Corner connector

Abstract

There is disclosed a corner connector to connect three separate frame members to form a tubular corner of a structure. Two angle brackets are provided, each of which includes a corresponding projection and bottom slot formed on respective opposite arms thereof, to attach to two of the frame members. One of the angle brackets includes a side slot dimensioned to securably receive a projection of the other angle bracket therethrough into an interior of the tubular corner to couple the angle brackets to each other. A third angle bracket is attached to the third frame member and comprises a plurality of projections dimensioned according to the bottom slots so as to be securably received therethrough into the interior to overlap the projections to improve rigidity by obstructing the projections to mitigate movement. A rigid sheath is then attached to the angle brackets to form three sleeves.

1 . A corner connector to connect a first frame member, a second frame member, and a third frame member to each other to form a tubular corner of a structure, comprising:
 a first angle bracket directly attached to the first frame member, including
 a first projection and a first bottom slot formed on respective opposite arms of the first angle bracket; 
   a second angle bracket directly attached to the second frame member proximal and non-parallel to the first frame member, including
 a second projection and a second bottom slot formed on respective opposite arms of the second angle bracket, 
 a side slot dimensioned according to the first projection to securably receive the first projection therethrough into an interior of the tubular corner to couple the first angle bracket to the second angle bracket and to define a first end of the tubular corner; 
   a third angle bracket directly attached to the third frame member proximal and non-parallel to each of the first and second frame members, including
 a plurality of projections dimensioned according to the first bottom slot and the second bottom slot, the plurality of projections being securably received through the first bottom slot and the second bottom slot into the interior to overlap the first projection and the second projection to improve rigidity of the corner connector by obstructing the first and the second projections to mitigate movement of the first and the second angle brackets; and 
   a rigid sheath attached to and extending opposite to the first, the second, and the third angle brackets to form a second end of the tubular corner and to form first, second, and third sleeves for respectively receiving the first, the second, and the third frame members.   
     
     
         2 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the tubular corner includes an inner spine of the tubular corner and the second end of the tubular corner includes an outer spine of the tubular corner. 
     
     
         3 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein overlapping of the first and the second projections mitigates movement of the first and the second angle brackets along a first direction, the first angle bracket includes a first bottom projection, the second angle bracket includes a second bottom projection overlapping the first bottom projection in the interior to mitigate movement of the first and the second angle brackets along a second direction non-parallel to the first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The corner connector of  Claim 3 , wherein the first bottom projection is fastened to the second bottom projection. 
     
     
         5 . The corner connector  Claim 3 , wherein each of the first projection, the second projection, the first bottom projection, and the second bottom projection is planar tabular-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The corner connector of  Claim 3 , wherein the first projection, the second projection, and the second bottom projection are mutually orthogonal planar plates. 
     
     
         7 . The corner connector of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first projection, the second projection, the first bottom projection, and the second bottom projection extends towards one of the first frame member, the second frame member, and the third frame member to cause abutment therewith to form a gap adjacent thereto in the interior. 
     
     
         8 . The corner connector of  claim 7 , wherein the sheath defines a plurality of slots suitable to receive a corresponding plurality of tabs of a fourth sleeve to couple the fourth sleeve to the corner connector. 
     
     
         9 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath is welded to the first angle bracket, the second angle bracket, and the third angle bracket at outer edges of the corner connector. 
     
     
         10 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath comprises three mutually orthogonal plates. 
     
     
         11 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first frame member, the second frame member, and the third frame member are mutually orthogonal. 
     
     
         12 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle bracket includes a first one or more apertures to allow fastening therethrough of the first frame member to the first angle bracket, the second angle bracket includes a second one or more apertures to allow fastening therethrough of the second frame member to the second angle bracket, and the third angle bracket includes a third one or more apertures to allow fastening therethrough of the third frame member to the third angle bracket. 
     
     
         13 . The corner connector of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections are fastened to each of the first projection and the second projection. 
     
     
         14 . A structure, comprising the corner connector of  claim 1 , the first frame member, the second frame member, and the third frame member. 
     
     
         15 . A method of constructing a corner connector to connect a first frame member, a second frame member, and a third frame member to each other to form a tubular corner of a structure, comprising:
 receiving a first projection of a first angle bracket through a side slot of a second angle bracket to position the first projection inside the second angle bracket, to position a second projection of the second angle bracket inside the first angle bracket, and to secure the first angle bracket to the second angle bracket;   receiving a plurality of projections of a third angle bracket through a first bottom slot of the first angle bracket and a second bottom slot of the second angle bracket to secure the third angle bracket to the first angle bracket and the second angle bracket, the first bottom slot and the first projection being formed on opposite arms of the first angle bracket, the second bottom slot and the second projection being formed on opposite arms of the second angle bracket;   overlapping the plurality of projections against the first projection of the first angle bracket and a second projection of the second angle bracket to obstruct movement of the first angle bracket and the second angle bracket while the third angle bracket is secured to the first angle bracket and the second angle bracket;   attaching a rigid sheath to the first angle bracket to form a first sleeve suitable to receive the first frame member;   attaching the sheath to the second angle bracket to form a second sleeve suitable to receive the second frame member; and   attaching the sheath to the third angle bracket to form a third sleeve suitable to receive the third frame member.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  Claim 15 , further comprising:
 fastening the plurality of projections to each of the first projection and the second projection.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  Claim 15 , wherein each of the first angle bracket, second angle bracket, third angle bracket, and sheath is of unitary construction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  Claim 17 , wherein
 attaching the sheath to the first angle bracket includes continuously joining the sheath to the first angle bracket to unitarily construct the first sleeve,   attaching the sheath to the second angle bracket includes continuously joining the sheath to the second angle bracket to unitarily construct the second sleeve, and   attaching the sheath to the third angle bracket includes continuously joining the sheath to the third angle bracket to unitarily construct the third sleeve.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  Claim 18 , wherein each of the first angle bracket, second angle bracket, third angle bracket, and sheath is composed of sheet metal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  Claim 15 , wherein the sheath comprises a side sheath that defines an outer spine of the corner connector and a planar top sheath, the method further comprising:
 attaching the side sheath to the top sheath.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  Claim 15 , wherein overlapping of the first and the second projections mitigates movement of the first and the second angle brackets along a first direction, the method further comprising:
 overlapping a first bottom projection of the first angle bracket and a second bottom projection of the second angle bracket inside the corner connector while the first angle bracket is secured to the second angle bracket to mitigate movement of the first and the second angle brackets along a second direction non-parallel to the first direction.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  Claim 21 , further comprising:
 fastening the first bottom projection to the second bottom projection.