Reversible trim strip with attached gasket for an underfloor electrical cable trench

Claim 2

In an underfloor electrical trench assembly having spacedapart linear screed strips presenting horizontally disposed, upwardly presented supporting ledges; a cover plate spanning the distance between said linear screed strips and having lateral edge portions of its bottom surface confronting said supporting ledges; screed lips, one presented above the level of each linear screed strip and laterally spaced-apart from the adjacent side edge of said cover plate thereby to provide a space therebetween; the improvement comprising: reversible trim strips, one for each linear screed strip and being reversible relative to the linear screed strip between first and second strip positions, each of said reversible trim strips comprising: a tile-stop extension; a tongue joined to said tile-stop extension, the height of said tongue being less than that of said tile-stop extension, and a gasket strip joined to and extending angularly from said tilestop extension and said tongue; said tongue being disposed in said space with an upper edge thereof substantially coplanar with the upper surface of said cover plate when said trim strip is in the first strip position; said tile-stop extension being disposed in said space with an upper extremity thereof elevated above the upper surface of said cover plate when said trim strip is in the second strip position; and said gasket strip being disposed between said supporting ledge and the lateral edge portion of the bottom surface of said cover plate when said trim strip is in said first strip position and in said second strip position.

Claim 3

The reversible trim strip of claim 1 wherein said reversible trim strip comprises a single piece of dual-durometer plastic material. said tile-stop extension and said tongue being formed of rigid plastic material, and said gasket strip being formed from flexible plastic material.

Claim 4

The reversible trim strip of claim 2 wherein said dual-durometer plastic material comprises polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 5

The reversible trim strip of claim 1 wherein said gasket strip has opposite faces, and plural flexible fingers extending from each of said opposite faces.

Claim 6

The reversible trim strip of claim 4 wherein said plural flexible fingers extend from said opposite faces in a direction away from said tile-stop extension and said tongue.

Claim 7

In an underfloor electrical trench assembly having spaced-apart linear screed strips presenting horizontally disposed, upwardly presented supporting ledges; a cover plate spanning the distance between said linear screed strips and having lateral edge portions of its bottom surface confronting said supporting ledges; screed lips, one integrally formed with each of said linear screed strips and disposed laterally of and above the said supporting ledge and having an upper surface which is substantially coplanar with the upper surface of said cover plate, each screed lip being spaced-apart from the adjacent side edge of said cover plate; and each of said linear screed strips having a lengthwise slot located beneath the upper surface of said screed strip and extending laterally away from said cover plate; the improvement comprising: a reversible trim strip for each linear screed strip, comprising: a tile-stop extension, a tongue joined to and extending from said tile-stop extension, the height of said tongue being less than that of said tile-stop extension, and a gasket strip joined to said tile-stop extension and extending angularly from said tile-stop extension and said tongue; each said trim strip being reversible relative to the linear screed strip, between a first position wherein said tile-stop extension is received within said slot, said tongue is disposed between said screed lip and said cover plate with the upper edge of said tongue being substantially coplanar with the upper surface of said cover plate, and said gasket strip is disposed between said supporting ledge and the lateral edge portion of the bottom surface of said cover plate; and a second position wherein said tile-stop extension is disposed between said screed lip and said cover plate and has an upper extremity elevated above said screed lip and the upper surface of said cover plate, said tongue is disposed within said lengthwise slot, and said gasket strip is disposed between said supporting ledge and the lateral edge portion of the bottom surface of said cover plate.

Claim 8

In an underfloor electrical trench assembly having spaced-apart linear screed strips presenting horizontally disposed, upwardly presented supporting ledges; a cover plate spanning the distance between said linear screed strips and having lateral edge portions of its bottom surface confronting said supporting ledges; screed lips, one integrally formed with each of said linear screed strips and disposed laterally of and above the said supporting ledge and having an upper surface which is substantially coplanar with the upper surface of said cover plate, each screed lip being spaced-apart from the adjacent side edge of said cover plate; and each of said linear screed strips having a lengthwise slot located beneath the upper surface of said screed strip and extending laterally away from said cover plate; the improvement comprising: a reversible trim strip for each linear screed strip, comprising: a tile-stop extension, a tongue joined to and extending from said tile-stop extension, the height of said tongue being less than that of said tile-stop extension, and a gasket strip joined to said tile-stop extension and extending angularly from said tile-stop extension and said tongue; each said trim strip being reversible relative to the linear screed strip, between a first position wherein said tile-stop extension is received within said slot, said tongue is disposed between said screed lip and said cover plate with the upper edge of said tongue being substantially coplanar with the upper surface of said cover plate, and said gasket strip is disposed between said supporting ledge and the lateral edge portion of the bottom surface of said cover plate; and a second position wherein said tile-stop extension is disposed between said screed lip and said cover plate and has an upper extremity elevated above said screed lip and the upper surface of said cover plate, said tongue is disposed within said lengthwise slot, and said gasket strip is disposed between said supporting ledge and the lateral edge portion of the bottom surface of said cover plate.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 6 wherein said supporting ledges are spaced entirely below the bottom surface of said slot; said linear screed strip includes a bevelled surface extending between the bottom surface of said slot and said supporting ledge; and said gasket strip presents a portion immediately adjacent to said tile-stop extension which overlies said bevelled surface.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 6 wherein each said gasket strip includes plural flexible fingers extending from opposite surfaces of said gasket strip into engagement with said supporting ledge and the lateral edge portion of the bottom surface of said cover plate.

Claim 11

The improvement of claim 8 wherein said plural flexible fingers extend in a direction away from said tile-stop extension and said tongue.

Claim 12

The improvement of claim 6 wherein said reversible trim strip comprises a single piece of dual-durometer plastic material, said tile-stop extension and said tongue being formed from rigid plastic material, and said gasket strip being formed from flexible plastic material.

Claim 13

The improvement of claim 10 wherein said dual-durometer plastic material comprises polyvinyl chloride.