ARTIFICIAL WALL STRUCTURE

Abstract: An artificial wall structure comprises a frame of elongated uprights (12) and cross pieces (14), and panels (16) releasably connectible to the frame to provide a face for the wall. The uprights have a datum face (20) and a plurality of side faces (24, 25, 124, 125, 224, 225), each face being parallel the long axis of the uprights. The cross pieces are releasably securable to facing side faces of adjacent uprights to form the frame. Each upright has at least two such side faces (24, 124) on one side of said datum face. Each side face is disposed at a different angle with respect to the datum face. Two uprights interconnected by a cross piece have normals to each datum face which subtend different angles depending on between which side faces the cross pieces are connected. Differently curved panels are employed in dependence on said subtended angle.

Description: ARTIFICIAL WALL STRUCTURE The present invention relates to artificial wall structures and arrangements, particularly adapted for use in exhibition stands and shop display structures. One particular arrangement comprises a frame of uprights interconnected by cross pieces and on which panels are attachable to face the wall so formed. When curves in the wall are desired, which is a frequent requirement for exhibition stands, a curved cross piece is employed together with appropriately curved panels. Thus apart from a supply of differently shaped panels, it is necessary for the exhibition stand provider to also have a supply of different curvature cross pieces in order to permit the formation of differently curved walls. It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an arrangement in which fewer components are required in order to achieve the same degree of versatility. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an artificial wall structure comprising a frame of elongate uprights and cross pieces, and panels releasably connectible to the frame to provide a face for the wall, the uprights having a datum face and a plurality of side faces, each face being parallel the long axis of the uprights, said cross pieces being releasably securable to facing side faces of adjacent uprights to form the frame, characterised in that each upright has at least two such side faces on one side of said datum face, each side face being disposed at a different angle with respect to the datum face whereby two uprights interconnected by a cross piece have normals to each datum face which subtend different angles depending on between which side faces the cross pieces are connected, differently curved panels being employed in dependence on said subtended angle. Preferably there are two parallel datum faces on each upright, a front datum face and a rear datum face. The datum faces may provide connection means for the panels. The panels preferably have a side edge for connection to the datum face, which side edge is normal to the datum face. The separation of said datum faces needs to be sufficient to enable a cross piece to traverse the space between adjacent uprights without interfering with the panel . Preferably a first of said side faces is perpendicular said datum face. Preferably, second and third side faces are disposed one on either side of said first side face so that one is employed for concave curves with respect to a given datum face and the other employed for corresponding convex curves . Fourth and fifth side faces may be disposed on said uprights outside of said second and third faces with respect to said first side face. The invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wall structure in accordance with the present invention, a number of panels being missing therefrom; Figure 2 is a front view of an upright and cross piece; Figure 3a and b is a fragmented plan view of a wall according to the present invention, B in Figure 3a being connected to A in Figure 3b; Figure 4 is a plan view as Figure 3 but for a different embodiment from that shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view showing alternative connection arrangements of a wall structure according to the invention; Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of an upright of the type employed in Figure 4; Figure 7 is a top view of the upright of Figure 6; Figures 8a, b and c are respectively a perspective cut away view of part of an upright of the type employed in the Figure 4 embodiment of the present invention, a cross piece ready for connection thereto and a front perspective view of the cross piece of Figure 8b; Figure 9 is a cut away perspective view of an alternative structure of the upright of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a side view of an upright and cross piece, ready for connection; Figures 11a, b and c are respectively a front view, side view and rear view of a wedge element; Figures 12a, b and c are respectively a side section, end view and side view of a knurled nut; Figures 13a and b are respectively a front view and end view of a washer; Figures 14a and b are respectively a side view and a transparent end view in the direction of arrow B in Figure 14a; and Figures 15a and b are respectively a section on the line VIII-VIII in Figure 14b and an end view in the direction of arrow A in Figure 15b. With reference to Figure 1, a wall structure 10 comprises uprights 12 separated by cross pieces 14 to form a frame. Panels 16 are clipped into eyes 18 in front faces 20 of the uprights 12. Cross pieces 14 are received in slots 22 disposed in side faces 24 of the uprights 12. Turning to Figure 8a, an upright 12 has two slots 22 side by side in side face 24, each slot 22 extending around corners 26a, b to front face 20 and an opposing rear face (not visible in the drawings). A cross piece 14 is shown being offered up to either slot 22 in the upright 12. Figure 9 shows a preferred embodiment, where the upright 12' has a single slot 22' which extends right across side face 24 ' and around into front face 20 ' and an opposing rear face (not visible in the drawings). In Figure 10, upright 12" has a slot 22 of length 1. Cross piece 14 is a hollow rectangular tube having a notch 28 formed on its upper and lower surface adjacent each end. The length m of end 30 of the cross piece 14 is slightly less than the length 1 of the slot 22 so that end 30 fits within the confines of slot 22. Because the cross piece 14 is hollow, the notches 28 are open above and below. In the sides of the cross piece 14, are formed windows 32 which are rectangular in shape (only one being visible in Figure 10). A drum shaped knurled nut 34 is received within the windows 32 so that a segment of the nut 34 protrudes through the window 32 on either side of the cross piece 14 (see also Figures 8a and b ) . Turning to Figure 15, nut 34 is constructed from plastics material and has a threaded boss 36 received in a throughbore 38. Threaded in the boss 36 is a bolt 40 whose head 42 is captivated in a wedge element 44. The wedge element, shown in more detail in Figure 11, is rectangular in section substantially corresponding with the internal shape of the tubular cross piece 14. It has the throughbore 46 to receive the bolt 40 and a recess 48 to captivate the head 42 of the bolt so that the bolt cannot rotate relative to the wedge element 44. The wedge element 44 has chamfered shoulders 50 whose purpose is explained further herein below. However, the wedge element 44, with its captivated bolt 40 is connected to the nut 34 by engagement of the bolt 40 in the boss 36. Thus by rotation of the nut 34, the bolt 40, and hence the wedge element 44, is drawn further into or pushed out of, the end 30 of the cross piece 14. A U-shaped spring clip 52 is retained within the cross piece 14 between the wedge element 44 and nut 34, the bolt 40 passing through an aperture 54 in the base of the clip 52. The base of the clip 52 is supported by a washer 56 (further details whereof are shown in Figure 13). The washer likewise has an aperture 58 for passage of the bolt 40 and also a groove 60 which serves to locate the spring clip 52. Washer 56, like the nut 34, is insertable in the cross piece 14 through the windows 32, ledges 62 formed opposite the groove 60 serving to locate inside edges 64 of each window 32, which edges 64 are those closest to the end 30 of the cross piece 14. Top and bottom edges 66 of the washer 56 are also a close fit in the windows 32 and serve to maintain the orientation of the washer 56 within the cross piece 14. The washer 56 provides a smooth bearing surface 68 against which a front face 70 of the nut 34 slides when it is rotated. Returning to Figure 15, the spring clip 52 has flared ends 72 which bear against chamfered shoulders 50 of the wedge element 44. When the nut 34 is unscrewed from the bolt 40, and the wedge element 44 is in a leftmost position (as shown in the lower half of Figure 15a) the ends 72 of the spring clip are brought within the confines of the dimension m at the end of the cross piece 14. The height of the wedge element 44 is likewise within the limit m. Thus, as shown in Figure 10, (see also Figure 14) the end of the cross piece 14 can be inserted into the slot 22, not only by longitudinal movement of the cross piece 14 with respect to the slot 22, (as would be necessary in Figure 10) but also by transverse movement in and out of the plane of the drawing. Thus with reference to Figure 1, where two pillars 12 are already in position, another cross piece 14 can be added as required simply by transverse insertion from the direction of front faces 20 of each upright, and without the need for any lateral adjustment of the uprights 12. Thus there is no requirement to disturb any upright or indeed any existing cross piece. When a cross piece has been inserted as shown in Figure 14 into a slot 22, the nut 34 is tightened so that the wedge element 44 is drawn into the cross piece 14. However, there is no corresponding movement of the spring clip 52, so that its ends 72 abut the shoulders 50 and are splayed apart. As the nut 34 is tightened, the ends 72 of the clip 52 engage upper and lower lips 76 of the slot 22 (see also Figure 15). Further tightening clamps the ends 72 and the lips 76 between the wedge element 44 and top and bottom edges 78 of the end of the cross piece 14. By this arrangement, not only is there secure vertical fixing of the cross piece with respect to the upright 12" (by virtue both of the spring clip 52 hooking onto leading edge 76 of the opening 22 and by the base of tongues 30 resting on the edge 76) but also there is secure lateral connection given that the ends 72 of the spring element 52 become retained by side walls 20 of the upright just above and below the slot 22. Of course, there is also longitudinal security in that the cross piece 14 cannot be pulled longitudinally out of the slot 22, without first unscrewing the nut 34 to push out the wedge element 44 and permit the spring clip 52 to spring back to its starting position where its ends 72 are within the confines of dimension m of the end 30 of the cross piece 14. In this respect, it is to be noted that the washer 56 serves to support the spring clip 52 so that it flexes at two points 55, one at either end of the washer 56 and across the full width of the spring element. If the washer did not provide this support, the flexing of the clip 52 would be about its centre where it is weakest having the throughbore 54. The connection mechanisms described above and with reference to Figures 8 to 15 are not directly concerned with the present invention, and indeed the present invention can be employed with conventional connection means where the uprights comprise extruded sections having channels in their side and front faces. Figure 2, however, shows an upright 12 having three pairs of slots 22 into any of which cross pieces 14 can be inserted. The separation of the slots 22 is so as to correspond with panel 16 dimensions. Thus eye-pairs 18 have the same dimensional separations, so upright 12 in Figure 2 is adapted for three panels height. Figure 3 shows a first arrangement in accordance with the present invention wherein upright 12a is an extruded aluminium section having constant cross section along its length. The upright 12a has front face 20a and rear face 21a, each face constituting a datum face of the wall structure 10 ' . Each face 20,21a comprises a longitudinal slot 23 into which panels 16 can be clipped. With such an extruded section, there is nothing to hold the panels vertically, and, therefore, each panel 16 is supported by the one below. The upright 12a has two opposing first side faces 24a, 25a. First side faces 24,25a are perpendicular to the datum faces 20,21a. First side faces 24,25a likewise comprise slots 27, which in this case are dovetail slots. A first cross piece 14 is located between adjacent uprights 12a and 12b and is connected between side faces 25a of upright 12a and side face 24a of upright 12b. Thus an orthogonal arrangement exists between these two uprights so that straight panels 16a are connected between respective front faces 20a and rear faces 21a of the two uprights 12a, 12b. The connection of the cross piece 14 to the dovetail slots 27 is conventional and not described further herein. However, each upright 12a is provided with second side faces 124a, b one on either side of first side face 24a, and corresponding second side faces 125a, b either side of the other first side face 25a. A cross piece 14 connected between upright 12a and upright 12c, employing second side faces 124b and 125b respectively rotates upright 12c about its longitudinal axis with respect to upright 12a. Thus a normal to the respective front faces 20a of the uprights 12a, c subtend an angle corresponding with the combined inclination of the second side faces 124,125b with respect to side faces 24,25a. Thus a curved panel 16b, c can be connected between uprights 12a, c, panel 16b being concave while panel 16c is convex. The panels 16b, c still have perpendicular clip means for perpendicular engagement in slots 23 so that adjacent panels 16a, b meet with no gap or overlap at their edges. Finally, each upright is provided with a third pair of side faces 224a, b and 225a, b. Thus between uprights 12c and 12d, a further identical cross piece 14 is connected between third side faces 224b, 225b respectively, which faces result in a subtended angle by the datum faces 20a less than the angle when the cross piece is between second side faces 124,125. This is because the faces 224,225 are at a shallower angle with respect to first side faces 24,25 than the second side faces 124,125. Thus, panels 16d,16e between uprights 12c, d are curved like panels 16b, c but with a greater radius of curvature. Turning to Figure 4, an alternative upright 12 'a, 12 'b is shown further details whereof are described below with reference to Figures 6 and 7. However, these uprights employ the connection mechanism described above with reference to Figures 8 to 15 and are constructed from folded steel sheet rather than extruded aluminium. They also differ from the uprights 12a to d in Figure 3 in that only one set of second faces 124 ' a,b, 125 ' a,b are provided. Otherwise the arrangement of Figure 4 functions in a similar manner to that of Figure 3, and in Figure 4, it can be seen that an S-shaped curve can be produced. With the arrangement of Figure 4, only two curved panels 16'b,c are required, along with a straight panel ( not shown) . However, further curved panels would be required if, instead of connecting between second faces 125 'b, 124 'b of adjacent uprights 12 'b, a, there was a connection between second face 125 'b of upright 12'b, on the one hand, and first side face 24 'a of upright 12 'a, on the other. This is shown schematically in Figure 5 where the angle 0 subtended by the normals to the front datum faces 20 ' a can be halved by connecting between second face 125 'b and first face 24' a as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. This does of course require the provision of two additional curved panels 16'd,e. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, uprights 12' are formed from two sheets 112a, 112b of steel welded together at their edges (forming front and rear faces 20 'a, 21 'a and forming a tubular structure) . Before folding the respective sheets, apertures are punched into the sheet to form slots 22. Faces 125 ' a,b are arranged such that normals thereto subtend the angle 0. First face 25a has a normal which bisects the angle 0. The reader ' s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings ) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings ) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features . The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An artificial wall structure comprising a frame of elongate uprights and cross pieces, and panels releasably connectible to the frame to provide a face for the wall, the uprights having a datum face and a plurality of side faces, each face being parallel the long axis of the uprights, said cross pieces being releasably securable to facing side faces of adjacent uprights to form the frame, characterised in that each upright has at least two such side faces on one side of said datum face, each side face being disposed at a different angle with respect to the datum face whereby two uprights interconnected by a cross piece have normals to each datum face which subtend different angles depending on between which side faces the cross pieces are connected, differently curved panels being employed in dependence on said subtended angle. 2. A structure as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that there are two parallel datum faces on each upright, a front datum face and a rear datum face. 3. A structure as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the datum faces provide connection means for the panels. 4. A structure as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that the panels have a side edge for connection to the datum face, which side edge is normal to the datum face. 5. A structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that a first of said side faces is perpendicular said datum face. 6. A structure as claimed in Claim 5, characterised in that second and third side faces are disposed one on either side of said first side face. 7. A structure as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that fourth and fifth side faces are disposed on said uprights outside of said second and third faces with respect to said first side face. 8. A structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that slots are formed in said side faces for receiving and locating said cross pieces, which slots extend into a front face adjacent of said side faces whereby a said cross piece is insertable between two uprights for location in said slots without lateral adjustment of the uprights, and connection means to lock the cross piece in the upright . 9. A structure as claimed in Claim 8, characterised in that said connection means comprises a spring clip in each end of the cross piece and wedge means cooperating with the spring clip to grip against top and bottom side-face lips of the slot on engagement of said wedge with the clip. 10. A structure as claimed in Claim 9, characterised in that said wedge has a screw thread and a nut is captured between slots in the cross piece, the screw thread co-operating with the nut so that, on rotation of the nut, the wedge is engaged with the spring clip. 11. A structure as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that the cross pieces are tubular having a substantially rectangular cross section and said slots therein are a pair of opposing rectangular windows in the sides of the cross piece, said nut comprising a knurled wheel of diameter no larger than the height of said windows, and thickness no wider than the width of said windows. 12. A structure as claimed in Claim 9, 10 or 11, characterised in that said spring clip is substantially U-shaped with its ends adapted to grip said lips and said screw thread passing through an aperture in the base of said U. 13. A structure as claimed in Claims 11 and 12, characterised in that said spring clip is supported by a washer extending through said windows and against which the knurled nut bears. 14. A wall structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the drawings.

Inventors: FIRBANK JEREMY KENNETH, RIX DAVID PAUL, FIRBANK, JEREMY, KENNETH, RIX, DAVID, PAUL
Applicants: FIRBANK JEREMY KENNETH, RIX DAVID PAUL, SECTOR EXHIBITING SYSTEMS LTD, FIRBANK, JEREMY, KENNETH, RIX, DAVID, PAUL, SECTOR EXHIBITING SYSTEMS LTD.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: E04B2
IPC codes: E04B2