Means for joining panels

Claim 2

An assembly for joining panels comprising at least two gripping arrangements, each gripping arrangement having first and second panel receiving means and being formed in part by an elongate extruded member, at least one of said panel receiving means being defined between a flange of said elongate extruded member and an elongate gripping member which is adapted to be received and retained in a first longitudinal groove in said elongate extruded member, a flange of one gripping arrangement having a slot which receives a portion of the flange of at least one other gripping arrangement whereby said gripping arrangements are interengageable at predetermined angles relative to one another.

Claim 3

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the flange of the at least one other gripping arrangement carries at its free end an inturned lip, directed in use toward the panel, which lip is received in said slot.

Claim 4

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the flange of each gripping arrangement carries at its free end an inturned lip directed, in use, toward the panel, and wherein the flange having the slit is disposed, in use, between the panel and the flange of said at least one other gripping arrangement.

Claim 5

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the extruded gripping member is resilient.

Claim 6

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first and second panel receiving means of each gripping arrangement are disposed so as to retain adjacent panels substantially perpendicular with respect to one another.

Claim 7

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal groove of said one gripping arrangement has an edge remote from said flange, which is inwardly turned to constitute a lip, and said elongate gripping member has a second longitudinal groove which is adapted to receive the said lip, a first edge of said elongate gripping member being arranged to abut against the inside of the first longitudinal groove, and a second edge of said elongate gripping member, remove from said first edge, being arranged to, in use, engage the panel whereby the panel is resiliently gripped between said second edge and said flange, a second panel being retained by said second panel receiving means of the said one gripping arrangement which second panel receiving means comprises a second flange of said elongate extruded member, in use engaging around an edge of a second panel, and a third longitudinal groove of said elongate extruded member having an edge remote from said second flange, which is inwardly turned to constitute a lip, a second elongate gripping member also forming part of said second panel receiving means, a fourth longitudinal groove provided in said elongate gripping member being adapted to receive the lip of said third longitudinal groove, a first edge of said second elongate gripping member being arranged to abut against the inside of the third longitudinal groove, and a second edge of said second elongate gripping member, remote from said first edge, being arranged to, in use, engage the second panel whereby the panel is resiliently gripped between said second edge of said second gripping member and said second flange.

Claim 8

An assembly according to claim 6 wherein said second flange has a lot which receives a portion of the flange of the said at least one other gripping arrangement.

Claim 9

An assembly according to claim 7 wherein the respective slot in said flange and said second flange receives a portion of the flange of respective second and third gripping arrangements.

Claim 10

An assembly according to claim 8 wherein the respective slot in the said one gripping arrangement is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the said one gripping arrangement.

Claim 11

An assembly according to claim 1 in combination with at least one panel wherein a resilient gasket is interposed between said panel receiving means and said panel.

Claim 12

An assembly according to claim 1 in combination with at least one panel wherein an adhesive is interposed between the device and said panel.

Claim 13

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal groove of the at least one other gripping arrangement has an edge remote from said flange, which is inwardly turned to constitute a lip, a elongate gripping member also forming part of said first panel receiving means and said elongate gripping member has a second longitudinal groove which is adapted to receive the said lip, a first edge of said elongate gripping member being arranged to abut against the inside of the first longitudinal groove, and a second edge of said elongate gripping member, remote from said first edge, being arranged to, in use, engage the panel whereby the panel is resiliently gripped between said second edge and said flange, said second panel receiving means comprising a substantially U-shaped section for retaining a second panel.

Claim 14

An assembly according to claim 12 wherein one arm of said substantially U-shaped section is formed by a connection between said flange and said first longitudinal groove and in which at least a part of the base of said substantially U-shaped section is formed by said first longitudinal groove.

Claim 15

An assembly according to claim 12 or 13 wherein the second edge of said elongate gripping member has a flat surface for abutment with said panel.

Claim 16

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first longitudinal groove of said gripping arrangement has an edge remote from said flange, which is inwardly turned to constitute a lip, a longitudinal recess of said first longitudinal groove of said elongate extruded member remote from said lip, a second longitudinal groove provided in said elongate gripping member which second longitudinal groove is adapted to receive the lip of said first longitudinal groove, a first edge of said elongate gripping member being adapted to engage in said longitudinal recess of said elongated extruded member and a second edge of said elongate gripping member, remote from said first edge, being arranged to, in use, engage the panel whereby the panel is resiliently gripped between said second edge and said flange, a second panel being retained by said second panel receiving means.

Claim 17

An assembly according to claim 15 wherein the elongate gripping member is adapted to mount a resilient gasket for abutment with the panel.

Claim 18

An assembly according to claim 15 or 16 wherein the elongate gripping member is provided with a forked mouth on said second edge for receiving a flange of the resilient gasket.