GB2190407A

GB2190407A - The connection of adjacent panels by releasable tongues

Info

Publication number: GB2190407A
Application number: GB08609093A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Lazenby
Original assignee: PAUL LAZENBY Ltd
Current assignee: PAUL LAZENBY Ltd
Priority date: 1986-04-15
Filing date: 1986-04-15
Publication date: 1987-11-18
Also published as: GB8609093D0

Abstract

An assembly of panels 1 comprises a first panel 1 having apertures 11 and a second panel 1 having apertures 11. The apertures 11 in the first panel 1 are alignable with those in the second panel 1. Tongues 16, 17 have a portion (18) which extends through the apertures 11 of both panels 1 and a portion 19 which extends along at least one of the panels 1 to connect the panels 1 together. The tongues 16, 17 are displaceable e.g they may be lifted by lifting bar 13 when they extend through the apertures 11 and along at least one panel 1 to align that portion extending along the said at least one panel 1 with the aperture 11 to permit separation of the panels 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the connecting together of a plurality of panels The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to the connecting together of a plurality of panels and particularly but not exclusively to the connecting together of panels for use in the construction of a structure such as a cabin.

Structures such as cabins used on work sites as temporary buildings often comprise a number of prefabricated panels bolted together to form the completed structure. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that excessive time is required to bolt or unbolt the panels when the structure is being built of dismantled.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means by which panels can be connected together and dismantled quicker than by known methods.

According to the present invention there is provided an assembly of panels comprising a first panel having aperture means and a second panel having aperture means, the aperture means in the first panel being alignable with the aperture means in the second panel, and tongue means having a portion adapted to extend through the aperture means of both panels and a portion adapted to extend along at least one of the panels to connect the panels together, the tongue means being displaceable when extending through the aperture means and along the said at least one panel to align that portion extending along the said at least one panel with the aperture means to permit separation of the panels.

The aperture means may be provided at an edge region of the panels.

In the assembly of panels the first and second panels may each have a plurality of aperture means, there being a corresponding number of tongues.

Each tongue may project from a bar which when the panels are connected together extends along at least one of the panels between the aperture means.

The tongue means may comprise a pair of spaced parallel tongues each having a portion adapted to extend through the aperture means and a portion adapted to extend along the said at least one panel.

The aperture means may comprise a pair of spaced slots, the spacing between the slots corresponding with the spacing between the tongues of the tongue means.

The bar may be channel shaped, one tongue of the tongue means projecting from one channel wall of the bar and the other tongue of the tongue means projecting from the other channel wall of the bar.

The edge region of the first and second panels may each comprise a portion inclined perpendicularly to the major surfaces of the panel, the aperture means being provided in the inclined portions so that when the panels are connected together the inclined portions face each other.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the panel having a plurality of aperture means provided in opposite edge regions of the panel, respective tongue means extending through each aperture means, Figure 2 shows a rear view of two panels connected together by the tongue means shown in Fig. 1, Figure 3 shows a front view of the two panels illustrated in Fig. 2, and Figure 4 shows a bar provided with the tongue means illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 shows a rectangular metal panel for use in the construction of a cabin to be used, for example, on a work site. Panel 1 comprises a major region 2 and an edge region at each of the four sides of the panel 1. The upper and lower edge regions each comprise a portion 3, 4 extending perpendicularly to and then from the major 2. The longitudinal ends 5, 6 of each edge region terminate short of the extremities of the major region 2.

The edge regions at the sides of the panel 1 each comprises a first portion 7, 8 extending perpendicularly to and bent from the major region 2 of the panel 1 and a second portion 9, 10 extending parallel to and spaced from the major region 2 of the panel. The portions 9, 10 are bent from portions 7, 8. The portion 7 is provided with aperture means 11 spaced along portion 7 and the portion 8 is provided with aperture means 12 spaced along the portion 8. Located within the space defined by the portion 7, 9 is a channelshaped bar 13 having side walls 14, 15. Integrally formed with the side walls 14, 15 of the bar 13 are pairs of tongues 16, 17 spaced along the bar 13 by a distance corresponding with the spacing between the aperture means 11, 12.Each tongue has a first portion 18 extending tranversely from the bar 13 and a second portion 19 extending parallel to and spaced from the bar 13. The distance which the second portion 19 extends parallel to the bar 13 is slightly less than the height of the aperture means 11.

To connect two panels 2 together the panels are positioned adjacent each other as shown in Fig. 2 with the aperture means 11 of one panel aligned with the aperture means 12 of the adjacent panel. The bar 13 is located in the space defined by the portions 7, 9 of the panel 1 so that the portions 18 and 19 of the tongues 16, 17 extend through the aperture means 11 in one panel and the aligned aperture means 12 in the other panel.

The bar 13 is then displaced longitudinally until the lower edge 20 of the portion 18 of each tongue 16, 17 engages at the lower edge of the respective aperture means 11, 12. At this position of the bar 13 the edge 21 of the portion 19 of each tongeu 16, 17 engages and lies along the portion 8 of the panel connected to the panel 1. In this position of the bar 13 the panels are prevented from separating.

In order to separate the two panels the bar 13 is displaced longitudinally in the reverse direction until the portions 19 of the tongues 16, 17 are aligned with the aperture means 11, 12.

As shown in Fig. 3 the bar 13 and tongues 16, 17 are situated at the rear of the panel and therefore are not seen when the completed structure is viewed externally.

Any number of panels as shown in the drawing can be connected together by using the appropriate number of bars 13.

Although not disclosed in the drawings, it is possible to connect the panels together at regions other than their edge regions by providing appropriately positioned aperture means.

The edge regions of panel 1 may be provided internally with insulation and boarding fixed across the portions 9, 10 as as to provide a pleasant internal wall surface for the completed structure.

If required the panels may be provided with apertures in the major region 2 for accommodating windows or doorways.

Claims

1. An assembly of panels comprising a first panel having aperture means and a second panel having aperture means, the aperture means in the first panel being alignable with the aperture means in the second panel, and tongue means having a portion adapted to extend through the aperture means of both panels and a portion adapted to extend along at least one of the panels to connect the panels together, the tongue means being displaceable when extending through the aperture means and along the said at least one panel to align that portion extending along the said at least one panel with the aperture means to permit separation of the panels.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aperture means is provided at an edge region of the panels.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first and second panels each have a plurality of aperture means, there being a corresponding number of tongues.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tongue means comprises a pair of spaced parallel tongues each having a portion adapted to extend through the aperture means and a portion adapted to extend along the said at least one panel.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aperture means comprises a pair of spaced slots, the spacing between the slots corresponding with the spacing between the tongues of the tongue means.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each tongue projects from a bar which when the panels are connected together extends along at least one of the panels between the aperture means.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein the bar is channel shaped, one tongue of the tongue means projecting from one channel wall of the bar and the other tongue of the tongue means projecting from the other channel wall of the bar.

8. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the edge region of the first and second panels each comprises a portion inclined perpendicularly to the major surfaces of the panel, the aperture means being provided in the inclined portions so that when the panels are connected together the inclined portions face each other.

9. An assembly of panels substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.