GB2139309A - Joint arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

An arrangement for securing a first component (14) to a second component (15), comprises a first joint element having at least one tapped hole and locatable in a concealed manner in a suitable aperture in the first component (14), and a second joint element (6) comprising a screw-threaded spigot adapted to be screwed into the tapped hole of the first element, the second element (6) also being provided, towards its end remote from its spigot, with a transversely extending tapped hole (9), a major proportion of the second element (6) being adapted to be received, in a concealed manner, in a suitable aperture in the second component (15), the latter having a hole (22) which intersects the aperture, whereby a grub screw may be passed through the hole (22) and into the transversely extending tapped hole (9). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Joint arrangement This invention relates to a joint arrangement for securing a first component e.g. an upright, to a second component, e.g. a rail, panel etc.

Conventional joint arrangements used for example in shop fittings, furniture etc., have frequently been metallic and furthermore have necessitated components of the joint such as brackets and bolts, being exposed to view.

According to the present invention, there is provided a jointing arrangement for securing a first component to a second component, comprising a first joint element, having at least one tapped hole and locatable in a concealed manner in a suitable aperture in the first component, and a second joint element comprising a screw-threaded spigot, adapted to be screwed into the tapped hole of the first joint element, the second joint elemental so being provided, towards its end remote from its spigot, with a transversely extending tapped hole, a major proportion of the second joint element being adapted to be received, in a concealed manner, in a suitable aperture in the second component, and a grub screw adapted to be passed into the transversely extending tapped hole.

The invention thus provides a joint construction in which the components of the joints are completely obscured, apart from possibly the head of the grub screw, which construction is particularly suitable for securing together non-metallic components e.g.

timber uprights to rails, panels etc., of timber and/or other cellulosic material, (which may be natural or man-made. It will usually be necessary to provide in the first component an access hole whereby the spigot may reach the selected tapped hole, with a similar access hole in the second component whereby the grub screw may reach its tapped hole.

Preferably there is auditionally provided a washer-like, third joint element having a nonthreaded aperture exceeding the diameter of the tapped hole of the first joint element, with the screw threadcd spigot of the second joint element being adapted to pass through the aperture of the third joint element. It is also preferred for the dimensions of the washer-like third joint element to exceedl the corresponding dimensions of the second joint element, so as to increase the bearing surface of the second jint element against the first component to be joined.

The transversely extending tapped hole may be provided directly or indirectly in or on the second joint elemment. In the latter case, the tapped hole may be provided in a separate element adapted to fit over the end of the second joint element remote from its spigot.

With this construction, it is preferred for the grub screw to have a fusto-conical nose and for the second element to have an inclined surface engageable by the nose, whereby the joint between the first and second components may be tightened upon rotation of the grub screw.

The washer-like, third joint element is metallic, e.g. of circular or rectangular form.

Although the first component may be of circular-section, it is preferably of rectangularsection, and with such section a plurality of slots, e.g. two, three or four, may be provided with the first joint element having a corresponding number of tapped (holes each aligned with a slot. Thus four slots could be located one in each face of a rectangularsection component, or one at each corner or a rectangular-section component. These arrangements provide the possibility of attaching one or more panels in one or more selected directions extending 90 apart to a single upright. Clearly, if slots are provided 45 ,60 or 120 apart, then panels may be attached to an upright at one or more of these selected angular locations.It is necessary to enable the second joint element to be rotatable to enable the disposition of the diametrically extending tapped hole to be adjusted with respect to the first joint element. Thus, rotational adjustment may be effected by passing a tommy bar or screwdriver blade into the tapped hole of the second joint element.

Alternatively, an abutment means, e.g. in the form of a slot to receive a screwdriver blade, a pair of flats, a hexagonal end etc. may be provided for rotation purposes.

It follows that if the second joint element is of circular section, which is much preferred in view of the ease of drilling circular receiving holes into the second component, e.g. the panel, then the tapped hole would extend diametrically.

For certain requiremients the dimensions of thc second component may mean that a single tapped hole in the first element may be insufficfent, in which case additional first elements and/or additional tapped holes may be provided, as required. Furthermore, for the embodiment wherein the first component has more than one longitudinal slot, the first elements needs to be provided with tapped holes at 90 locations, whether these be single holes or multiple holes for oversized panels.

Conveniently, the first element is also provided, at one end thereof, with a blind tapped hole, to receive a suitably threaded spigot of an adjustment foot, whereby the individual positfons of a plurality of first components may be individually adjusted, to compensate for variations in the level of the floor on which at least the first components are to be seated.

This ensures that a minimum number of different components is required. Although the joint arrangement in accordance with the invention has been specifically described with respect to uprights, rails and panels, it is of course equally applicable to horizontally lo cated first components, such as would be required for forming furniture joints.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example with refer ence to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a first embodiment of joint arrangement in accordance with the invention with the first and second components omitted, for clarity; Figure 2 is a partly exploded, perspective view of a second embodiment of joint ar rangement in accordance with the invention, with the first and second components illustrated; and Figure 3 is an exploded, perspective view of the joint arrangement of Figure 2, with the first and second components omitted, for clar ity; In the drawings, like components are ac corded like reference numerals.

In the emodiment of Figure 1, a jointing arrangement 1 comprises a cylindrical first joint element 2, e.g. of steel, aluminium alloy etc., which joint element is adapted to be embedded in a first commponent (not shown in this Figure) of two components to be joined together by the arrangement 1. The joint element 2 is provided with two tapped holes 3, 4 extending diametrically with respect to the element 2 and orthogonally with respect to one another. The element 2 illustrated is in fact of an embodiment intended for location at a lower end of an upright, first component, and consequently is provided with two further tapped holes 3A, 4A which are longitudinally spaced apart from the holes 3, 4, and with an axially extending tapped hole 5 intended to receive a screw threaded spigot of an adjustable position foot (not shown).Also illustrated in Figure 1 is a second joint element 6, also of cylindrical form, and provided at one end with a screw threaded spigot 7 adapted to be screwed into a selected hole 3, 4, 3A or 4A.

The second joint element 6 is also provided, at its end 8 remote from its spigot 7, with a diametrically extending tapped hole 9, while Figure 1 also illustrates a third joint element 10 in the form of a rectangular plate provided with a plain hole 11 through which the spigot 7 may be passed. The second component to be joined is provided with an aperture intersecting the hole 9 and for alignment purposes, the elements 2 and 6 may be slotted at 12 so that they may be readily rotated by a screwdriver blade. Alternatively, a screwdriver blade or tommy bar may be inserted into a hole 9, to enable any misalignment to be corrected.The aperture in the second component is of such dimensions that it can accommodate a grub screw 13, adapted to be screwed into the hole 9 and hence complete the formation of the joint arrangement 1, by .preventing the second joint element 2 from being axially removable from the second commponent.

The above arrangement requires accurate alignment of the tapped hole 9 with the aperture in the second component, and as and as the tightness of the joint arrangement 1 depends on the tightness with which the second joint element 6 is screwed into a selected hole 3, 4, 3A, 4A, it may on occasions be difficult to achieve the dual requirerments of joint tightness and alignment of the hole 9 with the grub screw receiving aperture of the second component.This potential difficulty is overcome by the joint arrangement 7A shown in Figures 2 and 3, in which a first component 14, in the form of a timber uprightis to be secured, by a joint arrangement 1 ,to a second component 1 5 in the form of a rail comprising a main rail part 16 and a closure part 1 7. In Figure 2, four second joint elements 6, located 90 apart, are illustrated, whereby four second components 1 5 may be secured to the first component 14 by four joint arrangements with this second embodiment, the end 8 of the second joint element 6 is provided with an inclined surface 18, while the tapped hole 9 is provided in a separate element 19 apertured at 20 so that the element 19 may fit over the end 8 of the second joint element 6.With this embodiment the grub screw 1 3A is provided with a frustoconical nose 21 adapted, when the grub screw is screwed into the hole 9, to engage the inclined surface 18, thereby drawing the second component 1 5 into tight engagement with the first commponent 14. Also in this embodiment, the second rail part 1 7 is provided with an enlarged hole 22 to accommodate an enlarged head 23 of a closure screw 24, adapted to be screwed into an outer portion of the tapped hole 9, to conceal the grub screw 1 3A and to attach the rail part 1 7 to the rail part 1 6. Also in this embodiment, the third joint elements 1 0A take the form of circular washers, while an access hole 25 is provided in the first component 14, so that the spigot 7 may reach its selected tapped hole, with a similar access hole 26 in the second component 1 5 for the grub screw 13A.

Claims (11)

1. A jointing arrangement for securing a first component to a second component, comprising a first joint element, having at least one tapped hole and locatable in a concealed manner in a suitable aperture in the first component, and a second joint element comprising a screw-threaded spigot, adapted to be screwed into the tapped hole of the first joint element, the second joint elemment also being provided, towards its end remote from its spigot, with a transversely extending tapped hole, a major proportion of the second joint element being adapted to be received, in a concealed manner, in a suitable aperture in the second component, and a grub screw adapted to be passed into the transversely extending tapped hole.

2. A jointing arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there is additionally provided a washer-like, third joint element having a non-threaded aperture.

3. A jointing arrangement as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the dimensions of the washer-like third joint element exceed the corresponding dimensions of the second joint element.

4. A jointing arrangement as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the transversely extending tapped hole is provided directly in the second joint element.

5. A jointing arrangement as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the transversely extending tapped hole is provided in a separate element adapted to fit over the end of the second joint element remote from its spigot.

6. A jointing arrangement as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the grub screw has a frustoconical nose, and the second joint element has an inclined surface engageable by the nose.

7. A jointing arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6, wherein the third joint element is metallic.

8. A jointing arrangement as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the first joint elemnent is provided with a plurality of tapped holes.

9. A jointing arrangement as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the first joint element is provided with an axially extending tapped hole to receive, in use, a suitably threaded spigot of an adjustment foot.

10. A jointing arrangement substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A jointing arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawwings.