Connector assembly for food preparation equipment and method of assembly

A connector assembly for joining a substantially horizontal cylindrical tubular member having an interior protuberance adjacent its leading end to a substantially vertical tubular member without the formation of substantial exposed cracks or crevices in which food could collect, said connector assembly comprising:

• a base with a generally cylindrical outside surface and having at one end a saddle surface for engaging the outside surface of said vertical member, having at its other end an abutment flange extending outwardly from the outside surface of said base, an aperture extending through said base between said ends, and slot means extending from said other end towards said one end;
• fastener means for holding said base to said vertical member;
• a locking collar defining a bore for receiving said base with a first end defining an opening having a diameter substantially equal to but slightly greater than the diameter of said base outside surface, a second end having an inside diameter substantially equal to but slightly greater than the outside diameter of said horizontal member, an internal screw thread disposed between said first end and said second end, and abutment means for engaging said abutment flange disposed between said thread and said second end;
• and
• a locking insert including a body sized for reception in the aperture of said base with a leading end and a trailing end, said insert having an outward extension means adjacent said insert leading end for reception by said base slot means with thread means on the outside surface of said extension means for threadably engaging the screw thread of said collar, and a holding flange for bearing on said protuberance extending outwardly from said body adjacent said trailing end and sized to fit inside said horizontal member whereby with said insert positioned in said horizontal member with said holding flange behind said protuberance and said insert leading end extending from said horizontal tube leading end, and with said base, holding said collar, fastened to said vertical member, threading said collar onto said insert extension means results in said collar abutment means engaging said base abutment flange with the leading end of said horizontal member bearing on said abutment flange of the base and the holding flange of the insert bearing on said protuberance.