CA1304212C - Electrical raceway floor track - Google Patents

Electrical raceway floor track

Info

Publication number
CA1304212C
CA1304212C CA000567469A CA567469A CA1304212C CA 1304212 C CA1304212 C CA 1304212C CA 000567469 A CA000567469 A CA 000567469A CA 567469 A CA567469 A CA 567469A CA 1304212 C CA1304212 C CA 1304212C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
upper channel
channel
track
disposed
floor track
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA000567469A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Robert J. Menchetti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
National Gypsum Properties LLC
Original Assignee
National Gypsum Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by National Gypsum Co filed Critical National Gypsum Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1304212C publication Critical patent/CA1304212C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04BUILDING
    • E04FFINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F17/00Vertical ducts; Channels, e.g. for drainage
    • E04F17/08Vertical ducts; Channels, e.g. for drainage for receiving utility lines, e.g. cables, pipes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H02GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02GINSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
    • H02G3/00Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
    • H02G3/28Installations of cables, lines, or separate protective tubing therefor in conduits or ducts pre-established in walls, ceilings or floors
    • H02G3/286Installations of cables, lines, or separate protective tubing therefor in conduits or ducts pre-established in walls, ceilings or floors in walls

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Floor Finish (AREA)
  • Details Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)
  • Installation Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrical raceway floor track and a partition embodying such floor track wherein the floor track is an elongate aluminum extrusion with a relatively wide upwardly opening lower channel connected to a relatively narrower upwardly opening upper channel by a solid rigid vertical wall. Wallboards and studs are supported by the upper channel, utilities are disposed between the channels and base trim strips are attached to the lower channel to hide the track and utilities. Electrical boxes and cable shelves are easily mounted between the channels with clips engaging ridges in the channels. Shallow grooves guide during screw insertion and provide lines of weakness for removal of short narrow sections where needed.

Description

~33~ Z

ELECTRICAL RACEWAY FLOOR TRACK

~ACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an lmproved floor track for a demountable partition having a plurality of novel elements which provide versatility in respect to placement of utilities, such as electric wires and conduit, telephone wires, and electric and telephone outlet boxes.
U.S. Patents 3,255,563 and 9,593,505 disclose two examples of relatively complex electrical raceway floor tracks, in which elongate members are affixed to a floor, ~hich members include an elongate hollow space for containing horizontal electric and phone conduits, and a top surface for supporting the wali elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved and simplified electrical raceway floor track, formed essentially as an elongate, extruded aluminum wide lower channel, narrow upper channel and a connecting, relatively strong vertical wall, connecting the center of the top surface of the lower channel with the center of the bottom surface of the upper channel. Each of the lower channel and upper channel has upwardly extending flanges along each lateral edqe of a horiæontal web portion.
Short, elongate ridges are formed on the top surface of the lower channel web portion and the hottom surface of the upper channel web portion on each side of : the vertical wall, spaced closely therefrom, for receiv-ing and retaining resi ient clip5 which support various ~3~ gL2 utility elements. Shallow, narrow, elongate grouves are formed in the top surface of the upper channel web portion above and preferably slightly outwardly fro~ each of the upper channel ridges. Shallow, narrow, elongate grooves are also formed in the top surface of the lower channel web portion, spaced inwardly about 1/2 to 1 inch from each flange.
A partition is constructed by supporting wall elements on the upper channel, placing utilities in between the two channels and closing the space between the lower channel and the partition wall elements with an elongate base trim affixed to each lower channel flange.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved electrical raceway floor track.
It is a further object to provide such a floor track of a single aluminum extrusion which provides a support for partition elements, retaining means for utility elements and retaining means for a utilities concealing base strip.
It is a still further object to provide such a floor track which also includes means for removal of properly sized areas to permit extending utility elements upward into the cavity of a supported hollow wall.

BRIEF p~SÇ~ IQN OY THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent when considered in relation to the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth in the specification and shown in the drawinys in which:
Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a section of electrical raceway floor track embodying the present ~ 3~42~2 invention, including a portion being removed for extend-ing conduit upward.
Fig. 2 is A vertical sectional view oE a partition wall constructed using the electrical raceway floor track of Fi~. l, with electrical conduit, electric outlet box, electric outlet box clip, a wall stud, wallboards and base trim all shown.
Fiq. 3 is an isometric view of a section of the base trim, electrical outlet and the wallboard of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the section of floor track of Fig. 2 showing the electric outlet box and the electric outlet box clip affixed to the floor track.
Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the floor track of Fig. 2 showing the removal of the electric outlet box clip on one side and showing a cable support clip for separating a plurality of cables affixed to the floor track on the opposite side.
Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the electric raceway floor track of Fig. 4 with a modified electric outlet box clip.

DESCRIPTION OF_TH_ PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown an electri-cal raceway floor track 10 which is an elongate aluminum extru~ion which includes a relatively wide lower channel 12, a relatively narrower upper channel 14, and an interconnecting, relatively strong, sound-stopping solid vertical wall 16, connecting the center of the top surface 18 of the lower channel 12 with the center of the bottom surface 20 of upper channel 14.

The lower channel 12 includes upwardly extend-ing flanges 22, 24 along the two respective lateral edges of a horizontal web portlon 26. The upper channel 14 includes upwardly extending flanges 28, 30 along the two respective lateral edges of a horizontal web portion 32.
Short, elongate ridges 39, 35 are formed on the top surface 18 of lower channel web portion 26, on each side of the vertical wall 16, spaced closely therefrom.
Short, elongate ridges 38, 40 are formed on the bottom surface 20 of upper channel web portion 32, on each side of the vertical wall 16, spaced closely therefrom.
Shallow, narrow, elongate grooves 92, 4g are formed in the top surface 18 of lower channel web portion 26, located inwardly about 5/8 inch from the respective flanges 22, 2~. Shallow, narrow, elongate grooves 46, 48 are formed in the top surface 50 of upper channel web portion 32, located respectively slightly outwardly of above ridges 38, 40.
The shallow grooves 46, 48 are provided priMarily to permit the easy and rapid removal of short narrow sections, of upper channel 14, such as short section 51, to form passageways for conduit or cable to be placed through to extend from the electrical raceway below upper channel 14 to a hollow wall cavity above upper channel 1~. The short section 51 i5 removed by cutting two cuts through the 1ange 28 and through the outer edge o web 32 back to groove 46, and bending the section 51 along the weak fold line formed by groove 46 until it breaks.
Referring now to Fig. 2, the floor track 10 is shown attached to a floor 52 by screw 54, 56 which have ~3~

been inserted through lower channel 12, at g~ooves 42, 44 respectively, into floor 52. Groove~ 42, 44 provide a means for properly locating the screws 54, 55 during insertion and for steadying the screws 54, 56 during insertion.
Grooves 42, 44 also provide a line of weakness for removing short sections of flanges 22, 24 at door frames, wall terminations and corners, if necessary, by cutting back to the groove 42 or 44 and bending at the groove 42 or ~4 to break off a short section.
Supported on the top surface 50 of upper channel web portion 32 is a standard sheet metal vertical stud 58 of any suitable cross-sectional configuration, such as a standard C-shaped SCLew stud or an I-stud.
Affixed to stud 58, on each face thereof, is gypsum wallboard 60, 62, preferably affixed by suspension clip assemblies 64 which are piercingly engaged in the back face 66 of wallboard 60 and which are hung on an upwardly opening channel 68 extending through knock-outs 70 in a plurality of parallel vertical studs 58, located at two-foot spacings along partition or wall 72. This preferred method of affixing wallboards to studs is more thoroughly described in U.S. Patent 4,128,979, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Wallboard 60, 62 can also be affixed to studs S8 by screws or an adhesive, in accordance with the present invention.
In a typical wall constructed in accordance with the invention, -the stud 58 would have a face-to-face dimension of about 2-l/2 inches and would extend from flanqe 28 to flange 30. The bottom edges 74, 76 of 3L3~ 2 wallboard 60, 62 would be disposed against the outer surfaces 78, 80 o~ flanges 28, 30.
Elongate rigid plastic base trim 82, 84 is formed of a wide elongate face portion 86, a short elongate perpendicular flange 88 extending inwardly from the top of face portion 86 and abutting wallboards 60, 62, and a spring-like clip portion 90 near the bottom which with the bottom edge 92 of face portion 86 forms a downwardly opening channel 94 shaped to receive and grasp upwardly extending flanges 22, 24. With the bottom of face portion 86 abutting floor 52 and the short flange 88 at the top of base trim 82, 84 abutting the wallboard, an attractive cover is provided to conceal the floor track 10 .
Above lower channel 12, below upper channel 14 and between wall 16 and each base trim 82, 84, a sizeable elongate hollow path 96, 98 is created, suitable fox locating cables 100, which may be electrical conduit or wire or telephone wire, as may be desired. Located within hollow path 96 is also an electrical outlet box 102, of standard commercial construction, held in place by an outlet box clip 104, and having two electrical outlets protruding through a special outlet section 106 of base trim, as better shown in Fig. 3.
Referring to Fig. 4, the outlet box clip 104 is more clearly shown. Clip 104 is about eight inches long, and includes an eight inch long, one inch high vertical bottom leg 108, a horizontal forwardly extending second leg 110, about l inch by eight inches, a pair of diagonal legs lll, 113, a vertical upwardly extending bifurcated front face 112, a pair of horizontal rearwardly extending ~3~4~:~2 third legs 114, 116 and at the rearward end thereof~
upwardly extending short flanges 118, 120.
~ he clip 104 is locked in place by the bottom leg 108 being disposed behind the lower ridge 34 and the flanges 118, 120 being disposed behind the upper ridge 38. A slight radius 121 in the metal at the junctions of the wall 16 with the upper and lower channels holds the clip 104 against the ridges 34, 38.
The bifurcated portions of face 112 form an opening approximately the shape of electrical outlet box 102 and they include inwardly extending fin~ers 122 located for the screw attachment of box 102 to clip 109.
Fig. 5 shows, in phantom, the method by which clip 104, third legs 114, 116 are bent downward slightly to insert and to remove clip 104 relative to its locked position with flanges 118 and 120 behind upper ridge 38.
Fig. 5 also shows an optional rigid polyvinyl chloride cable support 124 which is an elongate extrusion including an elongate back face 126 and a pair of hori-zontal elongate shelves 128, 130, on which different sets of cables 100 are supported. The back face 126 is flexible enough to be snapped behind the ridges 36, 40 and rigid enough to resist removal when cables 100 are placed on shelves 128, 130.
Fig. 6 shows an optional form of clip 132 which can be used to mount electrical outlet boxes. Clip 132 has a flat vertical back 134 disposed behind ridges 39, 38 with a forwardly extending leg 136 and a sidewardly extending bifurcated lip 138. Used in con-junction with a second similar but opposite clip ~not shown) placed to support the opposite end of an - ~ 3~2~2 electrical outlet box, this combination provides a simplified alternati~e for clip 104.
The preferred embodiment of the present lnven-tion conslsts of a track 10 which is an aluminum extrusion in which the lower channel 12 is about four inches wide, the upper channel is aoout two-and-a-half inches wide, the flanges 22, 24 are about 2/3 inch tall, flanges 28, 30 are about 5/8 inch tall and the overall track 10 is about four inches tall. Ridges 34~ 36, 38) 40 have a height preferably about 0.1 inch. The thickness of most portions of track 10 vary from about .09 to .08 inch while vertical wall 16 is of about .125 inch thickness.
The gypsum wallboard 60, 62 is of about 3/8 to 5t8 inch thickness and the base trim is preferably about four inches in width.
The present invention can also be used with glazing replacing the hollow wallboard partition, partic-ularly in short sections of an overall wall, such as a two foot wide window section each side of a doorway.
Havinq completed a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of my invention so that those skilled in the art may practice the same, I contemplate that variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention.

Claims (3)

1. A partition comprising a floor track and partition elements including wallboard, said floor track comprising a single elongate electrical raceway floor track having an upwardly opening lower channel, an upwardly opening upper channel disposed in spaced paral-lel relationship over said lower channel, and a vertical wall connecting said lower channel and said upper channel, whereby a partition can be supported on said upper channel, utilities can be disposed between said channels and a base trim can be affixed to said track to conceal said track, wherein said upper channel supports said partition elements including said wallboard, wherein elongate utility elements are disposed in a hollow path formed between said upper and lower channels and between said vertical wall and a base trim affixed to said track, wherein a short section of upper channel has been removed forming a space thereat extending in width from an outer edge of said upper channel to a narrow shallow elongate groove in said upper channel, and wherein utility elements extend upward through said space created by said removal of said section of upper channel.
2. In combination, a floor track for partition walls comprising a single elongate electrical raceway floor track having an upwardly opening lower channel, an upwardly opening upper channel disposed in spaced paral-lel relationship over said lower channel, and a vertical wall connecting said lower channel and said upper channel, whereby a partition can be supported on said upper channel, utilities can be disposed between said channels and a base trim can be affixed to said track to conceal said track, wherein said upper channel has a bottom surface and said lower channel has a top surface, and wherein ridges are formed in said bottom surface of said upper channel and in said top surface of said lower channel, said ridges extending in close parallel rela-tionship to said vertical wall, said channels each having two portions, one of each of said two portions being disposed in one first direction from said vertical wall and a second of each of said two portions being disposed in an opposite direction from said vertical wall, said ridges being disposed in all of said portions, and an electrical outlet box retainer clip affixed within said floor track, said clip having a bottom leg disposed behind said ridge in said top surface of said lower channel and at least one upwardly extending flange disposed behind said ridge in said bottom surface of said upper channel, and means for retaining an outlet box between said top surface and said bottom surface, said means including a bifurcated face which forms an opening in which a face of an outlet box can be disposed and further including inwardly directed fingers for screw attachment of a box to said clip.
3. In the combination of claim 2 wherein said bifurcated face is connected to a pair of diagonal legs connecting said face to said bottom leg, to permit removal of said upwardly extending flange from behind said ridge in said bottom surface of said upper channel.
CA000567469A 1987-10-02 1988-05-20 Electrical raceway floor track Expired - Lifetime CA1304212C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/103,628 US4800695A (en) 1987-10-02 1987-10-02 Electrical raceway floor track
US07/103,628 1987-10-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1304212C true CA1304212C (en) 1992-06-30

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ID=22296176

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000567469A Expired - Lifetime CA1304212C (en) 1987-10-02 1988-05-20 Electrical raceway floor track

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US (1) US4800695A (en)
CA (1) CA1304212C (en)

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US4932181A (en) * 1988-11-23 1990-06-12 The Shaw-Walker Company Base assembly for an open office partition panel
US4918886A (en) * 1989-05-31 1990-04-24 Harpers Raceway system for modular wall panels
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US5065556A (en) * 1990-05-15 1991-11-19 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Space dividing partition system having an electrical raceway
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US5451714A (en) * 1993-03-11 1995-09-19 Spectranet International Telephone and data signal distribution system and raceway and panel associated therewith
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US6215069B1 (en) 1999-04-06 2001-04-10 Hubbell Incorporated Cable management panel assembly
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US6384336B1 (en) 1999-04-22 2002-05-07 Panduit Corp. Device bracket
US6521835B1 (en) 1999-06-14 2003-02-18 K. & M. Realty Trust Cable raceway for bridges and like structures with channel members having multiple degrees of freedom
US6504098B2 (en) 2001-04-17 2003-01-07 James D. Seamans Architectural moldings for protecting, concealing and accessing indoor wiring and cables
US6727427B1 (en) 2003-03-12 2004-04-27 Bruce Gutman Electrical wiring channel
US7183502B1 (en) 2003-07-18 2007-02-27 David H. Johnston Extendable channel unit containing a conductor
US7034221B2 (en) * 2003-07-18 2006-04-25 David H. Johnston Extendable channel unit containing a conductor
US8217266B2 (en) 2008-02-12 2012-07-10 Panduit Corp. Rail wiring duct
US8910435B2 (en) 2008-05-27 2014-12-16 Steelcase Inc. Partition assembly
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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Effective date: 20121205