It is easier to create one object then copy/merge etc...but I have experimented...created 3 cubes...combined them into one mesh. I then did and edge loop and looked at the options and played with them. It APPEARS as though the weight slider has something to do with them..so I set it to 0.1...selected split ring 2 and over did the distance I wanted to 0.5. Then applied the 0.1 weight attribute to all 3...seemed to work....

cheers bullet