Joints and connections – Interfitted members – Including set screw
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-07-24
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Interfitted members
Including set screw
C248S519000, C403S337000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264394
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to connectors, and more particularly to a rigid flanged connector for removably attaching an elongate rod or tube to a flat surface.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Flanged connectors for attaching a rod, or tube, to a flat surface are well known in the art. They generally provide a rigid flange with a flat bottom for attaching to a flat support surface with screws that pass through holes in the flange. Upstanding from the flange is a tubular member for receiving the rod. A screw in the wall of tubular member is tightened onto the rod to hold it securely in place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This arrangement is unsatisfactory when the rod is removed and the support surface must be free of obstructions. In that situation, it would be desirable to have a connector that would have a tubular member that would be buried in the support to-present a substantially uniformly flat support surface when the rod is removed. It would be even more useful to have a connector that could be used in both the tubular member upstanding and tubular member buried configurations.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a connector for removably securing a cylindrical rod or tube to a flat support surface that may be used in both the tubular member upstanding and buried configurations.
The connector of the invention comprises a flange base with holes for screws. The base has a flat bottom. A tubular member is upstanding from the base with a threaded aperture through its wall to receive a screw to secure the rod as in the prior art. A second threaded aperture carries a screw from the flat bottom of the base to the rod at an acute angle to the axis of the rod. This screw may be accessed from the flat bottom of the base when the connector is inverted with the flat bottom of the base in the plane of the flat support surface and the balance of the connector buried below the surface. When the rod is removed from the connector in this configuration, the flat support surface is unobstructed.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements are designated by like reference characters in the various drawing figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 890319 (1908-06-01), Wells
patent: 1977343 (1934-10-01), Matthes
patent: 2606777 (1952-08-01), Wilson
patent: 2935896 (1960-05-01), Simon
patent: 3436047 (1969-04-01), Foltz
patent: 4480941 (1984-11-01), Gilb et al.
patent: 5468086 (1995-11-01), Goya
patent: 5826850 (1998-10-01), Goldsmith
patent: 5895168 (1999-04-01), Liao
patent: 6129322 (2000-10-01), Merkl
Blum Alvin S.
Browne Lynne H.
Walsh John B.
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