System and method for joining panels

1. A cabinet comprising:

a plurality of cabinet panels coupled together to form a cabinet, at least two adjoining panels of said plurality of cabinet panels joined together by a rail lock and cleat tab joining structure comprising:

a flange strip extending from an adjoining side edge of each of said at least two adjoining panels, said flange strip comprising a plurality of cleat tabs along an edge of said flange strip, and

a rail lock having a plurality of taper locks, said rail lock comprising about a right angle bend along a rail lock center longitudinal axis, each cleat tab of a first panel of said at least two adjoining panels substantially aligned with each cleat tab of a second panel of said at least two adjoining panels to form a pair of aligned cleat tabs, said pair of aligned cleat tabs captured together by an interference fit with tapered edges of each corresponding taper lock to form a seam joining said first panel to said second panel.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein said at least two adjoining panels comprise adjacent side wall panels.

3. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein said flange strip has a bend angle of between about 85 degrees to 120 degrees with respect to a panel from which the flange strip is bent or formed.

4. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein said rail lock comprises at least one mounting angle at an end of said rail lock.

5. The cabinet of claim 4 , wherein said at least one mounting angle comprises about a right angle to secure said mounting angle to an adjacent about perpendicular surface.

6. The cabinet of claim 4 , wherein said at least one mounting angle comprises a cylindrical wall defining a mounting hole through said mounting angle.

7. The cabinet of claim 6 , wherein said mounting hole accepts a threaded bolt extending from either a top cabinet surface or a bottom cabinet surface, said threaded bolt securing said rail lock mounting angle to said top cabinet surface or said bottom cabinet surface by a threaded nut.

8. The cabinet of claim 7 , wherein said threaded bolt comprises a threaded bolt press fit into said top cabinet surface or a bottom cabinet surface presenting a substantially flat exterior surface.

9. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein said cabinet comprises a gun cabinet.

10. The cabinet of claim 1 , wherein a seam formed between each of said flange strips of each of said at least two adjoining panels is substantially free of an open gap.

11. A cabinet comprising:

a plurality of cabinet panels coupled together to form a cabinet, at least two adjoining panels of said plurality of cabinet panels joined together by a rail lock and cleat tab joining structure comprising:

a flange strip extending from an adjoining side edge of each of said at least two adjoining panels, said flange strip comprising a plurality of cleat tabs along an edge of said flange strip, and

a rail lock having a plurality of taper locks, each of said cleat tabs comprising a tapered cleat edge disposed between a cleat point and a cleat vertex, each cleat tab of a first panel of said at least two adjoining panels substantially aligned with each cleat tab of a second panel of said at least two adjoining panels to form a pair of aligned cleat tabs, said pair of aligned cleat tabs captured together by an interference fit with tapered edges of each corresponding taper lock to form a seam joining said first panel to said second panel.

12. The cabinet of claim 11 , wherein a tapered opening formed between said tapered cleat edge and a strip edge forms about a triangular opening.

13. A cabinet comprising:

a plurality of cabinet panels coupled together to form a cabinet, at least two adjoining panels of said plurality of cabinet panels joined together by a rail lock and cleat tab joining structure comprising:

a flange strip extending from an adjoining side edge of each of said at least two adjoining panels, said flange strip comprising a plurality of cleat tabs along an edge of said flange strip, and

a rail lock having a plurality of taper locks and a plurality of triangular shaped taper lock openings, each cleat tab of a first panel of said at least two adjoining panels substantially aligned with each cleat tab of a second panel of said at least two adjoining panels to form a pair of aligned cleat tabs, said pair of aligned cleat tabs captured together by an interference fit with tapered edges of each corresponding taper lock to form a seam joining said first panel to said second panel.

14. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein said at least two adjoining panels comprise adjacent side wall panels.

15. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein said flange strip has a bend angle of between about 85 degrees to 120 degrees with respect to a panel from which the flange strip is bent or formed.

16. The cabinet of claim 13 , wherein said rail lock comprises at least one mounting angle at an end of said rail lock.

17. The cabinet of claim 16 , wherein said at least one mounting angle comprises about a right angle to secure said mounting angle to an adjacent about perpendicular surface.

18. The cabinet of claim 16 , wherein said at least one mounting angle comprises a cylindrical wall defining a mounting hole through said mounting angle.

19. The cabinet of claim 18 , wherein said mounting hole accepts a threaded bolt extending from either a top cabinet surface or a bottom cabinet surface, said threaded bolt securing said rail lock mounting angle to said top cabinet surface or said bottom cabinet surface by a threaded nut.

20. The cabinet of claim 19 , wherein said threaded bolt comprises a threaded bolt press fit into said top cabinet surface or a bottom cabinet surface presenting a substantially flat exterior surface.