Abstract: A new septum for multiple use injection ports enabling the introduction of fluid materials by needle injection into a gas chromatograph or other system under positive pressure. The injection port utilizes a special septum to seal the port while accommodating passage of an injection needle. The septum is provided with an axial through passage, preferably of greater diameter than the injection needle. The septum, which is formed of elastomeric material, is placed under axial compression sufficient to inwardly displace the material surrounding the preformed opening, to tightly close and seal the opening against the pressure of the system. The septum may be penetrated multiple times by injection needles without coring or otherwise damaging the septum. Greater operating life is achieved and contamination of the system is minimized.

Abstract: A wall mounted bumper guard for protecting walls, especially of institutional buildings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc. Molded plastic clips are secured to a wall structure at spaced locations. A resilient cover shell is configured such that its upper and lower edges are engaged and secured by upper and lower ends of said clips. Impact resisting elements are carried by the clips and positioned under central portions of the cover shell. The impact resisting elements are of relatively stiff plastic construction and of an inverted V-shaped configuration. One end of the impact resisting element has a hinged engagement with the clip, and the other end is slidable on the clip. The central portion of the impact resisting element engages and supports central portions of the cover shell to resist excessive inward deflection thereof resulting from impact.

Abstract: A dock fender, particularly for attachment to the outer face of a dock piling for cushioning vessels attached to the dock. The fender is of extruded construction, having laterally extending flanges which are conformable to the surface of the pilings. The fender is attached to the piling by lag screws applied to the flanges. Special washers, of rectangular configuration, are provided to underlie the heads of the lag screws. The washers are formed with anti-rotation means such that, after initial proper alignment of the washers with the fender flanges, the washers will retain such orientation during rotational tightening of the lag screws. In one form, the anti-rotation means comprises bent corners of individual washers. In another form, the washers are of a length to engage more than one lag screw.

Abstract: A quick-assembly corner protector including an extruded aluminum retainer adapted to be attached to the corner to be protected; decorative wooden panels laterally, slidingly engaged in the retainer adjacent the corner; and a co-extruded vinyl locking member adapted to hold the panels in place and provide a cushion at the corner.

Abstract: A handrail-wall bumper combination which includes improved structural features for the mounting of the handrail above the bumper section, providing a common appearing design for both vinyl and wood handrail portions and accommodating, in the case of either type of handrail, a smoothly contoured gripping surface, including a well-defined and highly visible accent strip. Smooth, tangentially transitioning concave and convex surfaces are provided in front and also in back of the handrail where, although not visible to the eye, such surfaces provide improved comfort and feel and reduce skin abrasions. Improved components are also provided for assembling corners and returns, including providing slightly enlarged support surfaces for longitudinal extensions of plastic cover elements to assure optimum surface alignment at joints.

Abstract: A handrail-wall bumper combination which includes improved structural features for the mounting of the handrail above the bumper section, providing a common appearing design for both vinyl and wood handrail portions and accommodating, in the case of either type of handrail, a smoothly contoured gripping surface, including a well-defined and highly visible accent strip. Smooth, tangentially transitioning concave and convex surfaces are provided in front and also in back of the handrail where, although not visible to the eye, such surfaces provide improved comfort and feel and reduce skin abrasions. Improved components are also provided for assembling corners and returns, including providing slightly enlarged support surfaces for longitudinal extensions of plastic cover elements to assure optimum surface alignment at joints.

Abstract: An entrance grating for office buildings is comprised of a series of closely spaced tread rail elements, forming the upper surface of the grating, and a plurality of support elements underneath the tread rail elements and tightly secured thereto at right angles. The tread rails are of extruded construction and include a hollow, tubular spine section for high strength and rigidity per unit of weight. The underlying support elements, also of extruded construction, are in the form of downwardly opening channel-shaped elements. High strength, expandable wall, blind fasteners are employed to secure the support elements to the tread rail elements at each of the crossing points to provide a strong, rigid assembly. The open bottoms of the channel-shaped supports may be closed by plastic pad strips providing resilient support and noise reduction.

Abstract: A fire-resistant wall structure is provided with a recessed corner guard, for absorbing impact forces, particularly at an external corner. To compensate for the relative loss of fire-resistance capability, in the area in which the wall structure is recessed to receive the corner guard structure, surfaces within the recess are provided with a layer of intumescent paint which, when exposed to sufficiently elevated temperature, expands to develop a thick, cellular foam providing a highly effective insulating layer. The intumescent paint is applied directly to surfaces of an extruded aluminum structural element installed in the recess. Preferably, the paint is applied at the factory where the corner guard components are manufactured. Significant economies and other benefits are realized in relation to prior practices of installing ceramic matting in the wall recess at the construction site.

Abstract: A multi-functional, universal guide rail member is provided, for incorporation in an architectural joint system. Typically, one such guide rail member is mounted on each of two adjacent, relatively movable structures and cooperates with pivotally mounted centering bars to maintain a covering plate in centered position. The guide rail member incorporates in a single, integral unit a continuous guide groove for the centering bars, an open-sided slot for receiving fastening means (or, in some cases, caulking), and an outwardly facing slot for receiving anchoring means. The multi-functional guide rail member is usefully employed in conjunction with standard off-the-shelf structural components, such as channels and angle members, to accommodate mounting of the guide rail members in a variety of architectural configurations.

Abstract: An architectural joint system is disclosed, which incorporates a slidably supported arched cover plate to span the open space between two relatively movable structural units. The edge margins of the arched cover plate are slidably received in housings, mounted at the adjacent corners of the structural units. The housing assemblies are formed of base members and cover members assembled to define a narrow gap for the reception of a thin cover plate, and an enclosure for receiving the edges of the plate. The cover members are uniquely designed to have an outwardly and upwardly convergent taper, extending over a substantial distance of at least about two times the thickness of the cover member. The arched plate is of a shallow, upwardly convex contour, closely conforming to the long convergent taper of the cover member.

Abstract: A fire-resistant wall structure is provided with a recessed corner guard, for absorbing impact forces, particularly at an external corner. To compensate for the relative loss of fire-resistance capability, in the area in which the wall structure is recessed to receive the corner guard structure, surfaces within the recess are provided with a layer of intumescent paint which, when exposed to sufficiently elevated temperature, expands to develop a thick, cellular foam providing a highly effective insulating layer. The intumescent paint can be applied to surfaces of the recess itself, and/or surfaces of the corner guard assembly installed in the recess. In the latter case, the paint can be applied at the factory where the corner guard components are manufactured. Significant benefits are realized in relation to prior practices of installing ceramic matting in the wall recess at the construction site.

Abstract: An elastomeric joint seal for architectural structures is provided with a multi-part cover and employs special anchoring hardware at least partially, and preferably entirely, mounted outside of the joint. The preferred mounting hardware comprises channels for receiving anchoring ribs of the multi-part cover. The main portion of the cover spans and seals the architectural joint, and is secured in the mounting hardware by anchoring ribs at each side. Cover strips are also anchored in the mounting hardware, and cover any exposed portions of the mounting hardware. The effective width of the joint is increased, by locating the mounting hardware outside of the joint space, which enables the joint to be designed to a narrower width dimension. The cover strips may be of a different color than the main seal to minimize the sight line.

Abstract: A telescoping wall joint system is disclosed, for connecting adjacent sections of an architectural structure, while accommodating substantial relative movement, such as might result from seismic activity Extended motion is provided in the joint system while avoiding the use of excessively wide components, which are both costly and aesthetically undesirable. A center cover plate, which spans the open space between two adjacent structural units, is received along one or both sides in a tubular sleeve. The cover plate is slidably extendable within a predetermined range in the tubular sleeves to accommodate normal movements of the structural units, such as may result from thermal expansion and contraction, for example. The tubular sleeves themselves are slidably received within fixed housings mounted on the respective structural units.

Abstract: An elastomeric seal for connecting two relatively movable architectural structures, such as floor sections, is constructed to optimize resistance to failure of the elastomeric element, in either adhesion or cohesion modes. An elastomeric seal, and an underlying support plate are provided with gently undulating, somewhat sinusoidal surface configuration, with the elastomeric element being of downwardly convex configuration and of relatively maximum thickness in its center, and of downwardly concave configuration and relatively less thickness in regions spaced on either side of center. Widthwise stretching of the elastomeric element tends to be concentrated in the regions of downwardly concave configuration, being thus not only distributed but also located away from areas of maximum vertical stress.

Abstract: A corner structure is provided for impact-resisting handrail installations. The design of the structure is such that the same principal components may be employed in constructing outside corners, inside corners and returns. The corner structure includes a molded tubular shell of arcuate configuration, for connection to each of two right angularly related straight handrail sections or from one handrail to an adjacent wall. An internal skeletal support member is mounted within the hollow tubular shell, by closure panels secured to and closing the opposite ends of the shell. The skeletal support member includes an arcuate central portion arranged in confronting and supporting relation to the outwardly facing wall of the shell. Connecting elements project outward through each of the closure panels for rigid connection to the adjacent straight handrail sections. By substitution of two different internal skeletal supports, the corner structure can be configured for inside and outside corners.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to architectural joint systems, and particularly to an improved multi-functional cover device, arranged to span the gap between two adjacent, spaced apart architectural structures, such as walls or ceilings. The cover system comprisies a multi-functional cover plate element can be secured by a variety of means.

Abstract: A one-piece molded or cast centering bar, for an architectural joint system, is disclosed. The centering bar, which is designed for cooperation with spaced guide rails, mounted on opposed, relatively moveable structures, has a central base section and integral arm portions extending radially therefrom in opposite directions. Integral guide means are carried at the outer ends of the respective arm portions, and engage guide grooves in the respective guide rails. The centering bar is pivotally connected to a cover plate, which spans the space between the moveable structures. As the structures move toward and away from each other, the centering bar functions in a known manner to maintain the cover plate symmetrically positioned with respect to the open space.

Abstract: A resiliently mounted and constructed rigid floor grate assembly is disclosed, in which a series of metallic tread rails of T-shaped cross section, placed side by side and connected by tie rods, are separated by individual, resilient spacing and supporting elements. The spacing and support elements are placed between each pair of tread rails, underneath the tread portions thereof, and are held under compression by the tie rods to form a rigid assembly. In addition, the height of the spacing and support elements is slightly greater than the height of the vertical web portions of the tread rails, to support the metallic elements slightly above the hard surface of a floor recess in which the grate assembly is placed. Significantly reduced metallic noise and clatter is an important benefit.

Abstract: A grating mat assembly is disclosed, which is of a generally rigid construction, as distinguished from an articulated, roll-up construction. Unlike conventional rigid grating mats, the structure of the present invention comprises a plurality of slot-like section joined edge to edge in a manner providing for sufficiently rigidity for manufacture, handling and installation, while eliminating the customary longitudinally extending locking bars, utilized in more conventional grating mat assemblies, which add significantly to the cost of manufacture thereof. The slot-like mat sections of the new design are of extruded construction, formed with a horizontal upper ball, widely spaced vertical end walls, and one or more intermediate vertical walls. The vertical walls support the upper wall substantially above a base surface. The opposite vertical end walls of the slot-like sections are formed with tongue and groove structures, such that a pair of adjacent section interfit to provide positive horizontal alignment.