Trench Drain System and Method of Installation on Level Floor Surface, Particularly for Shower Rooms

Abstract

A trench drain system and method of installation thereof on a level floor surface. An elongate channel member is placed on the floor surface. A preformed elongate sloping member having a thick end tapering to a thin end in inserted into the channel with its thin end closest to the channel drain opening, thereby forming an inclined sloping surface. A grate extends over the channel inlet. The area adjacent the channel is filled to the height of the channel, whereby water thereon flows through the grate into the channel, along the inclined surface and out through the drain opening. The channel can be placed adjacent a vertical wall whereby wall tile may be installed over a channel top edge. The floor area adjacent the channel is filled with preformed sloping sheet members or with plastically formable material positioned at an incline using a floor height setting post.

1 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method of installing a trench drain on a level floor surface comprising the steps of
 placing an elongate channel member on the floor surface, the channel member having a bottom surface, side walls extending upwardly therefrom to side walls top edges, a channel inlet between the side walls top edges and a drain opening; and,   filling an area adjacent the channel over the level floor surface with a preformed sloping sheet member having a thick end tapering to a thin end by placing the sheet member on the level floor surface with the thin end adjacent the channel and thereby forming an inclined floor surface sloping toward a channel side wall top edge, whereby liquid on the inclined floor surface may flow into the channel member through the channel inlet and then out through the channel drain opening.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the sloping sheet member is preformed of a material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising the step of locating an elongate grate over the channel opening. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the elongate channel member comprises one or more preformed channel sections selected from elongate straight channel sections, 90° corner sections, 45° corner sections, 30° corner sections and sections with a drain opening and wherein, during said step of placing, a plurality of channel sections are adhered to one another for thereby forming the elongate channel member. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the trench drain is installed in a shower room including a shower spray head adapted to spray water onto the fill material. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40  wherein, during said step of placing, a channel side wall top edge is placed adjacent a vertical wall, and further comprising the step of adhering wall tile on the vertical wall over the adjacent side wall top edge, whereby liquid on the vertical wall tile may also flow into the channel member. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the channel drain opening extends through the channel bottom surface, and further comprising the step of connecting a pipe traversing through the floor surface to the channel drain opening. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the channel drain opening extends in part through a channel side wall, and further comprising the step of connecting a pipe traversing over the floor surface to the channel drain opening. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the elongate channel member comprises one or more preformed channel sections selected from elongate straight channel sections, 90° corner sections, 45° corner sections, 30° corner sections and sections with a drain opening and wherein, during said step of placing, a plurality of channel sections are adhered to one another for thereby forming the elongate channel member. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the trench drain is installed in a shower room including a shower spray head adapted to spray water onto the fill material. 
     
     
         50 - 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 40  wherein, prior to said step of filling, the preformed sloping sheet member is cut from a larger preformed sloping stock sheet. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the preformed sloping stock sheet is preformed of a material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 40  wherein, during said step of filling, a plurality of preformed sloping sheet members are placed on the level floor surface and form the inclined floor surface. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65  wherein, prior to said step of filling, the plurality of preformed sloping sheet members are cut from a larger preformed sloping stock sheet. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66  wherein the preformed sloping stock sheet is preformed of a material selected from one or more of foam, plastic, and fiberglass. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 65  wherein tile is adhered over and onto the inclined surface. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 40  wherein tile is adhered over and onto the inclined surface. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 65  further comprising the step of inserting a preformed elongate sloping member having a thick end tapering to a thin end into the channel on the bottom surface with the thin end closest to the channel drain opening, the sloping member forming an inclined surface sloping toward the drain opening. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising the step of inserting a preformed elongate sloping member having a thick end tapering to a thin end into the channel on the bottom surface with the thin end closest to the channel drain opening, the sloping member forming an inclined surface sloping toward the drain opening. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 40  further wherein an elongate grate supporting member having a plurality of large inlet openings is placed over the channel opening and an elongate grate is placed over said grate supporting member.