Connector node

A truss for use in temporary, demountable construction comprising:

• a plurality of elongated support members, each one of said plurality of a selected length defining an exterior cross-section of a selected shape and having a shaft portion extending between first and second hollow attaching ends, each of said hollow attaching ends defining an aperture therethrough;
• a plurality of connectors, each connector comprising a hollow duct portion defining an interior cross-section of said selected shape for receiving one of said elongated support members with a sliding fit, said hollow duct portion defining an aperture therethrough;
• at least two attaching tongues rigidly secured to said hollow duct portion of each of said connectors for being received by the hollow attaching end of a different one of said plurality of elongated support members, each of said attaching tongues defining an aperture therethrough;
• a first connecting pin for securing a first one of said connectors to a first one of said elongated support members when said aperture of said hollow duct portion of said first one of said connectors is aligned with the aperture through an attaching end of said first one of said elongated support members;
• and
• a second connecting pin for securing said first one of said connectors to another one of said elongated support members at substantially 90 degrees with said first one of said elongated support member when one of said attaching tongues of said first one of said connectors is received by said hollow attaching end of said another elongated support members and said aperture in said hollow attaching end of said another elongated support member is aligned with the aperture in said attaching tongue of said first connector.

A method of fabricating a truss for use in temporary, demountable construction comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of elongated support members, each of said plurality defining an exterior cross-section of a selected shape and having a shaft portion of a selected length extending between first and second hollow attaching ends;
• defining an aperture through each of said hollow attaching ends of each of said elongated support members;
• providing a plurality of connectors having a hollow duct portion defining an interior cross-section of said selected shape and at least two attaching tongues, each of said two tongues for being received by a hollow attaching end of one of said elongated support members;
• defining an aperture through each of said attaching tongues;
• receiving a first one of said elongated support members by said hollow duct portion of a first one of said connectors with a sliding fit;
• aligning said aperture through one of said hollow attaching ends of said first elongated support member with an aperture defined in said duct portion of said first connector;
• inserting a pin through said aligned apertures of said duct portion of said first connector and said hollow attached end of said first elongated support member to secure said first connector to said first elongated support member;
• receiving each of said at least two attaching tongues of said first connector by said hollow attaching ends of second and third ones of said plurality of elongated support members;
• aligning apertures of said hollow attaching ends of said second and third elongated support members one each with apertures in said at least two attaching tongues of said first connector received by said attaching ends;
• and
• inserting a pin through said aligned apertures of said attaching tongues and said hollow attaching ends to secure said first connector to said second and third elongated support members.