GB2162218A - Distribution device for one or more utilities - Google Patents

Abstract

A distribution device for one or more utilities comprises a guide member 9, and connecting means 2 for attaching the guide member to a structure such as a wall or ceiling. The connecting means is provided with an aperture extending therethrough to permit the passage of the or each utility from the structure to the guide member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Distribution device for one or more utilities This invention relates to a distribution device for one or more utilities.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a distribution device for one or more utilities comprising a hollow tubular guide member, and connecting means for attaching said guide member to a structure, said connecting means being provided with an aperture extending therethrough to permit the passage of the or each utility from the structure to the guide member.

Typically the structure is a building and the or each utility may extend from a floor, wall or ceiling of the structure.

Preferably the connecting means is of generally circular cross-section, and the diameter of the ap erture decreases with distance from the wall or ceiling. Most preferably, the connecting means is of substantially frusto-conical configuration.

The guide member is preferably flexible and may be attached to the connecting means at the end of the aperture remote from the wall or ceiling. The guide member may be provided with corrugations to permit the flexing of the member. The flexibility is important because it permits the utilities to be directed to varying locations.

The utilities supplied by the device are most commonly gas, water and/or electricity but any other form of utility may also be supplied.

The supply means for the utilities usually termi nate within the structure. For example, when the structure comprises a ceiling of a building, the supply means usually terminate in the ceiling above the distribution device. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide extensions which are con nected to the terminations, and which extend through the connecting means and are guided by the guide member. The extensions would comprise cable in the case of an electricity supply, and pipes in the case of gas and water.

It is desirable that the terminations of the utilities are arranged within the distribution device, prefer ably within the aperture of the connecting means.

The gas and water pipes and electricity cable may extend through the guide member to, for ex ample, a bench, where a suitable output for each utility can be provided.

It is possible to provide an output for one or more utility on the connecting means. For example a surface of the connecting means can be provided with an electrical socket for supplying electricity.

In one construction the connecting means in cludes a member of frusto-conical configuration as described above, and a generally cylindrical mem ber which is adapted to be secured to the struc ture. The frusto-conical member may be secured to the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member can be provided with a plurality of bolts which pass through corresponding holes provided in the frusto-conical member; nuts can be used to retain the bolts in the holes, thereby securing the frusto conical member to the cylindrical member.

In one form of the invention the device includes a ceiling tile having an aperture to permit the passage of the or each utility through the ceiling tile to the aperture of the guide member.

The ceiling tile may be suitable for use in a suspended ceiling arrangement and the cylindrical member may be welded to the ceiling tile.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a utility distribution system comprising supply means for at least one utility, and a distribution device as described above.

Preferably the supply means is provided with a termination for the utility. A utility extension may be secured to the termination, which extension extends through the connecting means and is guided by the guide device.

Advantageously the or each termination is disposed within the distribution device, preferably within the aperture of the connecting means. With this arrangement the structure, for example a ceiling, can be installed as a continuous fire barrier, so that a separate fireproof duct is not required in the region of the utilities. The distribution device may include a ceiling tile as described above; the tile may incorporate a supalux fire barrier.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of a distribution device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one way in which a ceiling tile can be attached to a ceiling; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of a distribution device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing one way in which the distribution device shown in Figure 3 is attached to a ceiling; and Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a cap attached to a ceiling tile.

In Figure 1 a distribution device for one or more utilities comprises a ceiling tile 1, connecting means 2, and a guide member 9.

The tile 1 is of rectangular cross-section and is dimensioned to fit into an aperture provided in a ceiling 5. The tile 1 includes a rectangular aperture 6 through which one or more utilities (not shown) such as gas or water pipes or an electricity cable can pass.

The connecting means 2 includes a cylindrical member 20 which is welded to the lower surface of the tile 1. The cylindrical member 20 is provided with four brackets 7 equally spaced about the inner surface thereof. Each bracket 7 is provided with a hole (not shown) each of which can receive a bolt 12.

The connecting means further includes a substantially frusto-conical member 3 which is provided with a circular aperture 8 extending therethrough. The aperture 8 is defined by the in ner surface of the member 3 and the diameter of the aperture decreases in a direction away from the ceiling 5.

The member 3 is provided with four holes (not visible in Figure 1) through which the bolts 12 pass. Nuts 13 are secured to the bolts 12 in order to secure the member 3 to the cylindrical member 2.

The end of the member 3 remote from the ceiling 5 comprises a generally cylindrical portion 3a of constant cross-sectional area, having a lip 3b at the lower end thereof. The cylindrical portion 3a of the member 3 receives a flexible, hollow, generally tubular guide member 9.

The guide member 9 is provided with corrugations 9a to permit flexing of the member, and is connected to the connecting member 3 by means of ring-shaped members 10 and 11.

The ring-shaped member 10 has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion, but large enough so that it can be retained in the cylindrical portion by the lip 3b.

Ring-shaped member 11 is disposed within the guide member 9.

Ring-shaped members 10 and 11, and the guide member 9 are each provided with apertures 14 through which bolts 15 can pass (only one bolt 15 is shown in Figure 1). A plurality of nuts 16, (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) are disposed within the ring-shaped member 11 and are each attached to one of the bolts 15 in order to secure the ring-shaped members 10 and 11 and the guide member 9 together. After the ring-shaped members 10 and 11, and the guide member 9 have been secured to one another, the guide member is pushed into the cylindrical portion 3a so that the lip 3b retains the ring-shaped member 10 within the cylindrical portion.

The outer diameter of the ring-shaped member 10 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 3a in order to provide sufficient room for the head of each bolt 15.

Pipes for utilities such as gas and water and cables for electricity can be passed through the aperture 6 in the tile 1, through the aperture 8 in the connecting member 3, and through the guide member 9, with which they can be directed to a location remote from the ceiling. At this location outputs for the utility, such as gas and water taps and electrical sockets, can be provided. Typically the location would be a bench, for example in a laboratory.

The way in which the tile 1 is attached to the ceiling 5 is shown in Figure 2.

Two clips 17 and 18 are provided. Clip 17 is attached to the ceiling 5 and the clip 18 is attached to the clip 17 and to the tile 1. The clip 17 extends into a recess 5a provided in the tile 5.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of distribution device. The guide member used in this embodiment is the same as the guide member used in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, and has not been shown in Figure 4.

The distribution device further comprises connecting means in the form of a substantially frustoconical member 20 which is secured to a ceiling tile 21 of a ceiling 22. The member 20 includes a cylindrical part 20a similar to the portion 3a of the member 3, for receiving the guide member.

The member 20 is provided with an aperture 23 permitting the utilities to communicate with the guide member.

The ceiling tile 21 is provided with three apertures 24, 25 and 26 through which extend utility supply means in the form of pipes 27 and 28, and electrical cable 29. The pipes 27 and 28 carry gas and water respectively. The pipes 27 and 28 and the cable 29 are provided with terminations 27a, 28a and 29a respectively. The terminations 27a, 28a and 29a are arranged so that they are disposed within the aperture 23 of the distribution device.

With this arrangement the ceiling 22 can be installed as a continuous fire barrier, thus eliminating the need for a separate fireproof duct for the uilities above the ceiling 5. The ceiling tile 21 may be, for example, a supalux fire barrier.

Extension pipes and cables (not shown) may be connected to the terminations 27a, 28a and 29a to facilitate supply of the utilities to a location remote from the distribution device, such as a laboratory bench. The extension pipes and cables pass through the aperture 23 and are guided by the guide member.

Electrical sockets 30 are provided in the face of the member 20, and communicate with the electrical utility supply.

Figure 4 shows how the member 20 is secured to the ceiling 22. The ceiling 22 comprises a suspended ceiling, which is suspended from a ceiling support structure 31 by conventional means.

Four bolts 32 (only one of which is shown in Figure 4) are anchored to the support structure 31 and extend downwardly through apertures 33 in the tile 21, and through apertures 34 in the member 20.

Nuts 35 serve to secure the member 20 to the bolts 32.

If desired the member 20 can be secured to the ceiling tile 21, and the ceiling tile 21 secured to the ceiling 22, for example as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows an arrangement in which a cap 19 is attached to the cylindrical member 2 in the same way as is shown in Figure 1. The cap 19 may be provided with electrical sockets on the outer surface thereof for receiving electrical plugs; the electrical sockets are not shown in Figure 5. The cap 19 may be employed when it is desired not to use the guide member 9.

Claims (13)

1. A distribution device for one or more utilities comprising a hollow tubular guide member, and connecting means for attaching said guide member to a structure, said connecting means being provided with an aperture extending therethrough to permit the passage of the or each utility from the structure to the guide member.

2. A distribution device according to Claim 1 in which the connecting means is of substantially frusto-conical configuration.

3. A distribution device according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the aperture of the connecting means is of substantially circular cross-section.

4. A distribution device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the guide member is flexible.

5. A distribution device according to any preceding claim in which the guide member is provided with corrugations to permit flexing.

6. A distribution device according to any preceding claim in which the connecting means comprises a member of frusto-conical configuration and a cylindrical member, and the frusto-conical member being secured to the cylindrical member.

7. A distribution device according to any preceding claim further inciuding a ceiling tile having an aperture to permit the passage of the or each utility through the ceiling tile to the aperture of the connecting means.

8. A distribution device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

9. A utility distribution system comprising supply means for at least one utility, and a distribution device according to any preceding claim.

10. A utility distribution system according to Claim 9 in which the supply means is provided with a termination for the or each utility.

11. A distribution device according to Claim 10 in which the or each termination is disposed within the distribution device.

12. A utility distribution system according to Claim 10 in which the or each termination is disposed within the aperture of the connecting means.

13. A utility distribution system substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 4.