Патент USA US3420024

Jan. 7, 1969
R. H. BRuGGl-:R ET AL
3,420,017
CHANNEL ADAPTED CHIEFLY TO PROTECT A PIPE LINE CONVEYING
ELECTRICITY, GAS 0R WATER
Filed Nov. 21, 1966
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BY
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ORNEY
United States Patent O
3,420,017
,.
ICC
Patented Jan. 7, 1969
2
1
defining two parallel channels 4 and 5 separated from
3,420,017
CHANNEL ADAPTED CHIEFLY TO PROTECT A
PIPE LINE CONVEYING ELECTRICITY, GAS OR
WATER
Roger H. Brugger and Erwin E. Salvisberg, Geneva,
Switzerland, assignors to Erwin Salvisberg, Geneva,
Switzerland
Filed Nov. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 595,970
each other by a partition 6 the upper end of which is
forked, so as to form two upstanding flanges 7 and 8.
Said two flanges form together a shaped anchoring mem
ber inside which it is possible to slidingly engage a nut,
so as to rigidly secure, if required, comparatively heavy
parts such as electric plugs to the member 3.
The shaped member 3 is provided with four parallel
rail-shaped edges the cross-sections of which are T-shaped.
Said projecting edge sections illustrated at 9, 10, 11 and
6 Claims 10 12 are each capped by a shaped member 13 enclosing a
Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 30, 1965,
5
U.S. Cl. 52--221
Int. Cl. E04b 5/48; E04f 19/06
strip 14 of plastic magnetic material.
FIG. 2 shows, on a larger scale, the cross-section of
said shaped member 13 embedding the strip 14. The
ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE
15 shaped member 13 is obtained through extrusion over the
A channel shaped member adapted to house electric or
magnetic strip 14.
telephone cables, gas or water, has at least one intermedi
The closing of the channels 4 and 5 is obtained by a
ate partition dividing the channel into a plurality of in
cover constituted by an iron plate 15 coated with a floor
dividual housings or compartments. The side walls of the
covering sheet 16 made of plastic material. Said floor
basic channel shaped member and each of the partitions
covering sheet 16 is flush with the plastic floor-covering
have attached to their outer edge a strip of permanent
sheet 17 laid over the concrete layer 1.
magnetic material. An iron plate forming a cover is
The iron plate 15 is attracted by the magnetic strips
placed on the strips of magnetic material thus providing
14 which hold these covering means 15, 16 in position
coupling means for securely closing the channel shaped
over the shaped member 13. The removal of such covering
member.
25 means may be obtained readily by means of an energetic
It is well known that channel members may be em
permanent magnet or better still of an electromagnet
which is laid over the plastic Áfloor-covering sheet 16, so
as to attract the plate 15 with a force which is much
bedded in the walls of a building for protecting in par
higher than that produced by the strips 14.
ticular various ducts, such as those conveying electricity,
Of course, the closing of the channels `4 and 5 may be
telephone communications, gas or water. Such channels 30
can be provided in a sidewall, a floor or a ceiling.
provided by means of a single plate extending throughout
In known structures of this type, the channels are either
conspicuous and consequently unaesthetic or else con
the length of the channel 5 or else by means of several
plates located in alignment. In the latter case, when one
plate has been raised by means of an electromagnet, it is
cealed, which leads to difficulties as concerns the con
nection between the conveying lines or pipes and the 35 an easy matter to remove the other plates in succession,
simply by lifting them by hand.
structure of the building. It has also been proposed to
embed in the concrete layer cast over a slab, channels
One or more members closing the channels 4 and 5
formed by a shaped metal section having a rectangular
outline, which shaped section is adapted to enclose power
may be provided with an opening 18 through which a lead
may pass to ensure a connection between a cable 19 ex
and telephone lines. Whenever a current intake is to be 40 tending inside the channel 5 for instance and a plug 20.
The latter is secured by means of a screw 21 passing
provided after the channel is finished, it is then necessary
through an opening 22 in the closing member previously
to form a hole through the coat covering the surface,
preferred to and held by a nut 23 fitted in a shaped an
through the concrete layer enclosing the channel and
through the wall of the latter, in order to reach the elec
tric or telephone wires. The invention has for its object
the provision of a practically invisible channel embedded
in a structure which is of a simple construction and may
be opened readily at any time, so as to allow modifications
in the electric connections or the like operations.
The invention provides a channel adapted chiefly to en
close at least one carrier for electricity, gas or water and
including a trough-shaped sectional member. According
to the invention, the open side of the shaped sectional
member is substantially flush with the surface of the wall,
said open side being adapted to be covered by at least one
element carrying one section of a magnetic coupling, the
other section of which is carried by the shaped member.
The accompanying drawings illustrat-e diagrammatical
ly and solely by way of example two preferred embodi
ments of the invention. In said drawings:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a channel embedded in
a concrete layer according to a lflrst embodiment of the
choring member formed by two inturned flanges 7 and
8 rigid with the partition `6.
In order to further the positioning of the nut 23 with
reference to its anchoring flanges, said nut is carried
by a spring 24 bearing against the transverse bottom of
the anchoring flange, so as to urge the nut 23 against
the edges of said flanges 7 and 8. The nut 23 comprises
a small square or rectangular plate provided with a
tapped hole and the upper surface of which is provided
with a rib adapted to be -ñtted in the gap between the
flanges 7 and 8. Thus, the plate `forming the nut may
be inserted obliquely into the gap between the edges of
the flanges 7 and 8 against the pressure exerted by the
spring 24 after which it is released so as to remain en
closed within the outline of the anchoring member against
the flanges of which it is urged by the spring 24.
60
-In the example illustrated, it "has been assumed that
the channel 5 was used for carrying the feed cables from
the mains. In addition to the cable 19 which may serve
electric lighting purposes, it may carry other cables such
as those illustrated at 25 for distributing current in
FIG. .2 is a sectional view of a shaped sectional mag
netic member adapted to close the channel illustrated 65 tended for producing power or heat.
The channel 4 may serve for instance for carrying
in FIG. l.
low voltage leads, such for instance as telephone wires
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of
26.
the improved channel.
invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a concrete layer
This arrangement of two `channels arranged side by
1 covering a slab 2 of which the upper surface is uneven; 70 side allows resorting to a single type of metal plate 15
inside said layer is embedded a shaped sectional member 3
provided with an opening 18 which may register at will
3
3,420,017
4
Obviously, in those embodiments wherein the channel
with the channel 4 or with the channel 5 according to
the direction in which the plate 15 is laid on the shaped
member 3.
In order that the shaped member 3 may be perfectly
ñush with the capping cover 1, said shaped member is
carried throughout its length by a series of screws 27
screwed in tapped sockets 28 set in the carrier slab
2. Such sockets may be easily positioned, `for instance
includes several basic channels or compartments, the
separating elements or partitions are not necessarily pro
vided with magnetic coupling means, as illustr-ated for
the two embodiments described. -As a matter of fact, the
partitions separating the compartments may merely form
bearings for the cover or they may even be slightly
spaced with reference to the latter.
Obviously also, numerous modifications may be
brought to the arrangements described and the magnetic
by means of a suitable tool such as a plugging gun,
which :allows driving the sockets into the slab without
it being necessary to previously bore holes in the latter.
The screws 27 resorted to carry two peripheral flanges
38 and 38’ between w-hioh may be ñtted corresponding
closing means may, of course, be constituted as well
by small metal magnets. The permanent magnets or the
magnetic strips 14 may, in fact, be rigidly secured to the
means closing the channel and cooperate with iron parts
horizontal flanges Vforming part of angle members 29,
which tlanges are each provided with a slot 30 engaging
incorporated with the shaped member 3. Said shaped
the cooperating screws and opening at the end of said
member may, of course, be constituted by an iron sheet,
but it may as well be made of shaped aluminum or of
a synthetic resin.
The channels illustrated are embedded in a floor but,
iianges. Each angle member is secured to the shaped
member 3 by a screw 31 engaging a nut 32 fitted in
a shaped anchoring member 33 forming part of the
member 3 outwardly and laterally thereof. Said nut 32 20 obviously, they may also be embedded in a wall, the
channel extending horizontally, vertically or in any direc
tion as may be required. Similar channels may be pro
is designed in a manner similar to the nut 23 which
ensures positioning of the plug 20 and it is also associated
with a spring 34 holding it fast d-uring the insertion of
vided in ceilings. Obviously also, it is possible, according
the screw 31.
to requirements, to resort to shaped members forming one
The shaped member 3 being thus secured by means
of the screws 27, its position may be easily adjusted
or two parallel channels or more.
Preferably, the sheet 16 covering the plate 15 matches
by screwing the screws 27 in their socket 28 to the
the sheet 17 covering the adjacent surface. When said
desired extent. Thus, it is an easy matter to make the
surface is a wall, it should be mentioned that said plate
shaped member 3 enter a perfectly horizontal position
may be readily coated with wall paper.
throughout its len-gth, possibly in the same plane as 30
Obviously, the means closing the channel do not neces
other shaped members to be embedded in the same sur
sarily include a homogeneous iron plate 15 and they
face. After adjusting the position of the shaped member,
may be constituted by non-magnetic material incorporat
ing iron parts registering with the magnetic strips 14.
Obviously also, the channel need not necessarily be em
it is possible to cast the concrete layer 1 until its upper
surface is flush with the upper surface ofthe shaped mem
ber.
In the modified embodiment illustrated in lFIG. 3,
the channel illustrated is treble; in other words, it in
bedded in a wall or the like surface and in certain cases
it may be laid on the ground or even it may be carried
by suspensions means. It may also be used for various
purposes and, instead of enclosing electric leads or gas
or water pipes, it may enclose any other arrangements
cludes three parallel longitudinal compartments; such
an embodiment differs 'from that illustrated in FIG. 1
through the fact that the shaped member comprises 40
several juxtaposed longitudinal sections 3a, 3b, 3c. The
sections of the shaped member adjacent with each other
such as 3a and 3b are secured together by a connecting
member 39 including two shaped parts 41 and 42 which
are adapted to be urged towards each other by the screws
43, so as to clamp between said parts the cooperating
adjacent edges of said sections 3a and 3b of the com
plete shaped member.
such as one or more conveyor bands.
We claim:
1. A channel adapted to house fluid-conveying means
comprising a gutter-shaped member, a cover for said
member, magnetic couplings between said member and
cover, each including two parts carried by the gutter
shaped member and the cover respectively, that part of
each said coupling carried by the cover comprising a mass
of iron and that part of each said coupling carried by the
gutter-shaped member comprising a strip of plastic ma
complete shaped member is obtained similarly by means 50 terial and a permanent strip-shaped magnet embedded in
of a similar connecting member 39.
said plastic material, said gutter-shaped member provided
The connecting element 39 may be a shaped member
with upper longitudinal edges of enlarged width over which
of metal or of plastic material. The upper section of
the corresponding plastic strips are fitted.
said connecting element `forms an anchoring member
2. A channel as claimed in claim 1, adapted to be
similar to that provided the flanges 7 and 8 in lFIG. 1.
secured to a hard support, including at least one shaped
This larrangement ensures a rigid securing of elements
anchoring member rigid with the outside of the gutter
such as connecting plugs to be connected with leads or
shaped member and screws removably carried by said
-wires housed in the different compartments formed by
anchoring member and adapted to be screwed into said
the shaped member.
hard support.
The connecting element 39 is provided at its upper 60
3. A channel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gutter
end with a terminal T-shaped flange 39a. The sections
shaped member includes a plurality of longitudinal sec
The connection between the sections 3b and 3c of the
3a and 3c are also provided each with an outer wall
tions extending side by side and forming the bottom of
terminating with a T-shaped edge section 35 which serve
the gutter-shaped member and intermediate upstanding
the same purpose as the projecting edge sections 9 and
partitions interconnecting said longitudinal sections, sub
12 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. All these 65 dividing the gutter-shaped member into separate housings
T-shaped upstanding edge sections serve as supports for
and carrying the corresponding coupling parts.
the shaped members 13 made of plastic material and en
4. A channel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gutter
closing the magnetic strips 14 Ifor to holding in posi
shaped member includes a plurality of longitudinal sec
tion the cover which, a sin the case of the first embodi
tions extending side by side and forming the bottom of
ment, by an iron plate 15 over which is laid a floor 70 the gutter-shaped member and intermediate upstanding
covering sheet 16.
In said second embodiment the compound shaped
member 39, 3a, 3b, 3c is carried by screws 27 and
angle members 29 in the manner described with refer
ence to the first embodiment.
partitions interconnecting said longitudinal sections sub
dividing the gutter-shaped member into separate hous
ings and carrying the corresponding coupling parts.
5. A channel as claimed in claim 1, comprising at
75 least one longitudinal partition subdividing the gutter
5
3,420,017
6
shaped member into separate housings and further mag
References Cited
UNITED STATES PATENTS
netic couplings including parts carried respectively by
said partition and by the cover.
6. A channel adapted to house ñuid-conveying means
comprising a gutter-shaped member, a cover for said
member, magnetic couplings between said member and
cover, each including two parts carried by the gutter
shaped member and by the cover respectively, said gutter
shaped member including a plurality of longitudinal sec
tions extending side by side and forming the bottom of
the gutter-shaped member and intermediate upstanding
partitions interconnecting said longitudinal sections sub
dividing the gutter-shaped member into separate housings
carrying the corresponding coupling parts, each inter
mediate partition cornprising two associated vertical longi
tudinal parts, and means clamping said vertical parts
together over the cooperating edges of the longitudinal
sections adjacent thereto.
1,437,324
2,073,490
3,061,663
3,074,208
3,241,198
10/ 1962
Reiland ________ __ 52-221 X
1/1963
Seidel ____________ __ 52-221
3/ 1966
Baermann _____ __ 335--303 X
919,494
2/ 1963
11/ 1922
Tashjian ________ __ 52-221 X
3/1937
Lewin ____________ __ 52-221
FOREIGN PATENTS
15
Great Britain.
ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner.
U.S. C1. X.R.
174--49, 101; 292-2515; 138-116