Abstract:
A connecting fitting for releasably connecting two furniture parts is disclosed. The fitting comprises a pin-shaped member that is insertable into a hole in a first furniture part, and a fitting body insertable into a bore in a second furniture part. The fitting body comprises a tightening element. The fitting body is in the form of a circular cylindrical part defined by a curved side wall and a flat side wall. The fitting body is radially displaceable within said bore in the furniture part when not in a tightened position. The pin-shaped member protrudes from the curved side wall when in the tightened position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a connecting fitting for releasably connecting furniture parts. The fitting comprises a pin-shaped member that is insertable into a hole in a first furniture part, and a fitting body that is insertable into a bore in a second furniture part. The fitting body comprises a tightening element. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Such a connecting fitting is, for example, described in Austrian patent AT 403 192 B. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a connecting fitting which makes it possible to easily insert shelves or panels into a piece of furniture after the piece of furniture has been assembled. 
     According to the invention, this object is accomplished by the fitting body being in the form of a circular cylindrical part defined by a curved side wall and a flat side wall. The fitting body is radially displaceable within the bore in the furniture part when not in a tightened position, whereby the pin-shaped member protrudes from the curved side wall when it is in the tightened position. 
     With a fitting according to the invention it is possible to insert the fitting body into the bore in such a way that there is still room for the pin-shaped member. That is, the fitting body will be inserted in a tilted position. The pin-shaped member will then be moved through a corresponding hole in the shelf. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing two furniture parts connected by means of a connecting fitting according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a furniture side wall, a shelf and a connecting fitting according to the invention, the parts being shown separately. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view through a furniture part in the region of a connecting fitting. 
     FIGS. 4 a-   4   d  each show a sectional view through a shelf and a side view of a connecting fitting, whereby the connecting fitting is shown at different stages of being inserted into the shelf. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a connecting fitting according to the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connecting fitting according to the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a connecting fitting according to the invention, whereby the curved wall is shown. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the connecting fitting, whereby the flat wall is shown. 
     FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view through a furniture side wall, a shelf and a connecting fitting showing the connecting fitting in the untightened position. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a furniture side wall, a shelf and a connecting fitting in the untightened position, whereby the parts are separately shown in section. 
     FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view through a furniture side wall, a shelf and a connecting fitting, with the connecting fitting being in the tightened position. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a furniture side wall, a shelf and a connecting fitting, with the connecting fitting shown in the tightened position and the parts partly shown in section. 
     FIGS. 14-17 each show a sectional view through a furniture side wall, shelves and a connecting fitting according to the invention in the tightened position. 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a connecting fitting according to the invention. 
     FIGS. 19 a-   19   e  each show a sectional view through a shelf and a side view of a connecting fitting according to the invention, with the connecting fitting being shown at different stages of insertion into a bore in a shelf. 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a connecting fitting according to the invention, and 
     FIGS. 21 a-   21   e  each show a sectional view through a shelf and a side view of a connecting fitting, whereby the connecting fitting is shown at different stages of being inserted into a bore in a shelf. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The drawings show the connection of a shelf  1  with a furniture side wall  2  by means of a connecting fitting according to the invention. 
     The furniture side wall  2  is provided with a bore  5 . At a planar surface the shelf  1  is provided with a bore  3 . The bore  3  does not extend completely through the shelf  1 . The shelf  1  is further provided with a through bore  4  extending from a front face of the shelf  1  into the bore  3 . 
     The connecting fitting according to the invention consists of a fitting body  6  in the form of a circular cylindrical part which is insertable into the bore  3  of the shelf  1 , further of a pin-shaped part  10  protruding through the bore  4  and into the bore  5  in the furniture side wall  2 , and further of a tightening element. 
     The length of the pin-shaped part  10  and of the fitting body  6  is advantageously shorter than the diameter of the bore  3  so that the connecting fitting can be easily inserted into the bore  3  as shown in FIGS. 4 a-   4   d.  In the embodiments shown the tightening element is in the form of a tilting lever or tiltable member  7 . The tilting lever  7  is connected to a dowel part  8  by means of an axle  9 . The dowel part  8  is preferably made of metal and is provided with two slots  28  which make expansion of dowel part  8  possible. The dowel part  8  is at its outside provided with ribs or teeth  27  which increase the hold of the dowel part  8  in the bore  5 . 
     Within the dowel part  8  an expanding pin  25  is situated. The expanding pin  25  is rigidly connected to the fitting body  6 , preferably riveted thereto. To mount the fitting body  6  within the shelf  1 , the connecting fitting is inserted into the bore  3  as shown in FIGS. 4 a-   4   d  whereby the tilting lever  7  is in an upwardly tilted position. After insertion into the bore  3  the fitting body  6  is moved in such a way that the pin-shaped member  10  protrudes from the shelf  1  and into the bore  5  of the furniture side wall  2 . This situation is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. 
     In order to move the fitting body  6  within the bore  3  as shown in FIG. 4 a- FIG. 4 d,  a length of a flat side wall of the fitting body  6  is less than a diameter of the bore  3  such that the fitting body  6  is radially displaceable within the bore  3 . 
     To tighten the shelf  1  to the furniture side wall  2  the tilting lever  7  is tilted from the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 into the position shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. To improve the stability of the fitting body  6  within the bore  3  the fitting body  6  is at its curved wall provided with a socket  20 . The socket  20  is cylindrical and its outer diameter corresponds to the diameter of the bore  4  in the shelf  1 . 
     With a connecting fitting according to the invention it is easily possible to mount shelves  1  in a piece of furniture as the connecting fitting can be inserted into the bore  3  in such a way that the pin-shaped part  10  does not extend outwardly from the front face of the shelf  1 . After the shelf  1  is brought into its correct position the connecting fitting can be moved within the bore  3  so that the pin-shaped part  10  will extend into the bore  5  in the furniture side wall  2 . 
     The curved wall of the fitting body  6  corresponds to the wall of the bore  3  so that the fitting body  6  will be held snugly at the wall of the bore  3 . 
     The tilting lever  7  is provided with a cam  12  which in the tightened position presses against the inner wall of the fitting body  6  or against the head of the tightening pin  25 . The tilting lever  7  is further provided with a nose  30  which in the non-tightened position abuts against a planar surface  29  on the fitting body  6  via a face  13 . The nose  30  of the tilting lever  7  on which the cam  12  and the face  13  are provided is situated within a groove  31  in the fitting body  6 . 
     In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 14 to  17  the pin-shaped member  10  is not directly held in the bore  5  of the furniture side wall  2 , but is rather held in dowels  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 . 
     The dowel  15  is mounted in the bore  5  which is in the form of a blind hole. The dowel  15  is provided with ribs  32  which increase the hold of the dowel  15  in the bore  5 , and is at is inner side provided with ribs  33  which co-act with ribs  27  on the dowel part  8  of the connecting fitting. 
     In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 the bore  5  is a through bore and the dowel  16  is provided with a rim  34  abutting a front face of the furniture side wall  2 . 
     At is inner side the dowel  16  is again provided with ribs  33  corresponding to ribs  27  of the dowel part  8  of the connecting fitting. 
     FIG. 16 shows a dowel  17  which makes it possible to connect two shelves  1  with a furniture side wall  2 . The dowel  17  is on both ends provided with ribs  33  co-acting with ribs  27  on the dowel parts  8 , whereby a secure hold of the dowel parts  8  in the dowel  17  is guaranteed. 
     FIG. 17 shows the connection of two furniture side walls  2  and two shelves  1  by means of two connecting fittings according to the invention and one dowel  18 . The dowel  18  is similar to the dowel  17 , only longer. 
     To increase the stability and the hold of the fitting body  6  in the bore  3 , the fitting body  6  is according to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 a-   19   e  provided with a strut which is in the form of a plate  21  that is integral with the fitting body  6 . The plate  21  and fitting body  6  together describe a full circle so that the fitting body  6  and the plate  21  are snugly held in the bore  3 . 
     The plate  21  is positioned near the opening of the bore  3 . 
     In the embodiment according to FIGS. 20 and 21 a - 21   e  the strut is in the form of a tiltable plate  23 . When the fitting body  6  is inserted into the bore  3  the plate  23  is tilted upwardly just like the tilting lever  7 . Afterwards, the fitting body  6  is inserted into the bore  3  as shown in FIGS. 21 a  to  21   e  and pushed forward so that the pin-shaped member  10  protrudes from the shelf  1 . Afterwards, the plate  23  is tilted towards and into the bore  3 , preferably to abut the base of the bore  3 . Also, in this case the fitting body  6  and the plate  23  together generally describe a full circle to be snugly held within the bore  3 , in such a way to provide a good hold of the fitting body  6  within the bore  3 .