GB1583258A

GB1583258A - Cubicle construction

Info

Publication number: GB1583258A
Application number: GB3728177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: KEMMLIT BAUELEMENTE GmbH
Current assignee: KEMMLIT BAUELEMENTE GmbH
Priority date: 1976-09-16
Filing date: 1977-09-07
Publication date: 1981-01-21
Also published as: NL7710229A; ATA605277A; AT365265B; FR2365009A1; DE2641606A1; FR2365009B3; IT1087662B; BE858493A; CH626416A5; DE2641606C2

Abstract

The wall structure has a profile strip (11), with two receiving portions (16), and connection parts (21, 22) which have in each case one rotational guide (47, 48) for a coupling piece (49, 50) and engage into the receiving portions (16) by means of plug-in extensions (18, 19). By means of the coupling piece (49, 50), the connection parts (21, 22) are rotatably connected to in each case one support (57, 58) which has a corresponding receiving portion (59, 101) for the coupling piece (49, 50). As a result, the rotational or pivot connection of a door or the like to the wall structure can be easily produced. The cubicles can, in this manner, be assembled entirely by the modular-construction principle. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) CUBICLE CONSTRUCTION (71) We, KEMMLIT-BAUELEMENTE GmbH., a Company organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, of 63 Reutlinger Strasse, 7400 Tiibingen/ Neckar, Federal Republic of Germany,.do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention concems a cubicle construction suitable for cubicles or closets, especially sanitary cubicles, with frame members or formers provided for each of at least one wall and a door panel, which frame members or formers are formed with ribs providing a channel therebetween.

With known cubicle constructions of this type the formers are solely provided with a mounting for the fastening of attachment members. Connecting parts as, for example, pivot assemblies for the door or such likr, cannot, however, themselves be supported in the former, but must, in a complicated way, be fastened to the wall and door components, which involves appreciable time and cost expenditure.

The invention is based on the problem of developing a cubicle construction of this type, with which the individual parts of the cubicle can be joined in an easy manner without special fixing parts.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a cubicle construction, suitable for sanitary cubicles, comprising at least one wall panel and a door panel connected therewith, each of which panels has attached to at least one edge thereof an elongate tubular frame member which is formed with longitudinally extending ribs providing a channel therebetween on the side of the frame member remote from the panel to which the frame member is attached. the ribs being separated from a socket defined by an open end of said tubular frame member, by a partition wall of said frame member, in which socket is engageably.received an extension of -a plug and at least one plug forms a part of a pivot assembly by means of which said door panel is pivotally connected to said wall panel.

As a result of the arrangement according to the invention, the frame members or formers serve as supports for the connecting parts and, according to the type of assembly of parts, can be simply joined with these by the assembling of the individual parts.

In this way the individual parts of the cubicle construction can be quickly and easily erected with small expenditure of time so that cubicles can be economically manufactured, and at a favourable price.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of part of one form of a cubicle construction according to the invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of a frame member or former of the cubicle construction of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an upper plug of the cubicle construction in a section along the line III- III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a -view of the upper plug in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section along the line V-V in Fig. 3; -Fig. 6 shows a lower plug of the cubicle construction according to Fig. 1 in a view corresponding with Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a view of the lower plug in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 6;; Fig. 8 is a section along the line VIII- VIII in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 shows part of a .pivot assembly of the cubicle construction according to Fig. 1 in a section along the line IX-IX in Fig. 10; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pivot assembly according to Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a section along the line Xi-XI in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 shows in exploded view the upper pivot assembly; Fig. 13 shows a fitting of the cubiclecon- struction in plan view; Fig. 14 is a side view of the fitting according to Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a plan view of an attachment member of the cubicle construction accor ding to Fig. 1; and Fig. 16 is an exploded view of a frame member and an attachment member with a door fastening.

The cubicle construction shown in the drawings, which is provided, by way of example, in dressing cubicles, W.C. closets or the like, has a wall panel 2 fastened to a wall 1 and a door panel 3 connected to this. The wall panel 2 and the door panel 3 consist respectively of, in cross-section, rectangular wall and door sections 4, 5 which carry on their narrow sides 6 to 8 respectively elongate frame members or formers 9 to 11. The formers 9 to 11 form, with the appropriate side walls of the wall and door sections 4 and 5, a flat outer side 12 and 13. The door panel 3 is pivotally supported on the wall panel 2 by support members 57 and 58 and has an attachment member 15, which is held in the former 11 and in plugs 21 and 22 connected therewith: and cooperates with an inversely profiled attachment member 14 of the wall component 2.The inversely profiled attachment member 14 fits in the former 10 adjacent the door panel 3.

The formers 9 to 11 are tubular and the open ends thereof define socket 16 for appropriate plug extensions 17 to 19 of pivot assembly 20 and plugs 21, 22 which are to be connected with the formers, and also have ribs 23 for cooperation with respective ribs 24 of the attachment members 14 and 15 (Fig. 2 and 15). The formers 9 to 11 have, over their whole length, the same cross-section. As Fig. 2 especially shows, the socket 16 forms in cross-section a rectangular mounting aperture which lies with one wide side 25 to the appropriate narrow sirle 8 of the door section 5, and the other wide side 26 of which forms a dividing partition between the socket 16 and the ribs 23. The socket 16 has, on its inner sides, protruding ribs 27 with rectangular cross-section.On the wide sides 25 and 26 of socket 16 res pectively two ribs, and on the narrow sides 28 and 29 thereof one centrally disposed rib, are provided. The ribs 27 run respectively over the whole length of the socket 16. The ribs provided on the wide sides 25 and 26 are spaced out from each other and from the adjacent narrow sides 28 and 29 of the socket 16 whereby the distance between adjacent ribs is larger than the distance of a rib from an adjacent side wall.The ribs 27 of the socket 16 cooperate, in the assem bled state, with corresponding grooves of the plur extensions 17 to 19. not shown in the drawingst in the manner of groove and tongue interconnections. so that the con necking parts in the apnropnate formers are centred and held fixedly in these, in the transverse and lengthways directions. Moreover, by means of the ribs 27, a reinforcement of the walls of the socket 16 is achieved.

The ribs 23 of the formers 9 to 11 form a channel cross-section with bent sides whose free edge flanges 30 and 31 face each other and border a channel 32 for the ribs 24 of the attachment formers 14 and 15. The wall between the ribs 23 is formed by the side 26, so that the ribs and the socket measured similarly parallel to the dividing wall, have sufficient clearance over the whole length of the formers. In this way the appropriate attachment former is held essentially over its whole length safely and immovably in the formers. The ribs 23 are symmetrically disposed about the vertical median plane along the length of the formers through the dividing wall.The distance between the two edge flanges 30 and 31 is greater than half of the width of the side 26, so that therebetween the formers large parts such as, for example, a lock 33 (Fig. 16) or suchlike, can be interposed. The ribs 23 have, measured parallel to the symmetrical plane of the formers, somewhat more than half of the smaller - clearance of the socket 16. The mounting is thus formed to be spacious, so that the connecting parts are securely arranged in the formers.

The former 11 of the door panel 3 is shorter than the formers 9 and 10 of the wall panel 2, and connects with its ends 42 and 43 respectively on to an upper and a lower plug 21 and 22. The upper and lower plugs are formed by the parts 21 and 22 which lie with their plug extensions 18 and 19 in the socket of the former 11. The plugs 21 and 22 are thus formed with their upper and lower segments 36 and 37 respectively joined to the respective plug extension, and which have sockets 38, 39 and ribs 40, 41 corresponding to the socket 16 and the ribs 23 of the formers 9 to 11. The end surfaces of the formers 11 thus lie in contact with the respective undersides and upper sides 44 and 45 of the segments 36 and 37 so that a continuous door former 46 showing no breaks is formed.

The upper and lower plugs 21 and 22 have, within their sockets 38 and 39, a tubularly formed guide 47 and 48 respectively for a peg 49 and 50. The guides 47 and 48 hold the corresponding pegs 49 and 50 and lie concentric with the axis of the sockets 38 and 39 so that the pegs are arranged with a space all round in the segments 36 and 37.

By this means, the most favourable strength ratios are achieved, so that the door former 46 takes the strain equally.over its whole length and has a longer period of use. The pegs 49 and 50 are located correspondingly with a locating pin 51 and disc 52 in their fitting position in the upper and lower plugs 21, 22 respectively. The locating pin 51 and disc 52 extend transversely of the respective longitudinal axes of the pegs 42 and 50 so that two bearing segments of each peg are formed respectively 53, 54 and 55, 56. The upper peg 49 projects with its lower bearing segmet 54, in the assembled position, into the guide 47 of the upper pivot bearing, and with its upper segment 53 in an upper horizontal support member 57 of the cubicle construction according to Fig. 1.The lower peg 50 projects with its upper bearing segment 55 into the guide 48 of the lower plug 22 and lies with its lower bearing segment 56 in a lower horizontal support member 58. This forms a base part of the pivot assembly 20 which is itself formed as a support for the wall panel 2. The upper support member 57 is formed correspondingly profiled to the formers 9 to 11 (Fig.

12) and has a supporting insert 59 which, in an interlocking manner, is arranged in a mounting socket 60 of the support member 57 and is connected with the support member by a peg or suchlike which projects through corresponding apertures 61 and 62 in the supporting insert 59 and the support member 57. The peg 49 connecting the upper plug 21 with the support member 57 projects with its upper segment 53 through apertures 63 and 64 in alignment with each other, of the preferably massively formed supporting insert 59 and the support member 57.

With the supporting insert 59 the stresses acting on the peg 49 with the opening and closing of the door panel 3 are spread over a large area of the support member 57, and the upper segment 53 of the peg 49 is secured against warping. In the assembled state, the channel 65 between the ribs 66 of the support member 57 lies in a plane with a side surface of the wall and door panels 2 and 3, and is closed by a flange 67 of a cover strip 68 of channel section. The cover strip 68 fits over the support member 57 over its whole length, and is fastened thereto by means of screws 69.

A partition wall 70 between ribs 41 and socket 18 of the upper plug 21 has therein a slot 71 open at the upper end towards the support member 57, which is longer than the distance of the locating pin 51 from the upper end 72 of the peg 49. The slot 71 extends over the whole length of the socket 38 of the upper plug 21 and has a roundedoff base 73 corresponding with the surface of the locating pin 51. The slot 71 lies on the symmetrical axis of the upper pivot bearing 21. In order to secure the peg 49 in its coupling position with the upper support member 57, a further slot 74 is provided in the partition wall and which opens upwardly towards the upper support member 57. The slot 74 runs parallel to the Slot 71 and has also a rounded-off base 75 corresponding with the súrface of the locating pin 51.

The slot 74 which is shorter than the slot 71, accommodates the thickness of the locating pin 51 and has, relative thereto, a greater length. The long side 76 of the slot 74 leading to the slot 71 bounds a triangular shoulder surface 77, as seen in plan (Fig. 4), formed with the adjoining long side 78 of the slot 71. The distance of the shoulder surface 77 from the upper end 79 of the plug 21 corresponds, in general, with the thickness of the locating pin 51. The two long sides 76 and 78, and also the shoulder surface 77 border a connecting piece 80 of triangular section. The guide 47 of the upper plug 21 extends into and over the whole length of plug extension 18. The guide 47 of the upper plug 21 has a partially circular section and encircles the peg 49 in its assembled position over more than half the circumference.By this means the peg 49 is held safely in the guide and can, without being displaced from its vertical position, be rotated into its further coupling position still to be described below. The wall of the guide 47 merges, at an angle, with the diverging side walls 81 and 82 of the partition 70, whereby the guide is held on in the socket 38. The side walls 81 and 82 form, with their facing outer surfaces, the long sides 83 and 84 of the slots 74 and 71 joining on to the partition 70 of the upper plug 21.

As a result of the special formation of the upper plug 21, an easy assembly of the door component 3 is possible. The peg 49 is inserted into the guide 47 of the upper plug, for assembly, so that its locating pin 51 lies in the engaging slot 71.

As the distance of the upper end 72 of the peg 49 from the locating pin 51 is at most equal to the height of the slot 71, the peg 49 in this position does not project above the upper plug 21. The door panel 3 then, lends itself to being arranged under the upper support member 57 in an easy manner. For the pivoting of the door panel 3 in the upper support mernber 57 it is simply necessary to push upwards the end of the locating pin 51 which projects from the slot 71, whereby the upper bearing segment 53 of the peg 49 is pushed into the appropriate opening of the upper support member 57 and of the supporting insert 59.

The locating pin 51 is then moved over the shoulder surface 77 of the connecting piece 80 until it can be inserted into the slot 74.

The peg 49 is lowered until its locating pin 51 lies on the base 75 of the slot 74. The peg 49, is, in an advantageous way, not visible, in its fitted position, from outside.

The guide 48 of the lower plug 22 is formed from an essentially cylindrical insert, which is arranged loosely in the socket 39 of the lower segment 37. The guide 48 has a blind bore 85 opening in a downward direction and having a tapered base 86 at its upper end. In the assembled state, the peg 50 of the lower plug 22 lies with its upper bearing segment 55 within the bore 85, so that the peg is secured in its vertical position.

The guide 48 is secured in the plug by means of a holding flange 87 which lies in a corresponding groove 88 of the socket 39.

The groove 88 is provided below the base part 89 connecting to the plug extension 19 of the lower plug 22, and has essentially the same measurements as the plug extension 19 whereby the guide 48 has a secure hold in its assembled position in the lower plug 22.

The guide 48 and the base and boundary wall 89 and 90 of the groove 88 have respectively with each other, aligned apertures 91, which form a location for one end 95 of a torsion spring 96, which surrounds the cylindrical section 93 of the guide 48, connected to the holding flange 87. The base and boundary wall 89 and 90 of the groove 88 have further apertures 92 and 94 respectively concentric, lengthways of the axis of the plug 22. The diameter of the opening 92 into the plug extension 19 is smaller than the diameter of the opening 94; the latter corresponding with the diameter of the cylindrical segment 93 of the guide 48. The guide 48 has a high bending resistance in the lengthways direction, and is massively formed in its part 97 connecting the flange 87.

The door panel 3 is flexibly supported in the lower segment 37 by the spring 96. The spring 96 has its lower end 98 secured in a holding groove 99 of the locating disc 52, which is formed as a collar of the peg 50.

The spring 96 is so prestressed that it biasses the door in the direction of its closed position. The prestressing of the spring 96 can be set in an easy way; whilst the nut 102 is loosened the peg 50 is rotated in the required direction, and the nut 102 is tightened again with the peg 50 in the new position. As a consequence of the locating of the lower spring end 98 in the holding groove 99 the spring 96 is prestressed to a greater or lesser degree.

The plug extension 19 of the lower plug 22 is, in its lower region connecting with the socket 39, strengthened with ribs 100. The plug extension 19 has, on each inner side, two projecting ribs 100 running vertically in the lower region of the plug extension.

The ribs-provided on the opposed wide and narrow sides of the plug extension 19 are symmetrically disposed relative to the appropriate longitudinal median planes of the plug extension 19. The ribs lying opposite to each other align with each other, and end close to the ribs of the adjacent inner walls. By means of the ribs the plug attachment 19 has a high rigidity, so that it incorporates a -relatively high support strength.

As already described, the lower plug22 is connected by peg 50 with the pivot assembly 20. The peg 50 projects with its lower threaded bearing segment 56 through a slot 101 in the support member 58 of the pivot assembly 20, and is fastened with a nut 102 and a washer 103 to the support member 58.

The support member 58 is formed by an essentially rectangular plate of which a short side 104 is rounded off. The slot 101 is provided in the area of the rounded off short side 104, and lies on the longitudinal axis of support member 58. As Figs. 9 and 10 show, the support member 58 has, on its upper side 105, a recess 106 surrounding the slot 101, in which the locating disc 52 of the peg 50 sits. The plug extension 17 of the pivot assembly 20 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support member 58 on the other end thereof in such a way that its wide sides run transversely of the longitudinal axis of the support member.

On its underside 107 the support member 58 has a supporting edge 108 with which it is reinforced.

The arrangement of the slot 101 in the support member 58 has the advantage that the peg 50, and thus the door panel 3, through longitudinal movement thereof in the slot 101, can be accurately adjusted. The aperture 64 in the upper support member 57 is also advantageously elongated in re lation to the diameter of the peg 49, so that the door panel 3, through the movement of the peg 49 together with the supporting insert 59, can be accurately adjusted relative to the wall panel 2.

The plug extension 17 of the pivot assembly 20 has a passage 110, aligning with the appropriate opening 109 of the support member 58, and which has a variable crosssection over the length of the plug extension 17. The passage 110 is, in the lower segment 111 of the plug extension 17 which connects with the support member 58, smaller than in the upper segment 112 (Fig. 11). In the lower segment 111, which extends to somewhat over a third of the length of the plug extension 17, the -passage 110 has a constant circular cross section. In the upper segment 112 the passage 110 has a rectangular crosssection and widens continuously towards the free end 113 of the plug extension 17. The narrow sides 114 and 115 of the upper segment 112 connect with shoulder faces 116 and 117 into the cylindrical wall 118 of the lower segment 111. The shoulder faces run, principally parallel to the upper end 113 of the plug extension 17. As a result of this formation, the rigidity of the plug extension 17 is greater in the direction of the support member 58, so that the plug extension, in the area-lying beyond the socket 16 of the former 10! has its greatest strength. Separate strengthening components are thus not necessary. The wall pant 2 can be satis factorily supported with the pivot assembly 20. Bolting of the base is thus superfluous, whereby the assembly time can be appreciably shortened and assembly facilitated.

For the fastening of the wall panels 2 to the wall 1, two fittings 120 and 121 are provided on the appropriate formers 9, which, with a space between them, are fastened at their upper and lower ends on to the wall 119 of the former 9 by means of screws 122. The fittings 120 and 121 are formed alike and have aperture 123 (Fig. 13) comprising an engaging slot 140 with an enlarged end 139. The wall panel 2 is suspended by means of the fittings 120 and 121 on screws 126, which are held in the wall 1 with dowel plugs 126A. The screws 126 are thus inserted firstly into the enlarged end 139 of the aperture 123 of the fitting, and the wall panel 2 secured by lowering so that the screws 126 slide into the engaging slot 124.

Each fitting 120, 121 has a mid-section 127 (Fig. 13 and 14) containing the aperture 123, which is principally formed channel-shaped.

The two walls 128 and 129 of the midsection 127 join at right-angles to flanges 130, 131, in which, respectively, holes 132, 133 for the screws 122 are arranged. In the plan view the fitting is essentially of rectangular form with circularly rounded-off short sides 134, 135. The long sides, 136, 137 of the mid-section 127 are bent at rightangles thereto in the area between the two walls 128 and 129, so that their edges 138 lie in a common plane with the undersides of the two flanges 130 and 131. By this means a sufficient supporting surface is formed over the whole length of the fitting so that the fitting can fit securely on the wall 119 of the former 9 (Fig. 1).

The aperture 123 has an enlarged end 139, circular in contour, and an engaging slot -140 connecting with this, so that the aperture 123, as Fig. 13 shows, is formed in the manner of a keyhole. The aperture 123 lies symmetrically relative to the longitudinal median plane B-B of the fitting and in the central region of the base 141 of the midsection 127, which base is parallel to the two flanges 130, 131. The edges 142 of the slot 140 run parallel to each other, and are formed by the edges of two tongues 143 which face each other and which have been bent out on a slant from the side of the base 141 of the mid-section 127 away from both flanges 130, 131 (Fig. 14). The front edges 144 of the two tongues form, in the plan view (Fig. 13) the border of the enlarged end 139 adjacent the slot 140.

The fittings 120, 121 are so fastened to the partition 119 of the former 9 of the wall panel 2, that the tongues 143 are directed downwardly (Fig. 1). For the fastening of the wall panel 2 to the wall 1 the fittings are pushed with the enlarged ends 139 of apertures 123 on to the head of the screws 126 and then lowered so that the screw heads lock in between the two tongues 143. The distance between the two tongues is smaller than the diameter of the screw head, so that the latter cannot slip out of the slot 140.

Also the height of the bent long side 137 is greater than the thickness of the screw head, so that this can be accommodated between base 141 of the mid-section 127 and the wall 119 of the former 9. With the lowering of the wall panel 2, the screw head gripping under the two tongues 143 presses the tongues outwards, and by this brings about a flexible spanning and clamping effect which is all the stronger the further the panel is lowered. In this way a secure holding of the wall panel on the wall 1 is achieved which can also be loosened again without difficulty.

The attachment members 14 and 15 of the cubicle construction are constructed alike and comprise, as shown especially in Fig. 15, a body 145 which, on its one broad side 150 has the ribs 24 and on its other broad side 157 a hook-like rib 158. The body 145 is formed as a tube and has two bores 146 and 147 lying side by side in a crosswise direction. One bore, 146, has a rectangular section and extends over the whole width between the ribs 24 and between the narrow sides 159 and 161 of the body 145. The other bore, 147, is substantially narrower and lies in the area between a rib 24 and the hooklike rib 158. It has essentially a trapezoidal section, the base sides of which run parallel to the broad sides 150 and 157 of the body 145.

Each rib 24 comprises a web part 148, 149, which is perpendicular to the broad side 150 of the body 145. Short flanges 151 and 152 face away from each other. The distance of the free ends of the flanges 151 and 152 is greater than the breadth of the channel 32 of the formers 9 to 11. In this way the bearing surfaces of attachment members 14 and 15 grip behind the edge flanges 30 and 31 of the ribs 23 and of the ribs 40 and 41 of the wall and door formers 10, and 46 respectively, against which they rest, with the rear faces 176 and 177 of the flanges 151 and 152 parallel to the broad sides 150 and 157 of the body 145.The outer surfaces 153 and 154 of the flanges 151, 152 run at an angle, preferably under 45", to the longitudinal axis of the web parts 148, 149, so that actually equivalent surfaces are formed for the edge flanges of the ribs 23 and the ribs 40 and 41. By this means the ribs 24 can be introduced especially easily into the wall former 10 and the door former 46.

In the fitting position the ribs 24 lock into engagement with the ribs 23 of the appropriate former by flexible deformation, and are by this means, as also in consequence of the barb type form of the flanges, safely held. In order that the web parts 148 and 149 of the formers 14 and 15 can be adequately flexibly compressed for fastening in the appropriate wall and door formers, the webs 148, 149 have, in the area of transition, to the body 145, a smaller cross-section thickness. The transition area is formed by the grooves 164 and 165 on the outer sides 166 and 167.

The rib 158 runs perpendicular to the wide side 157 of the body 145 and forms, with the narrow side 159, adjacent the smaller bore 147, a common outer surface of the body 145. The web of rib 158 leads to, rounded off, the hook 160 of the rib 158.

The hook 160 is, substantially in the shape of a quarter circle, curved inwardly in the direction of the longitudinal median plane of the attachment member 14, 15.

On its narrow side 161 lying opposite to its hook-like rib 158, the body 145 has a curved recess 162. By this means the hooklike rib does not protrude in disturbing manner in a projecting position outside the body 145 of the other attachment member 14 or 15. The body 145 has, in the area of the smaller bore 147, a further partly circular longitudinal recess 163, via which the wide side 150 leads to the narrow side 159 of the body 145. In consequence of the hollow formation of the body 145, an attenuation in regard to contact of the hook-like rib 158 in the recess 162 is achieved.

As the narrow boundary walls of the larger bore 146 are essentially in alignment with the webs 148, 149 of the ribs 24, these are strengthened in the lengthways direction and ensure a high stability of the body 145.

The hook 160 oonsists of a flexible material, such as a soft foam. This has the advantage that the door, on closing, comes to rest in a muffled way on the counterbearing surface of attachment member 14 of the wall panel 2. This muffled effect is increased still more because the curved hook 160 is spaced from the web of rib 158 so that between both an air cushion is formed, which, with the closing of the door panel 3, leads to an additional cushioning. The door accordingly can be closed relatively gently, even though this is swung strongly under the force of the spring 96 into the closed position.

As the hook 160 consists of soft foam, the danger of injury with a possible trapping of the finger on closing the door is appreciably reduced.

As the distance between the web parts 148, 149 of the ribs 24 and the clear width of the channels.32 between the ribs 23, 40, 41 of the formers 10, 46 respectively, are constructed relatively wide, apertures 172 and 173 can be provided in the wall 168 and in the wall 169 of an attachment member 170 and of an appropriate door former 171 respectively (Fig. 16), which apertures are in alignment with each other and provide a mounting for the door fastening lock 33.

The front side 174 of the fastening 33 lies flush with the aperture 172 of the wall 168 and is fastened into this with screws 175.

The formers and attachment members are each formed in one piece as injection moulded parts which have the same wall thickness substantially over their whole length. The plug extensions of the plugs and pivot assembly are formed as injection moulded parts with the appropriate former sections and also the support member, in one piece. The formers have a simple pro ffle and can thus be manufactured cheaply.

As the cubicle construction comprises few and easily constructed individual parts, and no special fastening parts are necessary for the connecting of the individual parts with each other, a cubicle can be quickly set up and with the smallest cost and material expenditure.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A cubicle construction, suitable for sanitary cubicles, comprising at least one wall panel and a door panel connected there with, each of which panels has attached to at least one edge thereof an elongate tubular frame member which is formed with longitudinally extending ribs providing a channel therebetween on the side of the frame member remote from the panel to which the frame member is attached, the ribs being separated from a socket, defined by an open end at said tubular frame member, by a partition wall of said frame member in which socket is engageably received an extension of a plug and at least one plug forms. a part of a pivot assembly by means of which said door panel is pivotally connected to said wall panel.

2. A cubicle construction according to claim 1, characterised in that - at least one further plug extension is provided on a support member of said pivotassembly.- 3. A cubicle construction according. to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised by the fact that at least one wall of the socket has at least. one rib protruding into said socket which is cooperable on assembly with a groove on the plug extension received in said socket.

4. A cubicle construction according . to any. one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the part of the or each plug connected to a pivot assembly has ribs, which cooperate with ribs provided on- a side. of an attachment member itself connected with the frame member with which said plug is engaged and a socket which has the. same.contour as the socket of the frame member.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

are by this means, as also in consequence of the barb type form of the flanges, safely held. In order that the web parts 148 and 149 of the formers 14 and 15 can be adequately flexibly compressed for fastening in the appropriate wall and door formers, the webs 148, 149 have, in the area of transition, to the body 145, a smaller cross-section thickness. The transition area is formed by the grooves 164 and 165 on the outer sides 166 and 167.

The rib 158 runs perpendicular to the wide side 157 of the body 145 and forms, with the narrow side 159, adjacent the smaller bore 147, a common outer surface of the body 145. The web of rib 158 leads to, rounded off, the hook 160 of the rib 158.

The hook 160 is, substantially in the shape of a quarter circle, curved inwardly in the direction of the longitudinal median plane of the attachment member 14, 15.

On its narrow side 161 lying opposite to its hook-like rib 158, the body 145 has a curved recess 162. By this means the hooklike rib does not protrude in disturbing manner in a projecting position outside the body 145 of the other attachment member 14 or 15. The body 145 has, in the area of the smaller bore 147, a further partly circular longitudinal recess 163, via which the wide side 150 leads to the narrow side 159 of the body 145. In consequence of the hollow formation of the body 145, an attenuation in regard to contact of the hook-like rib 158 in the recess 162 is achieved.

As the narrow boundary walls of the larger bore 146 are essentially in alignment with the webs 148, 149 of the ribs 24, these are strengthened in the lengthways direction and ensure a high stability of the body 145.

The hook 160 oonsists of a flexible material, such as a soft foam. This has the advantage that the door, on closing, comes to rest in a muffled way on the counterbearing surface of attachment member 14 of the wall panel 2. This muffled effect is increased still more because the curved hook 160 is spaced from the web of rib 158 so that between both an air cushion is formed, which, with the closing of the door panel 3, leads to an additional cushioning. The door accordingly can be closed relatively gently, even though this is swung strongly under the force of the spring 96 into the closed position.

As the hook 160 consists of soft foam, the danger of injury with a possible trapping of the finger on closing the door is appreciably reduced.

As the distance between the web parts 148, 149 of the ribs 24 and the clear width of the channels.32 between the ribs 23, 40, 41 of the formers 10, 46 respectively, are constructed relatively wide, apertures 172 and 173 can be provided in the wall 168 and in the wall 169 of an attachment member 170 and of an appropriate door former

171 respectively (Fig. 16), which apertures are in alignment with each other and provide a mounting for the door fastening lock 33.

The front side 174 of the fastening 33 lies flush with the aperture 172 of the wall 168 and is fastened into this with screws 175.

The formers and attachment members are each formed in one piece as injection moulded parts which have the same wall thickness substantially over their whole length. The plug extensions of the plugs and pivot assembly are formed as injection moulded parts with the appropriate former sections and also the support member, in one piece. The formers have a simple pro ffle and can thus be manufactured cheaply.

As the cubicle construction comprises few and easily constructed individual parts, and no special fastening parts are necessary for the connecting of the individual parts with each other, a cubicle can be quickly set up and with the smallest cost and material expenditure.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A cubicle construction, suitable for sanitary cubicles, comprising at least one wall panel and a door panel connected there with, each of which panels has attached to at least one edge thereof an elongate tubular frame member which is formed with longitudinally extending ribs providing a channel therebetween on the side of the frame member remote from the panel to which the frame member is attached, the ribs being separated from a socket, defined by an open end at said tubular frame member, by a partition wall of said frame member in which socket is engageably received an extension of a plug and at least one plug forms. a part of a pivot assembly by means of which said door panel is pivotally connected to said wall panel.
2. A cubicle construction according to claim 1, characterised in that - at least one further plug extension is provided on a support member of said pivotassembly.-
3. A cubicle construction according. to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised by the fact that at least one wall of the socket has at least. one rib protruding into said socket which is cooperable on assembly with a groove on the plug extension received in said socket.
4. A cubicle construction according . to any. one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the part of the or each plug connected to a pivot assembly has ribs, which cooperate with ribs provided on- a side. of an attachment member itself connected with the frame member with which said plug is engaged and a socket which has the. same.contour as the socket of the frame member.
5. A cubicle construction according to

any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the or each plug in the area of its socket has a guide in which is guided a peg of a pivot assembly having a locating part attached thereto.
6. A cubicle construction according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that the or each plug is connected to the wall panel by means of a support member of a pivot assembly.
7. A cubicle construction according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterised by the fact that upper and lower plugs are provided, each of which is connected by a plug extension to the frame member attached to the door panel.
8. A cubicle construction according to claim 7, characterised by the fact that the upper plug has, in the area of its socket, a slot for the locating part of said peg, the slot is open ended in the direction of an upper support member connected with the upper plug and also lies in a partition wall of the plug separating the ribs from the socket thereof.
9. A cubicle construction according to claim 8, characterised by the fact that, in the area of the socket of the upper plug a stop for the locating part of the peg is provided, the stop being formed by a slot in the partition wall lying outside the symmetry plane of the upper plug and openended in the direction of the upper support member.
10. A cubicle construction according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterised by the fact that the guide of the lower plug is formed having a blind bore in one end and the other end is formed with a holding flange with which the guide is located in a groove in the socket adjacent the plug extension.
11. A cubicle construction according to claim 10, characterised by the fact that the lower plug has apertures passing through the flange and the walls of the groove to a bore within the plug extension and running in the lengthways direction, for the engaging of a spring surrounding the peg of the lower pivot assembly.
12. A cubicle construction according to claim 11, characterised by the fact that the plug extension of the lower plug has at least one bracing rib coupling the end wall and a side wall formed by the bore within said plug extension.
13. A cubicle construction according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterised by the fact that the lower support member comprises a plate and extends transversely of the plug extension attached thereto.
14. A cubicle construction according to claim 13, characterised by the fact that the plug extension attached to the support member has an internal passage and in the region of the plug extension connecting with the support member the passage has a smaller cross-section than in the region of the plug extension remote from the support member and that in the latter region the passage widens towards the direction of the free end of the plug extension.
15. A cubicle construction according to any one of claims 7 to 14, characterised by the fact that the upper suppor member connected with the upper plug is formed having the same cross-section as the frame member.
16. A cubicle construction according to claim 15, characterised by the fact that, in the upper support member, a bearing piece is provided for the peg of the upper pivot assembly and is fastened in the upper support member.
17. A cubicle construction according to any one of claims 15 or 16, characterised by the fact that an inlet channel of the upper support member is closed by a channel shaped cover strip that fits over the upper support member.
18. A cubicle construction according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that on a frame member attached to the wall panel at least one fitting is fastened, which fitting comprises a plate having a slot therein said slot having an enlarged end thereof.
19. A cubicle construction according to claim 18, characterised by that fact that the or each fitting has, adjacent said slot, a clamp for a connecting part engaged in said slot which clamp is formed by tongues lying on both sides of the slot and projecting above the surface of the plate.
20. A cubicle construction according to claim 4, charcterised by the fact that each attachment member is provided with a springy, hook shaped rib on the side opposed to that on which the aforesaid ribs are provided.
21. A cubicle construction according to claim 4, characterised by the fact that the aforesaid ribs of the attachment members comprise two ribs extending over the whole length of one of the broad sides of an essentially rectangular cross-section hollow body with the ribs running perpendicular thereto and that the ribs are essentially L-shaped and that their short flanges point away from each other, and that the outer surfaces of the short flanges lie in a common plane.
22. A cubicle construction according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that a frame member and an attachment member connected therewith, have apertures in alignment with each other for a closure device fastened on a wall of the attachment member and that the closure device lies with its frontal surface in the plane of said wall.
23. A cubicle construction substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.