Preassembled electrical wiring apparatus and method of installation thereof

Abstract

A method and apparatus for wiring a building structure including a factory-assembled wiring harness having a trunk cable portion and a plurality of branch cable portions, each branch cable portion having an electrical terminal device, such as a switch or outlet, permanently electrically secured to the end thereof. Installation is facilitated by individually packaging the electrical terminal devices and a portion of the branch cable secured thereto in individual plastic bags, and wrapping the entire harness in an elongate plastic envelope which is then rolled up from one end to the other. In the preferred example, the wiring harness is placed on a grid-like ceiling module and unrolled longitudinally from one end to the other. The envelope is opened and the individual terminal devices are extended outwardly therefrom and tacked in place and left hanging around the outside of the ceiling module. After the ceiling module is disposed on the walls, the electrical terminal device packages are opened to allow the devices to fall to their full vertical extension and secured in place. Outer peripheral notches and protective plates are employed to provide raceways or channels for the electrical wiring.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. Electrical wiring apparatus for use in .[.establishing electrical connections between each of a plurality of electrical terminal devices to be disposed in predetermined locations in.]. .Iadd.wiring .Iaddend.a building structure comprising: a wiring harness including a main trunk cable of a developed length substantially equal to said structure to be wired and a plurality of branch cables having one end electrically .[.connected to.]. .Iadd.joining with .Iaddend.said trunk cable at spaced locations along the length thereof; .[.said spaced locations to be determined in accordance with the longitudinal spacings between terminal device locations within said structure;.]. each of said branch cables having an individual electrical terminal device electrically connected to the other end thereof; .[.the length of said branch cables being equal to the sum of the horizontal distance from said trunk cable to one side of said structure and the vertical distance between the trunk cable and the standard vertical location of the particular terminal device;.]. first package means disposed about individual terminal devices and at least a portion of the branch cables connected thereto; and second package means disposed about the entire harness including said trunk and branch cables and electrical terminal devices. .[.and being of such length and width as to permit said harness to be rolled up therein from one end to the other..]. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 .Iadd.wherein said second package means comprises an elongate envelope disposed about said harness and rolled up with said harness therein from one end to the other, said apparatus further .Iaddend.including locater marks on said harness adjacent said other end of said .Iadd.second .Iaddend..[.outer.]. package .Iadd.means .Iaddend.to locate said harness relative to said structure while unrolling said second package means. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first package means includes individual wrappings of nonpermeable material disposed about said electrical terminal devices and portions of said electrical branch cables. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second package means includes an elongate envelope of nonpermeable material secured about said harness and rolled up with said harness therein from one end to the other. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical terminal devices include electrical outlets and switches. 
     
     
       6. A prewired electrical wiring unit for installation in a building structure of predetermined dimensions comprising: a wiring harness including a multiple conductor trunk cable, and a plurality of electrical terminal devices electrically connected to said trunk cable at locations spaced therealong .[.and defined by branch cable portions according to the peripheral spacings between terminal device locations in said building structure,.]. .Iadd.by branch cables .Iaddend.and packaging means for said harness and comprising an envelope of nonpermeable sheet material disposed lengthwise around the trunk cable .Iadd.and branch cables and terminal devices .Iaddend.and being rolled up with said trunk cable .Iadd.and branch cables and terminal devices .Iaddend.therein from one end to the other. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus for providing electrical wiring in a building structure including: a preformed normally horizontally installed structural .[.unit.]. .Iadd.module .Iaddend.comprising border members and cross members, a wiring harness including a main trunk cable extending longitudinally across said structural module and perpendicular to said cross members, a plurality of branch cables electrically connected at one end to said .[.wiring harness.]. .Iadd.main trunk cable .Iaddend.and extending outwardly therefrom across said structural module and around said border members on the outside thereof at spaced locations, said spaced locations being determined in accordance with the longitudinal spacing between terminal device locations within a building structure to receive said structural module, each of said branch cables having an individual electrical terminal device electrically connected to the other end thereof. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including package means of nonpermeable sheet material disposed about each of said electrical terminal devices and at least a portion of the electrical branch cable associated therewith. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including vertically oriented channels formed in the outer peripheral surfaces of said structural module .[.members to accommodate.]. .Iadd.member accommodating .Iaddend.said branch cables therein. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including metal protective plates secured over said channels to protect said branch cables. 
     
     
       11. A method of .[.installing.]. .Iadd.constructing and packaging .Iaddend.electrical wiring comprising the steps of: preparing an electrical wiring harness comprising a main trunk cable and a plurality of branch cable portions .Iadd.electrically integral with the main trunk cable and .Iaddend.having individual electrical terminal devices secured to said branch .[.terminal.]. .Iadd.cable .Iaddend.portions, packaging each of said electrical terminal devices individually along with a portion of the branch cable secured thereto, and subsequently packing the entire wiring harness in an elongate envelope of nonpermeable sheet material and rolling the envelope and the wiring harness up from one end to the other. 
     
     
       12. A method .[.as defined in claim 11.]. .Iadd.of installing electrical wiring .Iaddend.including the .[.further.]. steps of.Iadd.: preparing an electrical wiring harness comprising a main trunk cable and a plurality of branch cable portions electrically integral therewith and having individual electrical terminal devices secured thereto, packaging each of said terminal devices individually along with a portion of the branch cable secured thereto, further packaging the entire harness in an outer package, subsequently placing the outer package and harness on a building module, extending the trunk cable along the module, .Iaddend..[.placing the rolled envelope and wiring harness on a building module, unrolling the roll, opening the envelope.]. and extending the branch cable portions outwardly from the trunk cable and securing the branch cable .[.portion.]. .Iadd.portions .Iaddend.to the building .[.structure.]. .Iadd.module .Iaddend.at predetermined locations. 
     
     
       13. A method as defined in claim 12 including the steps of placing locator markings on the harness and the module, and placing the harness in accordance with said markings.