Patent ID: 8152404

Claim:
A construction element in the form of an openable ring mountable on a rod member, the construction element comprising: two clamping elements, each defining a ring portion and having one circumferential facing end face with a protrusion, and an opposing circumferential facing end face with a recess extending radially between inner and outer surfaces of the clamping element that receives the protrusion of the other clamping element when the construction element is mounted on the rod member; two partition slots, each defined by a protrusion slot extending through the protrusion of one of the clamping elements and a recess slot extending through opposing walls of the corresponding recess of the other clamping element, each partition slot being formed by a protrusion sot and recess slot when the protrusions are received within the recesses such that the partition slot extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the construction element; wherein each protrusion slot and recess slot is undercut into a circumferential peripheral surface of the respective clamping element and has a substantially circular or oval cross-section and a longitudinal opening facing outward; and two locking bars each being receivable into a respective partition slot when the protrusions are received within the recesses, wherein each of the locking bars has a chamfered end which transitions to a part of the locking bar that is parallel to engaging surfaces of a corresponding partition slot; wherein chamfers are arranged on opposing sides of each protrusion slot and confronting sides of the opposing walls of each respective recess slot, such that the chamfers on the protrusion slots and the recess slots together with the chamfers on the locking bars form a wedge system; wherein each clamping element includes at least one fastening slot undercut into the circumferential peripheral surface of the clamping element, parallel to the partition slots, having a substantially circular or oval cross-section and a longitudinal opening facing outward, and being configured to receive a mating connection element for attaching to additional clamping elements or other rod members.