U.S. patent number 3,585,768 [Application Number 04/757,583] was granted by the patent office on 1971-06-22 for structural posts and panel connectors including panel structure.
Invention is credited to Louis H. Klein.
United States Patent |
3,585,768 |
Klein |
June 22, 1971 |
STRUCTURAL POSTS AND PANEL CONNECTORS INCLUDING PANEL STRUCTURE
Abstract
An interlocking post-joint structure for forming rectangular
metal posts adapted to function alone or to support one, two,
three, or four panels of a wall in planar or right angle positions,
and which posts, for all of the aforesaid arrangements, have four
interlocking sides formed from combinations of extrusion strips of
different or identical outer cross-sectional contours but
internally having identical interlocking means integral therewith,
adapted to interlock against separation in directions normal to the
respective sides of each post when held in assembled relation.
Inventors: |
Klein; Louis H. (Milbrae,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
25048394 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/757,583 |
Filed: |
September 5, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/282.4;
52/238.1; 52/282.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/7818 (20130101); F16B 5/008 (20130101); E04B
2/62 (20130101); E04B 1/6175 (20130101); E04B
1/6179 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
1/61 (20060101); F16B 5/00 (20060101); E04B
2/78 (20060101); E04B 2/58 (20060101); E04B
2/76 (20060101); E04B 2/62 (20060101); E04c
003/32 (); E04b 001/343 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/730,731,588,285,238,243,241,242,732,489,738 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Abbott; Frank L.
Assistant Examiner: Ridgill, Jr.; James L.
Claims
I claim:
1. A hollow, structural post comprising:
a. four, equal width, elongated, parallel extrusion strips of rigid
material having planar outer surfaces in adjacent pairs in engage
ment with each each other along one of the longitudinally extending
edges of the strips of each adjacent pair and disposed at right
angles to each other providing a square cross-sectional contour
having four corners respectively at the engaging edges of the
adjacent pairs of strips,
b. a pair of corresponding interlocking means respectively formed
in the strips of each adjacent pair at the inner side of said post
at each of said corners, one of the interlocking means of each
adjacent pair comprising a recess formed along one longitudinally
extending edge of one strip of each adjacent pair extending the
full length of said one strip, having a curvilinear concave,
substantially semicylindrical wall-surface and an open side facing
toward the other strip at each corner at an angle of approximately
45.degree. relative to the strip in which the recess is formed, and
the other interlocking means of each adjacent pair of strips
comprising a projection on the other longitudinally extending edge
of each strip having a convex cross-sectional contour complementary
to the recess formed in said one edge and removably seated within
said recess,
c. positioning means respectively formed on and integral with the
strips of said adjacent pairs at each of said corners in separable
engagement at each corner for positioning said strips at right
angles to each other when said projections are seated within said
recesses,
d. said projections being positioned within said recesses through
the open sides of the latter, and the wall surfaces of said
recesses extending around said projections when said projections
are seated within said recesses a sufficient distance to hold said
strips locked together at each corner against movement outwardly of
said post when any opposed pair of said strips are held in parallel
opposed planes against movement out of right angle relation to
either of the other strips of said post.
Description
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the assembly and arranging of panels where a coupling means or
joint structure is employed to connect adjacent panels, the
coupling means normally provides a post, and heretofore a large
stock of such coupling or post forming means has been required to
satisfy the demands for different relationships between the panels,
such as where a different number of panels from one to four are to
be joined and are coplanar or are at right angles to each
other.
One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of
post structure in which only two different extrusion metal strips
are required to provide at least six different arrangements of
panels to meet every situation from a single, rectangular post
independent of panels, to each of the five different arrangements
in which panels for the partitions or open-sided booths, may be
supported. Each post comprises four extrusion strips having
identical internal configurations movable to interlocking position
when the strips are in parallel, side-by-side relation, and when
the strips are at a right angle to each other to form a square
post, they are locked together against movements in directions
normal to the respective sides when held together in fully
assembled relation.
One strip may be secured to each of the opposite edges of each
panel where a pair or several pairs of panels are to connect with
each other before the panels are erected, whether the panels are
room-height or less than room-height, and thereafter the strips are
connected to form the post. In each instance a post is formed, and
the interlocking means for the posts are identical in each
instance.
The structure in which only two extrusions are required, for all of
the different arrangements, enables a builder to stock as few as
only two extrusions, with a corresponding saving in the cost of
manufacture.
Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a semidiagrammatic plan view showing each of six
different combinations of the elements of the posts in building
structure.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the portion shown in FIG. 1,
some of the panels being indicated at room-height and others at
less than room-height.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric end view of one end portion of a
strip of a pair, for use in forming different combinations of four
strips showing the basic interlocking structure independently of
panels or the like.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric end view of one end portion of the
other strip of the pair for use in forming different combinations
of four strips.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a post connecting four panels, with
two panels shown in movement to interlocking relation, or from such
relation.
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing one of different
means that may be employed for holding the panels at the ceiling
and floor during erection of the panels or later.
FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing another means
than is shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a post and one of different means that
may be employed to hold the strips of a post together during
assembly of the strips.
FIG. 9 is a side-elevational view of the means shown in FIG. 8 for
holding the strips assembled.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an assembly of
a post in which each of the partitions is of different thickness.
The dot-dash lines shown in this view indicate the lines about
which the interlocking portions are developed.
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary isometric view of a modification of means
for holding the interlocking means on four extension strips
together.
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
At the left end of FIGS. 1, 2 is a single post, generally
designated 1, which post, in building structure, may support
directional signs, the post being compatible in appearance with the
posts that support and position partition or wall panels.
Post 1 is made up of four identical extrusion strips, each
generally designated 3, the cross-sectional contour being shown in
FIG. 3, it being understood that the inside configuration of the
post itself is the same in all posts, irrespective of whether the
outside configuration is planar, as in post 1 of FIG. 1 or as in
the post of FIG. 11, or whether the outside configuration has
flanges, or a tongue, or projections of any kind.
In FIG. 1, at the right-hand side of post 1, are the partition or
wall arrangements, in which vertical, rectangular panels 4 are
supported and connected by posts that incorporate extrusion strips
5, shown in detail in FIG. 4. The panels, themselves, may be
hollow, conventional panels, or solid panels; however, the
interlocking means of strips 3, 5 are identical, irrespective of
whether one or more panels is or are positioned by a post. Each
strip 5 has a flat, planar outer side and said outer side is formed
with a pair of spaced, opposed, parallel flanges 6 extending
perpendicular from said outer side. The vertically extending
marginal portion along a vertical edge of the panel is fitted
between said pair of flanges 6, and said strip may be secured to
one or both opposite vertical edges of each panel by screws 7. A
vertically extending V-groove 8, formed in the side of the strip
spaced between the lateral sides of the strip, may function for
positioning screws or for locating a drill to form openings for the
screws that are adapted to secure the strips to the panels.
Obviously any suitable adhesive may secure the strips to panels in
some instances.
If the panels of 1.375 inches thickness, which is common in
building structure, are used, the space between the opposed
surfaces of the flanges 6 will be approximately 1.385 inches so
that the marginal portions of the panels will fit in the channels
defined by the flanges 6 and the wall of the strip forming one of
the outer sides of the post. The thickness of the panel of maximum
thickness substantially determines the width of the strip 5, and
consequently the width-dimension of each side of the post, whether
each side comprises a strip 5 or a combination of strips 3 and
5.
In FIG. 1, a post generally designated 9 is at one end of a
partition wall and is made up of three strips 3 and one strip 5,
the latter being along one edge of a panel 4. The next post 10 from
post 9 is intermediate the ends of the partition wall and has two
strips 5 and two strips 3 with strips 5 in spaced opposed relation
to hold two adjacent panels in coplanar relation. The next post
from post 10 is a corner post 11 having two strips 3 at a right
angle to each other forming one outer corner of the post, and two
strips 5 forming the inner corner for receiving the edges of a pair
of adjacent panels to form the adjoining walls made up of panels 4.
An aisle 12 may be between post 11 and a post 13 opposed thereto,
the latter being made up of three strips 5 and one strip 3 to form
a connection between a pair of coplanar panels 4 and a panel
extending at a right angle to said coplanar panels. The latter
panel may be one of several that are joined by posts similar to
post 10, and one of said panels may include a post 14 in which all
of the strips correspond to strip 5, and provide a juncture post
for walls intersecting at a right angle and extending oppositely
outwardly from the point of intersection.
As seen in FIG. 2, the panels need not all extend to the ceiling,
while others may extend to the ceiling. In many rooms, rows of
open-sided booths may be provided by opposed pairs of parallel
horizontally spaced panels connected at one of their ends by a wall
or third panel by means of posts 11, 13, or 14, according to the
number of booths desired. Obviously, openings may be provided in
any of the panels wherever desired.
FIG. 10 is merely illustrative of a situation where the panels may
be of different thicknesses, and in each the interlocking means are
identical with those shown in FIGS. 3, 4. The extrusion strip 17 of
FIG. 10 may be for panels of 0.75 inch thickness, and if this
thickness is consistent in the partition or wall structure, strips
17 and 5 are all that would be required to form the posts 9, 10,
11, 13, 14 of FIG. 1, since the spacing between flanges 18 would be
the same. Strip 19 of FIG. 10 is for panels that may be of a
thickness of 0.50 inch, while strip 20 may be for panels having a
thickness of 0.25 inch. As hereinbefore mentioned, the panels may
be secured to the strips by adhesive or other suitable means, and
the panels in strips 19, 20 may be of glass or other solid material
cemented in position, or seated in mastic or any other suitable
material.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, each of the four strips of a post is
formed along one of its longitudinally extending edges, with an
outwardly opening recess 21 having sides of semicylindrical
contour, and along the opposite longitudinally extending edge of
the strip is a projection 22 having a semicylindrical outer surface
that is complementary to that of the sides of recess 21, and that
is adapted to fit in recess 21. The outer surface 23 of each strip
3, 5 may be flat and substantially planar, and where flanges 6 are
provided they project perpendicular to each surface 23. The recess
21 along one edge of each strip 3, 5 opens outwardly at an angle of
45.degree. away from and outwardly of surface 23 while projection
22 projects at an angle of 45.degree. outwardly of and away from
surface 23 at the other edge of each strip.
By this structure, it is obvious that three of the strips may
readily be assembled when the strips are separated and with the
planes of the strips at right angles to each other by laterally
inserting the projection along one edge of two adjacent strips into
the recess along the edge of the other of said adjacent pair, and
inserting the projection along said edge of the other of said
adjacent pair.
FIG. 5 shows three of four strips in assembled relation. When these
three are at a right angle to each other, the fourth strip for
connecting the three and for forming the fourth side of the post,
cannot be moved to interlock with the pair of opposed strips of
said three, without one of the three slightly swinging along its
free edge away from the corresponding free edge of the strip
opposed thereto.
To complete the assembly, the projection 22 (FIG. 5) along one edge
of the fourth strip is positioned in the recess 21 along the free
edge of one of the three strips, and the portion along the other
edge of said fourth strip having a recess 21 therein is swung
toward projection 22 along the free edge of one of the other of
said three strips, and the latter is slightly swung outwardly so
that portion 24 defining one side of the semicylindrical recess 21
along said edge of the fourth strip will clear the cylindrical
projection 22 on said other of said three strips, and said
projection will then be seated in said recess.
The development of the preferred form of interlocking means is most
clearly shown in FIG. 10, irrespective of whether or not the post
is to stand alone, such as post 1, or whether the post includes
panel supporting flanges of different spacing for panels of
different thicknesses.
From the foregoing, it is seen that each pair of complementarily
formed interlocking means comprises a recess 21 and a projection
22. The post, when assembled, and whether or not flanges 6 are
formed thereon, is square. The centers about which the cylindrical
surfaces of said projections and recesses are formed are positioned
on a circular line 25 (FIG. 10) developed about the center of the
post. Said cylindrical surfaces themselves are substantially the
same although the radius about which the surface of each recess is
developed may be very slightly greater than the radius about which
the cylindrical surface of each projection is developed.
The portion of each strip at opposite sides of the recess therein
is formed with coplanar flat surfaces 27 (FIGS. 3, 4) that are
substantially coincidental with diagonally extending lines 28 (FIG.
10) that intersect at right angles at the center of the post
portion, and at opposite sides of each projection 22 on the same
lines 28 are correspondingly positioned flat surfaces 29 (FIGS. 3,
4). When the interlocking recesses and projections are in
interlocking relation the surfaces 27, 29 at the adjacent corners
of adjacent pairs of strips are in abutting relation. Thus, these
surfaces provide positioning means for positioning the strips at
right angles to each other when said surfaces are in said abutting
relation.
One or more relatively short, split, cylindrical bow-spring clips
29' (FIG. 5) may hold adjacent pairs of strips together during
assembly of the post to facilitate the assembly, or in the case of
posts that do not extend to the ceiling, a generally U-shaped clip
30 (FIG. 9) may be positioned over the upper end of each post with
the legs 31 of the clip extending into opposedly opening recesses
32 respectively adjacent recesses 21 and projection 22 of each
strip (FIG. 8). It is to be understood that the clips 29' and 30
are merely examples of expedients that may be used for convenience.
When the strips are at right angles to each other with the
interlocking means in interlocking relation, and are held in this
relation, the strips cannot be separated by movement of the strips
having panels connected thereto in a direction in the planes of the
panels nor can strips without panels be moved out of interlocking
relation in a direction normal to the plane of each strip.
Different procedures may be followed in setting up a partition or
wall or in any construction requiring joining of panels in which
posts are formed at the junctures. In FIG. 5, for example, where
four panels meet a post is automatically formed by forming the
panels with the interlocking means. Two of the panels, designated
33, 34 in FIG. 5, each with a strip 5 connnected thereto, may be in
interlocking relation at their adjacent edges and held at their
lower edges against movement out of right angle relation to each
other by any suitable temporary means, such as blocks nailed or
secured to the floor at opposite sides of each panel. The third
panel 35 may be positioned approximately at a right angle to panel
33 with the projection 22 on strip 5 on panel 33 in the recess of
strip 5 that is on panel 35. If desired, one or more spring clips
29' may connect the strips 5 on panels 33, 35 to hold them
together.
The fourth panel 36 is then swung about the connection between
strip 5 on panel 34 and strip 5 on panel 36 to a position at a
right angle to panel 34 by slightly swinging panel 35 to permit the
connection between the interlocking means on strips 5 that are on
panels 35, 36. Panel 35, when moved back to a right angle position
relative to panel 36 will be locked to panels 33, 34 and 36 and
none of the panels can be separated by movement in the planes of
the panels when panels 35, 36 are held at right angles to each
other and respectively to panels 33, 34.
If desired, inverted standard channel strips 37 (FIG. 6) may be
secured to the ceiling (where the panels extend to the ceiling) in
positions slightly spaced above the upper edges of the panels, the
upper marginal portions of the panels may project above the upper
ends of the strips 5 a distance approximately equal to the depth of
the channels, after which wedges 38 below the panels may move the
upper marginal portions of the panels into said channel strips 37,
and conventional base strips 39 may be secured along the floor to
the latter and to the panels and may also extend over the lower
portions of strips 5.
FIG. 7 shows ceiling strips 40 and base strips 41 nailed or secured
to the ceiling and floor to hold the panels against swinging
laterally to out of interlocking connection with the posts.
Obviously, in the case of a single post 1, as at the left end of
FIG. 1, base and ceiling members similar to 41, 42 secured against
either two opposite strips or against each strip at either its
upper or lower ends, will hold the strips 3 in interlocking
relation, or means such as the bow clips 29' or end clips 30 may be
used to hold the strips together.
Many different expedients, according to the ingenuity of the
builders or users, may be employed to hold strips of each post at
right angles to each other once the strips are assembled in
interlocking relation, and the positioning surfaces 27, 28 are in
engagement with each other, one of the preferred forms being shown
in FIG. 11, comprising a pair of T-shaped members each having a
flat head 44 provided with a pair of enlarged end portions 45, 46
that project to the side of the head 44 opposite to the leg 47 of
the T-shaped member. These enlarged end portions are adapted to
slidably fit in the opposedly opening end recesses 32' at the ends
of recess 32 sliding longitudinally of each strip but with
sufficient frictional resistance to preclude free sliding under the
influence of gravity.
The leg 47 of each member is adapted to extend slightly more than
half way across the space between an opposed pair of strips 3 or 5,
and the outer end is enlarged and is formed with a bevelled outer
surface 48 at an angle of approximately 45.degree. relative to the
leg 47. One terminal end of this surface 48 connects with a flat
surface 49 extending to and at a right angle to leg 47.
The leg 47 is offset to one side of a point midway between an
opposed pair of the strips 3, or the post forming portions of
strips 5, so that when a pair of said T-members are supported in a
post on one pair of opposed strips, in opposed relation, the
bevelled end surfaces 48 will engage each other, and when the
interlocking means on the strips are approximately in interlocking
relation, and are pressed into full interlocking relation, the legs
47 are sufficiently resilient to result in the toothlike
enlargements on the outer ends of the legs 47 to cam past each
other and to snap into locking relation as seen in FIG. 11.
This form of holding means has the advantage that it may be carried
by two of the strips and need not be applied as the strips are
assembled, as in the case of the bow springs 29', and the elements
30. Each of the T-members is the same, in structure, it and the
enlargement 46 at one end of each member is formed with a notch
that is complementary in outline to a rectangular rib on the outer
side of the recess 21. The length of each member is relatively
short, as seen in FIG. 11, and they may be carried near the ends of
the strips.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be considered
restrictive to any particular form of panels, whether glass, wood,
plastic, concrete or the like. If of the latter structure, it is
obvious coaxial openings 50 may be formed in the flanges on strip
20 for a pin or other projection and a thicker panel or slab of
concrete cast against the outer side of the strip enclosing and
extending through openings 50 or enclosing a pin so as to be
inseparably bonded to the strip. For such panels would be assembled
in exactly the same manner as described for FIG. 5 and the maximum
thickness of the panel would be only limited by the width of the
strips. All panels or slabs to be united may be of the same
structure or a combination of different panels of different
materials.
* * * * *