GB2318624A

GB2318624A - Connecting framework sections

Info

Publication number: GB2318624A
Application number: GB9721162A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean Stolz; Didier Stoltz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-28
Filing date: 1997-10-06
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-06
Also published as: ES2148050A1; DE19747460A1; ITUD970188A1; GB9721162D0; IT1296697B1; GB2318624B; ES2148050B1; FR2754992A1; FR2754992B1

Abstract

Each upright corner post (2) of a piece of furniture comprises inwardly extending flanges (20) for engaging in grooves (8) formed in a connector block (6) inserted into the open end of a horizontal tube (7), a screw (16) in the wall of the tube (7) engaging a camming recess (17) in the block (6) so as to clamp the flanges (20) between the block end (9) and the end of the tube (7). Horizontal shelves are supported at their corners by brackets screw-clamped in a channel (12) of the post (2).

Description

2318624 MULTIFUNCTION ANGULAR SECTION The present invention relates to a

multifunction angular section joining the posts of a piece of furniture, which is intended to make up the framework of a piece of furniture of the glass-case type, for example, and will be sold in ready-to-assemble form.

Within the field of ready-to-assemble furniture, various devices are known which are used to join panels, generally made of wood, in order to offer to the clientele a cheap, ready-to-assemble piece of furniture.

Whatever these devices are, it is indisputable that the solidity of the furniture which is realised remains fragile, sensitive to being moved or to is successive assembly and disassembly.

Furthermore, whatever the dissimulations of the screwing means which are adopted, the quality and aesthetics of the furniture which is obtained limit the realisation thereof to a fixed geometrical style.

In order to mitigate these disadvantages, the use of a section made of light metal alloys as a fixing element in order to improve the solidity of the constructed pieces of furniture has been realised and patented.

French Patents Nos. 2437310 and 2466219 describe right-angled assemblies based on the bevel cut, with sections made of a light metal alloy being fixed by screwing. The assembly of the two right-angled sections is intended to delineate the structure of a piece of furniture. The number of sections assembled in a right angle has had to be increased considerably in order to realise the structure of the framework of the piece of furniture.

French Patent Application No. 9512985, filed on 3rd November 1995, improves the technique by suggesting the fixing of more than two sections made of a light metal alloy, the cross-section of which is made up of four right-angled wings which are rigidly locked with a central core in order to obtain the structure necessary for constructing a piece of furniture having a stable seating.

This latter technique is difficult to market in the sale of a ready-to-assemble piece of furniture.

The present invention presents a process using a multifunction angular section joining the posts into which wooden or glass panels covering the piece of furniture will be slid.

This invention is characterised by a tri directional angular section preferably made of a light metal alloy, which makes up the corner of a piece of is furniture. Each direction, extended by a trapezoidal receiver, is used to receive the end of a parallelepiped block preferably made of a light metal alloy, which, in the region of its end, is provided with an anchoring groove. This parallelepiped block, which is usually several centimetres in length, slides into each end of the profiled posts and forms the framework of the piece of furniture. The angular sections thus join the posts of the framework of the piece of furniture. Each post is provided, on each of its ends, with a parallelepiped block, are clamped by a hexagonal screw which penetrates both into these posts on the level and then into an alveolus machined in the sliding block. This alveolus is eccentric with respect to the threading of said posts and by means of screwing causes the displacement of the sliding block.

During its displacement, the end of said block comes to lie flat on the outer seating of the trapezoidal receiver which is rigidly locked with the angular section.

The inside portion of the angular section is rigidly locked with a hexagonal rail used to fix a threaded lug which serves as a support at the plate fitting out the inside of the piece of furniture.

The invention characterised in this way presents all the advantages required in order to be realised and sold as a piece of furniture which is ready to assemble.

The invention presented in this way will be understood better with the aid of the attached drawings, which are presented only by way of example, in that they relate to a preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a piece of furniture of the glass display cabinet type, with its four angular sections and its posts; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the cross-section of the angular sections and their posts; Figures 3 and 4 show the end of the posts which are intended to receive the covering of the furniture, and not provided with the sliding block; Figures 5 and 6 show the introduction of the sliding block into the end of the posts and the system of clamping by means of screwing; and Figure 7 shows a plan view of the rail, which is rigidly locked with the angular section and into which slides the threaded lug which serves as a support at the plate fitting out the inside of the piece of furniture.

The eight angular sections (2) making up a glass display cabinet are shown in Figure 1.

These angular sections (2) connect the eight vertical corner posts of the parallelepiped of the glass case by joining the horizonal posts (7) and (18) of said glass case. The top (18) and bottom (7) posts have rails for sliding the panels (3) which are intended to cover the bottom and the side walls of the glass case.

The cross-section of the angular section, seen from above, is shown in Figure 2. The eight angular sections (2) joining the vertical posts of the glass case are identical.

On the cross-section of the angular section is found the square base (2) which forms the care of the section. It has preferably been machined in a light metal alloy. This core having a square base is extended on its sides at the level (3) by two trapezoidal receivers (10) which form a rail for the anchoring parallelepiped block (6). Found on the inside of the angular section (2) and still moulded jointly with the latter, and hexagonal when viewed in cross-section, is the receiver (12) which is used as a is guide for the threaded lug (23). This receiver is profiled with two plates (20) which make up the inner seatings of the trapezoidal receiver (10). These seatings serve to anchor the parallelepiped block (6) made of light metal alloy at the level of its groove (8).

This groove (8) allows the block to slide into the seatings (20) of the section. The parallelepiped block (6) is rigidly locked with the posts (18) or (7) by means of a clamping screwing element. The effect of this clamping screwing element is to make the end (9) of the parallelepiped block (6), which is rigidly locked with the posts (7) or (18), lie flat against the seatings (20) of the trapezoidal receiver at the level of the groove (8) which is rigidly locked with the angular section (2). In the inner corner of the angular section, seen in horizontal section, is the guide (12) which is rigidly locked with the profile (2) at the level (5) and serves to fix the threaded lug (23) which supports the inner boards.

The angular section and the guide (12) form the vertical posts of the piece of furniture or of the glass case.

The cross-section of the horizontal post of the piece of furniture is shown in Figures 3 and 4, and the action of the clamping screwing element is shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The post (7) of Figure 3 has a rail (25) which is protected and intended to receive only one panel. The intermediate channel of the square profile (15) is used to receive the parallelepiped block (6) and has two rails (19).

According to the Figure (3), the hexagonal screw (16) is fixed at the level (24) of the profiled post (7), and after complete locking will end up in an alveolus (17) of the block (6) once the latter has been is introduced.

The post (18) of Figure 4 comprises two rails (19) which make it possible to receive two sliding panels in order to form the door.

The square channel (15) of the section is intended to receive the parallelepiped block (6), which has the same cross-section and the whole length of which is accommodated. This block (6) will be held by a hexagonal screw (16) which is screwed onto the plate of the profile (18) at the level of the threading (24).

Once the screw (16) has crossed the threading (24), it will penetrate into an eccentric alveolus machined in the block (6), once said block has been positioned.

The means used to ensure the joining and fixing of the posts (7) or (18) on the angular sections (2) by means of the clamping screwing element are shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The parallelepiped block (6) is introduced into the receivers (15) of the profiled posts.

Simultaneously, the groove (8), which is machined at the end of the block (6), is made to slide onto the plates (20) which form the seatings of the angular section (2). The alveolus (17) of the block (6) has a rounded shape, and the axis thereof is eccentric with respect to the axis of the hexagonal screw (16) and its threading (24). Once the groove (8) has engaged on the seatings or plates (20) of the angular section (2), the screwing is carried out by means of the hexagonal screw (16). This latter, by penetrating into the alveolus (17) will cause the screw (16) and the alveolus (17) to be positioned in the same axis.

This action shifts the block (6) towards the right and the end (9) which forms the end portion lies flat on the seatings or plates (20) of the hexagonal receiver (10). This operation joins at one and the same time the profiled posts (7) (18) and the angular is section (2).

The hexagonal cross-section of the receiver (12) which is used as a guide for the threaded lugs (23), which serve as a support at the boards or glazed plate situated on the inside of the piece of furniture, is shown in cross-section in Figure 7. This receiver (12) is rigidly locked, over the whole of its height, with the angular section (2) at the level of the extension (5). The hexagonal receiver (12) forms a guide which receives a nut-type screwing system (22), the level of which is varied over the whole height of the guide.

The lug (23) is provided with a male threaded element (21) which is used to clamp said lug at any level. It suffices to adjust in each angular section (2) a threaded lug (23) accommodated in the hexagonal guides (12) and by means of screwing to clamp said lugs at the same height in order to obtain four points on which the inner board or glass plate will rest.

Claims

1. A multifunction angular section for joining furniture posts, comprising a bi-directional section forming the vertical posts of a piece of furniture; wherein these two directions are extended by a profiled receiver adapted to receive the end of a parallelepiped block provided with an anchoring groove; wherein the parallelepiped blocks are able to slide onto the end of the profiled posts forming the framework of the piece of furniture; wherein the parallelepiped blocks are able to be clamped on the posts by a screw which extends through threading of the post and penetrates into an eccentric alveolus in the block; wherein, upon screwing, the eccentric position of the alveolus causes is displacement of the block resulting in the end of the block lying flat on the seatings of the receiver which is rigidly locked with the angular section.

2. A section according to claim 1, the fixing of the posts on the angular section is effected by means of a parallelepiped block able to slide into the square channels of the profiled posts; wherein each block is provided with a groove which is able to slide onto the plates which form seatings which are rigidly locked with the angular section.

3. A section according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the definitive fixing of the angular section to the posts and the parallelepiped block is able to be effected by means of a screw which is able to be screwed onto the posts and is able to penetrate into an alveolus which is round in shape and is eccentric with respect to the axis of the screw and the threading thereof; and wherein the screwing causes the displacement of the block so that the end thereof lies flat on the seatings of the angular section.

4. A section according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein boards or glazed plates of the piece of furniture are placed on threaded lugs which serve as a support and slide into a guide which is rigidly locked, over the whole of its height, with the angular section; and wherein each threaded lug is provided with a screwing system and with a threaded element which is able to clamp the lug at the desired level.

5. A section according to any of claim 1 to 4, wherein the profiled posts are able to receive a panel of the piece of furniture by means of a rail which is protected by a shoulder.

6. A multifunction angular section for joining furniture posts, wherein a sliding door can be adjusted by the horizontal posts provided with a square channel and with a double rail which receives the sliding is panels.

7. A section according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the drawings.

8. A multifunction angular section for joining furniture posts, characterised by the realisation in a light metal alloy of a bi-directional section making up the vertical posts of a piece of furniture; these two directions are extended by a profiled receiver which is intended to receive the end of a parallelepiped block which is provided, at this level, with an anchoring groove; these parallelepiped blocks slide onto the end of the profiled posts making up the framework of the piece of furniture; they are clamped on the posts by a hexagonal screw which crosses the threading of the said post and penetrates into an eccentric alveolus which is machined on the block; upon screwing, the eccentric position of the alveolus causes the displacement of the block, resulting in the end of this block lying flat on the seatings of the receiver which is rigidly locked with the angular section.