Demountable construction and component therefor

Abstract

A connection member (60, 60′) for connecting two elongate frame members (93,120, 122, 126, 128) of a demountable frame building (168) has an attachment portion (62, 62′) for attachment to one frame member (120, 122, 126, 128) and a receiving portion (64, 64′) for sliding engagement with a hollow end of a second frame member (93). The attachment portion and receiving portion are integrally formed from a single piece of material. The receiving portion has a rectangular cross-section smaller than and offset relative to the rectangular cross-section of the attachment portion to define a shoulder (66, 66′) around the receiving portion on the attachment portion of greater depth (68, 68′, 72, 72′) on at least one side (70, 70′, 74, 74′) of the receiving portion. The receiving portion has a screw-threaded passage (86, 86′) for a locking member (150) to secure the receiving portion in the second frame member, the passage opening for receipt of the locking member on an opposite side (88, 88′, 90, 90′) of the receiving portion. One embodiment (60′) has a shim (108) for guiding the sliding engagement.

1 . A connection member for a demountable frame building and for connecting two elongate frame members thereof, the connection member comprising:
 an attachment portion for attachment to a first of the elongate frame members and a receiving portion extending from the attachment portion for sliding engagement with a hollow end portion of a second of the elongate frame members, the receiving portion having at least one screw-threaded passage therein for receiving a locking member to secure the receiving portion in the hollow end portion of the second elongate frame member;   wherein the attachment portion and receiving portion are integrally formed from a single piece of material and have respective rectangular cross-sections, the cross section of the receiving portion being smaller than and offset relative to that of the attachment portion to define a shoulder around the receiving portion on the attachment portion that is of greater depth on at least one side of the receiving portion; and   wherein the at least one passage opens for receipt of the locking member on an opposite side of the receiving portion to said at least one side.   
     
     
         2 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection is machined from a single billet or piece of plate of engineering material. 
     
     
         3 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion has at least one further screw-threaded passage for receiving a corresponding locking member in a side thereof adjacent to said opposite side. 
     
     
         4 . The connection member according to  claim 3 , wherein the shoulder around the receiving portion on the attachment portion is of greater depth on the one side of the receiving portion and on an adjacent side thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The connection member according to  claim 4 , wherein the adjacent side of the receiving portion on which the shoulder has a greater depth is opposite to the side on which the at least one further screw-threaded passage opens. 
     
     
         6 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein there are three screw-threaded passages spaced along the receiving portion in said opposite side of the receiving portion or in each of said opposite side and adjacent side of the receiving portion. 
     
     
         7 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion of the connection member has a length that is at least about 1.5 times the length of the attachment portion. 
     
     
         8 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection member has a longitudinal passage for drainage purposes through the attachment and receiving portions from one end to the other. 
     
     
         9 . The connection member according to  claim 8 , wherein each screw-threaded passage for receiving a locking member does not open into the drainage passage. 
     
     
         10 . The connection member according to  claim 8  wherein a side port opens into the drainage passage from a side face of the attachment portion. 
     
     
         11 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder portion that is of greater depth has a depth that is about 2 to 3 times the depth of the remainder of the shoulder. 
     
     
         12 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein a shim is provided adjacent the shoulder on each side face of the receiving portion of the connector member associated with the shoulder portion of greater depth. 
     
     
         13 . The connection member according to  claim 12 , wherein each shim is longitudinally spaced from the shoulder. 
     
     
         14 . The connection member according to  claim 12 , wherein each shim has a maximum depth that is in the range of about 40% to about 55% of the depth of the associated shoulder portion of greater depth. 
     
     
         15 . The connection member according to  claim 1 , wherein each shim is tapered towards the distal end of the receiving portion to provide a ramp surface. 
     
     
         16 . A demountable frame building comprising:
 a plurality of elongate column members and a plurality of elongate beam members connected together,   wherein a first of the elongate column members has a hollow end portion of rectangular cross-section and said first elongate column member and a first and second of the elongate beam members are connected together by a connection member, the connection member comprising:
 an attachment portion attached to the first and second elongate beam members and a receiving portion extending from the attachment portion and slidably engaged within the hollow end portion of the first elongate column member, the receiving portion having at least one screw-threaded passage therein aligned with a cooperating opening through the hollow end portion of the first elongate column member and receiving a screw-threaded locking member to secure the receiving portion in the hollow end portion of the first elongate column member, 
 wherein the attachment portion and receiving portion of the connection member are integrally formed from a single piece of material and have respective rectangular cross-sections, the cross section of the receiving portion being smaller than the internal cross-section of the hollow end portion of the first elongate column member and being smaller than and offset relative to the cross-section of the attachment portion to define a shoulder around the receiving portion on the attachment portion for abutment with the hollow end portion of the first elongate column member, the shoulder being of greater depth on at least one side of the receiving portion, and 
 wherein the at least one passage opens for receipt of the locking member on an opposite side of the receiving portion to said at least one side whereby screwing the locking member through the opening and into the passage acts to secure the hollow end portion of the first elongate column member against said opposite side of the receiving portion. 
   
     
     
         17 . The demountable frame building according to  claim 16 , wherein the building comprises a pre-assembled base structure comprising plural elongate beam members with two of the beam members attached at each corner of the base structure to a respective one of the connection members, a pre-assembled roof structure of corresponding shape to the base structure and comprising plural elongate beam members with two of the beam members attached at each corner of the roof structure to a respective one of the connection members, and a respective column member at each corner slidingly engaged at each end with two opposed connection members of the base structure and roof structure. 
     
     
         18 . The demountable frame building according to  claim 16 , wherein for each connection member:
 the receiving portion has at least one further screw-threaded passage for receiving a corresponding locking member in a side thereof adjacent to said opposite side;   the shoulder around the receiving portion on the attachment portion is of greater depth on the one side of the receiving portion and on an adjacent side thereof; and   the adjacent side of the receiving portion on which the shoulder has a greater depth is opposite to the side on which the at least one further screw-threaded passage opens.   
     
     
         19 . The demountable frame building according to  claim 16 , wherein the receiving portion of each connection member extends into the associated column member by at least 10% of the length of the column member.