Socket support and interlock for staging panels

• US 4,843,792 A
• Filed: 06/27/1988
• Issued: 07/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stageright Corp.
• Original Assignee: Stageright Corp.
• Inventors: Staten, Kenneth E., Rogers, Orley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raduazo, Henry E.
• Application Number:
  US07/211,819
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 52/126.5, 52/126.7, 52/127.5, 52/127.7, 52/263, 411/348, 403/322, 24/155 BR, 24/155 R, 24/573, 24/574
• US Class Current: 52/127.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/024 Sectional false floors, e.g. computer floors height-adjustable supports for terrace roof coverings E04D11/00; underfloor heating using water F24D3/142, using air F24D5/10; installation of cables, lines or protective tubing in floors H02G3/28
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/28 Shiftable or portable platforms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/462 with slidable connection between nonself-biasing components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/50 Readily interlocking, two-part fastener requiring either destructive or tool disengagement

Abstract

A structural connection for staging panels and the like in which an open-ended socket receives at one end a projection of a structural element such as a leg. The projection has detent projections to be received in a groove in the socket. A locking element is movable into the other end of the socket to engage the detent projections and retain them in the receiving groove until the locking element is retracted.

Claims

1. In a staging system for construction of portable flat stages, choral risers and the like, which includes a load-bearing member to serve as a module having a cylindrical bore in a reinforced section of the member to receive a structural element such as a leg or rail stanchion or the like, that improvement which comprises:

(a) said bore being open at each end and having an inner surface formed with a first detent receiving recess in said surface,

(b) a first structural element having a first projection to be received in one end of said bore adjacent said recess to occupy a portion of the axial dimension of said bore,

(c) one or more first detent elements in said first projection positioned to register with said recess when projected into an operative position in said recess,

(d) a second element in said bore aligned with said first element to occupy the remainder of the axial dimension of said bore, and

(e) a second projection means provided on said second element to enter said first projection and contact and lock said detent element or elements into an operative position when said first and second elements are moved axially toward each other in said bore.

2. In a staging system for construction of portable flat stages, choral risers and the like, which includes a load-bearing member to serve as a module having a cylindrical bore in a reinforced section of the member to receive a structural element such as a leg or rail stanchion or the like, that improvement which comprises:

(a) said bore being open at each end and having an inner surface formed with a first detent receiving recess in said surface,

(b) a first structural element having a first projection to be received in one end of said bore adjacent said recess to occupy a portion of the axial dimension of said bore,

(c) one or more first detent elements in said first projection positioned to register with said recess when projected into an operative position in said recess,

(d) a second element in said bore aligned with said first element to occupy the remainder of the axial dimension of said bore, and

(e) a second projection means provided on said second element to enter said first projection and contact and lock said detent element or elements into an operative position when said first and second elements are moved axially toward each other in said bore,

(f) said first element having an axial bore to receive said projection means on said second element, and said detent elements being positioned adjacent said axial bore to be actuated into an operative locking position by said projection means when said elements are moved toward each other.

3. In a staging system for construction of portable flat stages, choral risers and the like, which includes a load-bearing member to serve as a module having a cylindrical bore in a reinforced section of the member to receive a structural element such as a leg or rail stanchion or the like, that improvement which comprises:

(a) said bore being open at each end having an inner surface formed with a first detent receiving recess in said surface,

(b) a first structural element having a first projection to be received in one end of said bore adjacent said recess to occupy a portion of the axial dimension of said bore,

(c) one or more first detent elements in said first projection positioned to register with said recess when projected into an operative position in said recess,

(d) a second element in said bore aligned with said first element to occupy the remainder of the axial dimension of said bore,

(e) a second projection means provided on said second element to enter said first projection and contact and lock said detent element or elements into an operative position when said first and second elements are moved axially toward each other in said bore,

(f) said second element having a second detent means in an outer surface to engage said first detent receiving recess when said second element is shifted to said one end of said bore thereby to retain said second element in said bore at that said one end,

(g) a second detent receiving recess formed in said inner surface of said cylindrical bore spaced from said first detent recess, and

(h) said second detent means on said second element being positioned to register with said second detent recess when said second element is shifted to the other end of said bore.

4. In a staging system for construction of portable flat stages, choral risers and the like, which includes a load-bearing member to serve as a module having a cylindrical bore in a reinforced section of the member to receive a structural element such as a leg or rail stanchion or the like, that improvement which comprises:

(a) said bore being open at each end and having an inner surface formed with a first detent receiving recess in said surface,

(b) a first structural element having a first projection to be received in one end of said bore adjacent said recess to occupy a portion of the axial dimension of said bore,

(c) one or more first detent elements in said first projection positioned to register with said recess when projected into an operative position in said recess,

(d) a second element in said bore aligned with said first element to occupy the remainder of the axial dimension of said bore, and

(e) said second element comprising a cylindrical insert having a central bore at each end, one of said bores receiving and retaining said first projecting means and the other of said bores intersecting cross-passage in said insert to provide a recess for engagement with a retraction tool.

5. In a staging system for construction of portable flat stages, choral risers and the like, which includes a load-bearing member to serve as a module having a cylindrical bore in a reinforced section of the member to receive a structural element such as a leg or rail stanchion or the like, that improvement which comprises:

(a) said bore being open at each end and having an inner surface formed with a first detent receiving recess in said surface,

(b) a first structural element having a first projection to be received in one end of said bore adjacent said recess to occupy a portion of the axial dimension of said bore,

(c) one or more first detent elements in said first projection positioned to register with said recess when projected into an operative position in said recess,

(d) a second element in said bore aligned with said first element to occupy the remainder of the axial dimension of said bore, and

(e) said second element comprising a cylindrical insert having a chordal recess in the outer wall and a detent projection formed integrally with said insert projecting radially outward of said outer wall adjacent said chordal recess and connected to said insert by a resilient neck portion.

6. In a staging system for construction of portable flat stages, choral risers and the like, which includes a load-bearing member to serve as a module having a cylindrical bore in a reinforced section of the member to receive a structural element such as a leg or rail stanchion or the like, that improvement which comprises:

(a) said bore being open at each end and having an inner surface formed with a first detent receiving recess in said surface,

(b) a first structural element having a first projection to be received in one end of said bore adjacent said recess to occupy a portion of the axial dimension of said bore,

(c) one or more first detent elements in said first projection positioned to register with said recess when projected into an operative position in said recess,

(d) a second element in said bore aligned with said first element to occupy the remainder of the axial dimension of said bore, and

(e) said second element comprising a cylindrical insert having an outer wall and end transverse of said wall and having formed therein a pair of axially spaced chordal recesses diametrically opposed in the outer wall between the ends of the insert and a detent projection formed integrally with said insert projecting radially outward of said outer wall adjacent each chordal recess and a resilient neck portion connecting each said detent projection with said insert.