GB1574827A - Trunking - Google Patents

Description

(54) TRUNKING (71) We, SWISH PRODUCTS LI MITED, a British Company of Lichfield Road Industrial Estate, Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to trunking or ducting of the kind which is installed along the bottom of a room wall to locate and enclose pipes, wires, cables and other services and permit ready access thereto for the connection of outlet points, repair or services ing, said trunking or ducting being hereinfafter referred to as "skirting trunking".

The object of the invention is to provide skirting trunking which is easy to install and use, durable, and neat and pleasing in appearance.

According to the invention there is provided skirting trunking comprising an elongated inner member to be mounted on or partly sunk into the bottom of a room wall and provided with a pair of longitudinal outwardly-directed spaced parallel resilient retaining flanges terminating in oppositely disposes longitudinal ribs; and an outer elongated cover member of plastics material having substantial rigidity and thickness and including a pair of longitudinal locating formations defining spaced oppositely disposed longitudinal grooves, flexure of said flanges in opposite directions enabling snap engagement of said ribs with said grooves to releasably locate the cover member on the inner member.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is now more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a cross-section of a skirting trunking installation.

An elongated inner member 1 is a channel section extrusion of rigid P.V.C. having upper and lower parallel outwardly-directed flanges 2, 3 terminating in respective longitudinal opposing part-circular section ribs 4, 5.

Upper flange 2 has an upwardly-directed longitudinal planar guide rib 6 spaced outwardly from the plane of the back 7 of the inner member. In use said member will usually be installed with back 7 against the brickwork or other core structure 8 of the wall and the plaster surface 9 will be brought flush with the outer face of rib 6 which forms a convenient plastering guide.

The member is mounted to leave a clearance between the lower flange 3 and the,floor and this flange merges with back 7 in a gradual curve to faciliate downward flexure of flange 3.

Spaced from flanges 2, 3 within the channel are a pair of parallel horizontal wall 10, 11 defining a chamber 12 to receive wires, cables or other services.

An elongated outer cover member 13 is formed as rigid extrusion of P.V.C. (for example by the manufacturing process associated with the trade mark "CELUKA") so as to have a minimum thickness in the region of 7.5mm with a hard continous outer skin and a foamed rigid interior, and has a planar vertical outer face extending somewhat beyond the full height of member 1.

The inner face of member 13 is provided with a pair of inwardly directed parallel locating formations 14, 15 having respective upwardly and downwardly directed channels for snap-engagement with ribs 4, 5 on flanges 2, 3.

Member 13 also includes a rearwardly directed lip 16 along its upper edge which extends over flange 2 when assembled and terminates in line with the outer face of guide rib 6 so that when the trunking is installed lip 16 lies closely against the outer face of the plaster surface 9 to give a neat appearance, without any visible fixing attachments. A decorative wall finish, e.g.

wallpaper, can be carried down behind lip 16 giving an easy and neat finish.

If access to the services is necessary the cover member 13 can readily be removed by pressing it downwards to flex flange 3 and pulling the top outwards to free it from inner member 1. The lengths of plastics material can be readily cut to length as required during installation, and the cover member extrusion can be mitred at the corners of the room, or otherwise trimmed to any required shape, in the same manner as a wooden skirting. There is no need for special corner plates or reinforcing members along its length.

Plug sockets or other electrical or service fittings can be attached direct to or fitted into apertures cut in the cover member in any position without the use of special cover plates or similar fittings.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Skirting trunking comprising an elongated inner member to be mounted on or partly sunk into the bottom of a room wall and provided with a pair of longitudinal outwardly-directed spaced parallel resilient retaining flanges terminating in oppositely disposed longitudinal ribs; and an outer elongated cover member of plastics material having substantial rigidity and thickness and including a pair of longitudinal locating formations defining spaced oppositely disposed longitudinal grooves, flexure of said flanges in opposite directions enabling snap engagement of said ribs with said grooves to releasably locate the cover member on the inner member.

2. Trunking according to Claim 1 wherein the inner member is an extrusion of plastics material.

3. Trunking according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the cover member is a rigid extrusion of plastics material having a foamed interior and a continuous outer skin.

4. Trunking according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the inner member includes a pair of parallel horizontal walls within said parallel flanges defining a chamber to receive wires, cables and other services in use.

5. Trunking according to any one of the preceding claims including an upwardly directed guide rib on the inner member forwardly of the plane of its back for use as a plastering guide when the rear part of said member is sunk into a wall.

6. Trunking according to any one of the preceding claims including a rearwardly directed lip along the upper edge of the cover member which will abut or lie close to a front face of the wall above the inner member when installed.

7. Skirting trunking substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. attachments. A decorative wall finish, e.g. wallpaper, can be carried down behind lip 16 giving an easy and neat finish. If access to the services is necessary the cover member 13 can readily be removed by pressing it downwards to flex flange 3 and pulling the top outwards to free it from inner member 1. The lengths of plastics material can be readily cut to length as required during installation, and the cover member extrusion can be mitred at the corners of the room, or otherwise trimmed to any required shape, in the same manner as a wooden skirting. There is no need for special corner plates or reinforcing members along its length. Plug sockets or other electrical or service fittings can be attached direct to or fitted into apertures cut in the cover member in any position without the use of special cover plates or similar fittings. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Skirting trunking comprising an elongated inner member to be mounted on or partly sunk into the bottom of a room wall and provided with a pair of longitudinal outwardly-directed spaced parallel resilient retaining flanges terminating in oppositely disposed longitudinal ribs; and an outer elongated cover member of plastics material having substantial rigidity and thickness and including a pair of longitudinal locating formations defining spaced oppositely disposed longitudinal grooves, flexure of said flanges in opposite directions enabling snap engagement of said ribs with said grooves to releasably locate the cover member on the inner member.

2. Trunking according to Claim 1 wherein the inner member is an extrusion of plastics material.

3. Trunking according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the cover member is a rigid extrusion of plastics material having a foamed interior and a continuous outer skin.

4. Trunking according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the inner member includes a pair of parallel horizontal walls within said parallel flanges defining a chamber to receive wires, cables and other services in use.

5. Trunking according to any one of the preceding claims including an upwardly directed guide rib on the inner member forwardly of the plane of its back for use as a plastering guide when the rear part of said member is sunk into a wall.

6. Trunking according to any one of the preceding claims including a rearwardly directed lip along the upper edge of the cover member which will abut or lie close to a front face of the wall above the inner member when installed.

7. Skirting trunking substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.