Connector for modular building sections

Claim 2

A connector for modular building sections and the like, comprising a pair of connector members adapted to be secured to each other in a predetermined orientation of mating juxtaposition even after being respectively attached to structural components of such sections, said connector members having mating faces respectively equipped with cooperative components therealong defining position-enforcing structure effective to establish such predetermined orientation of said connector members when said faces are brought into mating juxtaposition, fastener means for securing said connector members to each other, at least one of said connector members being provided along an outer surface thereof with a channel, and a shear ring adapted to seat within said channel, said shear ring being sufficiently wide to seat within the channels of two connectors juxtaposed in side-by-side relation so as to transfer shear forces therebetween.

Claim 3

The connector of claim 1 in which said fastener means includes a pair of openings respectively provided by said connector members and alignable when said connector members are in mating juxtaposition, and further includes a fastener element extendable through said openings and operative to clamp the connector members to each other, said channel being an enlargement about one of said openings.

Claim 4

The connector of claim 2 in which one of said connector members is a joist-connector equipped with means for having two floor joists or the like attached thereto at a relative angular orientation of about 90*, and in which the other of said connector members is a column-connector equipped with means adapted to have a column or the like attached thereto at a generally normal disposition relative to the plane defined by such floor joists when said connector members are so secured to each other, said channel being provided in said column-connector member.

Claim 5

The connector of claim 3 in which said mating faces have complementary inclines therealong and said recess is open along one edge thereof slidably receive said tongue therein.

Claim 6

The connector of claim 4 in which each of said connector members terminates adjacent the widest dimension thereof along its inclined face in an abutment wall adapted to extend over the adjacent edge of the other connector member when said connector members are secured to each other, the composite connector defined by said connector members when secured to each other being of substantially uniform length, width and height throughout.

Claim 7

The connector of claim 5 in which said fastener element comprises a threaded shank and nuts receivable thereon, said shear ring having a central opening loosely passing said shank therethrough which is sufficiently long to project through connectors juxtaposed in side-by-side relation.

Claim 8

The connector of claim 1 in which said channel is annular and has a tapered perimetric edge enlarging toward the outer extremity of the associated outer surface, and in which said shear ring has a complementary taper along the outer surface thereof that enlarges toward the center of such surface and decreases in the opposite direction therefrom.

Claim 9

A connector for modular building sections and the like, comprising a pair of connector members adapted to be secured to each other in a predetermined orientation of mating juxtaposition by relative movement in only two permissible directions oriented along axes disposed at substantially 90* even after said connector members are respectively attached to structural components of such sections, said connector members being provided with mating faces having complementary inclines and cooperative components therealong defining position-enforcing structure comprising a recess provided by one of said connector members and being open along one edge and along the associated face and a projecting tongue provided by the other connector member and being seatable within said recess either through said open face or edge, said inclines and tongue and recess having substantially parallel axes extending generally along one of the aforesaid permissible directions and being effective to establish such predetermined orientation of said connector members when said faces are brought into mating juxtaposition, and fastener means for securing said connector members to each other when in such mating juxtaposition.

Claim 10

A connector for modular building sections and the like, comprising a pair of connector members adapted to be secured to each other in a predetermined orientation of mating juxtaposition by relative movement in only two permissible directions oriented along axes disposed at substantially 90* even after said connector members are respectively attached to structural components of such sections, said connector members being provided with mating faces having complementary inclines and cooperative components therealong defining position-enforcing structure comprising a recess provided by one of said connector members and being open along one edge and along the associated face and a projecting tongue provided by the other connector member and being seatable within said recess either through said open face or edge, said inclines and tongue and recess having substantially parallel axes extending generally along one of the aforesaid permissible directions and being effective to establish such predetermined orientation of said connector members when said faces are brought into mating juxtaposition, and fastener means for securing said connector members to each other when in such mating juxtaposition.

Claim 11

The connector of claim 8 in which said fastener means includes a pair of openings respectively provided by said connector members and alignable when said connector members are in mating juxtaposition, and further includes a fastener element extendable through said openings and operative to clamp the connector members to each other.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 8 in which one of said connector members is a joist-connector equipped with means for having two floor joists or the like attached thereto at a relative angular orientation of about 90*, and in which the other of said connector members is a column-connector equipped with means adapted to have a column or the like attached thereto at a generally normal disposition relative to the plane defined by such floor joists when said connector members are so secured to each other.

Claim 13

The connector of claim 10 in which each of said means for attaching said joists and columns to said connector members comprises a relatively flat surface adapted to have such hollow joist or hollow column, as the case may be, welded thereto.

Claim 14

The connector of claim 8 in which each of said connector members terminates adjacent the widest dimension thereof along its inclined face in an abutment wall adapted to extend over the adjacent narrow edge of the other connector member when Said connector members are secured to each other, the composite connector defined by said connector members when secured to each other being of substantially uniform length, width, and height throughout.