Spline and seat connector assemblies

Claim 2

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edgeto-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural elements , at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat members each having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as said central longitudinal plane of said spline member and having an axis sub-stantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.

Claim 3

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said compatible engaging surfaces comprise: rigid tooth-like projections on both said spline member and said seat member side walls.

Claim 4

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the locking surfaces of each of said members extend from the tip of the tooth-like projections inwardly to the respective supporting side walls in a plane disposed at an obtuse angle relative to the direction of insertion of said spline member into said seat member.

Claim 5

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said members has a plurality of parallel tooth-like projections on each side wall, the pitch of the tooth-like projections on one side of said members is an integer multiple of the pitch of corresponding tooth-like projections on the other of said members.

Claim 6

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said spline member has a generally T-shaped cross-sectional configuration on each end.

Claim 7

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said spline member has an H-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 8

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said spline member has an elongated C-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 9

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said spline member has a closed peripheral wall.

Claim 10

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said seat member has an arcuate end wall.

Claim 11

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, comprising a plurality of tooth-like projections on each side wall, the pitch of the tooth-like projections on the spline member being integer multiple greater than the pitch of the projections on the seat member to thereby cause the spline member to ratchet into position in said seat member.

Claim 12

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, comprising a plurality of tooth-like projections on each side wall, the pitch of the tooth-like projections on the spline member being integer multiple greater than the pitch of the projections on the seat member to thereby cause the spline member to ratchet into position in said seat member.

Claim 13

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and an S-shaped cross-sectional configuration with a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of said spline member passing through the axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat mEmber side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.

Claim 14

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and an S-shaped cross-sectional configuration with a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of said spline member passing through the axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat mEmber side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.

Claim 15

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, comprising rigid, tooth-like projections on both said spline member and said seat member side walls, and said seat member contains double side walls, one being an inner wall and the other eing an outer body wall, separated by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction parallel to said central plane whereby the tooth-like projections on the spline member snap into locking position upon insertion of said spline member into said seat member, to pull the spline joint more tightly together.

Claim 16

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, comprising rigid, tooth-like projections on both said spline member and said seat member side walls, and said seat member contains double side walls, one being an inner wall and the other eing an outer body wall, separated by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction parallel to said central plane whereby the tooth-like projections on the spline member snap into locking position upon insertion of said spline member into said seat member, to pull the spline joint more tightly together.

Claim 17

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, and the seat member contains double side walls, an inner wall and an outer wall and an outer body wall supported by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal plane.

Claim 18

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, and the seat member contains double side walls, an inner wall and an outer wall and an outer body wall supported by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal plane.

Claim 19

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, comprising rigid, tooth-like projections on both said spline member and said seat member side walls, said seat member being provided with an intermediate insert between the spline member side wall and the seat member side wall, said insert having directional teeth cooperating with said spline member teeth and more sharply angled serrations cooperating with the seat member wall in such a way as to wedge the insert against the spline member and hold the spline member more tightly upon attempted removal of the spline member.

Claim 20

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member of an extrudable material serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said at least one connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member of an extrudable material serving as an edge frame in each of said structural elements, said seat member having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the engaging portions of said spline member and having an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous spline member recess, an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined, comprising rigid, tooth-like projections on both said spline member and said seat member side walls, said seat member being provided with an intermediate insert between the spline member side wall and the seat member side wall, said insert having directional teeth cooperating with said spline member teeth and more sharply angled serrations cooperating with the seat member wall in such a way as to wedge the insert against the spline member and hold the spline member more tightly upon attempted removal of the spline member.

Claim 21

A spline and seat connector assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said insert is hinged as a flap on said seat member to protect the seat member prior to insertion of the spline member and to fold down into the seat member into abutting relationship between said spline member side wall and said seat member side wall.

Claim 22

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structUral elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending spline member having an S-shaped cross-sectional configuration and including side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member and a central leg joining said side walls; two opposed seat members each having longitudinally extending generally aligned recesses having spaced side walls therein for the reception of said spline member, said recesses each being provided with laterally offset grooves which extend the length of said recess; and said spline side walls having outwardly inclined locking ends for cooperation with said seat member grooves and crossing a gap between said two seat members at two positions along opposite sides of the recess and also at a third position intermediate said sides of the recess to thereby place said central leg in compression during an attempted separation of said seat members.

Claim 23

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structUral elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending spline member having an S-shaped cross-sectional configuration and including side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member and a central leg joining said side walls; two opposed seat members each having longitudinally extending generally aligned recesses having spaced side walls therein for the reception of said spline member, said recesses each being provided with laterally offset grooves which extend the length of said recess; and said spline side walls having outwardly inclined locking ends for cooperation with said seat member grooves and crossing a gap between said two seat members at two positions along opposite sides of the recess and also at a third position intermediate said sides of the recess to thereby place said central leg in compression during an attempted separation of said seat members.

Claim 24

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinally extending seat members serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural elements, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coincident with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surface of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudinal plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into the desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members.

Claim 25

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinally extending seat members serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural elements, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coincident with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surface of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudinal plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into the desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members.

Claim 26

The joint as defined in claim 17 wherein said spline member has an H-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 27

The joint as defined in claim 17 wherein said spline member has an elongated C-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 28

The joint as defined in claim 17 wherein said spline member has a generally T-shaped cross-sectional configuration on each end.

Claim 29

The joint as defined in claim 17 wherein said spline member has a closed peripheral wall.

Claim 30

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinally extending seat members serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coincident with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surface of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudainl plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into the desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members, and said seat member contains double side walls, one being an inner wall and the other being an outer body wall, separated by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction parallel to said central plane and the tooth-like projections on said spline member snap into locking position upon insertion of said spline member into said seat member to pull the spline joint more tightly together.

Claim 31

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinally extending seat members serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coincident with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surface of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudainl plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into the desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members, and said seat member contains double side walls, one being an inner wall and the other being an outer body wall, separated by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction parallel to said central plane and the tooth-like projections on said spline member snap into locking position upon insertion of said spline member into said seat member to pull the spline joint more tightly together.

Claim 32

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinally extending seat member serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline members having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a paiR of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coincident with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surface of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudinal plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into he desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members, and said seat member contains double side walls, an inner wall and an outer body wall, separated by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal plane.

Claim 33

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinally extending seat member serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline members having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a paiR of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coincident with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defining a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surface of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudinal plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into he desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members, and said seat member contains double side walls, an inner wall and an outer body wall, separated by a void allowing deflection of the exposed inner side wall relative to the body wall of the seat member in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal plane.

Claim 34

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinaly extending seat members serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coindicent with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defininG a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surfce of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudinal plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into the desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members, and said seat member is provided with an intermediate insert between the spline member side wall and the seat member side wall, said insert having directional teeeth cooperating with said spline member teeth and more sharply angled serrations cooperating with the seat member wall in such a way as to wedge the insert against the spline member and hold the spline member more tightly upon attempted removal of the spline member.

Claim 35

An architectural joint including a spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship, said joint being composed of a longitudinally extending, continuous spline member and a pair of opposed matching continuous grooves in longitudinaly extending seat members serving as edge frames for said structural elements, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding said structural elements together, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane of the spline member passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, said side walls having outwardly facing surfaces containing longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projections thereon with outwardly locking surfaces and wherein each tip of said tooth-like projections lies coindicent with an imaginary line extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said spline member and said spline member has a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction toward said longitudinal plane; each of said seat members having a longitudinal axis lying in the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of the spline member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, and comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and defininG a continuous groove serving as a spline member recess having a length several times greater than any of its lateral dimensions, said side walls having inwardly facing surfaces provided with at least one longitudinally extending, rigid, tooth-like projection having a locking surface engaging a corresponding locking surfce of said spline member, said seat member side walls being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the distance between said spline member side walls and an end wall connecting said seat member side walls, said seat member side walls being resiliently displaceable in a direction away from said longitudinal plane; and said assembly being characterized by said spline and seat members having combined sufficient resilient displacements of their respective side walls to enable insertion of the spline member into the desired locking engagement position in the seat member by movement of said spline member relative to said seat member parallel to said longitudinal plane in a direction normal to said longitudinal axes without permanent deformation of either said spline or seat members, and said seat member is provided with an intermediate insert between the spline member side wall and the seat member side wall, said insert having directional teeeth cooperating with said spline member teeth and more sharply angled serrations cooperating with the seat member wall in such a way as to wedge the insert against the spline member and hold the spline member more tightly upon attempted removal of the spline member.

Claim 36

The joint as defined in claim 24 wherein said insert is hinged as a flap on said seat member to protect the seat member prior to insertion of the spline member and to fold down into the seat member into abutting relationship between said spline member side wall and said seat member side wall.

Claim 37

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending continuous spline member serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding one of said structural elements in its deisred position, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural element , at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said connector wall being resilinetly displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member in an edge frame of said one structural element and having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of said spline member and being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, said seat member comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and an end wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resilinelty displaceable whereby said side walls may by resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat member being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicual to the axes of saId spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.

Claim 38

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending continuous spline member serving as a load-carrying member for aligning and holding one of said structural elements in its deisred position, said spline member having a longitudinally extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural element , at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said connector wall being resilinetly displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; a longitudinally extending seat member in an edge frame of said one structural element and having a longitudinal axis lying in approximately the same longitudinal plane as the central longitudinal plane of said spline member and being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spline member, said seat member comprising a pair of side walls on opposite sides of said longitudinal plane and an end wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said seat member side walls and said end wall being resilinelty displaceable whereby said side walls may by resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat member being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicual to the axes of saId spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.

Claim 39

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending continuous spline member serving as a load-carrying member for alinging and holding one of said structural elements in its desired position, said spline member having a longitudinallY extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural elements, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.

Claim 40

A spline and seat connector assembly arranged to join structural elements of a building structure together in an edge-to-edge relationship comprising: a longitudinally extending continuous spline member serving as a load-carrying member for alinging and holding one of said structural elements in its desired position, said spline member having a longitudinallY extending axis and a pair of side walls on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said spline member and parallel to a central plane of the joined structural elements, at least one connector wall connecting said side walls, the combination of said side walls and said connector wall being resiliently displaceable whereby said side walls may be resiliently deflected toward or away from said longitudinal plane; said spline and seat members being joinable by their relative movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axes of said spline and seat members, and said spline side walls and said seat side walls having compatible engaging surfaces which coact to prevent separation once said spline member and said seat member are joined.