Unitary connection assembly for metal channels and method for assembly

Claim 2

A unitary connection assembly for connecting channel members, said channel members including two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed towards the bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot, said unitary connection assembly comprising, in combination: a fastener having a rectangular body member and a stud member, said body member having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surfaces, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surfaces being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than said end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides, and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of said body in one direction to a position with said end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut threaded onto said stud and abutting the other end of said spring; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together as a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending sides aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressable so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to retain said fastening nut firmly against said fixture and hold said fixture firmly against the top of said channel; said stud having a portion, along which said nut ravels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture.

Claim 3

A unitary connection assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said fixture plate portion and nut have a recess coaxial with said aperture and stud to receive one end of said spring abutting thereagainst.

Claim 4

A unitary connection assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said threaded nut includes a plurality of threads, and wherein said recess is located in a face of said fastening nut coaxial with the threads thereof permitting the coil spring to be collapsed therein so as to permit abuttment of said nut and said fixture upon tightening of said nut.

Claim 5

A unitary connection assembly in accordance with claim 1 furtherer including positioning means located at the free end of said stud to indicate alignment of said flange engaging body grooves with said channel flange ends.

Claim 6

A unitary connection assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said positioning means includes a slot at the free end of said stud in which a tool can be inserted to provide the downward force and rotational torque to align said body grooves with said channel flanges, said stud slot being disposed parallel with said channel slot when said body grooves are aligned with said channel flanges.

Claim 7

A unitary connection assembly for connecting channel members, said channel members including two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed towards the bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot, said unitary connection assembly comprising, in combination: a fastener having a rectangular body member and a stud member, said body member having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surfaces, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surfaces being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than said end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of said body in one direction to a position with said end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member further having a fastener anchoring means, said fastener anchoring means including an extended rectangular portion above said top surface having longitudinally extending side surfaces contiguous with a portion of said body side surfaces and end surfaces inside of said alignment grooves and parallel to said body end surfaces with a first diagonal being less than said slot width, and a second diagonal greater than said slot width, said stud extending above said fastener anchoring means; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut threaded onto said stud and abutting the other end of said spring; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together ass a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending sides aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressasble so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the fastener anchoring side surfaces align with said channel slot and the length of said second diagonal of said anchoring means provides an alignment stop, and the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to hold said fixture firmly against the top of said channel; said stud having a portion, along which said nut travels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture.

Claim 8

A unitary connection assembly for connecting channel members, said channel members including two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed towards the bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot, said unitary connection assembly comprising, in combination: a fastener having a rectangular body member and a stud member, said body member having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surfaces, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surfaces being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than said end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of said body in one direction to a position with said end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member further having a fastener anchoring means, said fastener anchoring means including an extended rectangular portion above said top surface having longitudinally extending side surfaces contiguous with a portion of said body side surfaces and end surfaces inside of said alignment grooves and parallel to said body end surfaces with a first diagonal being less than said slot width, and a second diagonal greater than said slot width, said stud extending above said fastener anchoring means; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut threaded onto said stud and abutting the other end of said spring; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together ass a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending sides aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressasble so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the fastener anchoring side surfaces align with said channel slot and the length of said second diagonal of said anchoring means provides an alignment stop, and the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to hold said fixture firmly against the top of said channel; said stud having a portion, along which said nut travels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture.

Claim 9

A unitary connection assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein said threaded fastening nut is provided with a recess extending therein from one face thereof, coaxial with said threads, so that as said nut is threaded unto said stud said other end of said spring is received in said recess.

Claim 10

A structural assembly comprising, in combination: a channel member; and a unitary connection assembly; said channel member having two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed toward the bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot; said unitary connection assembly including: a fastener having rectangular body member and a stud member, said body member having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surfaces, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surface being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than the end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides, and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of aid body in one direction to a position with aid end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut having a recess extending therein from one face thereof coaxial with the threads of said threaded nut, said nut being threaded onto said stud and receiving the other end of said spring in said recess; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together as a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending sides aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressable so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to retain said fastening nut firmly against said fixture and retain said fixture firmly against the top of said channel to complete said structural assembly; said stud having a portion, along which said nut travels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut directly against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture.

Claim 11

A structural assembly comprising, in combination: a channel member; and a unitary connection assembly; said channel member having two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed toward the bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot; said unitary connection assembly including: a fastener having rectangular body member and a stud member, said body member having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surfaces, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surface being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than the end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides, and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of aid body in one direction to a position with aid end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut having a recess extending therein from one face thereof coaxial with the threads of said threaded nut, said nut being threaded onto said stud and receiving the other end of said spring in said recess; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together as a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending sides aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressable so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to retain said fastening nut firmly against said fixture and retain said fixture firmly against the top of said channel to complete said structural assembly; said stud having a portion, along which said nut travels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut directly against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture.

Claim 12

The structural assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said unitary connection assembly has a fixture including a second plate portion with an aperture therethrough, and including a second fastener nut, a second coil biasing spring, and a second threaded fastening nut, and further including a second channel member; whereby said second channel member is assembled to said second flat plate portion of said fixture by said second fastener, coil biasing spring and threaded fastening nut.

Claim 13

A structural assembly comprising a unitary connection assembly and at least one channel member, said channel member including two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed towards said bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot; and said unitary connection assembly comprising, in combination: a fastener having a rectangular body member and a stud member, said body having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surface, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surfaces being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than said end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of said body in one direction to a position with said end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member further having a fastener anchoring means, said fastener anchoring means including an extending rectangular portion above said top surface having longitudinally extending side surfaces contiguous with a portion of said body side surfaces and end surfaces inside of said alignment grooves and parallel to said body end surfaces with a first diagonal being less than said slot width, and a second diagonal greater than said slot width, said stud extending above said fastener anchoring means; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut threaded onto said stud and abutting the other end of said spring; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together as a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending side aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressable so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the fastener anchoring side surfaces align with said channel slot and the length of said second diagonal of said anchoring means provides an alignment stop, and the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to hold said fixture firmly against the top of said channel; said stud having a portion, along which said nut travels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut directly against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture; and further wherein said threaded fastening nut is provided with a recess extending therein from one face thereof, coaxial with said threads, so that as said nut is threaded unto said stud said other end of said spring is received in said recess, and abutted thereagainst; wherein said fixture includes a second plate portion with an aperture therethrough, and said connection assembly further comprises a second fastener, a second coil biasing spring, and a second threaded fastening nut, and said structural assembly further comprises a second channel member, whereby said second channel member is assembled to said second flat plate portion of said fixture by said second fastener, coil biasing spring and threaded fastening nut; and wherein said threaded nut includes a plurality of threads, and said recess is located in a face of said fastening nut coaxial with the threads thereof permitting the coil spring to be collapsed therein so as to permit said direct abuttment of said nut and said fixture upon tightening of said nut; said connection assembly further comprising positioning means located at the free end of said stud to indicate alignment of said flange engaging body grooves with said channel flange ends, wherein said positioning means includes a slot at the free end of said stud in which a tool can be inserted to provide the downward force and rotational torque to align said body grooves with said channel flanges, said stud slot being disposed parallel with said channel slot when said body grooves are aligned with said channel flanges.

Claim 14

A structural assembly comprising a unitary connection assembly and at least one channel member, said channel member including two longitudinally extending parallel sides, a bottom joining said sides and a top having inwardly projecting flanges with end portions directed towards said bottom and defining therebetween a longitudinal slot; and said unitary connection assembly comprising, in combination: a fastener having a rectangular body member and a stud member, said body having longitudinally extending side surfaces, end surface, a top and a bottom surface, said stud extending centrally from said top surface, the width of said end surfaces being less than the width of said channel slot so that said body member can be inserted into said channel member through said slot, the length of said longitudinally extending side surfaces being longer than said end surfaces and shorter than the distance between said longitudinally extending channel sides and one set of diagonally opposed corners of said body being foreshortened to permit rotation of said body in one direction to a position with said end surfaces aligned parallel with said channel sides, said body having a pair of flange engaging grooves parallel to said end surfaces equally spaced on each side of said stud to receive the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member further having a fastener anchoring means, said fastener anchoring means including an extending rectangular portion above said top surface having longitudinally extending side surfaces contiguous with a portion of said body side surfaces and end surfaces inside of said alignment grooves and parallel to said body end surfaces with a first diagonal being less than said slot width, and a second diagonal greater than said slot width, said stud extending above said fastener anchoring means; a fixture including a flat plate portion with an aperture therethrough, said stud extending through said aperture; a coil biasing spring extending over said stud with one end thereof abutting against said fixture; and a threaded fastening nut threaded onto said stud and abutting the other end of said spring; said fastener, said apertured fixture, said biasing spring and said threaded nut together as a unit defining a unitary connection assembly; wherein said body member is positionable with its longitudinally extending side aligned with said channel slot and inserted therein; wherein said stud is depressable so as to compress said spring and allow said body member to clear the end portions of said channel flanges, said body member then being rotatable to align said channel flanges with said flange engaging grooves; and wherein upon release of said stud, the fastener anchoring side surfaces align with said channel slot and the length of said second diagonal of said anchoring means provides an alignment stop, and the end portions of said channel flanges are engageable with said grooves so as to permit tightening of said nut to a connection torque sufficient to hold said fixture firmly against the top of said channel; said stud having a portion, along which said nut travels during said tightening, of a length sufficient to permit abutment of said nut directly against said fixture during said tightening, thereby allowing said retention of said nut against said fixture; and further wherein said threaded fastening nut is provided with a recess extending therein from one face thereof, coaxial with said threads, so that as said nut is threaded unto said stud said other end of said spring is received in said recess, and abutted thereagainst; wherein said fixture includes a second plate portion with an aperture therethrough, and said connection assembly further comprises a second fastener, a second coil biasing spring, and a second threaded fastening nut, and said structural assembly further comprises a second channel member, whereby said second channel member is assembled to said second flat plate portion of said fixture by said second fastener, coil biasing spring and threaded fastening nut; and wherein said threaded nut includes a plurality of threads, and said recess is located in a face of said fastening nut coaxial with the threads thereof permitting the coil spring to be collapsed therein so as to permit said direct abuttment of said nut and said fixture upon tightening of said nut; said connection assembly further comprising positioning means located at the free end of said stud to indicate alignment of said flange engaging body grooves with said channel flange ends, wherein said positioning means includes a slot at the free end of said stud in which a tool can be inserted to provide the downward force and rotational torque to align said body grooves with said channel flanges, said stud slot being disposed parallel with said channel slot when said body grooves are aligned with said channel flanges.