US3863769A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Structural members for providing releasable connections and structures incorporating the members
Assignee: JCN Wire Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1972-12-04
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Granted: 1975-02-04
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Expires: 1992-12-04
Abstract
Abstract A construction for connecting together tubular members, particularly tubular members employed in the construction of garment racks. One end of one of the members is formed to provide a pair of spaced-apart cylindrical stiffening portions, parallel to, and symmetrical about, the longitudinal axis of the member and joined together by a web. A corresponding slot is formed in the other member to receive this portion. The edge of the slot cooperates with a portion of the other member adjacent the connecting portion to frictionally hold the members together. In accordance with a further feature, the first and second members are factory preassembled. In order to insure that the parts do not come apart during shipping, the stiffening portions at the bottom are expanded by force after insertion of the first member into the slot so that they are larger than the slot to thereby prevent the first member from becoming detached from the second.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman H Goddard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:11
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47F; A47F5/00; A47F5/10; A47F5/13; F; F16; F16B; F16B7/00; F16B7/04; F16B7/044; F16B7/048; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/70; Y10T403/7001; Y10T403/7003; Y10T403/7098
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A pair of elongated structural members adapted to be connected together, one of said members having a main tubular section and a connecting section at one end of the tubular section, the connecting section being integral with and forming a deformed extension of said main tubular section, the connecting section having a pair of spaced apart, elongated portions and a web section joining the elongated portions, said web being formed integrally with said elongated portions and comprising a pair of adjacent wall sections, extensions of said wall sections forming a merging section flaring outwardly from the connecting section to the main tubular section and being joined integrally with said main tubular section, the elongated portions extending substantially parallel to, and substantially symmetrically about, the longitudinal axis of the one member, the other member having aperture means for receiving the connecting section of the first member, the shape and size of said aperture conforming substantially with the cross-sectional shape and size of the connecting section, whereby, when the connecting section of said first member is inserted in the aperture of said second member and forced in the direction of said second member, the first member will be releasably held in said second member by frictional engagement between edges of said aperture and said merging section of said web.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A pair of elongated structural members adapted to be connected together, one of said members having a main tubular section and a connecting section at one end of the tubular section, the connecting section being integral with and forming a deformed extension of said main tubular section, the connecting section having a pair of spaced apart, elongated portions and a web section joining the elongated portions, said web being formed integrally with said elongated portions and comprising a pair of adjacent wall sections, extensions of said wall sections forming a merging section flaring outwardly from the connecting section to the main tubular section and being joined integrally with said main tubular section, the elongated portions extending substantially parallel to, and substantially symmetrically about, the longitudinal axis of the one member, the other member having aperture means for receiving the connecting section of the first member, the shape and size of said aperture conforming substantially with the cross-sectional shape and size of the connecting section, whereby, when the connecting section of said first member is inserted in the aperture of said second member and forced in the direction of said second member, the first member will be releasably held in said second member by frictional engagement between edges of said aperture and said merging section of said web.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular section and the elongated portions are cylindrical in shape, and the diameter of the elongated portions is less than the diameter of the tubular section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A pair of members as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second member is tubular and the aperture means is provided in diametrically opposed wall portions of the second member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
A pair of elongated structural members as defined in claim 3 wherein said elongated portions are inserted in said aperture means through one of said wall portions and wherein said elongated portions extend past the second wall portion to provide a preassembled unit; the part of the elongated portions extending past the second wall portion being made larger than the aperture in the second wall portion; whereby the elongated portions are held in said aperture means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A pair of elongated structural members as defined in claim 4 wherein the elongated portions extending past the second wall portion are flare-shaped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
252 words
A garment rack including a pair of leg members, a pair of vertical posts and a top cross-piece, the upper ends of the posts joined by the cross-piece, the lower end of each post releasably connected to a respective leg member, each post having a main tubular section, the lower end of each post having a connecting section joined to the tubular section by a merging section, the connecting section being integral with and forming a Deformed extension of said main tubular section, the connecting section having a pair of spaced apart, elongated portions extending substantially parallel to, and substantially symmetrically about, the longitudinal axis of the post, and a web section joining the elongated portions, said web being formed integrally with said elongated portions and comprising a pair of adjacent wall sections, said wall sections forming a merging section by flaring outwardly from the connecting section to the main tubular section and being joined integrally with said main tubular section at the upward end of said merging section, the leg members having aperture means for receiving the connecting portions of the posts, the shape and size of said aperture conforming substantially with the cross-sectional shape and size of the connecting section, whereby, when the connecting section of said first member is inserted in the aperture of said second member and forced in the direction of said second member, the first member will be releasably held in said second member by frictional engagement between endges of said aperture and said merging section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
252 words
A garment rack including a pair of leg members, a pair of vertical posts and a top cross-piece, the upper ends of the posts joined by the cross-piece, the lower end of each post releasably connected to a respective leg member, each post having a main tubular section, the lower end of each post having a connecting section joined to the tubular section by a merging section, the connecting section being integral with and forming a Deformed extension of said main tubular section, the connecting section having a pair of spaced apart, elongated portions extending substantially parallel to, and substantially symmetrically about, the longitudinal axis of the post, and a web section joining the elongated portions, said web being formed integrally with said elongated portions and comprising a pair of adjacent wall sections, said wall sections forming a merging section by flaring outwardly from the connecting section to the main tubular section and being joined integrally with said main tubular section at the upward end of said merging section, the leg members having aperture means for receiving the connecting portions of the posts, the shape and size of said aperture conforming substantially with the cross-sectional shape and size of the connecting section, whereby, when the connecting section of said first member is inserted in the aperture of said second member and forced in the direction of said second member, the first member will be releasably held in said second member by frictional engagement between endges of said aperture and said merging section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A garment rack as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tubular section and the elongated portions of the post are cylindrical, and the diameter of the elongated portions is less than the diameter of the tubular section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A garment rack as claimed in claim 7, wherein each leg member is cylindrical and the aperture means is provided in diametrically opposed wall portions thereof.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-03 | 1978-08-05 | 1979-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-03 | 1982-08-05 | 1983-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-03 | 1986-08-05 | 1987-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |