Connector for mounting structural components

Abstract

A structural mounting connector or spigot for mounting a glazing frame section to a structure. The connector has a mounting section receivable within a void or hollow end of a glazing frame section, which mounting section has an upper flange or surface and a lower flange or surface for accepting vertical fasteners such as screws or pins which attach the connector to the glazing frame section. The connector also has a connecting web between the top and bottom flanges which contain elongated cavities or passageways for receiving other fasteners, such as screws or bolts, by which the mounting spigot section is affixed to a structure. The connecting web has projections which have guide means to guide the vertical screws or pins between the top and bottom flanges portions such that the mounting spigot section is connectable to the glazing frame section and the glazing frame section to the structure, with the mounting spigot section and fasteners being concealed in the glazing frame section. The mounting spigot section is able to be cut to length and shape by a single cut taken in the same plane as the cut in the glazing frame section to produce an angled join of the glazing frame section to and flush with the structure.

1 . A connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, comprising: 
 A main body portion extending in a first, longitudinal direction;    said main body portion comprising a first end, a second end, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and elongated transverse connecting means for connecting together said upper and lower surface sections, said transverse connecting means extending at least substantially along the length of said main body portion and connecting said upper and lower surfaces sections in a second direction that is perpendicular to said first longitudinal direction;    said elongated transverse connecting means having at least one passageway means extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element;    said elongated transverse connecting means comprises at least one transverse web section, and a plurality of passageways formed in said at least one transverse web section and extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end a plurality of fastener elements for securing said main body portion to a structural element, one said passageway being located in closer proximity to said upper surface section, and another said passageway being located in closer proximity to said lower surface section;    each of said upper and lower surface sections comprising a first side edge-surface and a second side edge-surface spaced from said first side edge-surface in a third lateral direction perpendicular to said first and second directions, and a central mid-section extending in said first longitudinal direction; said at least one transverse web section being located between said first and second side edge-surfaces of said upper surface section and said lower surface section.    
   
   
       2 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 1 , wherein each said passageway comprises a partially open, arcuate cavity defining an open gap.  
   
   
       3 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 2 , wherein each said open gap of a said arcuate cavity faces in said third, lateral direction perpendicular; said open gap of one said arcuate cavity facing oppositely to a said open gap of an immediate adjacent said arcuate cavity.  
   
   
       4 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 1 , wherein said elongated connecting means one said transverse web section connecting said upper surface section and said lower surface section at said central mid-sections thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 1 , wherein said elongated connecting means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced-apart transverse web sections, said plurality of transverse web sections being laterally and centrally offset between said upper surface section and said lower surface section in said third direction; at least one said transverse web section lying on one lateral side of said central mid-sections taken in said third direction and at least another said transverse web section lying on the other side of said mid-sections taken in said third direction.  
   
   
       6 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one transverse web section comprises a plurality of laterally-projecting guide means extending in said third, lateral direction for guiding fasteners through said main body portion; at least one of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section, and at least one other of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said transverse web section.  
   
   
       7 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 6 , wherein said ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section being in alignment in said second direction, and said other ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said at least one transverse web section being in alignment in said second direction; said main body portion further comprising laterally-opposite fastener-passing means projecting from respective said first and second side edge-surfaces of said upper surface section and said lower surface section, ones of said laterally-opposite fastener-passing means projecting from the first lateral side being in alignment with said ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section, and others of said projecting fastener-passing means projecting from the second lateral side being in alignment with said other ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said at least one transverse web section.  
   
   
       8 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of guide means comprises a thin-wall section by which a fastener passing through said upper surface section passes readily through, and is guided to, said lower surface section.  
   
   
       9 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 1 , in combination with a structural component comprising a main housing having a first hollow-interior end section and a second hollow-interior end section; said connector being received entirely within one of said first and second hollow end sections, whereby said one hollow end section may be mounted to another structural component by said connector; said structural component comprising connector-receiver means for use in slidingly orienting said main body portion of said connector in said one hollow end section; said connector-receiver means comprising at least one of an interiorly-extending top and bottom portion extending inwardly from side walls of said structural component; said at least one of an interiorly-extending top and bottom portion receiving at least one fastener element therein by which said main body portion of said connector may be affixed to said structural component; 
 said structural component being one from the group consisting of a: rafter, mullion, and transom.    
   
   
       10 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second ends of said main body portion is mitered to an angle for flush connection to a structural component at said one end.  
   
   
       11 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 10 , in combination with another said connector; said another connector also having at least one of said first and second ends of said main body portion mitered to the same angle as said one end of said connector; said one mitered ends of said connector and said another connector being in flush engagement with each other and secured together via fastener elements passing through aligned said passageways of said connector and said another connector, whereby, after said component and said another component are mounted in adjacent ends of two different structural components, the two different structural components may be secured together at adjacent ends via said connector and said another connector to form a segmented frame section of a structural frame.  
   
   
       12 . A connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, comprising: 
 A main body portion extending in a first, longitudinal direction;    said main body portion comprising a first end, a second end, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and elongated transverse connecting means for connecting together said upper and lower surface sections, said transverse connecting means extending at least substantially along the length of said main body portion and connecting said upper and lower surfaces sections in a second direction that is perpendicular to said first longitudinal direction;    said elongated transverse connecting means having passageway means extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element;    at least one of said first and second ends of said main body portion being mitered to an angle for flush connection to a structural component at said one end;    and further in combination with another said connector; said another connector also having at least one of said first and second ends of said main body portion thereof mitered to the same angle as said one end of said connector; said one mitered ends of said connector and said another connector being in flush engagement with each other and secured together via at least one fastener element passing through aligned said passageway means of said connector and said another connector, whereby, after said component and said another component have been affixed together by at least one fastener element, the two different structural components may be secured together at adjacent ends via said connector and said another connector to form a segmented frame section of a structural frame extending at said mitered angle.    
   
   
       13 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of fastener elements, each said fastener element being bent at said mitered angle and comprising a first section passing through one said passageway means of said one connector and a second section passing through one said passageway means of said another connector aligned with said one passageway means of said one connector.  
   
   
       14 . A method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, where the one structural element has at least one open and hollow end, using an elongated coupler having a main frame extending in a first longitudinal direction, the main frame having a first end and a second end spaced from said first end in the first longitudinal direction, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and a middle section joining in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction the upper and lower surface sections, said method comprising: 
 (a) securing one of said first and second ends of said main frame to another structural element;    (b) after said step (a), mounting one end section of the one structural element over said main frame until said main frame is contained within the hollow interior of one end section of the one structural element; and    (c) after said step (b), securing the main frame in the hollow interior of the one end section of the one structural element;    said step (b) comprising first passing the one end section of the one structural element over the other end of the first and second ends of the main frame, and then sliding the one end section of the one structural element along said main frame in the first longitudinal direction, until the end-edge of the one end-section of the one structural element is flush against the another structural element to which said main frame has been secured;    said step (c) comprising passing fastening elements in said second transverse direction through at least one portion of the one end-section of the one structural element and through the upper and lower surface sections juxtapositioned at the portion of the one end-section of the one structural element.    
   
   
       15 . The method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, according to  claim 14 , wherein said step of passing fastening elements of said step (c) comprises guiding the fastener elements through aligned guides formed in said main frame between said upper and lower surface sections of the main frame.  
   
   
       16 . The method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, according to  claim 14 , wherein said step (a) comprises: 
 (d) securing said one end of said main frame to an end of another main frame of another similar elongated coupler;    (e) said step (d) comprising passing at least one fastening element through both said main frame and said another main frame;    (f) said step (e) comprising passing at least one fastening element through said first and second ends of both said main frame and said another frame in the first longitudinal direction of each said main frame and said another main frame.    
   
   
       17 . The method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, according to  claim 16 , further comprising before said step (d): 
 (g) cutting said one end of said main frame to a desired angle;    (h) cutting said one end of said another main frame to said desired angle;    (i) abutting said one angle-cut ends against each other;    (j) before said step (d), bending at least one fastening element to at least close approximation to said desired angle to form first and second straight sections extending approximately at said desired angle;    said step (f) comprising passing said first straight section through said one main frame in the longitudinal direction of said first main frame, and then passing said second straight section through said another main frame in the longitudinal direction of said first main frame, where the longitudinal directions of said main frames extend at an angle equal to said desired angle.    
   
   
       18 . The method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, according to  claim 17 , wherein said step (f) comprises: 
 (k) passing the first straight section of the fastener element through a first passageway of said one main frame; and    (l) passing the second straight section of the fastener element through a second passageway of said another main frame;    (m) said step (k) comprising passing the first straight section of the fastener element through a first passageway having an arcuate gap;    (n) said step (l) comprising passing the second straight section of the fastener element through a second passageway having an arcuate gap facing laterally opposite to that which said arcuate gap of said step (m) faces; 
 whereby said first and second straight sections are partially circumferentially supported by said first and second passageways on diametrically opposite arcuate surfaces thereof.  
   
   
   
       19 . The method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, according to  claim 14 , further comprising before said step (a): 
 (d) inserting said main frame into a hollow end section of a structural element in which is to be mounted for affixing the structural element to a structure;    (e) after said step (d), cutting said main frame and said hollow end section together to a desired angle;    (f) removing said main frame from said hollow end section, and thereafter performing said step (a).    
   
   
       20 . A connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, comprising: 
 A main body portion extending in a first, longitudinal direction;    said main body portion comprising a first end, a second end, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and elongated transverse connecting means for connecting together said upper and lower surface sections, said transverse connecting means extending at least substantially along the length of said main body portion and connecting said upper and lower surfaces sections in a second direction that is perpendicular to said first longitudinal direction;    said elongated transverse connecting means having at least one passageway means extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element;    said elongated transverse connecting means comprises at least one transverse web section, and a plurality of passageways formed in said at least one transverse web section and extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element, one said passageway being located in closer proximity to said upper surface section, and another said passageway being located in closer proximity to said lower surface section;    said at least one transverse web section comprising a plurality of laterally-projecting fastener-guide means extending in said third, lateral direction for guiding fasteners through said main body portion; at least one of said plurality of laterally-projecting fastener-guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section, and at least one other of said plurality of laterally-projecting fastener-guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said transverse web section.    
   
   
       21 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 20 , wherein said ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section being in alignment with each other in said second direction, and said other ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said at least one transverse web section being in alignment with each other in said second direction.  
   
   
       22 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 21 , wherein each of said upper and lower surface sections comprising a first side edge-surface and a second side edge-surface spaced from said first side edge-surface in a third lateral direction perpendicular to said first and second directions; 
 said main body portion further comprising laterally-opposite fastener-passing means projecting from respective said first and second side edge-surfaces of said upper surface section and said lower surface section, ones of said laterally-opposite fastener-passing means projecting from the first lateral side being in alignment with said ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section, and others of said projecting fastener-passing means projecting from the second lateral side being in alignment with said other ones of said plurality of laterally-projecting guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said at least one transverse web section.    
   
   
       23 . The connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, according to  claim 22 , wherein each of said plurality of guide means and said fastener-passing means comprises a relatively thin-wall section by which a fastener passes therethrough.