US2507308A - Hanger attachment for lighting fixtures - Google Patents

Description

May 9, 1950 M. H. KRUGER HANGER ATTACHMENT FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed Sept. 14, 1945 7////////////////////////////////////////////&

Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE HAN GER ATTACI-MENT FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Application September 14, 1945, Serial Ne. 616,'327

4 Claims. (Ci. 248--345) 'I his invention relates to hanger attachments for lighting fixtures, and particularly for fiuorescent lighting xtures. Fluorescent lighting fixtures, particularly in commercial installations, are o'dinarily heavy structures With heavy frames and refiector, which are Suspended on long hangers from a ceiling. The hangers are ordinarily bolted rigidly to both ceiling strap and xture, and cannot be readily assembled or disassembled, and over a long period may become unscrewed, dropping or damaging the fixture.

My hanger attachment is designed to overcome the defects and disadvantages of previous structures, will permit the fixture to Swing on the hanger, is readily assembled and disassembled, is positively locked against turning movement and cannot become unscrewed from the fixture. At the same time the structure is simple and inexpensive to construct, install and maintain.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of Construction and arrangement of parte illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification in connection with the acoompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing the hanger attachment in use;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a part of the attachment;

Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations showing the hanger in locked and uniocl ed position respectively; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the strap and hanger rod separately.

in the dr-awings e represents an electrical outlet connection from which the hanger and lighting fixtnre is Suspended in any suit ble manner as by fixture stud i i and nut 42 secured to strap !3. strap s comprises a flat piece M preferably of sheet metal, having a central aperture !5 for receiv'ng an attaching stud, such as fixture stud H and nut 12. Aperture iis preferably elongated to permit centering of the attachment with respect to the area it is to occupy. Apertures I ia are also provided for receiving aligning studs (not shown). strap !3 is bent down or offset at the ends thereof to extend at a lower plane from the main portion M, comprising Side walls !6 and ends l l. Two slots !8 and !5 are formed in side walls it, slot !9 being narrower than slot i and forming in efiect one T-shaped slot therein, with the upper slot !8 extending longitudinally into the narrower slot IS formed in each end portion ll. The side walls 'B adjacent narrower slot !9 form in effect a pair of end abutments 20 which serve to prevent hanger tube 25 from sliding out of slots 19, once they have been inserted, as described below. A pair of hanger tubes 25, which are preferably hollow to permit insertion of wires, are arranged to be appended from strap !3 at the oiiset ends l'l thereof, and have fiat parallel grooves 26 formed in the top end of each rod of the approximate 'width of slots !9, providing in effect a T-shaped head 21 on the tubes 25. Grooves 25 formed in top ends of each tube 25 are high enough to permit heads 21 to pass over abutments 20 on side walls !6, when appendng the tubes 25 from straps !3 by inserting their heads 21 through slots I 8 and !9. The bottom ends of each tube 25 are screw-threaded as at 23 for screwing into complementary threaded portions of the lighting fixture (not shown) which is appended from the tubes 25.

The tubes 25, having been screwed into the lighting fixture at their bottom ends 28, as described, and the strap !3 having been firmly secui-*ed to the electrical outlet, as by fixture stud I l and nut !2, the heads 21 of tubes 25 are then passed through slots l 3 and I 9 formed in side walls Is and moved outwardly toward the ends of strap !3, whereby grooves 26 become inserted in slots !9 in the end portions ll. 'I'ubes 25 are then prevented from sliding out of slots !9 by abutments 20 on side walls 16, but can be moved out by lifting them, so that heads 21 will pass through slots !8 and |9 formed in side walls IB over abutments 20 thereon, for the purpose of disassemblng the xture. At the same time, the flat grooves 2-6 in the top of tubes 25, when held in the slots lg in the ends ll' of strap [3 prevent the tubes from turning or twisting, and becoming unscrewed from the appended fixture, which has been a defect in previous constructions. Rigidity in :a hanger attachment for lighting xtures is a disadvantage, however, and the same construction of slots l in the strap IS, whereby tubes 25 are appended theref'om by grooves '26 formed in the tops of said tubes 25, permits the lighting fixture to sway and yield laterally without injury to the fixture and hanger parts. Frequently the & electrical outlet connection for such lighting fixtures is not precisely located for the area it is to occupy and elongated central aperture in strap !3 permits relative adjustment of strap !3 with respect to such electrical outlet.

It will thus be seen I have devised a simple and inexpensive structure, having; many advantages and which overcomes the 'defects of prevous structures of this nature.

I claim:

i. In a hanger attachment for lighting fixtures, a strap having a central elongated aperturefor attaching said strap to an electrical outlet, angled side walls extending downwardly" adjacent the ends of said strap, and offset-er''ds extending horizontally from said side walls, a T-shaped slot in said side walls, the bottontof;theslotrexterding horizontally into said offset ends, a pair. of tubular rods having parallel grooves adjacent the top ends thereof, and forming a T-shaped head thereon adapted to be" passed through 'the slot in said side walls and 'into-the slot in said offset ends, whereby `-saidrods -are held loosely sus- V 'pended from the slot in said offset-ends, and the side walls of said'strap adja'cent the lower end` of said slot thereinform abutments preventing said rods from slidingout of engagement with the Slots in said'fiset' ende.

2. Ina hanger attachment for lighting fixtures, a strap having a centralelongated aperture for attaching said strapto an electrcai outlet, angled side walls extending downwardly adj acent the ends of saidstrapsyandoifset ends 'extending horizontally 'from *said side walls; a 'T-shaped slot in said side' walls, `the' bottom ofsaidslot "extending horizontally into'said offset ends, a 'par'of' tubulai* rods having arallel grooves* adijacent .the. top'ends' ther'ebf, *and*` forming a T-shaped 'head thereon adapted i to i be passed through the .slot in said side'walls andinto'the slot in* said osetends whereby'said' rods are a eld loosely suspended'from'the'slotiin said offset ends, and the. side wallsxof said' strapsadjacent the lower endof 'said slot therein form abutments preventing said'- ods from :slidingout' of 'engagement with the Slots insaid offset'ends, and

"said rods having' means at their' bottom' ends thereof for detachably connecting said rods to a i lighting fxture.

3. In a hanger attachment forlighting fixtures, a strap having a*centralelongated aperture' for narrower slot insaid ofiset ends, Whereby said *parallel grocves adjacent the' top ends thereof,

adapted to he passed through the Slots in said side Walls and the grooved portion thereof into the -Tods are held loosely Suspended from the slot in said ofiset ends, and the side walls of said strap form abutments preventing said rods from sliding 15-- outeof-engagement With the narrower Slots in said offset ends.

v 4.' In a hanger attachment for lighting fixtures, a strap having a central elongated aperture for adjustably attaching said strap to an electrical outlet, angled side Walls extending downwardly adjacent'the'ends of said strap, and offset ends extending horizontally from said: side walls, a,

`slot insaid side Wal1sand a narrower slot formed in-saidside Walls and extendinghorizontally .into :sai-'i cffset ends, a pair of' tubular rods having parallel grooves adjacent 'thettop ends thereof,

v adapted to be passed through: thelslots in said side walls and the grooved portion thereofv into thenarrower slot inxsaid offsetends, whereby said 'ods are held'. loosely Suspended from the slot in said offset ends; and the sideivalls of said strap form abutmen ts preventingvsaid rods from sliding out of engagementwith the narroWer Slots in said voffset ends, and said rods hav- 'ing threaded portions at the bottom -ends thereof for'deta'chably connectings'aid rods to a lighting file of' this patent:

UNITED STATES -PATENTS '-'Number I Name "Date (324;671 'O'Bri'en May 9, 1899 1 818314 -Riggs et al Aug. 11, 1931 1,824308 Davis et al Sept; 22, 1931 1 21198397 Bramming Nov. .16, 1937 2,336,414 'Mitchell Dec. 7,1943

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