STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

• US 3,834,549 A
• Filed: 09/25/1972
• Issued: 09/10/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Armand A. Fiorenza, Milton Lieberman, Robert J. Burg
• Original Assignee: Armand A. Fiorenza, Milton Lieberman, Robert J. Burg
• Inventors: Burg, Robert J., Lieberman, Milton, Fiorenza, Armand A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Application Number:
  US05/291,972
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 211/148,182,134 108/111 403/218,217,171-172,176 46/29 52/646,645
• US Class Current: 211/189
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/04 Cubic corner parts joining sectional strips for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0016 Node corner connectors, e.g. cubic
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/021 Racks or shelf units A47B47/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/0486 forming an abutting connection of at least one tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/346 Additional rod held by encompassing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/443 All encompassed

Abstract

A structural system in which a three-dimensional framework of horizontal stringers and vertical struts are connected in the region of intersection of the struts and stringers by a cubeshaped hollow connector made of two separable complementary connector parts. The connector is provided with socket passages in each of its six sides for receiving the tip ends of the struts and stringers and further has retainer means for preventing withdrawal of horizontal stringers with a fastener being employed within the connector to connect vertical struts received in the connector.

Claims

1. A structure comprising a plurality of vertically arranged struts and horizontally arranged stringers disposed in spaced apart three-dimensional intersection array and defining a framework, each strut and stringer being received in the region of its intersection with another strut and stringer in a connector comprising two separable complementary connector parts interfitted forming a block-shaped body having a hollow interior and six outer faces, a first opposed pair of said faces wherein at least one of said faces receives one of said struts, the remaining faces of which are adapted to receive said stringers, each of said remaining outer faces having an opening therein and a corresponding passage extending inwardly from said opening communicating with said hollow interior therewith defining a socket for receiving a tip end of one of said stringers, retainer means comprised of at least one socket passage retainer element integral with one of said connector parts and at least one companion retainer element on said tip end of said stringer, said socket passage retainer element and its connector part defining a one-piece element, said retainer element of said retainer means cooperating to prevent withdrawal of said stringer from said socket passage, each face of said first opposed pair of faces having an opening therein and a corresponding passage extending inwardly from said opening communicating with said hollow interior and defining a fastener passage extending through said connector parts, each fastener passage having a strut-engaging abutment stop therein for limiting strut entry into said fastener passage, and fastener means anchoring said separable complementary connector parts together, said fastener passages associated with said first opposed pair of faces being in axial alignment providing through access therebetween within said connector and receiving said fastener means therethrough, said fastener means being connected to the tip end of at least one of said struts received through at least one of said first opposed pairs of faces, said fastener means serving to both anchor said connector parts to one another and to retain at least one of said struts in the assembled connector.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said connector is comprised of connector parts which form an essentially cubic-shaped body, said first opposed pair of faces being generally in horizontal planes and disposed to present corresponding socket passage orientation receiving at least one of said struts, the remaining four of the outer faces of said body being generally in vertical planes and disposed to present corresponding socket passage orientation for reception of said stringers.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said connector parts are essentially semi-cubic shaped members of identical construction, each of which includes a complete one of said first opposed pair of body outer faces and part of each of said remaining four of said body outer faces, each of said connector parts having a mating surface remote from said complete outer face, the mating surfaces of said parts being juxtaposed.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein each connector part is provided with locator means to effect proper registration of said interfitted parts.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said locator means in each connector part includes at least one pin extending outwardly of its mating surface, and at least one bore opening in said mating surface, the pin of one connector part being received in the bore opening of the other.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein the retainer means in each socket passage comprises at least one projection extending radially inwardly in said socket passage, and at least one detent opening in the tip end of said received stringer, said projection being receivable in said detent opening.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein the retainer means in each socket passage comprises a recess formed in such passage interiOrly of its associated side face opening and extending radially outwardly of said socket passage and a flange at the tip end of said received horizontal stringer, said flange being receivable in said recess.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein said socket and fastener passages are contoured conformably to the exterior shape of the struts and stringers receivable therein.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said socket and fastener passages are cylindrically shaped to receive like externally configured struts and stringers.

10. The structure of claim 1 wherein at least one of the struts received through at least one of said first opposed pair of faces has an axial passage at least at the tip ends thereof, said fastener means being received in said axial passage.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said fastener means includes a threaded element received in a companion threaded portion of a received strut.

12. The structure of claim 11 wherein said fastener means comprises a threaded bolt received in the tip end of a strut received through one of said first opposed pair of faces, said bolt extending through said fastener passage associated with the other of said opposed faces and having an enlarged head disposed at and retained by said other opposed face.

13. The structure of claim 1 wherein said fastener means comprises an externally threaded element and at least one internally threaded tip end of at least one of said struts, said externally threaded element being connected to one of said struts and being threaded into said internal thread in another of said struts.

14. The structure of claim 13 wherein said externally threaded element is an integral part of one end of one of said struts.

15. The structure of claim 8 wherein each of said struts has a reduced diameter externally threaded element at one end and an internal thread at the other end, said external thread on one end of one of said struts and said internal thread on one end of another of said struts being mated and comprising said fastener means.

16. The structure of claim 1 wherein at least some of said horizontal stringers are provided with means to facilitage reception and retention of shelf components thereon.

17. The structure of claim 16 wherein reception and retention means comprises a clip member engaged on and extending between adjacent intersecting ones of said stringers.

18. The structure of claim 1 further comprising means associated with certain of said struts for reception and retention of shelf components between opposed ones of said struts.

19. The structure of claim 18 wherein said reception and retention means comprises sleeves received on said struts, said sleeves having notches therein, the notches in each sleeve being cooperatively associated with the notches of another for receiving said shelf components.

20. The structure of claim 1 wherein said horizontally disposed stringers comprise a tubular member extending between opposed ones of said connectors, an internally threaded retainer received in at least one end of said tubular stringer in engagement with the inner surface of said stringer and movable unitarily therewith, and an externally threaded socket extension threaded in said retainer, a tip end of said extension being received in a socket passage in one of said opposed connectors, rotation of said stringer about its own axis being effective to draw said one end of said stringer into tight abutment with said one connector.

21. The structure of claim 1 wherein at least one of said horizontally disposed stringers comprises a tubular member extending between opposed ones of said connectors, internally threaded retainer means in both tip ends of said stringer, an externally threaded socket extension threaded into each of said retainer means, one tip end of each of said extensions being received in a socket passage in each of said opposed connectors, the threads on one of said extensions being of opposite hand from the threads on the other of said extensions whereby rotation of said stringer about its own axis draws the opposite ends thereof into tight abutment with said opposed connectors.