JP2615343B2 - Connector for prop device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a column device and more particularly to a connector used in a column device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A strut device has been previously provided having a plurality of vertical legs, each of which has a plurality of slots extending axially around its periphery, and a frame or other element adapted to be mounted between the legs. Has been proposed. The frame includes a connector adapted to engage a slot formed in the leg. Typically, these connectors are relatively complex and involve the use of a wrench to operate the connectors.

DE-A-3102 211 discloses that a spring-loaded bolt is provided which can be inserted in one direction of the bolt into an axially extending channel and in an alternative direction. A connector device is disclosed that includes a head that engages a lip of a channel to be connected and an element that is attached to the spring-biased bolt relative to a leg that defines the channel.
Similarly, German Patent 2,633,147 discloses a device provided with a bolt having a specially shaped head, which bolt is to be inserted into a correspondingly shaped opening formed in the connecting piece. The bolt is then rotated within the connecting piece so that the head portion of the bolt engages the lip forming the opening of the connecting piece.

[0004]

The above-described connector is relatively complicated, and it is desired to further simplify the operation.

It is an object of the present invention to further simplify and improve the initially described connector for a column device.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a connector for a pole device, the connector being connected to one of a plurality of axially extending channels defined by legs. A housing adapted to be mounted on a frame or the like, the housing slidably receiving the bolt, the bolt in one direction, the axial movement of the bolt being defined by the legs through a slot. A head that is formed and dimensioned to introduce a head into the channel and to prevent the bolt from being removed from the channel by axial movement in an alternate direction, the bolt rotating the bolt; And in cooperation with means adapted to move it axially relative to the housing, the connector defining a slot for engaging a portion of the bolt. A rate of movement of said bolt relative to said housing, said lateral movement resulting in an axial movement of said bolt, said plate being in at least one position and receiving said bolt. About the axis of the bore.

[0007] Preferably, the head of the bolt is substantially dome-shaped, and two opposing portions of the head are substantially flat parallel spaced apart by a distance equal to the diameter of the portion of the bolt supporting the head. Notched to form a surface.

[0008] Advantageously, said housing defines a notch portion adapted to receive said plate, said notch portion having a range of at least substantially 90 ° when viewed in the axial direction of said housing. And the housing also defines a slot from the notch at the opposite side of the hole, the slot being slidable through the slot when the plate abuts the end face. So as to be substantially cooperatively aligned with the end face of the notch.

[0009] For convenience, the housing defines a recess adjacent to the end surface thereof adapted to receive the head of the bolt when the bolt is in the fully retracted position.

[0010] Advantageously, said slot provided in said plate engages a pin constituting said part of said bolt and is adapted to hold said bolt in the retracted position when said connector is inverted. A substantially bent portion of the portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be more readily understood and further features thereof may be understood, the invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS.
The support leg 1 is formed from an extruded product 1 of aluminum. The extrudate comprises an outer wall 2 having a circular outer surface 3 and a circular inner surface 4, thus defining a circular wall of uniform cross section, wherein the pipe has a plurality of angularly equally spaced slot components 5. It has.

FIG. 2 shows a typical slot forming portion 5 in an enlarged view. In the area of each slot 5, the outer wall 2 of the extrudate is interrupted. Each slot forming portion 5 defines an open slot 6 which is placed between two inwardly directed lips 7, 8, the lips extending from the outer circular wall 2. Lips 7,
8 has cooperatingly aligned flat outer surfaces 9, 10 which define a plane which is perpendicular to the radius passing from the center of the extrudate 1 to the center of the slot 6. The flat outer surfaces 9, 10 of the lip pieces 7, 8 thus form a flat abutment surface against which the elements to be connected to the extruded part can easily abut. The lip pieces 9,10 also have flat cooperating aligned inner surfaces 11,12 which are parallel to the outer surfaces. These inner surfaces are designed to receive appropriate tightening means so that the member can be easily tightened to the legs.

A slot 6 in which the lip pieces 7, 8 engage the outer wall 2.
Extending between the points on both sides is a substantially semicircular web 13. The web is turned inward so that it is placed on the inside of the pipe defined by wall 2 rather than on the outside of the pipe. The inner surface 14 of the web 13 thus defines, together with the lips 7 and 8, a channel 15 which communicates with the slot 6, the channel 15 being the web 13.
Has a generally semi-circular base defined by surface 14 and a generally flat top defined by surfaces 11 and 12 of inwardly directed lips 7 and 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-6, there is shown a plurality of cloth log frames that can be used with the legs as described with reference to FIGS. In each figure, the same reference numerals are used to describe each of the frames.

Each frame 20 comprises tubular metal components that are welded together in a conventional manner. The metal component may be made from aluminum, aluminum alloy or some other metal.

Each frame includes a horizontally extending upper member 21.
And a lower member 22 extending horizontally. Member 21
And 22 are adapted to span the space between the two vertical legs. Each member comprises two vertical side members 23,24. These members are upper and lower horizontal members 21,
2 but spaced slightly inward from the end of the horizontal member. The end portion of the horizontal member is constituted by a latch 25, as described in more detail below, adapted to engage a slot formed in the leg described above. The latches are aligned with the respective horizontal members so that the shear forces experienced by the horizontal members must be applied directly to the vertical, in alignment with the horizontal members.

It should be understood that if a frame 20 such as the frame shown in FIG.
The upper part 21 moves in one direction as shown by arrow A,
And the lower part moves in the opposite direction, as indicated by arrow B, such that the resultant force is applied directly to the legs by connectors 25 which are aligned in cooperation with the upper and lower elements of the frame. The connector thus serves to transmit the force experienced by the frame directly to the legs without the frame acting to increase the force by adding mechanical benefits to the force.

Each frame may include one or more reinforcing members 26. The reinforcement members may extend diagonally or the reinforcement members may extend vertically, effectively dividing the frame into two regions, each region comprising a diagonally extending reinforcement member. I have. Other reinforcement shapes may be provided, although in some cases no reinforcement is required.

FIG. 7 shows one part of one of the frames of FIGS. 3 to 6 connected to the vertical legs. The legs are formed from two parts of the extrudate 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of which terminates in a connector plate 27. The connector plates are bolted together in a conventional manner. It can be seen that the connector plate 27 projects horizontally outward beyond the envelope defined by the extrusion 1. However, since the vertical members 23 provided on the frame 20 are spaced inwardly from the ends of the horizontally extending portions 21 and 22, the frame 20 has the connector 25 engaged with the upper extrusion 1 and the lower extrusion 23. It can be attached by a lower connector 25 which engages the molded article 1. It is thus to be understood that the frame can be positioned virtually anywhere on a leg consisting of a plurality of interconnected extrudates 1. Of course, the connector 25 can be positioned exactly when the connector plate 27 is positioned, but the connector 25 can be positioned anywhere else on the leg.

The connector 25 as used in the frame 20 as described above will be described in detail below.

FIG. 8 shows the principle components of the connector 25, which consist of bolts 30. The bolt 30 includes a main cylindrical main body portion 31. Body portion 31 defines a laterally extending aperture 32 sized to receive a laterally extending pin 33. Hole 32 extends horizontally in the direction of the bolt shown in FIG.

At one end of the cylindrical body portion 31 is a reduced-diameter axially extending rod 34 that supports a head 35.
A vertically extending axial slot 37 is provided which, from a point adjacent to the head 35, extends along the axis of the rod 34 and along the axis of the main body portion 31 of the bolt 30, the free end of the bolt. Extend to a point adjacent to.

The head 35 is in the form of a hemisphere mounted on a bar, the flat base 36 of which extends perpendicular to the axis of the bar 34. The two opposite sides of the hemisphere are cut out to define two flat surfaces 38, 39, the flat surfaces being parallel to each other and spaced by a distance approximately equal to the diameter of rod 34. . It should be understood that
The head need not be precisely hemispherical, but can simply be substantially hemispherical.

The bolt 30 is mounted in a housing connected to the frame 20 and will be described below in more detail with reference to FIGS.
Is adapted to be moved so that the head 35 of the bolt can be advanced towards a slot 6 as formed in the leg 1 and the faces 38, 39 of the bolt are
Is in a vertical position so that it can be introduced through slot 6 into channel 15 as formed in leg 1. The bolt is then mounted on the flat surface 3 provided on the head 35.
6 is adapted to be rotated through 90 ° so as to be able to engage flat surfaces 11 and 12 as defined by lip pieces 7 and 8 of slot 6. The bolt is then adapted to be moved in the direction of withdrawing the bolt from the channel, so that the head 35 grips the channel 15 tightly.

Turning now to FIGS. 6-8, a latch 25 incorporating the bolt 30 of FIG. 5 is shown. The latch 25 comprises a casting 40, a bolt 30 (including a pin 33) and a wedge plate 41.

The casting 40 is elongated and substantially cylindrical. One end 42 of the casting is a slotted insert and the frame 20
Are adapted to be secured within one end of a tube, such as tube 21 or 22 forming one of the horizontal sections of the tube. The grooved insert 42 of the casting 40 can be fixed in place in the tube in a conventional manner. The other end 43 of the casting has a substantially cylindrical exterior 44 and an axially extending hole 45 extending axially from a free end surface 46 of the casting 40 toward the grooved end.
Is defined. A rectangular recess 47 is formed in the end face 46 by the bolt 30.
And is sized to receive the head 35 of FIG.

The end portion 43 of the casting defines a notch 48 extending from the outer cylindrical surface 44 to the hole 45. The notch has an angular range of 90 ° when the casting 40 is viewed in the axial direction.

In the direction of the casting as shown in FIG. 6, the notch has a vertical plane 49 and a horizontal plane 50.

On the opposite side of the axially extending bore 45, co-aligned with a vertical surface 49 is a slot (not visible in the figure), which is formed by a wedge plate having a vertical surface 49. Are sized to receive the wedge plate 41 when abutting against it.

The wedge plate 41 is a plate having a straight side 51 and having a slot 52 inclined at an angle thereto.

The wedge plate 41 is dimensioned to be received in a slot 37 formed in the bolt 30 and the pin 3
3 is sized to be received in a slot 52 formed in the wedge plate 41.

To assemble the latch as described above, first the bolt 30 is inserted into the axially extending hole 4.
5, and the bolt is inserted into the slot 3.
7 is rotated so that it is in the vertical position. The wedge plate 41 is then inserted into the slot 37 and passes through the slot formed in the lower part of the casting 40. Finally, the pins 33 are introduced into the lateral holes 32 of the bolts 30 and the pins also pass through the slots 52 of the wedge plate 41.

The latch is shown in the initial state in FIG. The wedge plate is in the lowest position, which is the position that would normally be taken under the action of gravity when the latch is held in the direction shown. In this position, the bolt 30 is in the fully retracted position and the head 35 of the bolt is received in the recess 47. Thus, the overall dimensions of frame 20 with two latches, such as latch 25, is the distance between the end faces 46 of the casting forming the latch. This distance can be made to be the desired spacing between the opposing faces of the two legs, where a frame can be provided to the legs by lateral movement.

When the head 35 of the bolt is aligned with the slot 6 as formed on the leg, the wedge plate 4
1 can be raised to a position as shown in FIG. When the wedge plate is lifted, the pin 33 rides along the inclined slot 52, and thus, FIGS.
Move the bolt to the right as shown in. The bolt has surfaces 38 and 39 formed on its head 35.
Are perpendicular to each other, and the distance between these surfaces is such that the head of the bolt can be introduced into a channel 15 formed behind the slot 6 of the leg 1.

When the bolt is in this state, the wedge plate 41
May be rotatably moved about the axis of the casting 40 as generally indicated by the arrow 52 in FIG.
The wedge plate then occupies the position shown in FIG. Rotating the wedge plate 41 rotates the bolt 30 because the wedge plate passes through the slot 37 defined in the bolt. This means that the bolt head 35 rotates 90 degrees. The flat lower surface 36 of the bolt head thus faces the flat surfaces 11 and 12 defined by the inwardly directed lips 7 and 8 of the slot 6.

If the wedge plate 41 is then moved to the right as shown in FIG. 8, the pins 33 are again moved to the wedge plate slots 52, as indicated by arrows 54.
, Thus attempting to retract the bolt into the casting 40. The flat lower surface of the bolt head can thus be fixedly engaged with the flat surfaces 11 and 12 defined by the inwardly directed lips 7 and 8, while the casting end surface 46 is It is brought into firm engagement with the flat surfaces 9 and 10 defined by the outer surfaces of the lip pieces 7 and 8 which are oriented towards it. The wedge plate can be driven in, for example, with the aid of a hammer, thus ensuring that a fixed connection is established between the frame 20 and the extrusion 1.

When the frame is released from the extruded part, the casting 40 is in a position as shown in FIG.
The end of the wedge plate projecting from it can be impacted with the hammer, thus trying to move the wedge plate in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by arrow 54 to the left as shown in FIG. I do. This tends to loosen the connection where the wedge plate can then be rotated to the vertical position of FIG. The wedge plate descends by gravity, withdrawing the bolt from the channel 15 and returning the connector to the position shown in FIG.

It should be noted from FIGS. 7 and 8 that the end of the slot 52 formed in the wedge plate has a bent portion 55. While the connectors are intended to be used in the directions set forth above,
It is conceivable that the connector is used in the reverse position. If the connector is used in such a reverse position instead of the wedge plate 41 which automatically takes the first position as shown in FIG. 6, gravity will be used instead of the wedge plate 41 being in the position where the bolts are projected. Make it occupy a position. However, if the connector is inverted, the bent portion 55 of the slot 52 can be engaged with the pin to hold the wedge plate in the raised position until the frame is provided with the legs connected thereto. Wedge board 41
Is then provided by the substantially straight portion of the slot 52 to the pin 33.
Can be moved to engage the casting 40
The bolt is moved to an extended position, which is equivalent to the position shown in FIG. 7, so that the wedge plate can be moved laterally of the axis of the hole 45 formed in the hole.

It should be understood that the casting 40 is fixedly connected to the outside of the leg 1 and the force experienced by the tube 21 or 22 connected to the casting 40 is
1 or 22 in a direction aligned with the axis
Directly from the casting 40 and the associated bolt 30.

In utilizing a connector of the type described above, it is only necessary to use a hammer, and thus is used by a scaffold assembler who assembles a column device using legs, frames and connectors of the type described above. The number of tools to be used can be minimized.

In the foregoing description, the features dictated by the claims and / or the accompanying drawings may, independently and in combination, be important in implementing the invention in its various forms.

[0043]

As noted above, the present invention comprises a housing adapted to be attached to a frame or the like to be connected to one of a plurality of axially extending channels defined by legs. The housing slidably receives a bolt, the bolt in one direction, wherein axial movement of the bolt introduces a head through the slot into the channel defined by the legs, and alternately. A head formed and dimensioned so that the bolt cannot be withdrawn from the channel by axial movement in the direction, the bolt rotating the bolt and moving it axially relative to the housing. A connector for a pole device in coordination with the means provided, the connector including a plate defining a slot for engaging a portion of the bolt, the connector comprising: A plate can be moved laterally with respect to the housing, such lateral movement resulting in an axial movement of the bolt, wherein the plate is at least in one position and the axis of the hole for receiving the bolt. , The structure can be simplified, and an improved connector for a pole device can be provided which is easy to operate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an aluminum extruded product forming a pillar leg.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first type of frame that may be used with the legs of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a second type of frame that can be used with the legs of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a third type of frame that may be used with the legs of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth type of frame that can be used with the legs of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the frame of FIG. 5 connected to a vertical leg, the vertical leg being formed from two interconnected leg portions;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a bolt forming a part of a stopper attached to the frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Leg 6 Slot 15 Channel 20 Frame 30 Bolt 25 Connector 33 Bolt (pin) 35 Head 38 Flat parallel surface 39 Flat parallel surface 40 Housing 47 Recess 48 Notch 49 End face 52 Slot 53 Plate 55 Bend shape part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 57-32186 (JP, B2) Jikken Sho 54-10729 (JP, Y2)

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A housing (40) adapted to be attached to a frame (20) or the like to be connected to one of a plurality of axially extending channels (15) defined by legs (1). And the housing is bolted (3
0) is slidably received and the bolt is
Axial movement of the bolt introduces a head through slot (6) into the channel (15) defined by the legs, and in an alternate direction the bolt withdraws from the channel by axial movement. For a column device having a head (35) formed and dimensioned so as to be incapable of rotating the bolt and moving the bolt axially with respect to the housing. In a connector, the connector includes a plate (53) defining a slot (52) that engages a portion (33) of the bolt, the plate being movable laterally with respect to the housing, such a side. Directional movement results in axial movement of the bolt, wherein the plate is at least in one position and about the axis of the hole receiving the bolt. Connector struts and wherein the capable of undergoing rotary motion. 2. The head (35) of the bolt is substantially dome-shaped, with two opposing portions of the head being substantially flat spaced a distance equal to the diameter of the portion of the bolt supporting the head. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second surfaces are notched to form parallel planes.
5. The connector for a support device according to item 1. 3. The housing (40) defines a notch (48) adapted to receive the plate (53), the notch being at least substantially as viewed in the axial direction of the housing. Having an upper 90 ° range, the housing also defines a slot from the notch portion on the opposite side of the hole, wherein the slot when the plate (53) abuts the end face (49). 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the plate is substantially cooperatively aligned with the end face of the notch so that the plate is slidable through the slot. connector. 4. The head (3) of the bolt when the housing is in the position where the bolt is fully retracted.
4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: forming a recess adjacent to said end face adapted to receive said first and second surfaces.
The connector for a column device according to any one of the above. 5. A pin (3) provided on said plate, wherein said slot (52) is provided in said portion of said bolt.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a substantially bent portion (55) of the end adapted to engage in (3) and retain the bolt in the retracted position when the connector is inverted. The connector for a column device according to any one of the above.