Roll-flex connector

A connector for joining members in large force load transfer contact while enabling limited relative angular movement between the load carrying connected members by controlling the movement of engaged load carrying surfaces to prevent damage thereto from connector movement, comprising:

• a first member forming a longitudinal axis having means for securing the connector with an underlying structure for absorbing the force load transmitted through the connector;
• a second member forming a longitudinal axis having means for securing the connector with an upper component for transmitting the force load to the connector;
• means disposed between said first member and said second member for enabling limited relative angular movement therebetween while maintaining slide free metal-to-metal force load transmitting contact between said first and said second members to prevent separation of said first and said second members in response to a force loading along the longitudinal axis of said first and said second members, said second member engageable with said first member to prevent separation in response to a force loading in a direction along said longitudinal axis opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a first plurality of stacked metal roll support plates disposed in force load transfer engagement with said first member, each of said roll plates having an outer substantially rounded load carrying surface and an inner substantially rounded load carrying surface formed by a radius greater than the forming radius of said outer load carrying surface, said inner surface supporting the outer surface of said adjacent plate while enabling said outer surface to roll on said inner surface of said adjacent plate to compensate for angular movement of said first member relative to said second member without sliding movement between said plurality of plates while transmitting the force load between said first and second members.

A connector for joining members in large force load transfer contact while enabling limited relative angular movement between the load carrying connected members by controlling the movement of engaged load carrying surfaces to prevent damage thereto from connector movement, comprising:

• a first member forming a longitudinal axis having means for securing the connector with an underlying structure for absorbing the force load transmitted through the connector;
• a second member forming a longitudinal axis having means for securing the connector with an upper component for transmitting the force load to the connector;
• means disposed between said first member and said second member for enabling limited relative angular movement therebetween while maintaining slide free metal-to-metal force load transmitting contact between said first and said second members to prevent separation of said first and said second members in response to a force loading along the longitudinal axis of said first and said second members, said second member engageable with said first member to prevent separation in response to a force loading in a direction along said longitudinal axis opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a plurality of stacked metal roll plates disposed in force load transfer contact between said first member and said second member, each of said roll plates having a concave load carrying surface and a convex load carrying surface, each of said plate's concave load carrying surfaces formed by a radius greater than the forming radius of said convex surface to enable said concave surface of said adjacent plate to roll on said convex surface for enabling the limited relative angular movement while maintaining slide free metal-to-metal contact.

A connector for joining members in large force load transfer contact while enabling limited relative angular movement between the load carrying connected members by controlling the movement of engaged load carrying surfaces to prevent damage thereto from connector movement, comprising:

• a first member forming a longitudinal axis having means for securing the connector with an underlying structure for absorbing the force load transmitted through the connector;
• a second member forming a longitudinal axis having means for securing the connector with an upper component for transmitting the force load to the connector;
• means disposed between said first member and said second member for enabling limited relative angular movement therebetween while maintaining slide free metal-to-metal force load transmitting contact between said first and said second members to prevent separation of said first and said second members in response to a force loading along the longitudinal axis of said first and said second members, said second member engageable with said first member to prevent separation in response to a force loading in a direction along said longitudinal axis opposite to the first direction;
• and
• a plurality of stacks with each of said stacks formed by a plurality of metal roll plates disposed in force load transfer contact between said first member and said second member, each of said roll plates having a concave load carrying surface and a convex load carrying surface, each of said plate's concave load carrying surface formed by a radius greater than the forming radius of said convex surface to enable said concave surface of said adjacent plate to roll on said concave surface for enabling the limited relative angular movement while maintaining slide free metal-to-metal contact.