Structural joint element for panels

Claim 1

A structural joint including a first and a second joint element, said first joint element having a generally cross-like, body comprising: a pair of aligned lateral arms, each arm having opposed faces and an end and being formed with a pedestal projecting from one of said opposed faces, each pedestal having a free end with a roughened anti-slip surface; a U-shaped first connector member having a pair of straight legs spaced from one another to define therebetween a chamber having a bottom and an open end, said legs projecting perpendicularly from said one face and being integral with said lateral arms at adjoining ends of said lateral arms; a second connector member integral with said lateral arms and projecting perpendicularly from the other one of said opposed faces of said lateral arms and perpendicularly from said adjoining ends; said second connector member having a narrow neck portion joining said lateral arms and a wide portion extending from said narrow neck portion; a series of teeth on each of said legs of said first connector member and inwardly of said chamber of said first connector member, said teeth being inclined toward said bottom of said chamber of said first connector member, and a further series of like teeth on one only of said legs outwardly of said chamber; said second joint element having a generally T-shaped body comprising: a pair of aligned lateral arms integral with one another and having an inner face; a U-shaped third connector member having a pair of straight legs spaced from one another to define therebetween a chamber having a bottom and an open end, said legs projecting perpendicularly from said inner face of said lateral arms and being integral with said lateral arms at adjoining ends of said lateral arms; a series of teeth on each of said legs of said third connector member and inwardly of said chamber of said third connector member, said teeth being inclined toward said bottom of said chamber of said third connector member, and a further series of like teeth on one only of said legs outwardly of said chamber, wherein said chambers of said first and third connectors are equal in width and the thickness of one of said legs of each of said first and third connector members is essentially equal to said width of said chambers, said legs being slid into respective ones of said chambers for interengagement of said teeth and interlocking of said first and third connector members selectively at one of a plurality of locations within said chambers, wherein said lateral arms of said second joint element are of equal width and are separated by a center line perpendicular thereto, and said second connector member has a longitudinal axis coaxial with said center line, and wherein said chambers defined by said pairs of legs of said first and third connector members have center lines parallel with and offset from said longitudinal axis, on either side thereof.