Means for joining panels
This invention relates to a device for joining panels. 
     Hitherto panels in caravans, boats, argricultural buildings, vehicle buildings and modular building applications have been joined together by the use of screws, rivets and other unsightly methods. Furthermore, the effort involved and time consumed in fixing panels in this way is disadvantageous and costly. It is an object, therefore, of this invention to provide a device for joining panels which solves at least some of the above-mentioned problems. 
     In accordance with this invention there is provided a device comprising a first means for gripping a panel or the like which comprises an extrusion moulded section which, on the one hand, has a flange which is engageable around an edge of the panel and, on the other hand, is provided with a first longitudinal groove whose edge remote from the flange is inwardly turned and constitutes a lip which is directed towards the inside of the groove, and an extrusion moulded spring section which has a second longitudinal groove, which is adapted to receive the lip of the first longitudinal groove, a first edge, contiguous to its groove, which is adapted to abut against the inside of the first longitudinal groove, and a second edge, also contiguous to its groove but remote from its first edge, which is adapted in use to abut against a panel or the like, which panel or the like is thereby resiliently gripped between the flange and the second edge, and a second means for gripping a second panel, the first and second means being incorporated on the same device. 
     By virtue of this construction, and with the additional use of adhesives, mastics or gaskets as desired, panels may be fixed to one another in a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive manner. 
    
    
     The invention is further described herinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section through one embodiment of this invention which is shown fixing a wall panel to a roof panel at right angles to one another; 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the same embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 in which a wall panel is shown to be perpendicularly fixed to a floor panel; 
     FIG. 3 is a horizontal section through two panels which are fixed perpendicularly to one another by a second embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an assembly in which the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIG. 3 are shown illustrating the mutural interlocking arrangment of the panels; 
     and in the accompanying drawing referenced FIG. 5, which is a vertical section similar to that of FIG. 2 through a further embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     In FIGS. 1 and 2 a generally U-shaped section 10 is fitted along the lengths of the panels 12. This section, which is extrusion moulded, is fixed to the panel with adhesive or by means of a gasket 14. Of the arms 10a,10b of the section 10, one arm 10a lies parallel with the panel 12, separated from it by the gasket or adhesive, while the other arm 10b, which also lies parallel to the panel for a length substantially equal to that of 10a, has a longitudinal flange 10c which extends away from the panel 12 and serves to support a second panel 16, to which the panel 12 is to be fixed. At the end of the flange 10c there is an inwardly turned spigot 10g which is preferably substantially perpendicular to the flange 10c. The function of the spigot is discussed in detail below. In the drawings the longitudinal flanges 10c are substantially perpendicular to the panels 12. However, this is not a necessary feature of this invention and in other embodiments it is preferable if the panel 26 is at some other angle to the panel 12, in which case the flange 10c is angled to arm 10b so that it is in substantially parallel alignment with panel 16 as is the case in FIGS. 1 or 2. 
     The base 10d of section 10 is constructed to form a generally U-shaped longitudinal groove 10e which opens in a direction which is substantially the same as that of the flange 10c. The groove 10e has two sides, the side 10h forming part of the arm 10b of the section 10 while the other is an extended flange of the base 10d and is provided with a lip 10f which is turned towards the mouth of the groove 10e. 
     A second section 18 is provided which is constructed and adapted, also by extrusion moulding, to be received within the longitudinal groove 10e and to grip the panel 16 between itself and the flange 10c. This section 18 is spring fitted into the groove and has a small groove 18a which receives the lip 10f of the groove 10e. It also has an edge 18b which is adapted to abut the side wall 10h of the groove 10e when the lip 10f is received within the small groove 18a. The other edge 18c of the spring section 18 is folded inwards so as to provide a flat surface 18d for abutment with the panel 16. As a result of the spring section 18 exerting a force in the pressure area 18g, and because the spring section is being permanently compressed, the panel 16 is resiliently gripped between the flange 10c and section 18 with consistant and accurate pressure. A mastic or gasket 20 may be provided between the flange 10c and the panel 16, and/or between the panel and the spring section 18, so as to afford even better grip on the panel and also so as to seal the gap therebetween. In this way it is possible to join two panels in a simple and efficient manner. The embodiments illustrated are adapted for fixing a wall to a floor or for fixing a ceiling to a wall in a typical building situation. Normally a corner post 22 illustrated in FIG. 3 would be used to fix a wall to a second wall but in either case the embodiments&#39; uses are not restricted solely to their uses as illustrated in the drawings. 
     The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a box section 22 which is adapted to fit in the corner between two panels 24, 26 and is provided in the place of, and which differs from, the section 10 of the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this embodiment two spring sections 18, two flanges 22c and two longitudinal grooves 22e are provided which are equivalent, and have substantially the same function as those of the first embodiment indicated by the reference numerals 18, 10c and 10e respectively. 
     Similarly to the first embodiment, a panel 26 is resiliently gripped and held between the flange 22c and the spring section 18, mastic or a gasket 20 separating the latter members from the panel. A similar arrangement allows the panel 24 to be fixed with respect to the panel 26, and at a predetermined angle to it, which is, in this embodiment, a right angle. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a typical situation in which three panels 12, 24 and 26 are fixed at mutual right angles to one another by two sections 10 and a box section 22. This Figure makes clear the necessity for the spigots 10g on the arms 10c of the sections 10. The spigots 10g abut the panels 24,26 and keep the arms 10c away from the panels. Thus there is a gap 30 provided which is large enough to receive the arms 22c of the box section 22 in the corner region where the three sections meet. To allow the continued functioning of the spigots 10g, grooves 28 are cut in the arms 22c. These grooves then accommodate the spigots 10g so that the three panels are firmly held in their relative juxtaposition which, in the case illustrated in FIG. 4, is substantially a mutually perpendicular arrangement. Nevertheless, although this facility is an important feature of the invention, its scope is not restricted to perpendicular arrangement of the panels, since it is possible that other arrangements may occasionally be employed in which the angles between panels are not right angles. In these cases appropriate mitring of the ends of the sections 10,22, shaping of the various flanges 10c, 22c and longitudinal grooves 10e, 22e and cutting of the grooves 28 allows these different angles to be attained. 
     Finally, an added advantage of this method of joining panels is that it is extremely easy to waterproof the joints. The orientation of the sections as indicated in the drawings lends itself to efficient sealing, particularly with the aid of mastics or adhesive. Furthermore, the groove 10e, with the orientation as indicated in FIG. 2, acts as a gutter so as to drain water away. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 like parts have been given the same reference numerals and which parts accomplish the same functions as in the previous embodiment. However, in this embodiment the spring section 18 has a different shape whereby not only does it hold the panel 12 in place but it is also rendered more difficult to remove and hence more resistant to tampering. 
     This is because the edge of the spring section not only presses against the side of the longitudinal groove 10a but also engages with a preferably correspondingly shaped recess 10j whereby the spring section is held in place to greater effect than in the earlier embodiments. 
     The flat 18d of the previous embodiments has also been changed in that the spring section is provided with a forked portion 18h for receiving a flange of a rubber-like gasket which is preferably constructed from neoprene and which provides greater flexibility to the system than in the first embodiments, and takes over the function of the flat 18d.