GB2413338A

GB2413338A - Holding and covering pipe at skirting level in a building

Info

Publication number: GB2413338A
Application number: GB0408873A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Charles Dudney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-04-21
Filing date: 2004-04-21
Publication date: 2005-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-21
Also published as: GB2413338A8; GB2413338B; GB0408873D0

Abstract

Apparatus (74) for holding and covering at least one pipe (80) positioned at skirting level in a building, which apparatus (74) comprises a skirting cover (26) and a pipe holder (86): the skirting cover (26) comprising a front wall (28) and an abutment member (30) which extends from an inner face (32) of the front wall (28) and towards a vertical surface (34) adjacent to which the skirting. cover (26) is to be fixed, the front wall (28) comprising a vertical portion (36) and an upper portion (38) which extends towards the vertical surface (34), and the skirting cover (26) being an extrusion of a plastics material; the pipe holder (86) comprising a mounting member (48) for being secured to the vertical surface (34), an interlocking arrangement (50) for securing the front wall (28) and the abutment member (30) to the mounting member (48), and at least one clip (78) for holding the pipe (80), the clip (78) being such that it is able to extend sufficiently far around the pipe (80) for the clip (78) to hold the pipe (80) firmly in position without requiring the presence of the skirting cover (26); the apparatus (74) being such that the skirting cover (26) is completely removable from the pipe holder (86) after the pipe holder (86) has been installed in the building; and the apparatus (74) being such that the skirting cover (26) is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder (86) substantially without straining the pipe (80) in the clip (78) during use of the apparatus (74).

Description

24 1 3338

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND COVERING

AT LEAST ONE PIPE POSITIONED AT

SKIRTING LEVEL IN A BUILDING

This invention relates to apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building.

It is well known to employ skirting boards at the junction of floors and walls in rooms. The skirting boards are secured to the wall and it is well known to run pipes, cables and wires along the skirting boards. Such pipes, cables and wires are unsightly.

It is known to provide apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building. The known apparatus is produced by Rohrsysteme GmbH of Hassfurt, Germany. The known apparatus comprises a skirting cover and a pipe holder. The pipe holder holds the pipes and the skirting cover covers the pipes and the pipe holder.

The known apparatus thus overcomes the problem of being able to see unsightly pipes, cables and wires. However, the known apparatus is such that the skirting cover does not remove completely from the pipe holder after initial installation. This can cause access problems to pipes being held by the pipe holder. Also, the known apparatus is such that the skirting cover clips to the pipe holder such that strain on a pipe being held can occur. This may lead to leaking joints if the pipe has been joined.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building, which apparatus comprises a skirting cover and a pipe holder: the skirting cover comprising a front wall and an abutment member which extends from an inner face of the front wall and towards a vertical surface adjacent to which the skirting cover is to be fixed, the front wall comprising a vertical portion for extending parallel to the vertical surface and an upper portion which extends towards the vertical surface, and the skirting cover being an extrusion which is made of a plastics material; the pipe holder comprising a mounting member for being secured to the vertical surface, an interlocking arrangement for securing the front wall and the abutment member to the mounting member, and at least one clip for holding the pipe, the clip being such that it is able to extend sufficiently far around the pipe for the clip to hold the pipe firmly in position without requiring the presence of the skirting cover; the apparatus being such that the skirting cover is completely removable from the pipe holder after the pipe holder has been installed in the building; and the apparatus being such that the skirting cover is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder substantially without straining the pipe in the clip during use of the apparatus.

The apparatus of the present invention is thus able to hide unsightly pipes. The apparatus is able to hold the pipe firmly in position even when the skirting cover is not present. This may facilitate fixing of the apparatus to start with, and it may also facilitate subsequent installation of cables and wires inside the apparatus. Still further, the skirting cover is able to be removed and refastened substantially without straining the pipe in the clip, thereby helping to prevent the possibility of the pipe leaking at joints in the pipe.

The vertical surface to which the mounting member is secured during use of the apparatus is preferably a vertical part of a skirting board but it may be a vertical part of a wall if desired. The apparatus is advantageous in that it can be used to cover pipes, cables and wires at skirting level without having to remove existing skirting boards. The upper portion of the skirting cover is advantageously of a size that is able to extend over a skirting board and substantially right to a wall, thereby to hide the skirting board beneath the upper portion.

The apparatus may be one in which the interlocking arrangement is spaced apart from the clip, whereby the skirting cover is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder substantially without straining the pipe in the clip during use of the apparatus.

The apparatus may be one in which the skirting cover does not touch the front of the clip when the skirting cover is on the pipe holder. There is no need for such contact because the clip is such that it is able to extend sufficiently far around its pipe for the clip to hold the pipe firmly in position without requiring the presence of the skirting cover.

The apparatus may be one in which the upper portion of the front wall of the skirting cover does not touch the clip when the skirting cover is on the pipe holder. Such an arrangement helps to prevent the pipe being strained if the skirting cover is removed and replaced on the pipe holder.

The apparatus may be one in which the mounting member has at least one aperture for receiving a screw for screwing into the vertical surface.

The apparatus may be one in which there are two of the clips, and in which the clips are positioned vertically one above the other in use of the apparatus. In this case, there may be two of the apertures, one of the apertures being above the uppermost clip, and the other of the apertures being below the lowermost clip. Alternatively, there may be only one of the apertures, the aperture being positioned between the two clips.

The upper portion may abut against the vertical surface when the skirting cover is fixed to the vertical surface.

The abutment member may abut against the vertical surface when the skirting cover is fixed to the vertical surface.

The interlocking arrangement may comprise a first arm extending from the mounting member and having a first hook, a second arm extending from the mounting member and having a second hook, a first toothed arrangement on the upper portion for engaging with the first hook, and a second toothed arrangement on the abutment member for engaging with the second hook.

The apparatus may include retainer means for retaining the first and second hooks in engagement with the first and second toothed arrangements respectively.

The first and second toothed arrangements will usually each comprise a plurality of teeth. Other formations may be employed.

The abutment member may be positioned on a lower part of the inner face. In this case, the abutment member may be positioned on a lower part of the inner face and adjacent but removed from a bottom of the inner face.

The abutment member may be a shelf which extends at right angles to the inner face.

The upper portion may have a first part which is inclined at a first angle to the vertical portion, and a second part which extends at a second angle to the vertical portion.

The second angle may be greater than the first angle. The second angle may be nearly 90 .

The plastics material is preferably unplasticised polyvinyl chloride.

Other plastics materials may be employed. The plastics material may be produced in any suitable and appropriate colours such for example as white, mahogany or pine.

Preferably, the plastics material employed is fire-retardant, and more preferably self-extinguishing in fires. The plastics material is preferably resistant to acids and alkalis, and is colour-fast. Advantageously, the plastics material is such that is can be used in temperature ranges of -10 C to + 80 C.

The present invention also extends to the combination of the apparatus of the invention and corners and/or connectors for the skirting cover.

The corners and/or the connectors may be held in position by an adhesive. The adhesive may be unplastisiced polyvinyl chloride solvent in the case where the plastics material for the skirting cover is unplasticised polyvinyl chloride. Alternatively, the adhesive may be in the form of double- sided adhesive tape. Other types of adhesive may be employed.

The skirting cover of the present invention can be arranged to be connected to vertical risers.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows known apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building; Figure 2 shows a known skirting cover comprising a front wall and an abutment member; Figure 3 is a side view of first apparatus of the present invention for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building; Figure 4 shows part of the apparatus shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a view like Figure 3 but shows second apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown apparatus 2 for holding and covering at least one pipe 4 positioned at skirting level in a building. As shown, the apparatus 2 is holding two of the pipes 4 and also an electric cable 6. The apparatus 2 comprises a skirting cover 8 and a pipe holder 10.

The skirting cover 8 comprises a front wall 12. The front wall 12 comprises a vertical portion 14 for extending parallel to the vertical surface (not shown), and an upper portion 16 which extends towards the vertical surface. The skirting cover is an extrusion which is made of a plastics material.

The pipe holder 10 comprises a clip 18 for each pipe 4. The pipe holder 10 is secured to the vertical surface by a screw 20 positioned between the two clips 18.

The skirting cover 8 is shown in Figure 1 in the open position. In this position, it will be seen that the bottom part of the front wail 12 is underneath the lowermost clip 18, and the skirting cover 8 is not normally able to be removed from the pipe holder 10. This can cause problems in providing good access to the pipes 4, and especially the lowermost pipe 4 as shown in Figure 1.

The skirting cover 8 clips to the pipe holder 10 at the upper part 22 of the pipe holder 10. This upper part 22 is just on top of the uppermost pipe 4. As the skirting cover 8 is pushed into position to close the skirting cover, or is pulled out to open the skirting cover, the strain is transferred to the pipe 4 just underneath the upper part 22. If the pipe 4 happens to be joined in this area, then the strain may cause the joint to fail.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a skirting cover 26 which is known from my published United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2379676.

Figure 2 shows a skirting cover 26 comprising a front wall 28 and an abutment member 30. The abutment member 30 extends from an inner face 32 of the front wall 28. The abutment member 30 extends towards a vertical surface 34 relative to which the skirting cover is to be fixed.

The front wall 28 comprises a vertical portion 36 extending parallel to the vertical surface 34, and an upper portion 38 which extends towards the vertical surface 34 and which terminates adjacent the vertical surface 34 during use of the skirting cover 26 as shown in Figure 2.

The skirting cover 26 is made of a plastics material. The abutment member 30 is positioned on the lower part of the inner face 32 and adjacent but removed from a bottom 40 of the inner face 32. The abutment member is in the form of a shelf which extends at right angles to the inner face 32.

The upper portion 38 of the front wall 28 has a first part 42 and a second part 44. The first part 42 is inclined at a first angle to the vertical portion 36. The second part 44 is substantially horizontal as shown.

The skirting cover 26 includes fixing means 46 by which the front wall 28 and the abutment member 30 are fixed in position against the vertical surface 34. The fixing means 46 comprises a mounting member 48 which is secured to the vertical surface 34, for example by screws or nails (not shown) in apertures 49. The fixing means 46 also comprises an interlocking arrangement 50 for securing the front wall 28 and the abutment member 30 to the mounting member 48.

The fixing means 46 is a releasable clip fixing means. More specifically, the clip fixing means comprises a first arm 52 extending from the mounting member 48 and having a first hook 54, and a second arm 56 extending from the mounting member 48 and having a second hook 58.

The clip fixing means also comprises a first toothed arrangement 60 on the upper portion 38 for engaging with the first hook 54, and a second toothed arrangement 62 on the abutment member 30 for engaging with the second hook 58. The first and second toothed arrangement 60, 62 each comprise four teeth as shown. The hooks 54, 58 can locate behind any one of these teeth, thereby giving a degree of horizontal adjustment to the skirting cover 26 in order to move the second part 44 closer to or further away from the vertical surface 34 as may be necessary if there are undulations in the vertical surface 34.

The mounting member 48 has ribs 64 and grooves 68 as shown. The ribs 64 can abut against the vertical surface 34. A foot 70 can stand on a floor 72. The abutment member 30 can terminate just short of the foot 70, or the abutment member 30 can abut the foot 70. The foot 70 helps to ensure that the mounting member 48 is fixed at the same height all along the vertical surface 34.

I advantageously realised that I was able to modify and add to the skirting cover shown in my United Kingdom Patent Application No. 2379676 in order to provide the additional function of a pipe holder. In addition, l was able to arrive at a construction which avoided the problems caused by the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 show first apparatus of the present invention for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building. For ease of comparison and understanding, similar parts as in Figure 2 have been given the same reference numerals.

In Figure 3, it will be seen that the apparatus 74 is secured to a skirting board 76 which is itself secured to the wall 34. It will also be seen that the ribs 64 and the grooves 68 have been omitted from the mounting member 48.

The mounting member 48 is provided with two clips 78, each one being for receiving a pipe 80. Each clip 78 comprises a pair of arms 82, 84.

The arms 82, 84 extends sufficiently far around their pipe 80 for the clip 78 to hold the pipe 80 firmly in position without requiring the presence of the skirting cover 26. The apparatus 74 is such that the skirting cover 28 is completely removable from the pipe holder 86, the pipe holder 86 comprising the mounting member 48, the interlocking arrangement 50, and the two clips 78.

The apparatus 74 is also such that the skirting cover 26 is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder 86 substantially without straining the pipes 80 in the clips 78 during use of the apparatus 74.

It will be seen that the interlocking arrangement 50 is spaced apart from the clips 78, whereby the skirting cover 26 is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder 86 substantially without straining the pipes in the clips 78.

The skirting cover 26 does not touch the front of the clips 78 when the skirting cover 26 is on the pipe holder 86. Also, the upper portion 38 of the front wall 28 of the skirting cover 26 does not touch the clips 78 when the skirting cover 26 is on the pipe holder 86. By incorporating the clips 78 as part of the pipe holder 86, the apparatus 74 can be constructed such that there is more than enough room for the pipes 80, and cables and wires if necessary, inside the apparatus 74. The second part 44 of the upper portion 38 extends over the skirting board 76 and substantially right to the wall 34, thereby to hide the skirting board 76 beneath the upper portion 38.

The pipe holder 86 may be regarded as a bracket.

The mounting member 48 has two apertures 49. As will be seen, one of the apertures 49 is above the uppermost clip 78, and the other of the apertures 49 is below the lowermost clip 78. The two clips 78 are positioned vertically one above the other as shown.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown second apparatus 88 for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building. The second apparatus 88 is similar to that shown in Figure 3 and similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. In Figure 5, it will be seen that only one aperture 49 has been employed, this aperture receiving one screw 51. The aperture 49 is positioned between the two pipe clips 78.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the skirting covers are preferably made of unplasticised polyvinyl chloride as the plastics material but other plastics materials may be employed. The first and second parts 18, 20 may be inclined at angles other than those shown. Sections of the skirting covers may be connected together by connectors (not shown) and they may extend around corners using corner pieces (not shown).

Claims

1. Apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building, which apparatus comprises a skirting cover and a pipe holder: the skirting cover comprising a front wall and an abutment member which extends from an inner face of the front wall and towards a vertical surface adjacent to which the skirting cover is to be fixed, the front wall comprising a vertical portion for extending parallel to the vertical surface and an upper portion which extends towards the vertical surface, and the skirting cover being an extrusion which is made of a plastics material; the pipe holder comprising a mounting member for being secured to the vertical surface, an interlocking arrangement for securing the front wall and the abutment member to the mounting member, and at least one clip for holding the pipe, the clip being such that it is able to extend sufficiently far around the pipe for the clip to hold the pipe firmly in position without requiring the presence of the skirting cover; the apparatus being such that the skirting cover is completely removable from the pipe holder after the pipe holder has been installed in the building; and the apparatus being such that the skirting cover is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder substantially without straining the pipe in the clip during use of the apparatus.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the upper portion of the skirting cover is of a size that is able to extend over a skirting board and substantially right to a wall, thereby to hide the skirting board beneath the upper portion.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the interlocking arrangement is spaced apart from the clip, whereby the skirting cover is connectable to and removable from the pipe holder substantially without straining the pipe in the clip during use of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the skirting cover does not touch the front of the clip when the skirting cover is on the pipe holder.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the upper portion of the front wall of the skirting cover does not touch the clip when the skirting cover is on the pipe holder.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting member has at least one aperture for receiving a screw for screwing into the vertical surface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which there are two of the clips, and in which the clips are positioned vertically one above the other in use of the apparatus.

8. Apparatus according to claims 6 and 7 in which there are two of the apertures, one of the apertures being above the uppermost clip, and the other of the apertures being below the lowermost clip.

9. Apparatus according to claims 6 and 7 in which there is only one of the apertures, the aperture being positioned between the two clips.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the upper portion abuts against the vertical surface when the skirting cover is fixed to the vertical surface.

11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the abutment member abuts against the vertical surface when the skirting cover is fixed to the vertical surface.

12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the interlocking arrangement comprises a first arm extending from the mounting member and having a first hook, a second arm extending from the mounting member and having a second hook, a first toothed arrangement on the upper portion for engaging with the first hook, and a second toothed arrangement on the abutment member for engaging with the second hook.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 and including retainer means for retaining the first and second hooks in engagement with the first and second toothed arrangements respectively.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 or claim 13 in which the first and second toothed arrangements each comprises a plurality of teeth.

15. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the abutment member is positioned on a lower part of the inner face.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which the abutment member is positioned on the lower part of the inner face and adjacent but removed from a bottom of the inner face.

17. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the abutment member is a shelf which extends at right angles to the inner face. ]7

18. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the upper portion has a first part which is inclined at a first angle to the vertical portion, and a second part which extends at a second angle to the vertical portion.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which the second angle is greater than the first angle.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 in which the second angle is nearly 9oo.

21. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the plastics material is unplasticised polyvinyl chloride.

22. Apparatus for holding and covering at least one pipe positioned at skirting level in a building, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 or to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

23. The combination of apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and corners and/or connectors.