GB2174783A

GB2174783A - Jointing system

Info

Publication number: GB2174783A
Application number: GB08610188A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Keith Gregory
Original assignee: Abacus Municipal Ltd
Current assignee: Abacus Municipal Ltd
Priority date: 1985-05-01
Filing date: 1986-04-25
Publication date: 1986-11-12
Also published as: GB8610188D0

Abstract

Two members 10, 11 are joined together without the need for tools by first inserting a lug 12 on the member 10 through a wide part 22 of an aperture 20 in the member 11, and then sliding the member 10 sideways to engage the lug 12 with the end of an elongate portion 21 of the aperture and to locate ears 18 on the lug 12 behind a side face of the member 11. A further lug 13 on the member 10 can then be engaged with a further portion 23 of the aperture 20 in the member 11 to hold the parts firmly together. The portions of the aperture 20 may form a single aperture of two separate apertures. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Jointing systems This invention relates to a jointing system, and has as its object the provision of such a system which can be assembled easily on-site without the need for any tools and which preferably also results in the joint itself being concealed to give a neat structural appearance.

According to the present invention, such a jointing system comprises a first member having first and second spaced lugs thereon, and a second member having therein aperture means which is composed of first and second portions for receiving the first and second lugs respectively, the first lug comprising a stem and at least one ear extending laterally therefrom, the first portion of the aperture means comprising an elongate aperture extending away from the second portion and at least one slot extending laterally from said elongate aperture for receiving said at least one ear therethrough, the second lug and the second portion of the aperture means being shaped so as to be mutually engageable by means of a snap fit.

Preferably, said at least one laterally extending slot is formed at an end of said elongate aperture adjacent to the second portion of the aperture means.

The second portion of the aperture means may either be separated from or form a continuation of the first portion thereof.

In one embodiment, the first and second lugs are formed respectively as extensions of adjacent side faces of the first member, this being particularly applicable where the first member is of angle section. In this case, the second portion of the aperture means may be generally rectangular with its longer dimension extending in the direction of the elongate aperture.

In an alternative ambodiment, principally where the first member is of hollow or channel section, the first and second lugs are formed respectively as extensions of opposite side faces of the first member.

Desirably, the first lug has two such ears extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions, and the first portion of the aperture means correspondingly has two slots extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions.

Conveniently, the second lug is kinked so as to provide said snap engagement with the second portion of the aperture means.

In a particular example of the invention, the second member has two adjacent side faces which are each provided with such aperture means at closely adjacent locations so that two such first members can be joined to said side faces respectively with the first lug on one first member overlapping the second lug on the other first member, and said first lug is recessed at an end thereof remote from the first member to accommodate said second lug therein.

The jointing system is particularly applicable e.g.

to structures wherein the first member is generally horizontal and the second member is generally vertical, such as in scaffolding or in public utility structures such as fencing and shelters.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a jointing system according to the present invention, with part thereof cut away for clarity; Figures 2 and 3 are sectional plan views illustrating a method of assembling the jointing system of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 1 but showing a second embodiment of a jointing system according to the present invention; Figure 5 is also a similar view to Figure 1 but showing a third embodiment of a jointing system according to the present invention; Figure 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of the jointing system shown in Figure 5 when assembled; Figure 7 is a sectional plan view showing a part of Figure 6 in greater detail;; Figure 8 is a side view, partly in section, of a further embodiment of a jointing system according to the present invention; and Figure 9 is a plan view, partly in section, of a still further embodiment of a jointing system according to the present invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, the jointing system shown therein comprises a first member 10 and a second member 11 which are intended to be joined together. As illustrated, the member 10 is generally horizontal and the member 11 is generally vertical but the invention is of course applicable to any desired orientation of these components. As an end thereof, the member 10 is provided with a first lug 12 of generally T-shaped configuration and a second lug 13 which is kinked firstly outwardly and then inwardly at 14, these lugs respectively forming extensions of opposite side faces 15 and 16 of the member 10 which is of hollow rectangular sections. More particularly, the T-shaped lug 12 comprises a stem 17 and a pair of ears 18 which extend laterally in opposite directions from an end of the stem 17 remote from the member 10 proper.A slot 19 is thus defined between each ear 18 and the end of the member 10.

The member 11 has formed in one face thereof aperture means in the form of a cruciform hole 20.

A first portion of the hole 20 is intended to receive the T-shaped lug 12 and comprises an elongate aperture 21 having two slots 22 extending laterally in opposite directions therefrom at one end thereof. A second portion of the hole 20 comprises an aperture 23 designed to receive the kinked lug 13 and which forms an extension of the aperture 21, although this need not necessarily be the case, i.e.

the aperture 23 could be completely separated from the aperture 21 as indicated in broken lines at 24.

In order to assemble the two members 10 and 11 together, the member 10 is tilted slightly in a horizontal plane so that it can be offered up to the hole 20 and passed through the slots 22 as depicted in Figure 2. For this purpose, the width of the hole 20 at the slots 22 must be greater than the maximum dimension of the lug 12 at the ears 18, but preferably this width does not exceed the overall vertical dimension of the member 10 so that the slots 22 will not be visible in the completed joint. In order to facilitate insertion of the T-shaped lug 12 through the hole 20, the lug may be inclined slightly relative to the associated side face 15 of the member 10 (as illustrated), although this is by no means essential.This slots 19 in the lug 12 are thus aligned with the edges of the slots 22 in the member 11, so that the member 10 can then be moved in the direction of arrow A in Figure 2 to bring the lug 12 into engagement with the end of the elongate aperture 21. In order for this to happen, the width w of the stem 17 of lug 12 must of course be less than the width x of the aperture 21.

To complete the assembly operation, the whole member 10 is turned in a horizontal plane (as indicated by arrow B in Figure 3) to bring the kinked lug 13 through the aperture 23, whereby the kink 14 in the lug becomes snap-engaged with the edge of the aperture 23. The distance y between the two lugs 12 and 13 is chosen to be the same as the overall length z of the hole 20 so that the lugs are then firmly held against the respective ends of that hole, this holding effect being assisted by the slight resilience of the outwardly inclined lug 12.

Furthermore, withdrawal of the member 10 directly away from the member 11 is prevented by the ears 18 on lug 12 having become located behind the face of the member 11. Therefore, the members 10 and 11 are firmly locked together.

in the above embodiment, the member 11 has been shown with a single hole 20 in one side face thereof. However, it is to be appreciated that the member can be provided with as many such holes as are needed to enable the desired number of members 10 to be joined thereto. Thus, two or more holes 20 can be provided at spaced intervals along the length of the side face, and moreover holes 20 can be formed in more than one of the side faces of the member 11.

It will be manifest that assembly of the joint is performed without the need to use any tools, and moreover in the finished joint the lugs 12, 13 and the hole 20 are completely hidden so that a very neat appearance is achieved.

In the embodiment described above, the members 10, 11 are both made of metal and the lugs 12, 13 are formed as integral extensions of the member 10. The invention can however be applied to members made of other materials. For example, in the case of wood the lugs 12, 13 can be provided as prefabricated metal components which are simply secured to either side of the member, and the hole 12 can be formed in a metal plate which is secured over a recess rebated into the body of the member 11.

The above-described embodiment is particularly applicable where the member 10 (and indeed the member 11 as well) is of hollow or channel section. Figure 4 depicts an alternative arrangement for use principally where the member 10 at least is of angle section. As in the previous embodiment, a T-shaped lug 12 is formed as an extension of one side face 15 of the member 10, but the lug 13 is now replaced by a lug 25 formed as an extension of the adjacent side face 26 of the member 10. As with the lug 13, the lug 25 is kinked firstly outwardly and then inwardly again. The aperture means in the member 11 still comprises an elongate aperture 21 having lateral slots 22 for receiving the lug 12, but the aperture 23 is now moved to a position where it can receive the lug 25.Preferably, both the lug 25 and the aperture 23 are of rectangular configuration with the aperture 23 extending in the same direction as the elongate aperture 21, but a simple square configuration could be employed instead, if desired.

If it is desired to join two or more members 10 at the same level to adjacent side faces of the member 11, for example at a corner of a structure, then the system shown in Figures 5 to 7 is advantageously employed, particularly where the member 11 is of relatively small dimensions. Referring first to Figure 5, the lug 12 is modified so that its stem 17 is much wider and so that a recess 27 is formed in an end of the stem remote from the member 10 proper. For reasons which will become apparent, the width p of the recess is slightly larger than the width qofthe kinked lug 13. In order to accommodate the stem 17, the elongate slot 21 is also increased in width.

Referring now also to Figures 6 and 7, when the two members 10 are joined to the member 11, the lug 12 on one member 10 overlaps the lug 13 on the other. However, these parts are prevented from obstructing each other by virtue of the provision of the recess 27, since the lug 13 is accommodated within this recess as can be seen to advantage in Figure 7.

In all of the above-mentioned embodiments, the lug 12 has been described as having two laterally extending ears 18, and the hole 20 has been correspondingly described as having two laterally extending slots 22. However, the invention can still be put into effect if the lug 12 and the hole 20 have only one ear 18 and one slot 22 respectively, although the provision of two such items does of course increase the secureness of the finished joint.

The or each member 10 will of course be provided with similar lugs 12 and 13 or 25 at its opposite end for securement of the member 10 to another upright member 11 (not illustrated). However, because the member 10 is already locked in position, such securement will be performed by manipulating the said other member 11 rather than by moving the member 10 itself.

in the previous embodiments, the member 10 has been shown as joining the member 11 at rightangles in both a horizontal and a vertical plane.

However, it will be manifest that the jointing system of the invention is equally applicable to situations wherein this is not the case. For example, Figure 8 shows an arrangement wherein two members 10 are joined to an intervening member 11 at an angle in a vertical plane, such as would be suit able for use in a fence on a slope or in railings on a set of steps. In this case, the ends of the vertical side faces of each member 10 are angled corresponding to the desired angle of inclination of the member 10 in the finished structure, and the lugs 12, 13 extend from the resultant angled edges. Figure 9 on the other hand shows an arrangement wherein two members 10 are connected to a member 11 at an angle in a horizontal plane. The ends of the horizontal side faces of each member 10 are now angled correspondingly to the desired angle of inclination so that the lugs 12, 13 are situated at staggered locations along the length of the member 10.

From the above description, it will be manifest that the jointing system of the present invention can be used in a wide variety of structures, some examples being scaffolding, fencing, and bus shelters. Moreover, the joint can be assembled without any need for tools, and needs no particular knowledge or skill on the part of the person(s) performing the assembly operation. Also, as mentioned previously, the relative dimensions of the various parts can be chosen so that the joint is completely concealed in the finished structure.

Claims

1. A jointing system comprising a first member having first and second spaced lugs thereon, and a second member having therein aperture means which is composed of first and second portions for receiving the first and second lugs respectively, the first lug comprising a stem and at least one ear extending laterally therefrom, the first portion of the aperture means comprising an elongate aperture extending away from the second portion and at least one slot extending laterally from said elongate aperture for receiving said at least one ear therethrough, the second lug and the second portion of the aperture means being shaped so as to be mutualiy engageable by means of a snap fit.

2. A jointing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one laterally extending slot is formed at an end of said elongate aperture adjacent to the second portion of the aperture means.

3. A jointing system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second portion of the aperture means is separated from the first portion thereof.

4. A jointing system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second portion of the aperture means is formed as a continuation of the first portion thereof.

5. A jointing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second lugs are formed respectively as extensions of adjacent side faces of the first member.

6. A jointing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first member is of angle section.

7. A jointing system as claimed in claim 5 of 6, wherein the second portion of the aperture means is generally rectangular and has its longer dimension extending in the direction of said elongate aperture.

8. A jointing system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first member is of hollow or channel section, and the first and second lugs are formed respectively as extensions of opposite side faces thereof.

9. A jointing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first lug has two such ears extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions, and the first portion of the aperture means correspondingly has two slots extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions.

10. A jointing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first member is disposed generally horizontally and the second member is disposed generally vertically.

11. A jointing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second lug is kinked so as to provide said snap engagement with the second portion of the aperture means.

12. A jointing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second member has at least two adjacent side faces which are each provided with such aperture means at closely adjacent locations so that at least two such first members can be joined to said side faces respectively with the first lug on one first member overlapping the second lug on another first member, and said first lug is recessed at an end thereof remote from the first member to accommodate said second lug therein.

13. A jointing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the stem of the first lug is wider than the second lug, and the elongate aperture is correspondingly wider than the second portion of the aperture means.

14. A jointing system substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, or Figure 4, or Figures 5, 6 and 7 or Figure 8 or Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.