GB2222102A

GB2222102A - Joint structure

Info

Publication number: GB2222102A
Application number: GB8814094A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Richard Dubrovski
Original assignee: EXPRESS METAL FINISHERS
Current assignee: EXPRESS METAL FINISHERS
Priority date: 1988-06-14
Filing date: 1988-06-14
Publication date: 1990-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-14
Also published as: GB2222102B; GB8814094D0

Abstract

A sheet of metal is cut and bent to form projections 4, 5 and 8 which extend from the plane of the sheet and which define a channel therebetween. Apertures are formed in the projections 4, 5 and 8 and a structural member is accommodated in the channel through which fastening members extend to connect sheet and member together. The cutting and bending is performed by a specially designed tool and different metal products such as shelving, tables and chairs may be constructed using the structure. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD OF FORMING A JOINT STRUCTURE AND RELATED PRODUCT AND APPARATUS The present invention relates to a method of forming a joint structure, to apparatus for foming the joint and to a product incorporating the joint structure.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with sheet metal structures. Such structures are made by cutting pieces of metal to shape and then by bending the metal about the cutting lines. Punch holes in the metal may be made to enable adjacent pieces of metal to be bolted together. The cutting and bending processes are laborious and time consuming and the resultant structure may not be strong particularly at the joints.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a joint struture comprising the steps of taking a sheet of bendable material and forming apertures therein to accept fastening members, cutting the sheet along at least one line extending in from one edge and bending the material on one side of the cut out of the plain of the material to form an upstanding projection, bending the material of the projection in the plain of the material so that the projection lies in contact with the remainder of the sheet and bending a marginal portion of the sheet along the said one edge to form a further upstanding projection which forms a channel with the first mentioned projection for the accommodation of a structural member.

According to another aspect of the inventiuon there is provided a structure comprising at least one joint which comprises a channel formed in a sheet of material, said channel being defined between two projections one formed by cutting from an edge of the material and bending the material on one side of the cut so that it lies adjacent to the plane of the material but upright relative to it and the other formed by bending a marginal portion of the sheet of material along the said edge and apertures in the two projections through which fastening members extend to connect the sheet of material to a structural member extending in the channel.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a tool for forming a joint part in a sheet of material which is so formed that during the first part of the travel of the tool in relation to the workpiece a cut is made in the material and during the remainder of the travel the material is bent on one side of the cut at an angle to the remainder of the sheet.

In order that the invention may be more completely understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows the first stage in the formation of a sheet metal joint, Figure 2 shows a second stage in the formation of a sheet metal joint of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a third stage in the formation of a sheet metal joint of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 shows a fourth stage in the formation of a sheet metal joint of Figures 1, 2 and 3, Figure 5 shows a table incorporating the joints of Figures 1 to 4.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a piece 1 of sheet metal to be formed is first punched with two pairs of holes 2 and 3 adjacent one edge. Two slits are then formed extending substantially perpendicularly to that one edge respectively between the holes of the two pairs 2 and 3 and the material to the outside of the slits is bent back by the slitting tool to form two upstanding projections 4 and 5. For this purpose the slitting tool has material removed from it to enable the material to be pushed through approximately a right angle after the cut has been made. This stage is shown in Figure 2. The unformed part 6 of the sheet metal is then bent along a line 7, again through approximately 900, to form a further upstanding projection 8.Two marginal portions of the sheet metal are then bent through approximately 900 along lines 9 and 10 so that the edges 11 and 12 of the projections 4, 5 and lie in contact with the face of the material. These edges can be welded at 14 to the material for added strength as shown.

After this forming operation is completed the holes of each pair are now axially aligned and the formed piece can be fixed by means of bolts 15 extending through the holes and a frame piece 16 of substantially square section placed in the channel defined between the projections 4 and 5 and projection 7.

A similar formation can be made at the opposite edge of the material and the piece of material connected to a similar frame piece 17 to the frame piece 16. These frame pieces form the cross members of two end frames of a table as shown in Figure 5, the piece 1 forming the top.

Further cross members extend between the upright members 18 and 19 of the end frames lower down and support a lower shelf 20. The joint parts of this lower shelf 20 can be formed in similar fashion to the joint parts of the piece 1. If desired, the parts of the table can be painted or coated prior to or after assembly. Bracing member may also be included as shown at 21.

The above construction is sturdy, simple to produce, but reliable in use. It may be used to support quite heavy objects for its size such as, for example, an aquarium.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the invention. For example, the joint arrangement may be used in other products such as shelving, chairs and stools.

Claims

1. A method of forming a joint struture comprising the steps of taking a sheet of bendable material and forming apertures therein to accept fastening members, cutting the sheet along at least one line extending in from one edge and bending the material on one side of the cut out of the plain of the material to form an upstanding projection, bending the material of the projection in the plain of the material so that the projection lies in contact with the remainder of the sheet and bending a margina#l portion of the sheet along the said one edge to form a further upstanding projection which forms a channel with the first mentioned projection for the accommodation of a structural member.

2. A method of forming a joint structure as claimed in claim 1, in which two pairs of apertures are formed.

3. A method of forming a joint structure as claimed in claim 1, in which the sheet is cut along two lines extending in from the said one edge between the two apertures of each pair respectively and the material is bent on one side of each cut to form two upstanding projections each having one aperture extending therethrough aligned with the other apertures of the two pairs of apertures respectively.

4. A method of forming a joint stucture as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each projection is welded to the remainder of the sheet along the edge lying in contact therewith.

5. A method of forming a joint structure as claimed in any preceding claim, in which an apertured structural member, to which the formed sheet is to be attached, is placed in the channel and apertures in the structural members are aligned with pairs of aligned apertures to enable fastening members to be inserted therethrough to connect the structural member and formed sheet together.

6. A method of forming a joint structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A structure comprising at least one joint which comprises a channel formed in a sheet of material, said channel being defined between two projections one formed by cutting from an edge of the material and bending the material on one side of the cut so that it lies adjacent to the plane of the material but upright relative to it and the other formed by bending a marginal portion of the sheet of material along the said edge and apertures in the two projections through which fastening members extend to connect the sheet of material to a structural member extending in the channel.

8. A structure as claimed in claim 7, in which there are two projections on one side of the channel formed by cutting respective lines from the said edge of the material and apertures in both of those two projections are aligned with respective apertures in the said other projection to permit the fastening members to extend therethrough to connect the sheet of material to the said structural member.

9 A structure as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, in which the bent material lying adjacent the plane of the material is welded along the line of contact in the plane.

10. A structure as claimed in claim 7,8 or 9, in which two channels are formed at opposite edges of the material and respective structural members extend in the channels.

11. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A tool for forming a joint part in a sheet of material which is so formed that during the first part of the travel of the tool in relation to the workpiece a cut is made in the material and during the remainder of the travel the material is bent on one side of the cut at an angle to the remainder of the sheet.