Connecting means for trench cover plates

Abstract

An electrical trench assembly having a base pan and vertically adjustable side rails. Said side rails being secured to and carried by said base pan by means of adjusting screws, which are carried by said rails and which screw into threaded connections on said pan. The cover plate for the trench assembly is attached to the side rails by resilient fasteners.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. In a trench assembly adapted to be embedded in a concrete floor structure, the combination comprising: generally rectangular aligned abutting cover plates;   longitudinal members positioned along the opposite sides of said cover plates for supporting the side edges thereof;   a base member disposed beneath said cover plates, said base member including a central web and laterally extended support flanges at a level above said web, one of said support flanges being positioned beneath each of said longitudinal members.[.;.]..Iadd., .Iaddend. each of said longitudinal members extending laterally beyond the subjacent support flange;   adjusting means for individually adjusting the level of said longitudinal members above said support flanges, said adjusting means comprising adjustable securing elements which secure said longitudinal members to said base member to provide a unitary subassembly.[.;.]. and .Iadd.which have head portions secured against substantial movement in directions axially of said securing elements relative to said longitudinal members; and .Iaddend.   connecting means for detachably connecting said cover plates to said longitudinal members, comprising: first elements secured to and depending from said cover plates toward said longitudinal members;   wall elements on said longitudinal members having surfaces engaged by said first elements; and   one of said elements having resilient portions which are deflected by the passage of the other of said elements to provide a resilient connection between said cover plates and said longitudinal members.     
     
     
       2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said first elements comprise a spring member having at least one flexible side, said side being deflected to provide a frictional engagement between said cover plates and said longitudinal members. 
     
     
       3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring members extend continuously along the length of said cover plates. 
     
     
       4. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein a plurality of said flexible elements is secured at spaced locations along the length of said cover plates. 
     
     
       5. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein each spring member includes a pair of opposed flexible walls received between adjacent ones of said wall elements and engaged with the said surfaces thereof. 
     
     
       6. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said first elements comprise a spring member depending from said cover plates and having a rib formed in its lower end, and wherein the said surface engaged by said spring member has a groove shaped to correspond generally with the shape of said rib, whereby said rib projects into said groove to retain said cover plates. 
     
     
       7. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said first elements comprise a plurality of pins secured to and depending from said cover plates, said pins having enlarged ends remote from said cover plates, and wherein an adjacent pair of said wall elements provide a groove receiving said pins, one wall element of said pair of adjacent wall elements having a lip at its upper end restricting the entrance to said groove, one wall element of said pair of adjacent wall elements being flexible and thereby deflecting by the passage of said enlarged ends into and out of said groove. 
     
     
       8. In a trench assembly adapted to be embedded in a concrete floor structure, .[.including.]. .Iadd.the combination comprising .Iaddend.a base pan having a central web and laterally extended support flanges at a level above said central web, vertically adjustable side rails, one positioned above each of said support flanges and .[.secured thereto by.]. .Iadd.presenting opposed vertical walls; .Iaddend.vertically presented adjustable leveling screws.[., said side rails presenting opposed vertical walls,.]. .Iadd.securing said side rails to said base member to provide a unitary subassembly and having head portions secured against substantial movement in directions axially of said levelling screws relative to said side rail; .Iaddend.a cover plate positioned above the base pan and spanning the distance between the side rails, .[.the improvement comprising: .]. .Iadd.each of said side rails extending laterally beyond the subjacent support flange, and .Iaddend. resilient means secured to said cover plate and engaged with .Iadd.said .Iaddend.opposed vertical walls of said side rails .[.for.]. retaining said cover plate .Iadd.detachably .Iaddend.connected to .[.and engaged.]. with said side rails. .Iadd. 9. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said connecting means is positioned inboard of said adjusting means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said head portions are confined within said longitudinal members. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. In a trench assembly adapted to be embedded in a concrete floor structure, the combination comprising:   generally rectangular aligned abutting cover plates;   longitudinal members positioned along the opposite sides of said cover plates for supporting the side edges thereof;   a base member disposed beneath said cover plates, said base member including a central web and laterally extended support flanges at a level above said web, one of said support flanges being positioned beneath each of said longitudinal members, each of said longitudinal members extending laterally beyond the subjacent support flange;   adjusting means securing said longitudinal members to said support flanges, for individually adjusting the level of said longitudinal members above said support flanges;   first means restricting said longitudinal members against substantial movement relative to said adjusting means during vertical adjustment thereof with respect to said support flanges; and   connecting means for detachably connecting said cover plates to said longitudinal members, comprising: first element secured to and depending from said cover plates toward said longitudinal member;   wall elements on said longitudinal members having surfaces engaged by said first elements; and   one of said elements having resilient portions which are deflected by the passage of the other of said elements to provide a resilient connection between said cover plates and said longitudinal members. .Iaddend..Iadd.     
     
     
          .  In a trench assembly adapted to be embedded in a concrete floor structure, the combination comprising: generally rectangular aligned abutting cover plates;   longitudinal members positioned along the opposite sides of said cover plates for supporting the side edges thereof, said longitudinal members having profiled outboard faces presented for contact with and immobilization by concrete;   a base member disposed beneath said cover plates, said base member including a central web and laterally extended support flanges at a level above said web, one of said support flanges being positioned beneath each of said longitudinal members;   adjusting means securing said longitudinal members to said support flanges, for individually adjusting the level of said longitudinal members above said support flanges;   first means restricting said adjustment means against substantial movement in directions axially of said adjusting means relative to said longitudinal members; and   connecting means for detachably connecting said cover plates to said longitudinal members, comprising: first elements secured to and depending from said cover plates toward said longitudinal members;   wall elements on said longitudinal members having surfaces engaged by said first elements; and   one of said elements having resilient portions which are deflected by the passage of the other of said elements to provide a resilient connection between said cover plates and said longitudinal members. .Iaddend..Iadd.     
     
     
          .  In a trench assembly adapted to be embedded in a concrete floor structure, the combination comprising: a base pan having a central web and laterally extended support flanges at a level above said central web;   vertically adjustable side rails, one positioned above each of said support flanges and presenting opposed vertical walls;   vertically presented adjustable levelling screws securing said side rails to said base member to provide a unitary subassembly;   a cover plate positioned above the base pan and spanning the distance between said side rails;   first means restricting said side rails against substantial movement relative to said levelling screws during vertical adjustment thereof with respect to said support flanges;   each of said side rails extending laterally beyond the subjacent support flange; and   resilient means secured to said cover plate and engaged with said opposed vertical walls of said side rails for retaining said cover plate connected   
     
     
        to and engaged with said side rails. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14.  In a trench assembly adapted to be embedded in a concrete floor structure, the combination comprising: a base pan having a central web and laterally extended support flanges at a level above said central web;   vertically adjustable side rails, one positioned above each of said support flanges and presenting opposed vertical walls;   vertically presented adjustable levelling screws securing said side rails to said base member to provide a unitary subassembly;   a cover plate positioned above the base pan and spanning the distance between said side rails;   first means restricting said side rails against substantial movement relative to said levelling screws during vertical adjustment thereof with respect to said support flanges;   said side rails having profiled outboard faces presented for contact with and immobilization by concrete; and   resilient means secured to said cover plate and engaged with said opposed vertical walls of said side rails, retaining said cover plate detachably connected to said side rails. .Iaddend.