DEVICE FOR CONNECTING TWO ELEMENTS

Abstract: Device for connecting two elements (12, 10) each formed with a through hole (23, 24) and disposed, upon connection, eccentrically of one another. The device has two jaws (2) with inclined opposing surfaces and a wedge (3) displaceble between said jaws and adapted to displace the jaws relative to one another. At least one of the jaws (2) of the device has on its surface facing away from the wedge (3) a wedge member (6, 22) which, after insertion of the jaws and the wedge into the holes (23, 24) and when moving the jaws apart, engages, by a wedge action, with one element (12) and presses it against the other element (10) substantially perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the jaws. Simultaneously, the jaws press the elements into clamping engagement with each other in the direction of motion of the jaws.

Description: DEVICE FOR CONNECTING TWO ELEMENTS The present invention relates to a device for connecting two elements each formed with a through hole and disposed, upon connection, eccentrically of one another, said device having two jaws with in- clined opposing surfaces and a wedge displaceable between said jaws and adapted to displace the jaws relative to one another. More particularly, the in¬ vention relates to a device for connecting a signboard with a connecting means mounted on a post. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for providing said connection. In most cases, signboards are fastened to posts in that two clips are first loosely screwed together with each other and with the signboard to form a unit which is then pushed onto the post from above, whereupon the clamp bolts are tightened. The tightening causes the clamps to be deformed, which makes them incapable of holding the signboard on the post in such a manner that the board does not vibrate when being hit by gusts of wind. As a result, such arrangements will gradually vibrate apart. Since, as mentioned above, the signboard is fastened to the post by means of clips and bo.lt-and-nut joints, this means that both hands must be used during the entire assembly work, also for tightening the bolts. For fastening e.g. furniture details to a furniture body, use is now being made of connecting devices with a small clamping area, which implies that, once they have lost their hold, renewed clamping is not possible.. it is the object of the present invention to solve these problems, and to this end at least one jaw is provided, on its surface facing away from the wedge, with a wedge member which, after insertion of the jaws and the wedge into the holes and when moving the jaws apart, engages, by a wedge action. with one element and presses it against the other element substantially perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the jaws, and simultaneously the jaws press the elements into clamping engagement with each other in the direction of motion of the jaws. One advantage of the device according to invention then is that it allows connecting two elements by one hand only. A further advantage of the device is that it eliminates vibration and, finally, it has also a larger clamping area. The invention will be describe 'in detail below, reference being made to the accompaning drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention in the form of a connector. Fig. 2 shows the connector in section along line II-II in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a lateral view of a signboard attached to a post, Fig. 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 shows a section through parts of another embodiment, and Figs. 6a, 6b and 6c show various embodiments of the jaw of the connector. In Fig. 1 shows a connector 1 which comprises two jaws 2 with opposing inclined surfaces between which a wedge 3 is displaceable, and a plate 4 supporting the jaws 2 and the wedge 3, said jaws being slidably displaceable in a groove 5 in said plate 4. The Figure also shows that the jaws, on their surfaces facing away from the wedge, are provided with two shoulders 6. The inclination of said shoulder 6 forms an angle. α to the direction of motion of the jaws, the angle preferably being 75°. Fig. 2 shows a screw 7 which is disposed in the plate 4 and the wedge 3 and, when tightened, presses the jaws 2 apart. Furthermore, it appears that the jaws 2 each have a groove 8 disposed below the lower shoulder and accommodating an O-ring 9 which resiliently clamps the jaws 2 and the wedge 3. To prevent the wedge in its lower position from damaging the O-ring, it is provided with a bevel on its surfaces facing the O-ring. Fig. 3 shows the attachment of a signboard 10 to a post 11 by a connecting means 12 and a connector 1, the signboard 10 being provided, in its outer ends adjacent the post 11, with supporting lugs 13 abutting the post. These lugs 13 have a concave side abutting the post 11 and a flat opposite side which is provided with a bore intersected by a slot, the signboard being inserted into the bore and the slot. In Fig. 4, the connecting means 12 is U-shaped with two flanges 14 having holes 23 disposed in register with one another, and a web 15 with means 17 for coupling the connecting means 12 to the post 11. According to Fig. 4, this coupling means comprises a T-groove 17 in the web 15 which is engaged by a T-projection 18 on a ring 20 pushed onto the post 11. The ring has several projections for attachment of several signboards and, furthermore, may be divided through two preferably diametrically opposed projections to enable lateral attachment of the ring to the post. When the connecting means is mounted on the divided projections 18 and the connector is tightened, the two ring halves are clamped about the post. Fig. 4 further shows that also the signboard 10 is provided with a hole 24 and that it is inserted between the flanges 14 of the connecting means 12, such that the hole 24 is eccentrically disposed relative to the holes 23 of the connecting means 12. When the connector 1 has been inserted in the common hole, the plate 4 rests against one flange 14 of the connecting means 12. When the screw 7 is tightened, the outer jaw 2 engages, by means of its shoulders 6, with the edges of the holes 23 and presses the flanges against the signboard 10. In this manner, a narrow gap is formed between the outer end of the plate 4 and the flange 14. The inner jaw 2, on the other hand, does not engage with the connecting means but, by means of its portion disposed between the shoulders, with the edge of the hole 24 in the signboard, and thus the inner end of the plate 4 still abuts the flange 14. Simultaneously, the jaws 2 press the signboard against and the connecting means away from the post 11, thus locking the signboard to the post. The connecting means 12 being pressed away from the post also implies that the ring 20 is clamped to the post 11. The force by which the signboard is clamped to the flanges and also the force by which the signboard is locked to the post will depend on the angles of the shoulders. If the angle exceeds 75 , the clamping force will be less, but the locking force will be greater, and if the angle is less than 75 , the effect will be the reverse, i.e. a higher clamping force, but a lower locking force. In Fig. 5, the post 11 has been replaced by a rail 21 which has a groove 19 instead of a projection 18, said groove being engaged by projections 16 on the web 15 of the connecting means 12. To allow lateral insertion of the connecting means 12 into the groove 19, the connecting means may be divided into two parts through the web 15. In this case, the projections 16 and the groove 19 further have corresponding inclined surfaces on their portions facing away from the rail. This means that when the connecting means 12 is pressed outwardly upon tightening the screw 7 of the connector, the inclined surfaces of the projections 16 slide against the inclined surfaces of the groove 19 and thus are pressed together, thereby eliminating any play between the connecting means and the rail. Fig. 6a shows a jaw 2 formed with a recess 22 which is disposed against the edge of the element 10 to be attached to the support, i.e. the post 11 or the rail 21 previously described. When the screw of the connector is tightened, the recess 22 only provides a locking of the plate to the support and therefore must be combined with a jaw to provide the clamping when said screw is tightened, as shown, for example, in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the recess 22 serves to prevent the flow which is formed in the edge of the hole 24 in the signboard 10 from creating projecting burrs or ridges which would make the removal of the connector difficult when the screw has been loosened. Fig. 6b shows instead a jaw having two recesses 22 which can be combined with two pins in the element which is to be attached to the support. When the screw of the connector is tightened, these two recesses lock the element to the support and move the pins into engagement with the flange of a connecting means, said flange being inserted between the pins (not shown). Finally, Fig. 6c shows a jaw with one shoulder only which is disposed such that, when the screw of the connector is tightened, it enters between the flanges of the connecting means and presses them away from the support and into engagement with an element which is disposed outside the flanges and is to be attached to the support. This jaw provides, like the jaws in Figs. 6a and 6b, both a clamping and a locking action when the screw is tightened. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and that its main characteristic features may be used also for other embodiments. For example, the invention may be used for interconnecting two pipes, in which case there is welded to one pipe a hollow part having a through hole and extending perpendicularly from the pipe. After that, the second pipe is pushed over this connecting means. The second pipe also has a through hole which is eccentrically disposed relative to that of the connecting means. Into this common hole, a connector is inserted which has a concave and a convex jaw, the concave jaw clamping the second pipe to the connecting means between the shoulder and the plate, and the convex jaw pressing the connecting means against the second pipe after the screw of the connector has been tightened. At the same time, the displacement of the jaws away from one another causes the connecting means to be pressed away from and the second pipe to be pressed against the first pipe. Of course, the invention can be used also in other fields, for example, for mounting shelves in a bookcase, or for assembling furniture.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Device for connecting two elements (12, 10) each formed with a through hole (23, 24) and disposed, upon connection, eccentrically of one another, said device having two jaws (2) with inclined opposing surfaces and a wedge (3) displaceable between said jaws and adapted to displace the jaws relative to one another, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that at least one jaw (2) is provided, on its surface facing away from the wedge (3) , with a wedge member (6, 22) which, after insertion of the jaws and the wedge into the holes (23, 24) and when moving the jaws apart, engages, by a wedge action, with one element (12) and presses it against the other element (10) substan¬ tially perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the jaws, simultaneously as the jaws press the elements into clamping engagement with each other in the direction of motion of the jaws. 2. Device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i s e d in that the inclination of the wedge member forms an angle with the direction of motion of the jaws, the angle being between 0 and 90 , preferably 75 . 3. Device according to claim 2, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i s e d in that the wedge member is a shoulder (6) or recess (22) . 4. Device according to any one of claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a plate (4) slidably supporting the jaws (2) in a groove (5), and a screw (7) extending through the plate and engaging with the wedge (3) . 5. Device according to any one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a resilient member (9) disposed around the jaws (2) and the wedge (3) . 6. A device according to any one of claims 1-5, in which the two elements comprise a support (11; 21) with a connecting means (12) and a signboard (10), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the connecting means (12) is a ϋ-shaped plate with two flanges (14) having holes (23) disposed in register with one another, and a web (15) with means (17; 16) for coupling the connecting means to the support (11; 21). 7. Device according to claim 6, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i s e d in that the coupling means of the con- necting means (12) comprises projections (16) engaging with a groove (19) in the support (21.) . 8. Device according to claim 6, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i s e d in that the coupling means of the con¬ necting means (12) comprises a groove (17) in the web (15) which is engaged by a projection (18) on the support (11). 9. A method for connecting two elements (12, 10) each formed with a through hole (23, 24) and disposed, upon connection, eccentrically of one another by means of a device which is provided with two jaws (2) with inclined opposing surfaces and a wedge (3) displaceable between said jaws and adapted to displace the jaws relative to one another, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the jaws (2) and the wedge (3) are inserted into the holes; and that the jaws are displaced relative to one another such that a wedge member (6, 22) arranged on the side facing away from the wedge of at least one jaw engages with and presses one element (12) against the other (10) substantially perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the jaws, simultaneously as the jaws press the elements into clamping engagement with each other in the direction of motion of the jaws.

Inventors: HANSSON ERIK GOERAN, HANSSON, ERIK, GOERAN
Applicants: HANSSON ERIK G, HANSSON, ERIK, GOERAN
Application year: 1985
Main classification: F16B17
IPC codes: F16B2, F16B17, F16B37, G09F7