Device and method for detachably connecting abutting structural parts and tie member for use to form said device

A tie member for use in forming a device for detachably connecting two abutting structural parts, the tie member being adapted to be at least partially inserted in a recess formed in a first of said structural parts and comprising:

• a body provided with a first, expandable, portion adapted to frictionally engage said recess, and
• a rod member slidably arranged in a through passage defined within the body of the tie member for axial displacement therein, said rod member having a first end portion provided with an expander region operable to expand said first, expandable, portion of the body by cooperating with a corresponding engaging zone thereof upon displacement of the rod member relative to the body of the tie member,
• wherein said rod member is provided with a traction portion outwardly extending therefrom and adapted to cooperate with abutment means formed at the through passage defined within the body of the tie member at a predetermined axial distance from said engaging zone of the first, expandable, portion of said body;
• wherein said traction portion is spaced from said abutment means during a first part of the axial displacement of the rod member in which the expander region of the rod member expands said first, expandable, portion of the body;
• and
• wherein said traction portion is operatively engaged with said abutment means during a second part of the axial displacement of the rod member so as to effect a substantially simultaneous displacement towards said second structural part of said first, expandable, portion of the body of the tie member and of the first structural part in frictional engagement therewith.

A method for detachably connecting two abutting structural parts comprising:

• partially inserting in a recess formed in a first of said structural parts a tie member comprising:
• a body provided with a first, expandable, portion adapted to frictionally engage said recess, and
• a rod member slidably arranged in a through passage defined within the body of the tie member for axial displacement therein, said rod member being provided with a traction portion outwardly extending therefrom and adapted to cooperate with abutment means formed at said through passage at a predetermined axial distance from an engaging zone of the first, expandable, portion of said body;
• carrying out substantially simultaneously:
• a first axial displacement of the rod member relative to the body of the tie member and towards a second of said structural parts, and
• an expansion in a substantially radial direction of the first, expandable, portion of the body of the tie member by means of an expander region defined at a first end portion of the rod member cooperating with said engaging zone of the first, expandable, portion of the body;
• subsequently carrying out a substantially simultaneous axial displacement towards said second structural part:
• of the rod member, of the first expanded portion of the body of the tie member and of the first structural part in frictional engagement therewith,
• wherein the traction portion of the rod member is spaced from said abutment means during said first axial displacement of the rod member, and
• wherein the traction portion of the rod member is operatively engaged with said abutment means during said substantially simultaneous axial displacement of the rod member, of the first expanded portion of the body of the tie member and of the first structural part in frictional engagement therewith.