US3973854A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connectors for tubular framing members
Assignee: Armstrong World Industries Inc
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Filing: 1975-05-23
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Granted: 1976-08-10
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Expires: 1995-05-23
Abstract
Abstract Furniture and room components are assembled in various combinations to form a wide variety of furniture units or room partition units, with the units easily disassembled when desired. The components include vertical support members, horizontal connecting members and connecting joints therefor.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles F. Gilbo
- 👤 Alan S. Glassman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:52
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16B; F16B12/00; F16B12/44; F16B7/00; F16B7/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/34; Y10T403/341; Y10T403/342; Y10T403/347; Y10T403/46; Y10T403/4602
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
Components capable of assembly into furniture and room units comprising: a. support members, each having sockets in the ends thereof, b. joint components comprising: 1. a body member which is sized to be inserted into the socket of a support member and held frictionally thereby, 2. an apertured means extending from said body member and receiving a connecting element, said apertured means being of the same configuration as the cross-section of said support member and having its aperture axis at a 90° angle relative to the axis of said support member, said apertured means being a protusion, the plane of which is extending substantially perpendicular from said body member, said protrusion having its shaped configuration in the above-said plane, and said protrusion having a thickness across the above-said plane of one quarter the dimension of said shaped configuration and said thickness is also equal to one quarter the cross-sectional dimension of the support member, 3. a shoulder member between said body member and said apertured means, c. and a connecting element passing through said apertured means for fastening together a plurality of support members having joint components fastened thereto, and d. the improvement comprising positioning of the protrusion in its above-said plane at selected points relative one side of the support member, 1. said selected points being any one of four positions, the first one of which having one planar surface of said protrusion in the plane containing one edge of said shoulder member, the second position having said planar surface of the protrusion spaced the thickness of said protrusion from said one edge of said shoulder member, the third position having said planar surface of the protrusion spaced twice the thickness of said protrusion from said one edge of said shoulder member, and the fourth position having said planar surface of said protrusion spaced three times the thickness of said protrusion from said one edge of said shoulder member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
Components capable of assembly into furniture and room units comprising: a. support members, each having sockets in the ends thereof, b. joint components comprising: 1. a body member which is sized to be inserted into the socket of a support member and held frictionally thereby, 2. an apertured means extending from said body member and receiving a connecting element, said apertured means being of the same configuration as the cross-section of said support member and having its aperture axis at a 90° angle relative to the axis of said support member, said apertured means being a protusion, the plane of which is extending substantially perpendicular from said body member, said protrusion having its shaped configuration in the above-said plane, and said protrusion having a thickness across the above-said plane of one quarter the dimension of said shaped configuration and said thickness is also equal to one quarter the cross-sectional dimension of the support member, 3. a shoulder member between said body member and said apertured means, c. and a connecting element passing through said apertured means for fastening together a plurality of support members having joint components fastened thereto, and d. the improvement comprising positioning of the protrusion in its above-said plane at selected points relative one side of the support member, 1. said selected points being any one of four positions, the first one of which having one planar surface of said protrusion in the plane containing one edge of said shoulder member, the second position having said planar surface of the protrusion spaced the thickness of said protrusion from said one edge of said shoulder member, the third position having said planar surface of the protrusion spaced twice the thickness of said protrusion from said one edge of said shoulder member, and the fourth position having said planar surface of said protrusion spaced three times the thickness of said protrusion from said one edge of said shoulder member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Components capable of assembly into furniture and room units as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said shoulder member being of the same shape and size as the cross section of the support member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
Components capable of assembly into furniture and room units as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said apertured means contains a polygonal aperture and a polygonal pin passes through said aperture to fasten a plurality of joint components together.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
Components capable of assembly into furniture and room units as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said pin being inserted into a joint component which does not contain an apertured protrusion extending from the body member of the joint component and said body member of the joint component has an aperture therein for receiving said pin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
Components capable of assembly into furniture and room units as set forth in claim 4 wherein: a. spacer members are used with the joint components when less than four support members are connected together.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-10 | 1980-02-09 | 1980-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-10 | 1984-02-09 | 1984-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-10 | 1988-02-09 | 1988-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |