Structural joint apparatus

Claim 2

An assembly capable of being assembled into a substantially rigid joint, comprising: (a) separate first and second substantially rigid legs capable of being placed in an erected condition with respect to one another, said legs having respective portions which together form a corner when said legs are placed in said erected condition; (b) interengagable means defined on said respective corner-forming portions of said legs at locations adjacent to said corner formed by said portions and capable of being disposed in a releasable mated relationship when said legs are placed in said erected condition; (c) a substantially rigid bracing member internally connected to and extending outwardly from one of said legs, said bracing member extending toward and along the other of said legs so as to form a reinforcing bridge spanning said corner formed by said corner-forming portions of said legs when the latter are placed in said erected condition; and (d) interconnectable means defined on said bracing member and said other of said legs at locations displaced remote from said corner-forming portions of said legs and displaced remote from said corner when said legs are placed in said erected condition, said interconnectable means capable of being fastened together for retaining said legs in said erected condition and said interengagable means in said mated relationship to thereby provide a substantially rigid joint.

Claim 3

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein: said first and second legs are in the form of separate, elongated planar strips disposed in generally orthogonal relationship to one another when placed in their erected condition; and said bracing member is in the form of a planar strip connected to a longitudinally-extending side of said one leg and extending in a generally orthogonal relationship thereto, said bracing member also being disposed in generally orthogonal relationship to said other leg and extending toward and along a corresponding longitudinally-extending side of said other leg so as to span a side of said corner formed by said legs when said legs are placed in their erected condition.

Claim 4

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said interengagable means is comprised of a pair of interlocking male and female elements, said male and female elements each being defined on a different one of said legs.

Claim 5

The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said interlocking male and female elements are in the form of a hook and slot.

Claim 6

The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said interlocking male and female elements are in the form of a pair of interfitting chanel sections.

Claim 7

The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said interlocking male and female elements are in the form of a projection and recess.

Claim 8

The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said interlocking male and female elements are in the form of a pin and hole.

Claim 9

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said interconnectable means are in the form of a pair of holes each defined in said bracing member and said other of said legs are aligned with one another when said legs are placed in their erected condition, and a fastening element for rigidly interconnecting said bracing member and said other leg at said holes.

Claim 10

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said interconnectable means are in the form of a tab connected to said other leg and extending outwardly therefrom and overlapping with said bracing member when said legs are placed in their erected condition, a pair of holes each defined in said tab and said bracing member where they overlap one another and aligned with each other when said legs are placed in their erected condition, and a fastener interconnecting said tab and said bracing member at their respective aligned holes.

Claim 11

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said one leg of said first and second legs is in the form of an elongated planar strip and said planar bracing member is connected to a longitudinally-extending side of said strip and extends outwardly in a generally orthogonal relationship thereto.

Claim 12

The assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein one of said interconnectable means is defined on a terminal end of said bracing member.

Claim 13

The assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein one of said interengagable means is one of a male or female interlocking element defined adjacent to an end of said strip.

Claim 14

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said other leg of said first and second legs is in the form of an elongated planar strip.

Claim 15

The assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein one of said interengagable means is one of a male or female interlocking element defined adjacent to an end of said strip.

Claim 16

The assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein one of said interconnectable means is in the form of a tab connected to and extending outwardly from said strip in generally orthogonal relationship thereto, and a hole defined in said tab.

Claim 17

An assembly capable of being assembled and disassembled into and from a substantially rigid joint, comprising: (a) separate first and second substantially rigid legs, said legs capable of being placed in, and converted between, an erected condition and a dismantled condition with respect to one another, said legs having respective portions which together form a corner when said legs are placed in said erected condition; (b) interengagable means defined on said respective corner-forming portions of said legs at locations adjacent to said corner formed by said portions, said interengagable means capable of being disposed in a mated relationship when said legs are placed in said erected condition and converted to an unmated relationship when said legs are converted to said dismantled condition; (c) a substantially rigid bracing member integrally connected to and extending outwardly from one of said legs, said bracing member extending toward and along the other of said legs so as to form a reinforcing bridge spanning said corner formed by said corner-forming portions of said legs when said legs are placed in said erected condition; and (d) interconnectable means defined on said bracing member and said other of said legs at locations displaced remote from said corner-forming portions of said legs and displaced remote from said corner when said legs are placed in said erected condition, said interconnectable means capable of being fastened together for retaining said legs in said erected condition and said interengagable means in their mated relationship to thereby provide a substantially rigid joint, said interconnectable means further capable of being unfastened from one another to allow conversion of said interengagable means to their unmated relationship and said legs to their dismantled condition to thereby disassemble said joint.

Claim 18

An assembly capable of being assembled and disassembled into and from a substantially rigid joint, comprising: (a) separate first and second substantially rigid legs, said legs capable of being placed in, and converted between, an erected condition and a dismantled condition with respect to one another, said legs having respective portions which together form a corner when said legs are placed in said erected condition; (b) interengagable means defined on said respective corner-forming portions of said legs at locations adjacent to said corner formed by said portions, said interengagable means capable of being disposed in a mated relationship when said legs are placed in said erected condition and converted to an unmated relationship when said legs are converted to said dismantled condition; (c) a substantially rigid bracing member integrally connected to and extending outwardly from one of said legs, said bracing member extending toward and along the other of said legs so as to form a reinforcing bridge spanning said corner formed by said corner-forming portions of said legs when said legs are placed in said erected condition; and (d) interconnectable means defined on said bracing member and said other of said legs at locations displaced remote from said corner-forming portions of said legs and displaced remote from said corner when said legs are placed in said erected condition, said interconnectable means capable of being fastened together for retaining said legs in said erected condition and said interengagable means in their mated relationship to thereby provide a substantially rigid joint, said interconnectable means further capable of being unfastened from one another to allow conversion of said interengagable means to their unmated relationship and said legs to their dismantled condition to thereby disassemble said joint.

Claim 19

The assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein: said first and second legs are in the form of separate, elongated planar strips disposed in generally orthogonal relationship to one another when placed in their erected condition; and said bracing member is in the form of a planar strip connected to a longitudinally-extending side of said one leg and extending in a generally orthogonal relationship thereto, said bracing member also being disposed in generally orthogonal relationship to said other leg and extending toward and along a corresponding longitudinally-extending side of said other leg so as to span a side of said corner formed by said legs when said legs are placed in their erected condition.

Claim 20

The assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said interengagable means is comprised of a pair of interlocking male and female elements, said male and female elements each being defined on a different one of said legs.

Claim 21

The assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said interconnectable means are in the form of a tab connected to said other leg and extending outwardly therefrom and overlapping with said bracing member when said legs are placed in their erected condition, a pair of holes each defined in said tab and said bracing member where they overlap one another and aligned with each other when said legs are placed in their erected condition, and a fastener interconnecting said tab and said bracing member at their respective aligned holes.