Method for creating a high tensile strength joint for connecting rods and fittings
AssigneeMegalex Joint, LLC
InventorsJames P Gormican, Mitchell Hale, Keith Loss, Tobias R. Panek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint includes a solid rod having a slit or opening into which a wedge is inserted. The rod and wedge are inserted into a fitting. The internal surface of the fitting has a contour which continuously and nonlinearly varies with distance along the fitting. The wedge has a dimension having a similar contour. The shape of the contour can be described by a polynomial of order two or higher.
Claims20
A method for joining a rod to a fitting defined by a first end, a second end, and a bore interconnecting said ends, said bore defining a smoothly and non-linearly tapered portion, the method, comprising the steps of:
- first inserting a first end of said rod into said bore at said first end of said fitting until said first end of said rod protrudes beyond said second end of said fitting;
- second inserting at least one smoothly and non-linearly tapered wedge element into said first end of said rod until a predetermined portion of each said wedge element remains exposed, each said wedge element defining a length WL;
- and
- pressing, in a single pressing step, each said at least one tapered wedge element into said rod and said rod into said fitting until each said wedge element and said rod each reach a predetermined seated position within said bore.
A method of forming a joint between a rod and a fitting, said rod defining an elongate rod formed from solid material, and said fitting defined by a first end, a second end and a bore interconnecting said ends, and said bore defining a tapered portion and a threaded portion, the method comprising the steps of:
- creating at least one longitudinal slit in one end of said rod;
- inserting said one end of said rod through said bore of said fitting until it protrudes by a predetermined distance beyond said fitting;
- first pressing at least one tapered wedge element partially into said at least one slit;
- relocating said rod within said bore of said fitting to a final position relative to said fitting;
- second pressing said at least one tapered wedge element into said rod until said at least one tapered wedge element also reaches said final position relative to said fitting;
- and
- whereby said inner tapered portion of said fitting defines a smooth and non-linear contour, and said at least one wedge element defines outer surfaces that match said contour of said fitting inner tapered portion, and said second pressing is ceased when said contour of said inner tapered portion juxtaposes said outer surfaces.
A method for creating a joint between an elongate non-metallic rod defining an outer surface and a metal fitting defined by an internal bore having a smoothly and non-linearly tapered wall and a non-tapered wall, the method comprising the steps of:
- inserting a first end of said non-metallic rod into said bore at one end of said metal fitting until said first end protrudes beyond an opposing end of said metal fitting;
- inserting at least one smoothly and non-linearly tapered wedge element into said first end of said rod until a predetermined portion of each said wedge element remains exposed, each said wedge element defining a length WL;
- and
- pressing, in a single pressing step, each said at least one tapered wedge element into said rod and said rod into said fitting until each said wedge element and said rod each reach a predetermined seated position within said bore;
- whereby a gap of less than 0.03 inches is left between said outer surface of said non-metallic rod and said tapered wall of said metallic fitting along a length of said non-metallic rod juxtaposed by said tapered wall of said metallic fitting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.