CA1168690A - Connecting fitting - Google Patents
Connecting fittingInfo
- Publication number
- CA1168690A CA1168690A CA000392576A CA392576A CA1168690A CA 1168690 A CA1168690 A CA 1168690A CA 000392576 A CA000392576 A CA 000392576A CA 392576 A CA392576 A CA 392576A CA 1168690 A CA1168690 A CA 1168690A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- detent
- lever
- fitting
- fitting according
- connecting fitting
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B12/00—Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior
- F16B12/10—Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior using pegs, bolts, tenons, clamps, clips, or the like
- F16B12/12—Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior using pegs, bolts, tenons, clamps, clips, or the like for non-metal furniture parts, e.g. made of wood, of plastics
- F16B12/26—Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior using pegs, bolts, tenons, clamps, clips, or the like for non-metal furniture parts, e.g. made of wood, of plastics using snap-action elements
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B12/00—Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior
- F16B12/44—Leg joints; Corner joints
- F16B12/46—Non-metal corner connections
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Furniture Connections (AREA)
- Connection Of Plates (AREA)
- Executing Machine-Instructions (AREA)
- Pulse Circuits (AREA)
- Shift Register Type Memory (AREA)
- Assembled Shelves (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure A connecting fitting for detachably connecting two platelike furniture parts, which adjoin and extend preferably at right angles to each other consists of two fitting elements, which are adapted to be secured to respective furniture parts to be connected and one of which has at least one bar-shaped portion which is adapted to be inserted into an opening of the other fitting element until the housings of the fitting element and/or the furniture parts engage each other, and said one fitting element is adapted to be connected to the other by locking means, which force the fitting elements against each other. In order to facilitate the mounting of such fitting the locking device comprises a detent lever, which is mounted in one fitting element and pivotally movable against the force of a spring and at its forward end carries a detent hook, the other fitting element comprised a step or rib, which has an abutment edge or another detent abutment, and when the detent lever has been inserted into and opening of said other fitting element the detent hook snaps behind said step or rib so that said rear face is urged by said spring against said detent abutment and exerts a wedge action thereon.
Description
68~
~ his inventîon relates to a con~ecting fitting for detachably connectillg two pla.elike furniture parts, which preferably extend at right angles to each other, comprislng two fitting elQments, which areadapted to be secured ~o respective furni-ture parts to be connected and one of which has at least onP bar-shaped portion which is adapted to be inserted .into an opening of the other fitting element until the housings of the ~ittlng alements and/or the furniture parts engage lo each other, and said one itting element is adapted to be. connected to the other by locking means, which force the fitting elements against each other Connecting fittings for detachably connecting platelike furniture parts, e.g., the bottoms and side walls of cupboards, wardrobes, lockers or the like, are known in various forms.
For in~tance, German Patent SpecificatiQn 13 00 357, German Early Disclosure 30 06 728 and Ge~an Util~ty Model Speciflcation 79 27 805 disclose connecting fittings having one fitting element which comprises a housing that is secured to one furniture part, a connecting screw, which is rotatably mounted in said housi~g and adapted to be screwed into a preferably expansible plug fixed in the other furniture part, and an actuating screw, which is operatively connected by bevel ~earing to the connecting screw.
Gexman Patent Publication 25 46 526 discloses a connecting fitting comprising an expansible pin, which is slidably mounted on an expanding element of a pot-shaped retaining member, wh~ch is secured .
in one fuxn~ture part. To connect -the furniture parts the expansible p~n is inser~ed into a bore of the other furniture part and is subsequently expanded in that the expansible pln is displaced relative to the edge-shaped expanding element by an actuating screw.
G~rman Early Disclosures 29 09 656, 29 08 475, 25 41 S54, 28 36 678 and 27 48 272 disclose connecting fittings which are of the kind described f iLSt herein-before and in which the locking means which force the 10 fitting elements against each other consist of rotatably mounted wedges, which can be rotated by screwdrivers or the like to a position in which the furniture parts axe connected to each other.
Many o the known connecting fittings are compllcated and expensive structures and for this reason cannot be made as economically as is required ~or ma~s production. Besldes, all known connecting fittings of the kind discussed hereinbefore have the disadvantag~ that the~ can be mounted only with 20 di~ficulty and a screwdriver or anothar ~ool is required to connect the fitting elements and to force them against each other, if this is necessary.
For this reason it is an object o~ the present invention to provide a ~onnecting ~itting which is of the kind descr~bed first hereinbefore and which can be manufactured econvmically and comprises fltting elements which can be connected in a particularly ~imple manner and wlthout using a tool when lt is desired to connect the furniture parts.
This object is accomplished in acc~rdance with the invention in that ~he locking device comprises a . .
1~6~
detent lever, which is mounted in one fitting element ., and pivotally movable against the Eorce of a spriny and at its for~ard ~nd carries a detent hook, the other fitting element comprises a StQp or rib, which has an abu~ment edge or another detent abu~nant, and when the detent lever has been inserted into an openiny of said other fitting element the detent hook snaps behind said step or rib ~o that said rear face is urged by said spxing agatnst said detent abutment and exerts a wedge act~on thereon~ That wedge action is due to the fact that the sprlng tends to move the rear face of the hook across the detent abutment. AS a result of that wedge action, the detent lever is subjected to a substantial tensile ~orce, by which the fitting elements are forced against each other. It will be understood that the rear ~ace of the detent hook must be associated with the detent abutment in such a manner that the abutment will not engage the body of tha detent lever because in that ¢ase the wedg~ action forcing the fitting elements against each other would be eliminated~
To facili~ate the insertion of the detent lever 1nto the openlng of the other itting element, the edge of the open~ng or the forward face of the detent lever i~ preferably beveled~ In that case the engagement of the detent lever with the edye of the opening at said ~eveled surface will cause the detent lever to be depres~ed until it has been moved behind the det nt abutment and is then urged to its locked position~
The sel~-locking interengagement of the two 30 f~tting elements can ~e eliminated in a simple manner ~ 3 --iE the housing of the fitting element provided Wi th the detellt lever has an opening through which a tool, for instance, a scret~river, can ba inserted in order to depress the de~ent lever so as to release the locking means.
The detent abu~ment for enyaging the hook of the detent lever may be constituted by a pin, which is circular in cross-section and suitably forms an upper edge of a suitable step of the housing. In that case the rear ace of the detent hook of the detent lever must be so arranged that when the fitting el~ments interengage said rear face bears on the pin and there is a clearanca between the pin and the free end of the rear face of the hook. In such an arrangement the rear face of the hook will be slightly inclined and engage the pin at a small wedge angle so that the spring which biase~ the detent lever will fo.rce the fitting elements against each other~ A ~light inclination of the rear face of the detent hook can also be ensured ln that the ptvot pin for the detent lever is properly positioned in such a manner that the radial distance from the rear face of the hook to the pivotal axis of ~he detent lever decreases gradually from the point where the rear face of the hook engages the pin toward the root of the hook. The frictional forces acting between the pin and the rear ~ace of the detent hook can be increased ln that the pin is knurled or provided with axial q~ooves.
Adjacent to the detent lever, the top wall of the housin~ may be formed with a tapped bore and a screw for depressing the detent lever against the force oE the sprlng.may be adapted -to be scxewed into said tapped openlng~ In that case the fitting elements can be unlocked and the deten~ lever can be held in the unlocked posi~ion in that the screw is screwed into the opening.
The housinglike fitting element provided with the detent abutment may be provided with a projection on that slde which is opposite ~o its mounting flange and sald pro~ection may enter a corresponding recess on the end face of the other fitting element.
According to an optinal feature of the invention, a two-armed lever is pivoted to the top wall of the fitting element that is provided with the detent lev~r and the l~nger arm of said two-armed lever engages the outside~ surface of said top wall and its shorter arm engages the detent lever in such a mannex that when the longer lever arm is approxima~ely parallel to said top wall the detent lever is pivotally movable to its locking position and that the longer lever arm can be raised to disengage the detent lever from the ~butment edge or other detent abutment. In that case the fitting elements can be unlocked simply in that the longer arm of the two-armed lev~r is raised. The two-armed lever is suitably offset in such a manner that lt is held in lts raised posltion by the swung-out detent leve~.
In a s~mple design, the spring which biases the detent lever may consi~t of a tongue which has been struck out from the housing of the fltting 9C~
element. That design will be particularly suitable if the housing consists of a plastic material which has a suitable elasticity.
For a connection of two bottoms or the like to a partition, e.g., an embodiment of the invention comprises two ~itting elements, which are provided with abutment edges or other detent abutments and can be inserted from opposite sides into a through bore of the partition, and the two associated itting elements of said fit~ings ~e provided with mutually of~set detent levers. Because the detent levers are offset from each other, they can overlap each other in the locking positlon without interfering with each other~ Alternatively, a fitting element having only one abutment edge or other detent abutment may be inserted ~nto the through bore and the detent levers inserted from opposite sides may snap behind said detent abutment.
In another embodiment of the invention, two detent levers, which are spring-blased toward their expanded position, are pivoted in a fitting elemen~
on a plvot pln which extend at right angles to the long~tudinal direction of the fitting elament, and the other fitting element has an intermediate opening for rec~iving the detent levers and on both sldes of said opening is proYided with abutment edges or other detent abutmants which are parallel to the pivot pin.
In such an arrangement the fitting elements can be unlocked in a simple manner if those lever arms which are opposite to the lever arms provided with ~613691D
the hook~ are provided with angled actuatiny elements, whlch extend through an arcuate slot formed in ~he top wall of the fitting element and can ~e urged toward each other so that the lever arms which carry the hooks move like pincers so as to unlock the fitting elements.
The expanding spring may consist of a helical torsion spring which has extended legs arranyed in a v configuration and the convolution of such spring may surxound the plvot pin whereas its legs bear on those lever arms which carry the actuating elements.
In accordance with another proposal according to the invention the object set forth is accomplished in that one fitting element comprises a tongue, which ha~ a recess or hole and is adapted to be inserted lnto a guide hols of the other fitting element, which has a bore or a recess that is provided with guides, said bore or recess extends approximately at right angles to the guide hole, a spring-loaded slider is longltudinally slidably mounted in said bore or recess and has a curved or wedge-shaped portion that extends through the guide hole for the tongue, and when the tongue has been lnserted said curved or wedge-shaped portion bears on the forward edge of said bore or recess in such a manner that the ~ongue is locked and stressed ln tenslon. The fitting elements can then be unlocked by the actuation of an angled actuating element, which is carried by the slider and extends through a ~lot beyond the forward end o~ the fitting element.
Further embodiments of the invention will be described more fully in the dependent claims.
Embodtments of the invention will now be explained more fully with referenc~ to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sect.ional view showing a connectiny fitting for connecting two platellke furniture parts which extend at right angles to each other, F~gure 2 is a perspective view showing the angled sheet metal element which forms an abutment edge of one fittlng alement of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view that is similar to Figure 1 and shows the connecting fitting of Figure 1 before the fitting elements have been pushed together so as to be locked, Flgure 4 is a perspective view showing a detent lever that is pivoted to one fltting element of Flgure 1, Figure 5 is a front elevation showing tha~
fitting element of Figures 1 and 3 which is provided with the detent lever, Flgure 6 is a top plan view showing the fitting element of Flgure 5, Figure 7 is a side elevation showing another embodiment of the fitting element provided with the d~tent lever, partly in section, Figure 8 is a top plan view showing the fitting element of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the rubber bl~ck whlch resiliently biases the deten-t lever of Flgure 7, Figure 10 is a sectional view showing a fitting element havlng a detent lev~r which is blased by a V-shaped lea~ spring, ~686~
Figure 11 is a view that is similar to Figure 10 and shows a helical spring which has end legs and is used to bias the detent lever, Fiyure 12 is a perspective view showing the V-shaped leaf spring of Figure 10, Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the helical spring having end legs o~ Figur~ 11, Flgure 14 is a pPrspective view showing the datent levers of the emhodiments shown in Figures 11 and 12, Flgure 15 is a side elevation showing a fitting element ~hich has receiving openings, Figu~e 16 is a top plan view showing the fittiny element af ~igure 15, Flgure 17 is a side elevation showing the fitting element Q~ Figures 1 and 3, which is provided with receiving openings, Flgure 18 is a top plan view showing the fitting element of Flgure 17, Figure 19 is a front elevation showing another embodimen~ of a fitting element formed with receiving open~ngs, Figure 20 i5 a top plan view showing a fitting elemQnt which is providad with a datent lever and adapted to be interlocked with the fitttng element of Figura 19, Figure 21 i8 a sectional view showing the fitt1ng elements of Figures 19 and 20, which are intaxlocked and fixed by screws to furnlture parts which extend at ~ight angles to each other, 6~
Figure 22 is a sectional view showing ano-ther embodiment of a connecting fitting, which connects two platelike furniture parts which extend at right angles to each other, Figure 23 is a perspective view showing one fitting element of Figure 22 and a de~ent abutment, whlch consists of a pin of the other fitting element, Figure 24 shows the connecting fitting o~
L~igure 22 in an assembled condition, Figure 25 is a side elevation showing one housing half of the fitting element of Figure 22 provided with the detent lever, which housing half is provided with an opening laver, Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the opening lever of Figure 25, Figure 27 is a top plan view showing the split housing of the fitting element o~ Figure 22, which is pr~vided with the de~ent lever, Figure 28 is a top plan view showing the housing o~ Figure 25 in a closed state, Figure 29 is a sectional view showing a connecting fitting which connects two abutting platel.ike furniture parts, Figure 30 is a ~ront elevation showing that fi~ting element of Figure 29 which is provided with the detent abutment, Figure 31 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a connecting fitting which connects two platel~ke furniture parts ext~nding at an angle to each othe~, Figure 32 is a fxont elevation showing that fitting element of Figure 31 which is provided with the deten-t lever, Flgure 32A is a side elevation showing that fitting elemen-t of Figure 31 which is provided with the detent abutment, Figure 33 is a sectional view showing two connectlng fittings, which connect two platelike furniture parts extending in the same plane to a partition on opposit~ sid~s thereo, Flgure 34 is a sectional view showlng a connecting fitting and taken on line 34-34 in Figure 33, Figure 35 is a horizontal sectional view showing another embodiment of a connecting fitting which connects two platelike furniture parts which extend at right angles to e~ch other, Figure 36 is a front elevatlon showing that fitting element of Fiyure 35 which is provided with the detent abutments, Figure 37 is a top plan view showing that itting element of Fi~ure 35 which is provided with pincerlike detent levers, Figure 38 is a sectional view showing a last embodiment o a connectlng -fitting which connects two fuxn1ture parts extendlny at an angle to each other, Figure 39 is a perspective view showing the locking slider o Figure 38, Flgure 40 shows the connecting fitting of : Figure 38 in its locked state, F~gure 41 is a persp ctive view showing the detent tongue of Figure 38, .
1~86~0 Figure 42 is a top plan ~iew showing that fitting element of Figure 38 which is provided with the detent tongue, Figure 43 is a top plan view showing the fîtting element of Figure 42, Figure 44 is a front el~vation ~howing that fitting elemant of Figure 38 which is provided with the locking slider, and Figure 45 ~s a top plan view showing the fitting element of Figure 44.
The connecting fitting shown in Figures 1 to 6 and 17 and 18 consists of the fitting element 1, which is prov~ded with the detent lever 11, and of th~ fitting element 2, which is provided with the receiving openlngs 4, 5 and 6. Tha ~itting element 1 is inserted into and sacured in a recess which is formed in the :
bottom wall 7 of a cupboard and circular in cross-section.
The recess is intexsected by the plane o~ the end edge 8 of the bottom 7 so that the recess is open at the end edqe 8~ The housing 9 of the fitting eleme~t 1 is c~llndrical, except for its front face, which is planar and when the housing 9 is secured in the recess is ~lush wlth the end face 8 of the bottom wall 7. The cyli~drical peripheral surface of the housing 9 has a sawtooth-shaped profile in cross section.
The fitting eIement 1 has a downwardly open recess 10, which is approximately rectangular in cros~-section and in which the detent lever 11 i5 pivoted on the pivot pin 12, which is secured in the side walls of the itting el~ment 1. The detent lever 11 ~ 12 - .
~6~i9C) is a sheet metal stamping, ~he rear end portion of which has been curled to form a bearing eye 13. Xn the forward end portion of the detent lever 11, legs ar~ angled from the web 14 of said lever. These legs constitute tooth-shaped detent noses 15, 16. A lug 17 is struck out from the intermediate length portion of the web 14 and serves to hold a compression spring 18 as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The compression spring 18 bears at its top end on the weh 14 and at its other end on a 10 crosspiece 19, which bridges the recess 10. When the fltting elements axe unlocked, as is shown in Figure 3, the compresston spring 18 is held between the crosspiece 19 and the detent lever 11 so that th~ spring 13 holds the detent lever 11 in engagement with the top wall 20 of the housing.
The detent projections 15, 16 are tooth-shaped and have a rear side face 21, which extends at right angles to the web ~4, and an oblique forward face 22~
The fitting element which is provided with the 20 receiving openings 4, 5, 6 is inserted and secured in a cylindrical racess 23 of the side wall 24 of the cupboard. The fitting element 2 has a substantially cylindrical housing, which has a peripheral sur~ace that has a sa~tooth profile in cross-section. The receiving opening 4 for the detent lever 11 is providQd with a step, which is cons~ituted by a sheet metal strip 2S
that is ~-shaped in cross~section and i~ ~mbedded in the hous~ng of the fltting element 2 in such a manner that the longer leg of the strip 25' includes an acute 30 angle with the top face 26 of the houslng of the fitting 6~
element 2. Owing to that acute angle, the inner edge of the sheet metal strip 25 constitutes an abutment edge 26'. When the fitting elements are locked, as is apparent from Figure 1, the rear faces 21 of the detent noses 15, 16 bear on the abutment edge 26 t .
As the leg 25' of the sheet metal strip 25 extends in the fitting element 2 at an acute angle to the vertlcal, the abutment edge 26' engages th~ rear faces 21 of the detent noses 15, 16 in such a manner that owing to tha force exerts by the compression spring 18 a wedge action is obtainPd and results in a tensile force on the detent lever 11. In this manner the fitting elements 1, 2 are connected and forced aga~nst each other by the detent lever 11.
In an alternative arrangement, the leg 25' might be parallel to the top surface 26 of the housing of the fitting el~nent 2, In that case th~ rear faces 21 of the detent noses must include ab obtuse angle with the longitudinal direction of the detent lever 11 in order that the required wedge action will be obtalned.
The second, shor~er leg 25" of the sheet metal strip 25 se~ves to improve the fixation in the housing of the fltting element 2.
The receiving opening 4 of the fitting element
~ his inventîon relates to a con~ecting fitting for detachably connectillg two pla.elike furniture parts, which preferably extend at right angles to each other, comprislng two fitting elQments, which areadapted to be secured ~o respective furni-ture parts to be connected and one of which has at least onP bar-shaped portion which is adapted to be inserted .into an opening of the other fitting element until the housings of the ~ittlng alements and/or the furniture parts engage lo each other, and said one itting element is adapted to be. connected to the other by locking means, which force the fitting elements against each other Connecting fittings for detachably connecting platelike furniture parts, e.g., the bottoms and side walls of cupboards, wardrobes, lockers or the like, are known in various forms.
For in~tance, German Patent SpecificatiQn 13 00 357, German Early Disclosure 30 06 728 and Ge~an Util~ty Model Speciflcation 79 27 805 disclose connecting fittings having one fitting element which comprises a housing that is secured to one furniture part, a connecting screw, which is rotatably mounted in said housi~g and adapted to be screwed into a preferably expansible plug fixed in the other furniture part, and an actuating screw, which is operatively connected by bevel ~earing to the connecting screw.
Gexman Patent Publication 25 46 526 discloses a connecting fitting comprising an expansible pin, which is slidably mounted on an expanding element of a pot-shaped retaining member, wh~ch is secured .
in one fuxn~ture part. To connect -the furniture parts the expansible p~n is inser~ed into a bore of the other furniture part and is subsequently expanded in that the expansible pln is displaced relative to the edge-shaped expanding element by an actuating screw.
G~rman Early Disclosures 29 09 656, 29 08 475, 25 41 S54, 28 36 678 and 27 48 272 disclose connecting fittings which are of the kind described f iLSt herein-before and in which the locking means which force the 10 fitting elements against each other consist of rotatably mounted wedges, which can be rotated by screwdrivers or the like to a position in which the furniture parts axe connected to each other.
Many o the known connecting fittings are compllcated and expensive structures and for this reason cannot be made as economically as is required ~or ma~s production. Besldes, all known connecting fittings of the kind discussed hereinbefore have the disadvantag~ that the~ can be mounted only with 20 di~ficulty and a screwdriver or anothar ~ool is required to connect the fitting elements and to force them against each other, if this is necessary.
For this reason it is an object o~ the present invention to provide a ~onnecting ~itting which is of the kind descr~bed first hereinbefore and which can be manufactured econvmically and comprises fltting elements which can be connected in a particularly ~imple manner and wlthout using a tool when lt is desired to connect the furniture parts.
This object is accomplished in acc~rdance with the invention in that ~he locking device comprises a . .
1~6~
detent lever, which is mounted in one fitting element ., and pivotally movable against the Eorce of a spriny and at its for~ard ~nd carries a detent hook, the other fitting element comprises a StQp or rib, which has an abu~ment edge or another detent abu~nant, and when the detent lever has been inserted into an openiny of said other fitting element the detent hook snaps behind said step or rib ~o that said rear face is urged by said spxing agatnst said detent abutment and exerts a wedge act~on thereon~ That wedge action is due to the fact that the sprlng tends to move the rear face of the hook across the detent abutment. AS a result of that wedge action, the detent lever is subjected to a substantial tensile ~orce, by which the fitting elements are forced against each other. It will be understood that the rear ~ace of the detent hook must be associated with the detent abutment in such a manner that the abutment will not engage the body of tha detent lever because in that ¢ase the wedg~ action forcing the fitting elements against each other would be eliminated~
To facili~ate the insertion of the detent lever 1nto the openlng of the other itting element, the edge of the open~ng or the forward face of the detent lever i~ preferably beveled~ In that case the engagement of the detent lever with the edye of the opening at said ~eveled surface will cause the detent lever to be depres~ed until it has been moved behind the det nt abutment and is then urged to its locked position~
The sel~-locking interengagement of the two 30 f~tting elements can ~e eliminated in a simple manner ~ 3 --iE the housing of the fitting element provided Wi th the detellt lever has an opening through which a tool, for instance, a scret~river, can ba inserted in order to depress the de~ent lever so as to release the locking means.
The detent abu~ment for enyaging the hook of the detent lever may be constituted by a pin, which is circular in cross-section and suitably forms an upper edge of a suitable step of the housing. In that case the rear ace of the detent hook of the detent lever must be so arranged that when the fitting el~ments interengage said rear face bears on the pin and there is a clearanca between the pin and the free end of the rear face of the hook. In such an arrangement the rear face of the hook will be slightly inclined and engage the pin at a small wedge angle so that the spring which biase~ the detent lever will fo.rce the fitting elements against each other~ A ~light inclination of the rear face of the detent hook can also be ensured ln that the ptvot pin for the detent lever is properly positioned in such a manner that the radial distance from the rear face of the hook to the pivotal axis of ~he detent lever decreases gradually from the point where the rear face of the hook engages the pin toward the root of the hook. The frictional forces acting between the pin and the rear ~ace of the detent hook can be increased ln that the pin is knurled or provided with axial q~ooves.
Adjacent to the detent lever, the top wall of the housin~ may be formed with a tapped bore and a screw for depressing the detent lever against the force oE the sprlng.may be adapted -to be scxewed into said tapped openlng~ In that case the fitting elements can be unlocked and the deten~ lever can be held in the unlocked posi~ion in that the screw is screwed into the opening.
The housinglike fitting element provided with the detent abutment may be provided with a projection on that slde which is opposite ~o its mounting flange and sald pro~ection may enter a corresponding recess on the end face of the other fitting element.
According to an optinal feature of the invention, a two-armed lever is pivoted to the top wall of the fitting element that is provided with the detent lev~r and the l~nger arm of said two-armed lever engages the outside~ surface of said top wall and its shorter arm engages the detent lever in such a mannex that when the longer lever arm is approxima~ely parallel to said top wall the detent lever is pivotally movable to its locking position and that the longer lever arm can be raised to disengage the detent lever from the ~butment edge or other detent abutment. In that case the fitting elements can be unlocked simply in that the longer arm of the two-armed lev~r is raised. The two-armed lever is suitably offset in such a manner that lt is held in lts raised posltion by the swung-out detent leve~.
In a s~mple design, the spring which biases the detent lever may consi~t of a tongue which has been struck out from the housing of the fltting 9C~
element. That design will be particularly suitable if the housing consists of a plastic material which has a suitable elasticity.
For a connection of two bottoms or the like to a partition, e.g., an embodiment of the invention comprises two ~itting elements, which are provided with abutment edges or other detent abutments and can be inserted from opposite sides into a through bore of the partition, and the two associated itting elements of said fit~ings ~e provided with mutually of~set detent levers. Because the detent levers are offset from each other, they can overlap each other in the locking positlon without interfering with each other~ Alternatively, a fitting element having only one abutment edge or other detent abutment may be inserted ~nto the through bore and the detent levers inserted from opposite sides may snap behind said detent abutment.
In another embodiment of the invention, two detent levers, which are spring-blased toward their expanded position, are pivoted in a fitting elemen~
on a plvot pln which extend at right angles to the long~tudinal direction of the fitting elament, and the other fitting element has an intermediate opening for rec~iving the detent levers and on both sldes of said opening is proYided with abutment edges or other detent abutmants which are parallel to the pivot pin.
In such an arrangement the fitting elements can be unlocked in a simple manner if those lever arms which are opposite to the lever arms provided with ~613691D
the hook~ are provided with angled actuatiny elements, whlch extend through an arcuate slot formed in ~he top wall of the fitting element and can ~e urged toward each other so that the lever arms which carry the hooks move like pincers so as to unlock the fitting elements.
The expanding spring may consist of a helical torsion spring which has extended legs arranyed in a v configuration and the convolution of such spring may surxound the plvot pin whereas its legs bear on those lever arms which carry the actuating elements.
In accordance with another proposal according to the invention the object set forth is accomplished in that one fitting element comprises a tongue, which ha~ a recess or hole and is adapted to be inserted lnto a guide hols of the other fitting element, which has a bore or a recess that is provided with guides, said bore or recess extends approximately at right angles to the guide hole, a spring-loaded slider is longltudinally slidably mounted in said bore or recess and has a curved or wedge-shaped portion that extends through the guide hole for the tongue, and when the tongue has been lnserted said curved or wedge-shaped portion bears on the forward edge of said bore or recess in such a manner that the ~ongue is locked and stressed ln tenslon. The fitting elements can then be unlocked by the actuation of an angled actuating element, which is carried by the slider and extends through a ~lot beyond the forward end o~ the fitting element.
Further embodiments of the invention will be described more fully in the dependent claims.
Embodtments of the invention will now be explained more fully with referenc~ to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sect.ional view showing a connectiny fitting for connecting two platellke furniture parts which extend at right angles to each other, F~gure 2 is a perspective view showing the angled sheet metal element which forms an abutment edge of one fittlng alement of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view that is similar to Figure 1 and shows the connecting fitting of Figure 1 before the fitting elements have been pushed together so as to be locked, Flgure 4 is a perspective view showing a detent lever that is pivoted to one fltting element of Flgure 1, Figure 5 is a front elevation showing tha~
fitting element of Figures 1 and 3 which is provided with the detent lever, Flgure 6 is a top plan view showing the fitting element of Flgure 5, Figure 7 is a side elevation showing another embodiment of the fitting element provided with the d~tent lever, partly in section, Figure 8 is a top plan view showing the fitting element of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the rubber bl~ck whlch resiliently biases the deten-t lever of Flgure 7, Figure 10 is a sectional view showing a fitting element havlng a detent lev~r which is blased by a V-shaped lea~ spring, ~686~
Figure 11 is a view that is similar to Figure 10 and shows a helical spring which has end legs and is used to bias the detent lever, Fiyure 12 is a perspective view showing the V-shaped leaf spring of Figure 10, Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the helical spring having end legs o~ Figur~ 11, Flgure 14 is a pPrspective view showing the datent levers of the emhodiments shown in Figures 11 and 12, Flgure 15 is a side elevation showing a fitting element ~hich has receiving openings, Figu~e 16 is a top plan view showing the fittiny element af ~igure 15, Flgure 17 is a side elevation showing the fitting element Q~ Figures 1 and 3, which is provided with receiving openings, Flgure 18 is a top plan view showing the fitting element of Flgure 17, Figure 19 is a front elevation showing another embodimen~ of a fitting element formed with receiving open~ngs, Figure 20 i5 a top plan view showing a fitting elemQnt which is providad with a datent lever and adapted to be interlocked with the fitttng element of Figura 19, Figure 21 i8 a sectional view showing the fitt1ng elements of Figures 19 and 20, which are intaxlocked and fixed by screws to furnlture parts which extend at ~ight angles to each other, 6~
Figure 22 is a sectional view showing ano-ther embodiment of a connecting fitting, which connects two platelike furniture parts which extend at right angles to each other, Figure 23 is a perspective view showing one fitting element of Figure 22 and a de~ent abutment, whlch consists of a pin of the other fitting element, Figure 24 shows the connecting fitting o~
L~igure 22 in an assembled condition, Figure 25 is a side elevation showing one housing half of the fitting element of Figure 22 provided with the detent lever, which housing half is provided with an opening laver, Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the opening lever of Figure 25, Figure 27 is a top plan view showing the split housing of the fitting element o~ Figure 22, which is pr~vided with the de~ent lever, Figure 28 is a top plan view showing the housing o~ Figure 25 in a closed state, Figure 29 is a sectional view showing a connecting fitting which connects two abutting platel.ike furniture parts, Figure 30 is a ~ront elevation showing that fi~ting element of Figure 29 which is provided with the detent abutment, Figure 31 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a connecting fitting which connects two platel~ke furniture parts ext~nding at an angle to each othe~, Figure 32 is a fxont elevation showing that fitting element of Figure 31 which is provided with the deten-t lever, Flgure 32A is a side elevation showing that fitting elemen-t of Figure 31 which is provided with the detent abutment, Figure 33 is a sectional view showing two connectlng fittings, which connect two platelike furniture parts extending in the same plane to a partition on opposit~ sid~s thereo, Flgure 34 is a sectional view showlng a connecting fitting and taken on line 34-34 in Figure 33, Figure 35 is a horizontal sectional view showing another embodiment of a connecting fitting which connects two platelike furniture parts which extend at right angles to e~ch other, Figure 36 is a front elevatlon showing that fitting element of Fiyure 35 which is provided with the detent abutments, Figure 37 is a top plan view showing that itting element of Fi~ure 35 which is provided with pincerlike detent levers, Figure 38 is a sectional view showing a last embodiment o a connectlng -fitting which connects two fuxn1ture parts extendlny at an angle to each other, Figure 39 is a perspective view showing the locking slider o Figure 38, Flgure 40 shows the connecting fitting of : Figure 38 in its locked state, F~gure 41 is a persp ctive view showing the detent tongue of Figure 38, .
1~86~0 Figure 42 is a top plan ~iew showing that fitting element of Figure 38 which is provided with the detent tongue, Figure 43 is a top plan view showing the fîtting element of Figure 42, Figure 44 is a front el~vation ~howing that fitting elemant of Figure 38 which is provided with the locking slider, and Figure 45 ~s a top plan view showing the fitting element of Figure 44.
The connecting fitting shown in Figures 1 to 6 and 17 and 18 consists of the fitting element 1, which is prov~ded with the detent lever 11, and of th~ fitting element 2, which is provided with the receiving openlngs 4, 5 and 6. Tha ~itting element 1 is inserted into and sacured in a recess which is formed in the :
bottom wall 7 of a cupboard and circular in cross-section.
The recess is intexsected by the plane o~ the end edge 8 of the bottom 7 so that the recess is open at the end edqe 8~ The housing 9 of the fitting eleme~t 1 is c~llndrical, except for its front face, which is planar and when the housing 9 is secured in the recess is ~lush wlth the end face 8 of the bottom wall 7. The cyli~drical peripheral surface of the housing 9 has a sawtooth-shaped profile in cross section.
The fitting eIement 1 has a downwardly open recess 10, which is approximately rectangular in cros~-section and in which the detent lever 11 i5 pivoted on the pivot pin 12, which is secured in the side walls of the itting el~ment 1. The detent lever 11 ~ 12 - .
~6~i9C) is a sheet metal stamping, ~he rear end portion of which has been curled to form a bearing eye 13. Xn the forward end portion of the detent lever 11, legs ar~ angled from the web 14 of said lever. These legs constitute tooth-shaped detent noses 15, 16. A lug 17 is struck out from the intermediate length portion of the web 14 and serves to hold a compression spring 18 as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The compression spring 18 bears at its top end on the weh 14 and at its other end on a 10 crosspiece 19, which bridges the recess 10. When the fltting elements axe unlocked, as is shown in Figure 3, the compresston spring 18 is held between the crosspiece 19 and the detent lever 11 so that th~ spring 13 holds the detent lever 11 in engagement with the top wall 20 of the housing.
The detent projections 15, 16 are tooth-shaped and have a rear side face 21, which extends at right angles to the web ~4, and an oblique forward face 22~
The fitting element which is provided with the 20 receiving openings 4, 5, 6 is inserted and secured in a cylindrical racess 23 of the side wall 24 of the cupboard. The fitting element 2 has a substantially cylindrical housing, which has a peripheral sur~ace that has a sa~tooth profile in cross-section. The receiving opening 4 for the detent lever 11 is providQd with a step, which is cons~ituted by a sheet metal strip 2S
that is ~-shaped in cross~section and i~ ~mbedded in the hous~ng of the fltting element 2 in such a manner that the longer leg of the strip 25' includes an acute 30 angle with the top face 26 of the houslng of the fitting 6~
element 2. Owing to that acute angle, the inner edge of the sheet metal strip 25 constitutes an abutment edge 26'. When the fitting elements are locked, as is apparent from Figure 1, the rear faces 21 of the detent noses 15, 16 bear on the abutment edge 26 t .
As the leg 25' of the sheet metal strip 25 extends in the fitting element 2 at an acute angle to the vertlcal, the abutment edge 26' engages th~ rear faces 21 of the detent noses 15, 16 in such a manner that owing to tha force exerts by the compression spring 18 a wedge action is obtainPd and results in a tensile force on the detent lever 11. In this manner the fitting elements 1, 2 are connected and forced aga~nst each other by the detent lever 11.
In an alternative arrangement, the leg 25' might be parallel to the top surface 26 of the housing of the fitting el~nent 2, In that case th~ rear faces 21 of the detent noses must include ab obtuse angle with the longitudinal direction of the detent lever 11 in order that the required wedge action will be obtalned.
The second, shor~er leg 25" of the sheet metal strip 25 se~ves to improve the fixation in the housing of the fltting element 2.
The receiving opening 4 of the fitting element
2 is provlded at its top edge with a ramplike beveled cammin~ æurface 27/ which adjoins the sheet metal strip 25.
The housing of the fitting el~ment 1 is provided on both sides of the detent lever 11 with locating pins 28, 29, which are adapted to be inserted into 86~
complementary receiving openinys 5, 6 of ~he fi~tiny element 2.
The top wall 20 of the housing of the fitting element 1 is formed wi-th an apPrture 30, through which a screwdriver 31, for instance, can be inserted to depre~s the detent lever 11 in order to unlock the fltting elements~
The fitting elements 1, 2 are provided with 1angelike edge portions 32, 33, which extend around part oE the perlphery of the respective fittiny element and together with the top faces of the fi~ting element form steps 34, 35, which interengage as shown in Figure 1 when the fitting elements are interlocked.
In the embodiment shown in Figur2s 7 and 8 and 15 and 16, the flangelike edge portions of the itting alements 1, 2 are provided with rearwardly extending tonguelike extensions, which at thelr end portions carry pluglike projections 36, 37.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the detent lever 11 is blased by a resilient block ~8, which consists of rubber or another elastomeric material.
Alternatively, the detent lever 11 may be biased by a V-shaped lea spring 39 or by a helical torsion spring 40 havlng end legs, as shown in Fiyures 10 to 14. To permit the mounting of said sprin~s on the pivot pin 12 or the detent lever 11, the lat~er is provided with angled lugs 41, 42, which are simular to the legs of a channel section and formed with bearing bores, as is shown in Figure 14.
The housings of the Eittlng elements 1, 2 consist of ~n~ection-molded plastic material and are 1~6~36~(~
formed with recesses ~3, which are sho~n in Figures 15 and 17 and recelve the an~led sheet metal strips 25, which are formed with the abutment edges~
~ n the embodiment shown in Figures 19 to 21, the fltting elements 1, 2 are provided wi~h bores 44 for ~ixing screws~ As a result, the housings of the fitting ele.ments can be secured to the furniture parts in the manner shown in Figure 21 without need for forming recesses tn said furniture parts~
~n the embodiment shown in Figure 22, the pot-shaped fitting element 46 has been inserted into a milled blind hole in the vertical furniture wall and has a slot 47 fo~ receiving the detent lever 49, which carries a hook 48~ The underside of the receiving slot 47 ls upwardly inclined to the ptn 45, which is secured in the ~ide ~alls of the pot-shaped housing part 46.
Behlnd the pln 45, the underside of the receiving slot 47 drops steeply so as to form a step. The pin 45 is dtsposed at the rear edge of the step so as to form an abutment edge. The underside o~ the receiving opening 47 adjoins the pe~iphery of the pin 45 approxlmately tangentially and the pin 45 protrudes over the vertic~l plane of the step.
The detent lever 49 is pivoted in the pot-shaped housing 50 ~n the pivot 51 and is urged by the helical compression spring 52 toward lts locking position. The he~dles~ screw 54 is screwed into a tapped bore 53 of the top wall of the housing 50 and can be screwed in more deeply s~ as to force the detent lever 49 out o~
its locking posit~on and to hold the detent lever in 6~6~) the resulting unlocked position, which is shown in solid lines in Figure 24. In the locking position, the rear face 55 of the hook 48 of the detent lever 49 bears o~ the pin 45, as is indicated in phantom in Figure 24. ~n that position the rear face 55 engages the pin 45 so as to exert a wedge action so that the interlo~ked fitting elements shown in Figure 24 are forc~d against each other.
The pin 45 is formed with axial flutes, as is apparent from Figure 23~
The housing 50 is provided with frustoconical locat~ng pins 56, 57, which are disposed on opposite sides of the detent lever 49 and extend into mating aperture~ of the housing 46.
The flange 58 of the houslng 46 is formed in its intermedtate portion with a horizontal step 59, and the forward edge of the housing 50 provided with the detent lever 49 bears on the step 5~ when the fitting element~ are locked~
On the side which is opposite to the flange 58, the housing 46 is provlded with shoxt flangelike extenslons 60, which bear on the edge of the blind hole. The housing 50 is provided with a corresponding step-shaped recess 61 for receiving the extensions 60.
The houslng 50 is provided on its forward Eace with lateral hooks 62, 63, which serve to improve the fixation to the furniture part~ The hou~iny 46 is provided with corresponding recesses for receiving the hooks 62, 63.
To unlock the fitting elements/ the itting 9~
element provided with the detent lever comprises in the embodiment shown in Figure 25 a two-arm2d l~ver 64, which i~ pivoted by means of stub axles 65 shown in Figure 25. The leve.r 64 is formed with a laterally offset end portion 66 at which the lever 64 will be held in its unlocking position shown ln phantom in Figure 25~ In the lockPd position, the longer arm 67 of the lever 64 lies in a groove formed in ~he top Eace of the housing 50. In order to :EacilitatP the assembllng, the housing of the fitting element provided with the detent lever 49 consists of two parts 50, 50', as i5 apparent from Figures 27 and 28.
The fitting element shown in Figure 29 is basically similar to that shown in Figure 22 and dif~ers from the latter essentially only in that the lnterl~cked fittlng elements are secured to ~he end faces of shelves and serve to connect these abuttiny shelves~ The pins 68 which are disposed laterally of the detent leve.r 49 are longer and have a frustopyramidal shape, as is apparent from the corresponding recesses 6g which ar~ formed in the housing 70 and shown in Figure 30.
The fitting element shown in Figure 31 is basically similar to the one shown in Figure 22. Instead of a separate spring for biasing the detent lever 71, a tongue 73 ls provided, which has been struck out frQm the bottom of the pot-shaped housing 7~ and extends obllquely to the detent lever 71. The tongue 73 ~as adequate restllent properties because it is inclined and the housiny is an injaction moldlng of plastic material.
6~9~
Th~ deten~ hooks 74 of the ~etent lever 71 are angled like legs of a channel saction from the web of the detent lever 71, as is .sho~n in Figure 32. The pin 75 which constitutes the detent abutment has been inserted with an adequate interference fi-t into a bore which extends through the housing 76.
The fittlng elements shown in Figures 33 and 34 correspond to the embodiments of Figures 22 and 25, respectively, and have been modified to permit a connection of shelves or the like to a vextical furniture wall on both sides ~hereof. The housings 78, 78' of those fitting elements which are provided with the abutment pins 79, 79' are inserted into a through bore formed in the vertical furniture wall and are open at the bottom so that they will permit an unobst~ucted passage of the hooks of the detent levers~
The housings 78, 78' are identical and at their confronting ends are formed with la-terally offset projections, which interengage when the housings are assembled in m~rror symmetry, as is shown in Figure 34.
rhe detent levers of the fitting elemenks 80, 80' are laterally offse~ so that they will be juxtaposed and overlap each other when the fitting elements are locked as ~hown ln Figure 34.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 35 ko 3~, the two-armed detent levers 82, 83 are pivoted in the housing 81 of the fitting element on a vertical pivot pin 84 and at thelr ~orward ends are provided with hooks 85, 86, which at their forward ends in the direction of insertion have wedgelike oblique cammlng faces 87, 88. The housing 89 of the other fitting 9~
elemant is provided with a receiving opening 90, which is d~fined by sloping low side walls 91, 92 , on which thP camming surfaces of the hooks of ~he detent levexs can ride as the latter ar~. inserted. The side walls 91, 92 adjoin the two abutment pins 93, 94 and extend approximately tangentially ~hereto. The pins 93, 94 extend at right angles to the direction in which the detent levers 82, 83 are inserted. These pins define the throat of the receiving opening~ Behind the abutment pins g3, 94, t~e lateral boundary walls 91, 92 of the r~ceiving opening extend steeply so as to form steps, the protruding edge portions of which are formed by the abutment pins 93, 94.
The pivot pin 84 for the detent levers is surrou~ded by some convolutions of the helical compression sprlng 95, the legs 96~ 97 o which are arranged in V-shape and bear on those arms 98, 99 of the detent levers which extend beyond the pivot pin 84.
As is apparent from Figure 37, the arms 98, 99 are prôvided with right-angled actuating elements 100, 101, which extend through the top wall of the housing 81 in a slot 102 that is curved along arc o a circle. ~s a xesult, the actuating elements 100~ 101 can be actuated by the 1ngers from the outsida.
The housing 81 or the detent levers 82, 83 is split in ordex. to facilitate the assembling.
The housing 81 is additionally provided with a tapered pin 103, which extends into the racess 104 of th~ housing g8 when the fitting elements are locked.
In the fltting~ shown in Figures 38 to 45l the Q
fitting elemen~ 105 is provided with a detent tongue 106, which has been inser~ed in~o a recess of the fitting element 105 and is secured in said recess ~y a pin 107, which is an intererence fit in alig~ed bores of the ~ittlng element and of the detent tongue 106. The detent tongue 106 protrudes from the fitting element 105 to such an extent that the detent tongue 106 can sufficiently extend into a track recess 108 of the other itting element 109~ A spring-biased slider 0 110 i5 longitudinally slidably mounted in the fitting element 109, ~n another track, which extends at right angles to the track 108. The slider consists of a double channel member, which has legs 111, 112 and 113, 114 arranged in pairs that are offset at an angle of 90 and angled in opposite sense from a common web 115. The legs 113, 114 serve to retain a helical compression spring 116, which bears at one end on the crosspiece 115 and at the other end on the pln 117, which is secured in the fitting element 109.
As ls apparent from Figures 38 and 40, the legs 111, 112 protrud~ into the track 108 and, viewed in the direction of insertion, have steeper orward faces 118 and less steeply sloping rear faces 119 at their top end.
~ he detent tongue 106 is provided at its forward end with rlght-angled lateral xecesses 120.
When the fittiny elements are locked, the forward faces 118 of the legs 111, 112 bear on the forward end faces o~ the recesses 120. As is appaxent from Figure 40; the arrange~ent is such that the mating surface~ 121, 122 of ~he fitting elements engage eachother when the faces 118 of ~he legs 111, 112 bear approximately with their middle portion on the end faces of the recesses 120. This will ensure that the fit~ing elements wlll be held together under initial stres~.
The leg 113 of the slider 110 is provided with an outwardly angled portion 123, which extends through a slot 124 of the fltting element 109~ From the locked posit~on, shown in Figure 40, the parts can be released by pressure applied in the direction of the arrow A to the member 123.
~ t may be added that the detent tongua 106 is provided on ttS front side with an oblique camming surface 125, which facilitates the depressing of the slider 110 as it is inserted. On both sides of the detent tongu~ 1Q6, the fitting element 105 is provided ~ith f~ustoconical locating pins 107, which ~xtend into ma~ing rec~sSes 108 of the fi~ting element 109 when the fitting elements are locked toge~her.
The housing of the fitting el~ment 1 is provided on both sides of the detent lever 11 with locating pins 28, 29, which are adapted to be inserted into 86~
complementary receiving openinys 5, 6 of ~he fi~tiny element 2.
The top wall 20 of the housing of the fitting element 1 is formed wi-th an apPrture 30, through which a screwdriver 31, for instance, can be inserted to depre~s the detent lever 11 in order to unlock the fltting elements~
The fitting elements 1, 2 are provided with 1angelike edge portions 32, 33, which extend around part oE the perlphery of the respective fittiny element and together with the top faces of the fi~ting element form steps 34, 35, which interengage as shown in Figure 1 when the fitting elements are interlocked.
In the embodiment shown in Figur2s 7 and 8 and 15 and 16, the flangelike edge portions of the itting alements 1, 2 are provided with rearwardly extending tonguelike extensions, which at thelr end portions carry pluglike projections 36, 37.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the detent lever 11 is blased by a resilient block ~8, which consists of rubber or another elastomeric material.
Alternatively, the detent lever 11 may be biased by a V-shaped lea spring 39 or by a helical torsion spring 40 havlng end legs, as shown in Fiyures 10 to 14. To permit the mounting of said sprin~s on the pivot pin 12 or the detent lever 11, the lat~er is provided with angled lugs 41, 42, which are simular to the legs of a channel section and formed with bearing bores, as is shown in Figure 14.
The housings of the Eittlng elements 1, 2 consist of ~n~ection-molded plastic material and are 1~6~36~(~
formed with recesses ~3, which are sho~n in Figures 15 and 17 and recelve the an~led sheet metal strips 25, which are formed with the abutment edges~
~ n the embodiment shown in Figures 19 to 21, the fltting elements 1, 2 are provided wi~h bores 44 for ~ixing screws~ As a result, the housings of the fitting ele.ments can be secured to the furniture parts in the manner shown in Figure 21 without need for forming recesses tn said furniture parts~
~n the embodiment shown in Figure 22, the pot-shaped fitting element 46 has been inserted into a milled blind hole in the vertical furniture wall and has a slot 47 fo~ receiving the detent lever 49, which carries a hook 48~ The underside of the receiving slot 47 ls upwardly inclined to the ptn 45, which is secured in the ~ide ~alls of the pot-shaped housing part 46.
Behlnd the pln 45, the underside of the receiving slot 47 drops steeply so as to form a step. The pin 45 is dtsposed at the rear edge of the step so as to form an abutment edge. The underside o~ the receiving opening 47 adjoins the pe~iphery of the pin 45 approxlmately tangentially and the pin 45 protrudes over the vertic~l plane of the step.
The detent lever 49 is pivoted in the pot-shaped housing 50 ~n the pivot 51 and is urged by the helical compression spring 52 toward lts locking position. The he~dles~ screw 54 is screwed into a tapped bore 53 of the top wall of the housing 50 and can be screwed in more deeply s~ as to force the detent lever 49 out o~
its locking posit~on and to hold the detent lever in 6~6~) the resulting unlocked position, which is shown in solid lines in Figure 24. In the locking position, the rear face 55 of the hook 48 of the detent lever 49 bears o~ the pin 45, as is indicated in phantom in Figure 24. ~n that position the rear face 55 engages the pin 45 so as to exert a wedge action so that the interlo~ked fitting elements shown in Figure 24 are forc~d against each other.
The pin 45 is formed with axial flutes, as is apparent from Figure 23~
The housing 50 is provided with frustoconical locat~ng pins 56, 57, which are disposed on opposite sides of the detent lever 49 and extend into mating aperture~ of the housing 46.
The flange 58 of the houslng 46 is formed in its intermedtate portion with a horizontal step 59, and the forward edge of the housing 50 provided with the detent lever 49 bears on the step 5~ when the fitting element~ are locked~
On the side which is opposite to the flange 58, the housing 46 is provlded with shoxt flangelike extenslons 60, which bear on the edge of the blind hole. The housing 50 is provided with a corresponding step-shaped recess 61 for receiving the extensions 60.
The houslng 50 is provided on its forward Eace with lateral hooks 62, 63, which serve to improve the fixation to the furniture part~ The hou~iny 46 is provided with corresponding recesses for receiving the hooks 62, 63.
To unlock the fitting elements/ the itting 9~
element provided with the detent lever comprises in the embodiment shown in Figure 25 a two-arm2d l~ver 64, which i~ pivoted by means of stub axles 65 shown in Figure 25. The leve.r 64 is formed with a laterally offset end portion 66 at which the lever 64 will be held in its unlocking position shown ln phantom in Figure 25~ In the lockPd position, the longer arm 67 of the lever 64 lies in a groove formed in ~he top Eace of the housing 50. In order to :EacilitatP the assembllng, the housing of the fitting element provided with the detent lever 49 consists of two parts 50, 50', as i5 apparent from Figures 27 and 28.
The fitting element shown in Figure 29 is basically similar to that shown in Figure 22 and dif~ers from the latter essentially only in that the lnterl~cked fittlng elements are secured to ~he end faces of shelves and serve to connect these abuttiny shelves~ The pins 68 which are disposed laterally of the detent leve.r 49 are longer and have a frustopyramidal shape, as is apparent from the corresponding recesses 6g which ar~ formed in the housing 70 and shown in Figure 30.
The fitting element shown in Figure 31 is basically similar to the one shown in Figure 22. Instead of a separate spring for biasing the detent lever 71, a tongue 73 ls provided, which has been struck out frQm the bottom of the pot-shaped housing 7~ and extends obllquely to the detent lever 71. The tongue 73 ~as adequate restllent properties because it is inclined and the housiny is an injaction moldlng of plastic material.
6~9~
Th~ deten~ hooks 74 of the ~etent lever 71 are angled like legs of a channel saction from the web of the detent lever 71, as is .sho~n in Figure 32. The pin 75 which constitutes the detent abutment has been inserted with an adequate interference fi-t into a bore which extends through the housing 76.
The fittlng elements shown in Figures 33 and 34 correspond to the embodiments of Figures 22 and 25, respectively, and have been modified to permit a connection of shelves or the like to a vextical furniture wall on both sides ~hereof. The housings 78, 78' of those fitting elements which are provided with the abutment pins 79, 79' are inserted into a through bore formed in the vertical furniture wall and are open at the bottom so that they will permit an unobst~ucted passage of the hooks of the detent levers~
The housings 78, 78' are identical and at their confronting ends are formed with la-terally offset projections, which interengage when the housings are assembled in m~rror symmetry, as is shown in Figure 34.
rhe detent levers of the fitting elemenks 80, 80' are laterally offse~ so that they will be juxtaposed and overlap each other when the fitting elements are locked as ~hown ln Figure 34.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 35 ko 3~, the two-armed detent levers 82, 83 are pivoted in the housing 81 of the fitting element on a vertical pivot pin 84 and at thelr ~orward ends are provided with hooks 85, 86, which at their forward ends in the direction of insertion have wedgelike oblique cammlng faces 87, 88. The housing 89 of the other fitting 9~
elemant is provided with a receiving opening 90, which is d~fined by sloping low side walls 91, 92 , on which thP camming surfaces of the hooks of ~he detent levexs can ride as the latter ar~. inserted. The side walls 91, 92 adjoin the two abutment pins 93, 94 and extend approximately tangentially ~hereto. The pins 93, 94 extend at right angles to the direction in which the detent levers 82, 83 are inserted. These pins define the throat of the receiving opening~ Behind the abutment pins g3, 94, t~e lateral boundary walls 91, 92 of the r~ceiving opening extend steeply so as to form steps, the protruding edge portions of which are formed by the abutment pins 93, 94.
The pivot pin 84 for the detent levers is surrou~ded by some convolutions of the helical compression sprlng 95, the legs 96~ 97 o which are arranged in V-shape and bear on those arms 98, 99 of the detent levers which extend beyond the pivot pin 84.
As is apparent from Figure 37, the arms 98, 99 are prôvided with right-angled actuating elements 100, 101, which extend through the top wall of the housing 81 in a slot 102 that is curved along arc o a circle. ~s a xesult, the actuating elements 100~ 101 can be actuated by the 1ngers from the outsida.
The housing 81 or the detent levers 82, 83 is split in ordex. to facilitate the assembling.
The housing 81 is additionally provided with a tapered pin 103, which extends into the racess 104 of th~ housing g8 when the fitting elements are locked.
In the fltting~ shown in Figures 38 to 45l the Q
fitting elemen~ 105 is provided with a detent tongue 106, which has been inser~ed in~o a recess of the fitting element 105 and is secured in said recess ~y a pin 107, which is an intererence fit in alig~ed bores of the ~ittlng element and of the detent tongue 106. The detent tongue 106 protrudes from the fitting element 105 to such an extent that the detent tongue 106 can sufficiently extend into a track recess 108 of the other itting element 109~ A spring-biased slider 0 110 i5 longitudinally slidably mounted in the fitting element 109, ~n another track, which extends at right angles to the track 108. The slider consists of a double channel member, which has legs 111, 112 and 113, 114 arranged in pairs that are offset at an angle of 90 and angled in opposite sense from a common web 115. The legs 113, 114 serve to retain a helical compression spring 116, which bears at one end on the crosspiece 115 and at the other end on the pln 117, which is secured in the fitting element 109.
As ls apparent from Figures 38 and 40, the legs 111, 112 protrud~ into the track 108 and, viewed in the direction of insertion, have steeper orward faces 118 and less steeply sloping rear faces 119 at their top end.
~ he detent tongue 106 is provided at its forward end with rlght-angled lateral xecesses 120.
When the fittiny elements are locked, the forward faces 118 of the legs 111, 112 bear on the forward end faces o~ the recesses 120. As is appaxent from Figure 40; the arrange~ent is such that the mating surface~ 121, 122 of ~he fitting elements engage eachother when the faces 118 of ~he legs 111, 112 bear approximately with their middle portion on the end faces of the recesses 120. This will ensure that the fit~ing elements wlll be held together under initial stres~.
The leg 113 of the slider 110 is provided with an outwardly angled portion 123, which extends through a slot 124 of the fltting element 109~ From the locked posit~on, shown in Figure 40, the parts can be released by pressure applied in the direction of the arrow A to the member 123.
~ t may be added that the detent tongua 106 is provided on ttS front side with an oblique camming surface 125, which facilitates the depressing of the slider 110 as it is inserted. On both sides of the detent tongu~ 1Q6, the fitting element 105 is provided ~ith f~ustoconical locating pins 107, which ~xtend into ma~ing rec~sSes 108 of the fi~ting element 109 when the fitting elements are locked toge~her.
Claims (38)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A connecting fitting for detachably connecting two plate-like furniture parts, comprising a pair of fitting elements each adapted to be secured to different ones of the furniture parts, one said element having a detent lever with front hook-like detent noses, said detent lever being pivotably supported against the bias of a spring means, said detent lever being adapted to be inserted into a receiving opening of the other fitting element until the fitting elements and/or the furniture parts engage each other, said one fitting element being adapted to be connected to the other such that the rear side face of the detent nose snaps behind an abutment edge of a step or rib of the other fitting element, at least one of the edge of the opening sliding over that of the detent nose during the insertion and the forward face of the detent nose being beveled, such that in the connected state of the fitting ele-ments the detent nose with its rear side face abuts against the abutment edge above its base on the detent lever while exerting a wedge action and means for moving the detent lever against the bias of the spring means into its unlocked position.
2. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which both the edge of the opening and the forward face of the detent lever are beveled.
3. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which the fitting elements comprise pot-shaped housings, which are adapted to be received and secured in mating recesses of the furniture parts so as to be flush therewith.
4. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the fitting element provided with the detent lever has a side face which is flush with the end edge of the furniture part to be connected and is provided in said side face with an exit opening for the detent lever.
5. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which the fitting element having the detent lever is provided on both sides of the lever with locating pins, which are adapted to be inserted into complementary openings of the other fitting element.
6. A connecting fitting according to claim 5, in which the locating pins have a conical taper.
7. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the detent lever is pivoted on a pivot pin that is secured in the rear portion of the housing.
8. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which a compression spring or a block of elastomeric material is supported on the housing bottom or a crosspiece which bridges the open underside of the housing and said spring or block urges said detent lever against the upper edge of the exit opening and/or the inside surface of the top wall of the housing.
9. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the detent lever is biased by a V-shaped spring, which is mounted on the pivot pin for the detent lever.
10. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the top wall of the housing has an opening adjacent to the detent lever.
11. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the top faces of the housings of the fitting elements are provided with flangelike protruding edge portions.
12. A connecting fitting according to claim 11, in which the flangelike edge portions have tonguelike exten-sions and carry respective retaining plugs.
13. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the detent lever is a bent sheet metal blank and the detent noses consist of legs which are angled from the weblike intermediate portion of the lever.
14. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the detent noses consist of approximately triangular teeth.
15. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which its housings consist of plastic material.
16. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the housing provided with the receiving openings is provided with an abutment edge, which is an embedded sheet metal element.
17. A connecting fitting according to claim 16, in which the sheet metal element is inclined from the top face of the housing.
18. A connecting fitting according to claim 16, in which the sheet metal element has an angled leg.
19. A connecting fitting according to claim 16, in which the housing is formed with a laterally disposed open-ing, which extends through at least part of the housing and has a cross-section which corresponds to that of the sheet metal element.
20. A connecting fitting according to claim 16, 17 or 18, in which the opening for receiving the detent lever is beveled toward the abutment edge on the side facing the sheet metal element which forms said abutment edge.
21. A connecting fitting according to claim 11, in which the fitting element formed with the receiving opening is adapted to be secured in a bore formed in the flat side of a furniture part and is provided With a step which is formed by the end edge of the flangelike edge portions and extends above the top face of the housing and interengages with a cor-respondingly shaped step of the other fitting element.
22. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which the fitting elements comprise housings which are adapted to be screwed to the flat sides of the furniture parts.
23. A connecting fitting according to claim 22, in which one side of each housing lies flat on the flat side of a furniture part.
24. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which the detent abutment edge includes an abutment pin, which is circular in cross-section.
25. A connecting fitting according to claim 24, in which the radial distance from the rear side face of the nose to the pivotal axis of the detent lever decreases gradually toward the root of said rear side face and when the fitting elements are locked the abutment edge is engaged by the rear face approximately in the middle thereof.
26. A connecting fitting according to claim 24, or 25, in which the abutment pin is knurled or has axial grooves.
27. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the top wall of the housing is adjacent to the detent lever with a tapped bore and a headless screw is provided, which is adapted to be screwed into the tapped bore to depress the detent lever against the force of the spring means.
28. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, characterized in that the housing of the fitting element provided with the abutment edge is provided on its side is opposite to its mounting flange with a flangelike projection, which extends into a corresponding recess in the end face of the other fit-ting element to prevent an excessively deep forcible insertion of the fitting element into the mounting bore.
29. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which a two-armed lever is pivoted in the top wall of the fit-ting element that is provided with the detent lever, the longer arm of said two-armed lever engages the outside of the wall and the detent lever which is mounted in the fitting element is engaged by the shorter arm of the two-armed lever in such a manner that when the longer lever arm is approximately para-llel to the wall the detent lever is pivotally movable to its locking position and the detent lever being arranged to be disengaged from the abutment edge in that the longer lever arm is raised.
30. A connecting fitting according to claim 29 r in which the two-armed lever has a laterally offset portion, which is adapted to be held in its raised position by the detent lever when the latter has been swung out.
- 31. A connecting fitting according to claim 29 or 30, in which the wall of the fitting element is formed with a recess and when the fitting elements are locked, the longer lever arm lies in said recess so that the surface of the longer arm is flush with the wall.
32. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the housing provided with the detent lever is composed of two halves, which are joined along a center line that is parallel to the detent lever.
33. A connecting fitting according to claim 3, in which the spring means which biases the detent lever con-sists of a tongue, which has been struck out from the housing of the fitting element.
34. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which two fitting elements provided with abutment edges are adapted to be inserted into a through bore from opposite sides and the associated fitting elements are provided with mutually offset detent lever.
35. A connecting fitting according to claim 34, in which the fitting elements adapted to be inserted into the through bore are identical and have steps or projections which interengage when the fitting elements are arranged in mirror symmetry.
36. A connecting fitting according to claim 1, in which a fitting element has a pivot pin which extends at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the fitting ele-ment, two detent levers are pivoted on said pivot pin and bias-ed by a spring means toward their expanded position, and the other fitting element is provided on both sides of its central receiving opening with two abutment edges or other detent abutments, which are parallel to the pivot pin.
37. A connecting fitting according to claim 36, in which those lever arms which are opposite to the lever arms provided with the noses carry angled actuating elements, which extend through the top wall of the fitting element in an arcuate slot.
38. A connecting fitting according to claim 36, or 37, in which the expanding spring consists of a helical com-pression spring having end legs arranged in V-shape, the con-volutions of said spring surround the pivot pin and the legs of said spring bear on the lever arms which carry the actuating elements.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEP3047642.7-16 | 1980-12-17 | ||
| DE19803047642 DE3047642A1 (en) | 1980-12-17 | 1980-12-17 | CONNECTING FITTING |
| EP81103813A EP0058220B1 (en) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-05-18 | Connection fitting |
| GB81103813.2 | 1981-05-18 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1168690A true CA1168690A (en) | 1984-06-05 |
Family
ID=25789787
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000392576A Expired CA1168690A (en) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-12-17 | Connecting fitting |
Country Status (17)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AR (1) | AR229257A1 (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE15254T1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU7856981A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR8108180A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1168690A (en) |
| DD (1) | DD201821A5 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK558581A (en) |
| ES (1) | ES270031Y (en) |
| FI (1) | FI814041A7 (en) |
| HU (1) | HU183747B (en) |
| IL (1) | IL64398A0 (en) |
| NO (1) | NO814292L (en) |
| PL (1) | PL130085B1 (en) |
| PT (1) | PT74131B (en) |
| RO (1) | RO85241B (en) |
| SE (1) | SE8107508L (en) |
| SU (1) | SU1269748A3 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5667327A (en) * | 1994-10-18 | 1997-09-16 | Arturo Salice S.P.A. | Connecting fitting |
Families Citing this family (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102009060405A1 (en) * | 2009-12-22 | 2011-06-30 | Vierck, Udo, Dipl.-Ing. Architekt, 80335 | Connection fitting for detachably connecting e.g. wall or wooden post and wooden beam in prefabricated timber building, has locking unit formed such that movement of fitting parts relative to each other is prevented in locked condition |
| BE1020453A3 (en) * | 2011-12-01 | 2013-10-01 | Unilin Bvba | FURNITURE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING FURNITURE. |
| IT201600070959A1 (en) * | 2016-07-07 | 2018-01-07 | Leonardo Srl | JUNCTION TO INTERCHANGE A FIRST AND SECOND PANEL OF FURNITURE AND OTHER FURNITURE ITEMS |
| DE102016215037B4 (en) | 2016-08-11 | 2024-10-24 | Lamello Ag | spring device and connecting device |
-
1981
- 1981-05-18 AT AT81103813T patent/ATE15254T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1981-11-27 IL IL64398A patent/IL64398A0/en unknown
- 1981-12-11 SU SU813364221A patent/SU1269748A3/en active
- 1981-12-15 SE SE8107508A patent/SE8107508L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1981-12-15 PT PT74131A patent/PT74131B/en unknown
- 1981-12-16 NO NO814292A patent/NO814292L/en unknown
- 1981-12-16 DD DD81235828A patent/DD201821A5/en unknown
- 1981-12-16 AU AU78569/81A patent/AU7856981A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1981-12-16 ES ES1981270031U patent/ES270031Y/en not_active Expired
- 1981-12-16 HU HU813800A patent/HU183747B/en unknown
- 1981-12-16 BR BR8108180A patent/BR8108180A/en unknown
- 1981-12-16 AR AR287836A patent/AR229257A1/en active
- 1981-12-16 PL PL1981234267A patent/PL130085B1/en unknown
- 1981-12-16 DK DK558581A patent/DK558581A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1981-12-16 FI FI814041A patent/FI814041A7/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1981-12-17 RO RO106032A patent/RO85241B/en unknown
- 1981-12-17 CA CA000392576A patent/CA1168690A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5667327A (en) * | 1994-10-18 | 1997-09-16 | Arturo Salice S.P.A. | Connecting fitting |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ES270031U (en) | 1983-11-16 |
| FI814041L (en) | 1982-06-18 |
| DK558581A (en) | 1982-06-18 |
| PL234267A1 (en) | 1982-12-20 |
| ES270031Y (en) | 1984-05-16 |
| PL130085B1 (en) | 1984-07-31 |
| DD201821A5 (en) | 1983-08-10 |
| PT74131A (en) | 1982-01-01 |
| SU1269748A3 (en) | 1986-11-07 |
| AR229257A1 (en) | 1983-07-15 |
| ATE15254T1 (en) | 1985-09-15 |
| BR8108180A (en) | 1982-09-28 |
| AU7856981A (en) | 1984-01-12 |
| IL64398A0 (en) | 1982-02-28 |
| SE8107508L (en) | 1982-06-17 |
| FI814041A7 (en) | 1982-06-18 |
| PT74131B (en) | 1983-08-22 |
| HU183747B (en) | 1984-05-28 |
| NO814292L (en) | 1982-06-18 |
| RO85241B (en) | 1984-10-30 |
| RO85241A (en) | 1984-09-29 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |