Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JOINING STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO1998050639
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
The invention is directed to a coupling device, wherein separate individual elements and a sliding interlocked connection mechanism for connecting individual tenons to a wall portion of a link module provide several advantages. First, the tenon members are individually adjustable on the wall portion to give more flexibility in providing various intermeshing arrangements. Therefore, instead of having to manufacture several individual different link modules to obtain a variety of different intermeshing arrangements, one needs only to manufacture a standard wall portion and a standard type of tenon means, so that any intermesh can be provided by simply assembling tenon means and wall portions. The key to this flexibility was the development of the sliding interlock connection between the tenon members and a wall portion, without the loss of strength and function. The tenon members may be used on either wall end portion by simple detaching from one wall end, inverting and reattaching to the other wall end portion by simply detaching from one wall end, inverting and reattaching to the other wall end. Alternatively, a coupling device according to this invention, may have each module of a plurality of modules which includes a wall portion with wall end portions on each end. The wall end portions of at least some of the modules have tenon wall members extending parallel to an axis of the coupling device, and at least some of the wall end portions have slot mortise members formed therein which extend parallel to an axis of the coupling device whereby when the modules are assembled into the coupling device the tenon wall members are received into corresponding slot mortise members.
Inventors:
CHAPMAN WILLIAM A (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US1998/009419
Publication Date:
February 04, 1999
Filing Date:
May 08, 1998
Export Citation:
Assignee:
CHAPMAN WILLIAM A (US)
International Classes:
F16B12/40; E01F9/011; E04H12/22; F16B7/18; (IPC1-7): E02D/
Foreign References:
| US5499885A | 1996-03-19 | |||
| US3189962A | 1965-06-22 | |||
| US3437362A | 1969-04-08 | |||
| US2952484A | 1960-09-13 | |||
| US4793111A | 1988-12-27 | |||
| US4133154A | 1979-01-09 |
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