Hvac fitting apparatus and method for use therewith

Abstract

Disclosed is a fitting. The fitting comprises a base and a cover. The base is adapted to be and secured in use to a subfloor, prior to placement of a finished floor, to frame the roughed-in duct opening. The cover is connected to the base and adapted to impede infiltration of debris into the mechanical duct during construction. The base and the cover are connected such that the cover can be relatively easily removed from the base after the finished floor has been laid.

1 . Apparatus for use with a subfloor assembly, a finished floor and a floor grate,
 the subfloor assembly being defined by a mechanical duct and by a subfloor having a roughed-in mechanical duct opening communicating with the mechanical duct;   the finished floor, in use, being disposed upon the subfloor and defining an aperture communicating and at least substantially in register with the roughed-in mechanical duct opening; and   the floor grate being of the type including: (i) a grating part having a screened vent opening and adapted such that, when operatively placed in use onto a finished floor, the grating part overlaps the finished floor on all sides of the aperture and the vent opening is aligned with and in register with the mechanical duct; and (ii) a tubular coupler part adapted, when the grating part is operatively positioned on a finished floor, to occupy the aperture and engage the finished floor to resist lateral movement of the floor grate relative to the finished floor,   the fitting comprising:   a base member adapted to be permanently secured to the subfloor, prior to placement of the finished floor, to frame the roughed-in opening; and   a cover connected to the base member and adapted to impede infiltration of construction debris into the mechanical duct,   wherein the base member and the cover are connected in a manner such that the cover can be relatively easily removed from the base member at least after the finished floor has been laid.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is frangibly connected to the base member or engages the cover in snap-fit relation. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rectangular tube which, in use, extends upwardly from the base member and is surrounded by the finished flooring. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the length of the tube is the thickness of the finished floor. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base member is a nailing flange. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover has a vent passage defined therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising an air filter adapted to filter air passing through the vent passage. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the filter and the cover are releasably engaged with one another in use. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 3  and further comprising an extender which, in use, receives the rectangular tube in close-fitting relation, defines an extension of the duct and is engaged by the coupler part of said grate to resist lateral movement of the floor grate relative to the finished floor. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the extender and the rectangular tube are adapted to permit telescopic motion of the rectangular tube into the extender and are provided with portions that mechanically engage with one another to permit the height of the extension relative to the subfloor to be adjusted in use. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the interior dimensions of the rectangular tube are 3″×10″ or 4″×10″ and the length of the rectangular tube is ⅜″ or ⅝″. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising a filter and wherein
 the base member includes a nailing flange and a support flange;   a filter support is releasably coupled to the base member;   the rectangular tube is defined by the support flange and the filter support; and   the filter is releasably engaged to the filter support and, in use, filters the air passing from the mechanical duct through the floor grate.   
     
     
         13 . A system for use with a subfloor assembly, a finished floor and a floor grate,
 the subfloor assembly being defined by a mechanical duct and by a subfloor having a roughed-in mechanical duct opening communicating with the mechanical duct;   the finished floor, in use, being disposed upon the subfloor and defining an aperture communicating and at least substantially in register with the roughed-in mechanical duct opening; and   the floor grate being of the type including: (i) a grating part having a screened vent opening and adapted such that, when operatively placed in use onto a finished floor, the grating part overlaps the finished floor on all sides of the aperture and the vent opening is aligned with and in register with the mechanical duct; and (ii) a tubular coupler part adapted, when the grating part is operatively positioned on a finished floor, to occupy the aperture and engage the finished floor to resist lateral movement of the floor grate relative to the finished floor,   the system comprising   fittings, each fitting including a base member adapted to be permanently secured to the subfloor prior to placement of the finished floor to frame the roughed-in mechanical duct opening; and a cover connected to the base member and adapted to impede infiltration of construction debris into the roughed-in mechanical duct opening, wherein the base member and cover are connected in a manner such that the cover can be relatively easily removed from the base member at least after the finished floor has been laid;   and one or more of:   extenders, each extender, in use, engaging a respective fitting, defining an extension of the mechanical duct and being engaged by the coupler part of said floor grate to resist lateral movement of the floor grate relative to the finished floor;   and   filters, each filter, in use, being releasably operatively engaged to the fitting and filtering the air passing from the mechanical duct through the floor grate.   
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the cover is frangibly attached to the base member or engaged the base member in snap-fit relation. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the cover has a vent passage defined therethrough. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein the fitting further comprises a rectangular tube which, in use, extends upwardly from the base member. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the extender and rectangular tube are adapted to permit telescopic motion of the tube into the extender and are provided with portions that mechanically engage with one another to permit the height of the duct extension relative to the subfloor to be adjusted in use. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising a pair of rectangular tubes, one of said pair, in use, extending upwardly from the base member and being surrounded by the finished flooring, the other of said pair, in use, extending downwardly from the base member and being surrounded by the subfloor. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the covers are releasably connected to the base member; and   further comprising:   filter supports, each filter support, in use, being releasably connected to a base member, occupied by a conventional floor grate and releasably connected to and operatively supporting one of the filters.