Apparatus and method for rigidly joining construction elements to one another

A system for rigidly joining a first construction element to a second construction element in a variety of predetermined angles, comprising:

• a first construction element and a second construction element each having a connecting bore formed therethrough, a first pair of engagement grooves extending laterally away from a first end of said connecting bore, and a second pair of engagement grooves extending laterally away from a second end of said connecting bore;
• first and second positioning means for positioning said first construction element relative to said second construction element, each of said first and second positioning means having a first generally planar surface, a second generally planar surface, and a connecting bore extending between said first and second generally planar surfaces, said first generally planar surface having a plurality of engagement ribs extending laterally away from said connecting bore, said second generally planar surface having a pair of engagement ribs for matingly engaging with said engagement grooves disposed within said first and second construction elements, said first and second positioning means being disposed between said first and second construction elements such that said connecting bores of said first and second positioning means are substantially coaxial with said connecting bores of said first and second construction elements and such that said plurality of engagement ribs of said first positioning means matingly engage with said plurality of engagement ribs of said second positioning means to selectively orient said first construction element in any of a variety of predetermined angles with respect to said second construction element;
• and
• partially expandable locking means for rigidly locking said first construction element relative to said second construction element, said partially expandable locking means being disposed at least partially within said connecting bore of said first construction element, at least partially within said connecting bore of said second construction element, at least partially within said connecting bore of said positioning means, and partially expanded to thereby affix said first construction element in rigid relation to said second construction element.

A method of rigidly joining a first construction element to a second construction element, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first and a second construction element, said first and second construction elements each having a connecting bore extending between a first surface and a second surface, and at least one engagement groove formed in one of said first and second surfaces;
• (b) providing first positioning means having a connecting bore extending between a first surface and a second surface, a first pair of engagement ribs extending laterally away from a first end of said connecting bore along said first surface, and a second pair of engagement ribs extending laterally away from a second end of said connecting bore along said second surface;
• (c) providing partially expandable locking means for locking said first and second construction elements in fixed relation about said positioning means;
• (d) arranging said positioning means between said first and second construction elements such that said connecting bore of said positioning means is substantially coaxial with said connecting bore of said first construction element and said connecting bore of said second construction element, said first pair of engagement ribs is cooperatively coupled with said at least one engagement groove in said first construction element;
• (e) arranging said locking means so as to extend at least partially within said connecting bores of said first and second construction elements and at least partially within said connecting bore of said positioning means;
• and
• (f) partially expanding said partially expandable locking means to affix said first construction element in fixed and rigid relation to said second construction element.