GB2215424A

GB2215424A - Connector

Info

Publication number: GB2215424A
Application number: GB8902236A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Stuart Groocock
Original assignee: COSBY MECHANICAL Ltd
Current assignee: COSBY MECHANICAL Ltd
Priority date: 1988-02-04
Filing date: 1989-02-01
Publication date: 1989-09-20
Also published as: GB8802497D0; GB8902236D0

Abstract

A system for joining two or more tubular members (12), (14), e.g. to form a hand rail, comprises an elongate insert (10) which has an axial slot (30) of cruciform cross-section. The insert is secured in one tubular member by engagement of a bolt (24) through the wall of the tubular member with a nut (26) which is retained in a horizontal arm (32) of the slot. Tightening of the screw (24) secures the insert in position. A free end of the insert extending from the tubular member is secured to an adjacent tubular member. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Connectors The present invention relates to the connection of tubular material.

Stainless steel tubing is often used in the construction of hand rails and the like. However, although such constructions are primarily functional, in many instnc2s they are also required to present a pleasing appearGnc This poses a particular problem where sections of tubing are joined to one another since the normally used joints are often unsightly.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved way of joining tubular material.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a system for joining two tubular members together, the system comprising an elongate insert engageable in at least one of said tubular members and being adapted to be secured to each said tubular member, and wherein said insert has an axial slot extending at least part way along the insert and opening into a lateral, outer surface of the insert, said slot having a narrower portion intermediate said surface and a wider portion of the slot; and clamping means engageable through an opening in the tubular member wall and into said wider portion of the slot for clamping said insert to said tubular member.

Preferably said clamping means comprises first and second screw-threadedly engaged members, said first member being engageable in said wider slot portion and said second member being engageable through said tubular member opening such that rotation of said members relative to one another in a first direction draws said first member towards said tubular member opening to clamp said insert in position.

Advantageously, the slot has a cruciform cross-sectional shape, said first member engages in a horizontal arm of said slot and said second member engages in a vertical arm of said slot.

The present invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an insert for a preferred form of connection; Figure 2 is a section along the line I-I of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of two tubular members joined together using the insert of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4-is a partial section showing a further form of insert for use with curved tubular members.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 3 shows two tubular members 12, 14, for example stainless steel tubing, joined o together at an included angle of about 60 using an insert 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The illustrated insert 10 is of the same outer cross-sectional shape as the tubular members 12 and 14. It will, of course, be appreciated that although the illustrated members are of circular cross-section, any suitable cross-sectional shape may be used. In addition, the cross-sectional shapes of the insert and tubular members need not match. Although not essential, the diameter of the insert 10 is sufficiently close to the internal diameter of the tubular members 12, 14 such that it forms a friction fit within the tubular member 14.The degree of friction between the insert 10 and tubular member 14 should not be great enough to prevent the insert 10 from being drawn from the tubular member 14 by hand.

One end 16 of the insert 10 is suitably contoured to mate with the outer surface of tubular member 12 such that the longitudinal axeas of the insert 10 and member 12 lie at the angle at which the joint is to be made. In the o illustrated embodiment this is substantially 60 although as will be appreciated other angles may equally be used.

The insert 10 is then securely joined to the tubular member 12 by known means using a bolt 18 which passes through an accommodating bore 20 in the insert 10. The bore 20 is formed such that it extends along a diameter of the tubular member 12.

Once the insert 10 is secured to the member 12 the tubular member 14, its end having been shaped to match the contour of the member 12, is slid onto the insert 10 until its end is pressed fully home against the tubular member 12.

The tubular member 14 has one or more bolt holes 22 drilled through its surface and each receives a bolt 24 onto which a thin nut 26 is threaded.

The insert 10 has a longitudinal slot 28 of cruciform cross-sectional shape. The slot 28 extends almost the full length of the insert 10 and opens into the free end of the insert. The vertical arm 30 of the slot is sufficiently wide loosely to receive the bolt 24 while the horizontal arm 32 is sufficiently wide to receive the nut 26.

As the tubular member 14 is slid onto the insert 10 from the free end of the latter, the nut 26 is inserted into the horizontal arm 32 of the insert slot and the bolt 24 engaged in the vertical arm 30. Once the tubular member 14 is pushed fully home, the bolt 24 is tightened, drawing the nut 26 upwardly against the upper surface of the slot arm 32 to grip the tubular member 14 firmly on the insert 10.

Dismantling of the connection is effected simply by loosening the bolt 24 and drawing the tubular member 14 from the insert. The latter can then be removed from the member 12.

As will be appreciated, the simplest connection is an end to end connection where a simple cylindrical insert 10 is required with the slot 28 extending the full length of the insert.

The insert 10' shown in Figure 4 is intended for use with i-connections and angled bends such as right-angled bends.

Figure 4 shows the insert 10' being used in the latter case where a curved tubular member 34 providing a right-angled bend is connected to a straight tubular member 36.

The insert 10' has a threaded stud 38 extending axially from one end and engaging in a screw-threaded bore in an end piece 40. The latter is secured inside the curved member 34 adjacent its end 42 with a corresponding end piece 42 secured at the other end. The end piece 40 is conveniently simply a washer or disc-shaped member welded or otherwise secured to the curved member 34. The insert 10' is additionally secured to the curved member 34 and the straight member 36 by further bolts 24 and nuts 26 as is described above with respect to Figures 1 to 3.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art constructions using tubular members can be supplied in "kit" forum for easy assembly in situ. In addition, straight pieces, corner pieces T-connections and the like can be supplied in standard sizes to allow any preferred design of construction to be assembled from standard pieces of tubing.

Claims

1 A system for joining two tubular members together, the system comprising an elongate insert engageable in at least one of said tubular members and being adapted to be secured to each said tubular member, and wherein said insert has an axial slot extending at least part way along the insert and opening into a lateral, outer surface of the insert, said slot having a narrower portion intermediate said surface and a wider portion of the slot; and clamping means engageable through an opening in the tubular member wall and into said wider portion of the slot for clamping said insert to said tubular member.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises first and second engagable members; said first member being engageable in said wider slot portion and said second member being engageable through said tubular member opening with first member for clamping said insert in position.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second members are screw-threadably engageable such that rotation of said members relative to one another in a first direction draws said first member towards said tubular member opening to clamp said insert in position.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said 4. A system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said slot has a cruciform cross-sectional shape, said first member engages in a horizontal arm of said slot and said second member engages in a vertical arm of said slot.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said insert is a push fit in each said tubular member.

6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein one end of said insert is contoured to mate with the outer surface of one of said tubular members to form a preselected angle between the longitudinal axes of said insert and said tubular member, and further comprising means for securing said insert to said tubular member.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said o preselected angle is substantially 60

8. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said insert has securing means at one end thereof for engagement with cooperating means internally of one of said tubular members to secure said insert in one end of said tubular member.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said securing means comprises a first screw-threaded member projecting co-axially from said one end of said insert and said cooperating member comprises a second member secured internally of said tubular member and having a screw-threaded bore for engagement with said first screw-threaded member.

10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim having a plurality of tubular members and a plurality of inserts for inter-connecting said tubular members.

11. A system for joining two or more tubular member together, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.