US3101178A - Electric lighting fixture - Google Patents

Aug; 20, 1963 O. G. YOUNG

ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE

2 Sheets-

Sheet

2 Filed June 30, 1960 i V Elia! INVENTOR 0R VAL G. Yo u/v United States Patent 'jO 3,101,178 ELECTREC LIGHTING FIXTURE Orval G. Young, 3691 Mission St South San Francisco ll), Calif.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective end view taken at a hanger bracket connection shown in FIG- r" we

v

2

URE

4 as connecting the base and reflector elements of the fixture. i

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view taken Hfrom the

line

8--8 in FIGURE 3.

Essentially, .a present light fixture comprises a unitary assembly i t-utilizing one-onmo're electrically

energizable luminescentlamp tubes

15 with an associated lamp-energizing

ballast unit

16 for' the lamps, and including an elongated base or

chassis element

17 0f channelcross-section adapted for its supported mounting on and beneath a ceiling or other overhead support overlying a space to be illuminated and with its open side down, and" arranged for the mutually independent and replaceable support thereby of the

lamp tubes

15 and of the ballast l6 and of a

reflector element

18 which is operative to distribute the light emanating from the tubes l5v within a light diffusing

shade element

19 which is replaceably carried by and from the mounted reflector element in underlying relationthereto. As' comprising a feature of particular present interest and importance, each of the primary fixture "elements comprising the

chassis

17 and

reflector

18 and

shade

19 are arranged'iior'their provision as cut-off portions of generally trough-shaped continuous strips of uniform cross-section which may be suitably and appropriately formed of metallic or non-metallic material.

the

present base element

17 has a flat web portion'21 of uniform thickness and

width connecting flanges

22 of like complementary cross-sectiondepending transversely and integrally from the web side edges and cooperative with the web to define a ballast-mounting channel space 23 of uniform cross-section above the plane of the bottom channel edge. Generally similar hanger elements. 2 4- and 25 of channel section are provided for the cooperative use of two or more of them with a

base element

17 to i support the latter from a ceiling or other overhead support structure (not shown) in a relatively adjusted relationof the elements longitudinally thereof. As particu larly shown, the han-

ger'elernents

24 and 25 are arranged to independently receive a

base element

17 in spanning relation thereto, and said hanger elements'comprise upper web-

plate portions

26 of rectangular outline having complementar-ily like

flanges

27 depending from opposite sides thereof and arranged for-their supporting connection with the

flanges

22 of the

base element

17 in a manner to at lea-stinitially permit relative and mutuallyfindependent longitudinal adjustmentsof said hanger elements with respect to a supported

base element

17. 1

For a reason to'be herei after brought out, the

web plate

26 of ahanger

element

25 is shown as of substantially square outlinewhile the web plate of a hanger ele ment 24 may be somewhat shorter. Also,

integral end parts

2 6 of the

hanger element plates

26 are directed obliquely downwardly between the

side flanges

27, and the v) to and spaced below the plane of the

web

26, whereby to define a clearance space between the

web

26 and the opposed upper face of the web '21 of a supported

base element

17 while providing relatively rigid

hanger ele ments

24 and 25 of minimum weight.

As shown, the flat intermediate portion of the web-'

plate

26 of a

hanger element

24 is provided with a central circular opening 280: arranged for the upward extension therethrough of a plate-supporting hanger rod (not shown), and said plate portion is further provided with smaller

circular openings

28b for the direct application of supporting bolts, or the like, upwardly therethrough with supporting heads or nuts of the rods or bolts disposed in the clearance space defined between the web of a hanger element and the supported base element. Also, and as shown, a

longer hanger element

25 has its

web portion

26 provided witha

central hole

29a which is larger than the

corresponding hole

28a of the

hanger

24 and is provided with bolt-receiving

slots

2% corresponding to the

holes

28b of a

hanger element

24 and arranged for use in supporting the element from a conventional outlet box or other support. When the

hanger element

25 is mounted at an appropriate point of an overhead support structure, the

web portion

21 of the underlying base element may be provided, as by the use of a hole saw, with a

hole

21a registering with the

hole

29a to provide for the extension through said registered

holes

21a and 29a of wires W-l supplying power to the ballast assembly '16 which is arranged to energize socket-carried lamptubes through wires W2 leading thereto from said ballast assembly-see FIGURE 12.

It will now be particularly noted that the depending

flanges

27 of the

hanger elements

24 or 25 are formed and arranged for their supporting connection with the opposed

base element flanges

22 through the cooperation with and between said flanges of

key members

31 complementarily engaged in and between opposed

longitudinal dovetail grooves

32 and 33 of uniform cross-section extending oppositely and transversely from the mutually opposed face portions of the respective flanges in an upright plane. As particularly shown, the

grooves

32 and 33 are respectively provided in

portions

34 and 35 of the

flanges

27 and 22 wihch are transversely offset outwardly and inwardly from flat inner and outer faces of the respective flanges. Preferably, and most simply, the opposed said grooves are of like trapezoidal cross-section having their opposable ope-n sides of like width for their mutual registration to cooperatively define full dovetail spaces in which the complementarily formed

keys

31 are arranged to slidably fit. In the present assembly, the grooves defining a said key-receiving space are of isosceles trapezoid cross-section of like depth whereby a

key

3 1 to fit the keying space so defined has parallel side faces connecting edge grooves of isosceles triangle section, and such a key is symmetrical to the common plane defined as connectin the'apices of the V-grooves.

A means is preferably provided for releasably retaining a

key

31 in set operative engagement between each

hanger flange

26 and the corresponding supported

base element

17. As particularly shown in FIGURES l and 7, the

keys

31 are somewhat longerthan the grooves of the hanger flanges receiving them, and said keys are openatively disposable with the opposite ends thereof simultaneously extended from the mounting hanger flange and provided with transverse L-

shaped slots

38 extending from side edge points of the key. The

keys

31 are arranged for the insertion of the bitof a screwdriver or like tool (not shown) in the longitudinal portions of one or both of the

key slots

38 for a cam-action twisting of the bit to laterally expand the key end thereat for locking the positioned key end in frictional engagement wtih the opposed key-receiving

grooves

22 and 27 of the base and hanger flanges, such a securing of a

key

31 to and between the flanges being provided for by forming the key of an appropriately malleable metallic or other suitable material. It

v will be understood that a key =31 which has been installed in its operative relation to and between the flanges in the indicated, or other manner, initially functions to interlock the engaged flanges against relative transverse and lateral movements thereof, and thereafter prevents relative longitudinal adjustments or" the flanges after the key has been fixed in place by laterally expanding at a

slot

38 of one or both key ends.

Preferably, and as shown, the

offset

35 of each flange 22' is spaced slightly below the

web

21 of the

corresponding base element

17 to define mutually opposed

grooves

39 having their upper and lower sides defined respectively by the web and by oblique faces provided by the upper edges of the

offsets

35, and the

semi-dovetail grooves

39 thus defined are advantageously utilizable for releasably mounting the

ballast assembly

16 of a usual character within the space 23 of the base element .17, such a ballast assembly '16 being presently represented by its

rectangular housing

41 having ears 41' extending oppositely as end extensions of the flat casing wall which is disposable against the inner face of the

base element web

21. Accordingly, the present ballast assembly is arranged for its adjusted mounting in and along the channel space 23 by the application of leaf-

spring clips

42 between the continuous

uniform grooves

39 while said clips are sprung over and against the

ears

4 1 of the

ballast housing

41. Furthermore, the

semi-dovetail grooves

39 may receive the ends of other similarly

operative clips

43 which are sprung into place between them and may be utilized to hold the wires W'1 and/ or W-2 in place against the

web

21 after the

ballast assembly

16 has been disposed where desired in the base element space 23.

By particular reference to FIGURES 4 to 8 inclusive, it will now be noted that the outer flange faces of the

base element

17 have lower portions thereof which extend below the

flange grooves

33 and upwardly from

bottom flange portions

45 which extend transversely outwardly from the planes of said faces and provide at their inner sides opposed uniform

longitudinal grooves

46. As shown, said'lower

portions

45 of the

base flanges

22 extend as transverse ofr'sets of said flanges and are disposable beneath the lower ends of the

offsets

34 provided by the,

bottom portions of the base-

mounting hanger flanges

26, and the

grooves

46 of said offsets are defined between flat upper and lower faces which are respectively perpendicular to and extend obliquely downwardly from the planes of the flange faces defining their inner edges and are connected by flat inner faces which are parallel to said plane. V-grooves 47 are provided in the lower portions of the

upper flange offsets

35 which provide the

keying grooves

33, with said grooves 47 defined between fiat inner faces extending obliquely upwardly and outwardly from bottom edges defined at the inner faces of the-offsets '35 and in the planes of the top faces of the

offsets

45, the other faces of the grooves 47 being flat and coplanar with the inner faces of the

grooves

33.

It. will now be particularly noted that the

grooves

46 and 47 of the

flanges

22 of the

base element

17 are arranged for their cooperative use in independently mounting on the

base element sockets

49 for the

lamp tubes

15 and the

reflector element

18 and the

shade element

19 by utilizing like T-

shaped brackets

51 which are relatively short longitudinally of the

element

17, and are of a general T section. As particularly shown, a

bracket element

51 has a

tongue portion

52 of uniform crosssection which is formed for its close engagement with and between the

grooves

46 and 47 of a

base element flange

22 whereby to [mount the bracket on said base flange while preventing its rotation with respect thereto. In the present structure, the

tongue

52 provides an

upper V edge

53 for complementary engagement in and along the V-groove 47 and has a uniform rib portion 54 extending intermediately from its outer side and providing a lower V edge 55 for complementari'ly engaging in and along the bottom V-groove portion of the

groove

46. For

reasons to be hereinafter brought out, the top face of the rib portion 54 of the tongue '52 is spaced from the upper side of the

groove

46 by a distance substantially equal to the depth of the latter groove, whereby an open space or passage 56 of uniform cross-section is defined along and between the upper rib side and the opposed portion of the upper groove side.

In the present structure, the

tongue

52 of each

bracket

51 extends integrally and transversely from and across a

plate extension

57 which is directed transversely outwardly from and substantially perpendicular to the

tongue

52 and has its upper face portion immediately adjacent the tongue base arranged for its flat engagement with the under edge of the offset 45 of the

base flange

22 in an arrangement in which the

tongue

52 and the

plate

57 are cooperative to transversely and laterally interlock said tongue and flange. From a point of the tongue adjacent its base at its inner side, a

flat plate portion

58 extends obliquely downwardly and inwardly of the tongue '52 and this plate is shown as making an angle of substantially sixty degrees with the plane of the

extension

57 and suitably and fixedly mounts the

base portion

49 of a

lamp socket member

49 thereon, with the terminals of the socket directed toward the other end of the

base element

17 when, as is shown,

cooperative brackets

51 are mounted at the ends of the base element.

It will be noted that, in terms of a cross-section thereof, a

bracket unit

51 may be considered as having a general T-beam section with its

tongue part

52 comprising the web of the section while the

parts

57 and 58 comprise angularly related flanges thereof in which the laterally spaced and obliquely directed

flanges

58 are arranged to position a lamp tube carried by the sockets thereon inappropriate cooperative position opposite and below reflecting facesprovided by a

reflector element

18 mounted on the part 5 7 of the

bracket

51, while the

flange portions

22 of the

base element

17 may mount

brackets

51 at or adjacent the extreme ends thereof. In the event that a

flange

22 of a

base element

17 is longer than

available lamp tubes

15 to be mounted thereon, back-to-back pairs of

lamp socket members

49 may be mounted on the flange at one or more appropriate intermediate points along the flange and between the end socket members for mounting a desired number of lamp tubes on the base flange. Also,

socket members

49 appropriately positioned on and along a

base flange

22 are preferably fixed in position thereon to comprise, in effect, integral portions of the mounting flange; accordingly, the present one-

piece brackets

51 may be formed of an appropriately malleable metallic or other suitable material whereby they may be readily fixed in adjusted position on a mounting

flange

22 by appropriately pinching them to the received flange portions at their

grooves

46 and/or 47.

it will now be noted that the extending

part

57 of each

bracket element

51 is provided with a means for releasably and supportedly fixing the

reflector element

18 to the bracket. As shown, each

bracket element part

57 has a flat

inner portion

61 extending from the base of its

tongue part

52 and connected to an upwardly offset

flat portion

6?. extending in a plane parallel to the

portion

61 and provided at its free side edge with an

upstanding flange portion

63. The

portions

61 and 62 of the

bracket part

58 are lapped and spaced at their mutual juncture and are integrally connected by a

uniform web

64 extending upwardly between the outer edge of the

portion

61 to a point of the

portion

62 outwardly of the inner edge thereof to define thereat a

uniform groove

65 between the portions. An

interior slot

66 is provided through the

inner portion

61 of each

bracket

51 between the

groove

65 and the part of the

portion

61 which is disposable opposite the lower edge of a bracket-mounting

flange

22, and the

present reflectorbrackets

51 are shown utilizedat opposite ends of each

base flange

22.

With reference to the structure of the

reflector element

18, it will be noted that this element is shown as formed from an original blank strip of uniform crosssection and includes mutually

coplanar side parts

67 connected by a generally arched part, and having up- Wardly-directed

flanges

69 at the outer edges of the

parts

67, with the latter flanges spaced to fittedly receive between them the

flanges

63 of the

parts

58 of all

bracket elements

51 mounted on the

base element flanges

22. The reflector element 18' is arranged for the fitted engagement of end portions of its

side parts

67 against the under side of the

portions

61 with each

bracket element

51 at its ends, and, accordingly, is appropriately notched out from its extremities to freely receive the portions '61 and

webs

64 of each of the

bracket elements

51 mounted on the

base element

17, whereby the

parts

67 may be secured flat against the under faces of the

bracket portions

62 by a suitable means, While the arched recarried lamp sockets within its ends.

Since all portions of the under faces of the

reflector element

18 are disposed above the lamps of a present fixture assembly for intercepting light directed upwardly from the lamps, such faces are preferably provided with reflective surfaces which may comprise a light-reflecting and diffusing enamel coating. Also, and as particularly shown, the arched part of the

reflector element

18 has

flat portions

71 and 72 extending in order from a central bottom edge line of the reflector to a right-angled

corner

73 defined by horizontal and upright sides respectiveiy connecting the

reflector portions

72. to the

parts

67 and arranged to simultaneously and fittedly receive the lower edge portions of the

base flanges

22 in said corners for centering the

mounted element

1 8 beneath and with respect to the

flanges

22 while the cut-

back reflector parts

67 are coplanar with the

bracket portions

61, it being understood that the present reflector element is laterally rigidified between its ends by reason of its angled cross-section.

As disclosed, the means for releasably securing the ends of the

reflector element

18 to the

bracket elements

51 essentially comprises

similar catch members

74 which are slidably :and retainedly mounted on the upper sides of the

portions

61 of each of the

brackets

51 and are projectib'le ras bolts from under said portions to dispose extending end parts thereof beneath the mutually opposed cut-back end portions of the

parts

67 of the

reflector element

18 for the cooperative support of the element from the brackets. By particular reference to FIGURE 7, it will be noted that a

present catch member

74 essentially comprises a flat U-bend of resilient wire or the like having its bend portion 75 connecting

coplanar arm portions

76 and 77 directed longitudinally inwardly from the outer edges of the

bracket portions

61 and biased for their urged mutual separation, with the

arm

76 engaged in and along the

groove

65 which is provided along the spacing

web

64, connecting the inner and

outer portions

61 and 62 of the

bracket part

58. A

transverse end extension

78 of the catch arm 77 extends thnough the

slot

66 and terminates below the bracket in a

handle loop

79 which is arranged for its engagement by a persons fingers for freeing the extension from its normal pressure engagement with the side of the slot which is furthest from the groove-held

arm

76 and simultaneously moving the

catch member

74 between limiting positions in which the

extension

78 is disposed at opposite ends of the

slot

66.

For positively maintaining a

catch member

74 in said limiting operative and inoperative positions thereof, each

slot

66 is provided at its outer and inner ends with

side notches

81 extending away fromthe

groove

65 receiving the

extension

78 of the catch :

arm

76, and the

notches

81 are arranged to selectively receive the

catch extension

78, whereby to normally prevent longitudinal shifting movements of the

catch member

74 between its limiting positions thereof as determined by the engagement of the

extension

78 in a

side notch

81 of the slot. Preferably, and as shown, the engagement of the unnotched portion of a

part

67 of the

reflector element

18 with the under side of the

corresponding bracket part

61 is arranged to dispose the notched-out end portion of the

reflector part

67 immediately above the zone of action of the

catch member

74, as determined by the height of the offset provided by the

web

64 which connects the inner and

outer portions

61 and 62 of each

bracket

51, whereby an appropriate displacement of the spring-biased catch arm '77 toward the catch arm 7 6 and a longitudinal shifting of the

catch member

74 by the use of the

handle

79 while the

reflector element

18 is disposed in its interfitted relation to the

brackets

51, may secure or release the element with respect to the

brackets

51 and the

base element

17 which carries the brackets.

The

shade element

19 is arranged for its support from the base-mounted

brackets

51 in fixed underlying relation to the opaque reflector element l8,1and is cooperative with the latter to define a

space

83 enclosing the lamp tubes for a diffused discharge of the light emitted by the tubes through and from the bottom and sides of the shade element. As shown, the

element

19 essentially comprises a unitary assembly of general channelcross-section having its Web portion lowermost and comprising a rectangular pane 3'4, upwardly-extending and

complementary side members

85 cooperatively carrying the pane at their bottoms and engageable at their tops with the

brackets

51 to support the element assembly from said brackets, and

members

86 fittedly and fixedly capping the ends of the pane-and-side assembly and unitarily engaging said pane and side members to complete the

element

19 in a unitary structure having its pane and side members of the same length as the reflector element. The

pane

34 preferably has a transparent prismatic formation such that light passing therethrough from the

space

33 is so diffused that it does not show the parts in or bounding said space, the

side members

85 are preferably of a translucent light-diffusing material, and the

side members

85 and capping

members

86 are preferably of malleable materials for facilitating a fabrication of the

unitary shade element

19.

In the present structure, the

side members

85 have mutually inturned

bottom flanges

87 providing

edge grooves

87 for opposed coplanar disposition and arranged to retainedly receive the side edges of the

pane

34, and said side members have inturned L-shaped

upper flanges

88 providing

coplanar portions

88 at the top of the member and depending

inner edge portions

88 having their lower edges coplanar and arranged for their elementsupporting seatmg on the

parts

58 of the

brackets

51 adjacent their

terminal flanges

63 of said bracket parts. Also, a present capping member 36 comprises a one-piece

flat plate part

89 of U-shaped outline provided with integra-l and similarly-directed

transverse bounding flanges

39' and 89" along the inner and outer edges of the

part

89 for cooperatively providing a channel space which is arranged to receive the opposed ends of the mutually connected

pane

84 and

side members

85. Since said

side members

85 and the capping

members

86 are of malleable materials, a pinched-on fixing of the

pane

84 in the

grooves

87 of the

flanges

87 of the

side members

85 and a gripping of the side members attheir flanges within the

flange

89 of the capping member are provided for.

It will now be noted that, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2 and 3 and 11, an aligned plurality of the

present lighting fixtures

14 may be mounted on an overhead ceiling or other overlying support with adjacent fixtures having their ends secured in mutual abutting relation by the joint use of one hanger plate 2-4- spanning their common plane of abutment as a connecting element. While a present fixture assembly installed alone or comprising an end fixture of a line of the fixtures may have its firee ends, or

end, emanating light longitudinally of the fixture and from the

space

83 defined between its reflector and

shade elements

18 and 19, the fixture may obviously have such an end thereof fully closed by a rectangular plate member (not shown) replacing a

present capping member

86 and bounded by a continuous transverse flange corresponding to the

outer flange

89" of said capping member 8'6 and grippedly engaging the sides of the shade element which mounts it.

Particularly with plural assemblies of the present fixture units, the inner portions of the longitudinal spaces or ducts 56 which are defined between the upper sides of the tongue ribs 54* and the upper sides of the

grooves

46 at a fixture end may be utilized to mount a

conductorcarrying bracket loop

91 by receiving

terminal mountingstem portions

92 of the loop which is shaped of wire or the ike and is particularly adapted and arranged to supportedly receive the conductor wires which supply power to the ballast assemblies associated with the fixture of the line to which the power wires W-l run. On the other hand, the fixture space defined between the

base element

17 and the

reflector element

18 may be suitably sealed at an end thereof which is otherwise open, as by a plate member (not shown) which is engaged with and against the coplanar ends of the base and reflector elements i7 and 18 and of the socket sides in said plane for dust-sealing thereat the below-reflector space so closed, and a latter said plate member may be conveniently mounted on the bracket and base assembly by means of screws engaged in the outer end portion of the space 56 which would be suitably threaded for mounting such screws.

2. The structure of

claim

1 in which the grooves of the opposed flanges of the hanger and base members are cooperative in an upright plane, and the cross-section of the flange-connecting keying member is complementary to the key-receiving space jointly provided by and between the opposed flange grooves whereby the flanges are engaged by the installed keying member for relative longitudinal adjusting movements thereof in said upright plane and against a transverse separating movement'with respect to each other for the support of the base member from the hanger member.

3. The structure of

claim

1 in which the releasable flange-connecting key member engaging opposed said flange grooves in longitudinal flange-engaging and Ion- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,363,405 Eichelberger Nov. 21, 1944 2,694,775. Florence Nov. 16, 1954 2,728,595 Wong Dec. 27, 1955 2,734,995 Lenze et al Feb. 14, 1956 2,810,941 Mainieri Oct. 29, 1957 2,863,185 1958 Reidi Dec. 9,