Joint for use in fluid control apparatus

In a fluid control apparatus to be disposed on a vertical wall, a rectangular parallelepipedal joint to be provided between a base plate and a required number of apparatus components arranged in a row and each having a fluid channel, the fluid channel having a fluid passage inlet and a fluid passage outlet both facing toward the base plate, the joint having an internal communication channel for causing therethrough a fluid passage outlet of one of the two apparatus components in each adjacent pair thereof to communicate with a fluid passage inlet of the other apparatus component, for causing therethrough a fluid passage outlet of another device or an external inlet pipe extending from a fluid source to communicate with a fluid passage inlet of the apparatus component at one end of the fluid control apparatus, or for causing therethrough an external outlet pipe provided for a device requiring a control fluid to communicate with a fluid passage outlet of the apparatus component at the other end of the fluid control apparatus,

• the joint comprising two divided members in its entirety, the two divided members being a grooved connecting member having a groove formed centrally thereof and provided in portions thereof on opposite sides of the groove with bolt holes each having a stepped portion for receiving therein a joint attaching bolt without permitting a head thereof to project from the joint and with female screw portions for respective male screw members to be screwed in for attaching the apparatus component;
• and
• a flat rectangular parallelepipedal communication member fitted in the groove of the connecting member and provided with the communication channel, an entire length of the communication channel being formed in the communication member, the connecting member being made of a stainless steel or stainless alloy, the communication member being made of a material smaller than the material of the connecting member in specific gravity, the connecting member and the communication member as fitted to each other having three pairs of opposed faces, a positioning recessed portion being formed in one face of at least one of the opposed pairs and fitting to a positioning protrusion formed on the other face thereof.