US2615123A - Ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps - Google Patents

Description

OGL 21 1952 E. F. GUTH 2,615,123

CEILrNG FIXTURE FOR FLuoREscENT LAMPS Filed oct. 25, 1947 's sham-sheet Flea. l 3

Oct. 21, 1952 E F GUTH CEILING FIXTURE FOR FLUORESCEINT LAMPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001'.. 25, l947- Oct- 21, 1952 E. F. GUTH 2,615,123

CEILING FIXTURE FOR FLUQRESCENT LAMPS Filed oct. 25, 1947 s snet's-sheet s Patented Oct. 21, 17952 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE CEILING FIXTURE FOR FLUORESCENT LAMlS 8 Claims. l

This invention relates to lighting fixtures, and more particularly to ceiling xtures for elongate tubular lamps such as iiuorescent lamps.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improved ceiling xture for elongate tubular lamps, particularly fluorescent lamps, adapted for servicing from the iioor level without necessitating the use of a ladder or the like to reach the xture; the provision of a ceiling xture of the class described which includes a counterbalanced lamp holder which may be easily raised or lowered, by a person standing on the oor for removal and replacement of the elongate tubular lamps; the provision of a ceiling fixture of this class the movable portion of which is electrically disconnected when it is moved away from the ceiling; the pro- Vision of an improved ceiling iixture from which the lamp holder may be conveniently and completely removed by a person standing on the iloor; the provision ofv a ceiling xture in which reflecting cross louvres may be conveniently and easily installed or removed; and the provision of a ceiling iixture of the class described which simple and economical in construction and safe and easy to service. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations oi elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which Will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. l is a side elevation of an improved light fixture of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the lamp holder in a partially lowered position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section'taken on line fi-li of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged isometric View illustrating a hinge bearing;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on line i-l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a View of a cross louvre and a reflector;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line lli-li! of Fig. 9; and,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken on line l l-l I of Fig. 9.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. L8, a light fixture of this invention is shown to include a support, forattachment toa ceiling in any suitable.way, inthe form of an elongate open-bottomedhousing I. A lamp holder comprising an elongated reflector 3 is pivotally mounted at one end to one end of the housing to be swingable in a vertical plane between a horizontal raised position closing the open bottom of the housing (Fig. l) and a substantially vertical suspended position. Reiiector 3A carries two fluorescent lamps 5. The latterlextend parallel to the reflector.

Housing l includes a ceiling plate l comprising an elongate downwardlyY opening channel narrower andshallower thanv the housing extending the length of the housing, top baffles Si, side baiiles Il and two end plates I3 and l5. The end plates are rmly affixed to members l', 9 and l i by spot welding or a like process. Side baiiies i l preferably have narrow channels Il extending upward :and outward from the lower edges. Reflector 3 comprises an elongate trough having V-shaped lower side walls 4, and parallel upper side walls 6. The reflector or trough 3 has a width as measured from one side wall (iv to the other corresponding to the width of the ceiling plate or channel 'l and a depth greater than the depth ofthe channel l, and is adapted to iit within the housing l. rThe upper edges of side walls E are bentl inwardly to form narrow reentry channels 8. The upper edges of side walls (i of reflector 3 are engageable with lthe under side of ceiling plate l, whichis so iormed so as to slidably receive reiector 3. An electrical ballast I9 for fluorescent lamps 5 is mounted in the reflector or trough 3, being attached to an elongate pan 2i. This pan 2l is supported interiorly by reflector 3 and afxedthereto by means of screws 23.

Side Walls i have two hinge bearings 25 aiixed adjacent one end of reflector 3. Thesev hinge bearings 25 (Fig. 6) comprise a tubular portion 2'! and a flat tab portion 29 bent so as to fold back at an acute angle over the tubular section. The tab portion of bearing 25 has a circular aperture 3! coaxial with and of the same diameter as the passage through tubular section 2l. These two hinge bearings 23 are axed, such as by Welding to reilector 3 which has an aperture drilled therethrough to match apertures 3l, to forma passage for a hinge pintle 33. The outer ends of pintle 33 extend through oval shaped bearing apertures 35- in side bailles ll. The inner edges of channels ll prevent any horizontal movement of pintle 33 when the fixture is assembled.

Fluorescent lamp sockets 3l, of any suitable conventional type, are fixed at the ends of each side wall 6 of the reflector or trough 3 extending generally sideward on opposite sides of the trough. The pair of sockets at opposite ends of the side walls detachably support lamps 5 with 3 the lamps extending longitudinally adjacent and parallel the side walls.

An electrical connector element 39 is mounted on pan 2| and is adapted electrically to contact a matching electrical connector element 4| mounted on ceiling plate 1 only when the lamp holder is in the raised, ceiling position. Connector 4| is affixed to the underside of ceiling plate 1 by means of a bracket 43. Connector 39 is preferably of the male type while connector 4| is preferably of the female variety. The lamp holder also carries two starter switches 45, mounted on side walls 6. Connector 39 and starter switches 45 are mounted on reflector 3 adjacent the unpivoted end of the lamp holder.

The lamp holder or trough 3 is adapted to be latched in a raised horizontal ceiling position within the housing I wherein is is slidably received at its top in channel 1 by a self-closing latch operable by an extension tool held by a person standing on the floor. As illustrated, the self-closing latch comprises a stud 49 extending rotatably through pan 2| and reflector or trough 3 having a flat cam-shaped engagement catch keyed to the upper portion of stud 49 and a control lever 53 extending below reflector 3. An inverted U-shaped bracket 55 is mounted on pan 2| and has an aperture adapted to receive the upper end of stud 43. Vertical movement of this stud is prevented by the use of a cotter pin 51 inserted through an aperture 59 in the upper end of stud 4Q above the top surface of bracket 55. Engagement catch 5| is spring biased to a closed position by means of a spring 6|. Catch 5| is cooperable with a notched latch plate 63 aixed to and depending from ceiling plate 1. The arrangement is such that stud 49 may be rotated from a latched position with its catch 5| in engagement with latch plate 63 to an unlatched position with catch 5| out of engagement with the notch in latch plate 63 to release reector 3 to permit it to be swung downward. As catch 5| is biased to a closed position by spring 6| the latch assembly is self-closing because as the lamp holder is moved into the raised, ceiling position catch 5| is forced to an open position by contact with the tapered leading edge of latch plate 63 until, in its uppermost position catch 5| is free to engage the notch in latch plate 63. This action provides a positive lock between housing and the lamp holder when the latter is in its raised ceiling position.

A spring reel unit |55 is aflixed to the underside of ceiling plate 1 adjacent to the end containing connector 4| and latch plate 63. The flexible connector or tape 61 of reel 65 is provided with a detachable fastening hook 59 which is engageable with a slot 1| in one of several cross reflecting louvres 13 which are set in a vertical plane and mounted at right angles to the longitudinal axis of reflector 3. Hook 69 is held in its receiving slot 1| by the tension of spring reel 65 but may be easily removed manually.

Fig. 8 illustrates the mounting of light-shielding louvres 13 in reflector 3. The louvres have a diverging lower edge with a rectangular notch in the center. The lower side walls of reflector 3 are provided with vertically cut slots 15 adapted to receive these louvres. The removal and replacement of these louvres 13 will be discussed below.

In a typical installation of the above described light fixture, it is installed about ten feet above the floor. Housingreflector 3 and lamps 5 are about 4 feet long. To lower the reflector and lamps to a servicing position, an extension tool is employed to engage control lever 53 and thus to turn latch stud 49 from its closed position (catch 5| in engagement with the notch of latch plate 63) to unlatch the lamp holder from housing thus permitting it to be swung downward to its vertical suspended position. The action of spring reel 65 and tape 61 act as counterbalancing means to resist the downward movement of the lamp holder so that there is no danger of free swinging of the lamp holder if the extension tool becomes disengaged from control lever 53. Tape 61 is so tensioned as to permit reflector 3 to be swung to any position intermediate a raised, ceiling position and a lowered, servicing position and thereafter retain such intermediate position. Such an intermediate position of reflector 3 is illustrated in Fig. 2.

In a position where the lamp holder is lowered to its extreme downward or servicing position the lower ends of the lamps are easily within the reach of a person of average height standing on the floor. The lamps may then be removed from sockets 31 for cleaning or replacement and the starter switches may be replaced. If desired the entire lamp holder assembly may be removed for servicing. To do this reflector 3 is tilted or raised thus lifting one or both ends of hinge pintle 33 to a position where it will clear the edge of channel |1. Such a position of hinge pintle 33 as shown in Fig. 5 in dotted lines. Reflector 3 is then moved to one side or the other so that one or both ends of pintle 33 will slide farther through oval aperture 35 to clear channel I1. One end of pintle 33 is thus freed from baffle By reversing the movement of reflector 3 along the then tilted axis of pintle 33, the end remaining in the other aperture 35 is thus removed and the pivoted end of the lamp holder is free of housing To completely disengage reflector 3 from housing hook 59 is detached from slot 1|.

The removal of the entire lamp holder from housing renders possible complete electrical and mechanical servicing of the components of the light fixture without the use of a ladder. f desired connector 4| may be used as a service outlet to supply electrical power to any tools or equipment. For complete cleaning of the lamp holder pan 2| may be conveniently removed from the interior of reflector 3 by disengaging screws 23. Louvres 13 may then be easily removed from reflector 3 by compressing the upper edges of side walls 6 together and then raising a louvre 13 and sliding it out of slots 15 in side Walls 4 of reflector 3. Fig. 8 illustrates this action. To replace the reflecting louvres the upper edges of side walls G are again pressed together and the louvre is slid through slots 15 until the center notch of louvre 13 engages both the bottom edges of both slots 15. When pan 2| is again mounted within reilector 3, it causes the side walls 6 to 'become parallel and thus positively and snugly locks louvres 13 in slots 15 of reflector 3.

The simplicity of replacing and cleaning the components of the lamp holder without the use of a ladder makes such servicing possible by a person unskilled and unequipped to do such operations normally. The removal of all electrical potentials from the lamp holder as soon as renector 3 is moved from its raised, ceiling position 1s a valuable safety feature protecting anyone servicing this light fixture.

The positive action of the latch arrangement and the biasing action of spring reel 65 prevent accidental disengagement of the lamp holder assembly from housing The wide span of hinge pintle v33 provides a sturdy yet easily removable `hinge assembly.

A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 9-11. As the majority of components used in this second embodiment are identical with those utilized in the rst embodi- Vment described above v(Figs. 1 8) they will not be further described.

Vriwo spring reel units 65 are utilized in the lembodiment of Figs. 9-11 to support the lamp holder assembly. The use of this second spring reel obviates the use of the hinging arrangement described labove in conjunction with Figs. 1 8.` To more positively lock the reflector 3 to ceiling plate 'i two self-closing latches are provided. However, instead of a single stud 4S extending through pan 2i and reflector 3,\a single control stud 'H is centrally and rotatably mounted on a vertical axis through pan 2l and reflector 3. Stud y'Ill is provided with a control lever 19 at its lower extremity which projects under reector 3. The upper end of stud 1l is keyed to a lever arm 3i which is' provided with apertures at its outer extremities. These apertures are adapted to receive two links 33. One end of each link 83 is engaged in one'aperture of lever arm 8l, respectively, and the other end of each link 83 is engaged in an aperture in each of two lever arms 35. Lever arms 85 are each mounted on a stud Ei'i, the upper ends of which are rotatably mounted in brackets S9 and the lower ends of which are rotatably mounted in pan 2 l. Two engagement catches 9i are keyed to the upper end of each stud 8l and are engageable with latch plates 63. These catches 9| are spring biased to a closed position by springs 93.

Electr-ical ballast I3 is shown mounted on the underside of ceiling plate 'I in Figs. 9-11, but it is to be understood that it could also be mounted on pan 2l as is illustrated in Fig. 4. The principal reason for having electrical ballast I9 aixed to ceiling plate 'l is to decrease the overall weight of the lamp holder. Electrical connectors 39 and il and bracket 33 have been moved off the center line of the pan to provide space for movement of links 33.

To lower reflector 3 of the Fig. 9-11 embod` ment, control lever l!) is moved by means of an extension tool from its dotted line position (Fig. 10) to its solid line position, thus simultaneousli7 disengaging catches 9| from latch plates 63. The lamp holder assembly is then pulled downward by means of the extension tool until reflector 3 is at any desired level for servicing operations. The lamp holder can be completely removed by detaching hooks 63 from slots 7| To reengage the lamp holder assembly with housing l, an extension tool is utilized to push the lamp holder upwards until catches 3l engage their respective latch plates 33. This action locks housing l to reflector 3 and connects electrical connectors 39 and 4 l g It is to be understood that although the embodiment as illustrated in Figs. 9-11 is particularly useful with rooms which have exceptionally high ceilings, such a light fixture may be used conveniently and advantageously in low ceiling rooms.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope 0f the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawngs shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: n

l. A ceiling 1fixture for fluorescent lamps comprising an elongate Yopen-bottomed housing for attachment to a ceiling, said housing having a ceiling plate comprising an elongate downwardly opening channel narrower and shallower than the housing extending the length of the housing, an elongate trough having a width corresponding to the width of the channel and a depth greater than the depth of the channel adapted to fit within the housing, spring reel counterbalancing lmeans connecting the trough to the housing and counterbalancing the weight of the trough and elements carried thereby, the trough having a raised horizontal ceiling position within the housing wherein it is slidably received at its top in the channel and a lowered servicing position, lamp sockets on opposite sides of the trough at the ends thereof for holding elongate lamps eX- tending the length of the trough on opposite sides thereof, an electrical connector element on the trough velectrically connected to the sockets, a cooperating electrical connector element fixed within the housing for engagement by theiirstmentioned connector element when the trough is in its raised ceiling position, and a latch for latching the trough in its raised ceiling position.

2. A ceiling fixture for iiuorescent lamps comprising an elongate open-bottomed housing for attachment to a ceiling, said housing having a ceiling plate comprising an elongate downwardly opening channel narrower and shallower than the housing extending the length of the housing, an elongate trough having a width corresponding to the width of the channel and a depth greater than the depth of the channel pivotally connected at one end to one end of the housing for swinging movement about a generally horizontal axis transverse to the trough and housing between a raised horizontal ceiling position within the housing and a lowered servicing position hanging downward from the pivotal connection for servicing of the xture from floor level, said trough, in its raised ceiling position, being slidably received at its top in the ceiling plate channel, lamp sockets on opposite sides of the trough at the ends thereof for holding elongate lampsy extending the length of the trough on opposite sides thereof, and spring reel counterbalancing means connecting the trough to the housing and counterbalancing the weight of the trough and elements carried thereby.

3. A ceiling fixture as set forth in claim 2, wherein the trough carries light-shielding means under the lamps, said means being located in the bottom part of the housing when the trough is in its raised ceiling position.

4. A ceiling fixture as set forth in claim 2, further comprising an electrical connector element on the trough electrically connected to the sockets, a cooperating electrical connector element xed within the housing for engagement by the first-mentioned connector trough is in its raised ceiling position, and a latch for latching the trough in its raised ceiling position.

5. A ceiling nxture as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pivotal connection of the trough to the housing is a quick-detachable hinge connection allowing for ready detachment of the trough from the housing.

6. A ceiling fixture as set forth in claim 5 wherein the hinge connection comprises a pintle element when thev on the trough at one end thereof received at its ends in openings in the sides of the housing,and end stops for the pintle outward of thesides of the housing, the pintle openings extending higher than the stops to permit raising of the ends of the pintle to clear the stops for end-wise shifting of the pintle to disengage it from the openings.

7. A ceiling fixture for fluorescent lamps comprising an elongate open-bottomed housing for attachment to a ceiling, said housing having side walls and end Walls and a ceiling plate narrower than the housing comprising an elongate downwardly opening channel extending the length of the housing, an elongate trough of a width corresponding to the width of the channel having a pivotal connection at one end at its bottom to one end of the housing at the bottom of the housing for swinging movement about a generally horizontal axis transverse to the reiiector and housing between a raised horizontal ceiling position within the housing and a lowered servicing position hanging downward from the pivotal connection for servicing of the fixture from floor level, said trough, in its raised ceiling position, `being slidably received in the ceiling plate channel, lamp sockets on opposite sides of the trough at the ends thereof for holding elongate lamps extending the length of the trough on opposite sides thereof, light-shielding means carried by the trough under the lamps and spring 30 reel counter-balancing means connecting the trough-'to `the housing and counterbalancing the weight of the trough and elements carried by the trough.

8. A ceiling xture as set forth in claim 7 wherein there is an electrical connector element carried by the trough within the trough and a cooperating electrical connector element fixed to the ceiling plate, said elements being engaged when the trough is in its raised ceiling position, and wherein electrical ballast and starter switches are carried within the trough, the connector element carried by the trough, theballast and starter switches being electrically connected.

EDWIN F. GUTH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,268,731 Van Bloem Jan. 6, 1942 2,299,276 Kirlin Oct. 20, 1942 2,319,572 Wilson May 18, 1943 2,336,599 Dunbar Dec. 14, 1943 2,365,614 Winkler Dec. 19, 1944 2,431,656 Barker Nov. 25, 1947 2,439,885 Darley o Apr. 20, 1948 2,564,328 Farrington Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 585,320 Great Britain Feb. 4, 1947

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