Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- ~ - 13~59~1
Thc inv~ntion relat~ to A connactor doYic~ for mutually
connoctin~ t~o con~truction el~m~nts, prcferably for m~kin~
~n end-f~ce connaction or butt-Joint betwern two pl~tos,
e~ch con~truction olement being provided in the connectio~
S zone ~ith ~ connoctor fitting ~nd At lea~t ono tight~nins
~cr0w ~r ths likc baing provid0d,mountad in cno of tha
r~Jpcctiv~ fi~tin$~ ~nd 3upported on *hc ~th~r to ~pply a
tr~ction f~rc~ in ~ diroction of tight~ning the con~truction
elom~nt~ rolativo to ~chothcr, with Adju4ting me~nJ for
.10 ~djusting tho r~l~tive po~ition.~of the conn~ctor fittings
and thu~ of the a~oci~tcd construction ~l~m~nts sub~t~nti~lly
at right ~ngles rqlAtiv~ to tha dir~cti~n of tightening.
Co~l~ctor~ of thi~ kind ~ro alroady known in m~ny form3.
P~rticularly for m~king ~nd-fac~ connoction3 sf plates it
i~ import~t th~t tho top ~urf~c~ ~hould be pr~ci~ely alignad
~lu~h with o~choth~r in ~ common pl~ne ~inca even ~ minor
~tcp would gre~tly impede ~ub~ffquant ~ork ~n the pl~te.
B~id~ uch ~t~p~ ~ro ~l~o undo3ir~ble for Aosthetic
ro~o~q. With mAny exi ting connector~ which compri~a only
~ tic-bolt or tcn~ion 3crew the plat~s,~l~b~ ~r othcr con~truc-
tion ele~ent~ c~n b~ moved into tho corrcct ralativo position~
only by a labo riou.~ and time-t~king pu~hing Qnd pulling
op~ration.
US-PS 3236~87 describes ~ conn~ctor dovice wherein thc two
connector fittings arc mutu~lly o~nn~cted by mean~ of a
horizont~l tie-rod. In one of the fitting~ there is ~ounted a
verticAl height-~dju~tment ~crew which b~ar~ on the re~pectiv~
other fitting. Con~equently it i~ po~ible to obtain relative
height Adju~tment of tho pl~te3 by turning thc ~id heisht-
~dju~tm~nt ~crow. ConvcntionAl connector~ have the drAwback
that for th~ mutu~l aa~embly of tho pl~tes comparatively much
l~t~r~l ~p~cc must be ~v~ bl~, th~t i~ tc say ~p~c~ in the
direction of tightenin~ of the tie-rod3Jbccau~e the plate~
mu~t first be brought; ~t le~st ~pproxim~toly, into A common
hori~ont~l plano ~nd only thon th~ cnd face ~f one plAte c~n
~'. !, .
_ 2- ~31~
be l~tor;lllly offercd up Rnd Appro~ch~ld to the cnd fi~ce of the
other pl~te.
P~ V~, 1 QS
-It i~ ~h~ ~im of ~h.~-invention -~o-~te-~ connector dcvice
whereby it i~ po.~ iblo for one pl~to lying immediAtoly beside
S tho othcr plato to bo Approach~d to thc l;lttor from ~bov~
~o th~t during ~ mbly no moro ~pACe i~ roquired l~terallf
th~n ActuAlly n~eded for tho pl~tos in tho final mutually
a:~:30mbl~d ~t~te .
c~\ 5 ~ p c o\l a s
the inverltion ~:~7,d~--i~improv-i-n~ A connec tor
~f th~ kind apecified in ~uch ~ m;lnnlsr AS to AllOW tho t~ro
fitting~s *o b~ mutually coupled, ~t le~st provi~ion~lly;
v~ry quickly And without the ~id of tool~.
~l o r ~ p ~ ~ {. ~L I c.,r ~ + ~ e, r~ t ( o ~ ~ p ~ o ~
--thc-Yc- ~roblem~--by~r~ one3 t~f the
connector fittirlg~ with an elastic or ~ tically load~d
locking p~rt which,when thc two fitting~ ~re mutusllly a~emblcd,
cngage~ in~Or ~n~ the ~dju~tmont dovic~ ~hich i~ provided
in,or ~n,the rç~pcctive othcr fitting.
Thi~ arr~ngem~nt ~l~o ~llow3 ~ pl~te being approached or offered
up fro~ Abo~o And thu~ to bo moved into th~ c~nnocting po~ition
~t~gGr~ . Thc cla~tic, or spring loaded locking part i~
capable of yielding initi~lly ag~in~t tho force in ~ spring
And thcre~ftPr ~ng~ging in,or on,the (hoight)adjustment devic~
pr~vidcd in th~ othor fitting wheroupon the f~cility of
rolative plato adjuYtment is alr~ady providedO
A preferred embodiment wherein the locking part arrangad in
onc of the conncctor fitting3 i~,when the fitting~ ~re in
the correct po-~ition fcr connection ~o be made~ola~tic~lly
pre-ten3ioned or bi~sod ~ub3t~nti~11y in the dir~ction tow~rd3
thc other fitting , pro~id~ in ~ v~ry ~implo m~nner ~n
~ur~nce for thc rcli~bl~ int~rongag~m~nt ~f tho ~djustmant
dovice And locking part ~ithin ~ c~rt~in r~nge irrespactiYe of
tho r~latiYo po~ition of the two fitting~ in the clamping
dircction. With tolcranco3 in the fini~hing treatment of the
- 3 ~ 131~ 9 5 ~
ond f~c~ ~nd in the cl~ping t~g~th~r of tho plAtc~ thi~
~rr~ngement alw~y~ cn3ure3 ~Afe height adju~tm~nt. It i~
even poa~ible to clamp the plato~ lightly together,then,
perh~pa by finger-touch examin~tion,to make the corroct
rol~iv~ hoight ~djustmont, ther~ftor to push the plAtes
~lightly Apart ag~in in order to Apply Adhe~iYo or silicon
therob~t~cen ~nd fin~lly to cl~mp the plat~ perm~ne~tly
together. In tho cour3~ of ~uch movement~ in the cl~mping
dir~ction tho ~la~tic~lly pro-stro~od locking p~rt follo~J
the (height)Adju~tment device of the r~pective other
fitting ~nd thu3 guArantees thAt tho eff~ct~d hcight adju~tment
will be ~u~tained.
It i~ ~n Advant~ge to provide th~t th~ adju~tmont d~lco
con~iYts of ~ screw ~ith ~ diYc-~h~pod h~ad ~hich i~ ~nga$ed
by th~ locking p~rt.
In ono ~mb~diment of the inv~ntion tho l~cking p~rt i~ a
#pring 10af or ~pring plate which yield~ in tho direction of
traction ~nd compri~e~ a Ylit in ~hich the 0dge or rim of
tho ~cr~w head ongages.
Th~ ~pring plate or leaf mAy be h~ld by two web~ in the
connector fitting ~-hich h~ve ~lits in which the ~pring leaf
i~ ~upported.
According to ~n adv~ntageou~ provi~i~n of thiY inv~ntion ono
of thc connoctor fittingY i~ ofbox- or cup-like do~ign and
the other conn~ctor fitting compri~ n extension lug ~dApted
to be inscrted into the fir~t fitting sub~t~ntially At right
angle~ rolative to the cl~mping diroction.
Anothor ombodim~nt ~f the invention provide~ th~t th~ locking
part i~ ~ ~pring loadod l~v~r mounted pivot~lly on ~ Yertic~l
axi~.
Tho lever i~ preferably po~itivoly guid~d in th~ connector
fitting, that i~ to Y~y it can yield neither upw~rd~ nor down-
wards. If now thi~ lever compri~e~ a not~h with ~n upper
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_ 4 - 1 3 ~ ~ 9 ~ ~
and ~ low~r ~nd ~top f~co in which the rim of the ~crew h~d
~ng~ge~, thon th~ fittin$ in Nhich th~ ~crow lg mountcd c~n
b~ ~dju~tod in hoight by r~t~tion of th~ ~cr~ relAtivo to
thc fitting in ~hich th~ l~ver i~ mount~d.
In crdor to f~cilitAto the prcs~ing do~n of onc fitting onto
thc othor ~nd tho ~c~p~ or yiolding of tho lev~r it i~ An
advant~g~ to ~rrAngc for the l~vcr to bo providod ~t it~ lo-~er
~dg~ within thc rAng~ of the ~crow with ~n inclined fac~
boc~u~ than the lcvor will initially yiold ~utom~tic~lly
and thon ong~g~ of it~ own ~ccord with,or in,tho ~dju3tm~nt
devico.
The ~id notch i~ of ~gment-lik~ c~nfigurAtion ~ viow~d
from ~bovo.
In order to All~ ~implo rol~tive di~ng~gomcnt of th~ two
fitSing~ of tho connector device ,~ccording t0 A pref~rr~d
embodiment of th~ invontion,~n ~xccntric i~ provided by mcan~
of which the lov~r c~n bo pirotcd Rgain~t th~ ~pring loading
~nd thu~ liftcd off thc h~d of th~ ~crcw whlch r~pre~ont~
tho h~ight ~dju~tmcnt dovice ~n ths ono hand Rnd the
~nap-engagemont p~rt on tho cther.
According to A further ~dv~nt~g~ou~ provi~ion of thi~ invention
the cl~mpins Jcrow ~nd the ~crow of th~ adju~tment device
aro r~lutivcly ~ligned in par~llel and the cl~mping or tightening
~crew has ~ tapered point whercby it boar.q on A conical fac~
provided in or on thc other hou3ing-or fitting p~rt.
By ~nap fit ~ng~gement o~ the-el~.~tic~lly ~tr~ed or inh~rqntly
el~tic locking part in or ~ith th~ ~djustment device ~nd
~imult~n~ou~ eng~gement ~f the tight~ning 8CreW ~r the liko
with ~n inclin~d f~c~ of thc oth~r connoctor fitting it i~
0 po~sible to ~chiov~ ~a.~ily ~nd/q~o~ the Aid of tool~ a
provision~l connection ~t~te ~fter which height ~djuYtm~nt
and~fin~l cl~mping tog~ther will till bg ~eco~sary.
~ !
~ 5 ~ 131 ~ ~ 51
In A proferr~d ombodlment tno inventio~ provide~ for the
clAmping or tight~ning scr~w And th~ ~crcw of the ~dju~tm~nt
do~ic~ to bo ~rr~nged ~id~ by ~ide tr~n~v~r~oly of thc
dirocti~n of tightaning the connector fittinss.
It i3 n~umed thAt At le~Yt two connoctor devico3 Are
requircd for mutuAlly connecting two pl~te~. It i~ thercfore
of no con~equonce if the clamping screw is ~rrAnged off-centr~.
Any torquc component~ which m~y occur will be comp~ns~ted
in the sy3tem ~ ~ wholo.
It i~ further providcd th~t thc conn~ctor fitting~ Aro of
box-or cup~liko configuration And co~pri~ ~t l~st one fl~ngc
wlth ono or morc ~0curing screw~.
Two embodimcnt~ of the invention ~re hereinaftor more
p~rticularly dc~cribed by w~y of ex~mpl~ with refercnc~ to
the Rccomp~nying dr~wing~.
Figure 1 iq ~ top view of A connector devico according
to the invention, Figure 2 is A view from benc~th of the
connector dovice ~ccording to the inv~ntion, Figure 3 iq
~ ~ection taken on line C-D in Figure 2, Figure 4 i~ ~
~cction t~k~n on line G-H in Figuro 2, Figurc 5 i~ a ~ection
taken on line E-F in Figure 2, ~igure 6 show~ thc elev~tion J
of Figur~ 3, Figure 7 i~ ~ top vi~w of another embodimont of
the connoctor device, Figur~ section on linc I-K in
Figure 7, Figure 9 i9 X persp~ctive vi~w of the ~pring leaf
and Figure lO schematic~lly illustratcs the a~sembly of
two con~truction element~ wi-th thc aid of a connector ~ccording
to the invention.
Now follow A description of the embodim~nt ~cco~ding to
Figur~ l to 6.
The connector devico 3hown in thcse figur~s or the fixed
And prcci~c ~utu~l conn~ction of the two work pl~teY lO,ll
6 ~ 3 ~
con~i~t~ of the two conn~ctor fitting~ 1,2, which ar~ ~daptod
to b~ insertcd ro~pectivoly into ~ rcce~ ~or~ed by milling
in the work pl~to~ 10,11. The connector fitting3 1,2 are
concoived a~ hou~ing~ compri~ing a box 12 and ~ fllnge 13.
The flange~ 13 hAve h~le~ 14 for tho ~ecuring ~crswY 15.
Tho fitting 1 ha~ ~ lug or extcn~ion 16 oxtonding into fitting 2
in which lug 16 the tightening or cl~mping ~cr~w 7 ~
~oll A~ tho ~crow 6 uhich con~titute.~ the udju~tment d~vice
are mounted.
Tho cl~ping ~cr~w 7 A~ ~ell ~ ~creu 6 ~r~ ~rrangod vorticRlly
in the ~ embly po~ition, th~t 1~ t~ ~ay ~t right ~ngl~
to the direction ~f tightening S which i9 gencrally horizonS~l
in ordor to pull the two plate~ 10,11 clo~ely together by their
ond f~c~a.
Th~ cl~ping screw 7 i~ thereforo providnd with ~ t~pered
point 17 which,~ ~hown in Figurc 5, re~t~ ~gain~t ~ conical
f~c~ 18 providod on a ~houlder or projoction 19 of fitting 2
Tho furthor th~ Jcrew 7 i.~ .~crewed do~l into fitting 1, the
tightor will fittings 1 and Z bo clampod together.
Screw 6, which conYtitute~ the adju~tment mean~ ,al~o
~erve~ to en~ure tho lockin~ ~r mutual coupling oE the
twc fitting~ 1,2 oIt i~ provided with ~ di~c-ch~ped head 9.
In conncctor fitting 2 ~ l~ver 3 i~ supported on ~ be~ring
bolt 8 which for~ a vertical axi~. The levor 3 i~ loaded
by ~ ~cre~ ~pring 4.
On tho opposito ~ide to tho ~crew ~pring 4 the l~ver 3 i~
provided with ~ notch 20 which i.~limitod by ~n upper and
lower end top face 21,Z2. The notch 20 iY of ~ogmental
configuration a~ viowed from ~bovc, A~ will be soen b~t
in ~iguro 2.
At tho bottom tho lover 3 i.~ providod, ~t lo~st within th~
rango cf screw 6, with ~n inclinad faco 2~.
. ' '~,. ' ,'. ~' ,
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~ 3 1 ~
Figure lO ~how~ th~ position in which tho two pl~t~ 10,11
arc fitted togothcr. Whan plate 11 i~ pre~ ad down a~ indi-
c~ted by th~ ~rrow i~ Figure 10 tho ho~d of acreu 6 will
fir~t ~f all pu~h l~vor 3 b~ck in opposition to tho l~ading
of ~pring 4 ~nd tho connoctor fitting 2 c~n b~ mov~d
with th~ lev~r ~ufficiently f~r down until thc ~cre~ ho~d 9
ong~gcs in notch 20. Sinc3 at the s~me tlmo th~ clAmping
~cr~w 7 engage~ behind ~houlder 19 th0 csnnoctor fitting~ l,Z
Arc thu~ ~utomaticAlly mutu~lly coupled. Lovor 3 function~
~ locking part. From thi~ provi~ionAlly couplcd or holding
po ition it i~ pos~iblo to ~ffcct tho sub~oqu~ntly d~scribod
height adju~tmellt and th~r~aft~r th~ final cl~mping together
of tho pl~te~.
Sinc~ thc notch 20, a~ ~lre~dy menti~nod, h~s an upper ~nd
a lowor end stop f~cc 21,22, the ho~d 9 ~f scro~ 6 is positively
rct~ined in l~ver 3. By rotation of scr~w 6 tho fitting l
m~y now be ~ovod up or down rcl~tive to fitting 2
For improved ~t~bility of the conncctor the levnr is likewi~o
po~itivoly rotained, prefer~bly between two plate.~ 24,25 of
which th~ former ropro~ont~ the bott~m ~f hou~ing 12, ~s
. ~hown in Figure 5.
In order to en~ble e~sy diYengagoment or remoYal of the
connoctor ~ccording to the invontion ~n cxccntric 5 i~ mounted
in connoctor fitting 2. With tha ~id of this excentric cam 5
the lovor 3 ,as shown in Figuro 6, c~n be liftnd latorally
off tho he~d 9 ~f scrcw 6 in ~ppo~ition to thc pre~urc ~pplicd
by ~crew ~pring 4 wheraby thc connoction b~twcen the two
conn~ctor fittings 1,2 i~ c~ncollod.
In the illu~tr~ted ox~mple the flange~ 13 of c~nnoctor
fitting~ 1,2 ar~ in ~ch c~c rec~ d in ~ roce~s 26
in plato~ 10,11.
- 8 _ ~ 315951
In the embodi~ent ~ho~n in Figure~ 7 to 9 ~ ~pring le~f or
pl~te 27 ls Arranged in fitting 2 inst~d of levçr 3. Thi~
~pring l~af 27 i~ ~upport~d by wcb3 28 of fitting 2 ~hlch
h~v~ ~lit~ 29 in ~hich th~ ~pring le~f 27 i~ ~upport~d~
A~ ~hown in Figur~ 7 tho ~pring leaf 27 i~ ~rched touard~
~crew 6 ~nd can yield in th~ dircction ~f arrow A.
In thi~ ombodimont the ~cr~w 6 which roprosont-~ the ~dju~tment
mo~n~ for h~ight ~dju~tmont ~f the c~nncctor And th~ cl~mping
~crsw arc ~rr~ng~d bohind eAchother, thAt i~ to ~y in
the cl~mping dir~ction.
Th~ cl~mping ~crow 7 ag~in pr~es with it~ point 17 ~gAin~ t
tho tRp~red fAc~ 18 of 3houldor 19 on fitting 2.
Tho clAmping ~crow 7 and ~crew 6 ar~ ~g~in #upport~d in un
oxtcn3ion lug 16 of connector fitting 1.
A~ will bs ~e~n from th~ drawing~ th~ Ypring leAf 27 ha~
-qlit 30. Bene~th thi~ ~lit 30 th~ro i~ ~n inclined face 31
which correcpond3 to the inclin~d fac~ 23 on lev~r 3.
For ~embly, or mutual conn~ct~on of pl~toY 10,11
tho~o aro ~gain, ~ ohown in Figure lO,rclativoly ~dju~t~d in
height whil~t boing directly mutu~lly ~d~accntO
During ~uch verticAl ~dju~tment the h~d 9 of ocr~w 3 ~)
tr~vel~ ~long inclincd face 31 of ~pring l~af 27 t- pu3h
th~ latter bAck in th~ dirccti~n of arrow A in Figure 7 until
: it ong~go~ in ~lit 30. Since at the ~ame time th~ paint 17 of
.~crew 7 Ag~in eng~geq with ohould~r 19 it follow3 thAt thc
two connoctor fittingi~ 1,2 ~rc ~utomatic~lly locked togeth~r.
Ini~t~d of the ~lit 30 there might conceiv~bly b~ proYided
~ mero dcpre3~ion, th~t ii~ to .~y again ~ notch~ in ~logou
manner:to th~ previou~ly de~cribcd ombodimont. The only
important feii~ture reside3 in thAt the head 9 cannot
~ccid~ntally i~lip out of Apring l-af 27.
.
- 9 - 1 3~9~
As m~y bo ob~orv~d from Figur~ 8, th~ hoad 9 i3 held ~o
tightly betw~en the od3es 32,33 ~f ~lit 30 that a relAtive
height ~djustment of fitting~ 1,2 i3 ~g~in posaible by
rotation of ~crow 6.
Tho t~o 3tructur~1 el~montY, or the ~ociated two connoctor
fitting~ 1,2Jcan bo ~lightly ~lidingly di~plac~d in or
opposito to the clamping diroction S whil~t tho ol~tic
locking part 3 ,~r 27, 3imply follow~ ~uch movcm~nt ~nd
remAin~ in eng~g~m~nt with tho h~ight ~dju~r.lont mean~.
Such ~liding in tho clAmping dir~ction occur~ during th~
tightcning of th~ work plate~ And tho oxtent or desree of
Juch ~liding di~placoment may ~l~o d~p~nd on ~ny fini~hing
wcrk applied, for ~xample, to *ho ond fAc~3 of tho plates
by tho fitter. In tho ca.~e of an ~embly modc which is
Appli~d in practico tho mai~ton~nc~ of hoight ~dju~tmcnt
during rol~tivo ~liding di~pl~c~ment~ of ~itting~ 1,2 or
aaæoci~t~d plate~ i~ ,or oppo~ite to,tho cl~mping direction
i~ found to be of particul~r ~dvant~go: Follo~ing prelimin~ry
asaembly from the position ~hcwn in Figure 10 in ~hich
locking part 3 engaga3 with,or ~n,th~ height ~dju.qtment moanY
(pl~tc 9 ongages in groovo 20,Figur- 3) th~ p~rts aro
lightly clamp~d or r~l~tiY~ly tightancd by ~e~na of clamping
~crow 7. Then precise hoight adju~tmont i~ obtainod by
turning ~crew 6 (e.g. by checking the j~int ~t tho pl~t~
~urf~ce with A finger) Before tha plato~ Are finally clamp~d
tognther th~ cl~mping ~cr~w 7 may bc ~l~ckened Again. This
~llow~ the plate~ to bo ~lightly rel~tively ~p~rat~d
once more by introduction ~nd tur~ing ~ a Jui-tablo tool
(~.g. acrewdrive~ blAd~) in th~ recoss 34 (Figure 2) i~-
connector fitting 2 in ord~r t~ f~d ~dh~sivo or ~ilicon
into th~ joint~ Sub~equently the fin21 clAmping ~nd tight~ning
opcration is ~pplied vi~ acr~ 7 whilst th~ provi~usly
co~pleted h~ight ~dju~tmont i~ fully ~u~t~inod. Whil~ the
plAtCS ~ro pu~hod apart ~pring 4 r~l~xe~ and en3ur~s that
l~v~r 3 ~ loc~ing part) AlWayg romains ~pplied to plate or di~c
9 ~f the h~ight-adju~tmont ~cr~w 6.
. . 7~
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13~9~1
-- 10 --
In order to allow th~ pl~te~ or c~nn~ctor fittings 1,2 b~ing
lin~d,up l~torally, ti-~t i9 to ~y in th~ diroction of tho
butt joint~, th~ connector fittlng 2 is provid~d with two
r~ce~so~ 35,36 for tho ~pplic~tion th~r~t~ of ~uit~blc
5: ~ tools (Figuro 2) whoroby tho xhouldor or projoction 16
o~ fittillg 1 c~n be di~pl2c~d r~l~tivo to fitting 2.
Th~ connoctor fittings 1,2 Aro prdf~r~bly m~dc Or plA~tiCS
m~t~ri~l or dic c~qtingY.
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