US2569916A

US2569916A - Surface metal raceway

Info

Publication number: US2569916A
Application number: US118966A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sr Charles E Barnes; Jr Charles E Barnes
Original assignee: United States Rubber Co
Current assignee: Uniroyal Inc
Priority date: 1949-09-30
Filing date: 1949-09-30
Publication date: 1951-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-10-02

Description

1951 c. E. BARNES, sR., ETAL 2,569,916.

SURFACE METAL RACEWAY Filed Sept. 30, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 INVENTORS C'fiarlesE Bar-11 es Sr. 1 Charles .E. Barnes Jr.

2, 1951 c. E. BARNES. sR., ET AL 2,569,916

SURFACE METAL RACEWAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30, 1949 INVENTORS Ckarles E. Berna: $12 By Charleslifiarner:

Patented Oct. 2, 1951 Philadelphia, Pa assignors to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a'corpora1= tion of New Jersey Application September 30, 1949', Serial No. 118,966

A 4 Claims. 1

Our invention relates to a surface metal raceway of accepted architectural design to be located in the angle formed by the wall and ceiling, for carrying wires from entrance of service, throughout the raceway, for connection with radiant heating panels just above or contiguous thereto, which with other or non-heating building board of any suitable type and thickness forms the ceiling.

Another object of our invention is to construct a surface metal raceway of a type that will efiiciently function as a retainer and armor for electric wires of various sizes for use in supplying current to different types of appliances and/or to the radiant heating panels.-

Another object of our invention is to make the wires within the raceway accessible for easy installation and inspection and will be most readily understood by accompanying detail drawing.

This objective can be more fully appreciated by noting it makes possible the removal of a standard four inch metal box formerly used on the top side of the panel as a cover for terminal posts and in a position which did not permit of access except from floor above. A solderless connection is made through an insulated connector block, between the wires within the raceway and those from the panels in parallel arrangement, which meets with the requirements of the National Electrical Code and the Underwriters Laboratories.

The present application is closely related to the Tidd et al. application Serial No. 134,949, filed December 24, 1949, for Radiant Heating Installation, and to the Cassidy et al. application Serial No. 184,872, filed September 14, 1950, for Radiant Heating Installation, both of which applications relate to a raceway and heating panel, whereas the present application covers a raceway per se.

To provide for the connector blocks entrance into the raceway and to take care of irregularity of walls we provide a knockout opening of substantially greater size than the block to permit of movability or shiftability both forward and backward and sidewise to avoid on the job fitting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a raceway to retain and shield electric conductors, which raceway is completely closed except for knockout openings properly spaced longitudinally to receive connecting blocks projecting from a surface of one or more heating panels.

The complete raceway is composed of two 2. parts, viz, a body into which entrance is made with any approved flexible or rigid conduit either through top or rear; and a closure which can be of screwed-on or snap-on type, but designed to serve as trim or molding. The wirecarrying body member of the raceway is erected (in new construction) by attaching it to the studding or other structural part of the building through the use of screws, nails or other suitable fastening means.

Another object of our invention is to construct the raceway so as to form a plaster ground for the wall as shown in illustration.

Another object of this invention is to construct the raceway so that it forms a plaster stop on the ceiling where plaster is used over the heating panels as a ceiling finish, although paper, paint or fabric may be used and terminated at this juncture.

A further object of the invention i to provide a raceway of such configuration that it can be set in front of the plaster line without tearing the walls apart to install the same in a building being renovated and then adding a wood molding strip just beneath the raceway, for finishing purposes. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide a closure member of any suitable design detachably mounted on the raceway body to provide easy accessibility to the conductors therein.

A still further object of this invention is to utilize the corner formed between a side wall and the ceiling of an apartment as a cove for mounting the raceway.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims. I

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how and illustrating an installation of our raceway- Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the raceway and associated elements of an apartment, with the edge of the heating panel left in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the chan nel portion of the raceway body showing an angular plaster ground.

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a 3 different mode of mounting the raceway and showing another type of closure attaching means.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the raceway per se depicting a further modified form of closure attaching means.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the raceway and a connector block showing the relation of the latter to a knock-out opening in the top wall of the raceway.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a metal trim attached to a wall and ceiling of an apartment to carry out the ornamental design of the raceway about the apartment but which trim does not house electrical connectors.

Fig. 8 is a face view of an end stop or closure.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view thereof, on a reduced scale, showing the attaching tab bent to one side.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a piece of the raceway illustrating the manner of attaching right and left hand end stops or closures.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line I l l l of-Fig. 2, on a further reduced scale, with portions broken away, to illustrate the general relation between a raceway section and contiguous heating panels and their connector blocks.

In carrying out our invention as herein embodied [5 represents the surface metal raceway body fashioned from strips of metal of any desirable length and including a back wall 16, a top wall I! at substantially right angles to said back wall and approximately the same width as the height of said back wall. From the lower edge of the back wall 16 projects a forwardly extending flat plaster ground wall [3 either at substantially right angles to said back wall or canted outwardly and downwardly relative to said back wall 16, as indicated at l8a,'Fig. 3. The width of said plaster ground wall is approximately equal to the thickness of the plaster on a finished building wall or a strip of molding. Along the forward edge of the plaster ground wall is a short upturned flange l9 terminating in a curved resilient lip 28 of suitable and desirable configuration which may vary slightly as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Along the forward edge of the top wall I! is a short pendant flange or plaster stop 2| having an inturned hook 22 along its entire lower edge. In the top wall I! are a number of large or oversized holes 23 which maybe actually formed as holes or the boundaries thereof may be weakened and the enclosed metal knocked out as desired, this being a common method of providing openings for electrical connections and known in the trade as knock-outs. These holes are oversized relative to connector blocks 24 "depending from the underside of the radiant heating panels 25 and said holes are at predetermined locations to accommodate said connector blocks which are definitely located in relation to two

side edges

26 and 21 and the forward edge 28 of a heating panel. Said connector blocks are also located a definite distance apart on a heating panel and when said raceway is mounted, the oversized openings will be completely closed by the connector blocks and surrounding panel surface.

The formation of the raceway body 15, as above described, provides a channel 29 to receive and retain the electrical conductors 30 leading from the entrance of the service system into the apartment and said conductors 30 connect the conductors from the flexible or rigid conduit entering the raceway, either through'the'top or rear thereof, to'the connectorblocks 24"within the raceway. Also an access opening is provided the entire length of the raceway of a height equal to the distance between the attaching lip 20 and the hook formation 22 which is to be normally closed by the door or closure 32 of preselected or any desired configuration, preferably having certain curvilinear formations, in styles suitable for anyand all personal preferences and to match other ornamental effects of the apartment type and the usual trim.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the closure 32 extends from the location of the hook formation 22 to the plasterstop wall [8 or the bottom of the flange IS in front of the latter and from the lower edge of said closure is formed the inwardly and upwardly projecting toe 33 to underlie the lip 28 and the longitudinal edge of said toe is turned back upon itself as at 34, Fig. 2, to form a nose, or said longitudinal edge of the toe may be curved as shown at Ma, Fig. 4, for the same purpose. The toe'33 is approximately the same height as the upturned flange I9 which said toe snugly contacts iii-parallelism therewith. "-Whenever necessary or desirable to remove the closure, a relatively sharp instrument or tool,- such as a screw-driver, is inserted between the toe iii-and the flange i0, along the-lower edge, and the nose 3-1 34a pried loose from the resilient lip 20. The construction of the closure illustrated in Fig.3 is such that it extends=from the-hook formation 22 only to the region of the lip'20 and-the lower longitudinal edge of the closure has thetroughlike nose 34b formed thereon to engage underneath of the outer portion of the lip 20. In every case the upper edge of the'closure ispro'vided with an outwardly down' turned companion'hook formation 35 adapted to engage the h'ook"formation 22 from inside of the 'raceway'body. The hook formations may be more or less-open as will be apparent by comparison of the showings in Figs. 2 and 5 with thatof Fig. 4.

After the radiant heating panels havebeen properly installed, either directly against any suitable parts of the framework of an apartment, such as studding 36 and joists 31, Fig. '2, as when being installed in a new structure, or against-a plastered ceiling'38 anda plaster wall 39, Fig.4, the raceway body 15 is placed underneath of the heating panels and against theapartment wall in the cove produced at the meetingjolnt-between said apartment wall and the ceiling. including the heating panels'and the framework and any plaster, and secured in position by fastening means 40 which can-be manipulated through the open front of the'raceway body.

As the connector blocks are infixed'positions on the heating panels, the raceway body must be adjusted to cause the holes 23 in the top wail of said raceway body to register with saldoomnector blocks and this is readily 'possible because of the oversize holes 23 which-permitsthe-raceway body to be shifted slightly longitudinally or transversely and, ifnecessaryya part of the raceway body, especially where it approaches another wall, can be cut away. The heating-panels, so far as is known, are made in standard widths of four feet and various lengths. The connector blocks are located'a-definite distance from the side edges and, what wechoose to term,the'forward edge, therefore as an example, if the'raceways are made eight feet long'there will'befour holes 23 "formed in the topwall o'fthebody properly spaced so that their centers aretlie same as the centers of the connector-blocks. If,

on the other hand, the raceways are manufactured in lengths of four feet each there will be only two holes in each raceway body.

Since the safety laws, rules, etc., make it necessary to completely enclose the electrical conductors within the raceway, the ends of those portions housing the conductors are closed or separated from adjacent structure by end stops or closures 4|. Each of these is in the form of plate having the configuration of the complete raceway in cross section, Figs. 8, 9 and 10, with a tab 42 projecting from the rear edge thereof and a notch 43 in said rear edge above and below the adjacent edges of said tab whereby it may be bent in either of two opposite directions along the dotted line 44 to provide for right or left hand attachment. The bend line is offset and inside of the rear boundary edge of the tab in order to project inside of the raceway body and lie against the inner surface of the back wall of said body. Suitable fastening devices (not shown) are projected through apertures 45 in the tab and into the back wall of the raceway body for securing each end stop or closure in place.

As it generally is unnecessary to run a raceway completely about an apartment we provide a trim 46, Fig. 7, also produced from metal and having the same contour as the front and bot-- tom of the complete raceway, that is, the same contour as the front closure or cover 32 and any visible parts of the raceway body such as the plaster ground wall [8 and the pendant flange 2! and, sometimes, the upstanding flange l9. This trim is placed in endwise abutting relation to the raceway where the two are against the same side wall or at the necessary angle when the raceway and trim are placed against contiguous side walls which are at an angle to one another. For attaching the trim 46 to a side wall and ceiling, said trim is provided with out-turned flanges 41 through which fastening means 48 are projected at suitable intervals and driven into the side wall and ceiling comprised of either the framework or the finished walls.

When, after the heating panels are installed, there still is any uncovered ceiling foundation, either in the form of the building framework or old original plastered ceiling, said uncovered portion has non-heating panels of building board assembled thereon to provide an even surface. Finally the panels are covered with plaster 49, or an equivalent coat, such as paint, paper or fabric ceiling finish. In all cases the plaster stop or pendant flange 2! of the raceway and the similar portion of the trim profile serve as the terminating lines of the panel covering.

Upon making an original installation, as shown in Fig. 2, the side wall plaster 50 is put on the framework and the upper edge of said plaster terminates under and in contact with the ground wall is of the raceway and similar portions of the trim whenever the latter is used. If the installation is being made in an old building structure directly against the original plastered side wall, Fig. 4, and it is undesirable to add another plaster coat, a suitable molding 5| can be secured to the wall plaster 39 in contact with the ground wall I8 of the raceway and similar portion of the trim.

After the heating panels, raceway and trim have been installed and all electrical connections easily and quickly completed the front closure is placed in position and the conductors will be adequately shielded to reduce to a minimum any 6 likelihood of short circuits and possible resulting damage. Further, the installation is practical ly out of the reach of persons occupying the apartment under ordinary conditions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent thatcomplete installation is made from the inside of the apartment permitting use of the invention in all types of structures, whether single or multistoried.

Of course we do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and useful is:

1. A raceway consisting of a body member comprising a back wall, a forwardly projecting top wall, a fiat pendant flange along the forward edge of said top wall, said pendant flange havinga vertical width sufficient to function as a plaster stop, a flat bottom wall projecting forwardly from the lower edge of the back wall and of a width sufflcient to establish the thickness of a plastered wall contiguous said bottom wall whereby the latter functions as a plaster ground, a flat vertical flange projecting upwardly from the forward edge of the bottom wall with a relatively sharp corner, said vertical flange, bottom wall and the lower portion of the back wall forming a substantially rectangular channel to hold electric wires, an inturned hook along the entire free edge of said pendant flange, a curved lip along the entire free edge of said upturned vertical flange, and a closure having means along both of its longitudinal edges engaging with said hook and lip and detachably securing said closure to the body member.

2. The structure according to claim 1 in com-- bination with an end closure plate of the same. configuration as the entire cross sectional area. of the body member and disposed at either end of said body member and resting against and completely shutting off the respective end thereof and a bendable tab projecting from an edge of. said end closure plate inside the perimeterthereof and extending into and fastened to a walli of the body member.

3. A raceway consisting of a body member comprising a back wall, a forwardly projecting top wall, a flat pendant flange along the forward edge of said top wall, said pendant flange having a vertical width sufficient to function as a plaster stop, a flat bottom wall projecting forwardly from the lower edge of the back wall and of a width suflicient to establish the thickness of a plastered wall contiguous said bottom wall whereby the latter functions as a plaster ground, a flat vertical flange projecting upwardly from the forward edge of the bottom wall with a relatively sharp corner, said vertical flange, bottom wall and the lower portion of the back wall forming a substantially rectangular channel to hold electric wires, an inturned hook along the longitudinal free edge of the pendant flange, a resilient out-turned curved lip projecting from the longitudinal free edge of the upturned vertical flange, and a closure having an outwardly downturned hook on the upper longitudinal edge interengaging with the hook on the pendant flange and said closure further provided with a nose along the lower longitudinal edge thereof sprung under the resilient lip and detachably securing the closure to the body member.

4. A raceway consisting of a body member coma back wall, a forwardly projecting top walLa flat pendant flange along the forward edge of. said top wall, said pendant flange having a vertical width sufficient to function as a plaster stop, a flat bottom wall projecting forwardly from the lower edge of the back wall and of a width suflicient to establish the thickness of a plastered wall contiguous said bottom wall whereby the latter functions as a plaster ground, a flat vertical flange projecting upwardly from the forward edge of the bottom wall with a relatively sharp corner, said vertical flange, bottom wall and the lower portion of the'back wall forming a substantially rectangular channel to hold electric wires, an inturned hook along the longitudinal free edge of the pendant flange, a resilient outturned curved lip projecting from the longitudinal free edge of the upturned vertical flange, a 010- sure, an outwardly down-turned hook formation on the upper longitudinal edge of the closure engaging the hook on the pendant flange, an upwardly projecting toe along the lower longitudinal edge of said closure and disposed against the upturned vertical flange of the body member, and a nose along the longitudinal free edge of said toe sprung under the resilient lip and detachably securing said closure to the body member which may be removed by the insertion of a tool between the toe and upturned vertical flange.-

CHARLES E. BARNES, SR. CHARLES E. BARNES, J R;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 690,479 Storm Jan. 7, 1902 800,053 Ayres Sept. 19, 1905 1,825,010 Murphy Sept. 29, 1931 5 1,878,335 Shull Sept. 20, 1932 1,914,317 Wilson June 13, 1933 1,950,634 Siebenlist Mar. 13, 1934 2,018,293 Williams et al Oct. 22, 1935 2,036,054 Knapp Mar. 31, 1936 20 2,038,115 Keller Apr. 21, 1936 2,132,400 Curren Oct. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5 309,093 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1929 695,748 Germany Sept. 2, 1940 225,310 Switzerland Apr. 16, 1943