Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Coupling apparatuses
lhe present invention relates to coupling apparatuses,
particularly coupling apparatuses used for forming a rack,
display case or furniture by connecting recta~gular flat
sheet assembly members.
Conventionally known is a rack or case for displaying
~mer~handise which is formed by combining many blocks with
plural couplings, with many frames to be connected to the
plural couplings. In this case, while such a display
case can be easily assembled or carried, the connected
portions of couplings are liable to be loose, causing
frames easily to co~ne off, to further cause shelves on
them to drop, or to fall the frames. For this reason, in
conventional coupling apparatuses, set-screws for preventing
the 1006ening are additionally tightened in the connected
portions between the couplings and the frame B rl tted.
However, in such coupling apparatuses, while the above
mentioned trouble can be prevented, the screw tightening
work for the connection is very troublesome, and when a
number of the couplings and frames are used, fatigue i9
involved and the assembling efficiency is very low,
disadvantageously.
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Furthermore conventionally, there are also blocks
with square or cylindrical couplings, eac}l coupling of
which has a rib protruding around it, so that the coupling
may be inserted into a square or cylindrical frame through
the rib. However, in this case, the coupling is fitted J
lnto the frame by striking the block by a harnmer, etc, and
for removing, the block is struck by a hammer in the other
direction. Therefore, in addition to low working efficiency,
not only the coupling apparatuses but also the frames may
be broken.
A conventional rack for displaying merchandise is
formed by combining tubular frames or square frames
horizontally and vertically, and there are many kinds of ¦
coupling members to combine these tubular and square frames.
However, while attention is recently paid to a rack which
uses rectangular~flat sheets, there are no couplings for
combining them, and conventional couplings cannot be u~ed
for them at all.
Thu~, an ob~ect of the present invention i8 to
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provide coupling apparatuses which can o~=o_~ rectangular
frame~ vertically and horizontally.
Another ob~ect of the present invention i8 to pro~ide
coupling apparatuses which can connect rectangular frames
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just by turning screws from outside without using a hammer.
A further object of the present invention is to
provide coupling apparatuses, each of which has plural
couplings, each coupling being provided with a clamp
plate capable of moving freely, to enable frames to be
fitted by the movement of the clamp plates.
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided an apparatus for coupling tubular frame members
comprising a coupling block, a plurality of couplings extended
from the coupling block, each of the couplings having a guide
recess, a clamp member mounted for sliding movement within
each guide recess, a bolt having a first end connected with
the clamp member and a second end screwed into one of the
couplings, the clamp member having a hole, the first end of
the bolt belng received within the hole, bearing means within
the hole for supporting the bolt at the first end for free
turning movement, the bolt having a circular groove
adjacent the first end, and a pin mounted to the clamp member
and extended through the circular groove, and the clamp
member being operable to slide responsive to the rotation
of the bolt wlthin a respectlve guide recess to press the
tubular frame member surrounding the clamp member and the
coupling defining the respective guide recess thereby
solidly holding the coupling and tubular frame member to each
other.
Below is described an embodiment of the present
invention in reference to the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a coupling apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the disassembled
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coupling apparatus of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the coupling apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a rear view of the coupling apparatus.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional rear view of the
coupling apparatus.
Fig. 6, located adjacent Fig. 3, is a partially
cutaway perspective view of
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a merchandise display rack assembled by using the coupling
apparatuses.
Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a coupling
apparatus of the present invention. Symbol 1 is a
rectangular coupling block with coup]ings 2, 3 and 4
protruded in three orthogonal directions, and each of the
couplings 2~3 and 4 has a cut 5, 6 or 7 at the top.
The horizontal portions 5a, 6a and 7a of the cuts 5, 6
and 7 have a bolt hole 5bt 6b or 7b at the center. It i9
important that the coupling 4 is protruded at the center
of a wide area la of the block 1, for combining a
rectangular frame. The couplings Z, 3 and 4 are opened
below, to make the inside hollow for reduction of weight,
but this is not always required. The couplings can be
thick branches.
The inside top wall of each coupling 2, 3 or 4
is formed as a slight thick portion 8 which i~ provided
with said bolt hole 5b, 6b or 7b with the inside
circumference threaded~ and a bolt 9 i9 screwed in each
of the bolt holes 5b, 6b and 7b, to be capable of freely
moving.
Inside said cuts 5, 6 and 7, clamp members 10, 11
and 12 are respectively stored, to be capable Or freely
moving vertically.
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Each of said clamp members 10, 11 and 12 has a hole
13 in opposite to the bolt hole 5b, 6b or 7b, and in the
hole 13, a ball bearing 14 is set deep inside, to be capable
of freely rotating, 60 that when the bolt 9 is inserted
ln the hole 13, the top surface of tl~e bolt may contact
the ball bearing 14, to be able to be turned easily.
The top end of the bolt 9 has a horizontal surface,
and the bottom end of the bolt 9 has a slit or hexagonal
hole 9a, so that a screw-driver or a hexagonal wrench,
etc may be inserted into the slit or hole 9a, to turn
the bolt 9, Furthermore~ near the top of the bolt 9, a
circular groo~e 15 i5 formed around it. On the other
hand, at the inside wall of the hole 13 in each of the
clamp members 10, 11 and 12, a pin 16 is inserted laterally-
through, Thus, when the bolt 9 is inserted in the hole
13, the top surfàce i~ supported by the ball bearing 14,
to be capable of freely turning, and the pin 16 fits the
circular groove 15 laterally, so that the bol.t 9 may be
prevented from coming off axially by t;he pin 16, while it
can be turned freely in the hole 13.
The clamp members 10, 11 and 12 are plates of
almost square prism, and they can be partially made
hollow for reduction in weight and saving of material,
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and their external form is only required to move vertically
being guided by the cut 5, 6 or 7. Furthermore, as
illustrated, ribs 17 and 18 can be protruded on both
~ides~ ~o that a framc, when fitted, may be supported by
the two points, as described later. In this case, since
a frame i9 supported by two points, the state of fitting
i8 stable, and frictional resistance is increased.
At the top of the root of each coupling 2, 3 or 4,
a V-shaped or similar guide groove 19 is formed, and a
guide 20 triangular in section to fit the guide groove 19
i~ protruded,at an end of each clamp member 10, 11 or 12,
so that tho clamp members 10, 11 and 12 may move vertically
and be controlled in lateral movement by the guide 20
and the guide groove 19.
~ ow, an operation is,described below, in reference
to a case where a racK 23 for displaying merchandise
comprising rectangular frames 22, for e~ample, is assembled
by u~ing the coupling appa~atuses of the present invention.
The coupling apparatuses have their clamp members 10,
11 and 12 held in the extreme compression position in the
cuts 5, 6 and 7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, before being
fitted to the display rack 23.
Then, as if to cover the respective couplings 2, 3
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and 4 and the clamp members 10, 11 and 12, the tubular
frames 22 are put to the block 1, from the ends of the
couplings 2, 3 and 4. When the frames 22 are sufficiently
put to the roots of the couplings 2, 3 and 4, a screw-
driver i9 inserted through the oblong hole 21 provided in
each of the frames 22 from outside in the bolt 9 direction,
with its tip fitted in the engagement slit 9a of the bolt
9, in order to turn the bolt 9 clockwise. Thus, the bolt
9 is turned freely in the hole 13 of the cut, being supported
by said ball bearing 14. In this ca~e, since the clamp
member 10, 11 or 12 i~ solid with the bolt 9 through the
pin 16 and since the screw hole 5b, 6b or 7b is fixed
to the block l! the turning of the bolt 9 makes the bolt
9 and the clamp member 10, 11 or 12 move upward, being
guided by the screw hole 5b, 6b or 7b. The clamp member
10, 11 or 12 is~moved.vertically, being guided by the
guide groove 19, and the outer surfaces of the ribs 17 and
18 contact the inside surface of the frame 22, making
the rising force of the clamp member 10, 11 or 12 act
on the frame 22. Thus, the frame 22 is caught between
the ribs 17 and 18 of the clamp member 10, 11 or 12 and
the lower end of the coupling 2, 3 or 4, and cannot be
drawn out of the block 1. Thus, the frames 22 are held
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firmly by the couplings 2, 3 and 4, to be prevented from
coming off freely. ~ig. 6 shows a part of the display
rack 23 formed by this method. If the blocks 1 with
said three couplings 2, 3 and 4 are combined with the
rrames, a display rack of a desired size can be formed,
and if glass sheets, etc are placed in the rack, a large
number of and various kinds of merchandise can be displayed.
As described so far in detail, according to the
present invention, by forming guide cuts in the couplings
of a block with one or more couplings; fitting a clamp
member capable of freely ascending and descending and
provided with a screw in it, in each of said guide cuts,
to be capable of freely moving vertically; and putting
a rectangular frame as if to cover the coupling and the
clamp member; whereby whe~ the screw is tightened, said
clamp member presses-the coupling and the frame, to hold
them solidly; then a display rack or funiture formed by
connecting plural frame~ can be simply w~d definitely
a~sembled, and the fall of shelves due to the coming-off
of frames and the damage of merchandise and fixtures can
be prevented. Thus, the present invention i~ very practlcal
in markets and householdQ.
