Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONNE~CTOR FOR CONNECTING
CHANNELLED M[EMBERS ~-
FIELI3 OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to connectors for joining together
channelled structural members OI components.
More particularly, th~. invention relates to connectors for ~ ~-
10 connecting together two structural members having corresponding channels
formed with inturned locking fingers at their entrances when such stmctural
members are arranged so that the channels are in opposed face-to-face
relation with their inturned fingers abutting.
While the invention is applicable to the connecting of adjoining
structural members or cornponents as aforesaid rnanufactured from various
materials, it has particular application to the joining together of such
members which have been extruded from thermoplas~c material and are
intended for use in the erection of modular housing or other buildings to be
20 assembled from interlocking thermoplastic s~ctural components wherein
components with channels having internal locking fingers interlock with
components having projections to fit wi~in the channels and grooves to
receive and interlock with the inturned channel fingers.
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The erection of such housing or building s~uctures into
permanent afi~ordable high quality buildings which can be easily and rapidly
assembled to provide essentially indes~uctible ma~ntenance free s~uctures is
now possible using the structural components of the above construction more
particularly described and claimed in my copending Canadian Application
Serial Number 2,070,079, filed May 29th, 1992.
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In said copending application, the structural members disclosed
comprise extruded thermoplastic components incorporating a reinforcing
constituent imparting structural strength and expansion control thereto and
flowable with the thermoplastic material through an extrusion die to produce
an integral essentially rigid structural shape configured to present the
aforesaid means for interconnection with adjoining structural components.
Such components include extruded rectilinear hollow panels having internal
cells and box connectors, the bo~ connectors having longitudinal channels for
receiving the ends of the panels with such channels having inturned locking
fingers at their entrances to interlock in mating grooves formed in the panels.
As disclosed in said copending application, such extruded panels
and box connectors have a thermoplastic core or substrate which may be a
vinyl chloride incorporating a reinforcing and expansion controlling material
distributed therethrough and a coextruded smooth thermoplastic skin on
exposed surfaces of the core.
The reinforcing material may comprise an inorganic filler and
for high loading may comprise fine short glass fibers with the skin
2 o embedding and interlocking with the glass fiber portions that are exposed at
the interface between the reinforced core and the coextruded skin.
A suitable glass fiber containing core material is described in
detail in B. F. Goodrich's U.S. Patent 4,536,360.
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The coextruded skin may, for example, be PVC, rigid PVC,
semi-rigid PVC or ABS. Suitable skin thermoplastics are available from
G.E. under the trade-marks "GELOY" or "NORYL". ~ ~;
3 o As the buildings erected from some such components become
more complex, there may be occasions where it is desirable to connect
together a pair of members such as box connectors which present their
locking channels with inturned locking fingers at the entrances thereto in
face-to-face abutting relation with the opposed channels forming a closed
chamber into which the abutting fingers project centrally thereof.
The connectors of the present invention solve the problem of
interconnecting such channelled members.
According to the invention, the channel member connectors
comprise elongated extruded members adapted to be received within the
enclosed chamber formed by the abutting channels of the members to be
5 connected, said connector extrusion spanning the interior width of the channelchamber and presenting outwardly facing channels or grooves at the edges
thereof for receiving the abutting inturned locking fingers and holding same
in abutting relation.
In many cases, the connection of such channelled members may
be made by sliding the connector into the chamber formed by the opposed
abutting channel formations with the edge channels of the connector receiving
the abutting locking fingers.
~5 There are, however, many instances where it is not possible to
effect such a sliding interlock because of obstructions at the ends of the
abutting channels. To solve this problem according to one important
embodiment of the invention the connector member is extruded of material
having a measure of resiliency and having camming surfaces on opposite sides
2 0 of the end grooves whereby the locking fingers alt the entrance to the channel
members to be connected, under a force directed to push the connector into
the challnel, acting on such carnming surfaces effect a resilient flexing or
bowing of the connector to reduce its effective width for passage beneath the
fingers to a point where the camming surfaces clear the fingers and the edge
25 grooves register therewith allowing the connector to snap to its full width
with the locking ~ingers received and held in the edge grooves. ~ ;
.
More particularly, in its preferred form according to this
embodiment of the invention the connector member comprises a hollow : -
3 o extrusion of thermoplastic resilient material having an hour glass shaped
cross section terminating in outwardly facing edge grooves and presenting
sloping camming surfaces on opposite sides of the said grooves sloping
inwardly up to the mouths of the grooves.
.
Further, according to the preferred form of this embodiment of
this invention, such connector members are provided on opposite sides
thereof with integrally formed arcuate cantilever resilient a~s adapted to
bear against the bottom walls of the channel of the members being connected
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to resist further inward movement of the connector once the camming
shoulders on one side of the end grooves have cleared beneath the locking
fingers and such fingers have entered the end grooves.
5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction
10 with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure l is a broken away perspective view illustrating a ~ :
connector for connecting opposing box connectors, the connector being
adapted for longitudinal sliding engagement with the inturned fingers sf the
box connector channels for effecting the box connector connection; :
Figure 2 is a top plan view of an alternative connector adapted
for lateral insertion into the channels of the box connectors to be joined and
showing in dotted line its insertion into the channel of one of the box
20 connectors;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the
connector in positlon interlocking the opposing box connectors;
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Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevational view illustrating the
connec~or of Figures 2 and 3 and illustrating how on bowing it can clear i
between the inturned locking fingers of the box connector under lateral
~ . .
pressure;
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3 o Figure 5 is a broken away perspective view illustrating an
installation where end obstmctions to the channelled member to be connected
require ~e connector illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 to be inserted through the
intuTned channel fingers.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFE~RRED
EMBOI)I~NTS
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With reference to Figure l, there is shown a four-way box
connector 1 interlocked with a hollow cellular panel 2 at one side and with a
corresponding four-way box connector 3 by means of a connector generally
designated at 4.
As discussed above, the box connectors 1 and 3 and the panel 2
which are particularly adapted for use in erecting the~moplastic housing may
be formed as longitudinal extrusions having a reinforced core and a
coextruded skin on exposed exterior surfaces as disclosed and claimed in my
said copending application serial number 2,070,079.
Sirnilarly, for use in such building structures, the connector
member 4 will comprise a longitudinal extrusion of thermoplastic material
such as a vinyl chloride containing a reinforeing inorganic filler.
2 0
It will be appreciated, however, that connector 4 can be
extruded from other material such as aluminum and used to connect other `
than thermoplastic members which present opposed channels having inturned
locking fingers.
Each of the box connectors 1 and 3 arç of hollow rectilinear
form presenting outwardly facing channels 5 having inturned fingers 6 at
their entrance.
3 o Panel 2 is formed with an end portion 7 of reduced width to fit
within the adjoining channel S of the adjoining box connector and is further
provided with grooves 8 to receive the inturned fingers 6 of thç adjoining
box connector. The connection between the panel 3 and the adjoining box
connector 1 is effected by sliding one longitudinally into the other with the
fingers 7 sliding in the grooves 8.
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As illustrated in Figure l, when the two box connectors l and 3
are arranged contiguously with their channels 5 disposed in face-to-face
relation, their inturned fingers 6 are in abutting relation.
In ef~ect, the opposing abutting channels form a closed chamber
into which the abutting fingers 7 project centrally of the width thereof.
Connector 4 comprises a longitudinal extrusion having a central
web 9 terminating at opposite edges thereof with outwardly facing channels
l0 which may taper slightly towards their open mouths l l . The connector 4
is dimensioned to be received in the chamber formed by the opposing
channels S of the box connectors l and 3 to span the interior thereof with the
inturned fingers 6 received within the channels l0. The width of the
channels l0 is such as to hold the abutting fingers of the adjoining box
connectors in snugly abutting relation while providing enough clearance so
that the connector can be slid into interlocking relationship with the fingers
over an extended length without binding.
It will be seen that the connector 4 provides a very simple
means of connecting adjoining flange members and that it will be hidden
internally within the closed chamber defined by the abutting channels 5.
The connector 4 of Figure l is intended to be slid longitudinally
into interlocking position and it will be appreciated that there may be many - ~ ;
2 5 instances where access to the box connector channels from the ends thereof
may not be available in which case a connect~r must be provided which can
be introduced laterally into the channels with the inturned locking fingers.
Figures 2 to 5 inclusive illustrate a preferred form of connector
3 0 capable of effec~ing interconnection of opposing channels through the
restricted entrance thereto defined between the opposed inturned locking
fingers. According to the pre~erred form of this important aspect of the
invention, the connector 12 illustrated in Figures 2 to 5 comprises a hollow
elongated extrusion formed of a thermoplastic material having a measure of
3 5 resiliency. Such material may, for instance, comprise a polyvinyl chloridecontaining a sui~able inorganic filler in an amount to leave the polyvinyl
chloride mixture with a measur~ of resiliency. Other suitable materials may ~ -
be used as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
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As illustrated in Figules 2 to 4 the connector 12 is a hollow
extrusion having an end profile or cross section of a generally hour glass
configuration having a narrow waist portion 13 flaring out to a maximum
thickness at points 14 and formed with edge grooves or channels 15. Between : ^s
points 14 and the entrance to the grooves lS, the connector is provided with
curved inwardly sloping camming shoulders 16 which extend up to the
mouths of the channels lS. Projecting outwardly from the walls 17 of the
hour glass configuration of connector 12 are arcuate resilient cantilever a~s
18 offset from each other on opposite sides of the connector and extending
away from the closer of the grooves 15.
Figure 2 shows the connector 12 in a position ready for making
the connection between a two-way box connector 19 connected to a panel 20
and three-way box connector 21 connected to pcmels 22 extending at right . .:
angles to panel 20.
The connector 12 is shown in dotted lines after having been
inserted into the channel of the three-way connector 21 with its locking
fingers 23 received in the edged channels lS and with one of the resilient
cantilever arms 18 bearing against the bottom wall 24 of the three-way box ~ ;
connector channel.
Connector 12 also is shown as bearing against the bottom ~ :
channel wall 24 at its thickest point 14. ..
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Figure 4 illustrates the bowing or flexing capabilities of
colmector 12 to permit it to be in~oduced into the bo~c connector channel 5
between the entrance restricting inturned fingers 23 ~mtil its reaches the
3 o position shown in Figure 2 spanning the width of the channel with the fingers
23 accommodated in the edge grooves lS.
In this connection, ag the connector 12 is forced laterally into
the box connector channel, ~e channel ~ingers 23 are adapted to engage the
camming shoulder 16 at either one or hoth edges of the connector causing the
adjacent connector wall 17 to bow inwardly of the connector to reduce the
effective width of the connector until the shoulder or shoulders 16 clear the
inturned fingers 23 which allows the connector, as soon as these fingers
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register with the edge groove or grooves 15, to recover to its full width and
occupy the interlock position of Figure 2.
Figure 3 shows the connection made between box connectors 19
5 and 21 and this connection is made by pressing the box connector 19 with its
associated panel 20 into abutment with box connector 21.
In such operation, the locking fingers 25 of box cormector 19
will act on the adjacent camming shoulders 16 to effect a bowing in of the
0 adjacent connector wall 17 to reduce the e~fective length of the adjacent sideof the connector until the camming shoulders clear beneath the locking
fingers 25 which then can drop into the edge grooves 15 allowing the resilient
connector to recover to its full width bridging the entire width of the box
connector's channel.
During this operation, the resilient cantilever arm 18 bearing on -
the bottom wall 24 of the three-way box connector channel will resist
displacement of the connector wall to which it is connected further into the
channel of the three-way box connector.
As seen in Figure 3, when connector 12 is in position the
abutting fingers 25 and 23 of box connectors 19 and 21 are held in abutting
position in the connector edge grooves lS and the connector 12 is totally
contained within the chamber 26 formed by the channels of the abutting box
connectors with the abutting locking fingers 23 and 25 projecting inwardly of
the chamber midway of its width.
Just as the resilient cantilever arm 18 on the right hand side of
the connector is illustrated in Figure 3 resiliently bears against the bottom
wall 24 of the channel of the three-way connector, the corresponding -~
cantilever arm 18 on the opposite side of the connector resiliently bears
against the bottom wall 27 of the two-way box connector 19 resiliently
holding the connector in position in the chamber 26.
3 5 Figure 5 illustrates a situation where the connector must be
forced into the channels of the members it is intended to connect through the
restricted entrances thereto defined by the locking fingers. As shown, a
wall 28 which may be made up of wall panels 29 connected by a three-way
3~f~ 9~8
box connector 30 extends between a floor 31 and a ceiling 32 with the box
connector 30 presenting its channel 33 provided with its inturned locking
fingers 34 facing into the area bounded by the wall and floor and ceiling. In
this case, the box connector 12 is shown as extending the full length from
5 floor to ceiling ready to be forced into the box connector channel 33. The
wall 35 to be joined to wall 29 is provided with a two-way box connector 36
corresponding to the box connector 19 ready to be assembled into abutting
relation with box connector 30 with connector 12 assuming the position
illustrated in Figure 3 when the walls are connected together. While it is
lo usually preferable to have connector 12 extend the full length of the channelmembers it is to connect, it will be understood that its length may be selected - ^ ~
as desired and a plurality of spaced connectors may be employed rather than a ~ -
single connector.
While specific and preferred embodiments of the invention have
been clescribed therein, it will be understood that variations may be made
without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended ;
claims. :
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