GB2212588A

GB2212588A - An assembly of interconnected components

Info

Publication number: GB2212588A
Application number: GB8727258A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Jack Shepherd
Original assignee: UNILOCK HOLDINGS PLC
Current assignee: UNILOCK HOLDINGS PLC
Priority date: 1987-11-20
Filing date: 1987-11-20
Publication date: 1989-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 2007-11-20
Also published as: GB2212588B; GB8727258D0

Abstract

An assembly of interconnected components particularly comprising partitioning wall sections each assembled on site from two separate wall panels (2 and 6). Each component is provided with a plurality of similar fixing elements (14). The lugs (20) of the fixing elements (14) of abutting wall sections (e.g. 2 and 4) overlie one another and are located by a connector (24) with two interconnecting limbs (26, 28). The connector (24) also fixes together separate wall panels (2 and 6) to produce each complete wall section. The limbs (26, 28) of the connector (24) are of unequal length to assist assembly. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ASSEMBLY OF IN1 KCONNECTED COMPONENTS This invention relates to an assembly of interconnected components, and in particular to a partitioning assembly built up from individual partitioning wall sections.

Partitioning for offices and other premises is usually assembled from individual components which are manufactured in a factory and assembled on site.

Partitions are commonly of a twin-leaved construction.

In the past, twin-leaved wall sections have been delivered to site as assembled units. More recently, however, the individual leaves have been manufactured separately, to be connected together to form the twinleaved section only when the partitioning is erected on site. For practical purposes, it is desirable for the means used to interconnect the components to be quickly and easily installed, and to be releasable so that alterations to the partitioning installation can be made later. Also, it is desirable for the interconnection means to be concealed when installed.

According to the present invention there is provided an assembly of interconnected components which each have a projecting fixing element provided with a hole, two of the components being disposed with their fixing elements overlying one another and with the holes in those fixing elements in alignment with each other, the assembly further comprising a connector having two interconnected limbs, one of which is received in the aligned holes of the overlying fixing elements, and the other of which is received in the hole of a fixing element of a third one of the components.

In a preferred assembly in accordance with the present invention, there are four of the components, which comprise partitioning wall components. These wall components are disposed in two pairs, and the components of each pair lie generally in a common plane. This common plane is spaced from and parallel to the plane of the other pair of wall components.

The components of each pair are interconnected by a respective limb of the connector, while the two pairs of components are connected to each other by the interconnection between the limbs of the connector.

It is preferable for each component to have two superposed fixing elements which are spaced apart from each other. These fixing elements may be provided on a common attachment plate which is fixed to the components.

In order to provide rigidity to the assembly, the connector limbs are preferably a close fit in the holes in the fixing elements. Furthermore, it is preferable for the holes and the limbs to have cooperating shapes; for example, the limbs may have rectangular crosssections, with the holes also being rectangular. The free ends of the limbs may be tapered in order to make it easier for them to be inserted into the holes.

It is convenient for the limbs to be of unequal length. This enables one of the limbs to be inserted partially into the aligned holes of the fixing elements of two of the components, and subsequently for the fixing element of the third component, or the third and fourth components, to be presented to the other limb before the connector is driven home fully. The two limbs may be interconnected by a cross-member, in which case the connector will have a substantially J-shaped configuration.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view representing a connection between components of a partitioning installation; Figure 2 represents a connector used in the installation shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 represents a fixing element used in the assembly of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a sectional view representing the connection shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows, diagrammatically, a connection between four partitioning wall components in the form of panels. One of the panels is omitted from Figure 1 in order to improve clarity. The panels comprise first and second panels 2 and 4, which lie generally in a common plane, and a third wall panel 6, which lies in a plane spaced from and parallel to the plane of the panels 2 and 4. The fourth wall panel, not shown, lies in the same plane as the wall panel 6, opposite the wall component 4. Each of these wall panels are made from steel, although other materials, such as plasterboard, could be used.

The panels 2, 4 and 6 are connected, for example by riveting, to respective uprights 8, 10 and 12. Each upright is provided with a fixing element 14, which is shown in more detail in Figure 3. These fixing elements are formed from sheet steel, and are fixed by screws 16 to the respective uprights 8, 10 and 12.

Referring to Figure 3, each fixing element comprises an attachment plate 18, which is L-shaped in cross-section. Two lugs 20 are bent out of the plane of the attachment plate 18, so as to lie directly one above the other at different vertical positions. Each lug 20 has a rectangular hole 22.

The lugs 20 are disposed not quite centrally along the length of the attachment plate 18. Consequently, identical fixing elements 14 can be used on all of the uprights 8, 10, 12 and, although the attachment plates are situated in the same vertical positions along the uprights, the lugs 20 will be at slightly different vertical positions, so that the lugs 20 of one upright (for example the upright 8) will overlie the lugs 20 of the adjacent upright (for example the upright 10).

Thus, the panels can be regarded as being arranged in two pairs, one pair comprising the panels 2 and 4, and the other pair comprising the panel 6 and the panel which is not shown in Figure 1. The lugs 20 of each pair of panels overlie one another, with the holes 22 aligned.

A connector 24 is provided, which is shown in more detail in Figure 2. This connector comprises two limbs 26 and 28, of which the limb 26 is longer than the limb 28. These limbs are interconnected at one end by a cross-member 30, and their free ends are tapered. The limbs have a rectangular cross-section, corresponding to the shape of the holes 22.

As shown in Figure 4, the panels are interconnected by inserting the limbs 26 and 28 into the holes 22 of the respective overlying lugs 20.

Thus, the limb 26 serves to interconnect the pair of panels comprising the panel 6 and the panel which is not illustrated in Figure 1, while the limb 28 serves to interconnect the pair of panels comprising the panels 2 and 4. The two pairs of panels are thus interconnected by the cross-member 30, which extends between the limbs 26 and 28. The tapering of the ends of the limbs 26 and 28 assists the insertion of the connector 24 into the holes 22, even if they are not completely aligned.

Because the limb 26 is longer than the limb 28, it will engage the lugs 20 on its side of the partition installation before the limb 28 engages the other lugs.

As a result, it is possible to bring together the panel 6 and the panel which is not illustrated in Figure 1 and then to insert the limb 26 partially into the lugs 20 of those panels. Subsequently, the panels 2 and 4 can be brought together and positioned near the previously interconnected panels, after which the connector 24 can be driven fully home to engage the lugs 20 of the panels 2 and 4. This avoids the need to support all four panels independently in their correct positions before the connector 24 is inserted.

The connector 24 may be driven home by a suitable implement inserted between the two panels of each pair, for example between the panels 2 and 4. Once the connector 24 has been driven home fully, the gap 32 between these two panels 2 and 4 may be closed by a suitable sealing element engaging ribs 34. To separate the panels, the sealing element is removed, and a suitable implement is inserted into the gap 32 to knock upwardly against the lower ends of the limb 26 or the limb 28.

It will be appreciated that, although Figure 1 shows fixing elements 14 and a connector 24 at one level along the uprights 8, 10 and 12, further sets of fixing elements 14 and connectors 24 could be provided at other positions along the length of these uprights in order to provide adequate rigidity to the structure.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to a partitioning installation comprising four panels, the principle underlying the present invention can be applied to other numbers of components. Furthermore, the components need not be panels in a partitioning installation.

Claims

1. An assembly of interconnected components which each have a projecting fixing element provided with a hole, two of the components being disposed with their fixing elements overlying one another and with the holes in those fixing elements in alignment with each other, the assembly further comprising a connector having two interconnected limbs, one of which is received in the aligned holes of the overlying fixing elements, and the other of which is received in the hole in the fixing element of a further one of the components.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, comprising four components, which are partitioning wall components, disposed in two pairs, the components of each pair lying generally in a common plane spaced from and parallel to the plane of the other pair of wall components, each pair of components being interconnected by a respective limb of the connector, while the two pairs of components are connected to each other by the interconnection between the limbs of the connector.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which each component has two superposed fixing elements which are spaced apart from each other.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the two fixing elements are provided on a common attachment plate fixed to the respective components.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each connector limb is a close fit in the hole in the respective fixing element.

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the hole in each fixing element and the respective limb of the connector have cooperating shapes.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which each limb and each hole has a rectangular cross section.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the free end of each limb is tapered.

9. An assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the limbs of-the connector are of unequal length.

10. An assembly of interconnected components substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

11. A connector substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.