WORK SURFACE GANGING CLIP

Abstract: A ganging clip (10) is adapted to mount to a pair of neighboring work surface support brackets (12) to secure together the work surfaces (14) mounted thereto and to adjust the relative heights of the work surfaces (14). The clip (10) comprises a central portion (36) and a pair of end portions (38) positioned in overlapping relationship to the central portion (36) so as to form a pair of resilient jaws having extending there-­ through a pair of screws (56). The jaws are adapted to engage a pair of opposing horizontal legs (32) of the support brackets (12). Tightening of the screws (56) results in closing of the jaws to securely clamp the clip (10) to the support brackets (12) and thus to secure together the work surfaces (14) mounted thereto. The relative heights of the work surfaces (14) may be subsequently adjusted by tightening or loosening either of the screws (56).

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device (ganging clip) for joining a pair of work surfaces, mounted to a wall, in load transmitting relationship. More particularly, the invention pertains to a device adapted to be attached to a pair of neighboring work surface support brackets, mounted to a wall, to join the work surfaces secured thereto in spaced apart and load transmitting relationship and to adjust the relative heights of the work surfaces. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In modern office designs, it is desirable to have furniture, such as work surfaces, removably mounted to the interior walls of a building and/or the freestanding walls of the so-called "open plan" office system in order to efficiently utilize a given amount of office space. To this end, work surfaces and the like, or supporting brackets to which the same are attached, are provided, on the rear portions thereof, with hooks or tabs adapted to engage vertical slotted standards rigidly secured to the interior or freestanding walls. It is also desirable to mount two or more work surfaces to a wall in side-by-side relationship and in the same horizontal plane. In this manner, one large work surface is formed, thereby providing a worker with greater work space, which is useful when, for example, a worker is required to lay on the work surface many documents for comparison purposes. One inherent problem in mounting work surfaces in juxtaposed relationship is that the work surfaces having exerted thereon different loads are uneven, resulting in a visual problem. To circumvent this problem, devices securely interlocking the neighboring work surfaces, or the support brackets mounting the same, have been employed. These devices function as load equalizers to secure the work surfaces together in load transmitting relationship. Thus, if a force is exerted on one work surface, it will not be in part transmitted to the adjacent work surface. For example, the U.S. patent to Brecher, 4,366,758, issued January 4, 1983, discloses a device for joining a pair of tabletops together in end-to-end juxtaposition. The device comprising one brace rigidly secured at its top portion to the underside of one tabletop, and another brace rigidly secured at its top portion to the underside of the other tabletop. Both braces are rigidly secured together at their bottom portions. The braces are also connected to a support bracket common to both tabletops. In this manner, a rigid joint is created between the adjoining tabletops. In addition, the U.S. patent to Larrea, 4,435,935, issued March 13, 1984, discloses a device for joining a pair of panels and comprising a pair of resilient brackets positioned in grooves within adjacent sides of the panels in such a manner as to urge the panels together. A pair of bolts extend through the brackets and the panels on each side of the joint to securely join the panels. A pair of resilient joint covers are biased within the grooves to cover each side of the joint. The U.S. patent to Scott, 3,594,028, issued July 20, 1971, discloses a pair of resilient clips for joining a pair of neighboring panels having a series of channels with restricted throats formed near the adjoining edges of the panels. Each clip has a central web portion and a tubular flange on each end of the web. One resilient clip is received within the channels on one side of the adjoining panels such that the tubular flanges snap over the restricted throats. The other resilient clip snap fits into the channels on the other side of the panels. The clips urge the panels together to form a tight joint between the same. The foregoing devices, however, do not solve another problem associated with mounting work surfaces in side-by-side relationship to a wall. When so mounting work surfaces it is often difficult, if not impossible, to mount the work surfaces in the same horizontal plane. The result is an overall uneven work surface. This problem is the result of manufacturing tolerances in the work surfaces' supporting elements, such as the vertical standards and the work surface support brackets, and human error in mounting the standards to the wall and assembling the supporting elements. A device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from US-A-3 130 693. Said document discloses a shelf structure supporting lower and upper shelf units. The shelf units have two unique features which relate to the design of the end brackets thereof and their relationship to the shelf holding and price card receiving molding strips. These features relate to support of contiguous shelf units at the same elevation. In order to tie two shelf units together so that the two remain at the same elevation independently of the weights of the articles supported thereby, the end brackets of the shelf units are provided with horizontally extending and aligned slots. Extending through the slots of confronting end brackets is a flat key member which has a narrow shank portion with a width approximately equal to that of the slots and a length approximately equal to the spacing between the outer faces of the end brackets. One end of the shank portion of each key member terminates in a laterally extending wing having a length greater than the slots and adapted to be grasped and turned by an operator. With the key member being inserted in the slots of the end brackets, the two shelf units are thereby held at the same elevation. In view of the foregoing problems, it has been found desirable to provide a device which not only secures neighboring work surfaces together in load transmitting relationship, but also provides for vertical adjustment of the relative heights of the work surfaces. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This problem is solved by a ganging clip comprising the features of claim 1. Further embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the claims 2 to 14. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side-elevational view of work surfaces secured to support brackets mounted to a wall and having mounted thereto a ganging clip according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the work surfaces and support brackets taken along lines 2-2 of figure 1; Figure 3 is a top-elevational view of the ganging clip shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ganging clip taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a cross sectional-view of the ganging clip taken along lines 5-5 of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a bottom view of the ganging clip shown in Figures 1 through 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in detail, there is shown a ganging clip 10 mounted to a pair of neighboring work surface support brackets 12 to join work surfaces 14 secured thereto in load transmitting relationship and to adjust the relative heights of the work surfaces to thus position the same in substantially the same horizontal plane. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of work surfaces 14 are supported by a pair of support brackets 12 securely mounted to a wall. The work surface support brackets 12 utilized in connection with the invention are of the type mountable to vertical slotted standards 16 securely attached to a wall 18, or other similar support surface. To this end, each support bracket 12 includes a horizontally disposed work surface support arm 20 and a vertical arm 22 having on the inner end 24 thereof a plurality of rearwardly and downwardly depending hooks 26 removably received within slots 28 of the vertical standard 16. In addition, the work surface support arm 20 of the support bracket 12 is U-shaped, in cross section, and has an upper horizontal leg 30, 30' a lower horizontal leg 32, 32' and a vertical leg 34, 34' connected to and between upper and lower horizontal legs. The work surface 14 is rigidly secured to the upper horizontal leg 30, 30' of the support bracket 12. The ganging clip 10 is adapted to mount to a pair of neighboring work surface support brackets 12. As illustrated in Figure 2, when mounted to the wall 18, the vertical legs 34, 34' of the support brackets 12 are juxtaposed in side by side and spaced-apart relationship and the upper and lower horizontal legs, 30, 30' and 32, 32' are positioned in opposite directions and in substantially the same horizontal planes. Specifically, the ganging clip 10 is adapted to mount to the opposed lower horizontal legs 32, 32' of the neighboring support brackets 12. The ganging clip 10 comprises an enlongated rectangular plate having a central web portion 36 and a pair of identical end portions 38. The web portion 36 includes a pair of locating notches 40 formed integral with longitudinal sides 42 of the web and aligned along a central transverse axis of the same. In addition, the web portion 36 has a pair of stiffening ribs 44 formed integral with and positioned along longitudinal axes of the web. Further, a pair of fulcrums 46 are formed integral with the web portion on opposite sides of the locating notches 40. It is contemplated that the notches 40, stiffening ribs 44 and fulcrums 46 can be rigidly secured to central web portion 36. A pair of openings 48 extend through the web portion 36 on opposite sides of the central transverse axis of the same. The functions of the fulcrums 46 and the ribs 44 will be hereinafter explained in more detail when describing the operation of the ganging clip 10. Each end portion 38 includes a threaded hole 50 extending therethrough. The end portions 38 are bent backwardly and positioned in overlapping relationship with respect to the central web portion 36 such that holes 50 of the web portion 36 are aligned with openings 48 of the end portions. In this manner, end portions 38 and the web portion 36 form a pair of opposing resilient jaws 52. In addition, the corners 53 of the free ends 54 of the end portions 38 are bent downwardly to form a pair of teeth 55 on each jaw 52. A pair of screws 56 having threads 57 are adapted to extend through the openings 48 and threadably engage the holes 50. Torquing the screws 56 results in the drawing together of the end portions 38 and the web portion 36 and thus the closing of the jaws 52. In the same manner, loosening of the screws 56 results in opening of the jaws 52. For convenience in understanding the operation in the ganging clip 10, the clip will hereinafter be referred to as having a first side 58 and a second side 60. To mount the ganging clip 10 to the neighboring support brackets 12, the jaws 52 are set in registry with the lower horizontal legs 32, 32' of the support brackets 12 such that the locating notches 40 of the web portion 36 are centered with respect to the neighboring support brackets and the lower legs of the support brackets rest on the fulcrums 46 of the web. Subsequently, the adjacent support brackets 12 and the work surfaces 14 secured thereto are manually adjusted laterally so as to make gap 62 between them substantially uniform along the full length of the horizontal support arms 20 of the support brackets. The screws 56 are then tightened to clamp the lower horizontal legs 32, 32' of the ganging clip 10 between the web and end portions, 36 and 38, of the clip and to secure the above-described uniform spacing between the work surfaces 14. The disposition of the ganging clip 10 mounted on the support brackets 12 as just described is best illustrated in Figure 2. The clamping action of the jaws 52 causes the teeth 55 of the same to securely bite into the lower horizontal legs 32, 32' of the support brackets 12 to thereby securely join the neighboring work surfaces 14 in load transmitting relationship. In this manner, the ganging clip 10 functions as a load equalizer so that if a force is exerted on one work surface 14 it will not move relative to the other. Rather, both work surfaces will move as a single unit. The relative heights of the work surfaces 14 can be subsequently adjusted by further tightening or loosening of either of the screws 56. For example, further torquing of screw 56 of the first side 58 of the clip 10, results in downward movement of the web portion of the second side 60 of the clip. As the second side 60 moves downwardly, its corresponding work surface also moves downwardly with respect to the adjacent work surface. In the same manner, loosening of screws 56 of the first side 58 causes the work surface 14 associated with the second side 60 of the clip 10 to move upwardly relative to its neighboring work surface. Similarly, tightening and loosening of screw 56 of the second side 60 causes the work surface 14 associated with the first side 58 of the clip to move downwardly and upwardly, respectively, relative to the work surface associated with the second side. Manipulation of the screws 56 as described above allows workers to vertically adjust the neighboring work surfaces 14 so as to position the same in substantially the same horizontal plane. The fulcrums 46 and the stiffening ribs 44 play an important role in the above-described adjustment feature of the ganging clip 10. When the ganging clip 10 is securely mounted to the neighboring support brackets 12, the lower horizontal legs 32, 32' of the brackets securely engage on the fulcrums 46. In addition, when, for example, the screw 56 of the first side 58 of the clip 10 is tightened the web portion 36 of the first side bends to assume a concave shape and pivots about its respective fulcrum 46. This causes the web portion 36 of the second side 60 to deflect downwardly and the lower horizontal leg 32 of the support bracket associated with the second side to pivot laterally on its respective fulcrum 46 to thereby lower the support bracket, and the work surface attached thereto, relative to the support bracket of the first side of the clip. The stiffening ribs 44 function to add rigidity to the central web portion 36 of the clip 10, along longitudinal axes thereof. By adding rigidity to the clip 10, the ribs 44 limit the amount of deflection of the web portion 36 when either of the screws 56 are tightened, as a result of adjustment of the relative heights of the work surfaces, to thereby prevent permanent deflection of the web portion 36 subsequent to bending. Thus, for example, upon loosening of the screw 56 of the first side 58, the second side 60 of the clip 10 resiliently responds and deflects upwardly to raise its corresponding work surface 14 relative to the neighboring work surface. In addition, since deflection of the web portion 36 is limited, the web is better able to transmit force, from either end of the clip 10 to the other, generated when either of the screws 56 are tightened. Thus, for example, when screw 56 of the first side 58 is tightened and the web portion 36 of the second side 60 bends downwardly, the force necessary to lower the work surface 14 of the second side is transmitted from the first side to the second side of the clip. The stiffening ribs 44, by limiting the amount of deflection of the second side 60 of the clip 10, enable the central portion to optimally transfer the forces required to lower the work surface 14 of the second side relative to the first side. In the preferred embodiment, the ganging clip 10 is constructed of a spring temper steel so that the clip will not yield when portions of the same are deflected in operation. For example, the ganging clip 10 may be constructed of a heat-treated spring steel having a thickness of approximately 1,44 to 1,61 mm (.0568 to .0635 inches); SAE 1050 and 1075 steel; and a hardness of R35 (Rockwell) to R42 (Rockwell). Alternatively, the clip 10 can be made out of a high-strength low alloy steel. While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to limit the invention to that embodiment. To the contrary, we intend to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims: A ganging clip for mounting to first and second support brackets (12) which carry respectively work surfaces (14), wherein said first and second support brackets (12) are mounted to a wall (18) in side-by-side relationship and have opposed first and second substantially horizontal legs (32, 32'), said ganging clip (10) is adapted to be mounted to said first and said second horizontal legs (32, 32') to secure said first and second work surfaces (14) together in aligned, load-transmitting relationship, characterized by first and second jaws (58, 60) joined by a central web (36), the jaws (58, 60) adapted to securely clamp respectively to the first and second horizontal legs (32, 32'); a fastener (56) in said second jaw (60) for adjusting the position of an end portion (38) thereof with respect to said central web (36); and a fulcrum (46) on said central web (36) adapted to contact said second horizontal leg (32) and positioned to vertically adjust the height of said second jaw (60) relative to said first jaw (58) to adjust the relative heights of said first and second work surfaces (14) when said fastener (56) is adjusted in said second jaw (60) and said jaws (58, 60) are secured respectively to said first and second horizontal legs (32, 32'). The ganging clip of claim 1 wherein the fastener (56) is threaded into said end portion (38) of said second jaw (60). The ganging clip of claims 1 or 2 and further characterized in that said first jaw (58) has a second fastener (56) for adjusting the position of an end portion (38) thereof with respect to the central web (36). The ganging clip of claim 3 wherein said second fastener (56) is threaded into the end portion (38) of said first jaw (58). The ganging clip of claims 3 or 4 and further characterized in a second fulcrum (46) on the central web (36) and adapted to support said first horizontal leg (32') and positioned to vertically adjust the height of the first jaw (58) relative to the second jaw (60) to adjust the relative heights of the first and second support brackets (12) when the fastener (56) on the first jaw (58) is adjusted in said first jaw (58). The ganging clip of claim 5 wherein said second fulcrum (46) comprises a second embossment (46) formed integral with and extending along a substantially transverse axis of said central web (36). The ganging clip of claims 1 through 6 and further characterized in that said second jaw (60) is resilient. The ganging clip of claims 1 through 7 and further characterized in that said first jaw (58) is resilient. The ganging clip of claims 1 through 8 and further characterized in that said central web (36) has a stiffening means (44) for rigidifying the central web (36) to resist deflection of one portion of said central web (36) with respect to another. The ganging clip of claim 9 characterized in that said stiffening means (44) comprises at least one stiffening rib (44) formed integral with or rigidly secured to and extending along substantially longitudinal axes of said central web (36). The ganging clip of claims 1 through 10 characterized by a locating means (40) for centering said ganging clip (10) with respect to said first and second support brackets (12) when mounting said ganging clip (10) to said support brackets (12). The ganging clip of claim 11 characterized in that said locating means (40) comprises at least one locating notch (40) on said central web (36). The ganging clip of claims 1 through 12 characterized in that the first fulcrum (46) comprises a first embossment (46) formed integral with and extending along a substantially transverse axis of said central web (36). The ganging clip of claims 1 through 13 characterized in that said first and second jaws (58, 60) have end portions (38) with downwardly depending bent corners (53) adapted to engage said first and second horizontal legs (32, 32') when said jaws (58, 60) are secured to said first and second horizontal legs (32, 32').

Inventors: BEARD, MICHAEL D.
Applicants: HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A47B95
IPC codes: A47B57, F16B2, A47B5