US2894638A - Lamp shade display - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1959 s. E. NORTHOVER LAMP SHADE DISPLAY Filed Jan. 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

2% a PM July 14, 1959 s. E. NORTHOVER 2,894,638

LAMP SHADE DISPLAY Filed Jan, 9, 195 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

67 94 45) I. d dii'b'alfi July 14, 1959 Filed Jan. 9, 1.956

s. E. NORTHOVER 2,894,638

LAMP SHADE DISPLAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 fiuzn 6 fwd (A.

ATTOAA IKJ United States Patent LAMP SHADE DISPLAY Stanley E. Northover, Detroit, Mich. Application January 9, 1956, Serial No. 558,001 13 Claims. (Cl. 211-13) This invention relates to display devices and particularly to devices for simultaneously displaying and illuminating a plurality of lamp shades.

An object of the invention is to provide a display device for simultaneously illuminating and displaying a plurality of lamp shades in such manner that they may be readily inspected by prospective purchasers of shades, and which display attractively arranges the shades and readily permits removal of a shade from the display.

in one embodiment of the invention the display is adapted to be arranged along a wall of a room in which the shades are to be displayed and the shades are disposed in substantially vertical spaced apart alignment one above the other and each illuminated by its own light bulb.

In another embodiment of the invention the display device is in the form of a lamp shade tree which includes a central pillar from which radiate a plurality of lamp shade supporting arms upon the outer ends of which are suspended the lamp shades with each shade having its own light bulb to illuminate the shade.

In the third embodiment of the invention the display device includes a substantially rectangular frame having a plurality of vertically extending frame members to which are secured a plurality of vertically spaced apart lamp shade supporting arms each adapted to'support at its outer end a lamp shade for display, and with a light bulb socket at the outer end of each arm to illuminate the shade mounted at such end of the arm.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a lamp shade display device of a ball member upstandingly mounted at the outer end of an angularly downwardly extending lamp shade supporting arm, and which arm is adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between the spokes of the lamp shade spider, with the ball member received upwardly within the hub portion of the spider and freely resting against such hub portion to rockably support the shade and permit the same to assume a proper position of vertical alignment.

My improved lamp shade display device includes a supporting member to which is secured in angularly downwardly outwardly extending relation a lamp shade supporting arm. The arm is adapted to extend over the upper rim of the shade and downwardly between the spokes of the lamp shade spider with a part received within the hub portion of the shade to support the shade on the end of the arm. A light bulb socket is mounted at the shade supporting end of the arm to receive a light bulb for illuminating a shade. With such arrangement, the shade supporting arm may be mounted on the support at a substantial distance above the floor and yet permit a relatively short sales person to readily remove the shade from the arm by simply lifting the shade slightly to remove it from the part received within the hub of the spider and thereafter lower the shades downwardly away from the arm and the light bulb socket. Such arrangement difiers from the prevalent manner of supporting lamp shades by having a support extending 2,894,638 Patented July 14, 1959 Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features will more fully appear from the specification, claims, and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a side view of one form of my lamp shad display device;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a modified form of the lamp shade supporting arm, light bulb receiving socket, and ball member;

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a modified form of the device shown in Fig. l and illustrating the invention as embodied in a lamp shade supporting tree;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a modified form of the bracket for mounting the lamp shade supporting arm on the pillar as shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is another modification of the invention showing the same embodied in a substantially rectangular supporting frame;

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 10- 10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 11--' 11 of Fig. 9.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. l the same is adapted to support a plurality of vertically spaced apart lamp shades in laterally spaced relationship from the wall of a room wherein the shades are displayed. While one particular type of lamp shade sup porting arm, and one particular arrangement of the arm, light bulb socket, and ball member are shown, it will become apparent as the description of the various modifications of the invention proceeds, that the invention is not limited to the Fig. l embodiment. The wall of the building, indicated generally at 20, has secured thereto a vertically extending supporting member 22 which may be in the form of a U-shaped channel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The member 22 may be provided with a plurality of vertically spaced apart slots 24 within and through which are adapted to be received prongs 26 on a bracket 28. Upon raising the bracket 28 slightly from the position shown in Fig. 1, the same may be removed from the member 22 and repositioned at various points along the vertical extent of the channel. A plurality of brackets 28 are adapted to be secured to the channel. Only two brackets are shown in Fig. 1 but it will be understood that a greater number may be and preferably are provided. Each bracket is generally T-shaped and provided with a head portion 30 spaced outwardly from the prongs 26 and adapted to overlie the bottom wall 32 of the channel 22.

Pivotally connected to each bracket is a lamp shade:

in any convenient manner as by solder or welding 48.

The collar may be provided with a laterally extending bolt 50 adapted to extend through a provided aperture in the bracket with a nut 52 threaded on the bolt and gripping the bracket 28 between a washer 54 on one side ass gees of the bracket and a washer 56 on the other side of the bracket and secured to the sleeve in any convenient manner. The washer 54 may be a spring washer which will permit swinging of the arm 34 and yet hold the arm in adjusted positions following the swinging movement.

An electric lead, not shown, may be extended through the channel member 22 and the electric lead 36 connected to such electric lead in the channel member. On the other hand an electric lead disposed within a conduit or the like 53 may be connected to the lead 36 as shown in Fig. 2.

At the outer end of arm 34 is secured a light bulb receiving socket indicated generally at 60. The socket may be connected to the arm by means of a ball joint 62 to permit swingable movement of the socket at the end of the arm whereby the socket may be disposed in a vertical position when arm 34 is swung to various pivoted positions on the bracket. The cap 64 of the light bulb socket is connected to the ball joint 62. A ball member 66 is secured to the arm 34 as shown in Fig. l and is disposed in substantially vertical alignment with the socket 611 and a light bulb received therewithin. The ball member 66 is adapted to be freely received within the hub portion 68 of the shade spider 7%). The spider 7-0 is disposed adjacent the upper rim of the shade S.

It will be noted that arm 34 extends angularly downwardly over the upper rim 72 of shade S with the ball member 66 disposed below the spider and received upwardly within the hub portion 68 thereof. By virtue of freely supporting the shade upon the ball member 66, the shade may rock on the ball member and gravitationally assume a position of vertical alignment. Such position of vertical alignment corresponds with that which the shade would assume when mounted on a com ventional lamp. It is apparent from a consideration of Fig. 1 that to remove the shade from the arm 34 it is only necessary to raise the shade slightly to remove the hub portion from the ball 66 and that thereafter the shade may be lowered off of the arm and away from the socket. The arm extends between the spokes 74 of the spider as shown in Fig. 2.

By connecting light socket 60 to arm 34 by means of the ball and socket coupling 62, the light bulb 76 may be positioned vertically despite the fact that the arm 34 may be at one time positioned as shown in solid outline in Fig. 1 while at another time may be positioned as shown in dotted outline with the result that the bulb is disposed substantially on the vertical axis of the shade. Because of this the illumination on the shade by the bulb is uniform around the periphery of the shade and similar to that which would be encountered when the shade is placed over a conventional lamp.

It is appment that the brackets 23 connected to the channel 22 may be vertically spaced apart a distance just sufiicient to permit lamp shades to be suspended at the free ends of the arms 34 so that a substantial number of shades may be suspended laterally from a wall in a vertical line. Because of this a great number of shades may be displayed in a small space.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 differs from that disclosed in Fig. 1 in that the arm member 78, corresponding to arm 34 of Fig. l, is fixedly secured to the light bulb socket 849, and the ball member 82, corresponding with ball member 66 of Fig. 1, is mounted directly upon the socket. This modification finds particular utility in applications wherein the arm 78 is not swingably connected to a supporting bracket in contradistinction to the swingable connection of arm 34 with bracket 28.

The construction shown in Fig. differs from the structure of Fig. 4 in that the lamp shade supporting arm 34, corresponding with arm 78 of Fig. 4, is connected to the light socket 86 at the top of the socket instead of at the side as shown in Fig. 4. In addition the arm 84 is bent as at 88. The ball member 90 is mounted upon the top of the light socket adjacent arm 84. It will be noted that the ball is disposed substantially above the light bulb 92 received within Socket 86. The arm 84 may be connected fixedly to any suitable support 94- by any suitable means such as the threaded sleeve 96 and lock nut 98. Electric leads 100 extend through the arm 84 to the socket and may be connected to an electric lead adjacent support 94 and which is not shown in Fig. 5.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is particularly adapted for use with lamp shades wherein the spider 102 is spaced downwardly from the upper rim 164 of the shade S. The angular relationship between the portions 108 and 110 of the shade supporting arm 84 permit the shade to be mounted with the hub portion 112 of the spider seated upon ball 9% with the arm extending upwardly between the spokes of spider 162 and over the upper rim 104 of the shade. The shade may be readily removed or replaced upon the ball 96 by tilting the shade to the position shown in dotted outline and thereafter raising the shade slightly to unseat the ball 90 from the hub 112 and thereafter drawing the shade downwardly off the arm and away from the socket. Because of this construction, though a lamp shade may be suspended at a considerable distance above the floor of the showroom in which the shade is displayed, a sales person is enabled to remove the shade by simply raising it a fraction of an inch. This is substantial improvement over the prior structures for supporting lamp shades wherein the supporting arms or the like extended upwardly through the shade from below and it was necessary to raise the shade completely up and over such supporting arm or structures.

In Fig. 6 is shown an embodiment of the invention wherein the shades are supported upon a lamp shade tree. In this embodiment a hollow pillar is provided generally indicated at 11 The pillar is provided with a pedestal 1116 for supporting the pillar in an upright position on the floor. Specifically the pillar comprises a central column or pillar proper 118, as shown in Fig. 7, to which is secured in any convenient manner, in spaced apart relation circumferentially about the pillar, a plurality of channel members U-shaped in cross section and each provided at vertically spaced apart intervals with slots or the like 122. Brackets 124- of a construction similar to brackets 23 described in connection with Fig. l are releasably connected with the channels 120 and are secured to the channels in vertically spaced apart relation and provided with lamp shade supporting arms 126 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. If desired casters may be provided on the pedestal.

The arms 126 may be either fixedly secured to the brackets or may be pivotally secured thereto as shown in Fig. 7 and in the manner particularly described in connection with Fig. 3. The lamp shade supporting arms 126 may be either of a construction similar to that shown in Fig. 5 or as shown in Figs. 1 or 4. As shown in Fig. 6 the light sockets 128 are mounted on arms 126 after the fashion shown in Fig. 4 but it is to be understood that any of the other constructions shown would be suitable. Mounted at the free end of each of the lamp shade supporting anns 126, and specifically upon the sockets 128, are the ball members 1313 for rockably receiving the tube portion of the spider of a lamp shade to support the shade upon the free end of the arm.

Another channel 132, U-shaped in cross section as shown in Fig. 7 may be secured to the pillar by means of screws or the like 134. Through this channel extends an electric lead L36 which is adapted to be con nected to electric lead 138 extending through each of the arms 126 to the light sockets 128 mounted on the free end of the arms. It is apparent that the electric lead 136 extending through channel 132 may be cona.) nected in many different fashions with the electric leads 138; The important consideration is that an electric lead is coextensive with the pillar 114 for connection to the electric leads extending through the lamp shade supporting arms. The electric lead 136 may be provided with a plug 140 for connection with a suitable source of electric current.

The lamp shade supporting arms 126 extend angularly downwardly as shown in Fig. 6 and radiate from the pillar 114 such that with lamp shades mounted on the balls 130 the lamp shades surround the pillar and are displayed upon all sides of the pillar. This lamp shade supporting tree will permit, as shown in Fig. 6, twelve lamp shades and it is apparent that by providing more arms 126, a greater number of shades could be displayed. The pillar will stand alone on the floor of the display room and when illuminated is both attractive and capable of displaying a considerable number of lamp shades in a small space.

In Fig. 8 the brackets 124 of Fig. 7 are shown as being L-shaped and are indicated at 142. With the construction of Fig. 8 the lamp shade supporting arms 126 may be fixedly secured to the bracket in a fashion similar to that shown in Fig. for the connection of arm 84 with support 94. Such connection between arm 126 and bracket 142 is of an extremely simple character. The arm 126 is threaded and received into a threaded aperture in bracket 142, and a lock nut 144 is threaded up against the bracket to lock the arm in place. By partly bending bracket 142 the arm 126 may be disposed at a downward inclination similar to that of the arms shown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 9 a further embodiment of the invention is shown wherein a generally rectangular frame 150 is provided having top and bottom frame members 152 and 154 respectively, between which extend vertical hollow frame members 156. Frame member 152 may be of a hollow construction though this is not essential. Frame member 154 may be hollow so that an electric lead 158 may be extended therethrough and upwardly through each of the vertical frame members 156. The frame members 156 may be formed of generally U-shaped channel sections as shown in Fig. with each member including the sections 160 and 162 interfitted as shown.

Disposed in vertically spaced apart relation and connected to the frame members 156 are a plurality of lamp shade supporting arms 164. These arms may be secured in any convenient fashion to the frame members but as shown in Fig. 10 may be connected by means of a threaded sleeve 166 and a lock nut 168 threadedly engaged in the side walls of section 160. The electric lead 158 extends through frame members 156 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 and electric leads 158 extending through the lamp shade supporting arms 164 are connected to leads 158 at the inner ends of the arms and are connected at the outer ends to light bulb sockets 168 Light sockets 168 are connected to the outer ends of arms 164 by any of the arrangements shown in Fig. 1, 4, or 5, depending upon the desire of the display artist. The shades are supported by the hub portion of their spiders received over the ball members 170 at the outer ends of the lamp shade supporting arms. It will be noted that the arms extend angularly downwardly so that the shades may be supported thereon as in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 and 5. The arms extend on opposite sides of the frame 150 to dispay a plurality of banks of vertically spaced apart shades on opposite sides of the frame. It is apparent that arms 164 might project from the upright frame members at opposite ends of the frame to lie in the plane of the frame such that shades would not only be displayed on opposite sides of the plane of the frame but also offset opposite ends of the frame in the plane thereof. Suitable legs 172 may be secured in any convenient manner to the frame and provided with casters or the like 174 to permit moving of the frame over the floor of the showroom.

In all of the embodiments of the invention described, the lamp shades are supported upon the free ends of the arms with the arms extending over the upper rim of the shades and downwardly between the spokes of the spider with the ball member received upwardly within the hub portion of the spider to rockably support the shades on the arms. Because of such rockable support of the shades on the arms the shades assume a vertical position corresponding to that which they would normally assume when positioned upon a conventional lamp. Therefore it is not necessary for the display artist to carefully position the shades when placing them upon the arms. It is only necessary to move the hub of the spider down over the ball member so that the hub rests upon the spherical surface of the ball member because thereafter, upon release of the shade, the same will assume its correct vertical position. The removal of the shades is readily accomplished by simply raising them a fraction of an inch and thereafter removing them downwardly off of the arm.

What I claim is:

1. A device for displaying a plurality of lamp shades each having a supporting spider arranged adjacent the upper rim thereof comprising: a vertically extending elongate support, a plurality of brackets secured to the support at vertically spaced apart intervals, a plurality of hollow lamp shade supporting arm members each connected at one end to one of the brackets and extending at the other end laterally away from the support, a light bulb receiving socket member secured to the free end' of each of the arm members, an electric lead connected to each socket member and extending through the respective arm members for connection to a lead at said support, a plurality of ball members one associated with each arm and socket member combination and secured to one of such members and projecting upwardly and disposed with its spherical surface substantially vertically aligned with a light bulb received in the socket member, each of said arm members adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received upwardly within the hub portion of the spider with the spherical surface of the ball member rockably supporting the shade, whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be suspended in laterally spaced relation from said support with the axis of each shade lying in a vertical plane.

2. The invention as defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that the ball member is mounted on and secured to the socket member at the top thereof and in substantially vertical alignment with a light bulb received in and depending from the socket member.

3. The invention as defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that the ball member is mounted on and secured to the arm member substantially directly above the socket member.

4. The invention as defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that each arm member is pivotally secured to its respective bracket for swingable movement to a plurality of angularly related positions.

5. The invention as defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that each arm member comprises a pair of telescoping hollow tubes, and means secured to one of the tubes to releasably engage the other tube to hold the tubes in adjusted telescoped positions.

6. The invention as defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that each socket member is pivotally secured to the free end of its respective supporting arm for swingable adjustment to a plurality of positions relative to the free end of its arm member.

7. A device for displaying lamp shades each having a spider arranged adjacent the upper rim of the shade comprising: a hollow pillar, a pedestal for the pillar to sup-v port the same in an upright position, an electric lead extending through the pillar from substantially the top to the bottom, a plurality of lamp shade supporting arms arranged in vertically spaced apart relation around the pillar to project radially angularly downwardly and each secured at the inner end to the pillar, a light bulb socket secured to the outer end of each arm, an electric lead connected at one end to the socket and adapted for connection with the electric lead in the pillar, a ball member disposed in upstanding relation and secured to the outer end of each arm with the spherical surface of the ball member in substantially vertical alignment with the socket, each arm adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between the spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received within the hub portion of the spider to rockably support the shade and permit gravitational alignment of the shade along a vertical axis, whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be arranged around the pillar for display.

8. A device for displaying lamp shades each having a spider arranged adjacent the upper rim of the shade comprising: a hollow pillar, a pedestal for the pillar to support the same in an upright position, a plurality of brackets releasably connected to the pillar for adjustment to determined vertically spaced apart positions, a plurality of vertically spaced apart radially extending hollow arms each connected at its inner end to one of the brackets for swingable movement to a plurality of angular positions, a light bulb socket secured to the outer end of each arm, an electric lead connected at one end to each socket and extending through the respective arm for connection with the electric lead in the pillar, a ball member disposed in upstanding relation and secured to the outer end of each arm with the spherical surface of the ball member in substantially vertical alignment with the socket, each arm adaped to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between the spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received within the hub of the spider to rockably support the shade and permit gravitational alignment of the shade along a vertical axis, whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be arranged around the pillar for display.

9. A device for displaying lamp shades each having a spider arranged adjacent the upper rim of the shade comprising: a vertically extending pillar, a pedestal for the pillar to support the same on the floor, a plurality of channel members secured in circumferentially spaced relation around the pillar and secured thereto, at least certain of said channel members provided with vertically spaced apart slots, an electric lead extending through one of the channel members, a plurality of brackets each having a pair of prongs adapted to be extended through two of said slots to secure the bracket to a channel mem her with the brackets arranged in vertically spaced apart relation along the channels, a plurality of hollow lamp shade supporting arms arranged in vertically spaced relation around the pillar and projecting radially therefrom and each connected at its inner end to one of the brackets, a light bulb receiving socket connected to the outer end of each arm, an electric lead connected at one end to each socket and extending through the respective arm for connection with the electric lead in said channel member, a ball member disposed in upstanding relation and secured to the outer end of each arm, each arm adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and down wardly between the spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received Within the hub of the spider to rockably support the shade and permit gravitational alignment of the shade along a vertical axis, whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be arranged around the pillar for display.

A device for displaying lamp shades each having aspider arranged adjacent the upper rim of the shade in a vertical plane.

comprising: a frame having top and bottom frame members and a plurality of hollow upright frame members extending between and secured to and spacing apart the top and bottom members, means connected to the frame to support the same in a vertical plane, a plurality of hollow lamp shade supporting arm members connected to each upright frame member in spaced apart relation along the frame member and extending angularly outwardly away from the frame member, an electric lead extending through each hollow upright frame member, a light bulb receiving socket secured to the outer end of each arm member, an electric lead extending through each arm member and connected at one end to the socket member and at the other end with the electric lead within the respective hollow upright frame member, a ball member associated with each arm and socket member combination and secured to one of such members and projecting upwardly and disposed with its spherical surface substantially vertically aligned with a light bulb received in the socket member, each of said arm members adapted to extend over the upper edge of a lamp shade and downwardly between spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received upwardly within the hub portion of the spider with the spherical surface of the ball member rockably supporting the shade and permitting gravitational alignment of the shade along a vertical axis, whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be arranged along the opposite sides of the frame for display.

11. A device for displaying a plurality of lamp shades each having a supporting spider arranged adjacent the upper rim thereof comprising: a vertically extending pillar, means secured to the lower end of the pillar to support the same in an upright position on the floor, a plurality of lamp shade supporting arms arranged in vertically spaced apart relation around the pillar and projecting radially therefrom and each secured at one end to the pillar with the free end of each arm lying disposed spaced from the pillar and spaced from the free ends of the other arms, a ball member mounted in upstanding relation on the free end of each arm, each of said arms adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received upwardly within the hub portion of the spider with the spherical surface of the ball member rockably supporting the shade, whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be suspended in laterally spaced relation from said support with the axis of each shade lying in a vertical plane.

12. A device for displaying a plurality of lamp shades each having a supporting spider arranged adjacent the upper rim thereof comprising: a vertically extending elongate support, a plurality of brackets secured to the support at vertically spaced apart intervals, a plurality of lamp shade supporting arrn members each connected at one end to one of the brackets and extending at the other end laterally away from the support, a light bulb receiving socket member secured to the free end of each of the arm members, an electric lead connected to each socket member and extending along the respective arm members for connection to a lead at said support, a plurality of ball members one associated with each arm and socket member combination and secured to one of such members and projecting upwardly and disposed with its spherical surface substantially vertically aligned with a light bulb received in the socket member, each of said arm members adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between spokes of the spider thereof with the ball member disposed below and received upwardly within the hub portion or" the spider with the spherical surface of the ball member rockably sunporting the shades whereby a plurality of vertically spaced apart shades may be suspended in laterally spaced relation from said support with the axis of each shade lying 13. A device for displaying a plurality of lamp shades each having a supporting spider arranged adjacent the upper rim thereof comprising: a support, a plurality of lamp shade supporting arm members each connected at one end to said support at spaced-apart intervals and extending at the other end laterally away from the support, a ball member mounted in upstanding relation on the free end of each arm, each of said arms adapted to extend over the upper rim of a lamp shade and downwardly between spokes of the spider thereof with the 10 10 ball member disposed below and received upwardly within the hub portion of the spider with the spherical surface of the ball member rockably supporting the shade, whereby a plurality of spaced-apart shades may be suspended in laterally spaced relation from said support with the axis of each shade lying in a vertical plane.

Meads Nov. 19, 1895 Sammons Mar. 18, 1924

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