CONNECTOR FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

Abstract: The joint consists of a hollow prism or cylinder which at its sides normal to one another has openings which are at different levels and permit the passage of elongated structural elements, spigot like sleeves extending from the joint at an angle from at least one side of the joint. The new joint has been designed for use in spatial structures and is specially, but not exclusively, adapted for use in spatial roof construction. This joint permits quick and sure connection of the respective structural parts, the necessary operation being effected-wherever desired-in a workshop, thus permitting semi-finished structural parts to be carried to the respective building site for final assembly.

Description: This invention relates to joints for connecting structural elements. The new joint has been designed for use in spatial structures and is specially, but not exclusively, adapted for use in spatial roof construction. DE-B-1 784 104 discloses a joint used in lattice works especially for toy models. The joint comprises a prismatic body having openings with axes vertically to each other and stick means being pivot-mounted on the joint. But the use of the joint is limited. There are no means for joining at an oblique angle relative to the long sides of the joint. Furthermore, the openings are located in such a manner that their axes cross with each other and consequently, only one elongate structural element passing through can be arranged at the joint. It is the main object of the invention to provide a joint of a high variety which permits quick and sure connection of the respective structural parts, the necessary operation being effected - wherever desired - in a workshop, thus permitting semi-finished structural parts to be carried to the respective building site for final assembly. Needless to say that all operations may also be conducted at that site, should this be preferable for whatever reasons, e.g. difficult terrain which would not allow transportation of bulky assembled structures. The invention makes use of tubular elements but does not exclude the use of rods and bars. According to the invention there is provided a joint consisting of a hollow prism or cylinder which at its sides normal to one another has openings which are at different levels and permit the passage of elongate structural elements, spigot like sleeves, extending from the joint at an angle from at least one side of the joint. According to one embodiment of the invention, the openings in the sides of the joints merge into slots at sides being rectangular to those with the openings. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the joint is a six-sided prism. According to yet another feature, the said spigot like sleeves are lengthwise slitted. Experience in working with joints of this kind shows that with bar shaped elements whenever they are of excessive length it is advantageous to make the joint of two pieces instead of its being an integral one piece body. Thus for such cases there is provided according to the invention a structural element connecting joint which at its sides has openings at different levels to permit the passage of elongate structural elements the said joint being constituted by a cylindrical or prismatic body composed of at least one lower first cylindrical or prismatic part and at least one upper, second cylindrical or prismatic part, spigot like sleeves extending from at least one of the said parts. The invention further relates to a method of assembling a spatial structure from a number of the said joints and a number of elongated structural elements, i.e. bars of pipes. The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description which has reference to the accompanying drawings in which appear schematically in: Fig. 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of the new joint. Fig. 2 being a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on line A-A of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a section on line B-B of Fig. 2. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 - correspond to Figs. 2 - 4 and are destined to serve as joints for rectangularly profiled tubular elements. Figs. 8 and 9, finally, illustrate joints adapted for a special purpose. Fig. 10 is a further embodiment of the new joint. Fig. 11 shows a similar, but slightly different embodiment. Fig. 12 is yet another variant of the joint. Fig. 13 illustrates the use of the embodiment of Fig. 10. Fig. 14 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Fig. 10. Fig. 15 is a like view of a different embodiment. Figs. 16-17-18 illustrate the steps of the operation of assembling a structure from joints of the embodiment of Fig. 10 and pipe members. Fig. 19 illustrates a further step in the assembling operation. Figs. 20 and 21 illustrate variants of a joint, while Figs. 22, 23 show details and illustrates the use of the variants of Figs. 20, 21. As seen in Fig. 1, the new joint is mainly constituted by a prismatic, hollow body designated as a whole by the numeral 1. In the side wall 2 of body 1 is provided an opening 3 and opposite it in wall 10, a like opening 11. In side wall 4 - which is normal to wall 2, there is a like opening 5, and in the rearmost wall 12 there is an opening 13. As can be seen in Fig. 1, openings 3, 11 and 5, 13 are at different levels. In the top wall 6 extends a slot 7 which merges with opening 5 in wall 4 and opening 13 in wall 12 and in the bottom wall 8 there is a like slot 9 which merges with opening 3 in wall 2 and opening 11 in wall 10. From oppositely disposed walls 2 and 10 there extend - angularly relative to the walls - spigots 14 from wall 2 and spigots 15 from wall 10. In Fig. 3, the spigots 14, 15 are slitted at 26 for part of their length. Figs. 3 - 5 illustrate the use of the new joint. It can easily be seen that through openings 5 and 13 a tubular structural element can be passed. It is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and indicated by the numeral 16. In the same way a tubular member 17 is passed through openings 3, 11. Thus members 16 and 17 extend at different levels and cross one another. Into spigots 14 and 15 tubular elements 18 are inserted. In practice elements 16 and 17 may be tie beams and tubular elements 18 may be rafters. But these tubular, structural elements may - in constructions which are not roof structures - fulfil different tasks. The joints shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 have been designed to serve as connecting elements for tubular structural elements of rectangular cross section. Apart from that they are in every respect identical with the joints of Figs. 1 - 4 which are designed to connect structural elements of circular cross section. In some cases the new joint should permit adjustment for placing and orientating the structural elements to be connected. Such a contingency may be met by the examples shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Here the body 1 is composed of two parts which are divided from one another on a plane X, (e.g. as seen in Fig. 7), and are turnable relative to one another. Thus the lower part could be turned (as shown in broken lines in Figs. 8 and 9) against the upper part from which the above mentioned spigots extend. Turning now to Fig. 10 there is provided a box like body 1 generally of the type described in detail in connection with Fig. 1 being a prismatic, hollow body designated as a whole by the numeral 1. In the side wall 2 of body 1 is provided an opening 3 and opposite it, in the opposite wall, a like opening. In side wall 4 - which is normal to wall 2, there is - at a lower level - a like opening 5, and in the rearmost wall there is an opening 13. The difference between the joint of Fig. 1 and that of Fig. 10 resides therein that the new joint is composed od two parts: the lower one indicated by the numeral 10 and an upper one indicated by the numeral 11. The two parts are joined together - as will be seen later - along a line 12. The use of this two part joint makes it possible to connect, by means of it, very large bars or pipes which due to their length and in view of limits imposed by local conditions cannot be inserted into the opening of the joint in axial direction of the bar or pipe. Fig. 11 shows a like joint in which the openings at different levels are provided, the opening 15 at the lower level does not merge into a slot as is the case with the joint of Fig. 1. This embodiment does not require further description. It is also composed of two parts joined together at line 12. The embodiment shown in Fig. 12 has two superposed openings in every one of its four side walls (only two of which are seen in the drawing). Also here the joint is composed of two parts joined together along line 12. Fig. 13 shows the embodiment of Fig. 11 in use. It interconnects a pipe element 20 with another, like pipe element 21. Elements 20 and 21 extend at different levels, across one another. Fig. 14 shows the two parts 10 and 11 of the embodiment of Fig. 10. As can be seen there are provided in the lower part 10 four vertical slits 22. At the upper part 11 - at two opposite side walls of part 11 - there are provided vertical ribs 23. Part 11 fits on part 10 with ribs 23 sliding into slits 22. In this manner the two parts can be accurately orientated for connection with one another (The final connection being referred to later). In all embodiments described and shown in Figs. 10 - 14 spigot like sleeves extend from the top of the respective element. These sleeves are positioned in angular relationship to one another as described in connection with Figs. 1 - 9. Turning now to Fig. 15 there is shown a joint composed of a lowermost part 30, a central part 31 and a top part 32. These parts can be joined together to form a connecting joint of six sided prism shape. Here again are provided slits 33 extending from the upper edges of part 31 downwardly and slits 34 extending from the lower edges of part 31 upwardly. At the lowermost part 30 - in the way already described - there are provided vertical ribs 35 which fit into the lower slits 34 of part 31. Like ribs 36 are provided at part 32 which fit into slits 33 of part 31. It will be understood that parts 30, 31, 32 combine to form a joint which has spigot like sleeves 37 extending from its bottom. It goes without saying that the assembled joint can be used also with the sleeves 37 extending upwardly, i.e. the assembled connector being turned upside down as against the position of Fig. 15. The use of the new connecting joint will become clear from Figs. 16 - 18. Here is shown, by way of example four lower parts a of the embodiment of Fig. 14, placed at four corners of a square. In a second step long pipes b are inserted into the openings of a pair of parts a , so interconnecting two parts a with pipes b parallel to one another. Now - see Fig. 17 - two further pipes are placed into the open two sides of parts a . Finally the upper parts d of the composite joints are placed on the lower parts a with sleeves e extending upwardly (see Fig. 18). Accuracy is ensured by the ribs on one part engaging in the slits of a second part. The two (or three) parts of a joint are then welded to one another. Such an assembly can now form part of the structure shown in Fig. 19 where from sleeves e bars f extend upwardly to connector parts g with downwardly extending sleeves which receive the upper ends of bars f . In some cases it might be preferable to use spigot like members extending from the cylindrical or prismatic hollow body which are not circular, it having been found that while spigot like sleeves of circular cross sections are well adapted for connecting pipes or bars of circular cross section which are either slid into or onto the said spigot like sleeves, it would be within the scope of the invention to have spigots of different shape extend from the cylindrical or prismatic body. Thus, the said spigot like members may be sleeves of square or other geometrical cross section - for use with bars or pipes of like cross section, or they may be short flattened arms extending from the said cylindrical or prismatic body. Such arms are mainly - but not exclusively - intended to serve in the connection of pipe members in forming spatial structures. In that case - in one practical embodiment - circular pipes are used the ends of which (at which they are to be connected) are flattened whereupon this end can be slid on or laid on said flat, spigot like short arms and screw bolts are screwed across the said ends, such as to firmly connect the respective pipe to the joint. This variant of the invention is shown in Figs. 20, 21. Fig. 20 shows a joint according to the invention i.e. being composed of three parts. The connecting joint shown in Fig. 20 is indicated as a whole by the numeral 100. From the bottom of its lowermost part 100 extend four flat, plate shaped arms 200 onto which can be slipped the flattened end of a circular pipe. According to Fig. 21 which is self explanatory, the joint consists of two parts and arms 200 extend from the top of the uppermost part. According to Figs. 20 and 21 the arms 200 are provided with one (or more) throughgoing holes 300. A like hole is provided in the flattened end 4' of a pipe 400, (Figs. 22, 23). After slipping the flattened end 4' of the pipe onto the arm 200 and bringing the holes into register a screw bolt 500 is passed across the so united members 200 and 400 and is secured by a nut 600 and counter nut. Alternatively, according to Fig. 23, the flattened end 4' of pipe 400 is fully closed and the end is laid against an arm 200 at the outside thereof and secured by a throughgoing screw bolt 500 and nut 600 as already described. Obviously there may be more than one such screw connection between the pipe end and the short arm.

Claims: A structural elements connecting joint consisting of hollow prism or cylinder (1) with openings (3, 11; 5, 13), the axes of the openings (3, 11; 5, 13) being normal to one another, characterized in that (a) the openings (3, 11; 5, 13) are at different levels allowing the passage of more than one elongate structural elements through the joint; and (b) spigot like sleeves (14, 15) extend from the opposite sides (2, 10) of the joint, wherein the axes of the sleeves (14, 15) are at an oblique angle relative to the planes of the respective sides (2, 10). Structural elements connecting joint, as claimed in claim 1, characterised thereby that the openings (3, 11; 5, 13) merge into slots (7, 9) at sides (6, 8) of the joint. The connecting joint claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised thereby that the joint is a six-sided prism. The connecting joint claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterised thereby that the said spigot like sleeves (14, 15) are lengthwise slitted. Structural elements connecting joint as claimed in any of claim 1 - 4, characterised thereby that the cylindrical or prismatic body (1) of the joint is composed of at least one lower first cylindrical or prismatic part (10) and at least one upper, second cylindrical or prismatic part (11), spigot like sleeves extending from at least one of the said parts. The joint claimed in claim 5, characterised thereby that one of its constituent parts (10, 11) is provided with slits (22; 33, 34) and another part with ribs (23; 35, 36), said ribs fittingly slidable into said slits. The joint claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized therby that the bottom of the lower part (10) of the joint closes the interior of it. The joint claimed in claims 5 and 6, characterised thereby that the joint comprises a lowermost (30), a central (31) and an uppermost part (32). A joint connecting elongate structural elements as claimed in claims 1 or 5, characterised by arms of polygonal cross section which extend from at least one wall of the said prismatic or cylindrical body (1). The joint claimed in claim 9, characterised thereby that the said arms are flat, plate shaped members (200). Spatial structures including joints claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein flattened ends (4') of circular pipes (400) are slid on the arms (200) and secured by throughgoing screw bolts (500). Spatial structures including joints claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein flattened ends (4') of circular pipes (400) are laid against the said arms (200) are secured by throughgoing screw bolts (500). Spatial structures comprising a connecting joint claimed in any or all of the foregoing claims.

Inventors: SCHLEISNER, URIEL
Applicants: SCHLEISNER, URIEL
Application year: 1985
Main classification: E04G7
IPC codes: E04B1