Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10660~7
The de~ice provi.des a means of supporting an ~rm
wi.th a locking devi.ce at each end or only on one end,
depending on its appli,cation in use.
This invcntion relates to joi,nting devices.
Accordi.ng to the present invention there is provided
a jointing device which comprises a first element including
two spaced apart portions interconnected to form a mouth, and
a pair of arms with each arm having two opposed elongated
faces, and with a front one of the faces on each arm having
means defining a transverse groove near one end thereof to
receive one of the portions. The arms are positionable
with the back faces thereof juxtaposed with the front faces
having the grooves facing outwardly, in which posi-tion the
distance between the innermost surfaces of the.grooves is
greater than,the normal spacing between the portions on
the first element before insertion of the arms, and the
one end of each arm has a curved, rolling surface merging
with the back face thereof and terminating at the front
face to permit the one end of the arms to be inserted into
the mouth, such that the arms can be rolled from a diverging
relationship into the juxtaposed position and to deform
outwardly the portion of the mouth engaged by the grooves.
A second element comprises clip means engageable with the
arms in the juxtaposed position for preventing the arms ,
from moving toward the diverging position under the influence
of the force exerted on the arms by the portion as the first
element tends to return to the undeformed condition.
To prevent sa~d portions interfering with the arms
when the arms are to be moved from their back to back
relationship to their diverging condition, each groove is
- 2 -
~j .
1066~t17
bounded by said bottom surface and two further surfaces
which intersect said one face, that one of said further
surfaces which is closest to said one end being normal to
said one face and the other of said further surfaces being
oblique to said one face whereby the mouth of each groove is
wider than its base. The other of said further surfaces can
intersect said one face at 45 .
The arms can further include a generally vee
shaped further transverse groove in each of said one faces,
that bounding face of each of these grooves which is furthest
from said one end of the arm being obli~ue to said one face.
Additionally, a transverse, half round groove can be provided
in each of said other faces, said half round grooves registering
to form a hole when said other faces are juxtaposed.
Each rolling surface preferably has a spiral like
form and comprises a first curved portion of relatively
small radius, the first curved portion intersecting said one
face, a second curved portion of relatively large radius
merging with said other face, and a flat portion between the
curved portions and merging therewith.
For a better understanding of the present invention,
and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference
will now be made by way of example, to the accompanying
drawings in which:-
''.: '-:' . ' ~ ' :
,
- ~.06601'7
Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates a jointing
device during assembly;
Figure 2 is a plan view showing the jointing
device in its assembled condition;
Figure 3 is a pictorial view showing a further
jointing device during assembly; and
Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the device of
Figure 3 in its assembled condition.
Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the jointing
device illustrated comprises a pair of arms 10, an element
12 providing a lipped channel, and a clip 14. Each arm 10
is a short section of aluminium extrusion and has a flat
inner face 16 and a flat outer face 18. At the end thereof
remote from the element 12 each outer face 18 is joined to
the respective inner face 16 by means of a radiussed face
20, the face 20 being a "quarter round".
A semi-circular groove 22 is formed in each face
15 at a point which is spaced from the intersection between
the faces 16 and 20 by a distance which is equal to approxi-
20 mately one quarter of the length of the arm. A vee-shaped ~-
groove 24 is provided in each of the outer faces 18, the
grooves 24 being approximately midway between the ends of
the arms. The faces of the grooves 24 meet the faces 18 at
45 angles.
Locating grooves 26 are provided adjacent the
- inner end of each arm 10. Each groove 26 has a bottom
surface which is parallel to the faces 16 and 18. The
remaining surfaces which bound the grooves 26 are referenced
30 and 32. The surface 30 is at 90 with respect to the
face 18 and the bottom surface 28 whereas the surface 32
slopes at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the
~urface 28 and the face 18. Thus the mouth of the groove is
wider than its base.
Radiussed surfaces 34 and 36 of each arm merge
-4-
;0~7
with opi)oslte cdges ol`il short, I`lat, c~ngled f`a~e 38 and
respectively, merge wi~h the f`]at face 16 ar-ld intersect the
face 18. 'Ihe l~lce 3~ ngled <It 4~ with re~pect to the
f~lces ]6 ~nd 18 and the radiussed surr~ce 36 is a quarter
round. Each fa~e 38 with the surface 34 and 36 on each
side thereof constitutes a rolling surface.
The element 12 comprises two rlanges 40 which are
joined by a web 42. J`he flanges 40 extend beyond the web 42
and, at their outer extremities, carry lips 44 which are
directed towards one another to define the mouth of a
channel 46 constituted by the web 42 and those portions of
the flanges 40 which project beyond the web. It will be
understood that the part of the element 12 which has no-t
been shown can be a mirror image of that illustrated.
Certain dimensions of the element 12 in relation
to dimensions of each surface 28, measured between its inter-
sections with the surfaces 30 and 32, is equal to the
thickness of the lips 44. Additionally, the dislarlec Lrom
each surface 28 to the face 16 of the respective arrn is
20 ~reater than half the distance between the opposed surfaces
of` the ]ips 44.
The clip 14 in its simplest form (see Figure 1) is
a downwardly open channel having an upper web 48 and two
depending flanges 50.
To assemble the jointing device, the two arms 10
are inserted into the channel 46 through the mouth defined
by the lips 44i One way of doing this is to place the faces
38 in contact with one another which means that the arms 10
are then approximately at right angles to one another. In
30 this condition, the distance between the point on one arm at
which the surface 30 intersects the face 18 and the correspond-
ing point on the other arm is less than the ~idth of the mouth
of the channel 46 measured between the lips 44. The arms
are then presented to the mouth so that inner end portions
~ . - ' ;
~' , ' - .
0~7
of the clrms 10 ~nter the channel 46.
I'ressure is then exerted on the rree outer ends of
the arms 10 so that the faces 16 are brough together.
During this movement the rolling surf`aces roll on one
another. AS the arms move towards a parallel, face-to face
condition the bottom surfaces 28 act on the lips 44 thereby
distorting the charlnel 46 slightly by urging the lips 44
apart. As will be understood from the description above,
the distance between the two surfaces 28, in the condition
o~` the arms illustrated in Figure 2, is greater than the
width of said mouth between the lips 44.
To maintain the arms 10 in the condition illustrated
in Figure 2, the clip 14 is placed over the arms, the
flanges 50 resisting any tendency of the arms to move baclc
towards the position shown in Figure 1. Because the channel
46 has been distorted there is inherently a tendency for bhe
inner ends of the arms 10 to be forced together which, iI
not restrained, would result in the arms moving baclc towards
the position shown in Figure 1.
The surface 30 and 32 now lie inwardly and
outwardly of the lips 44 and thus the arms 10 cannot be
pushed further into the channel 46 or pulled out of the
channel.
The web 48 of the clip 14 has a hole (not shown)
therein which, by suitably positioning the clip 14 with
respect to the arms 10, can be brought into alignment with
the hole which is now defined by the co-operating grooves 22
(Figure 2). A screw, nail, pin or other fastening element
can then be passed through the aligned holes so as positively
to locate the clip 14 in position with respect to the arms
10 .
Two further holes 52 (see Figure 2) can be provided
in the flanges 50 of the clip 14, these initially being
aligned with those inclined faces of the vee-grooves 24
which are furthest from the element 12. Self tapping screws
- ,
1066017
S entered in the iloles 52, by co-oper~lting with said inclined
races, serve to displace the clip 14 firmly into engagement
with the outer faces of the lips 44.
The slip 14 described can be placed over the arms
10 from above or pushed onto the juxtaposed arms 10 from the
free ends of the arms.
Turning now to Figures 3 and 4, these illustrates a
jointing device in which an element 12.1 oI` the same from as
the element 12 of' Figure 1 is used to hold -the arms 10 in
the position in which the faces 16 are in engagemen-t one
with the other. 'I'he inner ends of the arms 10 are engaged
with one of the channels 46 of a post 54 which includes a
central core 56 and a plurality of radial arms 58. 'I`he arms
58 terminate in flanges 60 which in turn have lips 62 along
their free edges. 'I'hese lips are equivalcnt to the lips 44
of Figures 1 and 2.
'I'he protrusions 64 formed on the inner ~'aces ot'
the flanges 40 below the web 42 rest on the upper faces of
the arms 10. A screw hole 66 is shown in Figure 4, this
being aligned with the hole constituted by the grooves 22
when the element 12 is in position.
The frictional engagement between the arms 10 and
the lips 44 or 62 prevents movement of the arms 10 with
respect to the element 12 or post 54.
An advantage of the structure described is that
vertical or horizontal joints can be added to a frame struct-
ure without the necessity of disassembling any existing joints.
Where the clip 14 or element 12.1 extends horizontally it
may support shelving, and if it extends vertically it may
form a foot for the frame structure or part of a column. It
will be understood that by appropriately shaping the clip 14
or element 12.1 it can be arranged to lie in an inclined
psition.
-- 7 --
~ :
