U.S. patent number 3,874,133 [Application Number 05/261,426] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-01 for systems for interconnecting plates.
Invention is credited to Arthur Aurelius Xaverius Silvius.
United States Patent |
3,874,133 |
Silvius |
April 1, 1975 |
SYSTEMS FOR INTERCONNECTING PLATES
Abstract
A system for interconnecting plates, panels or the like to one
another includes a plurality of interconnecting elements which are
inserted into slots formed in the plates or panels and a main
coupling with which the interconnecting elements are mated to join
the plates or panels. Preferably, the interconnecting elements have
flanges thereon, which engage opposite sides of the plates adjacent
to the edges of the slots. The flanges are joined by web portions
which extend therebetween. The main couplings have portions
extending either therefrom or therein which slide into openings in
the interconnecting elements which extend between the web portions.
In order to achieve a snug fit between these projecting portions
and the interconnecting elements, the projecting portions either
dove-tail into the interconnecting elements, or engage with slots
with ribs extending between the web portions of the interconnecting
elements.
Inventors: |
Silvius; Arthur Aurelius
Xaverius (Asperen, NL) |
Family
ID: |
19813351 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/261,426 |
Filed: |
June 9, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Jun 10, 1971 [NL] |
|
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7107973 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/285.4;
403/311; 403/DIG.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B
12/125 (20130101); Y10S 403/13 (20130101); Y10T
403/5773 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F16B
12/00 (20060101); F16B 12/12 (20060101); F16b
005/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;287/189.36D,189.36C,189.35,2.92D,2.92C,20.924 ;46/29,31
;52/285,288 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schroeder; Werner H.
Assistant Examiner: Shedd; Wayne L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sherman & Shalloway
Claims
What we claim is:
1. A system for interconnecting relatively thin sheets to one
another and to relatively thick panels and for interconnecting
relatively thick panels to one another and to relatively thin
sheets, comprising:
interconnecting means for fitting into slidable engagement with the
relatively thick panels;
flange means extending from said interconnecting means for
overlying opposite sides of the relatively thick panels to effect a
tight fit between the panels and the interconnecting means; and
coupling means having a plurality of slot means therein, said
coupling means slidably receiving said interconnecting means to
secure the relatively thick panels to the coupling means, said slot
means having a width approximating the thickness of the thin sheets
and extending in the coupling means for receiving the thin sheets
and retaining the thin sheets on the coupling means.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said slot means is received in
said interconnecting means to retain the relatively thick panels on
said coupling means.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the interconnecting means has
a rib which extends thereacross having a thickness that
approximates said slot means and which is received in said slot
means when said coupling is received by said interconnecting
means.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of said
slot means disposed at 90.degree. intervals in said coupling
means.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said coupling means has a
central portion and four arms projecting therefrom, each of which
contains one of said slot means and each of which is received by
one of said interconnecting means.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the interconnecting means has
webs which extend between said flanges and which converge toward
one another to form a slot, and wherein the arms have surfaces
thereon which converge toward one another to approximate the
convergence of the webs, so that the arms dove-tail into engagement
with the slots formed by the converging webs.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interconnecting elements
are formed into two halves having projecting portions extending
therefrom, and wherein the coupling means has openings extending
therethrough into which the projecting portions of the
interconnecting elements fit when the interconnecting elements are
mounted on the coupling means.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein shim means are secured to the
flange means projecting from said interconnecting means to allow
relatively thick panels to be retained on said coupling means.
9. A system for interconnecting panels of various thicknesses,
comprising:
interconnecting elements having oppositely facing flanges extending
therefrom for engaging opposite sides of the panels and webs
extending between the flanges to connect the flanges together;
coupling means having arms extending therefrom for nesting with
said interconnecting means by sliding between said oppositely
disposed flanges; and
slot means extending in each of said arm means for receiving
relatively thin panels therein to connect the relatively thin
panels to the panels engaged by said interconnecting means.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each arm means has an
aperture extending therethrough which registers with said slot
means and receives a pin therethrough to rigidify said arm means
when said arm means is nested with said interconnecting means.
11. An apparatus for interconnecting relatively thick panels to
relatively thin sheets, comprising:
interconnecting means having pairs of upper and lower flange
portions projecting outwardly therefrom for engaging opposite
surfaces of the thick panels;
a pair of web portions for connecting the upper and lower flanges
to one another;
a rib portion extending between the web portions; and
coupling means having a plurality of slots therein for receiving
the rib means therebetween and for receiving relatively thin panels
therein.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the slot means are disposed
at 90.degree. intervals in said coupling means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a system for interconnecting a plurality
of plates, panels or the like. More particularly, this invention
relates to a system for interconnecting plates, panels or the like,
wherein separate couplings are used to effect the
interconnection.
For quickly and detachably interconnecting plates and boards a
number of systems are known in the furniture industry. Such systems
generally use a rotatable hook, mounted in a recess in the edge of
one plate or board, which grips an eye or pin, in or on another
plate or board. Such a system forms a good connections, but the
mounting of the connecting components is rather complicated and
expensive. Consequently, an object of this invention is to avoid
these disadvantages and to accomplish a considerable simplication
and reduction in costs.
To this end the system according to the invention uses two or more
interconnected clamping pieces of which the crosssection has the
shape of an I or a double dove-tail or a shape derived therefrom
which is adapted to be clamped in a notch or plate to be
connected.
The clamping pieces are preferably made from elastomeric material.
However, they may be manufactured from stiff material, in which
case the clamping force is effected by the elasticity of the
connected plates.
In the case where a clamping piece has an I-shaped crosssection the
web of the I may be pushed into a notch of a plate and both flanges
will engage respectively opposite surfaces of the plate. Clamping
can then be effected by the fact that the notch is slightly
narrower than the web of the I and/or by the fact that the distance
of the facing surfaces of the flanges is somewhat smaller than the
thickness of the plate.
When, however, the crosssection of a clamping piece has the shape
of a double dove-tail, clamping will only be effected by the fact
that the notch has approximately a similar shape, but is of
somewhat smaller dimensions.
The invention has the advantage that the plates to be connected
need only be provided with simple notches and that the
interconnection of various plates can be realized without tools by
simply pushing the clamping pieces into the notches of the various
plates. It has appeared that the connection can be very solid by
proper selection of the elasticity of the material and of the
mutual proportion of the dimensions of the clamping pieces and
notches.
A compact connecting element for interconnecting four plates
contains four clamping pieces which are mutually arranged in the
form of a cross.
When additionally at least one slot has been applied in the web of
a clamping piece it will be possible to clamp a glass sheet or a
similar sheet of hard material into this slot in a position
perpendicular to the board into a notch of which that clamping
piece has been applied.
Clamping of glass sheets into a slot of a rather stiff connecting
element is described in the Dutch patent application No. 6,902,537
of applicant.
In this case the web of each of the clamping pieces comprises
preferably two slots which are separated by a partition wall. In
that case the I-shaped crosssection of a clamping piece will
actually be H-shaped and the H-shape can be considered as being
derived from the I-shape.
A slot can be applied in the web of each I or in the mentioned
partition wall, which slot is intended for clamping receiving an
adaptor with an I-shaped profile, which itself is adapted to clamp
into a notch in a plate.
This combination of connecting elements and adaptors is suitable to
be applied for various plate thicknesses and eventually also to
various notch widths. A similar adaption to different plate
thicknesses or notch widths can also be obtained if the facing
surfaces of the two flanges of each I-shaped clamping piece or
adaptor are stepped.
In some cases it may be advantageous to divide the element into two
halves according to a central longitudinal plane, one of the halves
being provided with at least one protruding pin on the web of each
clamping piece, which pin fits in a hole of the other half.
If the clamping pieces define a central aperture in which can be
received and clamped a separate filling piece, there is a
possiblity to interconnect a number of boards and then to close the
channel defined by the edges of the boards by means of the filling
pieces. These filling pieces will also increase the strength of the
connecting element and consequently also of the connection.
In the Dutch patent application No. 6,902,537 of applicant a stiff
elastic disc is described provided with four slots mutually
enclosing an angle of 90.degree. which are adapted to clamp thin
hard sheets, such as glass sheets. The invention gives the
possibility to use such a disc additionally for the connection of
relative thick boards, so that thin window-panes and thick board
can be interconnected.
To this end elastic parts are protruding on both sides of at least
one of said slots which parts form the flanges of a clamping member
with an I-shaped crosssection which can be clamped into a notch of
a thicker board.
The possibility of application of the stiff elastic disc for the
connection of relative thick boards will be optional if the elastic
protruding parts are composed of two detachably interconnected
halves and are applied in openings between the said slots of the
connecting element.
The disc which is provided with elastic protruding parts can be
adapted in a similar manner to the connection of boards of
different thicknesses by providing each of the elastic protruding
parts with a longitudinal slot parallel to the plane of the element
for receiving a reducer.
It is within the scope of the invention to interconnect the
clamping pieces of a connection element in a detachable manner. The
advantage thereof may be that the separate clamping pieces can be
manufactured in a simpler and less expensive way; it might also be
desirable to clamp each of the clamping pieces into a notch of a
board before they are interconnected. Furthermore the mutual
detachable connection of the clamping pieces gives the possibility
to choose the number of clamping pieces per connection element.
In the following the invention will be further explained referring
to the FIGS., in which are shown various embodiments of connecting
elements according to the invention.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a connecting element with four
clamping pieces arranged in the form of a cross and is a view of
the boards to be connected by this element.
FIGS. 2a and 2b show respectively connecting elements with three
and two clamping pieces with an I-shaped crosssection.
FIG. 3 shows a connecting element which is also appropriate for the
connection of glass sheets.
FIGS. 4 to 13 inclusive show different possibilities of the shape
of the clamping pieces of connecting elements.
FIGS. 14a to 14e inclusive show a connecting element according to
the Dutch patent application No. 6,902,537 with additional
accessories which can form together an I-shaped clamping piece.
FIGS. 15 and 16 are perspective views of additional embodiments of
interconnecting systems in accordance with the present invention
showing a pair of interconnecting elements joined by main
couplers.
FIGS. 17 and 18 are perspective views of still another embodiment
of interconnecting systems in accordance with the present invention
showing main couplings which mate with interconnecting elements to
join panel members.
FIG. 1 shows a connecting element 1, which is preferably
manufactured from elastomer material, for interconnecting four
boards 2a to 2d inclusive, which are each provided with a narrow
notch 3. The connecting element comprises four webs 4 which are
arranged crosswise and each of which being adapted to be pushed
into a notch 3 of a board. The webs are on both sides defined by
flanges 5 perpendicular to the pushing direction. These flanges
form in FIG. 1 the corner pieces of a square but they are in FIG. 2
much smaller. In both cases the connecting element can be
considered as a number of interconnecting clamping pieces 5-4-5 of
which the crosssection perpendicular to the pushing direction are
I-shaped. The clamping effect between clamping piece and board is
realized by the fact that the web 4 is somewhat bigger than the
width of the notch 3 and/or by the fact that the distance of the
facing surfaces of the two flanges of each clamping piece is
somewhat smaller than the thickness of the board. The four webs
enclose in FIG. 2 a connection part 6 which has the same thickness
as the flanges 5 but this part could also have in principle the
same thickness as the webs 4 and can even be omitted in some cases
or be realized in a detachable manner. It will be evident that no
tools are needed for realizing the connection or for loosening the
connection.
FIG. 2a shows the connection element with three clamping pieces and
FIG. 2b a connecting element with two clamping pieces, all having
an I-shaped crosssection.
FIG. 3 shows a connection element with clamping pieces which are
arranged crosswise with respect to each other the web of each of
these clamping pieces being provided with two slots 9, 10 which are
separated from each other by means of a partition wall 11.
Consequently the crosssection of each clamping piece is actually
H-shaped, which shape can be considered as to be derived from the
I-shape. As appears from the figure the web 4 of two clamping
pieces is pushed into a notch 3 of a board 2b, 2d respectively. A
glass sheet 12 can be clamped into the slot 9,10 of each web 4. In
order to support the bottom edge of the glass sheet 12 a shallow
narrow slot 13 has been applied in the board 2d (FIG. 3). This slot
13 could be omitted if a strip of a suitable length and width is
cut from the bottom edge of the glass sheet.
FIGS. 4 and 7 show varieties of the connecting elements with
clamping pieces with I-shaped crosssection according to FIGS. 1 and
2.
FIG. 5 shows a connection element with four clamping pieces which
are arranged crosswise with respect to each other and which have a
double dove-tail-shaped crosssection. In this case no separate
flanges are present, so that the clamping effects only can be
realized in that the board to be connected is provided with a slot
of similar shape which, however, has smaller dimensions. The
connection can be compared with a double dove tail connection.
FIG. 6 shows a connection element which can be considered as to be
a combination of FIG. 3 (each web has slots 9, 10 for engaging a
glass sheet) and FIG. 5 (the shape of the web is a double
dove-tail).
FIG. 8 shows a connection element which as such and in connection
with a H-shaped adaptor 14, which has been previously pushed into a
board notch, is suitable for different widths of the notches 3 and
for different thicknesses of the boards 2. A slot 13 has been
applied in the partition wall of the H-shaped adaptor into which is
clamped the web 4 of a clamping piece of a connecting element. This
situation is shown in crosssection in FIG. 8b. The facing surfaces
of the flanges of the clamping pieces are stepped to make them
usable for the notch widths and board thicknesses shown in FIGS. 8c
and 8d.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show varieties of the connecting elements with the
H-shaped clamping pieces according to FIG. 3. In FIG. 9 the slots
in the web of the H are V-shaped.
FIG. 10 shows a connection element composed of two halves. The
halves are interconnected by means of detachable pin-sleeve
connections 17.
FIGS. 11, 12 are varieties of FIGS. 1,2.
FIG. 13 is a variety of FIG. 5.
It is noted that in FIGS. 10 to 13 inclusive the four clamping
pieces which are arranged crosswise with respect to each other
define a central aperture which can be closed by a detachable
filling piece 16. This gives the possibility to interconnect a
number, for example four, of boards, subsequently to fill the
channel defined by the board edges which are turned to each other,
by means of a lath and finally to apply the filling pieces into the
respective connecting elements.
Referring now to FIGS. 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d and 14e, there is shown a
system for connecting thin sheets, such as glass sheets (not shown)
to relatively thick boards, designated generally by the numeral
102. The system includes a main coupling 103 which is in the form
of a disc, such as that disclosed in the applicant's Dutch patent
application No. 6,902,537. The main coupling or disc 103 has four
slots 105, which extend therein and are spaced apart 90.degree.
from one another. The slots 105 receive the afore-mentioned thin
sheets or glass panels (not shown).
In order to also connect the relatively thick panels or boards 102
shown in FIG. 14e to the coupling means 103, it is necessary to
utilize pairs of interconnecting elements, designated generally by
the numeral 106 and shown in FIGS. 14e, 14b and 14c. Each
interconnecting element has two halves 106a and 106b, which are
disposed on opposite sides of the coupling element 103 and have
generally triangular portions 107 thereon which fit into openings
108 disposed in the discs 103. The projecting portions 107 on the
halves 106a and 106b of the interconnecting elements have a
thickness which is approximately one-half the thickness of the disc
103, so that the portions extend to abutt one another half-way
through the openings 108 (see FIG. 14e).
In order to securely mount the interconnecting elements 106 on the
discs 103, the discs 103 have opposed projections 111 and 112,
which extend into the opening 108 to define a substantially
triangular configuration for positioning the projecting portions
107 (see FIGS. 14a in conjunction with FIG. 14b). The projections
111 and 112 prevent the interconnecting elements 106 from rotating
relative to the discs 103. Each projecting portion 107 is a
semi-circular shaped pin 113 which extends into a recess 114 on the
opposite projection portion 107, when the two halves 106a and 106b
of the interconnecting means are snapped together (see FIG. 14b in
conjunction with FIG. 14c). Each half 106a and 106b of the
interconnecting elements 106 has a hub 116 extending therefrom,
which in turn registers with the opposite hub via a pin-in-aperture
arrangement 117-118. The hubs 116 are disposed to abutt outside of
the periphery of the disc 103 when the interconnecting elements
106a and 106b are snapped together on the hub 116. In order to
facilitate snapping together the two halves 106a and 106b of the
interconnecting elements, the interconnecting elements are made of
an elastomeric material.
Each half 106a and 106b has a pair of flanges 121 and 122 extending
outwardly therefrom, as seen in FIGS. 14e, 14b and 14c. These
flanges 121 and 122 receive the thick panels or boards 102
therebetween to hold the panels or boards in engagement with the
disc 103 (see FIG. 14e). If one of the boards 102 happens to be too
thin to be tightly engaged between two sets of the flanges 121 and
122, a shim such as the shim 127 shown in FIG. 14d, may be placed
around the flanges as shown in FIG. 14e to take up the slack. Each
interconnecting element 106 has auxiliary flanges 128 thereon,
which serve to hold the shims 127 in place on the flanges 121 and
122.
From the afore-described arrangement, it is readily seen that the
coupling or disc 103 can connect together thin sheets, such as
glass (not shown) and thick panels, such as boards 102, by
receiving the thin sheets in the slots 21 and receiving the boards
102 between the flanges 121 and 122.
In FIG. 15 and 16 is shown in which way a number of separate
I-shaped clamping pieces 5-4-5 can be interconnected to a
connecting element according to the invention. In both cases the
clamping pieces have triangular extensions 30, whereby four of
these triangular extensions can be shifted onto each other in such
a way that a square is formed. Each of the triangles is provided
with an opening 31 into which a pin 32 of a connecting member 33a,
33b fits in a clamping way. According to the embodiment according
to FIG. 15 the connecting member consists of two caps 33a and 33b,
of which the one 33a is provided with pins 32 and the other 33b
with openings not visible in the figure. For the interconnection of
the clamping pieces the pins 32 of cap 33a are inserted through the
openings 31 of the triangular extensions 30 and the openings of the
cap 33b.
In the embodiment according to FIG. 16 the connecting member also
consists of two caps 33a, 33b, which, however, both are provided
with pins 32 as well as with openings 34; the openings 31 in the
triangular extensions 30 of the I-shaped clamping pieces 5-4-5 are
elongated and can each receive a pin 32 of the cap 33a and a pin 32
of the cap 33b. In mounted position the end of a pin of cap 33a
will fall into an opening 34 next to a pin of cap 33b, and the
other way around. One of the caps can be provided with a centering
member fitting into recesses at the opposite angle points of the
triangular extensions 30. If less than four clamping pieces per
connecting element according to the invention are applied
triangular filling pieces are applied to the place which would be
destined for the triangular extensions if four clamping pieces
would be applied.
Referring now to FIG. 17, there is shown a main coupling,
designated generally by the numeral 36, which mates with a
plurality of interconnecting elements, designated generally by the
numeral 42. The main coupling 36 is cruciform in shape with four
arms, designated generally by the numerals 43--43, which extend
outwardly from a main core 44. Each arm 43 mates with one of the
interconnecting elements 42 (only one of which is shown) to
interconnect four of the panels 2 so as to radiate from the core 44
of the main coupling 36. Since the main coupling 36 is cruciform in
configuration, two panels 2 will extend in a vertical plane of FIG.
17 as drawn.
Each panel 2 has a slot 46 formed therein, which slidably receives
one of the interconnecting elements 42. In order for the
interconnecting elements 42 to seat securely in the slot 46, each
interconnecting element 42 has a top flange 47 and a bottom flange
48, which engage opposite sides 49 and 51 of the panel 2,
respectively.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, flanges 47 and 48 are
U-shaped so as to extend around the periphery of the opening
forming the slot 46.
The flanges 47 and 48 are joined by a web 52 which, in the
illustrated embodiment, is also generally U-shaped to conform to
the U-shaped configuration of the flanges. The web 52 has a bend
formed along line 53 occurring therein, so as to form a dove-tail
type opening 54 within the interconnecting element 42 to receive
one of the arms 43 from the main coupling 36.
Each arm 43 of the main coupling 36 is formed into an upper fork 57
and a lower fork 58 separated by a slot 59. Each of the forks 57
and 58 have converging sides 61 and 62, respectively, which
converge toward the slot 59. When the arm 43 is received in the
dove-tail opening 54 of the interconnecting element 42, the upper
arm 61 fits between the bend 53 and the top flange 47, while the
lower fork 58 is received between bend 53 and the bottom flange 46.
Preferably, the lower portion 52a of the web 52 and the upper
portion 52b of the web 52 converge toward the bend 53 at the same
angle that the sides 61 and 62 of the arm 43 converge toward the
slot 59. However, since the element 46 is made of an elastomeric
material and the webs 52 can be relatively flexible, at least along
the bend 53, the angles assumed initially by the upper and lower
portions 52b and 52a of the web 52 may be different from the angles
of the walls 61 and 62, so that when the arm 43 is dove-tailed with
the slot 59, the web 52 will deform slightly to conform with the
shape of the arm 43. This will result in a tight fit between the
sides or surfaces 61 and 62 and the interior surface or surfaces of
the web 52. This will also force the exterior surfaces of the web
52 against the sides of the slot 46 in which the element 42 is
seated.
In order to further rigidify the interconnecting between the main
coupling 36 and the interconnecting elements 42, each arm 43 of the
main coupling is relieved at the top and bottom surfaces of the
forks 57 and 58, respectively, to form a land 66 and a shoulder 67
thereon. Since only the land 66 and shoulder 67 of the top fork 57
is shown, only the relationship between the top fork and the top
flange 47 will be explained, but it should be understood that the
lower fork 58 has a land 66 and a shoulder 67 thereon, which are
similar in structure and function to the land and shoulder on the
upper fork. When the arm 43 is dove-tailed in the interconnecting
element 42, the land 66 engages the lower side 68 of the flange 47,
while the shoulder 67 engages the inner surface 69 of the flange.
This causes the outer lower surface 71 of the flange 47 to engage
the top surface 49 of the panel 2 more tightly. Since both the top
and bottom forks 57 and 48 have lands 66 and shoulders 67 engaged
similarly with the top and bottom flanges 47 and 48, respectively,
the various afore-mentioned elements of the arm 43 and
interconnecting elements 42 will seat in tight engagement.
Additional rigidity is obtained in the afore-mentioned
interconnection by a pin 71 which is passed through aligned holes
72 and 73, respectively, in the top and bottom forks 57 and 58 of
each arm 43. This prevents the top and bottom forks from tending to
skew out of alignment in relation to one another, so that they form
an angle therebetween which might tend to tilt the panels 2 out of
the illustrated planes. This skewing could be caused by either one
or both of the forks 57 and 58 starting to bend as they extend from
the core 44 of the main coupling 36. Finally, according to the
illustrated embodiment, the web 52 and the flanges 46 and 47
terminate in ends 76 and 77, respectively, which engage shoulders
78 on the core 44 and the shoulders 67 on the adjacent arms. In the
illustrated embodiment, this engagement will occur only with those
elements 46 connecting panels 2 extending in the same plane. The
elements 46 connecting panels 2 extending in a plane perpendicular
to this plane will have end portions that will abutt with only the
outer surfaces of the top and bottom flanges 47 and 48.
Referring now to FIG. 18, there is shown a main coupling,
designated by the numeral 81, which is similar in configuration to
the coupling or plate-shaped body disclosed in applicant's prior
U.S. application, Pat. No. 3,687,500, issued Aug. 29, 1972. The
coupling 81 has four slots 82 which extend therein and are spaced
90.degree. apart so that, in terms of the orientation shown in FIG.
18, four panels 2 may be connected together to extend in horizontal
and vertical directions. For purposes of clarity, only one panel 2
is shown in FIG. 18.
The panel 2 has a thickness 83 which is greater than the width 84
of the slots 82 and, therefore, an arrangement needs to be made so
that the panels 2 can be connected to the coupling 81. This is
accomplished by making a slot 86 in each panel 2 to receive an
interconnecting element, generally designated by the numeral
87.
The interconnecting elements 87 have a rib portion 88 which extends
between and connects a pair of web portions 89--89 between which it
extends. The thickness of the rib 88 approximates the width 84 of
the slots 82, so that the ribs may be received in the slots. The
width of the slots 88 approximates the width 91 of the coupling 81,
so that as the rib 88 is received in the slots 82, the coupling 81
will be received between the webs 89. The length of each
interconnector 87 is such that the rib 88 will fill the entire slot
82. In this way, a snug relationship is achieved between the
interconnectors 87 and the coupling 81.
In order to firmly seat each interconnector 87 in the slots 86
formed in the panels 2, each interconnector has top flanges 94--94
extending outwardly and normally to the webs 89, and bottom flanges
96--96 extending normally and outwardly from the bottom of the webs
89. The interconnecting elements 87 can, by the afore-described
structure, enable one to use the couplings 81 to connect together
relatively thick panels 2 and, thus, allow the couplings 81 to have
a more general utility than is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,687,500.
All the connecting elements discussed have in common that they
comprise a number of fixedly or detachably interconnected clamping
pieces of which the crosssection have the shape of an I or a double
dove-tail or a shape derived therefrom. Further many varieties are
possible.
* * * * *