US4250675A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for forming wiring channels in a concrete floor
Assignee: Camp Dresser and Mckee Inc
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Filing: 1978-11-28
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Granted: 1981-02-17
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Expires: 1998-11-28
Abstract
Abstract An improved method for forming wiring channels in a prefabricated concrete floor slab is disclosed. At least one trench is formed in a concrete floor slab when the slab is poured. A metal cover placed over the trench can have a metal U-shaped channel attached thereto for dividing the trench into at least two and preferably three separate wire raceways with the center raceway completely shielded by the channel and cover*. Access boxes are selectively positioned over knockouts in the cover plate. Metal channels are positioned to extend perpendicular to the trenches for forming main distribution ducts. A concrete surface is then poured over the slab to extend flush with the tops of the access boxes and the main distribution ducts and a cover plate is attached to enclose the main distribution ducts. The resulting floor structure has embedded therein parallel wiring raceways spaced across the floor with spaced accesses into each raceway and main distribution ducts interconnecting the parallel raceways. when the slab is poured. A metal cover is placed over the two or more trenches to form at least two and preferably three separate wiring raceways each being defined by the walls of a trench and the cover plate.
Inventors
- 👤 Gershon Meckler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:08
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04B; E04B5/00; E04B5/48; H; H02; H02G; H02G3/00; H02G3/02; H02G3/08; H02G3/18; H02G3/185; H02G3/28; H02G3/283
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a prefabricated building floor slab comprising the steps of: forming said floor slab from a hardenable material; forming at least one trench in an upper surface of said floor slab before such material hardens; after such material at least partially hardens, placing a metal cover plate having a U-shaped channel attached thereto over said trench with said channel dividing said trench into at least two parallel ducts with one duct defined by said cover plate and said U-shaped channel and at least one other duct defined by said cover plate, said U-shaped channel and said trench, and, after such material hardens into a prefabricated building floor slab, positioning said slab on suitable supports of a building.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a prefabricated building floor slab comprising the steps of: forming said floor slab from a hardenable material; forming at least one trench in an upper surface of said floor slab before such material hardens; after such material at least partially hardens, placing a metal cover plate having a U-shaped channel attached thereto over said trench with said channel dividing said trench into at least two parallel ducts with one duct defined by said cover plate and said U-shaped channel and at least one other duct defined by said cover plate, said U-shaped channel and said trench, and, after such material hardens into a prefabricated building floor slab, positioning said slab on suitable supports of a building.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trench is divided into three ducts with a duct on either side of said one duct defined by said cover plate, said U-shaped channel and said trench, and wherein said step of placing said metal cover plate and attached U-shaped channel over said trench includes the step of adjusting said U-shaped channel to contact said trench along the length of said trench whereby ducts on either side of said U-shaped channel are isolated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the metal cover plate is placed over the trench before the slab is placed on the building supports.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said metal cover is placed over said trench when such material has hardened only sufficiently to maintain the shape of said trench, and wherein said U-shaped channel is forced against and deforms a bottom of said trench when said cover is placed over said trench whereby ducts on either side of said U-shaped channel are isolated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab, as set forth in claim 3, and further including the steps of selectively attaching a plurality of access boxes to an upper surface of said cover plate for providing access into said ducts, and pouring a surface layer of a hardenable material over said slab and said cover plate.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab comprising the steps of: forming said floor slab from a hardenable material with at least one trench formed in an upper surface of said slab; after such material at least partially hardens, placing a U-shaped channel in said trench to divide said trench into three ducts; placing a metal cover over said trench and said U-shaped channel whereby a first duct is defined by said cover plate and said U-shaped channel and two other ducts are defined on either side of said first duct by said cover plate, said U-shaped channel and said trench; and adjusting the height of said U-shaped channel in said trench to completely isolate said two other ducts from each other.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab comprising the steps of: forming said floor slab from a hardenable material with at least one trench formed in an upper surface of said slab; after such material at least partially hardens, placing a U-shaped channel in said trench to divide said trench into three ducts; placing a metal cover over said trench and said U-shaped channel whereby a first duct is defined by said cover plate and said U-shaped channel and two other ducts are defined on either side of said first duct by said cover plate, said U-shaped channel and said trench; and adjusting the height of said U-shaped channel in said trench to completely isolate said two other ducts from each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the height of said U-shaped channel is adjusted prior to placing said cover over said trench and said U-shaped channel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab, as set forth in claim 6, and further including the steps of selectively attaching a plurality of access boxes to an upper surface of said cover plate for providing access into said ducts, and pouring a surface layer of a hardenable material over said slab and said cover plate.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for forming a building floor structure with a plurality of wiring ducts therein comprising the steps of: forming at least two floor slabs from a hardenable material with a fraction of a trench extending along an upper edge of one of the slabs and the remaining fraction of the trench extending along an upper edge of the other slab; positioning said slabs with said trench fractions abutting; grouting a joint extending between said floor slabs below said trench fractions; and positioning a U-shaped channel to divide the trench formed by said trench fractions into at least two separate ducts and positioning a cover plate over the trench formed by said trench fractions and said U-shaped channel.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for forming a building floor structure with a plurality of wiring ducts therein comprising the steps of: forming at least two floor slabs from a hardenable material with a fraction of a trench extending along an upper edge of one of the slabs and the remaining fraction of the trench extending along an upper edge of the other slab; positioning said slabs with said trench fractions abutting; grouting a joint extending between said floor slabs below said trench fractions; and positioning a U-shaped channel to divide the trench formed by said trench fractions into at least two separate ducts and positioning a cover plate over the trench formed by said trench fractions and said U-shaped channel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method forming a building floor structure, as set forth in claim 9, and further including the steps of selectively attaching a plurality of access boxes to an upper surface of said cover plate for providing access into said ducts; and pouring a surface layer of a hardenable material over said slabs and said cover plate.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a prefabricated building floor slab comprising the steps of: forming said floor slab from a hardenable material; forming at least one set of a plurality of trenches in an upper surface of said floor slab before such material hardens, each trench being separated from the adjacent one by a concrete wall; after such material at least partially hardens, placing a metal cover plate over said trenches and concrete walls to form at least two parallel ducts each being defined by said cover plate and said trench, and, after such material hardens into a prefabricated building floor slab; positioning said slab on suitable supports of a building, with the proviso that the metal cover can be placed over the trench either before or after the slab is placed on the building supports.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a prefabricated building floor slab comprising the steps of: forming said floor slab from a hardenable material; forming at least one set of a plurality of trenches in an upper surface of said floor slab before such material hardens, each trench being separated from the adjacent one by a concrete wall; after such material at least partially hardens, placing a metal cover plate over said trenches and concrete walls to form at least two parallel ducts each being defined by said cover plate and said trench, and, after such material hardens into a prefabricated building floor slab; positioning said slab on suitable supports of a building, with the proviso that the metal cover can be placed over the trench either before or after the slab is placed on the building supports.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method for forming a plurality of electrical wiring ducts in a building floor slab, as set forth in claim 11, and further including the steps of selectively attaching a plurality of access boxes to an upper surface of said cover plate for providing access into said ducts, and pouring a surface layer of a hardenable material over said slab and said cover plate.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for forming a building floor structure with a plurality of wiring ducts therein comprising the steps of: forming from a hardenable material at least two floor slabs each of which has at least one trench and a fraction of another trench, each trench being separated from the adjacent one by a concrete wall, the fraction extending along an upper edge of one of the slabs and at least the remaining fraction of the one trench extending along the upper edge of the other slab; positioning said slabs with said trench fractions abutting; grouting a joint extending between said floor slabs below said trench fractions; and positioning a cover plate over said trenches, trench fractions, and concrete walls to form at least two parallel ducts each being defined by said cover plate and said trench.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for forming a building floor structure with a plurality of wiring ducts therein comprising the steps of: forming from a hardenable material at least two floor slabs each of which has at least one trench and a fraction of another trench, each trench being separated from the adjacent one by a concrete wall, the fraction extending along an upper edge of one of the slabs and at least the remaining fraction of the one trench extending along the upper edge of the other slab; positioning said slabs with said trench fractions abutting; grouting a joint extending between said floor slabs below said trench fractions; and positioning a cover plate over said trenches, trench fractions, and concrete walls to form at least two parallel ducts each being defined by said cover plate and said trench.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method for forming a building floor structure, as set forth in claim 13, and further including the steps of selectively attaching a plurality of access boxes to an upper surface of said cover plate for providing access into said ducts; and pouring a surface layer of a hardenable material over said slabs and said cover plate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4030259A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-02-17 | 1984-08-18 | 1985-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-02-17 | 1988-08-18 | 1989-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-02-17 | 1992-08-18 | 1993-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |