 11, in a manner which is far simpler than has been possible conventionally using techniques requiring brackets to be rivetted and bolted between support members.

When the screws 110 are so bitingly engaged, a sufficient torque may be provided on the edges 1 20 to oppose unintentional rotation of the screws 110 from their illustrated positions.

By virtue of formation of the transom 111 by extrusion, the side walls 214 extend along the entire length of the transom, so that wherever the extruded transom material is cut, the resultant transom will have receiving regions such as the regions 11 7 preformed at each end thereof.

The screws 110 are formed from steel, so as to be harder than the transom 11.

Since the screws 110 bite into the transom 111, wear of dies used for extruding such transoms has little effect on the strength of the connection obtainable between a transom such as the transom 111 and a post such as the post 11, using screws such as the screws 110.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (23)

1. In or for a partition comprising a plurality of panels and support members therefor, a connecting element suitable for use in connecting together two such members, the connecting element having lateral peripheral portions capable of bitingly engaging at least one of said members in order to connect together said members.

2. A connecting element according to Claim 1 wherein such biting engagement takes place due to rotation of the connecting element.

3. A connecting element according to Claim 2 wherein such biting engagement takes place at locations sufficiently far apart to enable a satisfactory torque to be provided for opposing unintentional rotation of the element away from its bitingly engaging postion.

4. A connecting element according to Claim 3 which is in the form of a connecting plate having two outer portions spaced from each other by a central portion, such that where the support members capable of being connected by the connecting element are two adjacent posts which are respectively attached to adjacent edges of respective horizontally adjacent panels, each such outer portion may be retained, in the assembled partition, within a channel of a respective one of the posts, the partition being assembled by inserting the outer portions into the respective channels and then rotating the connecting plate into a position wherein it is so retained, at least one of the outer portions being provided with one or more peripheral projections at or near opposite lateral extremities thereof which, in use, engage and bite into a respective post.

5. A connecting plate according to Claim 4 wherein both outer portions are provided with such projections.

6. A connecting plate according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the projections are provided so as to be capable of abutting resilient portions of the posts.

7. A connecting plate according to any one of Claims 4 to 6 which is stamped from steel plate of sufficient thickness to render the connecting plate more rigid than at least portions of the post engaged thereby in use.

8. A connecting plate according to any one of Claims 4 to 7 which is of increased extent, transversely to the outer portions, between central zones of the outer portions.

9. In or for a partition of the kind comprising generally upright posts which support panels and wherein two panels are connected together by one or more connecting plates acting between two such posts which are respectively attached to adjacent edges of the respective panels, each connecting plate comprising two outer portions spaced from each other by a central portion, each outer portion being retained, in the assembled partition, within a channel of a respective one of the posts, the partition being assembled by inserting the outer portions into the respective channels and then rotating the connecting plate into a position wherein it is so retained, a connecting plate wherein at least one of the outer portions is provided with one or more projections at or near opposite lateral extremities thereof.

10. A connecting plate according to Claim 9 which is also in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 8.

11. In or for a partition comprising a plurality of panels and support members therefor, a support member capable of being bitingly engaged by lateral peripheral portions of a connecting element, in order to be connected, by such engagement with the connecting element, to another of the support members.

1 2. A support member according to Claim 11 which is such that said biting engagement may take place due to rotation of the connecting element.

1 2. A support member according to Claim 11 which is such that said biting engagement may taken place due to rotation of the connecting element.

1 3. A support member according to Claim 1 2 which is such that said biting engagement may take place at locations sufficiently far apart to enable a satisfactory torque to be provided for opposing unintentional rotation of the element away from its bitingly engaging position.

14. A support member according to any one of Claims 11 to 1 3 which is suitable for use as a transom.

1 5. A support member according to any one of Claims 11 to 14 comprising at least one hollow receiving formation, at least on an end portion thereof, which formation has side walls capable of being bitingly engaged by the connecting element on receipt thereof in a region between the side walls.

16. A support member according to Claim 1 5 wherein said region is in the form of a channel.

1 7. A support member according to Claim 1 6 wherein the side walls are provided by a pair of upstanding ribs on the support member, outermost edge portions of the ribs being inclined towards each other so as partly to enclose said region.

1 8. A support member according to any one of Claims 1 5 to 1 7 wherein said receiving region is suited to use of a self-tapping screw as the connecting element, such that a threaded shank portion of the screw may be passed through an aperture in said other support member so as to protrude therefrom and be inserted longitudinally into said region, between the side walls, rotation of the screw causing lateral peripheral portions of the thread thereof to engage, and bite into, inwardly facing surfaces of the side walls, thereby connecting together the support member and said other support member.

1 9. A support member according to any one of Claims 11 to 1 8 which is formed by extrusion.

20. A support member according to Claim 1 9 which is formed from aluminium.

21. A connecting element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

22. A support member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.