Raceway for instrumentation lines

Abstract

A kit for forming a raceway assembly including a plurality of members can include a plurality of portions including channel portions and coupling portions, each of the portions extending in an axial direction and having a plurality of walls defining a generally U-shaped cross-section. Each channel portion may have at least one opening in at least one wall, and each of the coupling portions has at least one hole in at least one wall. Each coupling portion may be adapted to receive one or more of the channel portions so that axial directions of the received channel portions are aligned with the axial direction of the coupling portion and so that at least one of the openings of each received channel portion is aligned with at least one of the holes. The coupling portions and channel portions may have inter-engageable features which preclude movement of the received channel portions relative to the coupling portion other than in the axial directions thereof. In addition, the kit may include one or more non-threaded pins configured to pass through the aligned holes and openings and lock in place.

1 . A kit for forming a raceway assembly comprising:
 a plurality of members defining a plurality of portions including channel portions and coupling portions, each of the portions extending in an axial direction and having a plurality of walls defining a generally U-shaped cross-section, each said channel portion having at least one opening in at least one wall, each said coupling portion having at least one hole in at least one wall, each said coupling portion being adapted to receive one or more of the channel portions so that axial directions of the received channel portions are aligned with the axial direction of the coupling portion and so that at least one of the openings of each received channel portion is aligned with at least one of the holes, the coupling portions and channel portions having inter-engageable features which preclude movement of the received channel portions relative to the coupling portion other than in the axial directions thereof, and   one or more non-threaded pins configured to pass through the aligned holes and openings and lock in place.   
     
     
         2 . A kit as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the walls of each said channel portion includes a base wall and a pair of lateral walls extending upwardly from the base wall, each such lateral wall having an upper edge remote from the bottom surface, the walls of each said coupling portion include a bottom wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, each such side wall having an upper edge and a lip projecting from such upper edge in an inward direction toward the other side wall of the coupling portion and downwardly toward the bottom wall of the coupling portion, each coupling portion being adapted to receive the one or more channel portions so that the edge of each lateral wall of each received channel portion is engaged between a side wall of the coupling portion and the lip projecting from such side wall. 
     
     
         3 . A kit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the members include at least one curved member curved in a direction transverse to the axial direction of the portion defined by the curved member. 
     
     
         4 . A kit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the members include at least one hinge member, the hinge member including first and second portions and a hinge, the hinge connecting the first and second portions. 
     
     
         5 . A kit as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the first and second portions of the hinge member are coupling portions. 
     
     
         6 . A kit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the pins includes:
 a body having a head;   a bore intersecting the body; and   a plunger, the plunger slidably disposed within the bore and configured to oscillate between an inward position wherein the plunger is contained within the surface of the body and an outward position wherein the plunger extends beyond the surface of the body,   wherein when the plunger is in its inward position the pin can pass through the opening in the wall of the channel portion and the hole in the wall of the coupling portion, and when the pin is in its outward position the pin is locked in place.   
     
     
         7 . A kit as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket adapted to attach one or more of the members to a structure. 
     
     
         8 . A method of forming a raceway assembly comprising:
 providing a plurality of members defining a plurality of portions including a plurality of channel portions and a coupling portion, each of the portions extending in an axial direction and having a plurality of walls defining a generally U-shaped cross-section, each said channel portion having at least one opening in at least one wall, each said coupling portion having at least one hole in at least one wall;   receiving one or more of the channel portions by the coupling portion so that axial direction of each received channel portion is aligned with the axial direction of the coupling portion and so that at least one of the openings of each received channel portion is aligned with at least one of the holes, the coupling portion and each received channel portion having inter-engageable features which preclude movement of the received channel portion relative to the coupling portion other than in the axial directions thereof; and   passing one or more non-threaded pins through the aligned holes and openings to lock at least one received channel portion in place with the coupling portion.   
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the walls of each said channel portion include a base wall and a pair of lateral walls extending upwardly from the base wall, each such lateral wall having an upper edge remote from the bottom surface, the walls of the coupling portion include a bottom wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, each such side wall having an upper edge and a lip projecting from such upper edge in an inward direction toward the other side wall of the coupling portion and downwardly toward the bottom wall of the coupling portion, and
 the coupling portion receiving the one or more channel portions so that the edge of each lateral wall of each received channel portion is engaged between a side wall of the coupling portion and the lip projecting from such side wall.   
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the members include at least one curved member curved in a direction transverse to the axial direction of the portion defined by the curved member. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the members include at least one hinge member, the hinge member including first and second portions and a hinge, the hinge connecting the first and second portions. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the first and second portions of the hinge member are coupling portions. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each of the pins includes:
 a body having a head;   a bore intersecting the body; and   a plunger, the plunger slidably disposed within the bore and configured to oscillate between an inward position wherein the plunger is contained within the surface of the body and an outward position wherein the plunger extends beyond the surface of the body;   wherein when the plunger is in its inward position the pin can pass through the opening in the wall of the channel portion and the hole in the wall of the coupling portion, and when the pin is in its outward position the pin is locked in place.   
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising using a bracket to attach one or more of the members to a structure.