Claims
- 1. Apparatus for forming a mechanical join between first and second plastics material panels at 90 degrees one to the other,
- the first panel having a first edge and a first margin bordering said first edge, a plurality of aligned, spaced apart slots being provided in the margin parallel to the first free edge;
- the second panel having an second edge and having a similar plurality of tabs projecting from the second edge;
- each tab having a neck portion and a tab head,
- each tab head having a leading insertion tip having a width less than the length of a respective slot,
- each tab head having a trailing non-return edge having a length greater than the length of the respective slot;
- the apparatus comprising;
- means to locate the first margin in a pre-chosen position;
- means to hold the first margin in said pre-chosen position;
- means to locate the second panel at 90 degrees to the first panel;
- means to make a bend between the second margin and the second panel whereby the second margin is bent at generally 90 degrees towards the first margin;
- means to locate the second panel and the second margin into a position such that the insertion tips of the tabs of the second margin at generally 90 degrees to the first margin overlie a first edge of a respective slot and fall short of a second edge of the respective slot;
- means to depress the insertion tips and the respective first edges of the respective slots; and
- means to advance the insertion tips and the non-return edges through the slots.
- 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first edge of each slot is arcuate.
- 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the second edge of each slot is straight.
- 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the arcuate edge is convex towards the first edge of the first panel.
- 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means to locate the first margin comprises spring biassed locating pins, reciprocally movable into a locating position in which the locating pins engage the slots, and a retracted position.
- 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means to hold the first margin comprises a clamping surface and at least one clamping member movable between a clamping position in which it presses the first margin against the clamping surface and a withdrawn position.
- 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the clamping members are solenoid activated.
- 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means to locate the second panel at 90 degrees to the first panel comprises a guideway located at 90 degrees to the pre-chosen position and sized to accommodate the full width of the second panel.
- 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the guideway is provided between a locating block of generally rectangular cross section defining the pre-chosen position of the first margin by a flat, upper surface and having a vertical surface defining one side of the guideway.
- 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which a vertical wall of a second rectangular block defines a further wall of the guideway.
- 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the means to locate the second panel and the second margin into a position such that the insertion tips of the tabs of the second margin at generally 90 degrees to the first margin to overlie a first edge of a respective slot and fall short of a second edge of a respective slot comprise a bar carried on the second rectangular block and parallel to it, the bar being carried by arms which are extensible from the second rectangular block towards the first rectangular block across the guideway generally at a level of the flat surface of the first rectangular block, the hinging bar acting to fold the second margin generally at 90 degrees to the second panel.
- 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which clamping members extend from the vertical wall of the second rectangular block towards the vertical wall of the first rectangular block, the clamping members being extensible to press the second panel against the vertical wall of the first rectangular block.
- 13. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means to depress the insertion tips and the respective first edges of the respective slots comprise insertion pins which are moveable in a downward direction to press against the insertion tips to depress them and retain them in depressed position for advance of the insertion tips and non-return edges through the slots, the insertion pins being retractable to bring them clear of the first and second margins.
- 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which the means to advance the insertion tips and the non-return edges through the slots comprises the clamping members extending from the wall of the second rectangular block.
RELATED APPLCIATIONS
This application is a divisional continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 07/995,135, filed Dec. 22, 1992, abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2138352 |
Oct 1984 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
995135 |
Dec 1992 |
|