Abstract:
A structural mounting connector or spigot for mounting a glazing frame section to a structure. The connector has a mounting section receivable within a void or hollow end of a glazing frame section, which mounting section has an upper flange or surface and a lower flange or surface for accepting vertical fasteners such as screws or pins which attach the connector to the glazing frame section. The connector also has a connecting web between the top and bottom flanges which contain elongated cavities or passageways for receiving other fasteners, such as screws or bolts, by which the mounting spigot section is affixed to a structure. The connecting web has projections which have guide means to guide the vertical screws or pins between the top and bottom flanges portions such that the mounting spigot section is connectable to the glazing frame section and the glazing frame section to the structure, with the mounting spigot section and fasteners being concealed in the glazing frame section. The mounting spigot section is able to be cut to length and shape by a single cut taken in the same plane as the cut in the glazing frame section to produce an angled join of the glazing frame section to and flush with the structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to a connector for mounting one structural member or component to another. The present invention has special applicability to the connection or mounting of structural members associated with extruded glazing framework or frames for skylights, windows, and the like. In particular, the present invention is intended for use with the “INTALOK” glazing mounting system manufactured and sold by Sky Roof P/L of Victoria, Australia, and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,346, which patent is incorporated by reference herein.  
         [0002]     Currently in the glazing industry, extruded glazing frames, such as those having hip and rafter components of closed and hollow cross-sections for use in skylight framework, and the like, are commonly joined together at intersections by the use of welds or brackets, or in the case of window frames, by shear blocks. However, welds destroy the coated finish of the frame components in the region of the weld, and presently-used bracketing methods require visible and unsightly fasteners, such as screws. Welded or screwed joins are, thus, visually unattractive. In addition, when a join is not a right-angle one, such as a compound angle join, or when a number of joins having different angles of intersection, the design and manufacture of numerous individually angled brackets is particularly complex and time-consuming. In the use of these shear blocks, a connector is first affixed to a first component by first screws, and then a second component that is to be connected to first component is attached to the connector by other screws transverse to the first screws.  
         [0003]     In above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,346, there is disclosed a glazing framework having a base section or bar for mounting the glazing, such as glass or plastic, of a skylight, window and the like, by means of a T-shaped, glazing mounting cap, with the glazing being sandwiched and held between the upper surface of the base section or bar, and the glazing mounting cap. Each base section or bar is of hollow-interior construction, and has an upper, cooperating recess for receiving the locking portion of the T-shaped glazing mounting cap. Each base section or bar may act as a rafter base, hip, mullion or similar structural component, when the skylight, window or the like, is constructed, by which the glazing framework is structurally formed and mounted to building components  
         [0004]     The connector of the present invention is intended for use in mounting a glazing-frame component, such as the rafter base or bar, to a structural component, such as the hip rafter, or mullion, or the like, in a way such that it readily and facilely allows joinder of components without any exposed hardware, while providing improved structural connection. In addition, the very same connector may be used to connect right-angle joints, single-angle joints, and double-miter joints, unlike the above-discussed prior-art methods, which, therefore, reduces overall cost, obviates the need for custom connection-hardware, and, therefore, reduces overall installation time. Thus, the connector of the present invention is a universal connector that is used at component-interconnections regardless of the angle of such intersection.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is, therefore, the primary objective of the present invention to provide a connector for connecting a structural component to another structural component, which connector is mounted entirely within the hollow interior of a structural component, whereby the connector is hidden from view for aesthetic reasons while also providing improved and enhanced structural support to the connection between structural components.  
         [0006]     It is, also, the primary objective of the present invention to provide such a connector for connecting a structural component to another structural component, which connector is mounted entirely within the hollow interior of a structural component, which structural components are part of a glazing framework for forming a skylight, window, and the like.  
         [0007]     It is, also, the primary objective of the present invention to provide such a connector for connecting structural components forming part of a glazing framework for forming a skylight, window, and the like, which connector may be used for all types of intersections between structural components, whether right angle, acute angle, double mitered, and the like, while allowing fast and easy securement between components.  
         [0008]     Toward these and other ends, the connector for structural components, such as those forming a glazing framework for skylights and windows, is made of extruded aluminum, for example, and comprises an elongated main body portion which is slidably receivable in one end of the hollow interior of a structural component to be attached to another structural component, such as a rafter or common rafter component forming part of a glazing frame to a hip rafter or hip of the building structure, or for connecting similar structural components together that may form the transoms and mullions of a glazing framework. The main body portion is elongated in a first, longitudinal direction, and defines an upper surface and a lower surface. Provided between the upper and lower surfaces, there is at least one transverse web that is connected to the upper and lower surfaces in a second, transverse depth-direction as compared to the first, longitudinal direction, which web preferably extends the entire length of the main body portion in the first, longitudinal direction. In the case of one such transverse web, the web is located centrally between the upper and lower surfaces. The transverse web is provided with a plurality of through-passageways or through-openings which receive therethrough first fastening elements, such as fastening screws, which fastening elements mount the connector to a structural component, such as the hip, or hip rafter, of a structure. The main body portion is also comprised of a plurality of transversely spaced-apart, longitudinally-extending mounting ears or flanges projecting in a third width-direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, which mounting ears or flanges project outwardly from either edge of the upper and lower surfaces, and from opposite sides of the transverse web. Each mounting ear or flange extends substantially along the length of main body portion in the first longitudinal direction, and defines a central or middle section of minimal thickness, which middle sections on the same side of the transverse web are aligned in the second transverse direction in order to allow second fastening elements, such as a screws, to be operatively passed therethrough. The second fastening elements passing through the mounting ears extend perpendicularly with respect to the first fastening elements passing through the transverse web, and are used for fastening the coupler or connector to a structural component in which the connector is to be a part. The connector is initially fastened to the structural component, such as a hip, or other similar component, to which another structural component of a glazing frame is to be mounted. This initial mounting is achieved via the first fastening elements passing through the transverse web. After mounting of the connector of the invention to the hip, for example, the structural component, such as the rafter, that is to be mounted to the hip, is slid over the connector, whereby the connector enters into, and is completely contained within, one end of the hollow interior of the rafter, for example. Thereafter, the connector is fastened to the rafter by means of the second fastening elements by passing them through the aligned middle sections of the plurality of ears or flanges on either side of the transverse web. The connector may be cut to the desired angle at its end to be mounted to the hip, which angle will be same as that of the end of the rafter it is coupling to the hip. A similar procedure applies when connecting two similar components, such as transoms or mullions, in the hollow ends of which are mounted connectors of the invention.  
         [0009]     The connector of the present invention in combination with the base disclosed in above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,346 serve as a universal-type of glazing base, whereby this base may serve in different capacities in a glazing framework. Thus, the base when provided with the connector of the invention serves as a mullion or post when used vertically in the glazing framework, as a transom when used horizontally or purlin, or as a rafter when used at an angle in the glazing framework. This very same base with the connector of the invention is also used as a hip when placed at the corner of a structure of which the glazing framework is to be part. Two or more identical base sections may be connected together via the connector of the invention at each end of each base section. The length and overall girth of a base section will change depending upon the type of structural member it is to serve as, with the connector of the invention being correspondingly dimensioned for fitting inside a hollow end of the base section. However, regardless of the type of structural component that the base is to be used as, the connector of the invention is used identically in all, thereby serving as an universal connector for all types of structural components associated with glazing frameworks, whether rafter, hip, mullion, post, transom, purlin, and the like.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view showing the universal connector for connecting structural components of a glazing framework;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an end view of either end of the connector of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an end view of a prior-art base section in which the connector of  FIG. 1  is mounted in the hollow-interior end thereof;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an end view of a prior-art base section of  FIG. 3  showing the connector of  FIG. 1  mounted in the hollow-interior end thereof;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is an end view similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing a modification of the connector of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is an end view of a second type of prior-art base section in which the connector of  FIG. 5  is mounted in the hollow-interior end thereof;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is an end view similar to  FIG. 4  and showing the connector of  FIG. 5  mounted in the hollow-interior end of the base section of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8A  is an elevation view of an angled join connector formed by the interconnection of two connectors of  FIG. 1 , where each connector has been angle-cut at one end and joined together thereat for forming an angle-section for mounting two base sections forming an angle-section of a segmented glazing framework;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8B  is a first end view of the angled join connector of  FIG. 8A ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8C  is a second end view of the angled join connector of Fig,  8 A;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8D  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 D- 8 D of  FIG. 8C ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is an elevation view showing the initial bending of a fastening element for joining two separate mitered connectors in order to form the angled join connector of  FIG. 8A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged view of the flush engagement between the mitered ends of the two connectors forming the angled join connector of  FIG. 8A , showing the opposite sense of the opening of the respective passageways passing the fastening element of  FIG. 9 ; and  
         [0024]      FIGS. 11-18  are isometric assembly views showing the use of the connector of the invention in mounting one end of a base section to another structural component of a glazing framework. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and to  FIGS. 1-4  for now, the connector of the invention is indicated generally by reference numeral  10 . The connector  10  is preferably made of structural-strength extruded aluminum, and has especial use in the “INTALOK” glazing mounting system manufactured and sold by Sky Roof Pty. Ltd. of Victoria, Australia, and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,346. The connector  10  has an elongated main body portion or frame  12  which consists of an upper flange or top surface  14 , and a lower flange or bottom surface  16 . Connecting or joining the upper and lower flanges  14 ,  16  is a transverse web  18 , which in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 , is centrally located between the upper and lower flanges  14 ,  16 . The web  18  is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart, elongated, arcuate passageways or cavities, such as the three passageways  20 ,  22 ,  24 , although more or less may be provided. Each passageway  20 ,  22 ,  24  is preferably not a perimetrically closed surface in order to leave a gap or opening  20 ′,  22 ′,  24 ′ in order to allow slight circumferential expansion of the respective passageway, if necessary, when a fastening element, such as a screw or bolt, is passed therethrough for purposes of mounting the connector  10  to a structural component, as described in detail hereinbelow. It is noted that the lateral side to which each gap  20 ′,  22 ′,  24 ′ preferably opens or faces alternates among the passageways  20 ,  22 ,  24 , as can be seen in  FIG. 2 , so that, for example, when viewing  FIG. 2 , the gap  20 ′ faces the opposite side as that of gap  22 ′ but to the same side as gap  24 ′. It is, of course, within the purview of the invention to allow for all gaps to face in the same direction, and to provide completely enclosed passageways  20 ,  22 ,  24 .  
         [0026]     Extending from each side edge-surface of each of the upper and lower flanges  14 ,  16  are channel sections  30 ,  32 , and  34 ,  36 , respectively, preferably extending the full length of the main body portion  12 . Each channel section is formed with side walls in order to form a channel  30 ′,  32 ′,  34 ′,  36 ′ therebetween. The respective walls of each channel section are joined by a bottom wall section  30 ″,  32 ″,  34 ″,  36 ″, with each wall section having a middle or central thin-walled portion, as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . These thin-walled portions of the joining wall sections  30 ″,  32 ″,  34 ″,  36 ″ are thin enough so as to allow a drill or self-drilling fastening element to pass readily therethrough, while still providing structural integrity to the wall sections  30 ″,  32 ″,  34 ″,  36 ″. As explained hereinbelow in greater detail, fastening elements, such as screws or bolts, pass through the wall sections  30 ″,  32 ″,  34 ″,  36 ″ for mounting the connector  10  in a hollow interior end of a base section, which base section serves as a structural component of a larger structure, such as a glazing framework, where the base section may serve as a rafter, hip, mullion, transom, purlin, and the like.  
         [0027]     In linear alignment with the channel sections  30 ,  32 , and  34 ,  36 , respectively, are a plurality of laterally projecting, side web sections or ears  40 ,  42 , and  44 ,  46 , respectively. Each web section  40 ,  42 , and  44 ,  46  is connected at one end to a respective side surface portion of the central web  18  and between two respective passageways  20 , 22 , 24 , and defines a V-shaped, thin-wall portion  40 ′,  42 ′and  44 ′,  46 ′, respectively; each web section  40 , 42  and  44 ,  46 , projects a distance away from a respective surface of the web  18  such that each thin-wall portion  40 ′,  42 ′ and  44 ′,  46 ′ is in alignment with a thin-wall portion of the wall sections  30 ″,  32 ″,  34 ″,  36 ″; therefore, thin-wall portions  40 ′,  44 ′ are in alignment with each other and with the thin-wall portions  30 ″,  34 ″, while the thin-wall portions  42 ′,  46 ′ are in alignment with each other and with the thin-wall portions  32 ″,  36 ″.  
         [0028]     The combination of thin-walt portions  30 ″,  40 ′,  44 ′,  34 ′, and the combination of thin-wall portions  32 ″,  42 ′,  46 ′,  36 ′, define a pair of guides, one on either side of the connector  10 , by which fastening elements  50 , such as screws or bolts, may pass and be guided, which fastening elements are used for securing or mounting the connector  10  to the interior hollow end of a structural component of which it is to be part and used for mounting the structural component  52  to another structural component of a structure, as seen in  FIG. 4 . The interior of the base section  52  is preferably provided with a pair of elongated, upper, interior opposed tabs or ears  54 , and a pair of elongated, lower, interior tabs or ears  56 , between which upper and lower pairs of tabs the connector  10  is received. These upper and lower tabs or ears  54 ,  56  also receive therein the fastening elements  50 , such as screws or pins, whereby the connector  10  is secured within the hollow end of the base section  52 . Additional fastening of the connector in the hollow interior end of the base section  52  may be achieved by passing screws or bolts through the side walls  56 ″ of the base section into adjacent portions of the connector  10 , such as the channel sections  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 , or even into the conesponding portions of the transverse web  18 , if needed.  
         [0029]     The number of fastening elements  50  used may be varied depending upon the length of the connector  10 . Preferable, a series of longitudinally spaced-apart fasteners  50  are used on each side, which series of fasteners extend in the first direction longitudinally along the length of the main body portion  12 . The structural component  52  is a base or base section, such as that used in the “INTALOK” glazing mounting system manufactured and sold by Sky Roof Pty. Ltd. of Victoria, Australia, and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,346. The base section  52  may be a hip, rafter, transom, mullion, purlin, or the like, with its length varying depending on which structural member it is to serve as, and according to the specific glazing framework of which it is part. Accordingly, the length of the connector  10  may vary also depending upon the type of structure with which it is to employed for coupling base sections  52 . The base section  52  has an arcuate-shaped channel or groove  56 ′ formed into its top surface in which is received a cover or cap by which glazing is mounted to the frame at the base section  52  thereof, which forms part of the above-mentioned “INTALOK” glazing mounting system manufactured and sold by Sky Roof Pty. Ltd. of Victoria, Australia, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,346.  
         [0030]     Referring now to  FIGS. 5-7 , there is shown a second embodiment  60  of the connector of the invention. The connector  60  is similar to the connector  10 , with the exception that instead of the central web  18  of the connector  10 , a pair of laterally spaced-apart webs  64 ,  66  are used, which webs  64 ,  66  connect between upper flange or top surface  70  and lower flange or bottom surface  72  off-center from the center thereof. Each web  64 ,  66  is provided with a plurality of passageways  74 ,  76 , respectively, identical to those of the web  18 . Moreover, each of the upper and lower flanges  70 ,  72  is provided with upper channel sections  78 ,  80 , and lower channel sections  82 ,  84 , respectively, like those of the connector  10 . In addition, each web  64 ,  66  is also provided with laterally projecting web sections  86 ,  88 ,  90 , and  92  like web sections  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 , which are in alignment with respective ones of the channel sections  78 ,  80 ,  82 ,  84 , as may be seen in  FIG. 5 . Each laterally projecting web section  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  92  protrudes from, and is formed integrally with, one of the passageways  86 ,  88 , and faces the same way as the respective gap of its associated passageway.  
         [0031]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 5-7 , the connector  60  is generally of greater girth than the connector  10 , and is used for mounting a base section or component  52 ′ of greater girth than the base section  52  in which the connector  10  of the first embodiment is mounted. Thus, the connector  60  is preferably provided with four or more passageways  74 ,  76  for each web  64 ,  66 , respectively, whereby a total of eight are provided, allowing more fasteners to be used and the concomitant greater structural integrity of the mounting of the structural component  52 ′ to which the connector  60  is secured via fasteners  50 .  
         [0032]     Referring now to  FIGS. 8A, 8B ,  8 C,  8 D,  9  and  10 , there is shown a pair of connectors  10  of the first embodiment fastened to each other, where each connector  10  has been angle-cut, or mitered, at an end  10 ′. The ends  10 ′ of each connector  10  are placed in flush engagement with other, as seen in  FIGS. 8A and 8D , and secured together by fasteners, such as by threaded rods or bolts  90  and nuts  92  which pass through aligned passageways or cavities  20 ,  22 ,  24  of the adjoined connectors  10  . In order to connect the two angle-cut or mitered connectors  10 , each threaded rod or bolt  90  is of such length so as to pass through both two connectors  10  when joined. To secure the mitered or angled connectors  10  together, one first bends the threaded rod or bolt  90  to the desired angle, which angle is that of the miter cut of the ends  10 ′ of the connectors  10 , as seen in  FIG. 9 , whereupon the first straight half or section  90 ′ is passed through one of the passageways or cavities  20 ,  22 , or  24  of one connector  10 . Thereafter, the other straight half or section  90 ″ is then passed through the corresponding and aligned passageway  20 ,  22 , or  24  in the other of the two connectors  10  forming the angle-cut join connector. Nuts  92  are then tightened to secure the threaded rod and to secure the two connectors. The same procedure is done with one or more other threaded rods passing through one or more other corresponding, aligned passageways or cavities  20 ,  22  or  24  of the two connectors  10 , such as passageways  24  as seen in  FIGS. 8A-8D .  
         [0033]     After the two angle-cut connectors  10  have been so secured, then an end of each of a pair of base sections  52  is slid over a respective one of connectors  10 , which ends of the base sections have been mitered to an angle similar to that of the ends  10 ′, after which, fasteners  50  secure the respective connector  10  in the interior of the hollow end of the respective base section  52 , in the manner described hereinabove. This type of connection is used especially for forming segments of an angled skylight, as well as for other structures. The bent, threaded fastener  90  acts like a post-tensioned, reinforced beam, where the threaded rod  90  is placed mainly in tension when resisting a bending moment. The connectors may, also, be joined at a double-miter.  
         [0034]     Since the connector  10  is to be received within a hollow end of a base section  52 , the angle or miter of both the end  10 ′ of the connector  10  and the corresponding end of the base  52  in which the connector  10  is to be received, may be cut together, as by a saw, in just one operation by first placing the connector  10  within the corresponding end of the base  52  in the manner that they will assume when affixed to each other, and cutting both the end  10 ′ of the connector  10  and the correspond end of the base  52  together.  
         [0035]     It is noted that when the two connectors  10  are coupled together, each passageway  20 ,  22 , or  24  of the first connector has its gap or opening  20 ′,  22 ′, or  24 ′ in the opposite sense as its counterpart, aligned passageway  20 ,  22 , or  24  of the other connector, in order to counter-encase, or capture, the rod or bolt  90 . This is seen in  FIG. 10 , where the arcuate wall of a respective passageway  20 , for example, in the first connector surrounds, the shaft of the half-section  90 ″ of the fastener  90  on one side thereof, while the arcuate wall of the aligned passageway  20  in the second, mating connector surrounds the shaft of the half-section  90 ′ of the fastener  90  on the other side of the fastener, whereby the passageways of the two connectors  10  have their arcuate walls in the opposite sense. The same holds for the other aligned and corresponding passageways or cavities  22  and  24  of the two connectors  10 .  
         [0036]     Referring now to  FIGS. 11-17 , there is shown the manner by which a connector  10  of the invention is used. The example of  FIGS. 11-17  shows a coupler  10  that is to be mounted in the hollow interior end of a base section  52 , which base section, in the example shown, is a rafter which is to be mounted to the side surface  98 ′ of another base section serving as a hip  98 , for example. In the example shown, the connection between the rafter and the hip is at an angle, whereby both the connector  10  and its receiving rafter  52  has been cut to the proper angle or miter in a conventional manner. The end of the connector  10 , and the corresponding end of the base section  52 , are cut to length and shape by a single cut taken in the same plane as the cut required in an end of the glazing frame section, to thereby produce an angled join flush with the glazing frame section and the structure. After miter-cutting the connector  10  to the proper angle, the connector  10  is mounted to the appropriate section of the side surface  98 ′ of the hip  98  by means of the fastening elements, such as bolts or screws ( FIG. 12 ). Three such screws or bolts are typically used and pass through the three passageways  20 ,  22 ,  24  of the coupler  10 , as described hereinabove ( FIGS. 1-4 ). Alternatively, the connector  60  of  FIGS. 5-7 , with six such passageways, may be used depending upon the girth and use in which the connector of the invention is used. After the connector  10  (or connector  70 ) has been mounted to the hip  98 , one hollow end  52 ″ of the receiving base section  52 , that has been mitered to the same angle as that of the connector  10 , is slid longitudinally over the attached connector  10  ( FIG. 14 ), so that the connector  10  is entirely received within the hollow interior end  52 ″ of the base section  52 , such that the mounting connector and the fasteners are fully concealed within the glazing frame section ( FIG. 15 ). Thereafter, fasteners, such as screws or pins  50  of  FIG. 4 , are used to permanently secure the connector  10  and the end  52 ″ of the base section or rafter  52  together ( FIG. 16 ), in the manner discussed hereinabove with reference to  FIGS. 2-4 . The other end  52 ″ of the base-section rafter  52  is similarly connected to another base section serving as another structural component  102 , such as a mullion or another hip, for example, which other end  52 ″ and corresponding connector therefor may or may not be mitered, to form a structurally integral unit, as seen in  FIG. 17 .  
         [0037]     If a rafter, for example, is to be joined to a hip, for example, and is to be connected at a simple right angle, then, of course, the end of the connector  10  and the corresponding receiving end of the rafter are not cut, in order to retain a right-angle structural unit. The process of securement of a simple, right-angle structural unit is the same as described above for the mitered connector and base section, and is shown in  FIGS. 18A-18C , where the right-angle connector  10  of  FIG. 18A  is first attached to a another base section serving as a purlin  108 , for example, with a surface face  108 ′ ( FIG. 18B ). Thereafter, the base section  52  serving as a rafter, for example, is slid over the secured connector  10  for receiving the connector  10  in the hollow interior end thereof, whereupon the connector and the base section are fastened together by pins or screws, as described above. The same procedure is performed at the other end of the base section  52 , whereby a right-angle structural unit is formed ( FIG. 18C ).  
         [0038]     It is noted that the relatively narrow, each elongated connecting web section of the connectors  10  and  70  that connect the upper and lower flanges together may be considerably wider, or thicker, in the lateral direction as that shown in the drawings if additional structural reinforcement and integrity is required, or they may be spaced considerably much farther apart from each. In addition, the channel sections  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  may be eliminated, and the fasteners may just be passed through extended portions of the upper or lower surface section  14 ,  16 .  
         [0039]     While the connector  10  or  60  of the invention has been described hereinabove with respect to use in a glazing frame or framework, the connector of the invention may be used in other structural environments where the coupling of similar structural components into a frame, framework, or latticework, is to be accomplished, where such components have hollow interiors or hollow interior ends in which the connector of the invention may be mounted.  
         [0040]     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.