Patent Abstract:
This invention is directed to a stand-alone adjustable trim strip system that can be used for the attachment of lighting and signs. The trim strip system is designed to conceal hardware used for attaching lighting and signs and also provides for a system that can be adapted to accommodate architectural design. The system has the capability of being suspended from the structure of a building by wires or rods or can be affixed to walls or ceilings by using fasteners. The system is comprised of one or more trim strips and brackets that can be shaped into different polymeric shapes or can be arranged in a grid format. The system has the ability to attach electric lighting and signs while providing for an aesthetically pleasing structure.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention may be described as a stand-alone adjustable trim strip system used for architectural design that can be suspended from the structure of a building by wires or rods or affixed to walls or ceilings which allows for the optional attachment of electric lighting and signs while concealing electrical wiring hardware and provides for an aesthetically pleasing structure. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     The present invention relates to a stand-alone adjustable trim strip system for decorative purposes which can be adapted to conceal electrical hardware and allow for the mounting of lighting systems and signs. The invention can further be suspended from the structure of a room by using wires or rods or fastened to walls or ceilings to create the appearance of suspended trim. 
     When designing the layout of lighting and signs for rooms in buildings with elevated ceilings such as those found in office buildings and retail spaces, it is desirable to provide a system which allows for the optimum placement of lighting systems and signs without the need for custom lighting or expensive suspension ceiling systems. It is further desired, when decorating a building, to provide ornamental trim that can be incorporated into an architectural layout to add bold accents to a room without the need for custom fabrication. In buildings with high ceilings or buildings in which the support structure is exposed, problems have arisen in the past when attempting to place signs, lighting and decorative trim at a level that would be most beneficial to the occupants. Typically when architectural designs call for ornamental trim in order to create a desired look, skilled craftsmen need to be retained so custom trim can be fabricated in accordance with the plans. Custom fabricated trim is very costly to create and requires vast amounts of time and labor to reach the desired end product. 
     Present lighting systems that can be suspended from these high ceilings require the use of special hardware so lighting systems can be lowered from their power supply to provide the required lighting conditions. Custom lighting hardware is expensive and is time consuming to install. Another alternative to provide illumination is to install high intensity lighting near the ceiling that is powerful enough to enlighten the floor below. High intensity lighting is expensive to purchase, consumes a considerable amount of electricity and generates high amounts of heat. An alternative system that can be used to alleviate the need for custom or high intensity lighting is to use suspended ceilings constructed out of a suspension grid and drywall or lay-in acoustical panels. Once the grid work for the suspended ceiling is installed, lighting fixtures such as recessed lighting or track lighting can be installed by attaching the fixtures to the grid work. After the lighting is installed, drywall sections or acoustical panels are attached to complete the ceiling. The electrical hardware that supplies power to the lighting fixtures, such as wiring, conduit and electrical boxes are hidden above the false ceiling out of view from the occupants below. When finishing suspended drywall ceilings, it has been found that a conventional face trim stripping such as COMPASSO™ trim sold by USG Interiors, Inc. can be used to conceal the ends of the ceiling, eliminating the need to trim and finish the edges with drywall, corner bead, “J” bead and finishing compound. To attach the face trim to the edge of the suspended ceiling, clips need to be attached to the grid beams in the suspended ceiling that support the drywall as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,937,605 and 5,201,787. While suspended ceiling systems provide a good structure for the attachment of lighting and signs, it inhibits the open air feeling that an architect or designer may be trying to create. 
     It is desirable to design a system that allows for the positioning of standard electrical lighting and signs at elevations that are useful to the buildings occupants while leaving high ceilings or building structure exposed. It is also desirable to design a system that uses existing COMPASSO™ trim strips that can be adapted to allow multiple design configurations to create an aesthetically pleasing trim structure while having the capability of concealing electrical hardware if electrical lighting is used. Prior art trim systems have been used to attach face trim to ceiling edges by connecting clips to the grid system of a suspended ceiling. The prior art however, does not provide for an adjustable trim strip system that can be suspended to provide a stand-alone trim strip structure that can conceal electrical wiring hardware and allow for the attachment of electrical lighting and signs. The present invention incorporates trim strips such as COMPASSO™ trim and adjustable brackets to provide an aesthetically pleasing stand-alone trim structure that can be hung from wires or rods or attached to walls or ceilings in a building structure in numerous configurations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a self supporting adjustable trim strip system that can be suspended from the structure of a building to create the appearance of a floating decorative trim in which lighting or signs can be attached thereto. The trim strip system allows for the placement of a continuous suspended decorative channel configuration that does not need to be connected to a suspended ceiling grid or other structure, but can be suspended from the structure of the building by using existing fastener technology such as hanger wires and rods. The benefit of the present invention is that it allows for the placement of lighting and signs in desired locations and heights without the need to enclose the structure with a false ceiling to hide electrical wiring hardware or mounting brackets. This allows the room to maintain high ceilings while providing usable lighting. The trim strip system also reduces the costs associated with installing a suspended ceiling. Another benefit of the present invention is that since the electrical power supply can be concealed within the trim strip system, it is unnecessary to use costly custom lighting systems that would otherwise be needed to illuminate the room. 
     The adjustable trim strip system consists of a bracket that can be suspended from a building structure at various points where paired face trim stripping is to be attached or can be directly mounted to walls or ceilings. The bracket allows two outwardly directed face trim pieces, such as COMPASSO™ trim, to be clipped in place along the exterior surface of the suspended brackets creating a continuous channel for concealing electrical hardware. The bracket comprises two trim attaching components which are elongated substantially flat members of a predetermined width that have attachment flanges formed at both ends. The attachment flanges are bent at an angle greater than 90 degrees so that they flare out and provide a biasing force used to hold against flanges of the face trim. The trim attachment brackets are bi-planar and are interconnected by a flat bridge. The entire clip can be formed from a single piece of metal or plastic which is formed into the desired configuration. 
     The bridge that interconnects the trim attachment clips creates an overall U-shape and provides the rigidity needed to keep the face trim strips parallel to each other. The bridge contains holes positioned in a horizontal arrangement that allow for the attachment of hangers or hanging wire. The holes are arranged to allow for the off center placement of the wire which causes the bracket to lean, altering the overall appearance of the trim strip system. Vertical holes on the bridge are used for the mounting of angle brackets which allow the clip to be attached to a suspension rod or allows two trim strip systems to be fastened together. The angle brackets can also be attached to the lower half of the bridge in order to provide a mounting surface so track lighting and signs can be installed. The top and bottom portions of the bridge can include notches to allow for the passing of electrical hardware. A knock-out is provided to allow connection to an electrical box so electrical service can be provided to a lighting fixture or an illuminated sign. Alternatively, the bracket may be configured to include one trim clip, a bridge member and a wall mount formed from a single piece of metal stock to form a Z-shaped bracket. The Z-shaped bracket is designed to allow for the attachment of a continuous length of trim stripping directly to a wall or ceiling by installing fasteners in the apertures located on the wall mount. If it becomes desirable to mix the heights of the trim stripping, an alternative split bracket can be used that provides for two L-brackets attached together by fasteners to form a split bridge. The split bridge can be widened or narrowed by sliding the brackets inward or outward, aligning the apertures on the bridge and installing the fasteners. The bridge can alternately be assembled in a “V” configuration by fastening the split bridge together so the upper half of the combined bridge is wider than the lower half of the bridge which allows for the installed trim panels to display an angled outward appearance. 
     To enclose the bottom of the trim strip system, which conceals any wires or brackets, an inverted U-shaped channel constructed of metal or plastic can be inserted into the lower notch of the bridge with the lower edges of the inverted “U” positioned on the flanges of the trim attachment brackets. The inverted U-shaped channel can be a continuous length of material interrupted only to allow the passage of a downwardly extending sign or illumination fixture, or can be a segmented structure if desired. 
     If it becomes necessary to connect two trim strip systems at an intersection, a hub may be incorporated to allow for the joining of two or more intersecting systems. A hub would be used to join a comer in a square strip system or may provide for a three-way or a four-way intersection if the trim strip is arranged in a grid format. To create a comer, two trim clips are fastened to a pair of hubs in a 90 degree fashion. The trim strip on the outer most surface is extended until both sections meet, concealing the comer. To aid in suspension, the hub contains a 90 degree upwardly facing tab that allows for the attachment of a wire that extends to the structure of the building. Alternatively, if it is necessary to create an intersection with an angle less than 90 degrees, a triangle spacer can be used to create smaller angles. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable trim strip system. 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a segment of FIG. 1 showing a bracket mounted in a typical configuration to a pair of trim strips where one of the trim strips is cut away to show the positioning of the bracket. The bracket is shown with a hanger wire attached to one of the holes in the bride. The bridges contains two notches. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the basic U-shaped bracket shown with two trim clips with retaining flanges. The bridge connecting the two trim clips contains a knock-out for electrical as well as holes for attaching a hanger wire. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred U-shaped bracket with a link across one of the notches that can be cut at the center and folded outward. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the U-shaped bracket with the bridge extending to the top of the bracket. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the U-shaped bracket with the top of the bridge incorporating a tab that can be bent downward for clearance at the top if required. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a Z-bracket with one side adapted to be mounted to a trim strip and the other adapted to be mounted to a wall. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of two L-shaped brackets of different sizes attached at the bridge to allow the mounting of two separate size pieces of trim. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with the U-shaped bracket attached to two trim pieces and supported by a hanger wire. 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown in an angled installation. 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with an inverted U-channel at the bottom to close off the brackets. 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred adjustable trim strip system shown supported by a hanger wire attached to the link across the bridge notch at the top of the bracket. 
     FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system without a notch at the top of the bridge. 
     FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with a tab ed bracket wherein the tab can be folded to allow for the passage of wires. 
     FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with the hanger clip attached with a wire yoke to raise the attachment point to the top of the bracket and allowing conduit to pass between. 
     FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with an angle bracket attached to the U-bracket to allow suspension by a vertical rod. 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with an angle bracket attached to the U-bracket so the system can be attached to a ceiling. 
     FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown with two systems bolted together by use of two angle brackets. 
     FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown with two systems of different heights connected by using threaded rod bolted to two angle brackets. 
     FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two-level ceiling intersection beam with one ceiling attached to the face of the trim stripping. 
     FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two-level ceiling intersection using a bracket with a split bridge to allow for narrow gap adjustment. 
     FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two-level ceiling intersection using a bracket with a split bridge to allow for a wider gap adjustment. 
     FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a room with the adjustable trim strip system arranged in a grid with four way intersections and attached to two walls and a ceiling cap. 
     FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the Z-bracket attached to the face of conventional COMPASSO™ which is capping a ceiling edge. 
     FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the Z-bracket used to attach trim stripping to the face of a wall. 
     FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with an L-bracket and trim stripping attached with angle brackets to a conventional COMPASSO™ ceiling cap. 
     FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the L-bracket and trim stripping attached with angle brackets to a wall. 
     FIG. 28 is a perspective view, as seen from above, of two hubs at a four-way intersection with only three hanger brackets and two pair of trim stripping shown. The upper hub is suspended by a hanger wire. 
     FIG. 29 is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system and a hub at a two-way intersection. 
     FIG. 30 is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system and a hub at a three-way intersection. 
     FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system and a hub at a four-way intersection. 
     FIG. 32 is a perspective view, as seen from below, of an alternate embodiment of a four-way intersection without hubs. Brackets are attached to the face of a continuous trim stripping which passes through the intersection. Flanges of the pass through trim stripping are cut and folded to maintain e look of a continuous open channel. 
     FIG. 33 is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two way non-right angled intersection with the bridges of the brackets joined by a triangular spacer. 
     FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the adjustable trim strip system where one of the trim strips is cut away to show the typical attachment of an electrical box and conduit to the bracket for mounting a sign. 
     FIG. 35 is a perspective view of the adjustable trim strip system where a sign is lettered on the face of the trim stripping with illumination overhead. 
     FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the Z-bracket and trim stripping attached to a ceiling. 
     FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system wit the L-bracket incorporating angle brackets to attach trim stripping to a ceiling. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The adjustable trim strip system  40  of the present invention essentially comprises a pair of outwardly facing trim strips  42 , and a U-shaped bracket  46  with trim clips  48  separated by a bridge  52  as depicted in FIG.  2 . The U-shaped bracket  46  is preferably formed from sheet metal but can be made out of plastic. The trim clips  48 , as shown in FIG. 2, have a planar face surface  54  and trim attachment flanges  56  located at the upper and lower edges of the planar face surface  54 . The trim attachment flanges  56  are bent at an angle greater than 90 degrees with respect to the planar face surface  54  to provide a clip biasing force against the inner surface  43  of the trim strip  42 . The planar face surface  54  of the trim clips  48  provide a load bearing surface for the inner surface  43  of the trim strip  42  when attached to the bracket  46 . The trim clips  48  are interconnected by a bridge  52  which maintains the trim clips  48  in spaced apart parallel planes. The bridge  52  contains a plurality of holes  58 - 60  that are horizontally positioned across the planar surface  62  of the bridge  52 . The holes are sized to allow the attachment of a hanger wire  64  that extends upward to the building structure. Depending on the hole position selected for attachment of the hanger wire  64 , the bottom of the trim strip system will appear either parallel to the floor or angled to the right or left. Angled installation, as shown in FIG. 10, is accomplished by placing the hanger wire  64  in either hole  58  or  60  and is typically used when the trim strip system is arranged in a ring format. If the hanger wire  64  attachment point needs to be raised to the top of the bracket  46  for ease of installation or stability, a wire yoke  94  which is an inverted V-shaped wire that can be inserted into the outer most holes  58  and  60  as shown in FIG.  15 . FIG. 3 shows a detailed illustration of the bridge  52  which further includes at least one notch  70 , a knock-out  72  and a plurality of vertically extending holes  78 . 
     The notches  70  are located at the top and bottom of the bridge  52  and allow for the passage of electrical wiring, conduit and the like. The notch  70  located at the bottom of the bridge  52  allows for the attachment of a bottom trim strip  80  as shown in FIG.  11  and is used to close off the bottom of the channel formed by the trim strip system  40 . The bottom trim strip  80  conceals the brackets  46  and all electrical hardware from view. 
     The knockout  72  is provided to allow for the passage of conduit fittings and wiring when an electrical box is attached to the bridge  52  to provide power to a lighting fixture. The electrical box is connect to the bridge  52  by using fasteners and positioned so the knock-out located on the electrical box is aligned with the knock-out located on the bridge  52 . 
     Alternatively, a tab  74 , shown in FIG. 6, or a breakable link  76 , shown in FIG. 4, can be added to the bridge  52  to allow the hanger wire  64  to be fastened at the top of the bracket  46 . The tab  74  or breakable link  76  can be manipulated to allow for clearance at the top for the passage of the electrical hardware. The breakable link  76 , as shown in FIG. 4, is positioned at the upper edge of the bridge  52  and spans across notch  70 . The breakable link  76  contains apertures  58 - 60  to allow for the attachment of a hanger wire  64  and also includes weakened zones  57  which allow the breakable link  76  to be bent outwardly after the center has been severed. The tab  74 , shown in FIG. 6, includes a plurality of apertures  78  to allow the bracket  46  to be attached to the wire hanger  64 . The tab  74  also contains a weakened zone  57  along its base which allows the tab  74  to be easily bent downward if clearance is need for the passage of electrical hardware such as conduit. 
     The preferred embodiment of the bracket  46 , shown in FIG. 4, is similar to the other brackets in that it is of a unitized construction and is formed of a section of sheet metal to produce a structure that includes apertures  58 - 60 , notches  70 , breakable link  76 , knock-out  72 , vertical apertures  78  as well as the overall bracket configuration. The bridge  52  and the trim clips  48  are formed by bending the trim clips  48  inwardly until they are perpendicular to the bridge  52 . It is this configuration that gives the U-bracket  46  its U-shaped appearance. Once the two trim clips  48  are formed, flanges  56  are created by bending the upper and lower edges of the trim clip  48  until an interior angle is formed in excess of 90 degrees. FIG. 4 is the preferred embodiment since it incorporates the breakable link  76  that allows for the attachment of the hanger wire  64  at the upper most position on the bracket  46 , while allowing the link  76  to be severed and bent outwardly to allow the passage of electrical hardware if so required. 
     Trim strip  42  is a face trim such as COMPASSO™ trim as shown in FIG.  2 . The trim  42  can be manufactured in various lengths and widths and can be produced from materials such as aluminum, steel or plastic. The exterior surface of the trim  42  can be produced in a variety of colors and textures and can be used to display signs as shown in FIG.  35 . The trim  42  is of a channel shaped configuration with flanges  110  that run along the length of the trim. The COMPASSO™, or other face trim, can be shaped to follow the contour of the ceiling edge or other shapes to follow architectural design. The COMPASSO™  42  has upper and lower inturned flanges  110  that run along the length of the trim  42 . Leading edges  112  of the flanges  110 , best viewed in FIG. 2, are bent back inwardly to form rebates  114 . The COMPASSO™ trim  42  is mounted to the trim clip  48  by snapping the leading edges  112  of flanges  110  of the COMPASSO™ trim  42  over the attachment flanges  56  of the trim clips  48  of the bracket  46 . Another section of COMPASSO™ trim  42  is similarly mounted to the second trim clip  48  that is separated by the first trim clip by bridge  52 . Once the COMPASSO™ trim sections  42  are attached to the first and second trim clips  48 , the entire assembly can be elevated to the desired height and the brackets  46  can be attached to the hanger wires  64  by inserting the wire  64  through one of the apertures  58 - 60  in the bridge  52  and twisting the wire  64  upon itself to make a secure connection. Alternatively, the brackets  46  can be pre-hung to the desired height and properly spaced apart before the COMPASSO™ trim  42  is attached. Once the brackets  46  are properly positioned, the leading edges of the COMPASSO™ trim  42  can be snapped over the attachment flanges  56  of the trim clips  48 . 
     Depending on the application, it may be necessary to converge two or more strips at an intersection. The adjustable trim strip system  40 , shown in FIG. 23, is a large grid arrangement that includes several four way intersections  138  and three way intersections  140 . The central portion of the grid system consists of paired COMPASSO™ trim  42  while the trim  42  along the walls and the capped ceiling section only incorporates singular strips of trim. The intersections are formed by attaching U-shaped brackets  46  to hubs  82  as shown in FIG.  28 . The COMPASSO™ trim  42  is attached to the walls and ceiling in FIG. 23 by using either a Z-bracket  100  of FIG. 7 or an L-bracket  116  of FIG. 27, with angle brackets  118 . The entire grid system is supported by attaching hanger wires  64  or rods (not shown) from the brackets  46  and hubs  82  to the structure of the building. To create an intersection, a pair of hubs  82 , as shown in FIG. 28, are used to allow for the attachment of one or more hangers  46 . The hubs  82  include a body  83  with a top surface  84 , a bottom surface  86  and four identical side edges  88 . The side edges  88  are essentially extensions of the body  83  that have been folded upward from the body of the hub at a 90 degree angle. The side edges  88  contain a plurality of holes  85  that are sized to allow for the attachment of the brackets  46  with the use of fasteners. The hub  82  is dimensionally square in shape, as shown in FIG. 28, and is sized to accommodate the width of the bracket  46 . If a four-way intersection is desired, four brackets  46  can be fastened to each side edge  88  of the hub  82 . To complete the intersection, two hubs  82  are used wherein one hub  82  is attached to the top and the other to the bottom of the bracket bridge  52 . The top surface  84  of the hub  82  includes a centrally positioned tab  90 . The tab  90  is created by bending a section of the body  83  upwards 90 degrees from the body  83 . The tab  90  contains an aperture  92  to allow for the attachment of the hanger wire. 
     If it becomes desirable to fasten the trim strip to a wall, a ceiling or a COMPASSO™ ceiling edge cap, a Z-bracket  100  can be used as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. The Z-bracket  100  best shown in FIG. 7 is similar to the U-shaped bracket  46  except that it only has one trim clip  48 . The Z-shaped bracket  100  further includes a wall mount  102  separated from the trim clip  48  by a bridge  52 . The wall mount  102  includes a front surface  104  and a back surface  106  which are planar. The wall mount  102  is attached to the bridge  52  at one edge and perpendicularly oriented so as to form a right angle to the bridge  52 . The wall mount  102  further includes a plurality of holes  108  to allow the clip to be attached to a wall by the use of fasteners. The bridge  52  of the Z-bracket  100  can also include a knockout  72 , horizontal apertures  58 - 60  and vertical apertures  78 . Once the Z-bracket  100  is fastened to the wall, the trim strip  42  can be pressed onto the trim clip  48  and snapped into position as shown in FIG.  25 . Alternatively, the Z-bracket  100  can be used to attach a COMPASSO™ trim section  42  to an existing ceiling edge cap as shown in FIG.  24 . The Z-bracket  100  can be attached to the edge cap by placing the wall mount  102  against the face of the capping material and using fasteners to attach it thereto. 
     FIG. 1 shows a mounted trim strip system  40  with paired COMPASSO™ trim  42  placed in a curvilinear arrangement. The trim strips  42  are connected to U-brackets  46 , not shown, that are suspended from the ceiling of the room with hanger wires  64 . Lighting  47  and a sign  45  can be attached to the system  40  to provide lighting at specific locations. Referring to FIG. 3, a basic U-shaped bracket  46  is shown with a right side and left side trim clip  48  with flanges  56  and bridge  52 . The bridge  52  has an upper and lower notch  70 , hanger holes  58 - 60 , vertical holes  78  and knock-out  72 . FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but further includes the preferred breakable link  76  that allows the hanger wire  64  (not shown) to be connected closer to the top of the trim strip system  40  which allows for extra spacing so electrical boxes can be installed. If the breakable link  76  is not needed or prevents the passage of electrical hardware, the link  76  can be snipped in the middle of the link  76  and folded outward to provide the additional clearance needed as indicated by the shadow drawings. FIG. 5 shows a hanger  46  that only includes a notch  70  on the lower section of the bridge  52  with the hanger holes  58 - 60  running across the top of the bridge  52 . In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the top of the bridge can contain two vertically extending slots  71  to create a bendable tab  74  to allow for a higher attachment point of the hanger wire  64 . If the tab  74  is not needed or impedes the passage of electrical hardware, the tab  74  can be bent downward to provide the needed clearance. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates two L-brackets  116  that allows for the mixing of COMPASSO™ trim  42  of different heights and widths. The L-shaped brackets  116  are attached by fastening the bridges  52  of the brackets  116  together with sheet metal screws through the vertical holes  78 . Different holes may be used to narrow or widen the combined bridge  52  or to create a flared top section. FIGS. 9-10 show the effect that the placement of the hanger wire  64  has on the positioning of the trim strip system  40 . FIG. 9 depicts the hanger wire  64  in the center hole  59  on the bridge  52  which orients the system in a vertical position. In FIG. 10, the hanger wire  64  is in the left position  58  which allows the hanger wire  64  to pass vertically between flanges  110  when the trim strip system  40  is tilted or leaned to one side, leaving the bottom left comer of the system  40  lower than the bottom right. Alternatively, if the hanger wire  64  was tied to the right position  60 , not shown, the hanger would pivot in the opposite direction. FIGS. 12-15 show alternate embodiments that allow the hanger wire  64  to be attached at the upper most point of the trim strip system  40 . Each embodiment performs the same function but provides different advantages depending on the installation. All but FIG. 13 allow for the passage of electrical hardware through an opening in the top of the bridge  52 . FIG. 12 shows the hanger wire  64  attached to an aperture in the breakable link  76 . FIG. 13 illustrates a bracket  46  without a notch on the top of the bridge  57 . 
     FIGS. 16-19 depict alternative mounting arrangements of the trim strip system  40  with the addition of angle brackets  118  attached to the hanger bridge  52 . The angle brackets  118  are L-shaped brackets with a short leg  120  and a long leg  122 . The short leg  120  is perpendicular to the long leg  122  and contains one or more apertures  124  for the passage of a metal hanger rod  126  or a fastener. The long leg  122  contains a vertically extending slot  128  and a plurality of apertures  130  to allow for variable positioning on the hanger bridge  52 . FIG. 16 shows an angle bracket  118  with the long leg  122  attached to the bridge  52  by a fastener  145  inserted into the vertical slot  128 . A vertically extending threaded hanger rod  126  is shown attached to the short leg  120  of the angle bracket. The threaded rod  126  may be used over the hanger wire  64  if stability of the trim strip system is of a concern. In certain situations, a threaded hanger rod  126  may be preferred over the hanger wire  64  because of the increase load bearing capacities and a more rigid attachment to the building structure. FIG. 17 shows the angled bracket  118  attached by the vertical slot  128  to a vertical mounting hole  78  of the bridge  52  by the use of a fastener  145 . The short leg  120  of the angle bracket  118  is attached to the ceiling which allows for the attachment of the COMPASSO™ trim  42  within very close proximity to the ceiling surface to hide the brackets  118 . 
     In some instances, it may be necessary to attach several trim strip systems  40  together to form a single unit as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The trim strip systems  40 , as shown in FIG. 18, are fastened together by the use of two angle brackets  118  fastened together by the short legs  120  of the angle brackets  118 . The long legs  122  of the angle brackets  118  are attached to the bridges  52  of the brackets  46  through the elongated slot  128 . By using the elongated slots  128 , it is possible to slide the trim strip systems  40  close enough together to eliminate the space between the systems to hide the angle brackets  118 . FIG. 19 depicts trim strip systems  40  of different heights fastened together by the use of a threaded rod segment  132  and a pair of angle brackets  118 . The angle brackets  118  are attached to the bridge  52  of the bracket  46  by passing a fastener through the vertical slot  128  of the long leg  122  of the angle bracket  118 . The threaded rod segment  132  is inserted into the apertures  124  of the short legs  120  of the angle bracket  118  and locked into place by using a pair of threaded nuts  134 . The nuts  134  are oriented so one is on each side of the short leg  120  and locked by tightening. Once the two trim systems  40  are fastened together, the entire assembly can then be hung by a hanger wire  64  or a hanger rod, not shown. 
     In situations where two different ceiling heights meet, it is possible to incorporate the present trim strip system  40  as a transition between elevations as well as provide structural support to the ceiling ends as shown in FIGS. 20-22. FIG. 20 depicts a U-bracket  46  with COMPASSO™ trim  42  attached to the trim clips  48 . To transition the differential ceiling height, the top of the left COMPASSO™ trim section  42  is placed underneath the higher ceiling elevation. To allow attachment to the lower ceiling section, a conventional angle molding  118  is fastened to the face of the right COMPASSO™ trim section  42  which provides a ledge for the lower ceiling elevated to be situated. The trim strip system  40  is held in place by use of a hanger wire  64  which maintains a tight fit between the trim system  40  and the ceiling sections. FIGS. 21 and 22 depict a pair of L-brackets  116  with different trim clip  48  heights adjustably attached at their bridge sections  52  to allow for alterations of trim spacing. Depending on the width of the span between ceiling sections, it is possible to vary the width of the trim strip system  40  to provide for a transition between elevations. 
     FIGS. 26 and 27 allow for the adjustable attachment of an L-bracket  116  to a wall or ceiling cap by using angle brackets  118 . A pair of angle brackets  118  are slidably attached to the bridge  52  of the L-bracket  116  by use of fasteners through the vertical slots  128  in the long legs  122  of the brackets  118 . Once the angle brackets  118  are attached to the trim strip brackets  46 , the short legs  120  can be fastened to either the wall or ceiling cap by use of a pair of fasteners such as sheet metal or drywall screws. Vertical adjustment may be necessary to allow for the passage of electrical hardware or signs. 
     FIGS. 28-31 illustrate the various intersections that can be created by attaching one or more brackets  46  to the side edges  88  of a pair of hubs  82 . FIG. 28 is a perspective showing how a U-bracket  46  can be attached to a pair of hubs  82 . The bracket  46  is attached by the top and bottom portions of the bridge  52  using four fasteners. Once the bracket  46  is in place, the COMPASSO™ trim  42  can be snapped into place on the flanges  56  of the trim clips  48 . FIGS. 29-31 are top views of the trim strip system  40  that illustrate two, three and four way intersections. Depending on the intersection formed, it may be necessary to miter the trim stripping  42  at 45 degree angles to allow a proper fit. 
     An intersection may be formed without the use of hubs  82  as shown in FIG.  32 . To create a hubless intersection, a continuous pass through COMPASSO™ trim  42   a  and a pair of COMPASSO™ interrupted trim segments  42   b  and  42   c  are used. The brackets  46  are attached to the face of the pass through COMPASSO™ trim  42   a  by fastening the bridges  52  with screws. To maintain the look of a continuous open channel, the COMPASSO™ trim  42   a  is cut and folded up and inward. The hubless intersection would only require the use of two brackets  46  to form a four-way intersection and would be supported by the bridges  52  of the brackets  46 . 
     Depending on the installation, it may be necessary to form an angled intersection greater or less than 90 degrees. By using a triangle spacer  136 , two-way intersections with angles of intersection less than 90 degrees can be formed as shown in FIG.  33 . To create an intersection, the bridges  52  of two brackets  46  are connect to two sides a triangular spacer  136  with fasteners. To alter the intersection angle, spacers  136  of varying angles will be produced to allow the intersection to conform to design requirements. 
     Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4