Trench duct

Claim 2

An underfloor duct comprising a channel member having a bottom wall portion and upstanding sidewall portions, a side rail member mounted on each side of said channel member adjacent said sidewall portions for adjustable movement above said bottom wall portion and a cover plate supported by and secured to said side rail members a spaced distance above said bottom wall portion to define with said side rail members and said channel member a closed duct, each of said side rail members having a screed lip portion extending upwardly outwardly of the cover plate to define a screed surface at the upper end thereof, each of said side rail members having a support portion with an upper surface below said screed surface extending into said duct beneath said cover plate to support said cover plate with its top surface substantially coplanar with said screed surface, fastener means to secure said cover plate to said side rail members, each of said side rail members having a first horiZontal slot in said screed lip below said upper surface, each side rail member having a second vertical slot between said support portion and said screed lip extending below said upper surface of said support portion, and a reversible trim strip member having first and second legs adjoined together along their edges and extending at right angles to each other, one of said legs being longer than the other leg, said trim strip including a tongue portion extending normal to one of said legs adjacent the other leg whereby said trim strip may be installed in said side rail member in two positions, whereby said tongue is in said first horizontal slot when one of said legs projects upwardly between said screed lip portion and said cover plate with the other leg extending between said cover plate and said support portion, and when said trim strip is in the other position, said tongue portion extends into said second vertical slot with said other leg extending upward between said screed lip portion and said cover plate and said one leg extending between said cover plate and said support portions.

Claim 3

An underfloor duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said slots is provided with an inwardly projecting ridge on the sidewall thereof and said tongue portion of said trim strip comprises first and second resilient tongues spaced apart from each other, with at least one of said tongues having a laterally projecting lip operable to engage said ridge with a snap action to retain said trim strip in position with said tongue portion within said slot.

Claim 4

An underfloor duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tongue portion is in said first horizontal slot when the longer of said legs extends vertically upward between said screed lip and said cover plate.

Claim 5

An underfloor duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tongue portion is in said second vertical slot when the longer of said legs extends vertically upward between said screed lip and said cover plate.

Claim 6

An underfloor duct comprising a channel member having a bottom wall portion and upstanding sidewall portions, a side rail member mounted on each side of said channel member adjacent said sidewall portions for adjustable movement above said bottom wall portion and a cover plate supported by and secured to said side rail member a spaced distance above said bottom wall portion to define with said side rail members and said channel member a closed duct, said side rail members having a uniform cross section throughout their length, each of said side rail members having a screed lip portion extending upwardly outwardly of the cover plate to define a screed surface at the upper end thereof, each of said side rail members having a support portion with an upper surface below said screed surface extending into said duct beneath said cover plate to support said cover plate with its top surface substantially coplanar with said screed surface, said support portion being provided with a groove opening onto the surface of the support portion, said groove terminating at its lower end in a trough portion of greater width than said groove and defining substantially horizontal shoulders adjacent the junction with said groove, fastener means engageable with said cover plate and extending into said groove to secure said cover plate to said side rail members, each of said side rail members having a first horizontal slot in said screed lip below said upper surface with a portion of said first slot being at least above the upper surface of said support portion, each side rail member having a second vertical slot between said support portion and said screed lip extending below said upper surface of said support portion, and a reversible trim strip member having first and second legs adjoined together along their edges and extending at right angles to each other, one of said legs being longer than the other leg, said trim strip including a tongue portion extending normal to one of said legs adjacent the other leg whereby said trim strip may be installed in said side rail member in two positions, whereby said tongue is in said first horizontal slot when one of said legs projects upwardly between said screed lip portion and said cover plate with the other leg extending between said cover plate and said support portion, and when said trim strip is in the other position, said tongue portion extends into said second vertical slot with said other leg extending upward between said screed lip portion and said cover plate and said one leg extending between said cover plate and said support portion.

Claim 7

An underfloor duct comprising a channel member having a bottom wall portion and upstanding sidewall portions, a side rail member mounted on each side of said channel member adjacent said sidewall portions for adjustable movement above said bottom wall portion and a cover plate supported by and secured to said side rail member a spaced distance above said bottom wall portion to define with said side rail members and said channel member a closed duct, said side rail members having a uniform cross section throughout their length, each of said side rail members having a screed lip portion extending upwardly outwardly of the cover plate to define a screed surface at the upper end thereof, each of said side rail members having a support portion with an upper surface below said screed surface extending into said duct beneath said cover plate to support said cover plate with its top surface substantially coplanar with said screed surface, said support portion being provided with a groove opening onto the surface of the support portion, said groove terminating at its lower end in a trough portion of greater width than said groove and defining substantially horizontal shoulders adjacent the junction with said groove, fastener means engageable with said cover plate and extending into said groove to secure said cover plate to said side rail members, each of said side rail members having a first horizontal slot in said screed lip below said upper surface with a portion of said first slot being at least above the upper surface of said support portion, each side rail member having a second vertical slot between said support portion and said screed lip extending below said upper surface of said support portion, and a reversible trim strip member having first and second legs adjoined together along their edges and extending at right angles to each other, one of said legs being longer than the other leg, said trim strip including a tongue portion extending normal to one of said legs adjacent the other leg whereby said trim strip may be installed in said side rail member in two positions, whereby said tongue is in said first horizontal slot when one of said legs projects upwardly between said screed lip portion and said cover plate with the other leg extending between said cover plate and said support portion, and when said trim strip is in the other position, said tongue portion extends into said second vertical slot with said other leg extending upward between said screed lip portion and said cover plate and said one leg extending between said cover plate and said support portion.