US2537305A - Louver and louver bracket for fluorescent light fixtures - Google Patents

Description

1951 w. P. CROCKETT, JR 2,537,305

LOWER AND LOUVER BRACKET FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURES Filed Dec. 27, 1948 Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITE SKATES? LOUVER AND LOUVERIBRACKET FOR- FLUURESCENT EIGHT FIXTURESQ William P. Crockett, .l'i i, Chicago, 111.

Application December 27, 1948;..SerialNo. 67,519

3 Claims. 1 v The present invention relates -to a louvre for fluorescentlight fixtures. Louvres in general are well-known-and oneof the purposes-of a-'=louvre' is for the diffusionof the light.

An object of the present invention is the pro visionrof'a' novel louvre which can'be easily and readily applied to the fixture;

Another object of'the present invention is the A'further object is the provision of a louvre having a novel construction whereby the above objects are carried out and which has a pleasing appearance. 7

With these-and other objects in View, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the louvre of the present invention applied to a fluorescent strip bOX;

Figure-=2 is-a view from the left of Figure 1 showing the louvre in closed or in its fixed position;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 but shownow abandoned. The connecting fins and thelongitudinal fins thus occupy, the same radial the light tube can be inserted or removed;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view taken on line 4--4-'of'Figurea1 and showing one of the hinged brackets from the side opposite to that of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail View taken on line 5 5 'of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing one end of the supporting bracket sprung. to position for opening the louvre; and

Figure 7 is a detailed view illustrating an alternate .type of pin for securing the louvre in fixed position, and oriented as if taken on line 1-'-T-l'iof Figure 4.

7 Referring. now in detail to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the louvre as a whole at I2, shown secured to a fluorescent strip box M. The strip box l Lis ordinarily secured to the ceiling as indicatedJin. Figure 1 and is..in the form :of. an

elongatedggenerally rectangular shape. The details of the strip' box is itself do not form a part of the present invention andltmayisufiice to say that thestrip box is provided with a pair off'sockets' I 6which'are 'disposed'adjacent to the ends of the box and extending downwardly;

therefrom; A fluorescent'light tube [8 is intsertedin the socketsin a conventional manner 1 which is 'merely by moving the tube vertically into the'socketsan'd rotating-the tube.

Th'e'louvre I2 is generally of cylindrical form and" includes .a plurality of longitudinal fins 20 disposed generally radially of the axis of "the louvre and arranged aroundacentral space indicated at 22. The longitudinal fins 2c are interconnected'by a plurality of connectingfins 24 Whichiareannular in shape. and comprise a:

greaterpart of a circle. The connecting fins 24 lie in planes disposed transverse to the axis. The longitudinal finsZO and the of the louvre. connectingfins 2 5 are both provided with slots extending partially therethrough. Such interlocking of fins may be conventional. as understood .by those skilled in the art or they maybe secured togetherby a novel construction form.- ing thesubject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 67,520, filed December 27, 1948,

projectionand form an annular shapeoccupy= ing the greater part of a circle or cylinder. The terminalv ends of the connecting vfins 2 may be provided with peculiar shape as indicated at. 26 .for the sake of appearance and form, the.

ets 32 are the same or symmetrical. with respect toleach other .and adetailed description of one willsuffice for both. Reference may behad to Figures 4, 5 and 6 for a'complete illustration of the'brackets32. Each bracketincludes a flat portiont adapted to .fit fiat against the under- I side of the strip box l t. The fiat. portion 34 is. provided with laterally spaced lugs 36 which are offset upwardly (or toward thestrip. box) from the .plane of the fiat portion 34.. The under surface .ofthe strip box is provided witha pairv of .laterallyspaced notches 38 forthereception otthe lugs .36. The .lugs .36 are inserted in the... notches.,38,.andithefiat portiona i isthen positioned fiatagainst the strip box.. The fiat portion 34 is provided with a center hole more the receptionnoiv a metalv screw .7 40 .which. then: is

threaded through a hole in the undersurface of the strip box; the bracket 32 is thus secured to the strip box.

Formed integral with the fiat portion 34 and disposed at an angle thereto, is a portion 42 which in the present illustration extends substantially vertically. The angled portion 42 has a peculiar formation in keeping with the general appearance of the louvre, but comprises essentially, laterally extending ears 44 and 45. The ear 46 has an outer extension 48 which forms a grip for manipulating it. In this respect the two brackets 32 differ, namely, the grip portions 48 extend out the same side of the louvre whereby the brackets are not similar, but in other respects the brackets are identical. Secured in each of the ears 44 and 46 is a pin 58 which extends axially of the louvre and the pins in the two brackets 32 extend in opposite directions.

The fiat portion 34 is provided with lugs 52 extending laterally outwardly from the ends. The lugs 52 are bent downwardly from the portion 34 and extend into proximity to the ears 44 and 49 and are spaced a short distance therefrom. The ears 44 and 46 are springable, that is, they may be sprung out of the normal plane of the portion 42 as indicated in Figure 6, and into engagement with the respective lugs 52 which form stops for limiting the extent of the springing movement of the ears.

The louvre is secured to the pins 50 in the ears 44 by springing those ears toward each other, aligning the holes 30 therewith and permitting the ears to spring back into position whereby the pins enter the holes. The louvre at this point is free to swing on the axis of the pins in the ears 14 which are aligned axially with respect to each other and this axis is parallel with the axis of the louvre. The louvre can then be swung to the position shown in Figure 3 whereby the light tube l8 may be inserted or removed from the sockets 60. After the light tube in inserted, the louvre is swung over the light tube to the position shown.

in Figure 2. The grips 48 are sprung toward each other and the louvre moved so that the holes 30 are in line therewith and then the grips 48 are released and the ears 55 spring back into their normal position and the pins enter the holes.

The lugs 52 being positioned adjacent the ears 44 and d6 serve as stop means for the ears so that the latter can not be sprung any great distance out of their normal position.

Figure '7 shows an alternate type of pin 54 secured to the ears 4%. The pin 54 has an inclined surface 55 so arranged that when the louvre is swung to its closed position, the fins 28 engage the inclined surfaces 55 and spring the ears and after the pins enter the holes 30 the louvre is locked in position.

From the above it will be seen that the louvre can easily and readily be moved into and out of final fixed position. The louvre is made of simple materials almost all of which are punch press items. The louvre can be made any length to fit the various lengths of fluorescent strips.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is susceptible of modification and rearrangement of the parts without department from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not therefore wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise form herein disclosed, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A louvre for use with a light fixture with a supporting surface having holes therein, comprising, a grille element having spaced marginal edges, a pair of brackets spaced transversely of said marginal edges, each bracket having a portion fitted fiat on said supporting surface, said fiat portion having an offset lug inserted in one of said holes, said fiat portion having a hole for insertion of a screw therethrough and through another of the holes in the supporting surface, each bracket having a portion extending at an angle to said first portion, each angled portion having opposite ears extending laterally toward said marginal edges of said grille element, each ear having means for supporting said grille element at one point on one of its marginal edges.

2. A louvre for use with a light fixture with a supporting surface having holes therein, comprising, a grille element having spaced marginal edges, a pair of brackets spaced transversely of said marginal edges, each bracket having a portion fitted fiat on said supporting surface, said fiat portion having an ofiset lug inserted in one of said holes, said fiat portion having a hole for insertion of a screw therethrough and through another of the holes in the supporting surface, each bracket having a portion extending at an angle to said first portion, each angled portion having opposite ears extending laterally toward said marginal edges of said grille element, each ear having a pin extending substantially parallel with said marginal edges, the pins longitudinally aligned extending in opposite directions, said grille element having holes in said marginal edges for receiving said pins, each car being springable an amount at least as great as the length of its pin, and lugs on said first portion of each bracket extending into proximity with the outer ends of said ears, said lugs forming stop means for limiting the springing movement of said ears.

3. A grille element for a light fixture louvre, comprising, a plurality of longitudinally extending fins spaced circumferentially around a central space and axis and having a component extending radially therefrom, and a plurality of axially spaced fins lying in planes transverse to said axis and interconnecting said first fins, said connection fins having a contour such as to lie within the radial limits of said first fins, said connecting fins being arcuate in shape and extending more than half a circle, and extending beyond the circumferentially outermost longitudinal fins, and the circumferential terminal ends of said connecting fins being spaced apart for the insertion of an object therethrough into said central space, certain of said connecting fins having holes in said terminal ends for reception of supporting means.

WILLIAM P. CROCKETT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,119,359 Schepmoes May 31, 1938 2,250,954 Hagerty et a1 July 29, 1941 2,299,276 Kirlin Oct. 20, 1942 2,429,141 Taylor Oct. 14, 1947 2,431,656 Barker Nov. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 498,677 France Oct. 5, 1919

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