GB1559142A

GB1559142A - Duct

Info

Publication number: GB1559142A
Application number: GB1728377A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: STATIC SWITCHING Ltd
Current assignee: STATIC SWITCHING Ltd
Priority date: 1978-04-26
Filing date: 1978-04-26
Publication date: 1980-01-16

Description

(54) A NEW OR IMPROVED DUCT (71) We, STATIC SWITCHING LIMITED, a British Company of Heath Mill Road, Wombourne, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a duct for containing electrical conductors and fluid conduits and has been devised primarily for use in hospitals where a variety of electrical circuits are required to extend around wards together with conduits for supplying medical gases or other fluids.

According to the invention there is provided a duct comprising an elongate hollow body having an opening at one side and a demountable cover for closing the open side of the body, wherein, when the cover is mounted on the body, opposite marginal portions of the cover are received in respective grooves presented by the body and the body comprises a retaining element which defines a boundary of one of said grooves and is movable relative to a further boundary of said one groove sufficiently to enable the cover to be withdrawn from the other of said grooves in a direction towards said one groove.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of a duct in accordance with the invention, each part being broken away.

The duct comprises an elongate hollow body 10 which includes two relatively movable parts, namely a retaining element 11 and a housing 12. The housing includes a rear wall 13, an upper wall 14 and a lower wall 15 which are integral with one another.

Adjacent to the free edge of the upper wall 14 there is formed a groove 16, the open mouth of which faces towards the free edge of the lower wall 15. Adjacent to the free edge of the lower wall 15 there is a further groove 17 but one boundary of this groove is formed by the retaining element 11. The open mouth of the groove 17 faces towards the groove 16.

The retaining element 11 extends along the free edge of the lower wall 15 and has a flange 18 which is received in a recess formed in the external face of the lower wall adjacent to the free edge thereof. The retaining element is secured to the housing 12 by means of screws which extend through respective apertures 19 in the flange 18 into a screw threaded socket 20 formed in the lower wall 15. The apertures 19 are formed as elongate slots, the length of which extends in a direction from the retaining element 11 towards the rear wall 13. If the screws holding the retaining element to the housing are loosened slightly, the retaining element can slide in a direction away from the rear wall through a distance determined by the length of the apertures 19.

The duct further comprises a cover 21 in the form of a flat rectangular panel. An upper marginal portion of the panel 21 is received in the groove 16. A lower marginal portion of the cover is received in the groove 17. Normally, the retaining element 11 is secured firmly to the housing 12 by the screws in a position such that the lower marginal portion of the cover 21 is clamped between the retaining element and the opposite boundary of the groove 17. If access is required to the interior of the housing 12, the retaining element is released and moved away from the rear wall 13 until that face of the retaining element which forms a boundary of the groove 17 is sufficiently clear of the base of the groove 17 to permit the lower marginal portion of the cover to pass downwardly between the base of the groove 17 and the retaining element 11 and so enable the upper mar ginal portion of the cover to be withdrawn from the groove 16. The cover can then be withdrawn from the clearance space between the retaining element and lower wall 15 so that the cover is completely dismounted from the housing 12.

It will be noted that the retaining element 11 engages a face of the cover 21 which is presented outwardly of the duct. The retaining element includes a buffer 22 which faces in a direction away from the rear wall 13 and is formed of a resilient material, for example rubber or plasticised p.v.c. It will be noted that the exposed surface of the buffer lies somewhat forwardly of the cover 21. This arrangement protects switches and other devices mounted on the cover 21 from impact by a vertical member of a bed or other object which may be moved horizontally into engagement with the duct.

When the cover is mounted on the body 10, upper and lower marginal portions of both the outwardly presented face and the inwardly presented face of the cover are engaged by the body so that movement of the cover towards and away from the rear wall 13 is positively restrained. Thus, devices which are operated pushing or pulling can be mounted on the cover 21 without risk of movement of the cover being caused by violent operation of such device.

As shown, the interior of the housing 12 may be sub-divided by partitions 23. Such partitions may be integral with tbe walls 13, 14 and 15 of the housing. Preferably, the housing is formed by extrusion. Aluminium is a suitable material for formation of the housing. The socket 20 may be in the form of a groove with ribbed sides adapted to engage threadedly with the screws. It will be noted that the screws are not normally visible in use. The surfaces of the cover 21 and retaining element 11 which are visible from the front of the duct are free of proturberances and can easily be kept clean.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A duct comprising an elongate hollow body having an opening at one side and a demountable cover for closing the open side of the body, wherein, when the cover is mounted on the body, opposite marginal portions of the cover are received in respective grooves presented by the body and the body comprises a retaining element which definues a boundary of one of said grooves and is moveable relative to a further boundary of said one groove sufficiently to enable the cover to be withdrawn from the other of said grooves in a direction towards said one groove.

2. A duct according to claim 1 wherein the body comprises a housing and a retaining element attached to the housing by fastening elements which can be released to permit limited movement of the retaining element relative to the housing.

3. A duct according to claim 2 wherein the fastening elements can be further released to permit complete detachment of the retaining element from the housing.

4. A duct according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the fastening elements are accessible only at a side of the body other than the open side thereof.

5. A duct according to any preceding claim wherein the retaining element engages and projects from an outer face of the cover.

6. A duct substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ginal portion of the cover to be withdrawn from the groove 16. The cover can then be withdrawn from the clearance space between the retaining element and lower wall 15 so that the cover is completely dismounted from the housing 12. It will be noted that the retaining element 11 engages a face of the cover 21 which is presented outwardly of the duct. The retaining element includes a buffer 22 which faces in a direction away from the rear wall 13 and is formed of a resilient material, for example rubber or plasticised p.v.c. It will be noted that the exposed surface of the buffer lies somewhat forwardly of the cover 21. This arrangement protects switches and other devices mounted on the cover 21 from impact by a vertical member of a bed or other object which may be moved horizontally into engagement with the duct. When the cover is mounted on the body 10, upper and lower marginal portions of both the outwardly presented face and the inwardly presented face of the cover are engaged by the body so that movement of the cover towards and away from the rear wall 13 is positively restrained. Thus, devices which are operated pushing or pulling can be mounted on the cover 21 without risk of movement of the cover being caused by violent operation of such device. As shown, the interior of the housing 12 may be sub-divided by partitions 23. Such partitions may be integral with tbe walls 13, 14 and 15 of the housing. Preferably, the housing is formed by extrusion. Aluminium is a suitable material for formation of the housing. The socket 20 may be in the form of a groove with ribbed sides adapted to engage threadedly with the screws. It will be noted that the screws are not normally visible in use. The surfaces of the cover 21 and retaining element 11 which are visible from the front of the duct are free of proturberances and can easily be kept clean. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A duct comprising an elongate hollow body having an opening at one side and a demountable cover for closing the open side of the body, wherein, when the cover is mounted on the body, opposite marginal portions of the cover are received in respective grooves presented by the body and the body comprises a retaining element which definues a boundary of one of said grooves and is moveable relative to a further boundary of said one groove sufficiently to enable the cover to be withdrawn from the other of said grooves in a direction towards said one groove.