CA1307511C - Sectional structure for mounting spot lights, for fitting out of rooms and other - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Flanking structural shapes (1;3,5,7) and mechanical connection means (14) between shapes disposed two-by-two in flanking relationship and two-by-two in abutting relationship make up structures for mechanical support and electrical connection, at low voltage (for example at 24 Volt), between abutted shapes, the web (5) of the shapes having transverse bars (7) at the ends, defined by shearings in the same web, said bars being able to cooperate with coupling means comprising a plate body (14) made of insulating material, shaped according to the cross-section aimensions of the structure and forming support edges apt to receive, on their sides, the bars (7) of the shapes (1;3,53) to be coupled; clamp means (32) for mechanical and electrical connection are developed with U-shaped cross-section for embracing the bars (7) brought near of abutted shapes and the body tl4) thickness along the support sides, and are secured to said body.
(Fig. 1)

Description

30~51~

DESCRIPTION
The lnvention relate~ to a sectlonal structure for rnountlng llght sources such as lamps or spot llghts and the llke, sultahle for lnterlor deslgn or flttlng out in general and for other uses. Sald structure comprises flanklng structural shapes and means, for the ~echanlcal and electrlcal connection between shapes dl~posed two-by-two in flanklng relatlonshlp and two-by-two in abutt lng relatlonshlp.
According to a broad a~pect of the present invention, there is provlded a longitudlnal s~ructure for mounting llght ~ources, formed by ad~acent sections maintained in serial abutment along a longltudlnal axis of the ~tructure, each section comprlsed of two structural elements which are arranged parallel to each other and along a same longitudinal axls and connected to each other by connection means, characterized ln that said struc~ural elements are electrlcally conductlve, that said connectlon means are provided at ends of each section o~ said ~tructure and prov~de mechanical and electrical connection between each one o~ sald two structural elements of one o~ said sections and the correspon~ing structural elements of an ad~acent sectlon of the ~tructure, t~le two structural elements of each Qectlon being electrlcally lnsula-ted from each other, eaeh structural element comprisln0 two longitudinal and parallel thickenlngs and a la~lnar web ~oining said longitudlnal thlckenlngs.
Advantageously, each ~hape has two external longltudinal thlckening~ and a lamlnar web, said web may be plerced through shearing.

~ 1 ~k ... , . "~.-- ,,~, -~ ~3~)~75:1 31 ~333-274 According to an embodlment of the lnvention, the web~ of the structural ~hApes - havlng two thickenings and a ~oinlng weh -have transverse bars de~ined by shearlng~ ln the same web at ~heir ends; the connectlon means comprise a plate body made of insulatlng material, shaped accordlng to the cross-sectlon dimenslons of the ~tructure and ~orming support ed~es apt to receive, on their sldes, the bars of the shapes to be coupled7 and clamp means ~or the mechanlcal coupling and electrical connectlon - mostly at low voltage that ls at a voltage less than or equal to 24 Volt - are developed wlth a U-shaped cross~section for embracing the bars brought near of abutted shapes and la 71~

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the thickness of the body along the support sides, ?nd are secured to said body.
The clamp means may exhibit slightly inclined extensions of the intermediate side of the U-shaped cross-section, in order to ensure the electrical contact through the clamping or tightening pressure.
Each clamp means may be secured by a screw - even only one - which perpendicularly engages the support side of the bars and is received into a hole in the intermediate side of the U-shaped cross-section of the clamp means as well as into notches of the bars; said screw may be tightened to a nut housed and engaged into a seat formed in the body thickness and interfering with the hole of the screw; said seat may have projections for the shrlnking that is forced retention of the nut.

The flanges or legs of the U-shaped cross-section length of the clamp means may be received lnto recesses o~ the body, especially corresponding -to the thickness of said flanges or legs.
Said body may have on top a small groove and a notch to house a suspension tension rod tha~ can be inserted in said groove and has a thickening which is received and retained in said notch.
Bend joining elements may be provided between parts 130751~L

forming an angle between them, each joining element comprising clamp means similar to the preceding ones with an interruption in one of the legs for a cable terminal solid with a bar disposed side-by-side to that of the shape to be electrically connected wlth the corresponding one of the angled element; the cable terminals are electrically connected with arcuate plaits possibly stiffened by a metal (like tin or other).
The invention will be better understood by following the description and the attached drawing, which shows a practical, non limitative exemplification of the same invention. In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of two linear structures and a junction between them;
Fig. 2 shows a local section view on line II-II of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a parti.al perspectlve view of the end of a structural shape;
Fig. 4 is a cross section view on line IV-IV of Fig.
1, ~ .
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a compensatlng element;

Fig. 6 is a cross section view on line VI-VI cf Fig.

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Figs. 7 and 8 are local section views on line VII
VII and VIII-VIII of Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a top view of a plate for the formation of a joint;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a terminal for the electrical connection;
Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show a connectlon between angled structures in an external view and in the section views on lines XII-XII and XIII-XIII of Fig. 11;
Figs. 14, 15 and 16 show in two views and a section view on line XVI-XVI of Fig. 15, a clamp means for the mechanical and electrical connection;
Figs. 17, 18 and 19 show, in two views and in section view ~n line XIX-XIX oP Fig. 18, a clamp means for an angled junction;
Figs. 20 and 21 show a component to be utilized with the above mentioned clamp means;
Fig. 22 shows a clamp means for the electrical connection on a structural shape;
Figs. 23, 24, 25 show, in partially sectioned side view on lines XXIV-XXIV and XXV-XXV of Fig. 23~ a wall-mounting support;
, Fig. 26 shows a way for adapting the distance of a structure rnade of structural shapes with respect to the application wall by means of said support;

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~333-274 Flgs. 27, 28 and 29 show, ln plan Yiew and ln sectlon vlews on llnes XXVIII-XXVIII and XXIX-XXIX of Fig 27, an adapter for hanging two rods for the mechanical and electrical connectlon of a ~pot ll~ht.
Flg. 30 shows, in a view and a partial sectlon view, an adapter for the ~uspension of a lamp or other wlth coaxlal connectors;
Flgs. ~1 to 34 show modifled embodlments of lnternal connectors of an a~apter slmllar to that of Fiy. 30~
Fig. 35 shows a possible arrangement of a transformer between two structural shapes ln lnclined position.
The baslc structure (Flgs. 1 to ~1) of the a~sembly ln question is represented by a pair of structural elements or shapes, mostly extruded, whlch are coupled between them according to a relative incllnatlon and with connectlon mean~ apt to establlsh the posltlon of the flanking shapes ~nd to connect the abutted shapes. ~ach shape, generally lndicated by 1, compri~e~
two end lon~itudinal thickenlngs 3 and a lamlnar web or part 5, which may be slotte~ ~or lightenlng purposes throu~h a work operatlon subsequent to the pro~lllng and, in any case, ls provided with openin~s whlch dellmit transver~e bar~ 7 along the end transverse edge. Each bar 7 has an intermediate notch 9.
The structural shapes may have standardized lengths to obtain varlou~ possibilities of compositlon and wlth said shapes complementary elements lndlca~ed b~ 10 may also be form~d having short leny~s ln the range, for example, of 75 mm of 150 mm, which will have, owlng to their limlted dlmension, a non-sheared web and - ' ,, - ' , -, ',' '~ ' ~ 3~51:~
~ 0333-274 will then exhlblt - in order to form bars like tho~e lndicated by 7 - elongate slottlngs 12.
In order to ~oin four shapes between them, disposed two-by-two in slde-by-side relatlon~hlp and two-by-two in lengthwise abutting relatlonship, ~unctlon supports are provlded able to ensure both the mechanical coupllng and the electrlcal connectlon between abutted shapes and the posslblllty of suspenslon of the asse~bled structure. The electrical connectlon is requlred for the possibility of distri~uting the low voltage electric power through the same shapes whlch make up the basic components 1 of the mechanical structure.
Each ~upport, that is each ~oint, comprises a plate body 14 made of insulating material that may be of synthetic moulded resln even and advantageously tr~nsp~rent, o~ generally lsosceles triangle development with the base angl~s being bevelled at 16 and the vertex belng truncated at 18 and having the ~n~les bevelled at 20. The distance between bevels 16,20 corresponds to the distance between the thickenings 3 of the structur~l shapes 1, whlch have to rest along the ~upport edges or sides 14A of the body 14.
Alony ~aid sides 14A, lonyltudlnal recesses 22 are provided, developed over a portlon of the len~th of sldes 14A and at an intermedlate posltlon; the width of sldes 14A in the thickness directlon, in correspondence wlth said recesses 22, corresponds to twice the wldth of bars 7 whlch define the terminal edge of shape 1. At central position of recesses 22, and at lntermedi~te posltion of body 14 thlckness, a hole 24 is provided alon~ each side 14A perpendlcular thereto, sald hole 24 interceptlng a side ,-:

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~0333-274 seat or slot-llke hole or openln~ 26 origlnatlng in one of the surfaces of the thickness of body 14 and lnvolving part thereo~
wlthout reachlng the opposite surfac~ of same body thickness~ ln these slot holes or openlngs 26 light rlbs 26A are formed lengthwise with respect to the development of same slots 26, having the purpose of retalnlng a nut that may be lnserted with some ~orc~ng lnto the slot 26; the nut indicated by 2~ makes part of a means ~or the electrlcal and mechanlcal connection of the structural shapes that are abutted along the slde 14A. For the fastening and the connection, a screw 30 is utllized whlch is lnserted lnto the hole 24 and screwed lnto the nut 28 so as to engage both the two structural shapes 1 and a clamp means, generally lndlcated by 32, for the mechanlcal ~nd electrlcal connectlon.
Each clamp means 32 ls developed as a metal plate o~
sultable thlckness, forming a strip 34 of a wldth correspondlng to that o~ sides 14A in correspondence of recesses 22, and two longitudinal legs 36 developed in the lnt~rmediate part o~ ~trlp 34, to make up a "U" section of the clamp means, from which longl~udinal termlnal portlon~ or exten310ns 34A of strip 34 extend; these portlons 34A are slightly inclined wikh re~pect to the plane of strip 34 in tlle zone comprlsed between legs 36. At an intermedlate posltlon, strlp 34 has a hole 38 provided for the screw 30. The lnterspace between legs 36 corresponds to the lnterspace between recesses 22, and the length of legs 36 corresponds to the longltudinal e~tension of recesse~ 22, whlle the height of legs 36 (as measured inslde the U-sectionj ,~

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20333~274 corresponds to the sum o~ the wldth of recesses 22, startlng from the corners of sldes 14A, plu8 the thicknes~ o~ web~ 5 that i~ of the bars 7 of shapes 1.
To connect the two abuttlng ~hapes 1 of each one o~ the two pairs of flanking shapes, a ~olnt support is used whlch comprlses the body 14 and two clamp means 32 for the two pair~ of two-by-two abut~ed shapes 1. A pair of abut~ed 8hape~ 1 ha~ ~ars 7 dlsposed slde-by 3~
side with a central passage formed by the two notches 9 a body 14 is brought near to flanking bars 7 so that these may rest on the thickness of side 14A
thereby taking up the width of said side in correspondence of recesses 22. A clamp means 32 is then fitted on side 14At so as to present legs 36 into recesses 22, embracing through the U-section the bars 7 of the two shapes and the portion of body 14 in correspondence of recesses 22. The connection is stabilized and forced by means of screw 30 which goes through the hole 38 defined by the two notches 9A, corresponding to each other, of the two abutted bars and enters the hole 24 to engage nut 28 transversally inserted into slot 26. It is thus possible to carry out a mechanical connection by simply using a screw 30. The nut 28 is kept in the position wherein the threaded hole is in correspondence of hole 24, because of the dimensioning of slot 26 and the retention effect operated by the two ribs that is pro~ections 26A which warp to a limited extent in relation to the more or less forced insertion of nut 28. It should be noted that the surface of strip 34 9 34A - which is inside the U-section of clamp means 32 - comes to coincide that is to match with bars 7 of the two abutted shapes 1, and the end parts 34A of strip 34 come to force -'~ " " ' ' ' ":

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through the tlghtenlng of ~crew 30 - on the ~urfaces of the two shapes 1 in correspondence of bars 7 and ad~acent to thickenlngs 3, thereby ensuring an elastic pressure and thus an electrical contact allowlng a safe electrlcal connectlon between the two abutted shapes.
~ y mountlny two pairs of shapes ln abutment relationship on the same ~olnt body 14, there i~ obtained a mechanical coupllng and an electrlcal connection whlch are after all obtalned in a slmple way by uslng the two 3crews 30. The t~ickenlngs 3 are caused to go near to bevels 16 and 20 thus en~urlng the accurate po~itioning of body 14 on shapes 1 and, ln partlcular, on bars 7 which must result ln abuttlng relation~hlp.
In correspondenca to the vertex o~ body 14 belng flattened at 18, a suspension arrangement of the ~olnt is provlded - and thus of the structure mounted thereon - by means of ~
suspenslon tenslon rod or cabl.e llke tha~ indlcated by ao and whlch has, at lts lower end, a spherlcal thickenin~ 42 that may be welded thereon. For the en~agement of the ~u~pen~ion cable 40, 42, an lncline~ notch 44 ~g provided ln ~he zone of the t~unc~ted vertex, thls notch being able to recelve the spherical thickenlng 42, formln~ a hemispherlcal seat for receivlng same cable in its end upper part~ a groove or ~lot 46 is formed ,, , ;

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between the truncated end 18 of the vertex and the notch 44 for allowing the passage of cable 40, the slot 46 being llmited to the cable dimension. Under khese conditions, an upwardly tensioned cable with its own spherical thickening 42 inserted into the notch 44 and reacting on the bottom thereof turned towards the truncated vertex 18, ensures a steady connection by means of anchorage means, for example provided in the ceiling and suitably covered for aesthetical re~uirements. It is therefore possible, through the simple insertion of a cable 40, 42 into the recess 44 and into the slot 46, to establish the connection with the suspension means.
According to what hereinbefore stated, it is possible, by means of clamp means 32, to ensure the low-voltage electrical connection between two abutted shapes 1. These shapes can be rnade of alluminum or other relatively light metal or alloy yet sufficient to ensure the electrical conductlvity for the power supply to light spots or other which may be combined to the structure in question. The structural shapes have a cross-section sufficient to provide electriclty transmission, for both the cross-section of thickenings 3 and the portion of web 5, that is, kept continuous by the shearing of said web for lightening sake, said ~3~51~

20333-27~
shearlng being able to be developed with triangular ~lot8 to glve rise to a substantially trestle-llke structure.
Numeral 50 lndicates a cable termlnal that ls a feeder that may be applled as a contlnuation of a shape 1 through the same already described clamp means provided ln correspondence wlth a ~oint body like the one lndlcate~ by 14; thls cable terminal has a slot 52 for the clamp means, ~ald slot belng apt to define a transverse bar 57, slmllar to that indicated by 7 o~ the shapes, and a notch 59 correspondlng to those in~icated by 9. The cable terminal 50 wlll be possibly provlded wlth holes or other means for the tlghtening or clamping of a cable.
To supply or even draw electrical current, a cl~mp means 60 may be used (Fig. 22) having two substantlally symmetrlcal ~aws, whlch i9 apt to embrace a thlckening 3 of shapes 1 ln order to clamp lt whlle leaving a sufficlent space betwesn the ~aws for the thicknes~ of web 5.
A beam structure rnade up of two shapes 1 connected with the ~olnt bodles 14 may also house a transformer with low voltage output as lndlcated by T in Fig. 35, which, be~ides constituting a posslble connection between the two beams, can en~ure the power transformation from the mains voltage to the low voltage, that is, to a value below or equal to 24 Volt, for the power supply of shapes 1 and can also ensure the electrlcal connection wlth said shapes. The tlghtenlng or clamplng of surface clamp means can be even provided on the lncllned walls of the body of transformer T
whlch match shapes 1, while the electrlcal connection ~or th0 lnlet cable may be carrled out ln any sultable posltion.

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In order to ~tabllize the lnterspace between the ad~acent upper thickenln~s 3 of the two side-by-side dlsposed shapes, a spacer indlcated by 64, may be provided (Fig~. 1 and 2), whlch may be made of synthetic resln wlth the posslbllity of a slight ela~tic ylelding or the ~nap engagement thereo~. Such a spacer may al80 be utllized ~or suspension connections or for accessories to be connected to the structure.
For the appllcation, a wall-mountin~ system may also be provlded as indlcated in Flgs. 23 to 26. A clamp means or support 68 ls realized with two valves 68A and 68B which deflne, upon their coupling, two clamplng ~eak~ for the two side-by-side dlsposed thlckenlngs o~ the ~wo shapes an~ for the respectlve portlons of web 5 thereof that are ad~acent to the thlckenings. The clamp means 68 may be dlsposed at any po31tlon along the slottlngs provlded for the sh~pes. Part 68A may be engaged to a ~upport arm or a stem 70 and the tlghtenlng of the clamp means may be provided by a simple screw 72, axially dl~posed wlth respect to stem 70. The stem 70 may be stralght for a ceiling mountlng, or curved, anyway to ~lve rise to a cantilever arm in~lcated by 70X whlch may be ap~lied to a w~ll through a wall support or plate 74. The arm 70X may be realized for artlculated engagement thereof both to plate 74 and to portion 68A
of clamp means 68, ln order to ensure the wall connaction at dlstances ad~ustable through the lnclinatlon of sald arm with re3pect to the wall.
The straight structures de~cribed above may be ~oined both mechanically and, ln partlcular for the electrlcal 3~7S~L

connectlon, by bend arrangements mostly ~ormlng 90 or even dlfferent angles, wlth connections beln~ predlsposed to the comblnatlon wlth the above mentioned ~o~nt supports involvlny body 14 and wlth clamp means of speclal types but similar to those ~or the shape-to-shape connectlon.
A clamp means 78 simllar to that lndlcated by 3Z ls dlf~erentlated from the latter by the presence of an lnterruption 80 ln correspondence of one o~ the legs 82 o~ same clamp means.
The clamp means 78 provldes for the engagement to a body 1~ of both a bar 7 of the concurrent shape and a har 84 wlth dlmenslons simllar to those of bar 7 and provlded, llkewise the latter, wlth an intermedlate notch 86 and further provlded wlth a cable terminal or clamp appendlx 88 whlch ~orms a tang capable of belng received in the interruption or slottlng 80 of the clamp means 78. The clamp means 78 ls thereby able, through a screw simllar to that lndicated by 30, to mechanically block and electrically co.nnect both ~hape 1, 3, 5, 7 - concurrent with the ~olnt support - and the bar 84 and thu~ the clamp means 881 by means of a U-shaped clevis 90, a cable terminal or curved electrical connector of a plait 92 may be clamped to the clamp means 88, sald plalt being bent to reach ano~her ~imilar clamp means formed by pleces 84, 90, 78 o~ another support ~elonging ~o a structure adiacent and angularly dispo~ed wlth re~pe~t the one considered. The plaits 92 are bent accordlng to the angulatlon requlrements and have length~ meeting the curvature requirements;
sald plaits may be kept ~lexlble or even blocked by dlpping them ln a weld metal llke tln or other ln order to stabillze thelr ,'3',~
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mechanlcal conflguratlon and ~llow khem to perform a stl~
connectlng ~unctlon of mechanical type in addltlon to that of electrical type. In place of plalts 92, another sultable type o~
conductor may also be utlllzed. In any case, khe conductor, like a plalt 92 or other, 18 forcedly clamped between the appendix 88 and the clevis 90 through screws 94 or other equlvalent means to make up a clamp means.
Figs. 27 to 29 show an adapter body for the suspen ion of a palr of rods lntended to provide the mechanical and electrlcal connectlon of a spot llght or other, the rods belng downwardly developed rom the upper and close thickenings 3 of the two shapes of a palr of ~hapes; the adapter ls capable of belng engaged a~ any point along the slottings of the slde-by-slde dlsposed shape~. The body of ~he adapter ~onsists of two adaptors or pleces 100 whlch, when coupled, form a vlce that i a clamplng means able to clamp the two upper and clo~e thlckenln~s 3 of a palr o~ side-by-slde dlsposed shapes 1; lt i3 not e~cluded that ln a reversed arrangement, the vlce might be predlspos0d to be connected to the lower thlckenlngs of the structure. The two side-by-slde disposed pieces 100 are connected between them by screw~ 102 and nut~ 103 hou~ed lnto respective ~eats along a longitudinal central plane on the side~ of a pair o~ seat~ 104 sald ~eats are of use to recelve stlcks, that is, rods 106, downwardly developing for the mechanical support o~ and the electrlcal connectlon wlth the spot li~ht. ~n correspondence with seats 104 ~which may be non-circular for an accurate posltionlng of anchorlng rods 106), hou~ings 108 are formed on opposlte side~

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20333-2~4 o~ sald central plan~, whereln contact plates lOg may be rec01v~d belng disposed and shaped so as to embrace the thickenlngs 3 and to be forced thereon by the clamping of the two vlce valves 100.
Moreover, each plate 109 has a part lO9A which is bored for recelving the ends of rods 106 which are flxed by ~crews 110 axially engaglng threaded holes of the resp~ctive rod 106, in order to thus tighten the end lO9A of the relevant plate 109 and ensure the mechanical coupling as well as the electrlcal connectlon. Alongside the rods 10~ which result slde-by-slde disposed, or at the end of same rods, a spotlight of traditional type ls applied.
Fig. 30 shows an adapter for taking up power and formlng a mechanlcal rotation support of whatever lamp or s~ot light.
This adapter comprises two parts or bodles 111 and 112 capa~le o~
being clamped by intermediate screws (as provided for the preceding arrangement), seaks 114 and 116 being p~ovlded for said screws. The pieces 111 and 112 form throu~h seats for the .. ., ~. .

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2~333-274 thlckening~ 3 of shape~ 1 and for the respective portlon o web 5 ~d~acent to thlckenlngs 3, the ~astenln~ belng predlsposed at any positlon along the slottlngs of the shape webs. The bo~y 112 forms two houslngs 118 and 120 ln lntermediate posltlon for two plates or strip contacts 122 and 124. Contact 122 has an ela~tlc longltudlnal appendlx 122A, whlle strlp 124 has a tang-llke transverse appendix 124A whlch extends into the central zone of the adapter made up of the bodles 111 and 112. These two bodies form a central seat 128, lnto which a metal bush 130 may be lnserted, heing pushed lnto the housing 128 by a sprlng 132 whlch also rests on a flange 134 made solld wlth a metal tubular rod 136 by a weldlng, for example. This metal rsd 136 makes up one of the two con~uctors and al90 forms the external stem ~or the support of the lamp or spot llght associated wlth the adapter which ls being ~3(1 ~

de~crlbed. Inside the rod 136 and in~ul~ted there~rom, a second conductor 140 is provided whlch has lts end welded to a truncated cone head 142 recelved ln a truncated cone glass 144 made of insulatlng materlal~ the glass is fitted on the correspondlngly shaped end 136A of the tubular rod 136. On to an extension 112A, whlch is externally threaded and surrounds the seat 128 of body 112, a cap 148 is screwed, whlch 15 able to exert a force on flange 134 and thus on sprlng 132 thereby determlnlng the axial slldlng contact of head 142 of conductor 140 agalnst the tang 124A
of the strlp contact 1241 ln addltlon, ~ ~ 18 ~ J ~

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cap 148 ensures some friction resistance against the rotation of the assembly made up of rod 136 and flange 134 which is able to rotate about the sleeve or tube 130. The sleeve 130 comes into contact with tang 122A
which makes up the extension of contact 122; the tang 122A is received into a notch 130A of the sleeve or tube 130; consequently, the contact 122 sets up the electrical connection between the relevant~thlckening 3 and the rod 136 through the sleeve or tube 130.
By this adapter disposition9 it is possible to position same adapter in any position along a pair of shapes 1, 3, 5 and it is possible to obtain an angular orientati.on about the axis of rod 136 ~nd conductor 140, which represent the mechanical support and the electrical connection of the adapter with the spot light.
According to the modified embodiment shown in Figs.
31 to 34, in place of contacts 122, 124, strip contacts 122X and 124X are provided which have curved appendixes 122Z and 124Z apt for the connection with plug terminals of traditional-type electrical conductors being inserted into holes of said appendixes 122Z and 124Z for a fast connection through a possible squeezing of same appendixes.
A very low cost structure can thus be realized in ~ .
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described manner, which can be easily assembled and is made up of a relatively small number of pieces thus allowing an easy storage. These and other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the descrlption herein set forth.
It is understood that the drawlng shows an e,~emplification given only as a practical demonstration of the invention, as this may vary in the forms and dlspositions without nevertheless departing ~rom the scope of the idea on which the same invention is based.
The possible presence of reference numerals in the annexed claims has the purpose of facilitating the reading o~ the claims, reference being made to the description and drawing, and does not limit the scope of the protection represented by the claims.

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Claims (5)

1. A longitudinal structure for mounting light sources, formed by adjacent sections maintained in serial abutment along a longitudinal axis of the structure, each section comprised of two structural elements which are arranged parallel to each other and along a same longitudinal axis and connected to each other by connection means, characterized in that said structural elements are electrically conductive, that said connection means are provided at ends of each section of said structure and provide mechanical and electrical connection between each one of said two structural elements of one of said sections and the corresponding structural element of an adjacent section of the structure, the two structural elements of each section being electrically insula-ted from each other, each structural element comprising two longitudinal and parallel thickenings and a laminar web joining said longitudinal thickenings.

2. Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said laminar web is pierced through shearing.

3. Structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, the laminar webs of the structural elements have transverse bars at their ends defined by apertures obtained by shearings in the laminar web, that the connection means comprise a plate body made of insulating material, having a shape corresponding to the cross-section dimensions of the structure and forming lateral support edges on which the said transverse bars of the structural elements to be connected are made to rest; and that there are provided clamp means for mechanical coupling and electrical connection, which has a U-shaped cross-section to embrace said transverse bars and the plate body; along the support edges means being provided for connecting said clamp means to said plate body.

4. Structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the clamp means has a U-shaped central portion and extensions which axially project from said U-shaped central portion, said extensions being slightly inclined to ensure the electrical contact when subject to clamping pressure.

5. Structure according to any one of claims 3 or 4 charac-terized in that each clamp means is fastened by a screw which goes through a hole of the clamp means, notches of the transverse bars and a hole in the plate body, said screw being screwed to a nut housed and engaged into a seat formed in the thickness of the plate body.

5. Structure according to claim 5, characterized in that the leg of the U-shaped portion of the clamp means are received into recesses of the plate body.

7. Structure according to claim 6, charactarized in that in its upper part said plate body has a groove and a notch for hous-ing a suspension tension rod that can be inserted in said groove and has a thickening which 1 housed and retained in said notch.

8. Structure according to claim 7, characterized by curved joining elements for the mutual connection of adjacent sections of the structure, which are angularly disposed to each other, each joining element comprising clamp means which have a U-shaped portion with an interruption in one of the legs of said U-shaped portion for a cable terminal solid with a bar placed adjacent to the transverse bar of the relevant structural element; two cable terminals being electrically connected with curved electrical connectors.

9. Structure according to claim 8, characterized by a clamp support that engages thickenings of the two parallel structural shapes of a section of the structure, to which clamp a support arm 15 engaged, that can be oriented relative to the structural ele-ments and to an articulated wall support; the clamp support being tightened through a single screw which connects said arm to the clamp support and determines its orientation.

10. Structure according to claim 9, characterized by end elements or cable terminals made up of short portions of struc-tural elements with slots defining transverse bars for the connec-tion through the clamp means.

11. Structure according to clalm 10, characterized by a transformer with low voltage output, fitted between two parallel structural elements of a section of the structure.

12. Structure according to claim 11, characterized by an adapter formed by two portions which are clamped on two adjacent thickenings of two parallel structural elements of a section of the structure, within said two parts, contact plates being housed for the electrical contact with the thickenings of the structural elements and for anchoring rods for supporting spot lights.

13. Structure according to claim 12, characterized by an adapter formed by two parts which house an orientable rod, cooper-ating with sliding contacts made up of plates forced by the parts on the thickenings of parallel structural elements of a section of the structure.

14. Structure according to claim 13, characterized in that each section is symmetric about a plane which includes the longitudinal axis of the structure, and that the two structural element forming each section of the structure are inclined with respect to the plane of symmetry of the section.