AU660229B2 - Metal lattice - Google Patents

Description

a I *O P/00/008 Section 29 (1) Regulation 3.1 (2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 NOTICE OF ENTITLEMENT (To be filed before acceptance) I, KENNETH JAMES SIDNEY of PO Box 676, BALLINA NEW SOUTH WALES 2478 being the applicant in respect of Application No. 44776/93, state the following:- PART 1 Must be completed for all applications.

The person nominated for the grant of the patent is the actual inventor.

PART 2 Must be completed if the application is Associated with one or more provisional applications.

The person nominated for the grant of the patent is the applicant of the provisional application(s) listed on the patent request form.

KENNETH JAMES SIDNEY BY MY PATE ATTORNEY S1-_ 14 MARCH 1995 JOHN R. .GARDNER (Date)

I

THIS INVENTION relates to metal lattice and to a method and means for the manufacture of such lattice.

The materials most commonly used in the manufacture of lattice comprise slats or strips of timber.

The use of timber for the making of lattice has proven to be labour intensive and expensive to paint and maintain.

If the exposed surfaces of the timber lattice are not painted or iv some other way protected, the appearance of the lattice becomes shabby and aesthetically unacceptable due to weathering.

The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate the above disadvantages or at least provide an alternative to the known lattice by providing improved lattice and a method and means for the manufacture of same.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The present invention thus provides in a first aspect a method of manufacturing metal lattice comprising a plurality of slats, said slats having a hollow cross section and opposite side faces, said method including the steps of forming aligned apertures through the opposite side faces of a first said slat, forming an aperture in one said side face in a second said slat, placing said first slat in an overlying relationship to said second said slat so that said apertures are aligned, and interconnecting said first and second slats by fastener means passing through said apertures in said first and second slats.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides metal lattice comprising a plurality of slats, 30 said slats having a hollow cross section and opposite side faces, a first said slat having aligned apertures in opposite side faces and a second said slat having an aperture in one side face, said first slat overlying said second said slat so that said apertures are aligned, said slats being interconnected by fastener means passing through said apertures in said first and second slats.

Suitably, the slats are formed from continuous strips of sheet metal which are rolled form into a hollow profile or form. Most preferably, the apertures in the slats are formed in the strips of sheet material prior to roll forming. Such apertures as referred to above are formed at spaced apart locations along the slats so as to enable interconnection between a plurality of slats.

The hollow profile formed by roll forming is substantially of C-section or closed tubular form in cross section with substantially flat opposite side faces.

Suitably the slats are fastened together by metal fasteners such as rivets.

Preferably, the slats which contain aligned apertures on their opposite side faces have their apertures on their sides adjacent the overlying slats of larger size or diameter than the apertures on the opposite side to facilitate insertion of the fasteners and alignment with the apertures in the overlain slats.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:- Fig. 1 illustrates lattice formed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates in sectional view the forms of the slats of the lattice on opposite sides thereof; and Fig. 3 illustrates in sectional view the manner of interconnection of the slats of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to Fig. i, there is illustrated a portion of a lattice 10 formed in 30 accordance with the present invention comprising of a set of metal slats 11 arranged in a parallel, mutually spaced orientation which overlay another set of metal slats 12 which are also arranged in parallel mutually spaced orientation so as to cross the slats 11 substantially at right angles thereto.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, the slats 11 and 12 are of identical, hollow tubular construction having two principally flat sides 14 and 15 integrally joined by two curved ends 16 and 17 to form a hollow space 18 therein.

The opposite sides 14 and 15 of the slat 11 are formed with aligned openings or holes 13 which communicates with the space 18. The holes 13 which may also be characterised and formed as recesses are located at regular intervals along the sides 14 and 15 of the slats 11. The holes 13' on one side of the slats 11, namely the side of the slats 11 adjacent the slats 12, may have a larger diameter to facilitate interconnection as described further below.

The slat 12 is similarly formed with holes or openings 13" at intervals therealong which in this instance are only formed in one of the sides 14 of the slats 12 to communicate with the hollow space 18. These intervals match the centre-to-centre spacings of the openings 13 of the slats 11.

For assembly of the lattice 10, the slats 11 are arranged in mutually parallel relationship as are the slats 12 and overlaid so that at each crossing of a slat 11 and S"12, a hole 13" in the slat 12 and the two holes 13 and 13' 20 in the slat 11 are aligned as shown in Fig. 3. In this o ee configuration, any suitable fasteners 21 may be passed •coco: S"through the openings 13 and 13' in the slats 11 to extend into the opening 13" in the slats 12 to secure the slats 11 and 12 together at this crossing. The enlarged opening 13' 25 facilitates this engagement by permitting some lateral :V movement of the fastener 19 facilitating its alignment with the opening 13" in the slat 12 for passing therethrough.

The fasteners 19 suitably comprise rivets however other eoef tastenes may be employed. As shown where rivets are used, they are expanded within the hollow space 18 behind the side 14 of the slat 12 to secure the slats 11 and 12 together. It will be thus apparent that from one side of the lattice 10, namely the side of the slats 12, the fasteners 19 will be hidden from view.

The slats 11 and 12 as stated above are suitably formed from sheet metal strip which has been prepunched at spaced aeart positions to form the openings 13, 13' and 13". The strip is then roll-formed to form the required tubular profile which is severed at required lengths to form the slats 11 and 12. Preferably, the rolled strip overlaps adjacent one side of the slats 11 and 12 adjacent the ends 16 and 17.

The lattice is suitably produced from light gauge pre-painted metal strip which can be finished in a variety of colours which requires little or no maintenance. The overall appearance of the coloured metal lattice is aesthetically pleasing and because of its rigid character and pro-environmental qualities, provides substantial advantages over existing lattice. Additionally, the nature of the materials which form the lattice and the nature of assembly permit the lattice to curved to form desired shapes whilst retaining its constructional integrity.

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Claims (6)

1. 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said slats are formed by roll forming said strips of sheet metal into S.a hollow form.
2. 3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said apertures are formed in said strips prior to roll forming. aom: Metal lattice comprising a plurality of slats, said slats having a hollow cross section and opposite side faces, said first slats having aligned apertures in opposite side faces and said second slats having an aperture in one side face, said first slat overlying said second slat so that said apertures are aligned, said slats oo. being interconnected by fastener means passing through said apertures in said first and second slats. Metal lattice according to claim 4 wherein said slats are formed from strips of sheet metal which are rolled form into a hollow profile or form.
3. 6. Metal lattice according to claim 5 wherein said apertures in said slats are formed in said strips of sheet material prior to roll forming.
4. 7. Metal lattice according to claim 6 wherein said said slats have substantially flat opposite side faces.
5. 8. Metal lattice according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein said first slats have their apertures on their sides adjacent the second slats of larger size than their apertures on their opposite side of said first slats.
6. 9. Metal lattice according to any one of claims 4 to 8 whe-.ein said fastener means comprise rivets. A method of manufacturing metal lattice substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings. S. 11. Metal lattice formed using the method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this fourteenth day of March 1995 KENNETH JAMES SIDNEY BY MY PATENT ATTORNEY JOHN R.G. GARDNER o o *oe ABSTRACT Metal lattice formed of overlying slats 11 and 12 of hollow tubular form. The slats 11 are provide with apertures 13 and 13' in opposite side faces and the slats 12 with apertures 13'' in one side face only so that when fastened together by a rivet 19, the rivets are hidden frcn one side. A method of manufacturing metal lattice is also disclosed. 6* 4e, C