Arbor construction for on-site assembly

Abstract

An injection molded arbor comprises a pair of side panels, a pair of arch members having top and bottom edges and vertical side edges, and a curved roof panel. The radius of curvature of the top edge of each arch member is larger than that of the bottom edge, and the curvature of the roof panel is the same as the top edge. Downwardly facing hook members formed in the side edges of the arch members fit into cooperating openings formed in the side panels. Upwardly facing split pins are formed in the top edges of the side panels and arch members, and cooperating openings are formed in the curved roof panel to receive the split pins. The arbor is assembled on site by fitting the arch members to the side members, and by fitting the roof panel to the assembled arch members and side panels.

1 . An arbor to be assembled on site without the use of additional fastener elements, comprising: 
 a pair of side panels having inner and outer surfaces, each side panel having a vertical U-shaped channel with a base member and two side walls at each edge of said side panels, wherein each U-shaped channel faces outwardly;    four cap members, each adapted to fit into and over one of said U-shaped channels to close the same;    a pair of arch members, each having a top edge and a bottom edge, and opposed vertical side edges at each end thereof, wherein the curvature of the top edge has a larger radius then the curvature of the bottom edge; and    a curved roof panel member having opposed end edges and opposed side edges:    wherein the curvature of said curved roof panel is the same as the curvature of the top edge of each of said arch members;    wherein there are a plurality of downwardly facing hook members formed in each of said vertical side edges of said arch members, and an equal plurality of cooperating openings adapted to receive said downwardly facing hook members formed in the upper region of each of said U-shaped channels of said side panels; and    wherein there are a plurality of upwardly facing split pins formed in the top edges of each of said side panels and said arch members, and an equal plurality of openings adapted to receive said upwardly facing split pins formed in said end edges and said side edges, respectively, of said curved roof panel;    whereby said arbor is assembled on site by fitting said arch members to said side members, and by fitting said curved roof panel to the assembled arch members and side panels.    
   
   
       2 . The arbor of  claim 1 , wherein said cap members are formed as U-shaped channels, and have a plurality of lugs extending forwardly from the ends of each side wall thereof; and 
 wherein there is an equal plurality of slots to receive said lugs formed in the base member of each of said U-shaped channels at the side edges of said side panels.    
   
   
       3 . The arbor of  claim 1 , wherein at least the lower portion of each of the assembled U-shaped channels at the side edges of said side panels together with said cap members, is dimensioned so as to accommodate a vertically extending post placed on site at the location where said arbor is to be assembled.  
   
   
       4 . The arbor of  claim 1 , wherein each component thereof is formed from injection molded plastics material.  
   
   
       5 . The arbor of  claim 4 , wherein the plastics material is chosen from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene foam, high density polyethylene, high density polyethylene foam, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The arbor of  claim 4 , wherein each of said side panels, said arch members, and said curved roof panel, is molded with a crossed lattice motif formed therein.  
   
   
       7 . The arbor of  claim 1 , wherein each of said split pins has an enlarged knob formed at the upper end thereof, and wherein each of said cooperating openings formed in said curved roof panel has a diameter which is less than that of each enlarged knob.