US2218173A - Electric light fixture - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1940. E. R. KULKA ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE Filed March 8, 1939 6 Km m INVENTOR;

BY 5 T I ifiMX/fl' f r ATTORNEYS Patentedct.15,1940 2,218,173

UNITED" STATES PATENT oFFlc-r. A

Eugene R. 'Kulka, New York, N. Y.-, assignor to C. D. Wood Electric Company, Inc.; New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 8, 1939, Serial n 2 0,502 g '3 Claims. (01. m m) My invention relates to a new and improved er 3has tapped holes which are engaged by the electric light fixture. threaded .shanks of. the metal screws 4. The

One of the objects of the invention is to produce heads of the metal screws 4 clamp the top flange a fixture of simple and economical construction of a second or female spun metalshell 5, so 5 and having an improved ornamental appearance. that the second shell 5 is held against the bot- 5 Another object of the invention is to provide tom wall of plug memberl. Thelower part of a fixture which includes a. metal skirt to which shell 5 is corrugated to provide an internal and a reflector is connected by suitable suspension external thread. A central metal contact pin16 means, the fixture being designed so that the has a head 6a which abuts the top of the porce- 1 entire filament of ,the bulb is located below the lain body I. Thebottom end of the contact-pin 10 month of the reflector. 6 is provided with the usual resilient contact 1, Another object ofthe invention is to provide Which is of the usual .Ushape. The upper leg a fixture in which the metal skirt is connected to of the U abuts the bottom wall of the plug memthe body of the fixture by a removable threaded her I. A metal skirt8 is provided at its bottom member which is made of insulating material. with an upturned fiangefi. At its top the metal 5 Other objects of my invention will be set forth skirt 8 isprovided with an inturnedflange. This in the following description and drawing which inturnedflange is-provided with an.- upstanding illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, it bentegral lug 10, which enters a-vertical notch of ing understood. thatthe above statement of the the extension la. The metal skirt8 is therefore objects of my invention is intended generally to held against turning relative to the porcelain 20 explain the same without limiting it in any manbody I. ner. The metal skirt 8 is clamped in position by Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of a part of means of a rigid clampingmember II, which .is the improved fixture, the representation of the 3 preferably made of porcelain 0 Other S itreflector being omitted. able insulating material; The inner vertical wall 25 Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device shown in of the clampi g member II s t eaded so that it F 1. can be screwed upon the exterior thread of the Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively sectional views female shell 5. l 4 I on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and on the line 44 At its top, the clamping member H is provided 80 of Fig. 1. r with a reduced extension I lawhich enters the an- 80 Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the complete nular recess WhiChiS formed in the inner Wall fixture, part of the representation of the reof theextension la. The inturned flange of the fiector being omitted, metal skirt 8 is thus clamped between the annu- As shown in Fig. l, the device comprises a rigid dg -W f Clamping er I l and the adplug-body l, which is made of porcelain or oth r jacent lateral wall of extension la; The exten- 35 suitable insulating material. This plug-body or sion Ila extends above said clamping wall of v plug-member I is provided at its bottom end with C p ng member H. The bottom edge-wall of a rigid, integral and laterally enlarged extension the clampi g member ll can be provided with two v I a. Said extension la has a first top recess of r mo e recesses, 50 that-the l pin m mber 40 cylindrical shape, and its inner vertical wall is H may be turned by means of a suitable tool to '40 reduced to form a second annular recess below l p e inturned n e of'the-metal skirt B'to said top recess. The well-known spun metal the extension la. if desired, the clamping memshell 2 is assembled with the porcelain body I, ber H can be turned reversely o as to separate above the extension la. The shell 2 is corrugated the Same from h female Shell and thus make hi 4:, so as to provide the usual external thread, so possible to detach the metal skirt 8 from the exthat the body I and the shell 2 can be screwed tenslon I into a suitable outlet. The shell 2 is provided An extremth cmpfactilndslender common with an inturned flange at the top thereof This 15 thus provlded Whlch 15 of Vely graceful ap- 1 'pearance, because the skirt 8 directly abuts the flange or shoulder abuts shoulder of the Dome" extension la and'its outer diameter is substan- 50 1am body A clamping which 'h tially equal to themaximum diameter of extenbe made of metal or other shltable mammal 1s sion la.' The outer wall of extension lal's curved, located above the flange of the Sheh so that skirt 8 appears to be an extension of the A pair of screws dhave their shanks located in m mber la, The 'outer wall Ofskil'tfl preferably vertical bores of the porcelain body I. The washhas the same color as extension la. 55

The metalskirt 8 is provided with a suitable number of perforations I2, which have reduced extensions I2a. The reflector R can be made of any suitable plastic or other material. Beaded chains I4 are preferably used for connecting the reflector R to the member 8.

As shown in Fig. 4, each of these chains I4 has separate beads I5. The end bead I5 of a chain I4 can be inserted through one of the openings I2, and the chain I4 is then lowered into the extension I2a so that'the wall of the'member 8 is located between a pair of adjacent beads I5.

At its lower end, each chain I4 is provided with a bead I6, which is larger than the beads I5. The beads I5 can be passed through suitable holes which are provided in the reflector R, below the mouth thereof. The end beads I6 are too large to pass through the holes in the reflector. The top bead I5 is then passed through a hole I2, and the top end of the chain is then lowered so that the wall of the member 9 is located between the two top beads I5.

The chain itself is of usual construction, in which each of the beads I5-has a thin extension on'which the next bead I5 is movably mounted.

No claim is made to the" construction of the chain per se.

The lengths of the chains I4 are adjusted so that the entire filament of the bulb Bis located below' the mouth of the reflector. The bulb B is provided with the usual shell which can be screwed into the female shell 5. For this purpose the bulb B is provided with a neck of sufficient length, asindicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. The shell of the bulb B is located at the top end of its neck, in the usual manner.

The screws 4 clamp the washer 3'against the top shoulder or flange of the member 2, in addition to clamping the inturned flange of the shell 5 against the bottom end-wall of plug member I, so that the member 2 and the washer 3 and plug member I and shell 5 are held tightly in assembled position. The contact pin 8 is held against longitudinal movement by the members 811 and I. The annular extension IIa fits snugly in the annular recess of the member Ia, so that lateral movement of the member II is substantially prevented. This takes the lateral stress off the shell 5.

The upper end of shell 5 is located in the top recess of extension Ia and part of shell 5 depends below said extension la. The upper part of shell 5 fits snugly in said recess, and said fit can be a close or tight fit, if desired.

A strong and rigid assembly is thereby provided even though the shell 5 is the usual thin spun metal shell. The diameter of the skirt 8 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the member I I, so that a graceful and ornamental effect is secured and all the inner parts are concealed. The height of the skirt 8 determines the size and wattage of the bulb B which can be used in the fixture. Since these bulbs come in standard sizes, a bulb of a predetermined wattage has a neck of predetermined length. It is therefore impossible to insert into the fixture a bulb whose wattage is less than the predetermined wattage and the entire filament of said bulb is located below the mouth ofthe reflector R, thus preventing unpleasant glaring light.

The member I and its integral skirt Ia is rigid and the member II is also rigid. The use of rigid members which are preferably made of porcelain or the like is superior to the use of yieldable fibre insulating members. Likewise the member I and its skirt Ia and the shell II provide all the necessary insulation for the device.

It is not necessary, although it is preferable, for the member I I to clamp the flange of the skirt 8 rigidly against the member Ia, because the lug I0 and the notch in the member 1a prevent the skirt 8 from turning relative to the member Ia.

' The shells 2 and 5 are shown as being threaded, in order to conform to standard American practice. However a bayonet joint could be used without departing from the invention.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is clear that numerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from its spirit.

Of course the contact pin 6 does not make electrical contact with the screws 4 or with the second metalshell 5.

Said pin can be replaced by any means for providing plug I with inner and outer contact means, in additionto shells 2 and 5. Hence, whenever I specify said contact pin in a claim or claims, the claims are not limited to the use of said pin.

The metal shell 2 is electrically connected to the metal shell 5 by means of the metal screws 4 which are electrically connected to the inturned flange of the shell 5, and the metal washer 3. The pin 8 is spaced from both shells 2 and 5. Therefore, when the head of the bulb is screwed into position as indicated in Fig. 1, the circuit is completed through the filament of the bulb in the usual manner. or eyelets could be used instead f the screws 4. The inner wall of the skirt 8 is made of smooth and reflecting metal or other material. This opaque metal or skirt 8 prevents the light from being reflected outwardly from the neck of the bulb. Said light is reflected downwardly on the inner surface of the reflector R. The skirt 8 covers the entireneck of the bulb. If desired,

bulb up to the mouth of the reflector R. However for practical purposes it is suflicient if the skirt 8 downwardly reflects the light which otherwise would be passed through the wall of the neck of the bulb. Maximum illumination and minimum glare are thus secured.

In the specific embodiment disclosed herein, the metal screws 4 are means which will fill the double function of holding the shell 5 in position and electrically connecting the shell 5 to the shell 2. It would not be departing from this invention if this single means were replaced by separate means.

I claim:

1. A rigid plug member having a bore and hav- Of course metal rivets I ing a laterally enlarged extension at its bottom end, a metal plug shell located on the outer vertical wall of said plug member, said extension having an upper recess and a lower recess of greater internal diameter than the inner diameter of the upper recess, a second metal shell depending below said extension and having its upper end located in said upper recess, a contact pin located in said bore and insulated from said shells, means connecting the second metal shell to said plug member and electrically connecting the second metal shell to the plug shell, said depending portion of the second metal shell being externally and internally threaded, a holding member made of insulating material and engaging the outer thread of the second metal shell and having a reduced top projection which is located in said lower recess, a skirt having an inturned flange which is clamped between a portion of said holding member and said extension, the skirt depending below said holding member.

2. A rigid plug member having a bore and having a laterally enlarged extension at its bottom end, a metal plug shell located on the outer vertical wall of said plug member, said extension having an upper recess and a lower recess of greater internal diameter than the inner diameter of the upper recess, a second metal shell depending below said extension and having its upper end located in said upper recess, a contact pin located in said bore and insulated from said shells, means connecting the second metal shell to said plug member and ele'ctricallyconnecting the second metal shell to the plug shell, said depending portion of the second metal shell being externally and internally threaded, a holding member made of insulating material and engaging the outer thread of the second metal shell and having a reduced top projection which is located in said lower recess, a skirt having an inturned said holding member and said extension, the skirt depending below said holding member, the skirt s having an upstanding projection which is located in a recess of said extension.

3. A rigid plug member having a bore and having a laterally enlarged extension at its bottom end, a metal plug shell located on the outer vertical wall of said plug member, said extension having an upper recess and a lower recess of greater internal diameter than the inner diam:- eter of the upper recess, a second metal shell depending below said extension and having its upper end located in said upper recess, a contact pin located in said bore and insulated from said shells, means connecting the second metal shell to said plug member and electrically connecting the second metal shell to the plug shell, said depending portion of the second metal shell being externally and internally threaded, a holding member made of insulating material and engaging the outer thread of the second metal shell and having a reduced top projection which is located in said lower recess, a skirt having an inturned flange which is clamped between a portion of said holding member and said extension, the skirt depending below said holding member, the adjacent portions of said skirtand of said' extension being of substantially equal diameters;

EUGENE R. KULKA.

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