GB2031232A

GB2031232A - Joint cover for electrical plinths

Info

Publication number: GB2031232A
Application number: GB7924146A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique SA
Current assignee: Telemecanique SA
Priority date: 1978-07-11
Filing date: 1979-07-11
Publication date: 1980-04-16
Also published as: IT1122103B; FR2431209A1; DE2927844C2; FR2431209B1; IT7924238A0; GB2031232B; DE2927844A1

Abstract

A joint cover of plastics material is used for the coupling of skirting conduits and has two vertical walls 1, 2 to be applied respectively against the vertical faces of the end of two skirting boards 19, 18 disposed at a predetermined angle, and a horizontal wall 4 to overlap portions of respective horizontal surfaces of said skirting board ends and the gap which separates them, the horizontal wall extending up to the fixing walls of the skirting boards, the vertical walls being coupled together in the region of the corner bounded by their respective planes by a deformable portion 3 having a thickness which is less than the thickness of the walls. The horizontal wall has, at least at the corner thereof, a thickness which is small enough to permit it to be cut. Fixing or coupling means are provided to permit the retention, one against the other, of adjacent lips of the cut out zone of the horizontal wall. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Joint cover for electrical plinths The invention relates to a joint cover of plastics material, in particular for the coupling of electrical plinths, comprising on the one hand two vertical walls intended to be applied respectively against each of the vertical faces of two ends of plinths, forming between them a predetermined angle, and on the other hand a horizontal wall serving to cover the portions of horizontal surface of the said ends and the gap which separates them whilst extending up to the fixing walls of the said plinths.

Joint covers conforming to the construction set out above are intended to cover the gap which is presented between two plinths ending in the angle of a member.

The known devices are generally mounted as a single piece with a geometrical shape such that they can be used when the angle which the plinths form is, for example, equal to 90 ; when the angle in question is different, it is necessary to have recourse to a moulding of particular shape, or to deform the joint cover locally, which can be achieved neither without comprising the rigidity nor without prejudicing the required fluid-tightness; furthermore, the tensions which appear in the material result in the walls of the plinths deforming after a certain time, and often the joint cover detaches itself from them.

The invention proposes to provide a joint cover capable of adapting itself to the frequent situations in which the angle which the two plinths make between themselves is not known in advance and where, consequently, adaptation of the joint cover to a particular geometrical arrangement is found to be necessary.

According to the invention, this result is achieved by reason of the fact that the two vertical walls are coupled to each other in the region of the corner common to their respective planes by a deformable portion having a thickness less than the thickness of the said walls, that the horizontal wall has at least in an angular sector, contained between the said planes, and opposite to the said deformable portion, a thickness which is small enough to permit it to be cut, and that fixing or engaging means permit the keeping one againstthe other of the neighbouring lips of the cut region in the horizontal wall.

Other interesting characteristics and features of the invention will appear in the description given below which is accompanied by the drawings, amongst which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the outer surface of the joint cover, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the inner surface of the joint cover after turning over through 1 80 , Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the joint cover after adaptation to a particular situation of two plinths, and Figure 4 shows a second method of construction.

A joint cover 22 intended to cover the gap existing between the ends of two plinths 18 and 19 is shown in figure 1; the vertical walls 1 and 2 to be applied on the corresponding vertical surfaces of these plinths are coupled on the one hand by a common portion 3 serving for coupling between these walls and, on the other hand, by a horizontal wall 4which is applied against the portions of horizontal surface of the plinth ends and extend up to the walls 20,21.

The planes P and Q containing the vertical walls 2 and 1 form between them an angle a generally equal to 900.

The fittings applied to this joint cover, which is externally similar to those known in the prior art, are disposed on the internal surfaces, as can be seen from figure 2.

Apart from the coupling means 16,17 which do not form part of the present invention, the joint cover has on its surface 3' opposite to the external surface of the common portion 3 a diminution of thickness.

As a result, the thickness (e) of this common portion is less than the thickness (d) of the vertical walls.

In the example shown, this common portion has a cylindrical shape, but a similar arrangement could be used if this common portion were reduced to a corner constituted by the intersection of the planes P and Q. In all cases, it is useful to select the thickness (e) so that the flexibility of the material can be readily made use of.

The internal surface 6,6' of the horizontal wall 4 itself has, at least in a zone 23 which is comprised between the quadrant bounded by the planes P and Q and opposite to the portion 3, a diminution of section such that its thickness (a) is less than the thickness of the remainder of the said horizontal wall. This zone 23 extends on an angular sector 5 which can vary according to the use required.

Furthermore, the thickness (a) is selected such that a simple tool, such as a pair of shears, a chisel or a cutting pincer can form a cut therein. The diminution of section at this zone thus results principally from the nature of the plastics material used to manufacture the joint cover, and it is clear that, if the material permits it, it will not be necessary to make the thickness of the remainder of the horizontal wall greater.

The internal surfaces 6 and 6' carry in zones distinct from the region 23 and in the vicinity thereof, respective tenons 8 and 7 which constitute coupling members adapted to cooperate with complementary means, represented for example by a series of openings 9,10,11,12 formed in a link 13 forming a coupling element.

This link will serve, as can be seen from figure 3, to associate the horizontal surface portions 6 and 6' by entry of the tenons into the openings, by placing it parallel thereto, and to impart to the joint cover sufficient rigidity after cutting it along the dotted lines seen in figure 2, and after the common portion 3 has been deformed.

After cutting and mounting ofthe link, the corners 14',14' which have just been cut rejoin along a common line 14 and the preceding angular portion 5 will be represented by a new portion 15 of lesser angular extent.

According to the angle which must separate the walls 1 and 2 to best follow the geometrical disposi tion of the plinths, it will be necessary to cut out portions of greater or lesser size, and to use different pairs of openings 9,10, 9,11, 9,12.

In a variation of construction illustrated in figure 4, the lips 14',14' of the cut out zone will be joined by a line of welding 24formed by the placing in contact of the said lips after a softening operation has been applied to them, either by heating (for example by the use of ultrasonics) or by the partial dissolving with the aid of an appropriate solvent.

Claims

1. A joint cover, of plastics material, for the coupling of electrical plinths, of the kind having two vertical walls to be applied respectively against vertical faces of the end of two plinths, said faces being at a predetermined angle, and a horizontal wall to cover portions of horizontal surface of said plinth ends and also the gap which separates them, said horizontal wall extending up ta the fixing walls of the plinths, characterised in that said vertical walls are coupled together in the region of the corner bounded by their respective planes by a deforrnable portion having a thickness which is less than tie thickness of said walls, and in that the horizoni al wall has, at least in an angular sector opposite to sc id deformable portion and contained between said planes, a thickness which is small enough to permit it to be cut, and in that there are provided fixing or coupling means to permit the retention one against the other of adjacent lips of the cut out zone of the horizontal wall.

2. A joint cover, as claimed in claim 1,wherein said coupling means comprise a coupling member disposed parallel to the internal surface of the horizontal wall and adapted to cooperate with complementary elements each carried by a respective one of the portions of horizontal wall lying at each side of the cut out zone.

3. Ajoint cover, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coupling member is a link having a series of openings, and wherein the complementary elements are tenons integral with the horizontal wall of the joint cover.

4. A joint cover, as claimed in claim 1,wherein said fixing means are constituted by a welded region joining the lips of the cut out zone along a common line.

5. A joint cover substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1 to 3, or figure 4, of the accompanying drawings.