Frame and cleat joint connector for ducts

Claim 2

A connector joint for joining abutting sections of sheet metal ducts, comprising in combination, a frame adapted to internally support the abutting ducts in juxtaposed relation and having a portion extending outwardly between the ducts, external cleat members engaging said outwardly extending frame portions and the ducts to clamp the ducts tightly to said frame whereby said ducts are securely joined together, and external end caps enclosing corners formed by said cleats and frame, said external end caps including fitting means for use in the application of sealing mastic internally of said end caps and cleat members for sealing the connector joint.

Claim 3

For use in forming a connector joint structure for joining two sheet metal duct sections, wherein the joint structure includes an internal frame and external cleat means, a frame material comprising an elongate T-shaped member defining a crosspiece and a leg, said member being adapted to be positioned between the duct lengths to be joined with said cross piEce positioned against the internal peripheral surface of the ducts and said leg extending outwardly between said ducts, and flange means extending along the external edge of said leg for cooperative engagement with the cleat means to clamp the ducts securely between the frame and cleat means, said flange means comprising panels along the external edge of the leg and extending toward the cross piece at an acute included angle with respect to the leg, said panels being relatively narrow with respect to the crosspiece, main panels extending outwardly along each side of the external edge of the leg substantially parallel to the cross piece, depending edge panels on the longitudinal edge of each main panel extending towards the crosspiece, and inturned concave panels on said depending panels defining generally cylindrical cleat-receiving channels opposed to the crosspiece on each side of the leg.

Claim 4

For use in forming a connector joint structure for joining two sheet metal duct sections, wherein the joint structure includes an internal frame and external cleat means, a frame material comprising an elongate T-shaped member defining a crosspiece and a leg, said member being adapted to be positioned between the duct lengths to be joined with said cross piEce positioned against the internal peripheral surface of the ducts and said leg extending outwardly between said ducts, and flange means extending along the external edge of said leg for cooperative engagement with the cleat means to clamp the ducts securely between the frame and cleat means, said flange means comprising panels along the external edge of the leg and extending toward the cross piece at an acute included angle with respect to the leg, said panels being relatively narrow with respect to the crosspiece, main panels extending outwardly along each side of the external edge of the leg substantially parallel to the cross piece, depending edge panels on the longitudinal edge of each main panel extending towards the crosspiece, and inturned concave panels on said depending panels defining generally cylindrical cleat-receiving channels opposed to the crosspiece on each side of the leg.

Claim 5

External cleat means for use in forming a connector joint structure for joining two sheet metal duct sections, wherein said joint structure includes an internal frame and said external cleat means, and the internal frame comprises members generally T-shaped in cross section having a crosspiece and a leg with the crosspiece adapted to be positioned against the internal peripheral surfaces of the ducts with the leg extending outwardly between the ducts and having flange means on the outer edge thereof comprising relatively narrow flange panels extending towards the crosspiece at an acute included angle with respect to the leg, said external cleat means comprising a channel having a cross-panel and two opposed depending leg panels, inturned edge panels extending along fold line edges of said depending leg panels, said inturned edge panels extending inwardly into said channel at an acute included angle with respect to said leg panels, the edges of said inturned panels being spaced from each other and adapted to engage the frame flanges when said cleat means are mounted on the ducts with said fold line edges in engagement with the external peripheral surface of the ducts whereby the ducts are tightly clamped between the internal frame and said external cleat means.

Claim 6

External cleat means for use in forming a connector joint structure for joining two sheet metal duct sections, wherein said joint structure includes an internal frame and said external cleat means, and the internal frame comprises members generally T-shaped in cross section having a crosspiece and a leg with the crosspiece adapted to be positioned against the internal peripheral surfaces of the ducts with the leg extending outwardly between the ducts and having flange means on the outer edge thereof comprising relatively narrow flange panels extending towards the crosspiece at an acute included angle with respect to the leg, said external cleat means comprising a channel having a cross-panel and two opposed depending leg panels, inturned edge panels extending along fold line edges of said depending leg panels, said inturned edge panels extending inwardly into said channel at an acute included angle with respect to said leg panels, the edges of said inturned panels being spaced from each other and adapted to engage the frame flanges when said cleat means are mounted on the ducts with said fold line edges in engagement with the external peripheral surface of the ducts whereby the ducts are tightly clamped between the internal frame and said external cleat means.

Claim 7

A connector joint assembly for joining abutting sections of rectangular sheet metal ducts comprising a one piece rectangular internal frame of sheet metal conformed to the dimensions of said ducts, said internal frame being of a generally T-shaped cross section having a central leg section and crosspiece sections projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said leg section at one end thereof, a pair of outwardly projecting flanges integrally formed at the opposite end of said leg section, said crosspiece sections being engaged with the inner surfaces of the duct sections with said leg section projecting outwardly between the duct sections and said flanges being located in spaced opposed relationship to the exterior surfaces of the duct sections, a sheet metal cleat member of generally U-shaped cross section extending along each exterior side of said ducts engaging the exterior surfaces of said ducts at opposite sides of the outwardly projecting leg section of said internal frame to enclose said leg section with said cleat member, an integral inwardly projecting web on each side of said cleat member clampingly engaged between the exterior surface of the duct and the opposed flange of said internal frame, and channel-shaped end caps at each external corner of said ducts interconnecting adjacent ends of adjacent cleat members to each other to assemble said cleat members into an external frame enclosing the joint between said duct sections.

Claim 8

A connector joint assembly for joining abutting sections of rectangular sheet metal ducts comprising a one piece rectangular internal frame of sheet metal conformed to the dimensions of said ducts, said internal frame being of a generally T-shaped cross section having a central leg section and crosspiece sections projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said leg section at one end thereof, a pair of outwardly projecting flanges integrally formed at the opposite end of said leg section, said crosspiece sections being engaged with the inner surfaces of the duct sections with said leg section projecting outwardly between the duct sections and said flanges being located in spaced opposed relationship to the exterior surfaces of the duct sections, a sheet metal cleat member of generally U-shaped cross section extending along each exterior side of said ducts engaging the exterior surfaces of said ducts at opposite sides of the outwardly projecting leg section of said internal frame to enclose said leg section with said cleat member, an integral inwardly projecting web on each side of said cleat member clampingly engaged between the exterior surface of the duct and the opposed flange of said internal frame, and channel-shaped end caps at each external corner of said ducts interconnecting adjacent ends of adjacent cleat members to each other to assemble said cleat members into an external frame enclosing the joint between said duct sections.