SPECIFICATIONSkirting boardThis invention relates to a skirting board particularly a skirting board for domestic use.
The majority ofskirting boards presently found in homes are of wooden construction and their purpose is primarily to serve as a separating barrier between the floor and the plastered wall and as a mounting medium for various electrical outputs.
The increasing cost oftimber has led to widespread use of concretefloors as a substituteforwooden in the domestic construction industry. Alterations or additionsto the existing wiring and plumbing afterthe concrete floor has been set are both time consuming and expensive. Moreover, there is little or no provision for quick and easy access to the wiring and plumbing networktofacilitate maintenance. Accordingly, there is a need for a skirting board which will accommodate electrical cables of various types, telephone cables and central heating pipes so asto alloweasyaccessto samefor maintenance or alterations.
Provision of central heating pipes within all the skirting boards of a room may prove particularly advantageous as it may obviate the need for special wall-mounted radiators which are often unsightly and limitthe use of the available space in the room becausefurniture cannot be placed against them.
In the past, hollow metal and plastics skirting boards have been proposed for separate accommodation of electrical and telephone cables and of heating elements. Such skirting boards have also been provided with removable lids or covers for access to the cables or elements in the interior. Itwas not, however, possible to have both central heating elements and electrical ortelephonewires within the same skirting boardasthelatterwould be overheated to such a degree as to breach safety regulations.
Subsequently, a hollow metal skirting board with integral cross-walls was proposed, the cross walls subdividing the interior of the board so asto provide a channel for central heating elements and a separate channelforwiring.Thisskirting board proved to be expensiveto manufacture because ofthethickness of metal required and the necessary insulation between the heating elements and the wiring to prevent overheating ofthe latter. It was also particularly expensive to fit since for each room the skirting boardlengths had to be madeto measure. On site cutting to size from standard lengths was not possible due to the thickness ofthe metal and the presence ofthe cross-wall.
An object of the present invention is to fulfil theaforesaid need for a skirting board which willaccommodate both electrical andlortelephone cablesandheating elements by provision of a board which isless expensive and much easierto fitthen hitherto.
Pursuant hereto,the present invention provides a skirting board comprising a trunking to be affixed to a wall at its junction with a floor, a cover which is releasably clippable to the front of said trunking so as to form an enclosed channel, and a partitioning member which is also releasably clippable to the trunking within the aforesaid channel so as to subdivide said channel and permit various service elements, such as heating elements and electrical andlortelephone cables to be accommodated therein.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a lisa fragmentaryfrontview of a preferred embodiment ofthe skirting board ofthe invention fitted in position at a junction between a wall and a floor and showing how outlets from various service elements within the board may be located, the cover ofthe board being partially cut away.
Fig. 2 is a cross-section, to an enlarged scale through the same embodiment ofthe skirting board when accommodating a particular set of service elements;Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. 2 ofthe same skirting board when accommodating a different set of service elements;Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryfrontview of a same embodiment of skirting board having an electrical socket located in an aperture in the cover; andFig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the same embodiment of skirting board extended around corners of a room and incorporating corner pieces.
Referring first to Figs. 2 and 3, a preferred practical embodiment of the skirting board of the invention comprises three elongate components, namely a trunking member 10, a cover 11 and a partitioning member 12, all of metal e.g. steel.Thetrunking member may be galvanized metal, and the cover 11 may be plastics coated.
Thetrunking member 10 isveryapproximatelyin the form of a channel section, having a central web 13 and respective upper and lowerflanges 14 and 15, which are each considerably narrower than the central web 13. The central web 13 is formed with two spaced apart corrugations 16, 17 which provide projections inwardly ofthe channel 18. It is also provided along its length with apertures 30. The upperflange 14 is bent along its edge to provide a groove 19 and along its length has a series of elongate or oval regions 20 defined by perforations. These regions 20 are commonly known as "knock-outs" as they may easily be pressed out of the metal to provide apertures where required,for exampleforthe passage of pipes or cables.The lowerflange 15 extends from the central web 13 at an angle and a series of elongate apertures 21 are provided along this inclined area. The flange 15 is, however, also provided with a broad lip 22 extending inwardly ofthe channel 18 and bent to form a groove 23 along the lower side of the trunking member 10. Further elongate apertures 24 are pro- vided in the lip 22.
The cover 11 is in the form of an elongate metal strip which is angled across its width and has respective rows of apertures 28, 29 adjacent each edge. Respective inwardly extending rims 31,32 are also provided at each edge ofthe cover, outwardly of the apertures 28,29. The rims 31,32 are hooked over at their edges 33,34 so as to interfit with the respective grooves 19, 23 on the trunking member 10.
The partitioning member 12 is also formed as a channel section having a central web 36 of exactly the right width to fit between the corrugations 16, 17 ofthe trunking member 10 and a pair of generally parallel limbs 37,38, each provided with a series of apertures 39,40. Each limb 37,38 is also provided at its edge with a respective lateral arm 41,42, the arm 41 projecting outwardly of the channel section and the arm 42 projecting inwardlythereof.
In otherwords,the arms 41,42 extend generally in the same direction as each other. The channel section ofthe partitioning member 12 is formed with a slight ridge atthejunction between each limb 37,38 and the central web so thatthe member 12 may befirmly held between the corrugations 16, of the tru nking member 10, the base web 36 extending in contactwith the region of the base web 13 betweenthecorruga- tions 16,17.
In practice,thetrunking 10 and the cover 11 are provided in similar standard lengths, while the partitioning member 12 is provided on considerably shorter lengths.
In use, when the above-described skirting hoard is to be installed atthe base of a wall, at its junction with a floor, the length of the wall must be firstly mçasurç and an approprirate length oftrunking obtained. The length ofthe wall is unlikelyto be an exact multiples the standard length of trunking provided, butthe trunking can readily be cutto length on site usingconventional cutting tools. This is possible with thepresently proposed trunking 10 because it consists ofonly a single thickness of metal. Moreover, thatthickness is less than in previously proposed skirtingboards becausethe corrugations 16,17 providesufficient rigidity and strengthening. The cover 11may also be cut to size.
The appropriate length or lengths of trunking 10 are subsequently preliminarily affixed to the wall with the central web 36 flush with the wall by screws 25 extending through the apertures 30 which allowfor slight possibility of adjustment ofthe trunking.
Earthing bars and/or straps are provided at each junction, to ensure earthing continuity. Compression strips 35 (see Figs. 2 and 3) may optionally be positioned behind the trunking 10 before it is thus affixed. The inclined lowerflange 15 ofthe trunking 10 is particularly advantageous with respect to the attachmentofthetrunking 10 to the wall. tallows a close fit againstthe wall at all times even in cases wherethewall/floorjunction is somewhat inaccurate (which is frequently the case). Moreoverthefactthat the cover 11 is angled at its bottom edge, where it contains the openings 29, facilitates the fitting of carpets and/orotherfloor coverings.
Oncethetrunking 10 is thus installed, short lengths ofthe partitioning member 12 are clipped in place between the corrugations 16, 17 ofthetrunking 10, as previously described and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
The partitioning member 12 is, of course, orientated such that the arms 41,42 are directed upwardly, and the fitting of these lengths ofthe partitioning member 12will ensure proper alignment ofthetrunking 10, whereupon the screws 25 can befinallytightened.
Itwill be appreciated that in orderto support cables or pipes, there is no necessityforthe partitioning member 12to be continuous, and short gaps therein do not affect its function. Accordingly, provided there are relatively short standard lengths there is rarely any need to cut sections of the partitioning member 12.
Further advantages related to this system of discontinuous partitioning will shortly become apparent.
Various service elements, such as telephone cables, television cables, electrical cables, central heating pipes or ducts and a hose of a vacuum system, may be arranged along the subdivided channel 18 provided byth > trunking 10 andthe partitioning members 12, with some elements located in the base of the trunking 103 some supported on the limb 38 and some on the limb 37 ofthe respective partitioning members 12.
Two nItvern3tive possibilities are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. n Fig. 2, telephone cables 50 are supported on the limb 37 with the arm 41 acting as a retainer, two electrical cables 51 and a vacuum hose 52 are supported on the limb 38 with the arm 42 acting as a retainer and two central heating pipes 53 are located in ghe baseofthetrunking 10, between the lowerflange 5 anr1 its lip 22.It is, of course, importantthatthese nines am lre separated from the other elements so that the altar are not o-erheated- In Fig. 3, the telephone cables 50 are er ain supported on the limb 37, but prWtW ally an electric element 54for electrical central atirrl 'clipped over the arm 41, electrical cables 51 > r4 sl "nnrted nn the limb 38 and. as there are no central heating water pipes in this case, the vacuum tube 52 is located in the lower region ofthe trunking 1G supported by the groove 23 ofthe lip 22.
Once the positioning of these various elements and their respective outlets and fixtures has been settled, the cover or covers 11 may be clipped in place, on the front of the trunking 10.The external face ofthe cover or covers 11 should, of course, be painted or otherwise decorated to match the room.Thecovers 11 can, of course, easily be removed whenever access to the various service elements is required, for example, for maintenance. Maintenance is also facilitated by the clear separation between the paths ofthe various service elements.
Itwill be appreciated thatthe numerous rows of apertures 21,24,28,29,39,40 in thetrunking 10 and the covers 11 are forventilation, to allow circulation of air. This is particularly important when central heating pipes 53 are carried in the trunking 10 and are intended to heatthe room in which the skirting board is installed. The lowest apertures 21 are only possible because the flange 15 is inclined. Moreover, this inclination allows for collection of water below the pipes 53, in the event of leakagefrom such pipes.
When outlets from the various service elements are required, as shown in Fig. 1, appropriate apertures are formed in the upper flange 14 of the trunking 10 by pressing out some of the "knock-outs" 20. Electrical cables can readily be passed through these apertures to lightfixtures orto sockets located on the wall above the skirting board, e.g. the conventional electric mains socket 60 andthetelevision aerial socket 61 shown inFig. 1. Similarly, the vacuum hose 52 can pass out of the trunking 10 to a junction box 62 and central heating pipes 53 may extend through the trunking 10 for connection to radiators (not shown).Where the cables the hose orthe pipes have been accommodated or supported in the central or lower region of the skirting board, that is to say on or below the lower limb ofthe partitioning member(s) 12, a gap between partitioning members 12 must be appropriately located so that they may extend upwardly and out of the trunking 10.
Naturally, the outletfixtures such as sockets may be located at an desired height above the skirting board.
It is envisaged that the wall will be plastered as indicated at A in Figs. 2 and 3 afterthe location of outlets orfixtures, such as sockets 60,61 and junction boxes 62, so that cables etc., leading from the skirting board will be covered up.
As shown in Fig. 4, it is also possible to provide electrical sockets 60,61 in apertures in the front of covers 11, in which case the covers 11 maybe removed without disturbing the respective sockets.
As shown in Fig. 5, special corner pieces 70 are provided forfitment at corners so thatthe line ofthe skirting board is not interrupted. In all cases, adjacent covers 11 may be held together by clips at corresponding profile fitting underthe adjoining edges thereof.
The skirting board in accordance with the invention may advantageously extend around the architrave of doors for decorative effect and so asto facilitate positioning of electrical sockets and/or vacuum junction boxes adjacent such architraves. Usually, it is envisaged that any heating elements would pass beneath the doorframe and nottherearound, so that narrowertrunking, covers and partitioning members may be used around doors compared to those used at the base of walls.
Provision of a vacuum hose is not currently known in domestic situations. The hose used in conjunction with the skirting board ofthe invention is of a lightweight high melting point material and is connected to a stationary vacuum cylinder located at some convenient point within the house. A valve regulator is provided in the hose between the skirting board and the cylinderto determinewhich room receivesthe suction. The hose runsthrough a predetermined channel in the skirting board with points ofattachmentforvarious cleaning implements located injunction boxes, e.g. at the base of door architraves. The junction boxes have apertures out therein with closable covers to allow easy access to the vacuum attachment points. This enables any vacuum cleaning to be carried outwithoutthe need to carry round the cylinder and in relative quiet since the cylinder is remote from the room to be cleaned, and no dust will leak into the room where vacuuming is taking place.
Although in the described case thetrunking of the invention is shown as being partially buried by plaster as at A, the arrangement may, if desired, be such as to be secured directly to a supporting wall without there being any plaster or other cladding.