US3610915A

US3610915A - Light fixture

Info

Publication number: US3610915A
Application number: US815155A
Authority: US
Inventors: Buell Moore
Original assignee: Esquire Inc
Current assignee: Esquire Inc
Priority date: 1969-04-10
Filing date: 1969-04-10
Publication date: 1971-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-05
Also published as: FR2038376A1; DE2009698A1; GB1257884A; ES378461A1; FR2038376B1; BE748674A

Abstract

A floodlight having a housing with an opening through a sidewall intermediate its oppositely facing end walls to pass a lamp into and out of the housing, and a closure removably disposable across the opening to enclose the housing. An electrical socket is mounted on one of the end walls for receiving the electrical end of the lamp, and a means is mounted on the other of the end walls to provide a face of heat insulating and cushioning material for engaging the opposite, nonelectrical end of the lamp. The mounting means for the face providing means enables the face to be moved relatively to the socket between a first position in which the opposite end of the lamp is normally engaged by the face when its electrical end is received in the socket, and a second position in which the socket and face are spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit the electrical end of the lamp to be moved into and out of the socket, There is a window area in the housing intermediate the end walls, and a reflector is swingably mounted at one end on the socket and at the other end on the means for mounting the face providing mean to permit it to be moved between selected positions on the side of the lamp opposite the window area. The housing is cubical in shape, and the window area comprises windows in adjacent sidewalls.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Buell Moore Houston,'1ex. [21] AppLNo. 815,155 [22] Filed Apr. 10, 1969 [45] Patented 5,1971 [73] Assignee Esquire, Inc.

New York, NY.

[54] LIGHT FIXTURE 14 Claims, 17 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S.Cl 240/3, 240/103, 240/25, 240/41.35 [51] 1nt.CI F21p5/00 [50] FieldotSearch 240/3,l1, 11,2,25,41,4l.35,41.6,63,64,67,780,81,103

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 314,725 3/1885 Ronner 240/36 2,642,523 6/1953 Wince 240/106X 2,745,949 5/1956 Borin.... 240/81 3,218,446 11/1965 Langer. 240/3 3,284,621 11/1966 Moore...?. 240/3 3,459,934 8/1969 Moore 240/3 FOREIGN PATENTS 240,457 9/1962 Australia 240/51.1l

Primary Examiner-John M. l-loran Assistant Examiner-T. A. Mauro Attorney-Browning, l-lyer, Eickenroth & Thompson ABSTRACT: A floodlight having a housing with an opening through a sidewall intermediate its oppositely facing end walls to pass a lamp into and out of the housing, and a closure removably disposable across the opening to enclose the housing. An electrical socket is mounted on one of the end walls for receiving the electrical end of the lamp, and a means is mounted on the other of the end walls to provide a face of heat insulating and cushioning material for engaging the opposite, nonelectrical end of the lamp. The mounting means for the face providing means enables the face to be moved relatively to the socket between a first position in which the opposite end of the lamp is normally engaged by the face when its electrical end is received in the socket, and a second position in which the socket and face are spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit the electrical end of the lamp to be moved into and out of the socket, There is a window area in the housing intermediate the end walls, and a reflector is swingably mounted at one end on the socket and at the other end on the means for mounting the face providing mean to permit it to be moved between selected positions on the side of the lamp opposite the window area. The housing is cubical in shape, and the window area comprises windows in adjacent sidewalls.

PAT ENIED 0m 5 l9?! sum 2 or 3 27 FIG.7

INVENTOR Buell Moore ATTORNEYS PATENTEU OCT 5 IQTI SHEET 3 [IF 3 FIG.

INVENTOR 1M 5 W A TTORNEYS Buell Moore FIG. 75

LIGIIT FIXTURE This invention relates generally to light fixtures. In one of its aspects, it relates to an improved fixture especially well suited for use in industrial or commercial areas. In another of its aspects, it relates to an improved adjustable floodlight.

The efficiency of a light fixture depends on the fixed disposition of its light source with respect to its reflective surface. In order to maintain this relationship in areas where the lamp would ordinarily be vibrated, it has been proposed to engage the nonelectrical end of the lamp with a face of asbestos or other heat insulating and cushioning material and thereby hold such end in a relatively fixed position. In the floodlight shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,001,060, the electrical lamp socket is carried on a well or bowl which is removably connected to the bottom wall of the housing to enable the upper end of the lamp to be moved into and out of engagement with the cushioned face on the top wall of the housing. This necessity for handling the well or bowl each time the floodlight is to be relamped can be particularly burdensome or even impossible when the floodlight is a considerable distance above ground or relatively close to the ground.

In the above-described floodlight, the entire housing is moved in order to adjust the direction of light from it. This is undesirable in those cases in which the appearances of the floodlight depends on a predetermined disposition of its housing relative to its surroundings. Also, in order to move the housing, it is necessary to mount it on a fairly large and heavy bracket, which may be located a considerable distance above ground.

An object of this invention is to provide such a floodlight or other light fixture which may be relamped without the necessity of disconnecting the lamp socket from the housing.

Another object is to provide a floodlight in which light may be directed to different areas without changing the disposition of the housing relative to its surroundings.

A more particular object is to provide such a floodlight in which light may be directed to different areas without adjustment of its housing on its support.

Yet another object is to provide a floodlight of very simplified construction for accomplishing one or more of the foregoing objects.

Yet a further object is to provide such a light fixture which may be relamped with a minimum of time and effort, and further in which the electrical socket is of conventional construction.

These and other objects are accomplished, in accordance with the illustrated embodiments of the invention, by a light fixture comprising a housing having oppositely facing walls, an opening intermediate such walls to pass a lamp, and a closure removably disposable across the opening. An electrical socket is mounted on one of said walls, and a means providing a face of heat insulating and cushioning material is mounted on the other of said walls. The means mounting one of the socket and face-providing means includes means for moving the socket and face relatively to one another between a first position in which the nonelectrical end of a lamp is engaged by the face when the electrical end of the lamp is received in a socket, and a second position in which the socket and face are spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit the electrical end of the lamp to be moved into and out of the socket together with additional means for normally maintaining the socket and face in the first position. Thus, the fixture may be relamped through the opening without the necessity of removing the electrical socket from the fixture.

In the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the socket is fixedly mounted on one end wall and the face providing means is mounted on the other end wall of the fixture for movement between the first and second positions. More particularly, the face providing means includes a pin which is axially movable within a sleeve fixed to and extending from said other end wall, and a spring urges the face providing means away from its adjacent end wall.

In accordance with another novel aspect of the present invention, the fixture is an adjustable floodlight, there is a window area in the housing intermediate its end walls, and a reflector is mounted in the housing for swinging about an axis generally aligned with that of the lamp betweendifferent positions on the side of the lamp opposite the window area. Thus, light may be directed to a desired area merely upon swinging of the reflector and without the necessity of adjusting the position of the housing. More particularly, in the preferred embodiments of the invention, one end of the reflector is pivotally mounted on the socket and the other end of the reflector is pivotally mounted on the means mounting the face-providing means.

In accordance with a still further novel aspect of the present invention, the outer shape of the housing is symmetrical from one end wall to the other, and preferably cubical, to enhance its appearance. The window area of the housing comprises first and second windows in each of two adjacent sidewalls, respectively, and means are provided for supporting the housing with the windows in at least three different positions relative to the ground surface, while at the same time maintaining the vertical and horizontal orientation of the walls of the housing relative to the ground surface. Thus, the housing may be supported with the first window at the top or with the first window at the side and the second window either at the top or bottom.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are designated by like parts: 7

FIG. I is a perspective view of the fixture housing arranged and supported in a position for directing light toward the ground;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the fixture housing arranged and supported in a position for directing light to a high wall surface;

FIG. 3 is still another perspective view of the fixture housing and arranged and supported in a position for directing light to a low wall surface;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the fixture housing and the support therefor shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of the support and a part of the top of the housing, as seen along broken lines 4A-4A of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the fixture housing and the support therefor shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5A is a bottom plan view of the support shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fixture housing, as seen along broken line 6-6 of FIG. 7, and with a window in the lower sidewall shown by broken lines in its open position;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the fixture housing, as seen along broken lines 7-7 of of FIG. 6, and with the lamp in its operative position between the socket and face;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but during removal from orinsertion of the lamp with respect to the socket;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the fixture housing, as seen along broken lines 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged detailed view of a latch for holding the swinging window of FIG. 6 in closed position;

FIGS. I 1 through 13 are vertical sectional views of another light fixture and having a modified reflector shown in different positions within the housing;

FIG. 14 is another vertical sectional view of the fixture of FIGS. 11 to 13, but taken along broken lines I4--l4 of FIG. I I; and

FIG. 15 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the housing of the fixture of FIGS. 11 to I 4, as seen along broken lines 15-15 of FIG. 14.

With reference now to the details of the above-described drawings, the overall fixture, which is indicated in its entirety by reference character 20, includes a cubical housing 21 supported in a desired orientation with respect to the ground surface by a fitter 21A on a mast 21B (FIGS. 1, 4 and 4A) or a fitter 21C on a mast 21D (FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 5A). The housing comprises a skeleton frame 22 made up of elongate frame members along each corner edge of the housing, and end

walls

23A and 23B and sidewalls 24A, 24B, 24C, and 24D carried within and filling the openings in the housing defined by adjacent frame members so as to enclose the housing in weathertight relation.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, substantially the entire sidewall 24A and a portion of the sidewall 24B adjacent the sidewall 24A comprise first and second windows, respectively, which provide a relatively large area of window intermediate the end walls 23A and 238 through which light is directed from a lamp mounted within the housing. Each of the remaining portion of sidewall 248, as well as sidewalls 24C and 24D and end

walls

23A and 23B, are solid, nontransparent panels.

In each of the three positions of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the

end walls

23A and 23B are disposed vertically so as to maintain the symmetry of the overall housing with respect to the ground surface and its surroundings. At the same time, however, light may be directed to the different areas by supporting the sidewalls and thus the windows of the housing in different ways relative to the ground surface.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, with the first and larger window in the wall 24A on the front of the housing (facing away from its support) and the second and smaller window in the wall 248 on the bottom of the housing, light is directed downwardly. When the larger window is instead on top and the smaller window on the front of the housing, as shown in FIG. 2, light is directed upwardly at a steep angle. In the third position of the housing, as shown in FIG. 3, the larger window is on the front, as in FIG. I, but the smaller window is on the top of the housing so as to direct the light upwardly at a shallow angle.

The mast 21B is relatively tall to support the housing 21 a substantial distance above the ground surface, whereby light is directed to a large area of such surface in the FIG. 1 position of the housing. On the other hand, the mast 21D is relatively short to support the housing near the ground surface in its FIGS. 2 and 3 positions, whereby light may be directed to large areas of the upper and lower portions of the building wall. The fitter 21A on mast 21B connects to' the top of the housing, while the fitter 21C on mast 21B connects to the bottom of the housing, so that, in any case, the fitter is usually not seen.

The fitter 21A includes an arm A connected to the mast 21B and an arm 25B connected to the arm 25A by a vertical pivot pin 25C and releasably connected to the top wall 24D of of the housing. Thus, upon swinging of arm 258 about pin 25C, the housing may be adjusted about a vertical axis. The fitter 21C is pivotally mounted to the upper end of mast 21D and releasably connected at its other end to the bottom and one sidewall of the housing. In either case, the fitter may swing on the mast to adjust the housing about a vertical housing.

As shown in the drawings, an inner wall 27 extends within the housing between the

sidewalls

24B and 24D as well as between the end walls 23A and 233. This divides the interior of the housing into a lamp compartment 28 and a ballast compartment 29. The inclusion of the ballast in the cubical housing adds to its appearance inasmuch as it avoids the need for exterior protrusions on the housing to receive the ballast. The outer edges of the inner wall 27 are suitably connected to

intermediate frame members

30 and 31 of the housing. As shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 3, the frame member 30 separates the small window from the partial panel on the sidewall 248. On the other hand, the frame members 31 are on the inside of panels of the

walls

23A, 23B and 24D.

As best shown in each of FIGS. 9 and 15, a lamp 32 has its threaded electrical end received within a threaded electrical socket 33 fixedly mounted on end wall 23A by means of a flange 34 bolted or otherwise secured to the wall. The opposite nonelectrical end of the lamp 32 has a protuberance 35 which is engaged by the inner, cup-shaped side of a disc 36; More particularly, the inner side of the disc 36 has a face formed of a layer 37 of asbestos or other heat-insulating and cushioning material. In this normally extended position, the

face 37 thus holds thenonelectricalend of the'la mp'in the.

desired axial position within the fixture housing, despite vibrations which might otherwise move the lamp out of its predetermined position.

The face 37 is movable from its extended position to a retracted position in which it is spaced from the socket a distance sufficient to permit the electrical end of the lamp to be moved into or out of the socket 33. For this latter purpose, a pin 38 extends from the rear side of the disc 36 and is received within the inner end of a sleeve 39 having a threaded outer end which extends through the end wall 233 and is secured thereto by a threaded cap 40.

More particularly, the pin 38 is axially slidable within the sleeve 39 between its extended position, where further outward movement is limited by an enlargement on the end of the pin, and its retracted position, in which further inward movement is limited by engagement of the enlargement with the end wall 238 of the housing. The pin is urged outwardly so as to normally maintain the face 37 in its extended position, in which it engages the nonelectrical end of the lamp 32, by means of a coil spring 41 which surrounds the pin 39 and is compressed between the inner end of the sleeve 39 and the outer side of the disc 36.

As shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, the smaller window forming part of the sidewall 24B of the fixture housing is pivotally connected at 42A to the frame of the housing adjacent the sidewall 24A so as to permit it to be swung between positions opening and closing an opening through the wall 245. It is held in closed position by a latch 428 on inner frame member 30 so as to enclose fixture in weatherproof fashion. However, when the window is in open position, the lamp 32 may be moved into and out of the interior of the housing through the opening in the wall 248. As shown in FIG. I0, the latch 428 comprises a disc rotatably mounted on frame member 30 and having one side relieved so as to permit the window to move by it.

Thus, in relamping the fixture, it is merely necessary to swing the window to open position, move the face 37 to its retracted position, and, as shown in FIG. 8, unscrew the lamp 32 and move it through the opening. The new lamp may of course then be installed in the fixture merely upon an obvious reversal of these steps.

The fixture shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 and 11 to 15 are identical to one another except for the swinging reflector mounted in the housing 21 of each. In any case, the reflector 43 for the first mentioned fixture as well as the reflector 44 for the second mentioned fixture are similar in that each is made up of horizontally extending

strips

45 and 51 which are curved about an axis or axes perpendicular to the axis of the lamp.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the reflector 43 is bent inwardly along its midportion aligned with the focal point of the enlarged portion of the lamp 32. A reflector of this construction is adapted to reflect the light from lamp 32 as a wide beam.

As previously described, the reflector 43 is also swingably mounted on the socket 33 and the sleeve 39 so as to permit it to be swung to different positions about the longitudinal axis of the lamp. This, of course, together with the orientation of the housing, directs light to difierent areas, as will be described more fully in connection with FIGS. l0 to 12. More particularly, this adjustment in the direction of light can be made without disturbing the connection of the housing as a whole to its supporting mast.

Thus, as best shown in FIG. 9, a sleeve 48 is received through a hole in an end panel 46 of the reflector 43 and welded thereto. This sleeve is in turn pivotally received about the cylindrical outer side of the socket 33. There is also a sleeve 49 received through a hole in the end panel 47 of the reflector welded thereto. This latter sleeve is in turn pivotally received about the sleeve 39, so that both ends of the reflector 43 are swingable about the axis of the lamp 32. The reflector may be maintained in a desired position by means of a setscrew 50 received through the sleeve 48 for movement into and out'of engagementwith the socket 33.

The reflector 44 is curved about a single axis perpendicular to the axis of the lamp and having its focal point coinciding with that of the enlarged portion of the lamp 32. More particularly, the ends of the bent strips 51 are received within castings at each end of the reflector. A sleeve 52 is received through a hole cut in one end of the reflector and welded thereto. This sleeve is, similarly to the sleeve 48, pivotally mounted about the socket 33. Another sleeve 53 received through a hole cut in the other end of the reflector is welded to the strips. This sleeve is pivotally mounted on the sleeve 39.

The reflector44 may be swung to several different positions, such as that shown in FIG. 12, in which it is generally vertical for directing substantially all of the light through the large window 24A. On the other hand, the reflector 44 may be swung downwardly to the position of FIG. 13, wherein the upper end of the reflector is adapted to engage the sidewall 24A, so as to direct the light partially through each of the

windows

24B and 24A. In a further position intermediate that of FIGS. 12 and 13, and as shown in FIG. 1 l, the reflector directs proportionately more light through the window 24A and less light through the window 248.

Although the reflector 43 is shown in only one position, it obviously may be adjusted into different positions, similarly to the reflector 44.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed with reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lclaim:

1. A light fixture, comprising a housing having oppositely facing walls, an opening intermediate the oppositely facing walls to pass a lamp to and from the interior of the housing, and a closure removably disposable across the opening, an electrical socket for receiving the electrical end of the lamp, means mounting said socket on one of said oppositely facing walls. means providing a face of heat insulating and cushioning material for engaging the opposite end of the lamp, and means mounting said face providing means on the other of said oppositely facing walls, the mounting means for one of said socket and face providing means including means for moving said socket and face relatively to one another with respect to the wall on which it is mounted between a first position in which said opposite end of the lamp is engaged by said face when said electrical end of the lamp is received in said socket and a second position in which said socket and face are spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit said electrical end of the lamp to be moved into and out of said socket, and means for normally maintaining said socket and face in said first position.

2. A light fixture as described in claim 1, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, and a reflector carried at one end on the mounting means for said one of said socket and face providing means and at its other end on the other of said socket and face providing means and extending therebetween on the side of the lamp opposite the said window area.

3. A light fixture as described in claim 2, wherein said mounting means for said one of said socket and face providing means includes a sleeve fixed to and extending from said other oppositely facing wall, said one of said socket and face providing means is axially movable within said sleeve, and said one end of the reflector is carried on said sleeve.

4. A light fixture of the type described in claim 1, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, a reflector and means swingably mounting one end of the reflector on the mounting means for said one of said socket and face-providing means and the other end of the reflector on the other of said socket and face-providing means for movement between selected positions on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

5. A light fixture of the type described in claim 4, wherein said one of said socket and face-providing means is axially movable within said sleeve, and said one end of the reflector is carried on said sleeve, and said one end of the reflector is swingably mounted on the sleeve.

6. A light fixture, comprising a housing having oppositely facing walls, an opening intermediate the oppositely facing walls to pass a lamp to and from the interior of the housing, and a closure removably disposable across the opening, an electrical socket mounted on one of said oppositely facing walls for receiving the electrical end of the lamp, means providing a face of heat-insulating and cushioning material for engaging the opposite end of the lamp, and means mounting said face providing means on the other of said oppositely facing walls for movement with respect to said other wall between a first position in which it engages when said one end of the lamp is received in said socket and a second position in which it is spaced apart from said socket a distance sufficient to permit said one end of the lamp to be moved into and out of said socket, said mounting means including means for maintaining said face in said first position.

7. A light fixture as described in claim 6, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, and a reflector carried at one end on said mounting means and at its other end on said socket and extending therebetween on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

8. A light fixture as described in claim 6, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, a reflector, means swingably mounting one end of the reflector on said mounting means and the other end of the reflector on said socket for movement between selected positions on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

9. A light fixture as described in claim 6, wherein said face providing means includes a pin, and said mounting means comprises a sleeve fixed to and extending from said other oppositely facing wall to receive the pin for axial movement therein, and a spring urging said face providing means away from said other oppositely facing wall.

10. A light fixture as described in claim 9, wherein said spring surrounds the pin and acts between said face-providing means and said sleeve.

1 l. A light fixture, as described in claim 10, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, and a reflector carried at one end on said socket and at the other end on said sleeve extending therebetween on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

12. A light fixture as described in claim 10, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, and a reflector, means swingably mounting one end of the reflector on said socket and the other end of the reflector on said sleeve for movement between selected positions on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

13. A light fixture, comprising a housing having oppositely facing walls and a window area intermediate the oppositely facing walls, an electrical socket for receiving the electrical end of a lamp, means mounting said socket on one of said oppositely facing walls, means providing a face of heat insulating and cushioning material for engaging the opposite end of the lamp, means mounting said face providing means on the other of said oppositely facing walls, a reflector, and means swingably mounting one end of the reflector on the mounting means for the socket and the other end of the reflector on the mounting means for the face providing means for movement between selected positions on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

14. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 13, wherein said housing includes four sidewalls intermediate the the housing with the window area in at least two different positions while maintaining said oppositely facing walls in the same horizontal and vertical orientation.

Claims

1. A light fixture, comprising a housing having oppositely facing walls, an opening intermediate the oppositely facing walls to pass a lamp to and from the interior of the housing, and a closure removably disposable across the opening, an electrical socket for receiving the electrical end of the lamp, means mounting said socket on one of said oppositely facing walls, means providing a face of heat insulating and cushioning material for engaging the opposite end of the lamp, and means mounting said face providing means on the other of said oppositely facing walls, the mounting means for one of said socket and face providing means including means for moving said socket and face relatively to one another with respect to the wall on which it is mounted between a first position in which said opposite end of the lamp is engaged by said face when said electrical end of the lamp is received in said socket and a second position in which said socket and face are spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit said electrical end of the lamp to be moved into and out of said socket, and means for normally maintaining said socket and face in said first position.

11. A light fixture, as described in claim 10, including a window area in the housing intermediate the oppositely facing walls, and a reflector carried at one end on said socket and at the other end on said sleeve extending therebetween on the side of the lamp opposite said window area.

14. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 13, wherein said housing includes four sidewalls intermediate the oppositely facing walls, and said window area has portions facing in directions away from each of two adjacent sidewalls, and wherein said fixture also includes means for supporting the housing with the window area in at least two different positions while maintaining said oppositely facing walls in the same horizontal and vertical orientation.