Connector for mounting structural components

A connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, comprising:

• A main body portion extending in a first, longitudinal direction;
• said main body portion comprising a first end, a second end, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and elongated transverse connecting means for connecting together said upper and lower surface sections, said transverse connecting means extending at least substantially along the length of said main body portion and connecting said upper and lower surfaces sections in a second direction that is perpendicular to said first longitudinal direction;
• said elongated transverse connecting means having passageway means extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element;
• at least one of said first and second ends of said main body portion being mitered to an angle for flush connection to a structural component at said one end;
• and further in combination with another said connector;
• said another connector also having at least one of said first and second ends of said main body portion thereof mitered to the same angle as said one end of said connector;
• said one mitered ends of said connector and said another connector being in flush engagement with each other and secured together via at least one fastener element passing through aligned said passageway means of said connector and said another connector, whereby, after said component and said another component have been affixed together by at least one fastener element, the two different structural components may be secured together at adjacent ends via said connector and said another connector to form a segmented frame section of a structural frame extending at said mitered angle.

A method of coupling one structural element to another structural element, where the one structural element has at least one open and hollow end, using an elongated coupler having a main frame extending in a first longitudinal direction, the main frame having a first end and a second end spaced from said first end in the first longitudinal direction, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and a middle section joining in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction the upper and lower surface sections, said method comprising:

• (a) securing one of said first and second ends of said main frame to another structural element;
• (b) after said step (a), mounting one end section of the one structural element over said main frame until said main frame is contained within the hollow interior of one end section of the one structural element;
• and
• (c) after said step (b), securing the main frame in the hollow interior of the one end section of the one structural element;
• said step (b) comprising first passing the one end section of the one structural element over the other end of the first and second ends of the main frame, and then sliding the one end section of the one structural element along said main frame in the first longitudinal direction, until the end-edge of the one end-section of the one structural element is flush against the another structural element to which said main frame has been secured;
• said step (c) comprising passing fastening elements in said second transverse direction through at least one portion of the one end-section of the one structural element and through the upper and lower surface sections juxtapositioned at the portion of the one end-section of the one structural element.

A connector for connecting a structural element to a structure, comprising:

• A main body portion extending in a first, longitudinal direction;
• said main body portion comprising a first end, a second end, an upper surface section, a lower surface section, and elongated transverse connecting means for connecting together said upper and lower surface sections, said transverse connecting means extending at least substantially along the length of said main body portion and connecting said upper and lower surfaces sections in a second direction that is perpendicular to said first longitudinal direction;
• said elongated transverse connecting means having at least one passageway means extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element;
• said elongated transverse connecting means comprises at least one transverse web section, and a plurality of passageways formed in said at least one transverse web section and extending in said first longitudinal direction for passing therethrough from said first end to said second end at least one fastener element for securing said main body portion to a structural element, one said passageway being located in closer proximity to said upper surface section, and another said passageway being located in closer proximity to said lower surface section;
• said at least one transverse web section comprising a plurality of laterally-projecting fastener-guide means extending in said third, lateral direction for guiding fasteners through said main body portion;
• at least one of said plurality of laterally-projecting fastener-guide means protruding from one lateral side of said at least one transverse web section, and at least one other of said plurality of laterally-projecting fastener-guide means protruding from the other lateral side of said transverse web section.