Connector for structural apparatus

Abstract

An assembly for joining a generally cylindrical post to at least one structural member wherein the assembly includes four C-shaped members and strips of an elastic material. Two of the C-shaped members encircle the post and form the top half of the assembly. Two of the C-shaped members encircle the post and form the bottom half of the assembly. The four C-shaped members mounted on a cylindrical post in this configuration provide a channel capable of holding the end of a structural member.

1 . An assembly for joining a cylindrical post having a generally cylindrically shaped surface to at least one structural member, the assembly comprising:
 a) a first C-shaped member, a second C-shaped member, a third C-shaped member, and a fourth C-shaped member; each C-shaped member being identical and having a first face, a second face, a third face, an inner face, an outer surface, means for alignment on the first face and the second face, and means for fastening on the first face and the second face; said first C-shaped member being connected to said second C-shaped member so as to encircle said cylindrical post and such that the means for alignment and the means for fastening on the first face of said first C-shaped member align with the means for alignment and the means for fastening of the second face of said second C-shaped member and the means for alignment and the means for fastening on the second face of said first C-shaped member align with the means for alignment and the means for fastening of the first face of said second C-shaped member; said third C-shaped member being connected to said fourth C-shaped member so as to encircle said cylindrical post and such that the means for alignment and the means for fastening on the first face of said third C-shaped member align with the means for alignment and the means for fastening of the second face of said fourth C-shaped member and the means for alignment and the means for fastening on the second face of said third C-shaped member align with the means for alignment and the means for fastening of the first face of said fourth C-shaped member; said third C-shaped member and said fourth C-shaped member being positioned on said cylindrical post such that the third faces of said third C-shaped member and said fourth C-shaped member abut the third faces of said first C-shaped member and said second C-shaped member;   b) strips positioned between the inner face of the C-shaped members and said cylindrical post.   
     
     
         2 . A method for joining a cylindrical post having a generally cylindrically shaped surface to at least one structural member, the method comprising:
 a) encircling said cylindrical post with a first C-shaped member and a second C-shaped member, said first C-shaped member and said second C-shaped member each having a slot,   b) placing a strip between said first C-shaped member and said cylindrical post and placing a strip between said second C-shaped member and said cylindrical post,   c) fastening a first face of said first C-shaped member to a second face of said second C-shaped member and fastening a second face of said first C-shaped member to a first face of said second C-shaped member;   d) placing one-half of an end of at least one structural member in the slot of the first C-shaped member;   e) encircling said cylindrical post with a third C-shaped member and a fourth C-shaped member adjacent to said first C-shaped member and said second C-shaped member, said third C-shaped member and said fourth C-shaped member each having a slot, said third C-shaped member and said fourth C-shaped member being oriented so that the slot of said third C-shaped member and the slot of said fourth C-shaped member faces the slot of said first C-shaped member and the slot of said second C-shaped member, said third C-shaped member and said fourth C-shaped member being placed and oriented such that one-half of said end of at least one structural member is in the slot of the third C-shaped;   f) placing a strip between said third C-shaped member and said cylindrical post and placing a strip between said fourth C-shaped member and said cylindrical post;   g) fastening a first face of said third C-shaped member to a second face of said fourth C-shaped member and fastening a second face of said third C-shaped member to a first face of said fourth C-shaped member.