Patent GB-1149184-A (GB)
Title: Structural assemblies
IPC: A47B57/54
Filed: 1966-06-09
Abstract: 1,149,184. Racks. UNISTRUT CORP. 9 June, 1966 [27 July, 1965], No. 25675/66. Heading A4B. [Also in Division E2] A structural assembly includes a first structural member 10, a second structural member 14 and a fastening device for fastening one of the structural members to the other in which the fastening device comprises a fitting 12 carried by the first structural member 10 and embracing the second structural member 14, means 28 provided by the fitting for producing a securing engagement between the fitting and the second structural member upon relative movement of the second structural member and the fitting in one direction, said fastening device including means carried by the fitting for producing relative movement of the second structural member and the fitting in the direction producing the securing engagement, and means 44, 46 for retaining the fitting and the second structural member in securing engagement by retaining the movement producing means in the position in which the fitting and the second structural member are secured together. In the construction show the fitting 12 is substantially U- shaped to provide a base portion 20 and a pair of parallel arms 22, the free end portions of the arms 22 being, in use, welded to the structural member 10. The means 28 is a bell crank which extends through the arms 22, between the member 14 and the end of the member 10, the bell crank having a handle 38 and a medial cam portion 42 which is engageable with the exterior surface of the member 14, the movement in said one direction urging the member 14 into engagement with the base portion 20 of the fitting 12; the means for producing the securing engagement are portions 26 displaced from the base portion 20 of the fitting and which extend into perforations 18 of the member 14; the member 14 is square in cross-section and has perforations in each of its walls, the two portions 26 which are provided by the fitting being engageable with any pair of adjacent perforations in any of the walls. The handle 38 provided by the bell crank is held in the position in which the bell crank holds the member 14 and fitting 12 in the positive engagement, with the portions 26 in the perforations 18, by a catch comprising a pair of portions 44, 46 stuck outwardly from the arm 22 the portion 44 being shorter than the portion 46 and its end being arcuately formed so that after the handle is forced over the portion 44 into engagement with the portion 46, it is held between them. In a modification instead of the fitting having portions 26 and the member 14 having perforations each is provided with serrations which interengage. In a further modification the bell crank 28 is arranged to be on the opposite side of the member 14 to that shown by providing the base portion of the fitting 12 with a pair of parallel lugs by which the bell crank is carried, providing an aperture in the base portion 20 so that the bell crank can engage the member 14 and joining the arms of the fitting adjacent the member 10 with a U-shaped member, the base portion of which is serrated to engage the serrations provided by the member 14.