US3896598A - Device for fixedly connecting panels for use in building - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed a device for fixedly connecting panels for use in building of structures such as a wall board, a partitioning board or the like, in which sheets of panel are clamped by a shaped material made of a hard synthetic resin or a metallic material such as aluminum or the like, said shaped material being provided with recesses; a plug is fitted in each recess, said plug being made of a resilient synthetic resin or rubber and having a hole; and a wedge is inserted in said plug through said hole, thus panels being firmly connected and retained in place.

Description

United States Patent H [H1 3,896,598

Yoshida July 29, 1975 DEVICE FOR FIXEDLY CONNECTING PANELS FOR USE IN BUILDING Tsukasa Yoshida, Fuchu. Japan Assignee: Tsukasa Yoshida, Fuchu. .lapan Filed: Aug. 8, I974 App]. No.: 495,871

Inventor:

US. CI. 52/498; 52/495; 52/584 Int. Cl. E04B 2/72 Field of Search 52/753, 468, 470, 47l,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,248,840 5/1966 Pettcrson "52/732 3.530.633 9/1970 Scott 52/460 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS United Kingdom 52/498 Primary Examiner-Ernest R. Purser Assistant Examiner-Carl D. Friedman Attorney, Agent, or FirmMeyer, Tilberry & Body 57 ABSTRACT I There is disclosed a device for fixedly connecting panels for use in building of structures such as a wall 3 board, a partitioning board or the like, in which sheets of panel are clamped by a shaped material made of a hard synthetic resin or a metallic material such'as aluminum or the like, said shaped material being provided with recesses; a plug is fitted in each recess, said plug being made of a resilient synthetic resin or rubber and having a hole; and a wedge is inserted in said plug through said hole, thus panels being firmly connected and retained in place.n

10 016mm,!) Drawing Figures PATENTEI] JUL 2 91975 SHEET (a I Villllfllflll PATENTED JUL 2 91975 SHEET DEVICE FOR FIXEDLY CONNECTING PANELS FOR USE IN BUILDING DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the conventional method for connecting panels for use in building such as a wall board, a partitioning board or the like, connection of panels has been made by means of screws or nails. The method, however, results in such disadvantages that damage on 'panelis so frequent at the time of attachment, and when replacement of a panel isrequired due to damage thereon or change of facings, the topmost panelmust, be firstly 'removed prior to the panel to be replaced. Accordingly, either attachment or replacement of the panel is trou blesome and takes much time. i

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION A primal object of the present invention is to provide a device for fixedly connecting panels for use in build- 7 rubber, and a Wedge made of a hard material such as aluminum or the like, rather than by means of nails or screws, and therefore, there is no necessity for atool.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a solid connection of panels which is performed by such a simple work that a plug is inserted in each of re- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A device for fixedly connecting panels for use in building consists of a coupling member 1,. a holder member 2, a plug 3 and a wedge 4.

The coupling member 1 shown in the drawings is a shaped material made of a hard synthetic resin or metal such as aluminum or the like. Said coupling member 1 has a projection 5 and side arms 6, both being integrally formed therewith. Said projection 5 extends, for example, centrally from said coupling member 1 so as to partition a spacing between two arms into two groove-like recesses. Thus, the coupling member 1 presents an E- shaped cross section. Side arms 6 are bent at a right angleat their lower portions to extend outwardly to form retaining portions 8 thereat. An inside wall of each arm 6 is preferably provided with fine scores so as to perfectly preventa holder member 2 from being frictionally slipped out therefrom when said holder memretain plugs '3 in place during a long period of service.

or the like, a plug made of a resilient synthetic resin or a L'shaped cross section and considering of a bent portion formedat one side to serve as a support piece 9 for carrying the panel sheet and the other side portion encesses formed at a shaped material and a wedge is I driven into a hole of said plug, thereby firmly securing 1 panels.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for fixedly connecting panels for use in building, wherein, when replacement of a panel is required i gaging the arm to serve as a holding piece 10.

- FIGS. 3 through 5 show a plug and a wedge, in which said plug 3 is made of a resilient synthetic resin or rubber and provided at its upper head portion 11 with hole 12, into which the wedge 4 is driven. The size and the shape of said hole substantially conform to the size and the, shapeofthe wedge 4. Said plug 3 is split from the vicinity of the head portion 11 downwardly into two legs 13 with a spacing l4 interposed therebetween. The dimension of said spacing 14 formed between two legs 13 is smaller than the thickness of the wedge 4. Said spacing 14 is continuous to the hole 12 to form a guide spacing for the wedge 4. The plug 3 is fitted in each of recesses 7.'

The wedge 4, as shown in FIG. 3, is made of a hard 3 material such as aluminum or the like and has substanbuilding use, in which the device is applicable for connecting any type of panel made of any kind of material and having any thickness; the practicality of the device is extremely widened; and a coupling member is concealed out of sight to enhance the appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS tiallya uniform thickness throughout. A catch 15 is provided at a head portion of said wedge 4 for the convenience of pulling out said wedge 4, after it has been fitted in the plug 3.

FIG. 6 shows panels ina connected condition.

In attachment, the coupling member 1 is fixed at its bottom face 16 by abonding agent or screws to a pillar or the like, or both the upper and lower ends are secured by means of 'a separately prepared attaching component such as a L-shaped angle or the like to a ceiling, a floor board, a pillar, a wall board or the like. As an alternative, the coupling member 1, in addition to the afore-mentioned structure, may be provided with a support piece 17 integrally formed to extend from said bottom face 16 opposite to said projection 5, said support piece 17 being adapted to be connectable at its free end to other component by means of a bolt and a nut.

Otherwise, another projection 5, arms 6 and retaining pieces 8 may be integrally and symmetrically provided at the other end of said support piece 17. With such provisions, the coupling member 1 not only is connectable to any component such as a wall face, but also V 'Str c tu re x: l V Theijeaftena sheetofpanel;1218' is placed withits sure 7 edge'io edge relationship ,7 faee engegingiw ith' theimciersideofretaifiing poirtinf fi 6."An adju'stabiedeikicef6?se r ing anelslina buildy 8'0l the coupling member l, and thEfLihfijhOldfif mend ifig'is' truczuretoaceommedate"panels of Vagr'flngllzigkj 7 her 21s; inserted ,lnfthe Coupling member} with the .rnesses' eornprising a gcouplinggmemberhaving at leastf upper'sid'e' of support portiqn a bufii ig with the panel one lngitiidinal gmQVeSIdL-Shaped holdergmember 7' :il ie embddime tilldt teclflriFIG. foteeimecti'ng comparative]y arthiclc parielis how ri, i

irig stru'cture to accommodate panels f vafyirig thick eoi'lplingmemb ri 1 g nsertzible in said g o mi n messes comprising a couplingrmember" having at least La wedgeinsertable insaidgrqovejandeiwedgefinsert surface 38 as well as with the holder portion I1 0 engage" withdne' legnf said inembef beiflg adjustably lre'ceiv- I ing withlthearmfi Succeedingly,theplugfl is fittedixi ga lqlewithl n grepevealedtheolhegleg extendin'g inor' w 5 l y'thege g rl 1 jqint; lrip 19 ismbunied{0ii he; utside efftheblu' ,rthe dei/ 1. An adjustable device f6: seciuringija nels-ln anelvbetweri sxd nurrfi aiiy one rectangular smocth sided len'gitudinal 'grqove; an able in said plug to e xpand said pliigagainsl said hdlde'r,

i L-s haped holder memberiwithone legof said member member Withinsaidigfdeye; saidfco upling'membefim I being'smdothvsided and adjustably receivable within 'eluding a seeqfidlongiiudinalpgrooye parallel tdsiaid V said g i'oove for sliding comactl with a coirespo'ndingf} first; mentionedgroveya second :L-lshaped holder,

7 side ofsaid longitudinaldgrbove, and the other leg exmember a dfiistably eeeived insaidfeco idgroove;and i tending normally therefrom to receive ndSecurej the ase'con'clplugdioag ipsaid lsecondholderlmembe f'in I" V l V edge of a panelbetweensaidhgrmally extending leg sell(tsecbricl,gi ove whereidsaidcoupling member'is' 'a clzsaid coupling member; plug insertable in said I BshgpedWiih threeleg' membersfisuppmted by' andl'ex- 1 groove wherein'the top surface of said plugr isr on line tending noima'lly from ra commonba smembeifit forml Y withor below thffronit fa'ce: (if'said 'pa nek ai d 'a wedge V insiertab le in said plugftq expand said plug against Said holder member withinsaid g r oovle.

e edge thereofthe sam thic n sses the thieknes s'of saidi' Y normallyextendingleg, wherein saidnurmally extend? aidpa'riel imeihberjlongitiidindl; wove ,fdrfrietidngil, I engagement therebetween and to secur'esaid'panei" member gai nst said ccupling member. 5

j bet ineliicles leg'ne'rmally extending:butwatdlyflthexie i whereih said pan elis received betweenisaidinormally holder memberl (1) said first and se cofldmentidn d gicdvesg; t he'lcer te le g of sgidfleigs extending beyond the ,twoj outer legs;;and l g i said'twe ed tjeilegslhzfiing pfaiielheldihg flanges attheir; I i V "2; The device of'claim 1, for use in combiiiatibn with free'ends' endiextendingnofmallfodtwfdly therefrom; l d a panel membe rvhavingia longit dinal groove in; one 1 8'. An adj stbledeyicefof securingpaneis iri'a build- Q i V 'i'pg1 utdre;t a *timnidelt"paneled efivary'ingl'ihicke l l A l fl fi ompri 'g' fi PIT inglegof saidholder memberisforceablyfinsertablein ror'ie lpngiti din alB bby 5 with: Jolie leg S a'id r d 'lBJTliedei ice'ofclaim hwherein said 'g m' erm farm extending llelgfand tlhein qr mallyr exiexiding' legef said P 4. A device for fixedlyfeonneciihg pa nelsl" fQr use iin V 'seeend gro qve-j andgef'seed fid pluglto gripsaid lsecond, V

7 building as 'set forth in claimrl-lwhereinlsaid wedge is melee; membe; in saidfs'econdwgroeve, said cp ipling "I I V 7 provided with a catch'po rtion extending h m allyffemg member; beii giE shapedgwithithfe -the out er end thereof tflwlimiiqthe entry bf said wedge 1 V 7 into said plug a rld tomprovidefmeans for extra ciing said; member flto i fe r ni lsaidifirg -and f'seeend meniiQned Q I l' Wedge fmm said,pliig.' 7

bet includes 211 second longitudinal r-groove parallelytd free endsiandexiendingnoi'nially 0ufimmzllyj,therelifoni; and of the same definition as gsaid first mentioned I I V 1, v a V gr'doves; ihecemeif leg fef jeaidjlegsfex t'endihg beyond; "5. The d'evice of claim 11; whereinsaid'cqgipling mem 7 ibe twe o'uter legs having panel liqldingflange's at the andisaid twoout'e legs haviir lg panelihdlding flanges at I 3 groc've; a second Id-shaped holder membergof the'same j "their free: ends mid extending r n outwardly, I definition as said first defined L ShaPed holdermember therefrom; andsaid ba'semember being shapedlto form a third groove on the side opposite said leg supporting side to receive a support structure therein.

9. An adjustable device for securing panels in a building structure to accommodate panels of varying thicknesses comprising a coupling member having at least one longitudinal groove; an L-shaped holder member with one leg of said member being adjustably receivable within said groove and the other leg extending normally therefrom to receive and secure the edge of a panel between said normally extending leg and said coupling member; a plug insertable in said groove; and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said holder member within said groove; said coupling member including a second longitudinal groove parallel to said first mentioned groove; 21 second L-shaped holder member adjustably receivablein said second groove; and a second plug to grip said second holder member in said second groove, said holder members being insertable to different depths in said coupling member grooves to secure panels of different thicknesses.

10. An adjustable device for securing panels of varying thickness in a building structure, each of said panels having parallel front and back surfaces and a longitudinal edge surface extending perpendicularly therebetween defining the panel thickness, and longitudinal front and back marginal edge portions on said front and back surfaces, respectively, adjacent said longitudinal face extending laterally from the open end of said longitudinal groove and parallel to the plane of said panel, said lateralsurface facially contacting said back panel surface along said backmarginal edge portion; and L- shaped holdermember having a substantially rigid smooth-sided first leg being, adjustable receivable within said groove and a substantially rigid second leg extending normally therefrom parallel to both said 7 front surface of said panel and said flat lateral surface,

said second leg having a face portion defined by the in-:

side surface of the normally extending leg. facially contacting said front surface of said panel along said front marginal edge portion, said face portion and said flat lateral surface defining a closely fitting slot, said holder member holdably securing said panel in said slot along said front and back marginal edge portions of said panel; a retaining plug insertable in said groove to a depth below the surface of said panel, and a wedge in-,

sertable in said plug to expand said plug againstsaid first leg of said holder member within said groove, thus retaining said holder member in said groove to secure said slot around said panel edge and marginal edge portions.

Claims (10)

1. An adjustable device for securing panels in a building structure to accommodate panels of varying thicknesses comprising a coupling member having at least one rectangular smooth sided longitudinal groove; an L-shaped holder member with one leg of said member being smooth sided and adjustably receivable within said groove for sliding contact with a corresponding side of said longitudinal groove, and the other leg extending normally therefrom to receive and secure the edge of a panel between said normally extending leg and said coupling member; a plug insertable in said groove wherein the top surface of said plug is on line with or below the front face of said panel; and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said holder member within said groove.

2. The device of claim 1, for use in combination with a panel member having a longitudinal groove in one edge thereof the same thickness as the thickness of said normally extending leg, wherein said normally extending leg of said holder member is forceably insertable in said panel member longitudinal groove for frictional engagement therebetween and to secure said panel member against said coupling member.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said coupling member includes a leg normally extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the open end of said groove to form a smooth sided L configuration with a side of said groove wherein said panel is received between said normally extending leg and the normally extending leg of said holder member.

4. A device for fixedly connecting panels for use in building as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedge is provided with a catch portion extending normally from the outer end thereof to limit the entry of said wedge into said plug and to provide means for extracting said wedge from said plug.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said coupling member includes a second longitudinal groove parallel to and of the same definition as said first mentioned groove; a second L-shaped holder member of the same definition as said first defined L-shaped holder member adjustably receivable in said second groove; and a second plug to grip said second holder member in said second groove, whereby a pair of panels are securable in edge to edge relationship.

6. An adjustable device for securing panels in a building structure to accommodate panels of varying thicknesses comprising a coupling member having at least one longitudinal groove; an L-shaped holder member with one leg of said member being adjustably receivable within said groove and the other leg extending normally therefrom to receive and secure the edge of a panel between said normally extending leg and said coupling member; a plug insertable in said groove; and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said holder member within said groove; said plug being formed with a head portion through which a hole is provided, and a pair of bifurcated portions extending downwardly from said head portion, said hole being adapted to receive said wedge therethrough.

7. An adjustable device for securing panels in a building structure to accommodate panels of varying thicknesses comprising a coupling member having at least one longitudinal groove; an L-shaped holder member with one leg of said member beiNg adjustably receivable within said groove and the other leg extending normally therefrom to receive and secure the edge of a panel between said normally extending leg and said coupling member; a plug insertable in said groove; and a wedge insertable in said groove; and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said holder member within said groove; said coupling member including a second longitudinal groove parallel to said first mentioned groove; a second L-shaped holder member adjustably received in said second groove; and a second plug to grip said second holder member in said second groove, wherein said coupling member is E-shaped with three leg members supported by and extending normally from a common base member to form said first and second mentioned grooves; the center leg of said legs extending beyond the two outer legs; and said two outer legs having panel holding flanges at their free ends and extending normally outwardly therefrom.

8. An adjustable device for securing panels in a building structure to accommodate panels of varying thicknesses comprising a coupling member having at least one longitudinal groove; an L-shaped holder member with one leg of said member being adjustably receivable within said groove and the other leg extending normally therefrom to receive and secure the edge of a panel between said normally extending leg and said coupling member; a plug insertable in said groove; and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said holder member within said groove; said coupling member including a second longitudinal groove parallel to said first mention groove; a second L-shaped holder member adjustably receivable in said second groove; and a second plug to grip said second holder member in said second groove, said coupling member being E-shaped with three leg members supported by and extending normally from a common base member to form said first and second mentioned grooves; the center leg of said legs extending beyond the two outer legs having panel holding flanges at their free ends and extending normally outwardly therefrom; and said two outer legs having panel holding flanges at their free ends and extending normally outwardly therefrom; and said base member being shaped to form a third groove on the side opposite said leg supporting side to receive a support structure therein.

9. An adjustable device for securing panels in a building structure to accommodate panels of varying thicknesses comprising a coupling member having at least one longitudinal groove; an L-shaped holder member with one leg of said member being adjustably receivable within said groove and the other leg extending normally therefrom to receive and secure the edge of a panel between said normally extending leg and said coupling member; a plug insertable in said groove; and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said holder member within said groove; said coupling member including a second longitudinal groove parallel to said first mentioned groove; a second L-shaped holder member adjustably receivable in said second groove; and a second plug to grip said second holder member in said second groove, said holder members being insertable to different depths in said coupling member grooves to secure panels of different thicknesses.

10. An adjustable device for securing panels of varying thickness in a building structure, each of said panels having parallel front and back surfaces and a longitudinal edge surface extending perpendicularly therebetween defining the panel thickness, and longitudinal front and back marginal edge portions on said front and back surfaces, respectively, adjacent said longitudinal edge surface and extending laterally inwardly therefrom, the device comprising: a coupling member having at least one rectangular, smooth-sided longitudinal groove therein and a substantially rigid, flat lateral surface extending laterally from the open end of said longitudinal groove and parallel to The plane of said panel, said lateral surface facially contacting said back panel surface along said back marginal edge portion; and L-shaped holder member having a substantially rigid smooth-sided first leg being adjustable receivable within said groove and a substantially rigid second leg extending normally therefrom parallel to both said front surface of said panel and said flat lateral surface, said second leg having a face portion defined by the inside surface of the normally extending leg, facially contacting said front surface of said panel along said front marginal edge portion, said face portion and said flat lateral surface defining a closely fitting slot, said holder member holdably securing said panel in said slot along said front and back marginal edge portions of said panel; a retaining plug insertable in said groove to a depth below the surface of said panel, and a wedge insertable in said plug to expand said plug against said first leg of said holder member within said groove, thus retaining said holder member in said groove to secure said slot around said panel edge and marginal edge portions.

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