US3051430A - Lighting fixture leveling support - Google Patents

Description

1962 T. c. HALFAKER 3,051,430

' LIGHTING FIXTURE LEVELING SUPPORT Filed June 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m ,27 i Z /9 M newrme =1 mamas Cf/l/MFA'AL? w 5 l 3r M /wiwag [Fix/ 575,

3,051,430 LIGHTING FIXTURE LEVELING UPPORT Thomas C. Halfaker, Overiand, Mm, assignor to Day- Brite Lighting, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed June 30, 1961, Ser. No. 121,189 Claims. (ill. 248343) This invention relates to leveling supports for lighting fixtures and is particularly directed to improved means for supporting fixtures in a drop ceiling assembly and for providing adjustment to obtain leveling and flush positioning of the same.

Drop ceiling construction for buildings is exceedingly popular and useful since there is provided a plenum space hidden from the occupied space which can be used for electrical wiring and air conditioning and heating services. Therefore, the visible side of the ceiling is clear of all unsightly equipment, and the like. The plenum space, on the other hand, is oftentimes a maze of wires, conduits, structural members and apparatus. All of these things are important and usually must maintain a particular position in relation to the surrounding things. For example, the drop ceiling tiles or panels are carried upon a grid of structural members arranged in a set pattern of rectangular openings to suit the tiles or panels. members are suspended upon wires or the like which are spaced apart so that conduits, wires and other objects can be conveniently arranged. Thus when the lighting fixtures are assembled in the ceiling and supported by the grid of structural members, great care must be exercised to locate the supports so as not to strike adjacent objects and the current yoke-type support is particularly troublesome to install.

On the other hand, a support which eliminates the use of yokes is much to be desired and it is an object of this invention to provide a novel support which is easily attached to lighting fixture bodies and does not require large clearance areas in a ceiling plenum space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a support for lighting fixtures which embodies novel means for operating a support member of extend-retract character in combination with leveling movement.

The invention is embodied in a preferred form disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a drop ceiling assembly in which a lighting fixture is mounted; FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the fixture seen at line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, of the support;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the support seen at line 44 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the support taken at line 55 in FIG. 3.

With reference to FIG. 1 it may be seen that the body to be supported in a drop ceiling assembly is disposed adjacent to structural members 11 and is supported by such members as Will be hereinafter described. The structural members 11 cooperate with auxiliary members 12 in a grid pattern to support ceiling tiles or panels 13 to as to enclose a plenum space above the panels 13. The auxiliary members 12 are suitably attached (not shown) to the structural members 11, and the structural members 11 are supported by drop wires 14 or other suitable suspension means, wherein the wires 14 are formed with a loop 15 in which the structural members 11 are located. The foregoing is considered to be conventional practice in the art, particularly with reference to the assembly and support of lighting fixtures in a drop ceiling assembly, and while the body 10 is shown as a lighting fixture,

The grid 3,@51,43@ Patented Aug. 28, 1962 it is appreciated that other housings or bodies may be installed in like manner.

The means for supporting body 10 in the drop ceiling assembly is shown at 16 in FIG. 1 and it is also shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-5 inclusive. It is observed that the body 10 is provided with four supports 16 located in such manner that they cooperate to afford adequate support to sustain the weight of the body and to provide contact with the structural members 11 whereby the body 10 may be flush mounted relative to the panels 13. Each of the supports 16 is identical and it will be understood that a description of one thereof will apply to each of the supports. Moreover, in reference to FIG. 2, it may be noted that the supports 16 may be used on the right and left sides of the body 10 without difliculty since it is not necessary to take into account right or left hand parts in a device as simply constructed as is the support of this invention.

In connection with FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 the support 16 includes a frame 17 formed with a top flange 18 and a bottom flange 19 having a portion formed at an angle with respect to a more horizontal flange portion. The flanges 18 and 19 are suitably apertured to receive an adjusting screw 20 in which the head 21 is disposed adjacent the bottom flange 19 and the opposite end is removably secured in the aperture of flange 18 by a snapon type clip 21a.- Ihis manner of mounting the adjusting screw 2% permits rotation thereof without longitudinal displacement. The adjusting screw 20 operatively supports a carrier element 22 having upper and lower legs 23 formed with extruded apertures of which the aperture in one leg is provided with threads which match the threads on the adjusting screw 20 and the other aperture serves as a guide for the carrier element 22. The carrier element is adapted to support arm 24 in such position that it passes between the closed side of the carrier 22 and the adjusting screw 20. Arm 24 is limited in its lengthwise movement by end stops 25. The arm 24 is longitudinally displaced by a clutch type drive member 26 in the form of a tubular friction element having vertical ribs on the exterior surface in contact with the side face of the arm 24, and also being fitted over the adjusting screw 20 so as to rotate therewith as will be explained hereinafter.

In the view of FIGS. 3 and 4 the threads on adjusting screw 26 are pitched to drive the arm 24 rightwardly or outwardly over the structural member 11 upon clockwise rotation. Thus, retraction of arm 24 is obtained by counterclockwise rotation of the adjusting screw 20, and this counterclockwise rotation also produces upward displacement of the carrier element 22. It is obvious then that clockwise rotation of the adjusting screw 21} will first effect outward extension of the arm 24 to the limit of the left hand stop 25 and then downward displacement of the carrier element 22 so that the arm 24 may be first projected outwardly over the structural member 11 and then brought downwardly into contact with the member 11. Once the arm 24 has engaged the structural member 11, further clockwise rotation of the adjusting screw 20 will produce a vertical displacement of the body 10 for the purpose of drawing the body 10 up into flush engagement with the panels 13 as shown in FIG. 2.

The support 16 is very quickly and easily attached to the side wall 27 of the body 10 by means of a locating slot 28 in the side wall for receiving a tang 29 on the frame 17. The flange 19 below tang 29 is secured to the side wall 27 by a machine screw 30 which will provide adequate strength to maintain the support 16 on the body 10 under the weight to be carried thereby. Access to the adjusting screw head 21 is obtained through an aperture or opening 31 in the body side wall 27.

It is observed in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4' that rotation of adjusting screw 26 will drive the carrier element 22 up and down along the length-of the screw and in so doing the legs 23 will entrap the clutch member 26 and force it to travel along the length of the adjusting screw. When the member 26 engages either the upper or the lower legs 23 it may cease rotation since it frictionally engages the leg 23 which arrests rotation thereof. The member 26 is made somewhat shorter than the space or distance between the legs 23 so that during a certain number of revolutions of the adjusting screw 20 the member 26 will be free to rotate from its position adjacent one leg 23 until it assumes another position in contact with the opposite leg 23. Rotation of member 26 is therefore utilized to propel or retract arm 24 with respect to the frame 17. It is further observed that member 26 may or may not stop rotating when engaged by either leg 23, but it is more likely to rotate with the screw 2!} so that there will be slippage produced between it and the surface of arm 24.

In the view of FIG. 5 it will appear that the carrier element 23 has a certain degree of angular looseness relative to the frame 17 due to clearance provided between the outer ends of the spaced legs 23 and the adjacent surface of the frame 17. The clearance space thus provided permits a certain amount of angular displacement or wobble of the arm 24 so that the arm 24 may move from the full line position to the broken line position without ditficulty. The wobble motion of arm 24 is highly useful since it substantially automatically takes care of the possibility of arm 24 Striking a support loop on the structural member 11. Should the loop 15 be exactly lined up with the extended position of arm '24 when in the full line position disclosed in FIG. 5, the wobble provided by carrier element 22 will come into play so that arm 24 can move to the broken line position and thereby slide past the loop 15. This is of great advantage since it eliminates the time consuming assembly work now required so that no obstruction will be encountered in installing yoke type supports or any other support.

In the example of this invention the adjusting screw 20 is provided with a double thread and is angularly movable through two complete revolutions to fully extend or fully withdraw the arm 24. Thereafter the carirer element 22 and the drive member 26 move up or down as a unit without further displacement of the arm 24.

Since all of the supports 16 are identical and do not have right or left hand assembly features it is a very simple installing operation to place the fixture body It} in the ceiling opening after which a screwdriver may be inserted in each of the access openings 31 to extend the support arms 24 over the structural members 11. Thereafter, assuming the fixture is not drawn up flush with the ceiling panels 13, continued screwdriver operation of the adjusting screws 20 in a clockwise direction (or in the direction of a right hand thread) will produce relative motion in which the body 10 will be drawn upwardly relative to the structural members 11 until a flush position has been obtained. It is observed that there is no different motion required between one side and the other of the body 10 which greatly simplifies installation and removal. When removing the body 10, counterclockwise rotation of the adjusting screws 20 will initially tend to retract the arms 24, however the outermost stops 25 will prevent displacement of the arms 24 and relative slipping will occur between the clutch members 26 and the arms 24 until sufficient vertical displacement has been produced to lift the outermost stops 25 above the structural members 11. Thereafter the arms 24 will immediately retract or be drawn inwardly so that the body 10 can be removed without difficulty. Reinstallation of the body 10 may be effected by reversing the foregoing procedure.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is understood hat modifications, changes and alterations may be 4 made therein, and it is maintained that all such modifications and changes which are or may be considered equivalent are to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. The combination with a body to be supported in a ceiling assembly, of a leveling support carried by the body and engaging with a part of the ceiling assembly, said support including a frame attached to the body, an adjustment screw rotatably mounted on said frame against linear movement, a carrier operably mounted on said screw to move relative to said frame along the length of the screw, a support arm movably mounted in said carrier for extension and retraction relative to said frame, said arm and carrier moving together along the length of said screw upon rotation of the screw, and means in said carrier engaged on said screw and having friction engagement with said arm for extending and retracting said arm depending upon the direction of screw rotation.

2. The combination with a body to be supported in a suspended ceiling assembly, of a leveling support carried by the body and engaging with a part of the ceiling assembly, said support including a frame attached to the body, an adjustment screw rotatably mounted on said frame against linear movement, a carrier operably mounted on said screw to move relative to said frame along the length of the' screw, a support arm movably mounted in said carrier for extension and retraction relative to said frame, said arm and carrier moving together along the length of said screw upon rotation of the screw, and friction clutch means carried by said carrier along the adjusting screw and operated by screw rotation, said clutch means having engagement with said support arm to frictionally drive said arm to extended and retracted positions.

3. The combination with a body to be supported in a suspended ceiling assembly, of a leveling support carried by the body and engaging with a part of the ceiling assembly, said support including a frame attached to the body, an adjustment screw rotatably mounted on said frame against linear movement, a carrier operably mounted on said screw to move relative to said frame along the length of the screw, a support arm movably mounted in said carrier for extension and retraction relative to said frame, said arm and carrier moving together along the length of said screw upon rotation of the screw, and a clutch element mounted on said adjusting screw and having limited lost-motion movement relative to said carrier, said element engaging said support arm and moving the arm to extended and retracted positions depending upon direction of screw rotation, said arm movement being effected substantially within the limited lost-motion movement of said clutch element.

4. The combination with a body to be supported in a structure having mounting wires, of a support on the body engaging the structure without interfering with the mounting wires, said support including a frame on said body, a support arm extending from said frame to the structure, and means operably connecting said arm and frame comprising an adjusting screw rotatably carried by said frame and fixed against axial movement, a carrier threadedly engaged on said screw and having spaced legs, said support arm being carried between said legs, and a clutch element in said carrier frictionally engaged with said support arm and operated by said screw to move said support arm to extended position from said frame and to retract said support arm, said clutch element and carrier combining to limit the support arm to substantially linear movement.

5. A body support comprising a frame, an adjusting screw mounted on said frame for rotation without axial displacement, a carrier having spaced legs with apertures 5 engaged on said screw, said element being shorter than the spacing between said legs so as to rotate with said screw and move lengthwise thereof within the limits of the space between said legs, and an arm movably carried on said carrier and engaged with said friction element, said 5 arm having end stops to limit movement thereof, rotation of said screw determining the direction of rotation of said friction element and the direction of movement of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,954,201 Pascucci Sept. 27, '1960 2,966,325 Pascucci Dec. 27 1960 3,018,082 Berger Jan. 23, 1962

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