GB2187812A

GB2187812A - Framework connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2187812A
Application number: GB08625176A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Braden Christopher Godden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-03-13
Filing date: 1986-10-21
Publication date: 1987-09-16
Also published as: GB8625176D0; GB8606236D0

Abstract

A connector comprises a body portion 42 provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving a plurality of readily removable connecting members 41 for connecting the body portion 42 to a rod or tube. The connecting members are arranged to be inserted into the end of a length of tube. The members 41 maybe made of resilient material arranged to grip the inside walls of the tube or an insert may be provided to fix between the connecting member 41 and the tube to form a tight connection therebetween. The connecting members 41 have a threaded end portion formed on the end of an axial through bolt passing through a nut 44, and the apertures 47 on the body portion may be threaded to receive the threaded end portion. The nut 44 may be integral with the connecting member 41, or captive thereon, and engages in a hexagonal cavity 48 surrounding the thread 47 to connect the connecting member 41 to the body 42 in a form-locking manner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Framewok connectors The present invention relates to framework systems, such as those of the Dexion Speed Frame (trade mark) type, where frameworks of rectangular shape and various sizes can be built up using a number of metal or plastic tubes or rods and suitable connectors.

The Dexion (trade mark) system mentioned before utilises lengths of square cross-section metal tubing which are connected by means of a limited range of connectors each comprising a central body having two or more projections which are inserted into the ends of lengths of tubes to form a joint therebetween.

The range of connectors include 90 , T joints and corner joints, all requiring tubes to be joined at right angles. The provision of a wider range of connectors is made difficult by the need to provide projections for all the required angles and so to provide a connector which is dedicated to a particular type of joint.

The present invention aims to provide a framework system having a range of connectors which may each be used to form joints between tubing at a variety of angles, and so broaden the range of shapes which may be made and extend the use of such systems to new applications.

According to the present invention, a connector comprises a body portion and a plurality of detachable connecting members for connecting the body portion to a rod or tube.

Preferably, the body portion is provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving the connecting members.

Preferably, the connecting members are readily removable from the apertures. Preferably also, the connecting members are arranged to be inserted into the end of a length of tube. The members may be made of resilient material arranged to grip the inside walls of the tube, or an insert may be provided to fix between the connecting member and tube to form an interference connection therebetween.

Preferably, the connecting members each have a threaded end portion, and the apertures on the body portion may be threaded to receive the connecting members. The connecting members may have an axial aperture for receiving a screw which projects out past the end of the connecting member to connect to the body portion. Preferably also, the threaded connections are based on 5/16 inch (8mm) nuts and bolts. Inserts may be provided to blank off apertures not in use.

Preferably, the connector body portion has at least two sides which are not mutually perpendicular.

Preferably, a connector body comprises a right cylindrical prism having at least two adjacent sides which are not at right angles. More preferably, the right cylindrical prism has at least five sides. Preferably two pairs of adjacent sides are at 90 and the remaining three pairs are at 1200.

Preferably, a threaded aperture is provided in each side face of the prism, preferably at right angles to the face. A triangular prism portion may be provided on an end face of the prism. The prism portion may be integrally formed with the prism or removably attached.

Another preferred form of body member comprises a plurality of sides which are pivotably connected, means being provided to adjust the angle between the sides.

Preferably, the connecting members are form-locked to the connector body to prevent relative rotation. This may be achieved by means of a nut which is screwed on to the threaded end portion and received within a recess in the connector member and a corresponding recess in the connector body, thus preventing relative rotation between the connector body and connecting member. This is particularly applicable where the threaded end portion is provided by a screw passing through the connecting member. The nut may be free, captive in the connecting member, or formed integrally with the connecting member.

The present invention finds particular application with Dexion Speed Frame.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a front elevation of a connecting member according to the invention; Fig 2 is a top view of the connecting member of Fig 1; Fig 3 is a side view of a cubic connector body and Fig 3a illustrates the member of Fig 1 attached to the body of Fig 2; Fig 4 shows underneath, side and plan views of a cap; Fig 5 shows plan and side views of a spacer element; Figs 6, 7 and 8 are front, top and side views of a second type of connector body; Figs 9, 10 and 11 are front, top and side views of a third type of connector body; Fig 12 is a side view of a modification of the connector body of Fig 9; Fig 13 is a side view of a second type of cap; Figs 14 and 14a are top and side views of a fourth type of connector body;; Fig 15 is a side view of a modification of the body of Fig 14; Figs 16, 17, 18 and 19 are side, underneath, front and plan views of a fifth type of connector body; Fig 20 is a plan view of sixth type of connector body; Figs 21 and 22 are plan and side views of a seventh type of connector body; Fig 23 is a side view of an eighth type of connector body; Fig 24a and 24b are side and end views of a wedge member; Fig 25 is a side view of a ninth type of connector body; Fig 26 shows a modification of the body of Fig 25; Fig 27 shows a tenth type of connector body; Fig 28, 29 and 30 are top, front, and side elevations of an eleventh type of connector body; Fig 31 and 32 are top and side elevations of a twelfth type of connector body; Figs 33, 34, 35 and 36 show other types of end cap; Fig 37 shows a hinge post connecting member;; Fig 38 is a plan view of a somewhat modified form of connecting member in conjunction with one form of connector body; and Fig 39 is a sectional view of the connecting member of Fig 38.

Referring first to Figs 1 and 2, a connecting member comprises a tapering square crosssection post 1 which has an axial threaded aperture 49 which receives a screw 2 which projects beyond the end of the post. The screw is slotted at each end to allow it to be turned with a screw driver. The larger end face 3 of the post has a hexagonal recess 4 for receiving a nut 8 which projects beyond the end face 3.

Fig 3 shows a cubic connector body 9 of 1 inch (25mm) side and having a threaded blind aperture 5 in each face 6. The apertures 5 extend perpendicularly to their respective faces and are positioned centrally. A hexagonal recess 7 is provided at the mouth of each aperture 5 for receiving a nut 8.

To connect the connecting member 1 to the connector body 9 the member 1 is positioned on the respective face 6 with a nut sandwiched therebetween in the recesses 4 and 7.

The screw 2 is then screwed into the threaded aperture 5 to hold the connectors together. The screw 2 may have a flanged head which bears on a shoulder provided in the axial aperture of the connecting. member in order to force the member 1 against the face 6 of the body 9. Holes 10 are provided in the side of the connecting member 1 for receiving locking grub screws or the like to lock the screw 2 in the member 1.

Spacers 11 may be fitted between the member 1 and body 9. Plugs 12 (Fig 4) are a push fit in the apertures 5 and 7 to blank off unused apertures.

This manner of connecting a connecting member 1 to the connecting body 9 is also applicable to the various connecting bodies described hereinafter.

It will be appreciated that the apertures 49 in the connecting members 1 need not be threaded to receive the screws 2 if the screw is provided with a head for bearing on a flange in the aperture. A screw portion may be cast or moulded at or into the end of the connecting body 1.

The connecting members 1 are each of cast steel or alloy and each is connected to square cross-section steel tubing by means of a plastics insert which interfaces between the member 1 and the tube wails in a manner known per se. The members 1 may also be dimensioned to be a push or interference fit directly into the steel tube, or may be of deformable material such as plastics for pressing into a tube end. After insertion into a tube the connecting member may be locked in position by inserting a locking screw or the like through a hole in the side of the tube.

Connector body 9 can be used for making right angled and straight joints. Its advantage over the prior art connectors is that only a single body type need be provided, the connecting members being added as necessary.

Figs 6 to 8 show a preferred embodiment of a connector body which is similar in construction to that of Fig 3 but of different shape. As seen in Fig 6, the body 45 is a five-sided (pentagonal) right prism having an aperture 5 in each face. Faces 12, 13, 14 and 15 are mutually at right angles, and faces 15, 16; 16, 12; and 13, 14 are at 1200. This enables the formation of joints at 60 , 90 , 1200, and 1500.

The faces 15, 16, 12 are 1 inch (25mm) square. Faces 13, 14 must necessarily be longer in the circumferential direction. The apertures 7 in these faces are positioned towards the ''inside face" of the connector body so that a tube connected to face 14 will be in line with face 15.

Figs 9 to 11 show a modification of the connector of Figs 6 to 8. A right angled 30 triangular prism 17 is added on an end face of the connector body. Prism 17 may be integrally formed with the body or provided with a screw for insertion in an end face aperture 7. Figs 9 to 11 show the prism 17 with its working face 16 adjacent the inside face 16 of the connector body.

In the modification of Fig 12, the prism 17a is turned through 180 , but its edge abuts the face 16. The prism 17 allows for the formation of out of plane joints at 1200.

Fig 13 shows an end cap 19a, preferably of plastics material, which is of triangular crosssection for insertion into unused apertures on the outside of a joint to give a sharp outside corner. The stud 41 may be threaded or simply corrugated and pushed into a threaded aperture 5 to secure the cap to a connector body.

Figs 14 and 14a show the body of Figs 6 to 8 with a triangular prism 17 on each face.

In Fig 15 the prisms 1 7a are rotated through 1800 as in Fig 12.

Figs 16 to 19 show a further modification of the body 45 of Figs 6 to 8. One or both end faces is provided with a right angle, 45" triangular prism 42, as best seen in Fig 16.

Each prism 42 has a pair of 1 inch (25mm) square faces 43, each with an aperture 5 and a recess 7.

Fig 20 shows a crown piece formed from steel. The crown piece is shown flat and comprises a central hexagonal plate 21 and side plates 22. Each plate has a central aperture 23. The apertures may be threaded to receive a screw 2 or may be plain, a connecting member being attached by means of a nut at the rear of the plate. The crown piece maybe supplied flat and the side plates bent to the required angle, or supplied with the side plates at a predetermined angle to the plane of the centre plate, eg, 30 , 45 , or 60". The side plates are 1 inch (25mm) square to be used with 1 inch (25mm) square tubing.

Fig 23 shows two crown pieces joined at the outer edges of the side plates. The edges may be welded or hinge connected. An adjusting bolt 24 is journalled in the aperture 23 in the top plate 21a and threadedly connected to the lower plate 21b. By turning the bolt 24 the distance between the plates 21a, 21b is varied and the angle between the centre plates and the side plates varied.

Figs 21 and 22 show a hexagonal right pyramidal connector body 46 having apertures 5 in each face, the side faces being 1 inch (25mm) square.

Figs 24a and 24b show a plastic wedge 25 having a sloping face 47 which is adapted to bear on a connector body when it is necessary to hammer the body to drive a connecting member into a metal tube.

Figs 25, 26 and 27 show modifications of the cubic body of Fig 3. In Fig 25, one face 26 is angled at 30 and the faces on the same circumference are elongated. In Fig 26, two opposite faces are angled at 30 . It is preferable to lengthen the vertical dimension of the bodies, as seen in Figs 25 and 26, to ensure that there is adequate strength in the vicinity of the apertures in the sloping faces.

Fig 27 shows a plan view of a connector body 48 which in effect comprises two cubes which have been merged at an angle.

Figs 28 to 30 show a pentagonal prism 45 of Fig 6 with a rectangular prism 28 merged at the face 16, the rectangular prism being canted at an angle to the axis of the pentagonal prism, as seen best in Fig 30.

Figs 31 and 32 show a right triangular prism 29 which has a 30 , right angled prism on each face. This connector body is particularly suitable for pyramids. A pyramidal end cap 30 for the upper face 31 of the connector body is shown in Figs 33 and 34.

Figs 35 and 37 show a connector member for forming a hinge post. The member comprises a cast metal or alloy inner cylinder 35 which carries a plastics sheath 36. A flat base 37 supports a tube which is slid over the plastics sheath 36.

Fig 36 shows another type of end cap.

Figures 38 and 39 show a connecting member 41 attached to a connector body 42 of the type shown in figure 6 with prism portions 43 shown in phantom on the ends thereof. A nut 44 for form-locking the connecting member 41 to the connector body 42 is shown as being moulded integrally with the connecting member 41, which is also shown as having an axial cavity 45 which is not threaded, so that the connecting bolt 46 may be readily introduced to the nut 44 and the thread 47 in the connector body 42. The bolt may have a hexagon head and/or a screwdriver slot at the outer end. The nut 44 may be integrally moulded as shown, or it may be otherwise captive in the connecting member 41, or alternatively it may be free and only held in position by enclosure between and within mating cavities in the connecting member 41 and connector body 42.

One such cavity on the connector body 42 is shown at 48, and in all cases this co-operates with the nut 44 to provide a form-locking connection between the connector body 42 and the connecting member 41.

The connector bodies may be cast from metal, alloy or plastics, depending on the desired strength and weight required. The apertures, if they are to be threaded may be provided with a threaded tubular insert which is force fitted into the apertures or the thread may be tapped or cast into the body.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A connector comprising a body portion and a plurality of detachable connecting members for connecting the body portion to a rod or tube.

2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the body portion is provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving the connecting members.

3. A connector as claimed in claim 2, in which the connecting members are readily removable from the apertures.

4. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connecting members are each arranged to be inserted into the end of a length of tube.

5. A connector as claimed in claim 4, in which the members are made of resilient material arranged to grip the inside walls of the tube.

6. A connector as claimed in claim 4, in which an insert is provided to fix between the connecting member and tube to form a tight connection therebetween.

7. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connecting members each have a threaded end portion, and the apertures on the body portion are threaded to receive the connecting members,

8. A connector as claimed in claim 7, in which the connecting members each have an axial aperture for receiving a screw which projects out past the end of the connecting member to connect to the body portion.

9. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which inserts are provided to blank off apertures not in use.

10. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connector body portion has at least two sides which are not mutually perpendicular.

11. A connector as claimed in claim 10, in which a connector body comprises a right cylindrical prism having at least two adjacent sides which are not at right angles.

12. A connector as claimed in claim 11, in which the right cylindrical prism has at least five sides.

13. A connector as claimed in claim 12, in which two pairs of adjacent sides of a pentagonal prism are at 90 and the remaining three pairs are at 120 .

14. A connector as claimed in claim 11, 12 or 13, in which a threaded aperture is provided in each side face of the prism.

15. A connector as claimed in claim 14, in which each threaded aperture is at right angles to the associated face.

16. A connector as claimed in any of claims 11 to 15, comprising a triangular prism portion on an end face of the prism.

17. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A connector as claimed in claim 16, in which the prism portion is integrally formed with the prism.

18. A connector as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the body member comprises a plurality of sides which are pivotably connected, means being provided to adjust the angle between the sides.

19. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connecting members are form-locked to the connector body to prevent relative rotation.

20. A connector as claimed in claim 19 (as dependant on claim 7 or any claim dependant therefrom), in which the form-locking is achieved by means of a nut which is screwed on to the threaded end portion and received within a recess in the connector member and a corresponding recess in the connector body, thus preventing relative rotation between the connector body and connecting member.

21. A connector as claimed in claim 20, in which the threaded end portion is provided by a screw passing through the connecting member.

22. A connector as claimed in claim 20 or 21, in which the nut is captive in the connecting member.

23. A connector as claimed in claim 20 or 21, in which the nut is moulded integrally with the connecting member.

24. A connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:

1. A connector comprising a connector body and a plurality of detachable connecting members for connecting the body to a rod or tube, wherein the body is provided with a plurality of threaded apertures for receiving threaded ends of the connecting members, in which the connecting members are formlocked to the connector body to prevent relative rotation.

2. A connector as claimed in claim 1, in which the form-locking is achieved by means of a nut which is screwed on to the threaded end portion and received within a recess in the connector member and a corresponding recess in the connector body, thus preventing relative rotation between the connector body and connecting member.

3. A connector as claimed in claim 2, in which the threaded end portion is provided by a screw passing through the connecting member.

4. A connector as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the nut is captive in the connecting member.

5. A connector as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the nut is moulded integrally with the connecting member.

6. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connecting members are each arranged to be inserted into the end of a length of tube.

7. A connector as claimed in claim 6, in which the members are made of resilient material arranged to grip the inside walls of the tube.

8. A connector as claimed in claim 6, in which an insert is provided to fix between the connecting member and tube to form a tight connection therebetween.

9. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connecting members each have an axial aperture for receiving a screw which projects out past the end of the connecting member to connect to the body portion.

10. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which inserts are provided to blank off apertures not in use.

11. A connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the connector body portion has at least two sides which are not mutually perpendicular.

12. A connector as claimed in claim 11, in which a connector body comprises a right cylindrical prism having at least two adjacent sides which are not at right angles.

13. A connector as claimed in claim 12, in which the right cylindrical prism has at least five sides.

14. A connector as claimed in claim 13, in which two pairs of adjacent sides of a pentagonal prism are at 90" and the remaining three pairs are at 1200.

15. A connector as claimed in any of claims 14, comprising a triangular prism portion on an end face of the prism.

16. A connector as claimed in claim 15, in which the prism portion is integrally formed with the prism.