Paper board connecting method

Claim 1

The method of connecting a pair of sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, partially perforating a unitary flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, said partial perforating step comprising cutting a plurality of planar tab areas into said element while leaving, for each tab area, an uncut portion defining a hinge line about which said tab area may be bent, said hinge lines being angularly disposed relative to one another whereby said tab area, when deflected, extend from said joinder element in planes disposed at a plurality of different angles to one another, placing said partially perforated joinder element with sapced portions thereof being in surface engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said joinder element being positioned in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheets and with the tab areas of said joinder element overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations In said sheet surfaces to join each of said sheets to said joinder element thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 2

The method of connecting a pair of sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, partially perforating a unitary flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, said partial perforating step comprising cutting a plurality of planar tab areas into said element while leaving, for each tab area, an uncut portion defining a hinge line about which said tab area may be bent, said hinge lines being angularly disposed relative to one another whereby said tab area, when deflected, extend from said joinder element in planes disposed at a plurality of different angles to one another, placing said partially perforated joinder element with sapced portions thereof being in surface engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said joinder element being positioned in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheets and with the tab areas of said joinder element overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations In said sheet surfaces to join each of said sheets to said joinder element thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 9

The method of forming a structural element comprising the steps of perforating a pair of panels, said panel perforating step forming a pattern of spaced perforations in each panel comprising plural perforations disposed in each of a plurality of rows in each panel, positioning said perforated panels at an angle to one another with an edge of each panel being disposed closely adjacent an edge of the other panel whereby said pair of panels extend at an angle to one another from a common line, partially perforating a flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein delfectable out of the plane of said joinder element with said tab areas being spaced from one another in patterns which correspond to the pattern of perforations in each of said panels, bending said joinder element about a line to form two joinder element sections which are disposed at an angle to one another with each said section containing one of said patterns of tab areas, positioning said joinder element with its bending line disposed along said common panel line and with said two joinder element sections in surface engagement with said pair of panels respectively to place said tab areas in overlying relation to perforations in a plurality of rows in each of said panels, and thereafter applying a force to said tab areas to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element toward and into the underlying perforations in each of said panels thereby to affix said joinder element to each of said panels.

Claim 10

The method of forming a structural element comprising the steps of perforating a pair of panels, said panel perforating step forming a pattern of spaced perforations in each panel comprising plural perforations disposed in each of a plurality of rows in each panel, positioning said perforated panels at an angle to one another with an edge of each panel being disposed closely adjacent an edge of the other panel whereby said pair of panels extend at an angle to one another from a common line, partially perforating a flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein delfectable out of the plane of said joinder element with said tab areas being spaced from one another in patterns which correspond to the pattern of perforations in each of said panels, bending said joinder element about a line to form two joinder element sections which are disposed at an angle to one another with each said section containing one of said patterns of tab areas, positioning said joinder element with its bending line disposed along said common panel line and with said two joinder element sections in surface engagement with said pair of panels respectively to place said tab areas in overlying relation to perforations in a plurality of rows in each of said panels, and thereafter applying a force to said tab areas to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element toward and into the underlying perforations in each of said panels thereby to affix said joinder element to each of said panels.

Claim 11

The method of connecting a pair of flat sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, said positioning step comprising placing said flat sheets at an angle of one another to form a corner configuration, partially perforating a unitary flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, placing said partially perforated joinder element with spaced portions thereof being in surfAce engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said joinder element being positioned in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheet and with the tab areas of said joinder element overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, said flat joinder element being bent along a line extending parallel to the facing edges of said sheets so that said spaced portions of said joinder element are at an angle to one another corresponding to the angle between said flat sheets, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations in said sheet surfaces to join each of said sheets to said joinder element thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 12

The method of connecting a pair of flat sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, said positioning step comprising placing said flat sheets at an angle of one another to form a corner configuration, partially perforating a unitary flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, placing said partially perforated joinder element with spaced portions thereof being in surfAce engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said joinder element being positioned in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheet and with the tab areas of said joinder element overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, said flat joinder element being bent along a line extending parallel to the facing edges of said sheets so that said spaced portions of said joinder element are at an angle to one another corresponding to the angle between said flat sheets, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations in said sheet surfaces to join each of said sheets to said joinder element thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 13

The method of connecting a pair of sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, partially perforating an elongated tape to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said tape, placing said partially perforated tape with spaced portions thereof being in surface engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said tape being positioned in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheets and with the tab areas of said tape overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said tape and into perforations in said sheet surface to join each of said sheets to said tape thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said tape.

Claim 14

The method of connecting a pair of sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, partially perforating an elongated tape to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said tape, placing said partially perforated tape with spaced portions thereof being in surface engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said tape being positioned in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheets and with the tab areas of said tape overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said tape and into perforations in said sheet surface to join each of said sheets to said tape thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said tape.

Claim 15

The method of connecting a pair of boards, each of which has a pair of opposed panels held in fixedly spaced relation to one another by an intervening structure, and each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one of its panels, comprising the steps of positioning said boards in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each board being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other board, at least one of the panels in one of said boards being formed to extend beyond a boundary edge of said board and being positioned in overlapping relation to a perforated one of the panels in the other of said boards to provide a unitary flat joinder element, partially perforating said joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, placing said partially perforated joinder element in surface engagement with a perforated panel of the other of said boards and with the tab areas of said joinder element overlyng the perforations in said perforated panel, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations in said perforated panel to join the other of said boards to said joinder element thereby to connect said boards to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 16

The method of connecting a pair of boards, each of which has a pair of opposed panels held in fixedly spaced relation to one another by an intervening structure, and each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one of its panels, comprising the steps of positioning said boards in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each board being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other board, at least one of the panels in one of said boards being formed to extend beyond a boundary edge of said board and being positioned in overlapping relation to a perforated one of the panels in the other of said boards to provide a unitary flat joinder element, partially perforating said joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, placing said partially perforated joinder element in surface engagement with a perforated panel of the other of said boards and with the tab areas of said joinder element overlyng the perforations in said perforated panel, and applying a force to each tab area to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations in said perforated panel to join the other of said boards to said joinder element thereby to connect said boards to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 17

The method of connecting a pair of sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, partially perforating a unitary flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, placing said partially perforated joinder element with spaced portions thereof being in surface engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said joinder element being positioning in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheets and with tab areas of said joinder element overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, and applying air Under pressure to each of said tab areas to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations in said sheet surfaces to join each of said sheets to said joinder element thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said joinder element.

Claim 18

The method of connecting a pair of sheets, each of which has a plurality of perforations in at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of positioning said sheets in side-by-side relationship to one another with an edge of each sheet being disposed in facing relationship to an edge of the other sheet, partially perforating a unitary flat joinder element to define a plurality of tab areas therein deflectable out of the plane of said joinder element, placing said partially perforated joinder element with spaced portions thereof being in surface engagement with the perforated surfaces of both of said sheets respectively, said joinder element being positioning in overlying relationship to the facing edges of said sheets and with tab areas of said joinder element overlying perforations in each of said perforated sheet surfaces, and applying air Under pressure to each of said tab areas to deflect said tab areas out of the plane of said joinder element and into perforations in said sheet surfaces to join each of said sheets to said joinder element thereby to connect said sheets to one another via said joinder element.