Joint structure

Claim 2

a first tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 3

a first tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 4

a first tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 5

A joint structure for joining furniture parts comprising: a. a pair of lengthwise interengageable elongate elements each adapted to be attached to one of the parts to be joined and each including:

Claim 6

A joint structure for joining furniture parts comprising: a. a pair of lengthwise interengageable elongate elements each adapted to be attached to one of the parts to be joined and each including:

Claim 7

a second tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 8

a second tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 9

a second tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 10

a second tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls,

Claim 11

A joint structure for joining furniture parts as defined in claim 1, in which: b. the plates are identical in configuration, and c. the offset portion is disposed intermediate the ends.

Claim 12

A joint structure for joining furniture parts as defined in claim 2, in which: d. the intermediate offset portion includes transition camming portions at each end extending between the inner sidewall portions defining the relatively wide and relatively narrow tongue portions.

Claim 13

a groove disposed between said first and second tongue said groove having lengthwise extending sidewalls provided by said first and second tongue inner sidewalls said groove of one plate receiving one of the tongues of the other plate, said inner sidewalls including transverse bevel portions overlapping and retaining said received tongue when the elongate plates are In a widthwise reversed, lengthwise coextensive installed condition, and

Claim 14

a groove disposed between said first and second tongue said groove having lengthwise extending sidewalls provided by said first and second tongue inner sidewalls said groove of one plate receiving one of the tongues of the other plate, said inner sidewalls including transverse bevel portions overlapping and retaining said received tongue when the elongate plates are In a widthwise reversed, lengthwise coextensive installed condition, and

Claim 15

a groove disposed between said first and second tongues said groove having lengthwise extending sidewalls provided by said first and second tongue inner sidewalls, said groove of one element receiving one of the tongues of the other element, said inner sidewalls including transverse portions overlapping and retaining said received tongue when the elongate elements are in a widthwise reversed, and lengthwise coextensive, installed condition, and

Claim 16

a groove disposed between said first and second tongues said groove having lengthwise extending sidewalls provided by said first and second tongue inner sidewalls, said groove of one element receiving one of the tongues of the other element, said inner sidewalls including transverse portions overlapping and retaining said received tongue when the elongate elements are in a widthwise reversed, and lengthwise coextensive, installed condition, and

Claim 17

one of said inner sidewalls in each plate including aligned end portions of substantially equal length and a transversely offset intermediate portion having a length greater than said end portions, the offset portion relatively narrowing the received tongue and relatively widening the receiving groove adjacent thereto so that a relatively wide portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively wide portion of said received tongue, and a relatively narrow portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively narrow portion of said received tongue when the plates are disposed in widthwise reversed relation and said elements are lengthwise offset in an incipient installed condition so that the fully installed condition can be achieved from an initially longitudinally overlapped disposition of parts by relative sliding of the plates over a length substantially equal to the length of one of the end portions of said inner sidewall.

Claim 18

one of said inner sidewalls in each plate including aligned end portions of substantially equal length and a transversely offset intermediate portion having a length greater than said end portions, the offset portion relatively narrowing the received tongue and relatively widening the receiving groove adjacent thereto so that a relatively wide portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively wide portion of said received tongue, and a relatively narrow portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively narrow portion of said received tongue when the plates are disposed in widthwise reversed relation and said elements are lengthwise offset in an incipient installed condition so that the fully installed condition can be achieved from an initially longitudinally overlapped disposition of parts by relative sliding of the plates over a length substantially equal to the length of one of the end portions of said inner sidewall.

Claim 19

A joint structure for joining furniture parts as defined in claim 3, in which: e. the outer sidewall of the first tongue defines an exposed margin of the interengaged plates, and f. the inner sidewall of the second tongue includes the offset portion.

Claim 20

one of said inner sidewalls in each element including a transversely offset portion relatively narrowing the received tongue and relatively widening the receiving groove adjacent thereto for a portion of the length thereof sufficiently so that a relatively wide portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively wide portion of said received tongue, and a relatively narrow portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively narrow portion of said received tongue when the elongate elements are in widthwise reversed relation and said elements are lenthwise offset in an incipient installed condition so that the fully installed condition can be achieved from an initially longitudinally overlapped disposition of parts.

Claim 21

one of said inner sidewalls in each element including a transversely offset portion relatively narrowing the received tongue and relatively widening the receiving groove adjacent thereto for a portion of the length thereof sufficiently so that a relatively wide portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively wide portion of said received tongue, and a relatively narrow portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively narrow portion of said received tongue when the elongate elements are in widthwise reversed relation and said elements are lenthwise offset in an incipient installed condition so that the fully installed condition can be achieved from an initially longitudinally overlapped disposition of parts.

Claim 22

A joint structure for joining furniture parts comprising: a. a pair of lengthwise interengageable extruded elongate plates each adapted to be attached to one of the parts to be joined and each including: 1. a first tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls, 2. a second tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls, 3. a groove disposed between said first and second tongue said groove having lengthwise extending sidewalls provided by said first and second tongue inner sidewalls said groove of one plate receiving one of the tongues of the other plate, said inner sidewalls including transverse bevel portions overlapping and retaining said received tongue when the elongate plates are In a widthwise reversed, lengthwise coextensive installed condition, and 4. one of said inner sidewalls in each plate including aligned end portions of substantially equal length and a transversely offset intermediate portion having a length greater than said end portions, the offset portion relatively narrowing the received tongue and relatively widening the receiving groove adjacent thereto so that a relatively wide portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively wide portion of said received tongue, and a relatively narrow portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively narrow portion of said received tongue when the plates are disposed in widthwise reversed relation and said elements are lengthwise offset in an incipient installed condition so that the fully installed condition can be achieved from an initially longitudinally overlapped disposition of parts by relative sliding of the plates over a length substantially equal to the length of one of the end portions of said inner sidewall.

Claim 23

A joint structure for joining furniture parts comprising: a. a pair of lengthwise interengageable extruded elongate plates each adapted to be attached to one of the parts to be joined and each including: 1. a first tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls, 2. a second tongue having lengthwise extending inner and outer sidewalls, 3. a groove disposed between said first and second tongue said groove having lengthwise extending sidewalls provided by said first and second tongue inner sidewalls said groove of one plate receiving one of the tongues of the other plate, said inner sidewalls including transverse bevel portions overlapping and retaining said received tongue when the elongate plates are In a widthwise reversed, lengthwise coextensive installed condition, and 4. one of said inner sidewalls in each plate including aligned end portions of substantially equal length and a transversely offset intermediate portion having a length greater than said end portions, the offset portion relatively narrowing the received tongue and relatively widening the receiving groove adjacent thereto so that a relatively wide portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively wide portion of said received tongue, and a relatively narrow portion of the receiving groove receives a relatively narrow portion of said received tongue when the plates are disposed in widthwise reversed relation and said elements are lengthwise offset in an incipient installed condition so that the fully installed condition can be achieved from an initially longitudinally overlapped disposition of parts by relative sliding of the plates over a length substantially equal to the length of one of the end portions of said inner sidewall.