GB2179698A

GB2179698A - Improved swivel brackets for collapsible structures

Info

Publication number: GB2179698A
Application number: GB8618756A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Charles Dyer; Franklin Barry Short
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-08-22
Filing date: 1986-07-31
Publication date: 1987-03-11
Also published as: GB2179698B; GB8618756D0

Abstract

A swivel bracket (10) comprises a channel-section head (12) attached non-rotatably to a stem (11) and allows two components, one (24) attached to the bracket (10) by the stem (11) and the other (23) being partly embraced by the head (12), to undergo mutual relative sliding and/or turning movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved swivel brackets for collapsible structures This invention relates to an improved form of swivel bracket. Swivel brackets according to the invention can be used in a wide variety of constructions, where it is desirable to support or connect one component upon or in relation to another in such a way that controlled sliding or turning movements or both of such movements are made by one of the components relative to the other. The components which can be used in conjunction with the swivel brackets of the invention, as well as the swivel brackets per se, can be made of any desired material having the required rigidity and other properties, including metal, wood and plastics materials.In addition, these components can take a very wide variety of forms, being for instance, rods or tubes of square, round or any other cross-sectional shape or the straight or curved edges of panels.

According to one aspect of this invention, a swivel bracket comprises a stem, having a longitudinal axis and being suitable for attachment of the bracket to a first component, for instance, by insertion of the stem into a hole in the first component, and a head, attached non-rotatably to one end of the stem and comprising a pair of mutually-opposed portions, which extend one on either side of a first plane containng the longitudinal axis of the stem and which both extend away from a second plane at right-angles to the first plane at such end of the stem, the pair of opposed portions defining an interior shape capable of embracing and sliding upon a peripheral part or other portion of a second component, whereby the first and second components, when structurally associated by and with the swivel bracket, can undergo mutual relative movement involving either or both of sliding and turning movement. Preferably, the stem has a regular cruciform cross-section.

In order to explain the invention clearly, a preferred form of swivel bracket is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows the swivel bracket in side elevational view; Figure 2 shows the swivel bracket in front elevational view, at right-angles to Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows an underneath plan view.

The swivel bracket shown generally at 10 comprises a stem 11 and a head 12. The stem 11, in the form of the bracket 10 shown, comprises a steel rod of regular cruciform cross-section (Fig. 3), having four ribs 13 meeting at the longitudinal axis 14 of the stem 11. One end 15 of the stem 11 is free and is preferably rounded as shown (Figs. 1 and 2) and the other end 16 of the stem 11 is rigidly attached to the head 12. This is also preferably made of steel and is symmetrical about a plane containing the axis 14 and parallel to the plane of the drawings in Fig. 1.

The head 12 of the bracket 10 has a pair of mutually-opposed lug-like side portions 17, 18, which extend one on either side of this plane, as can be readily seen by comparing Figs. 1 and 2. These portions 17, 18 also both extend away from a plane indicated at 19, which is at right-angles to the first plane and to the axis 14, therefore, and is located at the end 16 of the stem 11.

The head 12, in the embodiment shown, consists of a flat base plate 20, having the stem 11 attached by its end 16, to the centre point, for instance by being welded together or fitted into a hole in the plate 20 and swaged into place. In the latter form of attachment of the stem 11 to the head 12, the hole in the plate 20 desirably has the same shape as the cross-section of the stem 11 and thus is cruciform in the embodiment shown. The plate 20 is preferably rectangular and the portions 17, 18 consist of a symmetrical pair of lugs. Alternatively, the lugs comprising the side portions 17, 18 can be of different shapes and need not be symmetrical.

The interior shape of the head 12, i.e. the upper face 21 of the plate 20 and the mutually-opposed inner faces 22 of the lugs 17, 18 (Fig. 2), is suited to the shape of the peripheral part of a component, indicated at 23 in Fig. 2, with which the swivel bracket 10 is associated, when incorporated in a construction, such as a collapsible structure according to our Patent 2055290. The exterior shape of the stem 11 enables it to be attached to another component of the construction, such other component being indicated at 24 in Fig. 2, for instance by being fixedly located in a hole (not shown) made for the purpose in the component 24.The hole can receive a tube 25, for instance, which surrounds the stem 11 and forms on its interior a surface upon which the outer longitudinal edge of the four ribs 13 of the stem 11 can slide, to allow the component 24 attached to the stem 11 to turn and/or slide relative to the component (not shown) wholly or partly embraced by the head 12.

1. A swivel bracket comprising a stem, having a longitudinal axis and being suitable for attachment of the bracket to a first component, for instance, by insertion of the stem into a hole in the first component, and a head, attached non-rotatably to one end of the stem and comprising a pair of mutuallyopposed portions, which extend one on either side of a first plane containing the longitudinal axis of the stem and which both extend away from a second plane at right-angles to the first plane at such end of the stem, the pair of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improved swivel brackets for collapsible structures This invention relates to an improved form of swivel bracket. Swivel brackets according to the invention can be used in a wide variety of constructions, where it is desirable to support or connect one component upon or in relation to another in such a way that controlled sliding or turning movements or both of such movements are made by one of the components relative to the other. The components which can be used in conjunction with the swivel brackets of the invention, as well as the swivel brackets per se, can be made of any desired material having the required rigidity and other properties, including metal, wood and plastics materials.In addition, these components can take a very wide variety of forms, being for instance, rods or tubes of square, round or any other cross-sectional shape or the straight or curved edges of panels. According to one aspect of this invention, a swivel bracket comprises a stem, having a longitudinal axis and being suitable for attachment of the bracket to a first component, for instance, by insertion of the stem into a hole in the first component, and a head, attached non-rotatably to one end of the stem and comprising a pair of mutually-opposed portions, which extend one on either side of a first plane containng the longitudinal axis of the stem and which both extend away from a second plane at right-angles to the first plane at such end of the stem, the pair of opposed portions defining an interior shape capable of embracing and sliding upon a peripheral part or other portion of a second component, whereby the first and second components, when structurally associated by and with the swivel bracket, can undergo mutual relative movement involving either or both of sliding and turning movement. Preferably, the stem has a regular cruciform cross-section. In order to explain the invention clearly, a preferred form of swivel bracket is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows the swivel bracket in side elevational view; Figure 2 shows the swivel bracket in front elevational view, at right-angles to Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows an underneath plan view. The swivel bracket shown generally at 10 comprises a stem 11 and a head 12. The stem 11, in the form of the bracket 10 shown, comprises a steel rod of regular cruciform cross-section (Fig. 3), having four ribs 13 meeting at the longitudinal axis 14 of the stem 11. One end 15 of the stem 11 is free and is preferably rounded as shown (Figs. 1 and 2) and the other end 16 of the stem 11 is rigidly attached to the head 12. This is also preferably made of steel and is symmetrical about a plane containing the axis 14 and parallel to the plane of the drawings in Fig. 1. The head 12 of the bracket 10 has a pair of mutually-opposed lug-like side portions 17, 18, which extend one on either side of this plane, as can be readily seen by comparing Figs. 1 and 2. These portions 17, 18 also both extend away from a plane indicated at 19, which is at right-angles to the first plane and to the axis 14, therefore, and is located at the end 16 of the stem 11. The head 12, in the embodiment shown, consists of a flat base plate 20, having the stem 11 attached by its end 16, to the centre point, for instance by being welded together or fitted into a hole in the plate 20 and swaged into place. In the latter form of attachment of the stem 11 to the head 12, the hole in the plate 20 desirably has the same shape as the cross-section of the stem 11 and thus is cruciform in the embodiment shown. The plate 20 is preferably rectangular and the portions 17, 18 consist of a symmetrical pair of lugs. Alternatively, the lugs comprising the side portions 17, 18 can be of different shapes and need not be symmetrical. The interior shape of the head 12, i.e. the upper face 21 of the plate 20 and the mutually-opposed inner faces 22 of the lugs 17, 18 (Fig. 2), is suited to the shape of the peripheral part of a component, indicated at 23 in Fig. 2, with which the swivel bracket 10 is associated, when incorporated in a construction, such as a collapsible structure according to our Patent 2055290. The exterior shape of the stem 11 enables it to be attached to another component of the construction, such other component being indicated at 24 in Fig. 2, for instance by being fixedly located in a hole (not shown) made for the purpose in the component 24.The hole can receive a tube 25, for instance, which surrounds the stem 11 and forms on its interior a surface upon which the outer longitudinal edge of the four ribs 13 of the stem 11 can slide, to allow the component 24 attached to the stem 11 to turn and/or slide relative to the component (not shown) wholly or partly embraced by the head 12. CLAIMS

1. A swivel bracket comprising a stem, having a longitudinal axis and being suitable for attachment of the bracket to a first component, for instance, by insertion of the stem into a hole in the first component, and a head, attached non-rotatably to one end of the stem and comprising a pair of mutuallyopposed portions, which extend one on either side of a first plane containing the longitudinal axis of the stem and which both extend away from a second plane at right-angles to the first plane at such end of the stem, the pair of opposed portions defining an interior shape capable of embracing and sliding upon a peripheral part or other portion of a second component, whereby the first and second components, when structurally associated by and with the swivel bracket, can undergo mutual relative movement involving either or both of sliding and turning movement.

2. A swivel bracket according to claim 1, in which the stem has a regular cruciform cross-section.

3. A swivel bracket according to claim 1 or 2, in which the other end of the stem is rounded.

4. A swivel bracket according to any preceding claim, in which the head is symmetrical about a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the stem.

5. A swivel bracket according to any preceding claim, in which the head comprises a flat base plate, the stem being attached to its centre point.

6. A swivel bracket according to any preceding claim, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.