Patent Abstract:
An adjustable fork connector to connect adjacent trusses. A hollow tube is mountable to the end of a first truss and has a pair of spaced apart flanges to extend vertically or horizontally. The flanges are longitudinally movable to position the flanges a selected distance outward from the first truss. A single flange is rotatably mounted to the second truss and is extendable between the pair of flanges and removably connected thereto.

Full Description:
This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/058,283 filed Mar. 2, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/134,861 filed Mar. 18, 2015, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of trusses used to support a variety of appliances, such as lights. More specifically, a connector is disclosed for connecting together adjacent trusses. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     Trusses typically have fixed lengths which may be of insufficient length to span the required distance. As a result, a multiple trusses are aligned to extend over the particular span. The trusses are connected together such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,028,488 wherein identical trusses are connected together at their adjacent ends by mating flanges and removable pins extending through the flanges. Such technique requires the adjacent trusses to be aligned to enable the pins to extend through the end flanges of one truss and the end flanges of the adjacent truss. As a result, time and effort is required to first align the trusses and then hold the trusses in alignment while the removable pins are inserted into the flanges. Disclosed herein is a new connector to be used to connect adjacent trusses which may or may not be in perfect alignment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A connector for connecting a first truss having a tube with a first hollow end to a second truss having a second hollow end. A flanged shank is removably insertable in the tube and has a flange to connect to a flanged end of the second truss thereby connecting the first truss to the second truss. The flanged shank of the first truss may be positioned manually adjacent the flanged end of the second truss. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a coupling allowing easy connection of adjacent trusses that may or may not be in perfect alignment. 
     It is a further object of the present invention is to provide a coupling that may be installed on trusses to allow for a quick connection between trusses. 
     Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a pair of prior art trusses. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view thereof. 
         FIG. 3A  is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the male connector incorporating the present invention to secure adjacent trusses together. 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the assembled connector of  FIG. 3A  showing the male flange extending in the vertical direction. 
         FIG. 3C  is the same view as  FIG. 3B  only with the flange extending in the horizontal direction. 
         FIG. 4A  is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment, slidable fork-end female connector. 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 4A  only in the assembled position with the female fork-end extending in the vertical direction and located in an inward position. 
         FIG. 4C  is the same view as  FIG. 4B  only showing the female fork-end in an extended position and with the fork-end. 
         FIG. 4D  is the same view as  FIG. 4C  only showing the extended female fork-end rotated so that the fork-end extends in the horizontal direction. 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary, enlarged, cross-sectional view of the end of truss tube  23  showing receiver  72  inserted therein and female fork-end  71  inserted into receiver  72 . 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary, enlarged, cross-sectional view of the end of truss tube  33  showing receiver  52  inserted therein and male fork-end  51  inserted into receiver  52 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show respectively a side and top view of a pair  19  of prior art identical trusses  20  and  21  securable together. Truss  20  will now be described it being understood that an identical description applies to truss  21 . Truss  20  includes four horizontally extending tubular members connected together. In the top view of  FIG. 2 , the horizontally extending members include members  22  and  23  joined together by a plurality of cross-members  24  perpendicularly arranged and having their opposite ends fixedly attached to tubes  22  and  23 . A centrally located horizontally extending tube  25  is parallel to tubes  22  and  23  being joined to cross members  24 . Tubes  22  and  23  along with the cross members  24  and central member  25  form a generally rectangular top frame which is replicated on the bottom of the truss and is identical thereto. In the side view of  FIG. 1 , the bottom frame is formed by a pair of horizontally extending tubes one of which is shown as member  26 . The two spaced apart bottom horizontally extending members  26  are fixedly secured to the horizontally extending top members  22  and  23  by a plurality of vertical members  27  and a plurality of angular members  28 . Thus, in  FIG. 1 , the two bottom horizontal members  26  are joined to the top horizontal member  23  and  24  by members  27  and  28 . 
     Mounted to the opposite ends of the four horizontally extending tubes are flanges to enable one truss to be connected to an adjacent truss. For example, identical prior art connectors  29  and  30  are fixedly secured respectively to tubes  22  and  23  and also to the two bottom tubes  26  with each connector having a pair of spaced apart flanges forming a gap. For example, connector  30  has a pair of flanges  32  and  34  spaced apart to receive the single flange  35  fixedly mounted to the end of horizontally extending member  33  of truss  21 . Likewise, a flange identical to flange  35  is provided on each of the horizontally extending tubes of truss  21  to extend into the gap of the adjacent connectors of truss  20 . The flanges of each truss are provided with an aperture through which a removable pin extends to connect the trusses together. For example, connector  30  has an aperture  39  extending through flanges  32  and  34  that is alienable with aperture  36  extending through the single flange  35 . In a similar manner, the adjacent ends of the horizontally extending tubes of members  20  and  21  are connected together. Such a construction is well known in the industry and forms a part of the prior art. 
       FIGS. 3 a - c  and 4 a - d    disclose connectors incorporating the present invention that replace connectors  29  and  30  and flanges  35 . The connectors of  FIGS. 3 and 4  are adjustable and allow for easy connection of adjacent trusses. Such adjustment can be accomplished in the field when the truss is in any position including a lowered position or an elevated position.  FIG. 5  illustrates connector  70  mounted to truss  20  whereas  FIG. 6  illustrates connector  50  mounted to truss  21 . 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates an exploded perspective view of connector  50  consisting of a cylindrical tubular receiver  52  into which the shank of the male fork-end  51  is inserted. Fork-end  51  has a cylindrical main body or shank  53  insertable into the hollow interior  54  of receiver  52  with the opposite end of the main body including a single flange  62  having an aperture  56  through which a removable pin may be inserted. Holes  57  extend through the cylindrical main body  53  and are alienable with holes  58  or  59 . In the event flange  62  extends vertically ( FIG. 3B ) and hole  56  extends horizontally, then holes  57  are aligned with holes  58  whereas if flange  62  extends horizontally ( FIG. 3C ) and hole  56  extends vertically then holes  57  are aligned with holes  59  with set screws  60  extending freely through holes  58  or  59  as the set screws are threaded through holes  57 . Thus the flange of the fork-end can extend either horizontal or vertical depending upon the orientation of the gap formed by a pair of spaced apart flanges mounted to the end of an adjacent truss. Holes  61  extend through receiver  52  and are alienable with holes provided in one end of the horizontally extending tubes  33  of truss  21  with set screws  91  ( FIG. 6 ) being provided to secure the receiver fixedly to the horizontally extending tubes. 
     Once male fork-end  51  is inserted in receiver  52 , the flange  62  can be manually rotated to extend either vertically as shown in  FIG. 3B  or horizontal as shown in  FIG. 3C . The set screws are then installed securing fork-end  51  to the receiver. An enlarged washer shaped portion  55  is provided on flange  62  providing a stop surface  64  abutable against the end  65  of the receiver. Holes  58 ,  59  and  61  extend through the opposite side walls of receiver  52 . The connector shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C  thereby provides a 90 degree rotatable male fork-end. Receiver  52  is then inserted into the end of one of the horizontally extending tubes  33  ( FIG. 6 ) of truss  21  with set screws  91  extending threadedly through tubes  33  and freely through holes  61  provided in receiver  52 . 
       FIGS. 4A-4D  disclose a telescopic sliding female fork-end that has the flanges rotatable through 90 degrees. An exploded view of connector  70  has a tubular receiver  72  into which the shank  73  of the female fork-end  71  extends. Fork-end  71  has a cylindrical main body slidable into the hollow interior  74  of receiver  72 . Mounted to the end of main body  73  is the fork-end configuration  75  formed by a pair of spaced apart flanges  76  and  77  forming a gap  78  into which flange  62  of connector  50  is extendable. In the event connector  50  is not utilized then connector  70  may be used to receive the fixed single flange  35  of the prior art connectors depicted in  FIG. 1 . In either case, a hole  79  extends through flanges  76  and  77  to receive a removable pin which also extends through an aperture in the single flange  62  or  35  mounted to the adjacent truss. A slot  80  extends through main body  73  and is oriented to extend in the direction of the lengthwise extending longitudinal axis of main body  73 . Set screws  81  ( FIG. 4B ) are threadedly received by internally threaded apertures  84  or  85  that extend through the side walls of the main body of receiver  72 . The set screws extend freely through slot  80  allowing the fork-end  71  to move in telescopic fashion. For example, stop surface  82  of fork-end configuration  75  abuts the outwardly facing edge  83  of receiver  72  when the fork-end  71  is in a non-extended position relative to the receiver illustrated in  FIG. 4 b   . Fork-end  71  may also be extended so that surface  82  is spaced apart from edge  83  thereby allowing for a different spacing between opposite ends of adjacent trusses. 
     As with the case of the connector  50  shown in  FIG. 3 , connector  70  has a second pair of internally threaded holes  85  ( FIG. 4A ) that extend through the opposite side walls of receiver  72  to threadedly receive the set screws  81  when the flanges  76  and  79  extend horizontally providing a horizontally extending gap  78 . 
     A pair of internally threaded holes  86  extend through the opposite side walls of the receiver and threadedly receive a pair of set screws extending freely through holes provided at the end of the horizontally extending tubes  22 ,  23  and  26  of truss  20 . Thus, connector  70  has multiple positions. In the first position, the sliding female fork-end is in a retracted position so that surface  82  abuts edge  83  with the flanges being rotated to either a vertical or horizontal position depending upon whether the gap between the flanges is to extend vertically or horizontally. When the fork-end  71  is extended ( FIGS. 4C and 4D ), the flanges can also be positioned to either extend vertically ( FIG. 4C ) or horizontally ( FIG. 4D ). Holes  86  extend through receiver  72  and are alienable with holes provided in one end of the horizontally extending tubes  22 ,  23 ,  26  of truss  20  with set screws  90  ( FIG. 5 ) securing the receiver fixedly to the horizontally extending tubes. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4