Improved trunking and the like

Abstract: A trunking or like component is disclosed comprising an open body having a flat base 11 and upright sides 12, 13 extending between at least two generally rectangular openings defined on three sides thereof by the base 11 and upright sides 12, 13. A lid 17 is adapted to close the open body, and a cover plate 23 overlies the junction between one end of the lid 17 and the end of an aligned adjacent lid 18. Rotary locking means comprising a turn buckle 25 is provided to both secure the cover plate 23 to the lid 17 and the lid 17 to the body.

Description: The present invention is concerned with trunking and like generally elongate systems by means of which materials are enclosed or bulk materials are conveyed. It will be described and illustrated with reference to trunking systems but is equally applicable to such other similar systems. Such trunking systems are assembled from a variety of components interconnected to provide support and/or protection for, among other materials, electric cabling. The components usually comprise linear straight sections, joined at their ends to other similar components by various types of interconnecting sections, including bends or corner sections. The components are usually open along one continuous surface, to assist the insertion of the cable or other material when the system is first installed and also to afford subsequent access to the interior of the trunking for maintenance purposes. These linear openings are usually closed by corresponding lids. The joints between adjacent sections may be made in various ways but entail placing the opening at an end of one such section against the opening of the adjacent section and connecting the sections by means of projections, lugs or separate connectors and screws, bolts or clips. The resulting joints are adequate for many purposes but are less satisfactory for use in installations where a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness is demanded, for example in the food, pharmaceutical and beverage industries. The joints are potential collectors of dirt or infestation and are not easily cleaned. In our prior application, GB2318917 published 06.05.1998, which does not constitute prior art, we have described a trunking or like system wherein the lid of a trunking component of the foregoing types is formed with an extension which overlies the joint at an end of the component and thereby reduces or eliminates the foregoing problem. However some existing trunking systems are designed to have the joints between the lids of such components protected by discrete cover plates. It may be difficult to secure such cover plates in position after the lids have been fitted, in particular in such systems where the lids themselves are retained in position by turnbuckles or similar devices. Another example of a device of this type is described in European Patent Publication 0630090. This document describes the use of a coverplate to cover the join between two lids used on lengths of trunking. It is an object of the present invention to provide improved trunking by means of which the above-mentioned difficulty is overcome and the problems associated with such latter systems are reduced or eliminated. According to the present invention there is provided a trunking component (10) comprising an open body having a flat base (11) and upright sides (12,13) extending between at least two generally rectangular openings defined on three sides thereof by said base (11) and upright sides (12,13), a lid (17) adapted to close an opening at the top of said body, a cover plate adapted to overlie the junction between one end of said lid (17) and the end of an aligned adjacent lid (18) of a further trunking component (16), characterised in that the component further comprises a rotary locking means (24 & 25) to both secure said cover plate (23) to said lid (17) and secure said lid (17) to said body, said rotary locking means (24 & 25) being adapted to rotate between a first position and a second position wherein in said second position said locking means (24 & 25) secures said cover plate and said lid to said body and engages a feature (14,15) of the body of the component (10) and in said first position said locking means (24 & 25) secures said cover plate to said lid and is not engaged with said feature (14,15). By means of the rotary locking means, it is therefore possible to secure the lid and the cover plate in position simultaneously and thus to avoid the difficulty arising from carrying out those operations in independent sequence. The rotary locking means preferably is designed to rotate between a first position in which the means, for example a cam or turnbuckle, is in general alignment with the opening at the top of the body and a second position in which it engages a feature of the body of the component. Most preferably the component has a pair of flanges, extending towards each other from the tops of the two upright sides of the body, preferably along the full length of the opening. The cover plate may then be secured to the lid by the rotary locking means acting essentially as a bolt or the like until the lid is installed and then rotation of the locking means may lock the lid and cover plate in position over the component and the joint. An aperture is provided in the lid, adjacent to one end of the lid, to enable the cover plate to be secured in place. In general, it is preferred to provide such an aperture at each end of the lid, so that the cover plate may be fitted at either end. In one form of the invention, the or each said aperture is elongate in the direction of the length of the lid, so that the cover plate and rotary locking means may be retracted from the position in which they will subsequently be locked; in this way, any risk of the locking means impeding the assembly during its installation by extending beyond the end of the lid is avoided. The cover plate and locking means may then be slid forward into their intended position of use before they are locked in place. The trunking component may be a simple straighc length of open trunking with generally parallel openings at its opposite ends, or it may be a corner section, by which the trunking may change direction within a generally horizontal plane, or an inside or outside bend section enabling the trunking to change direction from a horizontal direction to vertical or vice versa. In all of these forms, the two upright sides of the component lie in parallel planes. In the case of straight sections and corner sections the lid overall will be generally flat between the extensions but the lids for the inside or outside bend sections are angled in order to accommodate the change of direction of the trunking. Each lid is preferably a close fit upon the body of the component and preferably has a pheripheral, downwardly-extending flange along those sides which overlie the upright sides of the body. The lid, cover plate and base are preferably formed of metal, in particular of steel and most preferably of stainless steel. Connection of the trunking component to the adjacent trunking components is best assisted by providing some form of coupling. Such a coupling, which may for example be of slightly smaller dimensions than the trunking and be therefore able to fit within the joints, may be welded or otherwise retained in place within the body of the trunking component of the present invention and attachable by bolts or similar means to the adjacent components. The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates, by way of example only, one preferred embodiment of the trunking component according to the present invention, shown in exploded perspective view. The illustrated component 10 is an open corner piece having a flat base 11 and upright sides 12, 13 etc. with inwardly-directed flanges 14, 15. The ends of the component are generally rectangular openings which can be abutted with the openings of aligned adjacent components such as the illustrated linear component 16 to form close joints. The components 10 and 16 are provided with close-fitting lids 17 and 18 respectively, each with downturned peripheral flanges. When a joint between the illustrated components is to be made, the open ends of the components are brought together and secured by a coupling such as any conventional connector, using the holes 19, 20 for that purpose. The lid 18 may be secured in place, either before or after the components are secured together, by means of a turnbuckle 21 in the middle of the length of the lid, operated by turning a bolt 22. A cover plate 23 is secured to the lid 17 by means of a bolt 24 of a turnbuckle 25, which bolt extends through an elongate aperture 26 in the lid, before the lid is fitted. The turnbuckle is at this stage turned into alignment with the trunking component 10 as illustrated and is retracted, with the cover plate 23, along the aperture 26 away from the end of the lid. The lid may now be fitted to the trunking component and the cover plate 23 slid forwardly along the aperture 26 into a position in which it overlies the joint between the components. In that position it may be secured in place by rotation of the turnbuckle 25 by means of the bolt 24.

Claims: A trunking component (10) comprising an open body having a flat base (11) and upright sides (12,13) extending between at least two generally rectangular openings defined on three sides thereof by said base (11) and upright sides (12,13), a lid (17) adapted to close an opening at the top of said body, a cover plate adapted to overlie the junction between one end of said lid (17) and the end of an aligned adjacent lid (18) of a further trunking component (16), characterised in that the component further comprises a rotary locking means (24 & 25) to both secure said cover plate (23) to said lid (17) and secure said lid (17) to said body, said rotary locking means (24 & 25) being adapted to rotate between a first position and a second position wherein in said second position said locking means (24 & 25) secures said cover plate and said lid to said body and engages a feature (14,15) of the body of the component (10) and in said first position said locking means (24 & 25) secures said cover plate to said lid and is not engaged with said feature (14,15). A component according to Claim 1, wherein the component has a pair of flanges (14,15) extending towards each other from the tops of the two upright sides (12,13) of the body, preferably along the full length of the opening. A component according to either claim 1 or 2, further comprising an aperture (26) provided in the lid (17), adjacent to one end of the lid (17), to enable the cover plate to be secured in place. A component according to Claim 3, comprising such an aperture (26) at each end of the lid (17), so that the cover plate (23) may be fitted at either end. A component according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein the or each said aperture (26) is elongate in the direction of the length of the lid (17), so that the cover plate (23) and rotary locking means (24 & 25) may be retracted from the position in which they will subsequently be locked. A component according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component (10) is a simple straight length of open trunking with generally parallel openings at its opposite ends, or is a corner section, by which the trunking may change direction within a generally horizontal plane, or an inside or outside bend section enabling the trunking to change direction from a horizontal direction to vertical or vice versa. A component according to Claim 6 wherein the two upright sides (12,13) of the component lie in parallel planes. A component according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (17)is a close fit upon the body of the component (10) and preferably has a peripheral, downwardly-extending flange along those sides which overlie the upright sides (12, 13) of the body. A component according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (17), cover plate (23) and base are formed of metal, preferably of steel and most preferably of stainless steel. A component according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising coupling means for assisting connection of the component (10) to the adjacent trunking components (16).

Inventors: THOMPSON MALCOLM, THOMPSON, MALCOLM
Applicants: ELECTRIX INTERNAT LTD, ELECTRIX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H02G3
IPC codes: H02G3