Utility trench system components

摘要

Component sets installed at selected intervals along the lengths of upwardly opening, just-below-floor-level utility trenches maintain a substantially parallel-extending relationship between opposed pairs of elongate, upstanding panels that form opposite sidewalls of the utility trench. The component sets each include a pair of elongate uprights of channel-shaped cross-section, and elongate connecting members that bridge between the paired uprights. The connecting members include an upper connecting member having opposite end regions 1) that overlie portions of upper end regions of the uprights, 2) that extending downwardly into the upper end regions of the uprights, and 3) that are snugly received within the upper end regions of the uprights.

主权项

1. A component set installed at a selected location along the length of a utility trench between substantially vertical, substantially parallel-extending opposing side panels that define opposite sidewalls of the utility trench, with the component set comprising:
a) two identical, elongate, metal uprights of substantially uniform channel-shaped cross-section along substantially the full lengths of the uprights, with the uprights each having an open upper end, an open lower end, and a back wall that faces away from the back wall of the other upright and extends substantially vertically along and in engagement with an interior surface of a different one of each of the two opposing side panels; and b) an elongate, one-piece, metal, upper connecting member to extend transversely relative to the opposing side walls to bridge between and serve to connect the open upper ends of the two uprights, with the upper connecting member having an elongate central region of channel-shaped cross-section that extends substantially horizontally between substantially identically configured end regions of the upper connecting member that each is configured 1) to overlie a portion of, 2) to extend through and downwardly into, and 3) to be snugly received within the open upper end of a different one of the two metal uprights to connect the upper ends of the two metal uprights, and to hold the upper ends of the two metal uprights in spaced relationship that maintains the two opposing side panels in a spaced relationship.