Structural connection system and method, and structures constructed therewith

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated structural member having an unthreaded tip at an end of the elongated structural member;
• a transversely extended structural member defining guide surfaces for receiving the tip of the elongated structural member;
• and
• means for pulling the tip longitudinally into the receiving member without rotating or threading the tip into the guide surfaces.

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated structural member having an unthreaded tip at an end of the elongated structural member;
• a transversely extended structural member defining guide surfaces for receiving the tip of the elongated structural member;
• traction means defined in one of the members;
• and
• a screw threaded to the other of the two members, and distinct from the elongated-member tip, for engaging the traction means to apply force to the elongated structural member so that the tip is forced into the receiving member without threading the tip itself into the guide surfaces.

A substantially stationary structural system in which at least two structural members are secured together for supporting at least a normal adult person or comparably heavy object, said structural system comprising:

• a substantially stationary elongated and generally vertical structural leg having:
• a segment which has (1) a transverse dimension of at least three centimeters and (2) a longitudinal dimension many times its transverse dimension, and
• a tip at an end of the leg;
• a substantially stationary and generally horizontally extended receiving member, for supporting at least a normal adult person or comparably heavy object, and defining guide surfaces for receiving the tip of the elongated leg;
• and
• means for applying protracted force to the leg so that the tip is advanced into the receiving member in a wedging relationship with the guide surfaces, with no necessity of rotating the leg relative to the receiving member.

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated structural leg having:
• a segment which has (1) a transverse dimension of at least two centimeters, and (2) a longitudinal dimension many times said transverse dimension, and
• a tip which is at an end of the leg and is exclusively noncircular in external cross-section;
• a substantially stationary, transversely extended structural member defining guide surfaces for receiving the exclusively noncircular external cross-section of the tip;
• and
• means for applying protracted force to the leg so that the exclusively noncircular external cross-section of the tip is advanced into the receiving member in a wedging relationship with the guide surfaces, without rotating the leg or its tip relative to the receiving member.

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated structural member having an axis, and having a tip that is at an end of the elongated structural member and extends generally along the axis of the elongated structural member;
• a transversely extended structural member defining guide surfaces for receiving the tip of the elongated structural member;
• and
• means for forcing the tip into the receiving member in a wedging relationship with the guide surfaces and for retaining the tip wedged into the receiving member;
• the receiving member and elongated member being parts of a constructional set selected from the group consisting of:
• a set in which the receiving member is a support portion of an article of furniture and the elongated member is a leg of said article of furniture,
• a set in which the receiving member is one support portion of a building frame and the elongated member is another portion of the building frame,
• a set in which the receiving member is a support point of an article of play equipment and the elongated member is a leg of the article of play equipment,
• a set in which the receiving member is a temporary structure such as bleachers, risers, a scaffold or a portable stage for performances, and the elongated member is a leg of the temporary structure,
• a set in which the receiving member is one portion of a crane or boom frame and the elongated member is another portion of the crane or boom frame, and
• a set in which the receiving member is one portion of a framework having plural interlocked layers of framing and the elongated member is another portion of the framework;
• and
• said system further comprises, respectively, said article of furniture, or said building, or said play equipment or said temporary structure, or crane or boom frame, or framework, respectively.

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated member having an outer surface, and having a transverse notch defined in the outer surface, and having a tip that is at an end of the elongated member and extends generally along an axis of the elongated member;
• a transversely extended structural member defining guide surfaces for longitudinally receiving the tip of the elongated member;
• and
• a screw engaged with the notch and threaded into the receiving member for pulling the elongated member longitudinally into the receiving member in a wedging, nonthreading relationship with the guide surfaces.

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated member having an outer surface, and having a transverse notch defined in the outer surface, and having a tip that is at an end of the elongated member and is generally aligned, longitudinally, with an axis of the elongated member;
• a transversely extended structural member defining guide surfaces for longitudinally receiving the tip of the elongated member;
• and
• a fastener, engaged with both the notch and the receiving member, for retaining the tip wedged into the guide surfaces.

A structural system in which at least two members are secured together, said system comprising:

• an elongated member having original uncut surfaces and having a tip at an end of the elongated member;
• said tip having two beveled planar surfaces which in three dimensions lie at substantially a right angle to each other, and at compound angles to the original uncut surfaces;
• and
• a receiving member which defines guide surfaces for receiving the tip of the elongated member.

A method of securing together at least one elongated structural member that has an unthreaded tip, at an end of the elongated member, and has at least one transversely extended structural member that defines guide surfaces for receiving the tip;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• forming a traction surface in the elongated member;
• providing an inclined-plane element such as a screw or cam;
• fixing to the transversely extended structural member a mating element for engaging and cooperating with the inclined-plane element;
• inserting the tip into the transversely extended structural member for engagement of the tip with the guide surfaces;
• engaging the inclined-plane element with the traction surface and the mating element;
• and
• operating the inclined-plane element to pull or press the tip into a wedging, nonthreading relationship with the guide surfaces.