US1817543A - Electrode box - Google Patents

Description

- Aug. 4, 1931.- F. A. CIRAOLO 1,317,543

. ELECTRODE BOX Filed Dec. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g- 4, 9 F. A. CIRAOLO 1,817,543

ELECTRODE Box Filed Dec. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FERDINAND A. CIBAOLO, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB or ONE-HALF 'ro JOHN s. BASHER, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA ELECTRODE BOX Application filed December 12, 1927. Serial No. 238,507.

' My invention relates in general to terminal boxes and more particularly to boxes for enshrouding and supporting the terminal or electrode end of vapor illuminating tubes generally used for lighting effects.

An object of prime importance of my invention is to provide for the longitudinal adjustment of the box with respect to the supporting surface therefor.

Another object of importance is the provision of means for gravitationally supporting the electrode in the box in a manner assuring that the electrode will be insulatingly free of contact with the walls of the box, and preferably supported parallel to the sides of the A further object of importance is the provision'of means on an end of the box to adjustably receive an additional support for the illuminating tube near the electrode end thereof.

Other and ancillary objects of my invention will be suggested in the following description and in the uses to which my invention'is put. -Certain of the objects of my invention may be attained with the use of less than all its preferred features. It is desired, therefore, thatmy invention belimited only by the claims constituting its final determination.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a face view of an illuminating installation involving the use of my invention, and Fig. '2 is a top planof the installation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal horizontal mid-sectional view of the left-end box of the installation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the structure; the plane of section being along the lines 4-4 of Figs. 1, 3 and 8.

' Fig. 5 is an end view of either the single or the double box shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the single box of Fig. 1 as viewed along the line 66 thereof. i

Fig. 7 is an enlarged face view of the double or intermediate box of Fig. 1; a.cover section and electrode being omitted to expose the slot and electrode support member.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, but of the box of Fig. 7 In this figure two electrodes are shown normally positioned; and

F ig. 9 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary face view of the electrode supporting members in use; the dot-and-dash lines indicate the position of the member when swung out of service.

Broadly stated, my invention comprises a box for housing the electrodes of illuminating tubes and also for supporting the tubes in position to a wall of a building or other structure; but more specifically my invention is designed to overcome the problems encountered in installation of the so-called neon vapor tubes now commonly used in display advertising, and for the effective out-lining of buildings, billboards, and the like.

In this system of lighting, the tube lengths are made to dimensions previously determined for the particular job, and boxes and tubes are then shipped to the particular place for installation. Heretofore the boxes were first fixedly secured tothe building, then the tubes were placed and secured. Invariably, it was found, that the tubes were too short or too long, necessitating, more or less, a complete redispositioning of the boxes different from that of the drawings furnished the workmen for the set-up. To overcome the said redispositioning-of the boxes and other setting-up deficiencies, with their attendant costs, loss of time, and marring of the supporting surfaces, I have provided a superior box structure, denoted in general on the drawings by the reference numbers 10 and 11, 10 being an end or single box, and 11 an intermedi- 90 ate or double box. As the boxes are otherwise similar the reference characters to follow will represent like parts. i

- The boxes are preferably composed of sheet-metal, and have side walls 12 and 12, end walls Band 13. and a base 14. The top of the box is open for the provision of one or more covers 15. The box houses an electrode 16 of the familiar vapor illuminating tube 17, and the placed cover '15 completes the enshrouding of the electrode 16 carrying the terminal wire conductor 18, and thus only the illuminated tube 17 is exposed to the View of a spectator.

The base 14 is provided, preferably longitudinally and centrally, with one or more long slots 19, to receive screws 20 or the like, for the securement of the box to a wall or other supporting surface 21.

In the placement of the tube 17in the box, I provide means to prevent the electrode 16' from tilting or coming into contact with the side walls of the box. For neatness and efficiency, I prefer that the electrode 16 and tube 17 shall lie in a plane perpendicular to the base 14, the electrode to rest unstressed in the plane and by gravity upon a preferably flex-.

ible wire supporting member 22, which I will now describe. p

The supporting member 22 is most useful when the placement of the boxes are horizontal, but are serviceable when the boxes are in any inclined position. Themember 22 has a foot 23 threadedly or otherwise pivotally secured in the lower side 12' of the box adjacent the base 14; from the foot and in the plane thereof extends a portion 24, and angularly and upwardly from the latter extends another portion 25 and therefrom a head portion 26 parallel to the foot 23. On the head is slipped an insulating element such as a tube of glass 27. The end of the head is downturned as at 28 to retain the insulator in position.- When the electrode support member 22 is not in use or previous to the placement of the electrode in the box, it may be swung out of the way to its supporting wall 12' as shown in Fig. 9.

I desire that an end of the box underlying the tube shall carry the tube, not by gravity but by indirect attachment thereto, the intermediate attachment 29 being an adjust able insulator support set forth and forming the subject matter of another patent application, Serial Number 231,516, and filed November 7, 1927, which has become Patent 1,806,575, May 19, 1931, and, therefore, in this vapplication I will but briefly referto a few essential partsthereof. In the attachment 29, 30 is a glass element of a shape to receive the tube 17, the union adapted to be tied to gether by a fine wire 31. The larger end of the glass element is secured in the socket 32 of the metallic member 33, which latter member is adapted to be adjustably. held to the angled member 34. To adaptthe aforesaid structure to my present invention,I make use of the portion of th 'an led member 34 so that the end wall 13' of my box may receive the said portion 35 to accomplish adjustment of the tube 17 to and from the box. To effect this adjustable mounting, I providethe end wall 13 with a recessed portion 36 providing a channel and having an open end 37 and a slot 38 cut from the portion 36. Thus the portion 35 of the insulator support 29 may slidingly engage the channel and be adjustably secured therein by the screw 39 carried by the portion 35 engaging the portion 36.

The covers 15 of the boxes are slotted at the return-bend ends of the tubes 17 to permit the placement of the electrodes within the described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my, invention, I

claim asmnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

' 1. A combined terminal,box and support for an end of a luminescent tube, comprising a housing for mounting on a supporting wall, and hangers for the tube mounted on the housing and engaging the tube within and without the housing, the inner said hanger comprising a swinging bracket for removable disposal in position to support the enclosed tube end gravitationally and the outer hanger having means to positively engage the tube against lateral displacement thereof, and means electrically insulating both of said hangers from the housing walls.

2. A combined housing and support for a luminescent tube having a gooseneck terminal portion, comprising a housing and hanga housing for mounting on a supporting wall,

and hangers for the tube mounted on the housing and engaging the tube w thin and without the housing, the inner said hanger comprising a bracket operative to resiliently support the enclosed tube end portion gravitationally, and the outer hanger having means to rigidly secure the tube end portion thereat against lateral displacement.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature. 1'

FERDINAND A. GIRAOLO.

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