US3719820A

US3719820A - Socket mounts for lighting fixtures

Info

Publication number: US3719820A
Application number: US00128785A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Yarmark
Original assignee: Triboro Electric Corp
Current assignee: Triboro Electric Corp
Priority date: 1971-03-29
Filing date: 1971-03-29
Publication date: 1973-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-06

Abstract

Lighting fixtures provided with structure for mounting a lamp socket on a part of the lighting fixture. A substantially Ushaped springy member is fixed to the lighting fixture part and has a pair of legs extending from the latter part with each leg having a pair of side flanges forming a guide channel from each leg. A bracket is fixed to the lamp socket and is received between the legs of the springy member in the guide channels thereof. The bracket is in the form of an elongated strip received in the guide channels and the springy U-shaped member may be formed with an opening to receive a projection at the free end of the strip which forms the bracket. A catch structure is provided to retain the bracket and springy member in assembled condition.

Description

United States Patent 91 Yarmark 1 March 6, 1973 1 SOCKET MOUNTS FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Primary ExaminerJoseph F. Peters, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Wintercorn Attorney-Blum, Moscovitz, Friedman & Kaplan 5 7 ABSTRACT Lighting fixtures provided with structure for mounting a lamp socket on a part of the lighting fixture. A substantially U-shaped springy member is fixed to the lighting fixture part and has a pair of legs extending from the latter part with each leg having a pair of side flanges forming a guide channel from each leg. A bracket is fixed to the lamp socket and is received between the legs of the springy member in the guide channels thereof. The bracket is in the form of an elongated strip received in the guide channels and the springy U-shaped member may be formed with an opening to receive a projection at the free end of the strip which forms the bracket. A catch structure is provided to retain the bracket and springy member in assembled condition.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SOCKET MOUNTS FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION bular components of lighting fixtures such as those m which form chandeliers or candelabra-simulating fixtures.

Such lighting fixtures have lamp sockets which must be assembled with tubular components or arms of the fixture. For this purpose it is customary to attach to the lamp socket a tapped bracket. Then the entire socket is fastened with the fixture arm or the like by screwing the threaded bracket on to a threaded tube, for example, which forms part of the lighting fixture. Then the structure is fully assembled with the lighting fixture at the factory.

One of the disadvantages resulting in this conventional arrangement is that in attaching the socket to the tube or the like the socket is necessarily turned with respectto the tube, so that the wires which extend from the socket become twisted and all of the electrical connections are under an undesirable strain.

A further disadvantage of this conventional arrangement results from the fact that the sockets must be attached to the fixture at the plant so that the sockets are assembled with the fixture during shipment thereof. Frequently such sockets become broken away from the fixture during shipment, creating considerable inconvenience when the fixture reaches its destination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a lighting fixture with a structure which will avoid the above drawbacks.

In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide for a lighting fixture a structure which will enable a lamp socket to be assembled therewith without requiring any turning of the lamp socket with respect to the lighting fixture part to which it is connected.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a construction which enables a socket to be simply snapped onto a mounting part with exclusively longitudinal movement of the socket along its central axis, so that turning of the socket is completely unnecessary.

Furthermore it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure which will enable the sockets to be assembled with the lighting fixture at the final destination through simple snapping of the sockets onto a part connected to the fixture, so that with such an arrangement it becomes unnecessary to attach the sockets to the fixture at the plant. Instead the sockets can be shipped separately or can be supplied by the electrician at the final destination. The electrician himself can conveniently snap the sockets onto the fixture when the fixture is installed at its final location, so that in this way the hazards of shipping can be eliminated.

In accordance with the invention there are a pair of means respectively fixed to the socket and to a fixture part on which the socket is to be mounted. This pair of means coact in such a way that they can be assembled without turning of the lamp socket or lighting fixture part one with respect to the other, and a catch means forms part of the pair of means for retaining the latter in their assembled condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective illustration of one embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 showing a lamp and lamp socket as well as part of a lighting fixture on which the lamp socket is to be mounted;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, at a scale somewhat larger than FIG. 1, illustrating the parts of FIG. 1 in their assembled condition;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of part of the bracket structure of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of yet another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OFPREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein an elongated tubular part 10 of a lighting fixture 12 which includes an arm 14 or the like. This arm 14 has an internally threaded tubular portion 16 into which the lower threaded end 18 of the tubular part 10 is threaded, this part 10 having just above the threaded bottom end region 18 thereof a flange or collar 20 fixed thereto for engaging the top surface of the arm 14 of the fixture. In this way the part 10 forms a part of the fixture 12. It will be noted that the part 10 can be freely turned in the direction of the arrow 22, while being assembled with arm 14 in the direction of the arrow 24 without any twisting of the wires 26 which extend through the tubular part 10.

A lamp socket 28 carries a lamp 30 and is to be mounted on the part 10. The wires 26 are electrically connected with the socket 28 in a conventional manner, and the lamp 30 is a conventional bulb which may be simply threaded into the socket 28, for example.

In accordance with the invention in order to mount the socket 28 on the part 10 a pair of

means

32 and 34 are respectively fixed to the part 10 and socket 28. The pair of

means

32 and 34 coact with each other so as to assume the assembled condition shown in FIG. 3 without any turning of the socket 28 or the part 10 one with respect to the other. The assembly of the pair of

means

32 and 34 is brought about simply by movement of the socket 28 longitudinally along its central axis.

The means 32 is in the form of a substantially U- shaped springy member 36 having a bottom transverse wall 38 and a pair of

legs

40 and 42 extending from the part 10. The transverse bottom wall 38 of member 36 is formed with a central opening which receives the top end of the tubular part 10. This part 10 may be fixed to the member 36 by being rolled over the top surface of the wall 38 or staked thereto, as is apparent from FIG. 2. The leg 40 has a pair of

side flanges

44 and 46 while the leg 42 has a pair of

side flanges

48 and 50. These side flanges form the

legs

40 and 42 into a pair of guide channels. In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 the leg 40 is formed with an opening 52 which forms part of a catch means for retaining the pair of

means

32 and 34 in their assembled condition.

The means 34 is in the form of a bracket having the configuration of an elongated strip 54 made of any suitable spring metal, for example. It is fixed, as by a pin or rivet 56 to the socket 28. Beyond the socket 28 the bracket 54 is of a substantially Z-shaped configuration so that it has a pair of

opposed wall portions

58 and 60 interconnected by the inclined wall..portions 62. These

opposed wall portions

58 and 60 are adapted to be received between and to slidably engage the opposed wall portions formed by the

legs

40 and 42 of the means 32. The guide channels formed by the

legs

40 and 42 with their side flanges guide the

wall portions

58 and 60 for longitudinal movement along the inner surfaces of the

legs

40 and 42.

The elongated strip 54 which forms the bracket fixed to the socket 28 terminates in a free end 64 which is of a lesser width than the remainder of the strip 54. The wall 38 is formed at the region of its junction with the leg 42 with an opening 66 which receives the free end 64 when the pair of

means

32 and 34 are fully assembled.

As was indicated above the opening 52 of the leg 40 forms part of the catch means. This catch means also includes a tongue 68 struck from the bracket 54. The location of the tongue 68 and opening 52 are such that when the pair of

means

32 and 34 are fully assembled the tongue 68 snaps into the opening 52 so that the catch means 52, 68 will retain the pair of

means

32 and 34 in their assembled condition.

Thus, with the structure of the invention the bracket 54 need only be snapped into the springy U-shaped member 36 in order to mount the socket 28 on the part 10. This takes place only by longitudinal movement of the socket 28 along its central axis. Twisting of the wires 26 is completely eliminated. Through this structure of the invention it is convenient for the electrician to assemble the socket 28 with the fixture when the latter is installed, so that the socket 28 need not be permanently attached with the fixture at the plant and instead can be separately shipped so that danger of breakage is avoided.

In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, all of the parts have the construction described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 except for the means 34. The bracket which forms the means 34 has a different construction in this embodiment. In this embodiment the means 34 is in the form of a substantially U-shaped bracket having a pair of elongated legs or

strip portions

70 and 72 both of which are fixed at their top ends to the socket 28 by the rivet or pin 56. These elongated strip portions or

legs

70 and 72 of the means 34 of this embodiment are interconnected by a transverse wall 74 formed with a central opening through which the wires 26 pass. At

their lower ends the pair of strips and 72 have

tongues

76 and 78 struck therefrom (FIG. 4), and these tongues terminate in lower ends 80 which are narrower than the remainder of the tongues and which are respectively received in suitable openings formed in the bottom wall 38 of the means 32. Also in this embodiment the springy U-shaped member 36 which forms the means 32 has both of its legs formed with openings 52 and 52'. The pair of

legs

70 and 72 of the bracket fixed to the socket 28 in FIG. 3 respectively have tongues 82 and 84 struck therefrom to snap into the openings 52' and 52 respectively, so that in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 the catch means is formed by a pair of tongues and openings.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 is identical with that of FIG. 3 except for the structure of the bracket which forms the means 34. In this case the bracket 34 is formed by a pair of elongated strips 86 and 88 respectively fixed to the socket 28 by the rivet or pin 56. These strips 86 and 88 are parallel to each other and correspond to the legs or strips 70 and 72 of FIG. 3. The strips 86 and 88 respectively terminate at their bottom ends in the

projections

90 and 92 respectively received in openings formed in the bottom wall of the means 32. Also in this case the strips 86 and 88 respectively have

tongues

94 and 96 struck therefrom to be received in openings formed in the opposed wall portions of the springy U-shaped member which forms the means 32, so that in this case also the catch means is formed by a pair of tongues and openings. Thus, while the embodiment of FIG. 5 has a means 34 in the form of a pair of separate components 86 and 88, these components are in the form of simple elongated straight strips so that they are exceedingly simple and inexpensive. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 these strips are united into a single component by the transverse wall 74 so that the means 34 of FIG. 3 has a substantially U- shaped configuration. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the means 34 is also in the form of a single member, and in this case it has a substantially Z-shaped configuration as pointed out above. In all cases the side flanges of the

legs

40 and 42 of the means 32 form guide channels which precisely guide the bracket into its fully assembled condition with the springy member.

Because of the springy characteristics of the metal which forms the pair of

means

32 and 34 it is possible to displace the openings and tongues of the catch means for ready disassembly of the pair of

means

32 and 34. They can easily be reassembled by snapping the pair of

means

32 and 34 together into their fully assembled condition exclusively by longitudinal movement of the socket 28 along its central axis so that through this simple assembly procedure full and reliable assembly can take place with a secure mounting of the socket on the fixture without requiring any twisting of the wires and without requiring the sockets to be attached to the fixture at the plant where the fixture is initially manufactured.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lighting fixture having a lamp-carrying part and a lamp socket to be mounted on said part, a pair of means respectively fixed to said part and socket for mounting said socket on said part when said pair of means are assembled without turning of said socket and part one with respect to the other, and catch means forming part of said pair of means for retaining said pair of means in their assembled condition, said socket having a central longitudinal axis, said pair of meansassuming their assembled condition upon longitudinal displacement of said part and socket one with respect to the other along said axis, said catch means coacting with said pair of means for retaining the latter in their assembled condition after said socket and part have been moved on with respect to the other to an extent sufficient to place said pair of means in their fully assembled condition, one of said pair of means consisting only of a U-shaped member having only a transverse wall and a pair of legs extending therefrom and forming a pair of opposed wall portions between which the other of said pair of means becomes located when said pair of means are assembled.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said other of said pair of means has a wall portion located directly next to one of said wall portions of said one pair of means to form with said one wall portion of said one pair of means a pair of adjoining wall portions, and said catch means including a tongue struck from one of said adjoining wall portions and an opening formed in the other of said adjoining wall portions and receiving said tongue.

3. In a lighting fixture having a lamp-carrying part and a lamp socket to be mounted on said part, a pair of means respectively fixed to said part and socket for mounting said socket on said part when said pair of means are assembled without turning of said socket and part one with respect to the other, and catch means forming part of said pair of means for retaining said pair of means in their assembled condition, one of said pair of means being in the form of a substantially U- shaped springy member fixed to said part and having a pair of opposed legs extending from said part and each having a pair of side flanges forming at each leg a guide channel for receiving the other of said pair of means, and said other of said pair of means including a bracket fixed to said socket and having a pair of opposed elongated wall portions situated between and engaging said legs while guided in the said channels during assembly of said pair of means.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said bracket is of a substantially Z-shaped configuration and is in the form of an elongated strip terminating in a free end of a narrower width than the remainder of said strip, said U-shaped member being formed with an opening for receiving said free end of said strip.

5. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said bracket includes a pair of elongated substantially parallel strips fixed to and extending from said socket and received in said guide channels formed by said legs of said substantially U-shaped member.

6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said pair of strips form part of a common substantially U-shaped strip fixed to said socket.

7. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said strips are completely separate from each other.

Claims

1. In a lighting fixture having a lamp-carrying part and a lamp socket to be mounted on said part, a pair of means respectively fixed to said part and socket for mounting said socket on said part when said pair of means are assembled without turning of said socket and part one with respect to the other, and catch means forming part of said pair of means for retaining said pair of means in their assembled condition, said socket having a central longitudinal axis, said pair of means assuming their assembled condition upon longitudinal displacement of said part and socket one with respect to the other along said axis, said catch means coacting with said pair of means for retaining the latter in their assembled condition after said socket and part have been moved on with respect to the other to an extent sufficient to place said pair of means in their fully assembled condition, one of said pair of means consisting only of a Ushaped member having only a transverse wall and a pair of legs extending therefrom and forming a pair of opposed wall portions between which the other of said pair of means becomes located when said pair of means are assembled.

1. In a lighting fixture having a lamp-carrying part and a lamp socket to be mounted on said part, a pair of means respectively fixed to said part and socket for mounting said socket on said part when said pair of means are assembled without turning of said socket and part one with respect to the other, and catch means forming part of said pair of means for retaining said pair of means in their assembled condition, said socket having a central longitudinal axis, said pair of means assuming their assembled condition upon longitudinal displacement of said part and socket one with respect to the other along said axis, said catch means coacting with said pair of means for retaining the latter in their assembled condition after said socket and part have been moved on with respect to the other to an extent sufficient to place said pair of means in their fully assembled condition, one of said pair of means consisting only of a U-shaped member having only a transverse wall and a pair of legs extending therefrom and forming a pair of opposed wall portions between which the other of said pair of means becomes located when said pair of means are assembled.

3. In a lighting fixture having a lamp-carrying part and a lamp socket to be mounted on said part, a pair of means respectively fixed to said part and socket for mounting said socket on said part when said pair of means are assembled without turning of said socket and part one with respect to the other, and catch means forming part of said pair of means for retaining said pair of means in their assembled condition, one of said pair of means being in the form of a substantially U-shaped springy member fixed to said part and having a pair of opposed legs extending from said part and each having a pair of side flanges forming at each leg a guide channel for receiving the other of said pair of meanS, and said other of said pair of means including a bracket fixed to said socket and having a pair of opposed elongated wall portions situated between and engaging said legs while guided in the said channels during assembly of said pair of means.