Means for connecting structural members together

Claim 2

Means for attaching to edges of panel members and the like comprising an elongated member having integral first and second wall portions substantially at right angles to each other, an elongated flange having first and second side edges, said first side edge being connected integrally to the first wall portion at a location thereon spaced from the second wall portion, said flange having a channel shaped cross-section that extends outwardly from said first side edge and from the first wall portion to which it is connected curving back to the second side edge, said second side edge being a free side edge positioned adjacent to said second wall portion, said flange and the portions of the integral first and second wall portions that extend between the connected and the free edges thereof enclosing an elongated space, the second wall portion adjacent to the free side edge of said flange and the adjacent portion of said flange together defining a groove for receiving an edge of a panel member which can be pressed therein to separate the free edge of the flange from the adjacent second wall portion to admit the panel therebetween, said elongated member and said flange being constructed as an integral member of a material capable of yielding to admit and grip the panel, the channel cross-sectional shape of said flange increasing its ability to bend away from the second wall portion to admit the panel member.

Claim 3

The edging strip defined in claim 1 including at least one opening formed through the said flange, said opening being located in the flange to facilitate filling of the elongated space defined therein when a filler material is introduced adjacent thereto.

Claim 4

The means defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated wall member has spaced opposite side edges each defined by similar integral first and second wall portions and a similar flange integrally connected respectively to each of the first wall portions and extending therefrom to opposite free side edges adjacent to the associated second wall portions to define closed spaces extending along and adjacent to each opposite side edge of tHe elongated wall member.

Claim 5

The means defined in claim 3 wherein said similar first wall portions are coplanar, and means including other wall portions integrally connecting said similar first wall portions in spaced relation.

Claim 6

An edging strip formed of relatively stiff but resilient plastic, said strip being constructed to be engaged with the edge portion of a panel member and comprising an extruded one-piece elongated member having a free edge, an integral first flange connected thereto and extending the length thereof, said member and said first flange being angularly related to each other at about a right angle, and a second flange of channel shaped cross-section having a first side edge integral with the said member at a location thereon spaced from and parallel to the first flange, said second channel shaped flange having connected angularly related portions one of which terminates at a free side edge positioned adjacent to and extending along the first flange at an intermediate location thereon spaced from the said member, the said second flange defining with the said member and with the adjacent portion of said first flange an elongated space which extends substantially the length of the edging strip, the channel shape of said second flange facilitating movement of the free side edge relative to said first flange when moving the edge portion of a panel member therebetween.

Claim 7

An edging strip formed of relatively stiff but resilient plastic, said strip being constructed to be engaged with the edge portion of a panel member and comprising an extruded one-piece elongated member having a free edge, an integral first flange connected thereto and extending the length thereof, said member and said first flange being angularly related to each other at about a right angle, and a second flange of channel shaped cross-section having a first side edge integral with the said member at a location thereon spaced from and parallel to the first flange, said second channel shaped flange having connected angularly related portions one of which terminates at a free side edge positioned adjacent to and extending along the first flange at an intermediate location thereon spaced from the said member, the said second flange defining with the said member and with the adjacent portion of said first flange an elongated space which extends substantially the length of the edging strip, the channel shape of said second flange facilitating movement of the free side edge relative to said first flange when moving the edge portion of a panel member therebetween.

Claim 8

The edging strip defined in claim 5 wherein said first and second flanges cooperate to form an exposed substantially V-shaped trough which extends the length thereof.

Claim 9

The edging strip defined in claim 5 wherein said member has spaced side edges each of which has a similar right angle first flange connected thereto and a similar integral second flange associated with each of said first flanges.

Claim 10

The edging strip defined in claim 5 wherein the elongated member is extruded from a relatively stiff but bendable plastic substance.

Claim 11

The edging strip defined in claim 5 wherein said second flange has at least one hole formed therethrough communicating the elongated space defined thereby with the space outside of the said second flange.

Claim 12

The edging strip defined in claim 5 wherein said second flange has a plurality of spaced openings formed therethrough communicating the elongated space defined thereby with the space outside of the said second flange.

Claim 13

An edging strip for around panel sections such as around the edges of panel sections which are to be filled with a filler material introduced under pressure, each panel section including spaced wall portions, said edging strip cooperating with edges of the spaced wall portions to enclose a space therebetween, said edging strip comprising a one-piece elongated extruded member including substantially coplanar wall portions extending outwardly to opposite free edges, an integral first flange connected respectively to each of the said opposite free edges of said coplanar wall portions and extending therefrom at substantially right angles to the plane of said wall portions, and a second flange of generally hook shaped cross-section formed integral with each of said spaced coplanar wall portions at a location thereon spaced inwardly from the said associated first flanges, said hook shaped second flanges having spaced side edges one of which is connected to the associated coplanar wall portion and the other of which extends to adjacent the associated first flange at a location spaced from the said associated wall portions, said first and second flanges and the wall portions therebetween defining substantially closed spaces extending along and adjacent to the opposite free edges of the coplanar wall portions, said first and second flanges being constructed of relatively stiff but resilient material so that they can be forced apart to admit the edge of a wall portion therebetween, the hook shape of the second flanges increasing the ability of said second flanges to bend to admit the edge of the said wall portion.

Claim 14

An edging strip for around panel sections such as around the edges of panel sections which are to be filled with a filler material introduced under pressure, each panel section including spaced wall portions, said edging strip cooperating with edges of the spaced wall portions to enclose a space therebetween, said edging strip comprising a one-piece elongated extruded member including substantially coplanar wall portions extending outwardly to opposite free edges, an integral first flange connected respectively to each of the said opposite free edges of said coplanar wall portions and extending therefrom at substantially right angles to the plane of said wall portions, and a second flange of generally hook shaped cross-section formed integral with each of said spaced coplanar wall portions at a location thereon spaced inwardly from the said associated first flanges, said hook shaped second flanges having spaced side edges one of which is connected to the associated coplanar wall portion and the other of which extends to adjacent the associated first flange at a location spaced from the said associated wall portions, said first and second flanges and the wall portions therebetween defining substantially closed spaces extending along and adjacent to the opposite free edges of the coplanar wall portions, said first and second flanges being constructed of relatively stiff but resilient material so that they can be forced apart to admit the edge of a wall portion therebetween, the hook shape of the second flanges increasing the ability of said second flanges to bend to admit the edge of the said wall portion.

Claim 15

The edging strip defined in claim 11 wherein each of said second flanges has at least one opening therethrough in communication with the substantially closed space partly defined thereby.

Claim 16

The edging strip defined in claim 11 wherein each of said second flanges has a plurality of spaced openings therealong each communicating with the associated substantially closed space partly defined thereby.

Claim 17

The edging strip defined in claim 11 wherein the said first flanges are angularly related to the coplanar wall portion at slightly less than a right angle.

Claim 18

The edging strip defined in claim 11 constructed of extruded acrylic butyral sterate plastic.

Claim 19

An edging piece for connecting to edges of panel members comprising an elongated wall member having spaced side edges, means adjacent at least one of said side edges for engaging an edge portion on a panel member, said means including a first elongated flange formed integrally with the said one side edge and extending therefrom at an angle of about 90* relative to the plane of said wall member, and a second elongated flange attached to the wall member at a location spaced from the said one flange, said second flange extending parallel to the first flange and defined by spaced connected flange wall portions which partially enclose an elongated space therebetween, one of said spaced flange wall portions having a side edge formed integral with the elongated wall member, the other flange wall portion having a free edge positioned adjacent to an intermediate location on the first flange, said first and second flanges and the portion of the said wall member extending therebetween defining a substantially closed space along the length of the edging piece, said edging piece being constructed of a relatively stiff but resilient plastic substance, and the shape of said second flange facilitating movement of the free edge thereof relative to the first flange to resiliently engage the edge of a panel member inserted therebetween.

Claim 20

An edging piece for connecting to edges of panel members comprising an elongated wall member having spaced side edges, means adjacent at least one of said side edges for engaging an edge portion on a panel member, said means including a first elongated flange formed integrally with the said one side edge and extending therefrom at an angle of about 90* relative to the plane of said wall member, and a second elongated flange attached to the wall member at a location spaced from the said one flange, said second flange extending parallel to the first flange and defined by spaced connected flange wall portions which partially enclose an elongated space therebetween, one of said spaced flange wall portions having a side edge formed integral with the elongated wall member, the other flange wall portion having a free edge positioned adjacent to an intermediate location on the first flange, said first and second flanges and the portion of the said wall member extending therebetween defining a substantially closed space along the length of the edging piece, said edging piece being constructed of a relatively stiff but resilient plastic substance, and the shape of said second flange facilitating movement of the free edge thereof relative to the first flange to resiliently engage the edge of a panel member inserted therebetween.

Claim 21

The edging piece defined in claim 16 including at least one opening formed through the second flange communicating the elongated space defined thereby with the space outside of the said second flange.

Claim 22

A one-piece elongated strip formed of an extruded plastic material characterized by being relatively stiff but resilient, said strip having an edge portion for engagement with an edge portion of a panel member to be connected to the strip during the construction of an enclosure to be substantially filled and united with a substance to be introduced therein under pressure, said strip comprising a first elongated portion including the edge portion for engagement with the panel edge portion to be joined thereto, a channel shaped flange having spaced first and second side edge portions, said first flange side edge portion being connected integrally with the said edge portion and extending along the length thereof, the second channel edge portion being free and positioned extending along and adjacent to said strip at a location thereon spaced from the first channel edge portion whereby said flange and the adjacent portion of the strip define an enclosed space and an exposed groove along the length of the channel shaped flange and the adjacent edge portion of the strip into which the edge portion of the panel can be inserted, the channel shape of said flange enabling said flange to flex to admit the said panel edge portion and to thereafter resiliently engage and hold the inserted panel edge portion in its inserted condition, and at least one opening through said flange through which a filler substance introduced into the enclosure partly formed by said elongated strip can move to enter and fill the said enclosed space.

Claim 23

A one-piece elongated strip formed of an extruded plastic material characterized by being relatively stiff but resilient, said strip having an edge portion for engagement with an edge portion of a panel member to be connected to the strip during the construction of an enclosure to be substantially filled and united with a substance to be introduced therein under pressure, said strip comprising a first elongated portion including the edge portion for engagement with the panel edge portion to be joined thereto, a channel shaped flange having spaced first and second side edge portions, said first flange side edge portion being connected integrally with the said edge portion and extending along the length thereof, the second channel edge portion being free and positioned extending along and adjacent to said strip at a location thereon spaced from the first channel edge portion whereby said flange and the adjacent portion of the strip define an enclosed space and an exposed groove along the length of the channel shaped flange and the adjacent edge portion of the strip into which the edge portion of the panel can be inserted, the channel shape of said flange enabling said flange to flex to admit the said panel edge portion and to thereafter resiliently engage and hold the inserted panel edge portion in its inserted condition, and at least one opening through said flange through which a filler substance introduced into the enclosure partly formed by said elongated strip can move to enter and fill the said enclosed space.