Building frame

Claim 2

A fixing member for a building frame elongate structural element having at least one cavity which as seen in transverse section has a mouth permitting access to the cavity, defined by a pair of opposed flanges which have first portions extending towards each other across the mouth and second portions extending inwardly of the cavity from said first portions and terminating at free edges so as to leave to each side of the mouth an undercut space which is behind the first portion and laterally outside the second portion at that side, the second portions of the flanges being deformable by bending laterally, said fixing member having a body and a cap which has opposite end portions directed towards the body with respect to a central portion, the cap in a first position being insertable into the said cavity of the structural element and being rotatable after insertion from said first position to a second position in which said end portions lie behind said flanges of the structural element, and the fixing member further having means to urge together the body and the cap when the cap is in the second position so as to clamp said flanges, and the body and the cap being so shaped, as to deform at least one of said flanges by bending laterally during the clamping thereby securing the fixing member to the structural element in a manner inhibiting slippage along the structural element.

Claim 3

A fixing member as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cap and body have at least one V-shaped notch and complementary recess adapted to cause deformation of the flange or flanges.

Claim 4

In combination, a building frame elongate structural element having at least one cavity which as seen in transverse section has a mouth permitting access to the cavity, defined by a pair of opposed flanges which have first portions extending towards each other across the mouth and second portions extending inwardly of the cavity from said first portions and terminating at free edges so as to leave to each side of the mouth an undercut space which is behind the first portion and laterally outside the second portion at that side, the said second portions of the flanges being deformable by bending laterally, and a fixing member having a body and a cap which has opposite end portions directed towards the body with respect to a central portion, the cap in a first position being insertable into the said cavity of the structural element and being rotatable after insertion from said first position to a second position in which said end portions lie behind said flanges of the structural element, and the fixing member further having means to urge together the body and the cap when the cap is in the second position so as to clamp said flanges, and the body and the cap being so shaped, as to deform at least one of said flanges by bending laterally during the clamping thereby securing the fixing member to the structural element in a manner inhibiting slippage along the structural element.

Claim 5

In combination, a building frame elongate structural element having at least one cavity which as seen in transverse section has a mouth permitting access to the cavity, defined by a pair of opposed flanges which have first portions extending towards each other across the mouth and second portions extending inwardly of the cavity from said first portions and terminating at free edges so as to leave to each side of the mouth an undercut space which is behind the first portion and laterally outside the second portion at that side, the said second portions of the flanges being deformable by bending laterally, and a fixing member having a body and a cap which has opposite end portions directed towards the body with respect to a central portion, the cap in a first position being insertable into the said cavity of the structural element and being rotatable after insertion from said first position to a second position in which said end portions lie behind said flanges of the structural element, and the fixing member further having means to urge together the body and the cap when the cap is in the second position so as to clamp said flanges, and the body and the cap being so shaped, as to deform at least one of said flanges by bending laterally during the clamping thereby securing the fixing member to the structural element in a manner inhibiting slippage along the structural element.

Claim 6

A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first portions of the flanges are coplanar and the said second portions are mutually parallel and are at 90° to the first portions.

Claim 7

A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein said structural element is made of profiled steel.

Claim 8

A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein the body and cap each have an aperture receiving a bolt constituting the said urging means.

Claim 9

A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein the body has two said caps which are rotatable from their first positions to their second positions about respective axes which are at a right angle to each other.

Claim 10

A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cap and body have at least one V-shaped notch and complementary recess adapted to cause said deformation of the flange or flanges.

Claim 11

A combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein said structural element is comprised of two or more unitary parts each having a said cavity, the parts being connected directly to each other or through an intermediate member or members, the mouths of the respective cavities facing in different directions.

Claim 12

A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein the said unitary parts are connected through an intermediate connection which is rectangular or is generally X-shaped in transverse section.