Joints and connections – Articulated members – Lockable at fixed position
Patent
1994-12-23
2000-08-01
Kim, Harry C.
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Lockable at fixed position
403103, 403170, 403205, 403370, 403371, F16B 704
Patent
active
060957131
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to constructions which are typically formed by connecting tubes together to form a structural frame work.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of couplings are disclosed for connecting tubes together but each of them suffer from at least one major drawback.
A typical way of coupling tubes together, is to use a bracket which is preformed in two halves so that when the halves are combined they define two holes which are arranged to receive different tubes. Using nuts and bolts, the brackets are tightened together so as to grip each of the tubes and thus, hold the tubes in a fixed orientation with respect to each other.
The problem with such a bracket is that it is necessary to hold the tubes in a fixed orientation before the two halves of the bracket are combined and in addition, there is little flexibility as to changing the orientation of each tube with respect to the other. This is because the brackets must be preformed so that when connected to tubes they can only hold the tubes in one particular orientation with respect to each other.
Other devices for connecting tubes together require the tubes to be specially shaped so that they have flattened ends in the form of lugs which can be inserted onto the end of a coupling device. A combination of brackets and nuts and bolts are then used to assemble the tubes into a desired structure.
Another form of a coupling device is in the form of a joint with preformed sockets arranged around a centre, thus, permitting tubes to be connected in one of the orientations provided by one of the sockets. As with the previous coupling devices however, there is little flexibility in the number of positions in which the tubes can be fixed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a coupling member for coupling a plurality of beams together, including a first engagement device including a sleeve having a passage therethrough for receiving a beam, the sleeve having a portion which is deformable to grip the beam, a tightening member having a passage therethrough for receiving the sleeve and being axially movable with respect to the sleeve and being arranged to co-operate with the deformable portion to cause the deformable portion to deform to grip the beam, and a biasing means for maintaining the tightening member in co-operation with the deformable portion, the coupling member further including a second engagement device mounted to the first engagement device, the second engagement device being arranged to engage and hold a further beam in a predetermined orientation with respect to the first beam.
The term "beam" is intended to cover hollow tubes and solid bars of any cross-section.
The deformable portion preferably comprises an external flared portion of the sleeve. The tightening member has a cooperating flared surface which is movable over the flared portion of the sleeve to cause deformation.
The sleeve preferably comprises a tubular body portion having a maximum inside diameter slightly greater than the maximum inside diameter of a beam to be gripped, and a flexible flared portion arranged such that when the co-operating flared surface of the tightening member is moved over the flared portion towards the distal end of the flare, the inner surface of the sleeve in the area of the flared portion is constricted to grip the beam. Deformable portion is preferably provided with a plurality of slits dividing it into a plurality of segments to facilitate deformation.
The internal surface of the deformable portion may be provided with frictional engagement means, such as a rubber surface, or serrated surface, for example, to assist in gripping the beam.
The biasing means preferably comprises a threaded portion at the sleeve and a retainer, preferably in the form of a threaded nut, cooperating with the threaded portion to axially move the tightening member with respect to the flared portion of the sleeve to cause deformation thereof and gripping of the beam.
Preferably, t
REFERENCES:
patent: 618639 (1899-01-01), Bullard
patent: 1818172 (1931-08-01), Sutherland
patent: 2151831 (1939-03-01), Buccione
patent: 2583368 (1952-01-01), French
patent: 2839320 (1958-06-01), Hill
patent: 2911243 (1959-11-01), Micozzi
patent: 3213273 (1965-10-01), Zagel
patent: 3361460 (1968-01-01), Jansen
patent: 3495857 (1970-02-01), Hawke et al.
patent: 3545796 (1970-12-01), Nicholls
Cumming Mark
Doyle David
Dunne Neil
D & D Group Pty Ltd
Kim Harry C.
LandOfFree
Engagement device and coupling member does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Engagement device and coupling member, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Engagement device and coupling member will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-657326