GB2192915A

GB2192915A - Adjustable height access flooring incorporating ducts

Info

Publication number: GB2192915A
Application number: GB08713334A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold James William Payne
Original assignee: FLOORPLAN ELECTRICA Ltd
Current assignee: FLOORPLAN ELECTRICA Ltd
Priority date: 1986-06-10
Filing date: 1987-06-08
Publication date: 1988-01-27
Also published as: GB8713334D0; GB8614116D0

Abstract

This invention concerns access flooring having ducting for services mounted therein. The access flooring comprises load-bearing panels 30 supported on pedestals 16 of adjustable height in spaced-apart relationship above a main floor structure 12 of a building and ducting 24 located beneath the panels, wherein the ducting and the panels are supported from a single point 20 on each pedestal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to access flooring This invention relates to improvements in or relating to access flooring and more particularly, to an improved access floor having ducting for services mounted therein.

Known access floors in buildings comprise load-bearing panels forming a floor surface which are supported on pedestals of adjustable height on the main floor structure of the building so that the panels are located in spaced-apart relationship from the main floor structure of the building.

In known access floors, ducting for services is disposed beneath the panels in the-space between the panels and the main floor structure of the building. However, in such known access flooring, the ducting has been supported on beams extending between the pedestals resulting in the disadvantage that separate mechanisms have to be provided for adjusting the height of the ducting relatively to the main floor structure of the building so that the ducting is located immediately beneath the load-bearing panels forming the floor.

The object of this invention is to provide access flooring in which this disadvantage is alleviated.

According to this invention, access flooring comprises load-bearing panels supported on pedestals of adjustable height in spaced-apart relationship above a main floor structure of a building and ducting located beneath the panels, wherein the ducting and the panels are supported from a single point on each pedestal.

Preferably, each panel and-the ducting associated therewith are supported from the upper surface of the associated pedestal.

Preferably, also, the ducting is provided with a flange extending from each side thereof which rests upon the upper surface of the associated pedestal.

The lower surface of the floor panel, preferably, engages in contact with and rests upon the flange of the associated ducting so that the flange is interposed between the floor panel and the pedestal.

Preferably, the main body portion of the ducting extends for a major portion of the distance between the associated pedestals disposed on each side thereof and the ducting may be of substantially open-topped rectangular U-shape in cross-section.

Preferably, also, securing means is provided fo-r securing the panels to the associated pedestals. The panel securing means may also act as location means for locating the ducting in position on the pedestals.

Each pedestal is, preferably, provided with location means for locating the panels in position thereon.

Preferably, the panels form a top or a closure for the open top of the ducting associated therewith and removable or openable access panels may be provided in the floor planels to provide direct access to the main body portion of the ducting.

A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of part of access flooring according to this invention; Figure 2 is a partly sectioned side elevation of part of the access flooring shown in Figure 1 of the drawings; and Figure 3 is a plan view of a top of a pedestal shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings with parts omitted for the sake of clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, access flooring for mounting in a building comprises a plurality of steel pedestals indicated generally at 10 which rest upon a main structural floor 12 of the building. Each pedestal 10 comprises a rectangular baseplate 14, an upwardly extending externally screw-threaded shaft 16 welded to the baseplate 14, and internally screw-threaded collar 1 8 mounted on the upper end of the shaft 16, and an upper circular plate 20 is connected to the upper end of the collar 18. A lock nut 22 is mounted on the shaft 16 immediately beneath the collar 18.

The overall height of the pedestal 10 can be adjusted by rotation of the collar 18 on the shaft 16 to increase or decrease the distance between the baseplate 14 and the upper plate 20 and once the desired length of pedestal has been achieved, the collar 18 is locked in position on the shaft 16 by means of the lock nut 22. Sections of ducting indicated generally at 24 are disposed between adjacent pedestals 10 for carrying services such as mains supply cables, telephone cables or the like.

The ducting 24 is of a substantially opentopped rectangular U-shape in cross-section and one or more upwardly extending longitudinally extending fillets 26 are provided in the ducting 24 to separate each length of ducting into discrete sections. The fillets 26 may be provided at spaced-apart intervals along the length thereof with upwardly extending openings (not shown), the lower portions of adjacent openings having a partially sheared, segmented, or perforated line extending therebetween to facilitate removal of the portion of the fillet between adjacent openings.

In addition, the upper portion of each opening is closed and a partially sheared, segmented or perforated line extends from the closed upper portion of each opening into the upper edge of the fillet. This arrangement enables portions of the fillets 26 to be broken out at points where communication is required between different sections of the ducting 24 such as, for example, junction or crossover points in the ducting assemblies.

The upper edges of the sides of the ducting 24 are provided with outwardly extending flanges 28 and the corners of the flanges 28 at each end of each section of ducting 24 are removed. The ducting 24 is mounted in position between associated pedestals 10 with the flanges 28 resting upon the upper plate 20 of each pedestal 10 to as to be supported thereby.

Load-bearing floor panels indicated generally at 30 are mounted on and extend between the pedestals 10, the lower surface of the floor panels 30 resting upon the flanges 28 of the associated sections of ducting 24 so that although the panels 30 are supported by the upper plate 20 of the associated pedestal 10, the flanges 28 are sandwiched between the lower surface of the floor panel and the plate 20. It will be appreciated that the support of the floor panels 30 and the sections of ducting 24 and the upper plates 20 of the associated pedestals 10 obviates the need for the provision of any separate height adjusting mechanism for the ducting assembling 24 and where the panels 30 are formed of a metal fabrication, the floor panels 30, the ducting 24 and the pedestals 10 are equipotentially bonded by this form of mounting arrangement.

The upper plate 20 of each pedestal 10 is provided with four equi-angularly spaced-apart screw-threaded holes 32 and the corners of the panels 30 are provided with a hole to enable the associated corner of each panel 30 to be secured by means of a screw 34 into the associated hole 32 in the plate 20 of the pedestal 10. Four holes 32 are provided to enable the corners of four panels to be secured to each pedestal 10. The upper surface of each panel 30 extends marginally beyond the main portion of the panel so that a small clearance is provided between the side edges of the main portions of the panels 30 when the upper surfaces thereof are in contact.

Equi-angularly spaced-apart fillets 36 are provided on the plate 20 of each pedestal and fit into the spaces formed between the main body of the panels 30 when the panels are located on the plate 20. The fillets 36 form location means for the panels 30 and restrict movement thereof relative to the pedestals 10 if the mounting screws 34 on any one particular panel 30 are removed. The screws 34 are disposed so that they lie adjacent to the corner portion of the flanges 28 of the ducting 24 and once these screws 32 are in position they also act as location means for locating the ducting 24 in position on the pedestals 10.

The panels 30 also form a top or a closure for the open top of the ducting 24 and removable or openable access panels (not shown) may be provided in the panels 30 to provide direct access to the main body portion of the ducting 24 at positions where outlets for the services carried in the ducting 24 have to be provided.

It will also be appreciated that a multiplicity of elongate runs of ducting 24 can be provided utilising the form of access flooring which is the subject of this invention and additional pedestals 10 may also be provided at points other than the corners of the panels 30 and sections of ducting 24 without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. Access flooring comprising load-bearing panels supported on pedestals of adjustable height in spaced-apart relationship above a main floor structure of a building and ducting located beneath the panels, wherein the ducting and the panels are supported from a single point on each pedestal.

2. Access flooring as claimed in claim 1, wherein each panel and the ducting associated therewith are supported from the upper surface of the associated pedestal.

3. Access flooring as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ducting is provided with a flange extending from each side thereof which rests upon the upper surface of the associated pedestal.

4. Access flooring as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lower surface of the floor panel engages in contact with and rests upon the flange of the associated ducting so that the flange is interposed between the floor panel and the pedestal.

5. Access flooring as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main body portion of the ducting extends for a major portion of the distance between the associated pedestals disposed on each side thereof.

6. Access flooring as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ducting is of substantially opentopped rectangular U-shape in cross-section.

7. Access flooring as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein securing means is provided for securing the panels to the associated pedestals.

8. Access flooring as claimed in claim 7, wherein the panel securing means also acts as location means for locating the ducting in position on the pedestals.

9. Access flooring as claimed iii claim 8, wherein each pedestal is provided with location means for locating the panels in position thereon.

10. Access flooring as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the panels form a top or a closure for the open top of the ducting associated therewith and removable or openable access panels are provided in the floor panels to provide direct access to the main body portion of the ducting.

11. Access flooring substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.