1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a set of metal bodies with rectilinear axis and constant cross-section for making a member for the fixing and support of contiguous vertical plates in point-supported suspended facades. The present invention further relates to a member for the fixing and support of vertical plates in point-supported suspended facades obtained by putting together the metal bodies with rectilinear axis and constant cross-section.
2. The Prior Art
For making point-supported suspended facades it is known to use so-called crosses, i.e., members for fixing and supporting vertical plates, comprising a central hole for fixing the cross to a supporting structure (typically an upright) and, according to the number of vertical plates to be supported, from one to four arms provided at their ends with circular holes or slots for insertion of fixed or articulated joints, to which the corners of the plates to be supported are fixed.
According to the prior art, the crosses are made of light-alloy castings or by the stamping of steel.
In view of the need to have crosses with a variable number of arms and the need to provide both circular holes and slots for insertion of the fasteners, it follows that it would be necessary to have in store a relatively large number of different types of crosses. This would call for a large number of dies and would therefore involve high production costs. In order to reduce the costs, it is preferred to produce only crosses with two or four arms and to cut off the excess arms as required.
In addition, it is preferred to make only slotted openings in the arms, which can be subsequently enlarged if required to convert them into circular openings.
However, all such subsequent processes have a marked affect on the total processing times, and hence on the final cost of the crosses, as well as on the general appearance of the crosses.
The purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a new system for making crosses for fixing and supporting plates, which is technically simple and which enables a reduction in production costs. The above purpose is achieved by providing a set of metal bodies having a rectilinear axis and constant cross-section.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a “cross” for connecting plates in a planar array. The cross includes a “connector” as a main body portion which, in turn, includes an arched portion and at least one pair of flanges extending from the arch portion and defining therebetween a substantially rectangular groove. The groove of the flanges mates with a groove formed across a convex edge of a “connecting element” which may have a generally crescent shape or approximately half of a generally crescent shape.
The central body (“connector”) 1 is a metal body of an appropriate length with a rectilinear axis and constant cross-section and presents a symmetrical profile with respect to an axis of symmetry 2 and has a generally omega shape (FIG. 12).
Preferably, the central body 1 is made by extrusion. Of course, a person skilled in the art will be able to conceive other processes for making the central body 1, in particular stamping or pressure casting.
According to the first embodiment, the central body 1 has a planar surface 12 in the concave bottom of an arched portion 30, an axial groove 4 in the convex top of the arched portion 30, the arched portion 30 having one or more through holes 14 aligned on the axis of symmetry 2 (see FIG. 18). Two flanges set on top of one another 5, 6 and 7, 8, are integral with and project from the arched portion 30. The flanges define two substantially rectangular grooves 9 and 10. The combination of arched portion 30 and flanges 5, 6 and 7, 8 has an omega shape. One or more pairs of through holes 15, 16 are formed in flanges 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Preferably, the through holes 14 have a portion of larger diameter in an area corresponding to the concave side of the arched portion 30 so as to receive the head of a screw.
In the embodiment illustrated, the central body 1 has closed cavities 2, 3 symmetrically located in the arched portion 30. Likewise, one of the two through holes 15 or 16 preferably has a widened part designed to receive, at least partially, the head of a screw, while the other of the two through holes of each pair is threaded.
In the preferred embodiment, the axial groove 4 is connected to a special foot or base 33, which is in turn designed to be inserted into an undercut groove of an appropriate supporting upright (not shown).
A second embodiment illustrated in
The central body 1a will be used in the case where the cross is to support just one vertical plate, or else two plates set on top of one another.
In the first embodiment, as shown in
According to the first embodiment, the arm 20 is generally crescent-shaped, cut to an appropriate length, one or more through holes 27 parallel to the rectilinear axis, and two eyelets 24, 25 one, at either end of the crescent.
Preferably a groove 23 is provided in the convex top so as to enable slot-in connection with the omega-shaped central body 1.
In practice, the arm 20 is a double arm which enables insertion of two fixed or articulated joints 34 for fixing and supporting plates 35 (FIG. 11).
Preferably, the eyelets 24, 25 are slots that extend parallel to the axis of symmetry 21; alternatively, at least one of the slots can be a circular opening.
The second embodiment has arms 20a (FIGS. 15 and 17), wherein the crescent-shape of the arm 20 of the first embodiment is modified in that it has only one eyelet 24a and the shape of the half of a crescent. The single arm 20a will be used where the arm does not have to support more than one plate.
In fact, with as few as four metal bodies of rectilinear axis and constant cross-section (the central bodies 1 and 1a and the arms 20 and 20a), it is possible to put together a wide range of crosses, which in effect cover all the types necessary for making a suspended facade of the point-supported type, as shown in
In the embodiment illustrated herein, connecting screws 36 are provided between the arms 20 and the pairs of flanges 5, 6 and 7, 8 of the omega section (central body 1) of the first embodiment. Likewise, in the second embodiment, connecting screws 36a are provided between the arms 20a and flanges 7a and 8a. Of course, a person skilled in the art will be able to conceive other connecting members.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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MI2000A0641 | Mar 2000 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCTIB01/00496 | 3/27/2001 | WO | 00 | 9/24/2002 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO0173251 | 10/4/2001 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2684003 | Klingler | Jul 1954 | A |
4930930 | Coppa | Jun 1990 | A |
5624200 | Beaulieu | Apr 1997 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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29706757 | Jun 1997 | DE |
271980 | Jun 1988 | EP |
595317 | May 1994 | EP |
2 716 503 | Aug 1995 | FR |
2 242 248 | Sep 1991 | GB |
2242248 | Sep 1991 | GB |
2263147 | Jul 1993 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20030059252 A1 | Mar 2003 | US |