Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The invention relates to a body, in particular hollow body, which can
be made up from individual elements having groove and tongue connections formed
in the area oE the connecting surfaces, the tongues of which having flanks which
converge away from the tongue base, and the grooves of which are complementary
to the tongues.
Such a body is known from European Offenlegungsschrift 1 836. The
knownbody is made from elements held together by clamping bands which abut
the body from the outside. These clamping bands are unattrac-tive to look at
and must therefore often be concealed under covering strips. This is not only
expensive but is frequently impracticable such as in the case of furniture
making.
The object of the invention is to improve a body of the above described
type which can be made up from individual elements in such a way -that the
elements hold together without additional holding or accessory means outside
the connecting points.
The invention provides a body comprising individual elements having
connecting surfaces formed with at least one groove and tongue connection; said
connection being releasable in that a tongue can be pulled out of a groove
transverse ts the longitudinal direction of said groove if a specific tractive
~ ~ 20 force is applied; said tongue having convergent flanks and said groove being
; complementary to said tongue; wherein at least one flank of said tongue and
said groove has recesses adapted to receive ribs formed on an interlocking flank
~ of sa~id groove or said tongue; wherein said ribs and said recesses have cross-
; sections of part circular form.
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With such a construction the tongues are held in the grooves without
any additlonal means outside the connecting points. The elements are thus
securely held to one another without adhesive, clamping bands or any other
holding means, the body not displaying any unevenness or unattractive points
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on the outside or the inside. The elements can be secured to one another
quickly and simply with low assembly costs and inexpensive production, and
assembly can be carried out by the unskilled. It is impossible to assemble
the body incorrectly.
In many cases, such as for example furniture making, it is frequently
desirable that the body can be taken apart after assembly. It is therefore
proposed to position the rib releasably in the recess to form a snapping
mechanism
Transferability of great forces and secure adhesion are guaranteed
when the rib and recess correspond to one another in shape. This is also
achieved and/or improved when tongue and groove each have a rib or recess on
both flanks or side surfaces respectively. It is furthermore proposed that
the ribs and recesses extend over the entire length of the tongues and
grooves.
A high degree of movability of the elements relative one another with
a sufficient amount of tightness is achieved when in assembled state at least
one hollow area is formed between groove and tongue and the hollow area can
be filled with a mass which can harden and/or is permanently elastic, or at
east one elastic clamping band can be inserted therein. An elastic clamping
~ 20 band can be posi*ioned in the base of each groove and engaged by the back
; of the tongue.
It is further proposed that the groove and/or tongue be formed by
~ profiles which can be inserted or attached at the elements. A high degree of
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accuracy in the production of the connecting points as well as simplification
in the construction of the elements is thus achieved, since the elements them-
selves need not have exactly formed grooves or tongues which are matched to
the corresponding groove or tongue of the other element.
The profiles can be fixed particularly easily in the edge surfaces
or front sides of the elements by way of groove and tongue and can be composed
of elastic material, in particular plastic, and are thus easy to manufacture
and can achieve a high degree of tightness.
Continuous groove and tongue connections are also achieved in the
corner areas in that in the area of the corners of the elements the tongue of
one side edge surface passes into a groove of a narrow side or front edge
surface and a groove of one side edge surface passes into a tongue of a narrow
side or front edge surace. This favourably influences production costs and
improves tightness and stability. After the elements have been assembled the
grooves and tongues run continuously on several abutting front sides without
change. In order to simpliy construction and make assembly easier it is
proposed that these passing points run at an angle of 45 to the tongues and
grooves.
For particularly reliable transer of force and a high degree of
tightness it is proposed that the grooves and tongues are dimensioned such
that ~the force exerted by one clamping member is substantially transferred
~; between the flanks of the grooves and tongues.
An easy to manage and self-centering fixture which is also particu-
larly simple in construction is achieved, particularly in the case of windows
~ ~ and doors fixture points, by troughlike indentations which are trapezoidal in
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cross-section and in which correspondingly shaped ribs are inserted whereby
the side surfaces of the trapezium sides have toroidal ribs in longitudinal
direction of the trapezoidal profile, said ribs locking into correspondingly
shaped grooves of the trapezium side lying in abutment.
Embodiments of the invention are represented in the drawing and
described in more detail below.
Figure 1 shows a section through three wall elements of a body set
one next to the other with prof;les mounted thereon;
Figure 2 shows cross-sections through alternative profile forms;
Figure 3 shows a section similar to Figure 1 with detachable pro-
files;
Figure 4 shows an isometric representation of four wall elements;
Figures 5 and 6 show fixture parts in longitudinal and transverse
cross-section; and
Figure 7 shows a representation in perspective and greatly enlarged
of the fixture parts after being taken apart.
The body shown in Figure 1 has a wall element 1, on ~he inside sur-
face of which a profile 2 is fixed along one side edge the profile 2 having
two tongues 3 of trapezoidal cross*section and a groove 4 of trapezoidal
O cross-section between the tongues. Tongues 3 and groove 4 have the same
shape and cross-sectional size. Profile 2 is so deeply inset into the sur-
face of the wall element that the base of the groove 4 is flush with the
mside surface of the wall element 1.
A second wall element 5 thicker than wall clement 2 can be secured
at :its front edge to the profile 2 and thus to wall element 1. A profile 6
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is carried on one front or edge of element 5 and is composed of strip material,
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as opposed to the solid profile 2, and is recessed into the edge so as to be
completely flush, for which purpose recesses may be milled in the edge before-
hand. The profile 6 has two trapezoidal grooves 4 corresponding in shape and
size to the tongues 3 of profile 2, whereby the grooves 4 of profile 6 form
between them a tongue 3 which fits into groove 4 of profile 2.
Longitudinal recesses 8 with arcuate cross-section are arranged
in the flank 7 of tongues ~ and groove 4 of profile 2, into which upon assem-
bly recesses 8 lock correspondingly shaped ribs 9 on the flanks of the grooves
and tongues of profile 6. In the same way a third wall element 10, similar
to wall element 1 is lockingly fixed on the opposing edge of wall element 5.
The force necessary for the locking connection and the holding force depend
on the size and type of recesses 8 and ribs 9 and on the material of profiles
2 and 6. Sufficient elasticity is produced by plastics profiles.
In addition to the locking connection of the profiles to one another
a clamping band 11, belt or cable, in particular of steel can abut around
the body on the o~tsides at the level of wall element 5. The clamping band
11 presses the wall elements against one another and is recessed in outer
grooves formed from U-shaped profile strips 12 inset in the wall elements.
These profile strips can be closed on the outside by covering strips 13.
As shown in Figure 2, the two profiles 2a, 2b which attach to one
another can also both be constructed as solid profiles or both be composed of
strip material: see profiles 2c and 2d in Figure 2. ~hen assembled the pro-
files 2c and 2d fo~m longitudinal cavities 14 between the mating groove base
and tongue into which cavities 14 elastic beads 15, in particular of plastics,
can be laid. The elasticity of these beads 15 or cords is considerably great-
er than that of the profiles.
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In the embodiment shown in Figure 3 the grooves and tongues have
approximately semicircular cross-sections and a cavity 14a between the profiles
2a, 2b extends over the major part of the profile width so that the profiles
abut one another only on two outer side flanks. This cavity permits limited
movement of the wall elements in relation to one another and can contain an
elastic bead 15 or cord or can alternatively be filled with a hardenable and/
or permanently elastic plastics mass or foam. This is introduced through a
channel formed by a bore 16.
Since the profiles in the embodiment shown in Figure 3 abut one another
only on their outer flanks, ribs and recesses are provided only in these outer
areas. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3 the recesses 8 and ribs 9 have
arcuate cross-sections.
If sealing is unnecessary as, for example, in furniture making, it
is also possible to attach only short profile strips to the side elements
which also need only run at the height and depth of a side element and never-
theless have a high degree of form stability.
It is, however, also possible to mount corresponding shaped parts
(groove tongue angle) with a tongue exchange according to Figure 4 in all
corner areas. The tongue exchange is explained in further detail below in
conjunction with Figure 4.
Of the two wall elements shown in Figure 4 wall element 5 has two
edge surfaces 21 and 22. Two grooves 4 between which a tongue 3 extends run
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along one narrow edge. Half tongues 3a are positioned towards the surfaces
21 and 22 respectively, extend on their outer sides into the side surfaces
21 or 22 and each have about half the cross-section of a full tongue 3. The
grooves, tongues and half tongues also run on the adjacent edge surfaces
bordering the corner areas in the same construction and arrangement.
The other wall element 10 also has two side surfaces 27 and 28. Two
tongues 2, between which a groove 4 extends, are disposed in the edge surface
above side surface 27 along one longitudinal edge of wall element 10. Half
grooves 4a are disposed outside of the two tongues 3; these half grooves 4a
each have about half the cross-section of a full groove 4 and correspond in
arrangement and dimension to the half tongues 3a. The lower groove 4a here
in fact is only composed of a free space.
The vertical edge surface of the wall element 10 extends to the
level of the side surface 21 of the wall element 5 after the wall elements
have been assembled.
Wall element 10 has two grooves 4b on the front vertical edge surface
between which a tongue 3b runs. A half tongue 3c is positioned adjacent each
side surface 27 and 28.
In the corner area the left-hand half tongue 3c passes into the half
groove 4a ~which is present only in theory) whereas the tongu~ 3b is cut off
obliquely at the end in its upperJ approximately hori~ontal part so that the
back of tongue 3b mests the base of groove 4 approximately at a right angle.
The same applies to the interaction of the backs of tongues 3 against the
bases of grooves 4b. These transition points all extend obliquely at an angle
of 45.
The base of the upper half groove 4a likewise intersects at right
angles the back of the half tongue 3c.
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Tongues 3 and grooves 4 correspond in dimension in such a way that
a cross-section portion 35 remains free in each case between the back of a
tongue 3 and the base of a groove 4, and a band seal (not shown) can be in-
serted into the cross-section portion 35.
All the grooves,~half grooves, tongues and half tongues each have an
approximately trapezoidal cross-section and are dimensioned such that a force
pressing wall elements 5 and 10 against one another in the connecting direc-
tion is substantially only transferred to the groove and tongue flanks. Only
an insubstantial part of this force serves to press together the seals which
are inserted in the cross-section portion 35.
Wall elements 1 and 10 stand on a base 23 which has two tongues 3
with a groove 4 therebetween which run all around at the edges on its upper
side.
Two-part fixture elements can be used as shown in Figures 5 to 7.
These fixture elements are constructed according to the groove-tongue principle
and have a receiving part 29 with a tToughlike indentation which is trapezoi-
dal in both longitudinal and transverse cross-section, the inner walls converg-
ing inuardly. An insert part 30 is self-centeringly pressed into this receiv-
ing part, the insert part 30 corresponding in shape to the indentation of the
receiving part 29, and completely filling this indentation. Ribs 31 are
~; moulded longitudinall~ on to the longitudinal sides or flan~s of the insert
part 30, the ribs 31 locking into longitudinal grooves 32 of the receiving
part 29. Receiving part 29 and insert part 30 are each secured in or on a
frame and a covering surface or ledge with their base surface so that these
parts can be releasably secured ~o one another. In the embodiment shown in
~ Figure 7 the part-cylindrlcal ribs 31a arranged obliquely to the dire_tion of
; fixture are provided on the inner walls in the receiving part 29 and the cor
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responding grooves 3~a are in the side walls of the insert part 30.
A longitudinal slot 33 (Figure 6) can be formed in the insert part
30 parallel to the ribs 31 and at right angles to the base side~ said slot
33 increasing the spring effect of the ribs or side surfaces ~flanks) of the
insert part.
Through this construction groove-tongue profiles and further frames
can be added as fixtures to existing structures without requiring the use of
skilled labour.
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