AU633223B2

AU633223B2 - Joint

Info

Publication number: AU633223B2
Application number: AU83420/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Trevor Arnold
Original assignee: Sivewright Gordon Richard
Current assignee: Sivewright Gordon Richard
Priority date: 1990-08-28
Filing date: 1991-08-28
Publication date: 1993-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 2011-08-28
Also published as: AU8342091A

Description

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633223

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION For a Standard Patent

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Soso 9 0 *000 0. 0 a s 00 *000 0 *0c 00 0 Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): GORDON RICHARD SIVEWRIGHT TREVOR ARNOLD Address for Service: WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, 239 Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

Adelaide Attorney code: WR 0 000 00 00 0 00 0 0 0 @0 0 00 Invention Title: "Joint" Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PK1988.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 i i i i i 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a joint for connecting two structural members in end to end relationship.

In Australian Patent No. 496192 there is disclosed a joint for two structural members each having a longitudinal web.

The joint comprises a female part and a male part. The female part has a pair of spaced parallel elongated slots and the male part has a pair of hooks for engagement in the slots of the female part. Each hook has an engaging edge which engages against a portion of the female part adjacent the respective slot.

While the joint which is the subject of Patent No. 496192 has found commercial success, it has not been altogether satisfactory owing to the fact that the engaging edge of *@e0 each hook is laterally spaced from a plane occupied by the S'.oI 15 longitudinal webs of the two structural members joined together by the joint. As a consequence of the lateral position of the engaging edge of each hook relative to the webs, there is a tendency for the two members to separate when subjected to axial tension. This arises because the engaging edge provides a fulcrum about which the hook has a tendency to rotate in the presence of axial tension, the direction of rotation corresponding to the direction of oo o withdrawal of the hook from within its respective slot.

0 The present invention seeks to provide a joint which.

25 overcomes or at least is less susceptible to the aforementioned problem relating to the joint which is the subjectof Patent No. 496192.

In onr form the invention resides in a joint for connecting two structural members having lonngitudinal webs in end to end relationship, said joint comprising a female part and a male part, the female part having a pair of spaced parallel 3slots and the male part having a pair of hooks each for engagement in a respective one of the slots, each hook having an engaging edge for engagement against portion of the female part adjacent the respective slot, said engaging edge being disposed at or closely adjacent a plane occupied by two webs of the structural members to extend transversely therefrom.

Preferably, the male member comcrises a web portion on which the pair of spaced hooks are mounted, the entry of the bight portion of each hook being adjacent said web portion of the male member.

The engaging edge of each hook preferably extends inwardly from the entry of the bight portion of the hook.

The male member may be provided with a tab portion between the hooks for engagement against either the female member or part of a structural member disposed between the male and female members.

Preferably, the outer periphery of each hook defines a cam surface for engagement against an edge of the slot.

ee 20 A projection may be provided on each hook to extend 'laterally from one side thereof for engagement with an edge of the slot in which the hook is received.

!J.The male and female parts of the joint may be formed integrally with the structural members but for preference 25 are formed separately thereof and are adapted for mounting i. thereon.

In another form the invention resides in a joint for connecting two structural members in end to end -4 relationship comprising a female part and a male part, the female part having a pair of spaced parallel slots and the male part comprising a pair of hooks each for engagement in a respective one of the slots and a web portion on which the hooks are mounted, the entry of the bight portion of each hook being adjacent the web portion, each hook having an engaging edge for engagement against portion of the female part adjacent the respective slot.

The engaging portion of each hook preferably extends inwardly from said entry of the bight portion of the hook.

0S*O 15 6@* *5 The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of one specific embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view from one side of a joint according to the embodiment connecting two structural members in end to end relationship, the joint also functioning to connect the two structural members to a third structural member extending laterally thereof; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from another side of the joint of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the various parts of the joint before assembly; and Fig. 4 is a side view of a male part of the joint.

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S 55 0 0 i* Referring to the drawings, the joint 11 according to the embodiment is used to join two bridging purlins 13 in end-to-end relationship and at the same time secure the bridging purlins to a main purlin 17. Each bridging purlin 13 is of channel section, having a longitudinal web 19 and two longitudinal sides 21. The main purlin 17 has a central web 23 provided with two slots 25 in spaced apart parallel relationship, the purpose of which slots will become apparent later.

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The joint 11 comprises a male part 31 and a female part 33.

In this embodiment, the male and female parts are formed separately of the bridging purlins and are detachably mounted thereon by way of mounting bolts 35 which pass through holes (not shown) in the male and female parts. It should be understood, however, that the male and female parts may be formed integrally with the bridging purlins if so desired.

The female part 33 comprises a web portion 37 and a flange portion 39 extending laterally from the web portion. The web and flange portions of the female part are of integral construction and are formed from a single piece of sheet metal. The web portion 37 is provided with the mounting holes and is adapted to locate against the web portion 19 15 of one of the bridging purlins with the mounting holes registering with corresponding mounting holes on the structural member to receive the mounting bolts 35 for *oo securing the female part to the structural member. The flange portion 39 is provided with. a pair of parallel slots 20 41 which are spaced and dimensioned to correspond with the slots 25 in the main purlin 17. The flange portion also has a pair of tabs 43 on the free edge thereof opposite the web portion. There is one tab 43 corresponding to each o o S slot 41 and they are located closer to the slots than is 99** S 25 the web portion 37, the purpose of which will be explained later.

SThe male part 31 comprises a web portion 49 and a pair of hooks 51 mounted on the web portion. The web portion 49 is so provided with the mounting holes and is adapted to be

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0@ *30 located against the web portion of the other bridging purlin with the mounting holes registering with the corresponding mounting holes in the structural member for receiving the mounting bolts 35 to detachably secure the male portion to the structural member.

I, i i; i' 6 The hooks 51 are in spaced apart relationship with a tab 53 therebetween. In this embodiment, the hooks 51 are spaced inwardly from the sides of the web portion but in other embodiments they may be disposed outwardly from the sides of the web portion. Each hook has a bight portion 55 and an outer periphery 57 which defines a cam surface. The bight portion 55 has an entry 59 which is disposed adjacent to the web portion 49. The hook has an engaging edge 61 which extends inwardly from the entry of the bight portion on the side thereof remote from the web portion and which is normal to the web portion. The bight defines a land portion 65 at its innermost end, the inner end of the engaging edge 61 terminating at one end of the land portion. A ramp portion 67 extends from the other end of the land portion 65 to the entry of the bight on the side thereof adjacent the web portion 49. The land portion is of sufficient length to accommodate both the thickness of the flange portion 39 of the female part 33 and the centre web 23 of the main purlin 17 when they are in face 20 to face engagement with the slots 25 and 41 registering with each other.

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A projection 69 extends laterally from the outside face of each hook 51.

The male part 31 is of integral construction and is formed 25 from a single piece of sheet metal.

To join the two bridging purlins 13 in end to end relationship and at the same time secure the bridging purlins to the main purlin 15, the male and female parts 31 and 33 of the joint are first bolted to adjacent ends of the bridging purlins. The bridging purlin to which the female part 33 has been bolted is then positioned against the main purlin 15 with the web portion 37 of the female I-

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7 part 33 bearing against one face of the central web 23 of the main purlin and the slots 41 registering with the slots in the main purlin. The other bridging member is then positioned on the opposite side of the main purlin in the same orientation as the first-mentioned bridging member and the hooks 51 are inserted into the registering slots 25 and 41. Insertion of the hooks into the slots is achieved by angling the male member relative to the female member such that the hooks enter the slots with the outermost section of each engaging edge 61 leading and then subsequently rotating the male member into a position in which the leading edge 61 bears against the flange portion 39 of the female part 33, as shown in the drawings. As the male member rotates into its final position the cam surface defined on the outer periphery 57 of each hook engages against the periphery of the corresponding slot to ensure that the hook is a snug fit in its corresponding slot.

Furthermore, the lateral projection 69 on each hook engages against the periphery of the slot. Co-operation between 20 the cam surface and the slot and further co-operation between the lateral projection and the slot, serves to resist sideways play between the hook and the slot.

0000 0 @000 *0 0 00 00 00S@ 0 00 0 00 0*0000 25 e 0 30 0 0 0 00 The tabs 43 on the female part ensure that the male part can only engage the female part in one way which is with the two bridging members in the same orientation. The tabs do not allow the hooks to properly engage in the slots when the two bridging members are in a reverse orientation where the longitudinal webs thereof are on opposite sides of the two members. This arises because the spacing between each tab and its corresponding slot is less than the length of the engaging edge of the respective hook.

Because the engaging edge 61 of each hook 51 exten.'s laterally from a position at or closely adjacent a plane 8 occupied by the longitudinal webs 19 of the two bridging purlins 13, there is little (if any) tendency for the male member to separate from the female member when the two bridging purlins 13 are subjected to axial tension.

When the male member is connected to the female member, the central web 23 of the main purlin 17 and the flange portion 39 of the female part 33 are accommodated within the bight portion of the hook by virtue of the presence of the land portion 65. The tab 53 on the male part engages against the central web 23 of the main purlin and assists in providing stability to the joint.

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From the foregoing, it is evident that a joint according to the embodiment provides a relatively simple yet highly effective and secure joint between the two bridging purlins and the main purlin. Furthermore, the joint can be easily disengaged if later required.

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5* It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiment described. In particular, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to joining purlins together.

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Claims

1. A joint for connecting two structural members having longitudinal webs in end to end relationship, said joint comprising a female part and a male part, the female part having a pair of spaced parallel slots and the male part having a pair of hooks each for engagement in a respective one of the slots, each hook having an engaging edge for engagement against portion of the female part adjacent the respective slot, said engaging edge being disposed at or closely adjacent a plane occupied by two webs of the structural members to extend transversely thereof.

2. A joint according to claim 1 wherein the male member comprises a web portion on which the pair of spaced hooks are mounted, the entry of the bight portion of each hook being adjacent said web portion of the male member.

3. A joint according to claim 2 wherein the engaging edge of each hook extends inwardly from the entry of the bight portion of the hook. S4. A joint according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the male member is provided with a tab portion between the hooks for engagement against either the female member or part of a structural member disposed between the male and female .:members. A joint according to claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein the outer "periphery of each hook defines a cam surface for engagement against an edge of the slot.

6. A joint according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein projection is provided on each hook to extend laterally from one side thereof for engagement with an edge of the slot in which the hook is received. a 10

7. A joint for connecting two structural members in end to end relationship comprising a female part and a male part, the female part having a pair of spaced parallel slots and the male part comprising a pair of hooks each for engagement in a respective one of the slots and a web portion on which the hooks are mounted, the entry of the bight portion of each hook being adjacent the web portion, each hook having an engaging edge for engagement against portion of the female part adjacent the respective slot.

8. A joint according to claim 7 wherein the engaging portion of each hook extends inwardly from said entry of the bight portion of the hook.

9. A joint according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the male member is provided with a tab portion between the hooks for engagement against either the female member or part of a structural member disposed between the male and female members. A joint according to claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein the outer periphery of each hook defines a cam surface for engagement oo against an edge of the slot.

11. A joint according to any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein 0oe projection is provided on each hook to extend laterally from one side thereof for engagement with an edge of the slot in which the hook is received.

12. A joint substantially as herein described with o° S° reference to the accompanying drawings. eeeoe DATED this fourteenth day of September, 1992 GORDON RICHARD SIVEWRIGHT Applicant WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia SPatent Attorneys for Applicant