AU670868B2 - Attachment bracket - Google Patents

Description

A

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT e a a r a c r i, Invention Title: ATTACHMENT BRACKET The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: r THIS INVENTION relates to an attachment bracket for use in attachment of frame members of a building or structure. In particular the attachment bracket of the invention is particularly adapted for attachment of wooden frame members such as logs which may be utilised in frame structures such as cubby houses, playgrounds, swings, see-saws and other playground structures.

Hitherto logs utilised in playground structures used wooden logs which were round in cross-section and usually one log was oriented at right angles (sometimes called a "rail") to an adjacent log upright (sometimes called a "post"). It was customary in attachment of the rail to the post that the post had a rebate or socket cut out of the post to accommodate an adjacent end of the rail. Nails were then utilised to attach the post to the rail.

However, this conventional method of attachment of the rail to S 15 the post was found in practice to be time consuming because of the necessity of formation of the rebate or socket. Another problem that was found to occur was that the nails were frequently dislodged from the post and rail because of shrinkage of the timber or subsidence which may have occurred in the ground. Also because of the 20 necessity of chemically treating the logs to avoid attack from insects such as termites and the like the chemical used often corroded the metal nails.

Reference may now be made to a conventional attachment bracket which has only recently come onto the market and which is marketed under the trade mark PRYDA LOG BRACKETS manufactured by Pryda (Aust) Pty Ltd. This bracket comprised a metal plate having opposed deeply concave or inwardly arcuate side edges and ends which were rounded outwardly or convexly. The PRYDA bracket was crimped or bent about a central medial part so that the crease line or fold line created an axis of bilateral symmetry. The bracket also contained a second crimped or bent part which was located in the middle of the first crease line which was dished or formed a centrally located depression of concave curvature of generally elliptical shape in plan.

The PRYDA log bracket after examination was found in some cases to be lacking in strength because of the formation of the opposed deeply concave or inwardly arcuate side edges. This was because each of the side edges would have been cut from a •Beg substantially rectangular metal blank and the loss of metal therefore provided a structural weakness in the bracket. The second crimped or bent part was therefore formed presumably to counteract the loss of metal on each side of the bracket. However, in practice it was found that this was not achieved and that the bracket had a tendency to 20 shift laterally after attachment. This was because the two opposed •coo "halves of the bracket about the central crease line hid a tendency to behave independently of each other.

.o Another problem with the PRYDA bracket was that the opposed side edges because of their curvature had a tendency to cause injury because they were relatively sharp.

Another problem with the PRYDA bracket was that when using flathead nails, the bracket had a tendency to lift upwardly in the event of upward forces being applied to the bracket in use.

It therefore is an object of the invention to provide an attachment bracket which may alleviate the aforementioned difficulties associated with the prior art.

invention therefore provides an attachment bracket to facilitate the attachment of an end of a horizontal rail to an upright post as a 10 perpendicular relationship, the bracket being formed from a plate blank of substantially constant transverse dimension or width wherein said blank is 44.0 bent or folded about an intermediate fold line to form a pair of curved components, one of the curved components being arranged to engage a face of the upright post and the other of the curved components, at a lower end of the one component, being arranged to support the end of the horizontal rail with an end face adjacent to the one component.

One of the curved components may have a deeper curvature than the other, the deeper component preferably being utilised to support the end of the log rail. Each curved component is suitably oriented at right angles to each othe,; in side elevation but it must be emphasised that this is not essential and that any suitable angle between 45' and 1350) may be utilised between each curved component in side elevation.

When the metal blank is bent, there may be formed intermediate each side edge a creased portion which provides an inwardly extending protrusion.

Each protrusion may be substantially triangular both in plan and elevation, having a centrally located crease line or axis and a pair of sloping surfaces on each side of the crease line.

However it will be appreciated that due to the method of bending being utilised that each protrusion may have any suitable shape.

The bracket of the invention may also include one or more barbs which may be welded to the bracket or more suitably are punched out from the bracket by any suitable punching operation.

The bracket of the invention may also include one or more drain apertures suitably in the form of elongate slots or round holes suitably on or adjacent to the central crease line thereof. This feature is highly desirable in reducing corrosion of the bracket which may occur due to rust or chemical corrosion as discussed above. There also may be provided a plurality of fixing apertures suitably in the form of elongate slots or round holes in each curved component of the bracket.

The bracket may also be provided with an inwardly crimped, 1 5 tapered or bent peripheral edge or peripheral edge portion(s) to bite into an adjacent timber surface when in use.

Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the attached drawings wherein: FIG 1 is a plan view of a metal blank or template from which the bracket of the invention may be formed; FIG 2 is a plan view of the attachment bracket formed from the blank of FIG 1; S"FIG 3 is a side elevation of the attachment bracket shown in FiG 2; 6 FIG 4 is a front elevation of the attachment bracket shown in FIG 2; FIG 5 is a side elevation of the bracket in use interconnecting a rail to a post; FIG 6 is a plan view of the bracket shown in FIG 5, and FIG 7 represents a perspective view of an attachment bracket constructed in accordance with the invention which is different to the attachment bracket shown in FIGS 1-6.

The bracket 10 of the invention is formed from a plate or blank 11 which may be substantially rectangular in plan. In this context the term "substantially" should be provided with a relatively broad scope and thus may include opposed edges which may be side edges 12 which may be arcuate or curved. The blank may also be provided with end edges 13 which also may be arcuate or curved as indicated.

The blank 11 as shown in FIG 1 includes a central or .intermediate transverse fold line 14 and has drain holes 15, fixing holes 16 and a barb or spike 17 formed therein for engaging a post as shown in FIGS 5-6. Locations 18 shown in phantom indicate where o protrusions 19 may be formed as shown in FIGS 2-4. Each protrusion 19 has a centrally located crease line or axis 20 and a pair of arcuate components 21. There are also provided a pair of curved components 22 and 23 on either side of fold line 14. Also shown is barb 24 S"punched out of curved component 23, Each end edge 13 and each side edge 12 of blank 11 may be crimped or bent inwardly at 18A shown in phantom to provide a peripheral tapered edge which may bite into an adjacent timber surface to enhance fixing of the bracket 10 to a post or rail.

In FIGS 5-6 there is shown the method of use of attachment brackets 10 of the invention wherein rail 25 is attached to post 26 by use of the attachment bracket 10. Curved component 23 has an inner surface 27 which is in bearing contact with curved outer surface 28 of post 26 and curved component 22 has an inner surface 29 which is in bearing contact with outer surface 30 of rail 25. It will be noted that attachment bracket 10 has a cradling action in the way it serves to support rail 25 in a very secure fashion. The usc of barb 24 in penetration of post 26 enhances the security of the interconnection between rail 25 and post 26.

15 The bracket 10A shown in FIG 7 utilises similar reference •go• numerals as described above in regard to the attachment bracket of FIGS 1-6 in regard to illustration of similar features. In the bracket of FIG 7 the fixing holes 16 are located adjacent peripheral edge 27 of bracket 1OA and the drain holes have been omitted.

The attachment bracket 10 of the invention may be utilised o° with fasteners such as galvanised flat head nails or heavy duty helical thread wood screws. An advantage is obtained when using helical threaded drive screws that the bracket creates a counteracting effect against upward forces.

8 It will also be noted that the attachment bracket 10 due to formation of protrusions 19 does not have any sharp edges as is the case with the prior art.

In relation to the prior art concerning the aforementioned PRYDA attachment bracket it was normally necessary in use to attach two of these brackets at an upper and lower location of the junction bet ween a rail and post because of the tendency of the PRYDA bracket to undergo lateral movement as discussed above and also in view of the arcuate cut outs in the opposed sides of the bracket. In 10 contrast in the present invention it is only necessary to use a single bracket in interconnection of rail 25 to post 26 as shown in FIGS 5-6.

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Claims (2)

1. An attachment bracket to facilitate the attachment of an end of a horizontal rail to an upright post as a perpendicular relationship, the bracket being formed fromrn a plate blank of substantially constant transverse dimension or width wherein said blank is bent or folded about an intermediate fold line to form a pair of curved components, one of the curved components being arranged to engage a face of the upright post and the other of the curved components at a lower end of the one component, being arranged to support the end of the horizontal rail with an end face of the rail adjacent to oo o o 10 the one component.

9. 2. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 1 and further including: a pair of inwardly directed protrusions, wherein each protrusion is 9 located at an adjacent end of the fold line. ••co 3. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 2 wherein: each protrusion is located on the same side of said fold line. 4. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 2 wherein: each protrusion has a centrally located crease line and a pair of arcuate components, wherein each arcuate component is located on a respective side of the crease line adjacent the one or the other of the curved components. 5. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 1 including a post engagement spike in the one of the curved components. 6. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 1 including a plurality of attachment apertures located adjacent a peripheral edge thereof. 7. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each blank is of substantially rectangular shape. 8. An attachment bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the pair of 'IV T O curved components are oriented substantially at right angles to each other in side elevation of the bracket. 9. An attachment bracket substantially as herein dercribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this third day of June 1996. P, LAY NATIOJLPN TY LTD By its Patent Attorneys 10 ELSHER.ADAMS-KELLY ABSTRACT An attachment bracket (10) formed from a plate blank (11) of substantially constant transverse dimension or width wherein said blank (11) is bent or folded about an intermediate fold line (14) to thereby form a pair of curved components (22,23) which are oriented at an angle to each other to facilitate attachment of a horizontal rail to an upright post (26), *o *e *e