Joint and method for connecting structural members

Abstract

Structural members, especially components of a modular building, are joined at longitudinally extending and abutting surfaces by a correspondingly elongate connector having a cross-shaped transverse section. Each such member surface is formed with a pair of intersecting saw-cut slots that extend lengthwise of the surface and have a V-shaped transverse section in which the apex of the V lies substantially at the surface and in which the legs of the V diverge inwardly into the member. The members are arranged with the apexes of their respective pairs of slots in mutually opposed registry to define a composite, transverse slot configuration that is the complement of the cross-shaped connector and the connector is inserted endwise into the slots with opposed pairs of connector legs interlocking with the opposed pairs of V-shaped slots, respectively, and is driven longitudinally into the joint. In order to follow the contour of a transversely curved joint, one embodiment of the connector is in the form of a transversely flexible member that bends into a conforming curve as it is driven into the joint. For another special application, the connector is longitudinally segmented and takes the form of a plurality of end-to-end arranged, alternately criss-crossed chips, each chip having a flat, rectangular shape that is received within transversely aligned slots of opposite members. In still a further embodiment, the connector coacts with a pair of mutually opposed elongate channels separately secured to the respective members, each in recessed relation to the abutment surface thereof and with the flanges of each channel being biased toward the center of the channel so as to interlock with one pair of legs of the connector.