Housings for underfloor raceways
An housing is configured for connection to the raceway panels by removing the concrete above the raceway panel, cutting a hole in the raceway panel, and securing the housing in the hole in the raceway panel. Alignment clips allow the afterset housings to be ganged together to form an integral afterset assembly. Each alignment clip is configured to slidably engage with a pair of the afterset housings. In one embodiment, the afterset housing includes a preset housing that is normally configured for connection to the raceway panel prior to pouring of the concrete floor, and an adapter connectable to the preset housing and being constructed to reconfigure the preset for use as an afterset housing which is adapted for connection to the raceway panel following pouring of the concrete floor.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/211,464, filed on Dec. 14, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,121.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to underfloor electrical distribution systems, and, more particularly, to improved underfloor preset and afterset housings. Modern office buildings require electric power, communication, and computer data services in various combinations at a large number of locations. In many instances these needs are addressed by underfloor distribution systems consisting of a network of ducts or raceways that are mounted in concrete floors. Access to the underfloor service raceways may be obtained through preset housings that mount on the raceways at regular intervals, usually 24 inches on center, before the concrete floor is poured. The preset defines a hollow interior compartment that is interconnected with the interior of the duct to provide access to the services that are carried in the raceway. The preset includes a removable mud cap that is generally parallel to the surface of the floor and is positioned slightly below the surface of the concrete floor. The mud cap serves to prevent concrete from entering the interior compartment of the preset when the floor is poured. After the concrete floor has hardened, the concrete above the mud cap is broken away and the mud cap is removed to provide access to the interior of the preset. An activation assembly that provides for power or data outlets may then be installed on the preset.
Access to the raceways may also be provided through afterset housings that are attached to the raceway after the concrete floor has been poured and is set. Aftersets are installed by cutting a hole in the concrete above the raceway and then securing the afterset to an opening that is cut in the raceway after the concrete has been removed to provide access to the raceway. Like a preset, the afterset defines hollow interior compartment that is interconnected with the interior of the raceway to provide access to the services that are carried in the raceway. The afterset is configured to support various activation kits, such as duplex outlets, phone outlets, coaxial connectors or fiber optics connectors.
In both presets and aftersets it is desirable to provide a housing that is gangable so that multiple services can be provided at a single location.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne object of the present invention is to provide a preset that can be converted for use as an afterset housing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide presets and afterset housings that are gangable to provide multiple services at a single location.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a manner for aligning and interconnecting preset and afterset housings carried by adjacent raceway panels.
Still another object of the invention is to provide preset and afterset housings that can accommodate a wide variety of activation assemblies.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide preset and afterset housings that are economical to manufacture in mass production, and easy to install in the field.
According to one aspect of the present invention, afterset housings are provided and are configured for connection to the raceway panels by removing the concrete above the raceway panel, cutting a hole in the raceway panel, and securing the housing in the hole in the raceway panel. Alignment clips allow the afterset housings to be ganged together to form an integral afterset assembly. Each alignment clip is configured to slidably engage with a pair to the afterset housings. In one embodiment, the afterset housing comprises a preset housing that is normally configured for connection to the raceway panel prior to pouring of the concrete floor, and an adapter connectable to the preset housing and being constructed to reconfiguring the preset for use as an afterset housing which is adapted for connection to the raceway panel following pouring of the concrete floor.
While the invention will be described in connection with one or more embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Referring now to
Presets 24 (one shown in
As shown in
A knockout section 40 is formed in the bottom wall of the preset housing 24. The knockout section 40 is positioned to align with and lockingly engage with the preset opening 22 to secure the preset 24 to the raceway panel 12 prior to and during pouring of the concrete floor 13. For this purpose, the lower edge of the knockout section 40 includes a beveled protrusion 42 (see, e.g.,
The manner by which the preset 24 is attached to the raceway panel 12 is best understood by reference to
Ribs 51A along sides or legs 47 (
Further movement in the direction of the arrow 50 is restricted by the interface between the legs 47 and the walls 43 against the front edge 45 of the preset opening 22. Conversely, movement in the direction opposite the arrow 50 is restricted by abutment of the protrusion 42 against the back edge 49 of the opening 22. If necessary, the preset 24 can be removed prior to pouring the concrete floor by prying out the knockout section 40, or by bending the trailing edge of the protrusion 42 upwardly and sliding the preset 24 in the direction opposite arrow 50.
The preset 24 is preferably formed of a die cast metal, and in particular from Zamak 3 which is commercially available from a variety of suppliers including Eastern Alloys of Maybrook, N.Y., ARCO Alloys Corporation of Detroit Mich., and Imperial Zinc Corporation of Chicago, Ill. Zamak 3 is an alloy of zinc, aluminum, magnesium, and copper. Alternatively, the preset 24 could be formed from other metals or from plastic.
Installation of an activation kit into the preset 24 is illustrated in
Removal of the knockout creates an opening 101 that overlies the preset opening 22 in the raceway panel 12. Service cables 89 (e.g., electric wires, fiber optic cables, telephone lines, etc.) can be routed into and out of the raceway panel through the openings 22, 101. The top opening 34 in the preset 24 is configured to receive a variety of activation assemblies. In
The duplex activation assembly includes link straps 85, a carpet flange 88, a duplex receptacle 90, and a concrete cap 92. The link straps 85 are secured in the inner compartment 26 of the preset 24 with self-taping screws 93 that thread into reciprocal bores 94 formed in upwardly extending bosses 96 located in the corners of the interior compartment 26. The carpet flange 88 overlies the top of the preset 24 and is secured thereto by screws 98 that thread into apertures 100 in the link straps 85. The service cables 89 carried in raceway panel 12 are routed up through the knockout opening 101 and into the interior compartment 26 of the preset 24. Excess wire can be looped around wire retaining clips 102 that are positioned around the periphery of the knockout opening 101. The wire retaining clips 102 are formed from a non-conductive material such as nylon and are adapted to snap into place into reciprocal mounting brackets 104 formed in the bottom wall of the interior compartment. As can be seen in
The wires 89 are appropriately connected to the electrical outlet 90 and the outlet is secured in place by mounting screws 110 that thread into apertures 112 the carpet flange 88. The concrete cap 92 is generally rectangular and is sized to fit within a reciprocal recess formed in the top of the carpet flange. Fasteners 114 extend through apertures 116 in the corners of the concrete cap 92 and thread into reciprocal apertures 118 in the carpet ring 88 to secure the concrete cap in place. A rubber gasket 120 may be interposed between the concrete cap 92 and the carpet flange 88 to prevent contaminants from entering the interior compartment. The concrete cap 92 has hinged doors 122 that can be pivoted upwardly to access the outlets in the duplex receptacle 90 (see FIG. 8).
A threaded aperture 86 extends through the bottom wall of the preset and overlies the top wall 18 of the raceway. A screw 87 is threaded through the aperture 86 and until it engages securely against the top wall 18 of the raceway 12 to provide ground continuity between the preset and the raceway.
As shown in
Referring now to
The preset 12 is secured to the adapter in a manner similar to the manner in which it is secured into a preset opening. In particular, the locking tabs 44 are aligned with the reciprocal apertures 202 in the adapter 200. The tabs 44 are then inserted downwardly into the apertures 202, while the preset is simultaneously slid in the direction of the arrow 206. As the tabs 44 move downwardly into the apertures 202, the lower edge of the protrusion 42 engages against the upper face 208 of the adapter panel 12. Further downward movement of the preset 12 biases the protrusion 42 upwardly. The preset 24 is slid in the direction of the arrow 206 until the trailing edge of the protrusion 42 extends past the edge of the opening 204, at which time the protrusion 42 springs downwardly to lock the preset 24 into the opening 204. At this position, the lower flanges 48 of the locking tabs 44 extend under the adapter 200, to further secure the preset 24 to the adapter 200.
Further movement in the direction of the arrow 206 is restricted by the interface between the legs 47 and the walls of the apertures 200, and also by abutment of the radial flange 43 against the front edge 210 of the preset opening 204. Conversely, movement in the direction opposite the arrow 206 is restricted by abutment of the protrusion 42 against the back edge 212 of the opening 204. The preset 20 is further secured to the adapter 200 by a fastener 214 that extends through the aperture 86 in the preset 20 and threads into a reciprocal opening 216 in the adapter 200.
The manner in which the afterset 201 is installed will now be described with reference to
The afterset housing 201 are then inserted into the opening 228 in the concrete and secured to the raceways 222. Specifically, as can be seen in
Where multiple aftersets are ganged together adjacent aftersets are connected together with the alignments clips 60 in the manner described above in connection with
After the alignment clips 60 are installed and the locking tabs are tightened into place, grout is used to fill the open areas around the afterset housings and the saw cuts. (See
The afterset 300 is configured to be mounted on a raceway in the manner described above. The afterset 300 defines a hollow interior compartment that is interconnectable with the interior passage 20 of the raceway through the opening 204 in the bottom wall 302 of the afterset. The afterset has generally rectangular housing consisting of the bottom wall 302, and an upstanding side wall 304 that defines a top opening 306. As will be appreciated, the aftersets can be made in a variety of depths to accommodate floors of different thickness'. Referring to
Mounting brackets 104 are formed in the bottom wall of the interior compartment for receiving the wire retaining clips 102. An extension sleeve 124 may be interposed between the afterset 300 and the carpet flange to increase the depth of the afterset. As will be appreciated, the sleeve may be provided in different heights to accommodate floors of different thickness'. The afterset may also be manufactured in a variety of depths to accommodate floors of different thickness.
Referring now to
Once the concrete is removed from above the raceways, circular openings 322a, 332b on the order of 2.5 inches are drilled through the top walls of the raceways 322a, 322b. The afterset housing 201 are then inserted into the opening 326 in the concrete and positioned on the raceways 322 in the manner described above. Where multiple aftersets are ganged together, the adjacent aftersets are connected together with the alignments clips 60 in the manner described above. After the alignment clips 60 are installed and the locking tabs are tightened into place, grout is used to fill the open areas around the afterset housings. (See FIGS. 18g and 18h). Preferably, mud caps are installed in the aftersets before the grout is poured. (See FIG. 18g). Once the grout has hardened, the grout over the mud caps is broken away and the mud caps are removed to provide access to the aftersets. (See FIG. 18h). Once the afterset housings are installed, the housings may be activated by installing the appropriate activation assemblies as was generally described above.
Claims
1. An afterset housing for providing access to an underfloor electrical distribution system of the type comprising at least one raceway panel embedded in a concrete floor, the afterset comprising:
- a preset housing having an interior compartment generally defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall, the preset housing be normally adapted for connection to said at least one raceway panel prior to pouring of the concrete floor; and
- an adapter connectable to the preset housing and being constructed to reconfigure the preset housing for use as said afterset housing which is adapted for connection to said at least one raceway panel following pouring of the concrete floor.
2. An afterset as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adapter slidably engagable with the bottom face of the preset housing.
3. An afterset as set forth in claim 1, wherein the preset housing is formed of metal.
4. An afterset as set forth in claim 1, wherein the preset housing is generally rectangular.
5. An afterset as set forth in claim 1, wherein multiple aftersets can be ganged together to form an integral assembly.
6. An afterset housing for providing access to an underfloor electrical distribution system of the type comprising at least one raceway panel embedded in a concrete floor, said at least one raceway panel having an interior passage defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, the afterset being configured for connection to the raceway panels by removing the concrete above said at least one raceway panel, cutting a hole in said at least one raceway panel, and securing the housing in the hole in the raceway, the afterset comprising:
- a housing adapted for connection to the top wall of said at least one raceway, the housing having an interior compartment generally defined by a bottom wall and an upwardly extending sidewall, the sidewall being adapted to receive an activation assembly, the bottom wall including an aperture for alignment with the aperture formed in the top wall of the raceway panel to provide access to services that are carried by the raceway; and
- means for ganging at least two of the housings together to form an integral assembly, said ganging means comprising at least one alignment clip being adapted to slidably engage with a pair of adapter housings to form an integral assembly.
7. An afterset housing as set forth in claim 6, wherein said ganging means further comprises at least on ganging tab formed on the exterior of each afterset housing, the ganging tabs being configured to receive the alignment clip.
8. An afterset as set forth in claim 6, wherein the preset housing is formed of metal.
9. An afterset as set forth in claim 6, wherein the preset housing is generally rectangular.
10. An afterset as set forth in claim 6, further comprises at least one locking tab adapted to secure the afterset to the top wall of said at least one raceway panel.
11. An afterset as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a radial flange extending downwardly from the bottom wall of the housing and being configured for insertion into the opening in the top wall of the raceway.
12. An underfloor electrical distribution system for placement in a concrete floor comprising:
- first and second raceway panels extending generally parallel to each other within the concrete floor, each raceway panel having a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls defining an interior passage;
- a plurality of afterset housings, each housing being configured for connection to one of said first and second raceway panels by removing the concrete above the respective raceway panel, cutting a hole in the respective raceway panel, and securing the afterset housing in the hole in the respective raceway panel; and
- a plurality of alignment clips, each clip being adapted to secure two of the afterset housings together to form an integral afterset assembly.
13. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the alignment clips are adapted to slidably engage with the afterset housings.
14. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein each afterset housing has an interior compartment generally defined by a bottom wall and an upwardly extending sidewall, the bottom wall including an aperture that aligns with the opening formed in the top wall of a raceway panel when the adapter is connected thereto to provide access to services that are carried by the raceway panel.
15. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 14, wherein each afterset further comprises at least one locking tab adapted to secure the afterset to the top wall of the raceway.
16. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 14, wherein each afterset further comprises a radial flange extending downwardly from the bottom wall of the housing and being configured for insertion into the opening in the top wall of the raceway.
17. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the preset housings are formed of metal.
18. An underfloor electrical distribution system for placement in a concrete floor comprising:
- a pair of raceway panels adapted to be positioned on a subfloor prior to pouring of the concrete floor, each raceway panel defining an interior passage and a plurality of preset openings that provide access to the interior passage;
- a plurality of preset housings mountable in the preset openings and to provide access to the interior passage of said pair of raceway panels from an upper surface of the concrete floor; and
- a plurality of alignment clips, each alignment clip being adapted to secure and align a preset housing carried by a first of the raceway panels with a second preset housing carried by a second of the raceway panels.
19. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein each preset housing has a concrete cap and a knockout section, the concrete cap and the knockout section being removable to provide access to an interior compartment of the preset housing, the knockout being configured to align with and lockingly engage with the preset opening to secure the preset to the raceway panel during pouring of the concrete floor, whereby upon hardening of the concrete floor the concrete above the preset can be broken away to permit removal of the concrete cap, whereupon the knockout can be removed to provide access to the interior passage of the raceway panel through the preset.
20. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein each preset housing comprises a bottom wall, a side wall extending from the base and defining an upper opening configured to receive the concrete cap.
21. An in-floor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, further comprising a locking tab extending from the bottom wall of the housing, the locking tab being adapted to slidably engage with the raceway panel opening as the knockout protrusion is engaged with the raceway opening.
22. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the preset housings are formed of plastic.
23. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the preset housings are formed of metal.
24. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 23, wherein each preset housing further includes a plurality ribs extending from its bottom wall, the ribs being adapted to engage against the surface of the raceway panel when the preset is mounted on the raceway panel to provide ground continuity between the raceway panel and the preset.
25. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the preset housings are generally rectangular.
26. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the preset further comprises wire retaining clips removable mountable in the interior compartment about the periphery of the knockout section.
27. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 18, wherein the upper opening of the housing is adapted to receive an access assembly upon removal of the concrete cap.
28. A preset for providing access to an underfloor electrical distribution system, the underfloor electrical distribution system comprising at least one raceway panel adapted to be positioned in a concrete floor, the raceway panel defining an interior passage adapted to carry service cables and having an exterior wall defining preset openings that provide access to the interior passage, the preset comprising:
- a housing mountable in the preset opening and to provide access to the interior passage of the raceway from an upper surface of the concrete floor; and
- ganging means for ganging at least two of the housings together to form an integral assembly, said ganging means comprising at least one adapter clip configured to slidably engage with a pair of preset housings to form an integral assembly.
29. A preset housing as set forth in claim 28, wherein said ganging means further comprises at least one ganging tab formed on the exterior of each afterset housing, the ganging tabs being configured to slidably engage with the adapter clips.
30. An underfloor electrical distribution system for placement in a concrete floor, comprising:
- first and second raceway panels disposed adjacent to one another in the concrete floor;
- a first housing secured to the first raceway panel and a second housing secured to the second raceway panel; and
- at least one clip engageable with the first and second housings to secure the first and second housings to one another.
31. An underfloor electrical distribution assembly as set forth in claim 30, wherein the first and second housing comprise preset housings that are secured to the raceway panels prior to pouring of the concrete floor.
32. An underfloor electrical distribution assembly as set forth in claim 30, wherein the first and second housings comprise afterset housings that are configured for connection to a respective one of the raceway panels after the concrete floor has hardened by removing the concrete from above the respective raceway panels, forming an opening in the raceway panel, and securing the housing to the raceway panel at a location that overlies the opening in the raceway panel.
33. An underfloor electrical distribution system for placement in a concrete floor, comprising:
- a raceway panel defining an interior passage for carrying service cables;
- a housing securable to the raceway panel, the housing defining an interior compartment and including an opening alignable with a reciprocal opening in the raceway panel to allow wires to pass between the raceway panel and the interior compartment of the housing; and
- a plurality of wire retention clips mounted around the perimeter of the opening of the housing for storing wiring that has been routed into the housing through the opening.
34. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the retention clips are configured to mate with reciprocal mounting brackets formed in the interior compartment of the housing.
35. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the retention clips are generally U-shaped.
36. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the retention clips are formed of a non-conductive material.
37. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 36, wherein the wire retention clips are formed of nylon.
38. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the wire retention clips are formed separately from the housing.
39. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the wire retention clips are formed separately from the housing and are adapted to snap into place into reciprocal mounting brackets formed in the interior of the housing.
40. An underfloor electrical distribution system as set forth in claim 33, wherein the opening in the raceway panel is formed in a top wall of the raceway panel and the opening in the housing is formed in a bottom wall of the housing.
41. A housing for providing access to an underfloor electrical distribution system of the type comprising at least one raceway panel embedded in a concrete floor, the housing comprising:
- a generally rectangular body having four corners and a top opening; and
- a housing interconnector located proximate each of said four corners of said generally rectangular body, wherein said housing interconnector is configured to be at least one of slidably and snapably engaged by an alignment device that is adapted to interconnect said housing to another housing.
42. The housing of claim 41, wherein said housing interconnector is a tab extending outwardly from said generally rectangular body, and wherein said alignment device is an alignment clip comprising an upper portion integrally formed with legs extending downwardly from said upper portion, wherein said legs are configured to engage around said tab.
43. The housing of claim 42, wherein said alignment clip further comprises teeth formed on lower edges of said legs, wherein said teeth are configured to engage against top edges of said tab as said alignment clip is driven downwardly toward said tab, and wherein said teeth are configured to abrade said tab with continued downward pressure.
44. The housing of claim 41, wherein the housing is formed of a die cast metal, and wherein said alignment device is formed of a metal that is relatively harder than said die cast metal.
45. The housing of claim 41, wherein the housing is formed from plastic.
46. The housing of claim 41, wherein the housing is one of a preset housing and an afterset housing.
47. The housing of claim 41, wherein the housing is a preset housing having an interior compartment generally defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall, the preset housing being normally adapted for connection to a raceway panel prior to pouring of the concrete floor.
48. The housing of claim 41, wherein the housing is configured to receive and retain an activation assembly through said top opening.
49. The housing of claim 48, wherein the activation assembly is a flush mount duplex electrical outlet.
50. The housing of claim 41, wherein said generally rectangular body comprises a locking tab extending from a bottom surface of said generally rectangular body, wherein said locking tab is configured to slidably engage a reciprocal aperture formed in a raceway panel.
51. The housing of claim 41, wherein said housing interconnector is integrally formed with said generally rectangular body.
52. An assembly for providing access to an underfloor electrical distribution system of the type comprising a plurality of raceway panels embedded in a concrete floor, the assembly comprising:
- first and second rectangular housings, each of said first and second rectangular housings comprising: four upright walls integrally formed with a bottom wall defining a top opening therebetween and four corners; and housing interconnectors, wherein at least one of said housing interconnectors is located proximate one of said four corners such that at least one of said housing interconnectors is located proximate each of said four corners, and
- an alignment device that securably engages one of said housing interconnectors of said first rectangular housing and another of said housing interconnectors of said second rectangular housing to gang said first and second rectangular housings together.
53. The assembly of claim 52, further comprising additional rectangular housings ganged at least one of together and with said first and second rectangular housings.
54. The assembly of claim 52, wherein each of said plurality of housing interconnectors is an outwardly-extending tab, and wherein said alignment device is an alignment clip comprising an upper portion integrally formed with legs extending downwardly from said upper portion defining slots therebetween, wherein said legs are configured to engage around said tab.
55. The assembly of claim 54, wherein said alignment clip further comprises teeth formed on lower edges of said legs, wherein said teeth are configured to engage against top edges of said tab as said alignment clip is driven downwardly toward said tab, and wherein said teeth are configured to abrade said tab with continued downward pressure.
56. The assembly of claim 52, wherein said alignment device is configured to slidably engage said housing interconnectors
57. The assembly of claim 52, wherein said first and second housings are formed of a die cast metal, and wherein said alignment clip is formed of a metal that is relatively harder than said die cast metal.
58. The assembly of claim 52, wherein said first and second housings are formed from plastic.
59. The assembly of claim 52, wherein each of said first and second housings is one of a preset housing and an afterset housing.
60. The assembly of claim 52, wherein at least one of said first and second housings is a preset housing having an interior compartment generally defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall, the preset housing being normally adapted for connection to a raceway panel prior to pouring of the concrete floor.
61. The assembly of claim 52, further comprising an activation assembly secured within each of said first and second housings.
62. The assembly of claim 52, wherein said activation assembly is a flush mount duplex electrical outlet.
63. The assembly of claim 52, wherein each of said first and second housings further comprise a locking tab downwardly extending from said bottom wall, wherein said locking tab is configured to slidably engage a reciprocal aperture formed in a raceway panel.
64. An underfloor electrical distribution system for placement in a concrete floor, comprising:
- first and second raceway panels disposed adjacent to one another in the concrete floor;
- a first housing secured to said first raceway panel and a second housing secured to said second raceway panel, wherein each of said first and second housings comprises: four upright walls integrally formed with a bottom wall defining a top opening therebetween and first, second, third and fourth corners; and first, second, third and fourth housing interconnectors, wherein said first, second, third and fourth housing interconnectors are located proximate said first, second, third and fourth corners, respectively, and
- an alignment device that securably engages one of said housing interconnectors of said first housing and another of said housing interconnectors of said second housing to gang said first and second housings together.
65. The system of claim 64, further comprising additional housings ganged at least one of together and with said first and second rectangular housings.
66. The system of claim 64, wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth housing interconnectors is a tab outwardly extending proximate said first, second, third and fourth corners, respectively, and wherein said alignment device is an alignment clip comprising an upper portion integrally formed with legs extending downwardly from said upper portion defining slots therebetween, wherein said legs are configured to engage around said tab.
67. The system of claim 66, wherein said alignment clip further comprises teeth formed on lower edges of said legs, wherein said teeth are configured to engage against top edges of said tab as said alignment clip is driven downwardly toward said tab, and wherein said teeth are configured to abrade said tab with continued downward pressure.
68. The system of claim 64, wherein said alignment device is configured to slidably engage said housing interconnectors
69. The system of claim 64, wherein said alignment device is configured to snapably engage said housing interconnectors.
70. The system of claim 64, wherein said first and second housings are formed of a die cast metal, and wherein said alignment clip is formed of a metal that is relatively harder than said die cast metal.
71. The system of claim 64, wherein said first and second housings are formed from plastic.
72. The system of claim 64, wherein each of said first and second housings is one of a preset housing and an afterset housing.
73. The system of claim 64, wherein at least one of said first and second housings is a preset housing having an interior compartment generally defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall, the preset housing being normally adapted for connection to a raceway panel prior to pouring of the concrete floor.
74. The system of claim 64, further comprising an activation assembly secured within each of said first and second housings.
75. The system of claim 74, wherein said activation assembly is a flush mount duplex electrical outlet.
76. The system of claim 64, wherein said first and second raceway panels further comprise first and second reciprocal apertures, respectively, and said first and second housings further comprise first and second locking tabs, respectively, said first and second locking tabs extend downwardly from said bottom walls of said first and second housings, respectively, wherein said first and second locking tabs are configured to slidably engage said first and second reciprocal apertures, respectively.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 3, 2003
Date of Patent: Feb 19, 2008
Assignee: The Wiremold Company (West Hartford, CT)
Inventors: Michael T. Cole (Parkersburg, WV), John P. Penczak (Washington, WV), Thomas R. Russo (Bristol, CT), Joe Young (Reedsville, OH)
Primary Examiner: Dhiru R. Patel
Attorney: McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd.
Application Number: 10/701,345
International Classification: H02G 3/04 (20060101);