Frame means for connecting structural members together

Claim 2

Means for attaching to a closed wall structure defined by a pair of similar connected multi-panel wall members arranged one within the other to enclose a space therewithin and between, respective panels of said wall members being in spaced relation on opposite sides of the enclosed space, comprising a one piece closed plastic construction having spaced integral corners and side elements extending therebetween corresponding in number and length to the number and length of the pairs of opposed panels of the wall members of the structure, each of said side elements including a wall portion for bridging the space between corresponding opposed panel pairs of said spaced wall members, an elongated side edge strip portion integrally connecting said elements along corresponding side edges thereof to form a continuous strip therealong, an integral elongated hook-like flange formed on each of said side elements, said hook-like flanges being channel shaped in cross-section and having a first side edge integral with the associated side element and a free side edge positioned adjacent to the elongated side edge strip portion in position to resiliently engage a corresponding one of the wall members of the wall structure when the attaching means are mounted thereon.

Claim 3

The attaching means defined in claim 1 wherein the side edge strip portion includes a single elongated side edge flange extending along corresponding side edges of all of the side elements, said side edge flange extending at an angle from said side element, the free edges of the hook-like flanges on each of said side elements extending to adjacent the portion of the side edge flange extending therefrom.

Claim 4

The attaching means defined in claim 1 wherein the hook-like flanges are attached to the associated side elements at locations thereon spaced from the associated portions of the elongated side edge strip portion.

Claim 5

The attaching means defined in claim 1 wherein the hook-like flanges on each side element are attached to the elongated side edge portion therealong.

Claim 6

The attaching means defined in claim 1 wherein each of said side elements has a similar second side edge flange positioned extending along the side edge thereof opposite from the elongated side edge strip portion, and a similar second hook-like flange on each of said side elements for cooperating with the associated second side edge flange, the hook-shaped flanges and the associated first side strip portion along one side of each of said side elements cooperatively engaging edge portions of respective ones of the panels of one of the connected wall members of the wall structure while the hook-shaped flanges and associated second side edge flanges cooperatively engage edge portions of respective panels of the other of the connected wall members of the wall structure on opposite sides of the enclosed space to maintain the connected wall members of the wall structure in spaced relationship and to close the space therebetween.

Claim 7

The attaching means defined in claim 5 wherein each of the connected side elements includes a relAtively flat body portion, the body portions of all of said side elements being substantially coplanar, and wherein the side edge strip portion and the second side edge flanges along the opposite side edges thereof are substantially perpendicular to the said body portions.

Claim 8

The attaching means defined in claim 6 including at least one elongated step portion formed in the body portion of each of the side elements.

Claim 9

Closure means formed from an extruded plastic substance which is characterized by being relatively stiff but resilient, said closure means being formed by a plurality of similar integrally connected side portions, each of said side portions including a relatively flat elongated strip portion with an integral side edge flange positioned extending at an angle therefrom along corresponding opposite side edges thereof, means forming a corner between pairs of adjacent side portions including means forming opposite end edges on said side portions which are acutely angularly related to the length of said side portions, said end edges extending across said side portions and across the side edge flanges thereon along one only of the opposite side edges thereof, the end edges of adjacent side portions being in abutment, plastic tab means bridging said abutting end edges at each corner, said tab means being integrally connected to the side portions, and integral elongated first and second flanges of U-shaped cross-sections on each of said side portions, each of said first and second flanges having spaced side edges one of which is integral with the associated side portions and the other of which is a free side edge that extends along and adjacent to a corresponding one of the side edge flanges on opposite sides of the elongated strip portion, said U-shaped flanges and the associated side edge flanges cooperating to resiliently engage and hold a member positioned therebetween.

Claim 10

Closure means formed from an extruded plastic substance which is characterized by being relatively stiff but resilient, said closure means being formed by a plurality of similar integrally connected side portions, each of said side portions including a relatively flat elongated strip portion with an integral side edge flange positioned extending at an angle therefrom along corresponding opposite side edges thereof, means forming a corner between pairs of adjacent side portions including means forming opposite end edges on said side portions which are acutely angularly related to the length of said side portions, said end edges extending across said side portions and across the side edge flanges thereon along one only of the opposite side edges thereof, the end edges of adjacent side portions being in abutment, plastic tab means bridging said abutting end edges at each corner, said tab means being integrally connected to the side portions, and integral elongated first and second flanges of U-shaped cross-sections on each of said side portions, each of said first and second flanges having spaced side edges one of which is integral with the associated side portions and the other of which is a free side edge that extends along and adjacent to a corresponding one of the side edge flanges on opposite sides of the elongated strip portion, said U-shaped flanges and the associated side edge flanges cooperating to resiliently engage and hold a member positioned therebetween.

Claim 11

The closure means defined in claim 8 including at least one opening through each of said first and second U-shaped flanges, said openings being located in the respective flanges to facilitate filling of the elongated space defined therewithin when a filler material is introduced adjacent thereto.

Claim 12

The closure means defined in claim 8 wherein each of the elongated strip portions has at least one elongated step portion formed at a location thereon intermediate between the first and second hook-like flanges.

Claim 13

Means for closing a space in a structure formed by and between a pair of different sized similar shaped multi-wall closed members positioned in spaced relation one within the other, said structure being further defined by pairs of spaced parallel wall portions on the pair of closed wall members with parallel edge portions of the spaced pairs positioned in a plane on one side of a continuous space formed therebetween comprising a continuous one piece plastic closure member of substantially uniform cross-sectional size and shape including a plurality of connected relatively flat and coplanar central portions which are wide enough to bridge the space between the spaced parallel wall members, a continuous side flange formed integrally with all of the central portions along a corresponding side edge thereof and extending at an angle to the coplanar central portions, means forming an integral second flange on each of said central portions at locations thereon adjacent to the continuous side edge flange, one of said second flanges being provided in association with each pair of parallel walls of the structure to be closed, said continuous flange and said second flanges cooperatively and sealably engaging the edge portions of one of the multi-wall closed members when the closure is installed thereon, means forming a plurality of corners between the pairs of adjacent central portions, the number and locations of said corners and the length of the central portions extending therebetween corresponding to the number and spacing of the pairs of parallel wall portions of said structUre to be closed, each of said central portions having end edges angularly related to the lengths thereof, said corners being formed by the abutment of the end edges, other means connecting the adjacent pairs of central portions including an integral plastic tab at each corner bridging the abutments and lapping the central portions adjacent thereto, and other means positioned on each of said central portions opposite said continuous side flange for engaging the side edges of the walls of the closed wall member opposite from the side edges engaged by the continuous side flange and the adjacent second flanges when the closure is positioned on the structure closing the continuous space formed thereby.

Claim 14

Means for closing a space in a structure formed by and between a pair of different sized similar shaped multi-wall closed members positioned in spaced relation one within the other, said structure being further defined by pairs of spaced parallel wall portions on the pair of closed wall members with parallel edge portions of the spaced pairs positioned in a plane on one side of a continuous space formed therebetween comprising a continuous one piece plastic closure member of substantially uniform cross-sectional size and shape including a plurality of connected relatively flat and coplanar central portions which are wide enough to bridge the space between the spaced parallel wall members, a continuous side flange formed integrally with all of the central portions along a corresponding side edge thereof and extending at an angle to the coplanar central portions, means forming an integral second flange on each of said central portions at locations thereon adjacent to the continuous side edge flange, one of said second flanges being provided in association with each pair of parallel walls of the structure to be closed, said continuous flange and said second flanges cooperatively and sealably engaging the edge portions of one of the multi-wall closed members when the closure is installed thereon, means forming a plurality of corners between the pairs of adjacent central portions, the number and locations of said corners and the length of the central portions extending therebetween corresponding to the number and spacing of the pairs of parallel wall portions of said structUre to be closed, each of said central portions having end edges angularly related to the lengths thereof, said corners being formed by the abutment of the end edges, other means connecting the adjacent pairs of central portions including an integral plastic tab at each corner bridging the abutments and lapping the central portions adjacent thereto, and other means positioned on each of said central portions opposite said continuous side flange for engaging the side edges of the walls of the closed wall member opposite from the side edges engaged by the continuous side flange and the adjacent second flanges when the closure is positioned on the structure closing the continuous space formed thereby.

Claim 15

The closure means of claim 11 wherein said other means for engaging the walls of the closed wall members include a second side edge flange on each of said central portions opposite from the continuous edge flange and other flange means positioned adjacent thereto, said second side edge flange and said other flange means being positioned to resiliently engage the associated edge portions of the walls of one of the multi-wall members when the closure is installed thereon.

Claim 16

The closure means defined in claim 11 wherein the plastic tabs are sonically welded to the said central portions, each of said tabs having means thereon to locate it during sonic welding, and spaced ridge means formed on the tab at locations thereon adjacent to the central portions to facilitate sonic welding the tab thereto.

Claim 17

The closure means defined in claim 11 wherein the continuous one piece closure member is formed by being extruded, and the continuous side flange has end edges which are sonic welded together to make the closure means continuous.

Claim 18

A plastic corner construction for a closure member comprising a pair of elongated angularly related plastic elements of similar cross-sectional size and shape, each having a relatively flat body portion and a side edge flange formed at an angle relative to the body portion and extending along corresponding side edges thereof, the side edge flanges on both of said pair of elements being integral parts of a continuous strip which extends along said elements, the body portions of each of said pair of elements having an end edge which extends transversely thereacross at corresponding adjacent ends thereof, the said end edges on said adjacent elements being acutely angularly related to the length of the respective elements and being positioned in abutment with each other to establish an angular corner relationship between the elements with the integral side edge flange connecting said elements along the associated outside edge of the corner and extending around the corner and the length of the connected elements, other means connecting the elements adjacent to the abutting end edges thereof to retain the angular corner forming relationship of said elements, said other means including a plastic tab member positioned lapping the abutting end edges and integrally connected to the said elements on opposite sides of the abutting end edges, a similar second elongated flange extending longitudinally along the body portion of each of said elements, each of said second flanges having substantially a U-shaped cross-section including spaced opposite side edge portions, one of said side edge portions on each of said second flanges being integrally connected to the body portion of the associated element, and the opposite side edge portion of each of the second flanges extending to adjacent to the said associated portion of the continuous side edge flange.

Claim 19

A plastic corner construction for a closure member comprising a pair of elongated angularly related plastic elements of similar cross-sectional size and shape, each having a relatively flat body portion and a side edge flange formed at an angle relative to the body portion and extending along corresponding side edges thereof, the side edge flanges on both of said pair of elements being integral parts of a continuous strip which extends along said elements, the body portions of each of said pair of elements having an end edge which extends transversely thereacross at corresponding adjacent ends thereof, the said end edges on said adjacent elements being acutely angularly related to the length of the respective elements and being positioned in abutment with each other to establish an angular corner relationship between the elements with the integral side edge flange connecting said elements along the associated outside edge of the corner and extending around the corner and the length of the connected elements, other means connecting the elements adjacent to the abutting end edges thereof to retain the angular corner forming relationship of said elements, said other means including a plastic tab member positioned lapping the abutting end edges and integrally connected to the said elements on opposite sides of the abutting end edges, a similar second elongated flange extending longitudinally along the body portion of each of said elements, each of said second flanges having substantially a U-shaped cross-section including spaced opposite side edge portions, one of said side edge portions on each of said second flanges being integrally connected to the body portion of the associated element, and the opposite side edge portion of each of the second flanges extending to adjacent to the said associated portion of the continuous side edge flange.

Claim 20

The corner construction defined in claim 15 formed of a relatively stiff extruded plastic substance.

Claim 21

A plastic corner construction for a closure member comprising a pair of elongated angularly related plastic elements of similar cross-sectional size and shape, each having a relatively flat body portion and a side edge flange formed at an angle relative to the body portion and extendinG along corresponding side edges thereof, the side edge flanges on both of said pair of elements being integral parts of a continuous strip which extends along said elements, the body portions of each of said pair of elements having an end edge which extends transversely thereacross at corresponding adjacent ends thereof, the said end edges on said adjacent elements being acutely angularly related to the length of the respective elements and being positioned in abutment with each other to establish an angular corner relationship between the elements with the integral side edge flange connecting said elements along the associated outside edge of the corner and extending around the corner and the length of the connected elements, other means connecting the elements adjacent to the abutting end edges thereof to retain the angular corner forming relationship of said elements, said other means including a plastic tab member positioned lapping the abutting end edges and integrally connected to the said elements on opposite sides of the abutting end edges, each of the elements has a second side edge flange angularly related to the body portion on the opposite side thereof from the continuous side edge flange, and another flange on each of said elements associated with each second side edge flange, said second side edge flanges and the associated other flanges cooperating to resiliently engage means positioned therebetween.

Claim 22

A plastic corner construction for a closure member comprising a pair of elongated angularly related plastic elements of similar cross-sectional size and shape, each having a relatively flat body portion and a side edge flange formed at an angle relative to the body portion and extendinG along corresponding side edges thereof, the side edge flanges on both of said pair of elements being integral parts of a continuous strip which extends along said elements, the body portions of each of said pair of elements having an end edge which extends transversely thereacross at corresponding adjacent ends thereof, the said end edges on said adjacent elements being acutely angularly related to the length of the respective elements and being positioned in abutment with each other to establish an angular corner relationship between the elements with the integral side edge flange connecting said elements along the associated outside edge of the corner and extending around the corner and the length of the connected elements, other means connecting the elements adjacent to the abutting end edges thereof to retain the angular corner forming relationship of said elements, said other means including a plastic tab member positioned lapping the abutting end edges and integrally connected to the said elements on opposite sides of the abutting end edges, each of the elements has a second side edge flange angularly related to the body portion on the opposite side thereof from the continuous side edge flange, and another flange on each of said elements associated with each second side edge flange, said second side edge flanges and the associated other flanges cooperating to resiliently engage means positioned therebetween.