GB2242250A

GB2242250A - A construction joint member

Info

Publication number: GB2242250A
Application number: GB9105814A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Patrick Docherty
Original assignee: INTERBILD COMPONENTS Ltd
Current assignee: INTERBILD COMPONENTS Ltd
Priority date: 1990-03-21
Filing date: 1991-03-19
Publication date: 1991-09-25
Also published as: GB9006332D0; GB9105814D0

Abstract

A construction joint member (3) (4) has an end portion of cruciform cross-section, at least two of the legs (2) of the cruciform portion have their end faces offset from each other in a direction longitudinal of the member (3) by a distance substantially equal to or a multiple of the length of the leg (2) in a direction lateral of the member. The member (3) could comprise a central section having a square cross-section, and four peripheral sections (2) extending from the sides of the central section, wherein the ends of at least two of the peripheral sections and the central section are not co-terminus. When a number of such members are used to form a construction joint, the square cross-section of the central section and peripheral sections for each member are equal and the distance between the ends which are not co-terminus is chosen so that the non co-terminus ends of each joint member cooperate with the non co-terminus ends of the other joint member in order to form the joint. <IMAGE>

Description

Construction Joint Member" The invention relates to construction joint members.

According to the present invention there is provided a construction joint member comprising an elongate member having at least an end portion of cruciform cross-section, at least two of the legs of the cruciform portion having their end faces offset from one another in a direction longitudinal of the member by a distance substantially equal to or a multiple of the length of one of the legs in a direction lateral of the member.

Further in accordance with the present invention, a construction joint member comprises a central section having a square cross-section, and four peripheral sections extending from the sides of the central section so that an end of each section is adjacent an end of each of the other sections, each peripheral section having a square cross-section with the same dimensions as the central section, wherein the adjacent ends of at least two of the peripheral sections and the central section are not co-terminus and wherein the adjacent ends of the peripheral sections and the central section are all in parallel planes.

Typically, the end of the central section at the ends of two of the peripheral sections which are opposite each other are co-terminus and the ends of the other two peripheral sections which are opposite each other are not co-terminus with the three sections.

Preferably, the ends of the other two sections extend beyond the ends of the three sections. However, it is possible that the ends of the three sections could extend beyond the ends of the other two sections.

Typically, the ends which are not co-terminus are offset by a distance which is equal to or a multiple of the width of the cross-sections and preferably, the distance is equal to the width of the cross-sections or may be twice the width of the cross-sections.

Preferably, the overall cross-section of the member has a cruciform shape.

Typically, when a number of members are used to form the construction joint the square cross-section of the central section and peripheral sections for each member are equal and the distance between the ends which are not co-terminus is chosen so that the non co-terminus ends of each joint member co-operate with the non co-terminus ends of the other joint members in order to form the joint. Typically, two or three members are used to form each joint. When the joint has been formed by the members the joint may be permanently .secured by means of glue, nails, screws or other fixing means. Preferably, when the members are combined to form a framework, adjacent sides of each peripheral section are such that they readily accept panel infilling which is of uniform width either on the inside or the outside of the framework.

Examples of the construction joint member in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing how two joint members may be used to form a fork joint with a cruciform rail; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of how two joint members may be combined with a barefaced rail to form a fork joint; Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view through the barefaced rail shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 3B is a cross-sectional view through the joint members shown in Figs 1 and 2 and the cruciform rail shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a forked corner joint constructed from three joint members; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the forked corner joint shown in Fig. 4 showing separately each of the joint members which make up the joint; and, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a structure constructed using the joints shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows a cruciform rail 1 having a cross-section as shown in Fig. 3B. Each arm 2 of the cruciform rail 1 has a width w and a height h.

In Fig. 1 there are also two joint members 3, 4 each of which has the same cross-section as the cruciform rail 1. Each of the joint members 3, 4 has two opposed arms extending beyond the ends of the other two opposed arms to form a projecting arm 5. Each projecting arm 5 extends by a length 1 beyond the ends of the other two opposed arms 2. In Fig. 1 the width w, the height h and the length 1 are all identical so that the arms 2C and 2B fit between the projecting arms 5 on the respective joint members 3 and 4. As the length 1 of the projecting arms 5 is equal to the height h of the arms 2C and 2B the ends of the projecting arms 5 abut against the sides of the arms 2A and 2D and the outer surfaces of the arms 2C and 2B abut against the recessed end faces of the joint members 3, 4 respectively and a close fit is obtained between the joint members 3, 4 and the cruciform rail 1.The joint formed by the joint members 3, 4 and the cruciform rail 1 may be permanently fixed, for example, by gluing or nailing or could be removably fixed, for example by using screws.

Fig. 2 shows a barefaced rail 6 which has a crosssection as shown in Fig. 3A. As can be seen from Fig. 3A the barefaced rail 6 is similar to the cruciform rail 1 except that the arm 2A is missing. As with the cruciform rail 1, the arms 2C, 2D, 2B of the barefaced rail 6 have a width w and a height h and the height h is equal to the width w. In Fig. 2 there are also two joint members 7, 8. The joint member 8 is identical to the joint members 3, 4 shown in Fig. 1.

As before the length 1 is equal to the height h and width w. The other joint member 7 also has two projection arms 5, 9. However, the projection arm 9 extends for a length 21 beyond the ends of the other cruciform arms 2 and so is twice the length of the projection arm 5.

In order to form the joint the arm 2C of the barefaced rail 6 is inserted between the projecting arms 5, 9 of the joint member 7 and the arm 2B of the barefaced rail 6 is inserted between the projecting arms 5 of the joint member 8. Hence, the ends of the projecting arm 5 of the joint member 7 and of the projecting arm (not shown) of the joint member 8 abut against the sides of the arm 2D. The projecting arm 9 of the joint member 7 extends 2/3 of the way across the top surface 10 of the barefaced rail 6 and the projecting arm 5 of the joint member 8 extends 1/3 of the way across the top surface 10 of the barefaced rail 6 so that the ends of the projecting arm 9 and the projecting arm 5 of the joint member 8 abut against each other. As before the outside surfaces of the arms 2C, 2B abut against the ends of the other arms 2 of joint members 7, 8 respectively.

As with the joints shown in Fig. 1, the joint in Fig. 2 may be permanently held together, for example by nails or a suitable glue or it may be removably fixed together by, for example screws.

Fig. 4 shows a corner joint 11 which comprises three joint members 12, 13, 14 each of which have the same cross-section as the joint members 3, 4, 8. The joint members 12, 13, 14 can be seen in more detail in Fig. 5 where they are shown prior to being joined together to form the joint 11. As shown in Fig. 5, each of the joint members 12, 13, 14 has projecting arms, 15 which extend beyond an end face 16 by a distance of 31. The distance 31 is three times the width w and height h of the arms 2. Hence, when the projecting arms 15 are slotted into each other, as shown in Fig. 4, to form the joint 11 the projecting arms 15 are closely fitting on each other to form the joint.

As with the joints shown in Figs 1 and 2 the joint members 12, 13, 14 may be permanently fixed to each other to form the joint 11 or may be removably fixed to each other to form the joint 11.

The cruciform cross-section of the joint members 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 and of the cruciform rail 1 may be formed from a length of material of square crosssection having dimensions of three times the width w.

This may then be rebated or machined to form the arms 2. Alternatively, the joint members and the cruciform rail 1 may be built up from lengths of material having square cross-section of width w. In this case five lengths of material would be required to form the joint members or the cruciform rail 1. Similarly, the barefaced rail 6 may be formed from a length of material having a rectangular cross-section of dimensions 3w by 2w and then machined or rebated to form the arms 2. Alternatively, the barefaced rail 6 could be formed by using four lengths of square-section material of width w joined together to form the crosssection shown in Fig. 3A. Fig. 6 shows a three dimensional structure 20 formed from twelve joint members 21 which each have both their ends formed into projecting arms 15 and end faces 16, as shown in Fig.

5, so that each joint member 21 may co-operate with four other joint members 21, two at each end, to form the right angled joint 11, shown in Fig. 4 and described above. Hence, the joint members 21 are joined together as shown in Fig. 6 to form the structure 20 which comprises eight joints 11. As described above joint members 21 may be permanently or removably fixed to each other to form the joint 11.

A further feature of the constructed frame 20 is that the dimensions of all the rebates defined by adjacent sides of the cruciform arms 2 are such that they readily accept panel infilling which is of uniform width at each placement on the outside of the frame 20 or on the inside of the frame 20. In addition, by choosing the appropriate lengths of the joint members 21 the frame 20 could be a cuboid or a cube which would accept rectangular or square panels.

In addition to the right angled joints described above it is also possible to construct joints of angles other than 900 by suitably changing the angles of the ends of the arms 2 and if necessary making the cruciform arms of a corresponding cross-section.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

i. A construction joint member, comprising an elongate member having at least an end portion of cruciform cross-section, at least two of the legs of the said cruciform portion having their end faces non co-terminus and offset from one another in a direction longitudinal of the said member by a distance substantially equal to or a multiple of the length of one of the said legs in a direction lateral of the said member.
2. A construction joint member comprising a central section having a square cross-section, and four peripheral sections extending from the sides of the said central section so that an end of each section is adjacent an end of each of the other sections, each peripheral section having a square cross-section with the same dimensions as the said central section, wherein the adjacent ends of at least two of the said peripheral sections and the central section are not co-terminus and wherein the adjacent ends of the peripheral sections and the central section are all in parallel planes.
3. A member according to Claim 2, wherein the end of the said central section and the ends of two of the peripheral sections which are opposite each other are co-terminus and the ends of the other two peripheral sections which are opposite each other are not co-terminus with the first three sections.
4. A member according to Claim 3, wherein the ends of the other two sections extend beyond the ends of the first three sections.
5. A member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ends which are not co-terminus are offset by a distance which is equal to or a multiple of the width of the cross-sections.
6. A member according to any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the overall cross-section of the member is of a cruciform shape.
7. A construction joint comprising at least two joint members in accordance with any of the preceding Claims.
8. A construction joint according to Claim 7, wherein the peripheral and central sections of each joint member have substantially equal cross-sectional areas.
9. A construction joint according to Claim 8, wherein there are three joint members and the ends of the other two sections of each member are offset from the first three sections of each member by a distance substantially equal to three times the width of the sections.
10. A construction joint member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11. A construction joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.