US3253139A - Luminaire - Google Patents

Description

May 24, 1966 M. R. ANDERSON LUMINAIRE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31, 1965 INVENTOR Melvin R. Anderson ATTORNEY y 1966 M. R ANDERSON 3,253,139

LUMINAIRE Filed 001:. 31, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,253,139 LUMINAIRE Melvin R. Anderson, Avon Lake, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., 2 corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 320,418 11 Claims. (Cl. 240-25) This invention relates generally to luminaires, and more particularly to an outdoor overhead luminaire adapted to be supported in cantilever fashion by a supporting arm. It is desirable to have an outdoor overhead luminaire which is adjustable with respect to a vertical plane without resorting to disassembling the luminaire. With previous luminaire designs, it frequentlyhas been necessary to disassemble at least a portion of the luminaire in order to obtain the desired and necessary adjustment.

Another prior practice in luminaires supported by a supporting arm, generally a pipe, was to employ slipfitter means, which incorporated the use of a saddle. To create support, the saddle was forced against the external walls of the pipe-like support. This was undesirable because it frequently resulted, after several installations, in totally compressing the walls of the pipe.

Another prior practice in design of luminaires of this general nature was to provide special independent ventilation means vertically through the luminaire. This either took the form of an unsightly opening in the bottom and the top of the luminaire or, in the alternative, some ineffective method of ventilating the luminaire. 1

Solutions, or attempted solutions, at these problems usually took the form of a compromise in the effectiveness of the solution or in the aesthetic appearance of the luminaire.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting fixture which incorporates a novel clamping means which will not collapse the supporting arm. v

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved clamping means which will permit easy adjustment of the direction of illumination.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for ventilating the luminaire.

And still another object of the present invention is to provide the aforesaid clamp adjustment and ventilating constructions while maintaining the pleasant aesthetic appearance of the luminaire.

The aforesaid objects of the invention, and other ob-' jects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing a luminaire of the type 3,253,139 Patented May 24, 1 966 The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present luminarre;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the top wall aperture showing the photo-contro socket seat and aperture curb;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the overall luminaire;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the luminaire;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational view taken on theline V-V in FIGURE 3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line VI-VI in FIGURE 3 in the direction of the arrows;

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, it can be seen that the lighting fixture has a generally cylindrical shaped configuration including a bowl-shaped housing 10 which is generally frustoconical in shape. This housing has a top wall 12, a side wall 13 and a bottom opening 14. A reflector 16 substantially covers the bottom opening 14. As seen in FIGURE 4, the reflector is attached to the housing by means of three attaching screws 18 and keyhole shaped apertures 20 in the reflector '16. The reflector contains three apertures other than these mounting apertures. As shown in FIGURE 3 an aperture 22 permits the entrance of the neck of a light source into the lamp-holder 24. Aperture 26 permits access to. adjusting screw 28 which will be described'in detail later. 'A slot 30in reflector 16 per mits the entrance of a set screw 32 into a boss 34 projecting from the luminaire housing, which'set screw engages the supporting pipe 36.

The novel clamping means is best shown in FIGURES 3,, 5 and 6. This clamping means consists of a cupshaped member 38 which is aligned with and cooperates with an aperture 40 in the side wall 13 of housing 10,

to provide a two-point support on supportingarm 36 for the luminaire. The inside diameter of cup-shaped member 38 is slightly larger than the outside diameter of support arm pipe 36. When the luminaire is mounted on'the support arm pipe,the pipe will seat on the inside generally supported overhead in cantilever manner by a pipe, which luminaire has a novel clamping means capable of providing support and adjustment without collapsing the pipe and without disassembling the luminaire. This clamping means takes the form of a cup-shaped member having an internal projection opposite a threaded aperture in the wall of the member. A set screw engages the threaded aperture and urges the inside of the supporting arm wall against the internal projection of the cup-shaped member. The cup-shaped member is further provided with an external threaded boss which is engaged by an adjusting screw. This adjusting screw operates to alter the position of the cup-shaped member with respect to the housing thereby providing the required adjustment.

Ventilation is provided by means of an aperture in the top wall of the housing of the luminaire. This aperture, ordinarily necessary for receiving photo-control sockets employed in most luminaires, is provided with spaces between the housing and the socket which permit the necessary ventilation.

of the front wall 42'of cup-shaped member 38. An internal projection 44 on the front wall 42 of cup-shaped member 38 will then be positioned within the walls of the supporting arm pipe 36. The 'side wall 46 of cupshaped member 38'contains a threaded aperture 48,engaged into which is a set screw 50. This set screw and threaded aperture are located opposite the internal projection 44. When the pipe is seated againstthe front wall 42 of cup-shaped member 38 the desired clamping is accomplished by running the set screw 50 up untilth'e internal wall of support pipe 36 is urged against internal projection 44 and squeezed between the internal projection and set screw, 50. Itcan be seen therefore that no collapsing of the support arm pipe is possible. Rather the pipe wall is pinched. Thisclamp means prevents movement in the axialdirection-along support arm pipe 36 of the luminaire. As stated previously, by cooperating with the aperture 40 in the side wall 13 of housing 10 a two-point support is provided-for the luminaire.

Cup-shaped member 38,also serves to providethe necessary adjustment for the luminairs.- Projecting from the upper end of thefront wall of the cup-shaped member is a boss 52 having a threaded aperture 53. Engaged in this aperture is adjusting screw 28. This screw is seated against the housing at its top end and is fixed and restrained against longitudinal or axial movement by hold plate 54 and hold screws 56 which apply frictional pressure toa shoulder on screw 28, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. The pressure is sul'ficient to insure that the luminaire is held in its adjusted position indefinitely. Adjusting screw 28 is provided with a lubricant on its shoulder, rendering it rotatable with a screwdriver, access provided through hole 26 in reflector 16. Rotation of the adjusting screw therefore causes motion with respect to the housing of cup-shaped member 38. Another boss 58, projecting from housing 10, cooperates with a slot 59 in an external projection 60 from cup-shaped member 38, shown in FIGURE 6, to provide the necessary restrictive alignment forthe cup-shaped member 38 in its upward and downward travel. With the desired position of the luminaire obtained, no further adjustment 1s necessary.

Cup-shaped member 38 is further provided with open ings 62 in the front wall 42 thereof. These openings serve to permit the entrance of wiring leads in through support arm 36 leading to the electrical components located within the luminaire.

Ventilation of this luminaire is provided in a novel manner by the use of the aperture 64 in the top wall 12 of housing 10 in cooperation with other features. In FIGURE 2 is depicted the central portion of the top Wall 12 of the luminaire housing 10. The aperture 64 shown therein serves to receive a photo-control socket 66, as shown in FIGURE 3. The outside diameter of the lower portion of socket 66 is smaller than the diameter of aperture 64. Socket 66 is provided with a supporting shoulder flange 68 having a diameter greater than that of aperture 64. This shoulder flange 68 rests upon seats 70 shown in FIGURE 2. These seats are integrally formed with the curb 72 around aperture 64. Further incorporated into curb 72 are several cutout portions 74 which cooperate to provide the ventilation feature. When socket 66 is fastened into place by use of a gasket 76 and hold-down plate 78, both of which are annular in shape,

and by use of attaching screws 80 which project through the hold-down plate 78 and gasket 76 and engage threaded holes 81 in the housing, there remains a path for ventilation. This path is formed by the residual space between the lower portion of photo-control socket 66 and the aperture 64, the cutout portions 74 of curb 72, and'the residual space between overlapping flange 82 of photo-control cell 84 and curb 72.

With all these features of ventilation, adjustment and novel clamping hidden from view, the luminaire present-s a pleasingly aesthetic appearance, in that only the housing 10, the refractor 86 and the photo-control cell 84 are visible. The lampholder 24 is contained totally Within the enclosure formed by the reflector 16 and housing 10. Alternatively, a portion of the lampholder could project below the reflector 16.

It will be recognized that the objects of the invention havebeen achieved by providing a luminaire of the overhead type which is generally supported in cantilever manner by a pipe like supporting arm in which a novel cupshaped member is used to provide support without c01- lapsing the wall of said pipe, in which ventilation is provided without disturbing the pleasant aesthetic appearance of the luminaire, and also in which adjustment of the position of the luminaire may be readily accomplished.

While one best embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is' to be particularly understood that the invention isnot limited thereto or thereby.

I claim as my invention:

1. A luminaire adapted to be supported by ing arm, said luminaire comprising:

(a) an inverted generally bowl-shaped hous ng having a top wall provided with an aperture therein, a side wall also provided with an aperture therein, said side a support wall aperture adapted to receive said arm, and a bottom opening;

(b) photo-control socket means;

(0) means aflixing said socket means to said top wall in alignment with said top wall aperture but in a non-mating relationship'with the periphery thereof;

(d) reflector means covering a substantial portion of said bottom opening and forming an enclosure with said housing;

(e) lamp support means affixed to said housing and positioned at least partially within said enclosure formed by said housing and said reflector;

. (f) refractor means afiixed to and depending from said housing;

(g) clamp means positioned within said enclosure and aligned with saidaperture in said side wall, and said clamp means and the rim of said aperture adapted to provide spaced support for supporting said housing from said arm, said clamp means comprising:

(1) a cup-shaped member having a front wall, .a side wall and a rear opening, said rear opening facing said aperture in said housing side wall,

' said cup-shaped member side wall having a threaded aperture, said cup-shaped member also having an internal projection located generally opposite said threaded aperture and spaced from the inner surface of said cup-shaped member side wall by a predetermined distance greater than the thickness of said support arm wall, and

(2) threaded set screw means engaging said threaded aperture and adapted to contact the outer surface of said support arm and to urge the inner surface of said support arm against said internal projection.

2. The luminaire as specified in claim 1 wherein said cup-shaped member front wall is provided with apertures adapted to permit the entrance of wiring leads into said housing.

3. The luminaire as specified in claim 2 wherein the top Wall of said housing is provided with:

' (a) a curb around said top Wall aperture extending above the exterior surface of said top wall of said housing, said curb provided with at least one cut out portion;

(b) photo-control means engaging said socket means and having a flange portion overlapping said curb and spaced therefrom, said flange portion adapted to prevent the entrance of precipitation into the housing through said cut out portion;

(c) a ventilation path comprising:

(1) The residual space between said photo-control socket means and said top wall aperture periphery,

(2) said cut out portion of said curb, and

(3) the residual space between said flange portion and said curb.

' 4. A luminaire adapted to be supported by a supporting arm, said luminaire comprising:

(a) an inverted generally bowl-shaped housing having a top wall portion, a side wall portion and a bottom opening, said side wall provided with an aperture adapted to receive said arm, and said top wall also provided with an aperture;

(b) a curb around said top wall aperture and extending above the exterior surface of said housing top wall, said curb provided with at least one cut out portion;

(c) photo-control socket means affixed to said housing and extending partially through said aperture in said top wall, but in a non-mating relationship with said aperture periphery;

(d) photo-control means engaging said socket means and having a flange portion overlapping said curb, and'spaced therefrom, said flange portion adapted to prevent the entrance of rain into the housing through said cut out portion;

(e) a ventilation path presented by the residual space between said photo-control socket means and said aperture periphery, said cut out portion of said curb, and the residual space between said flange portion and said curb;

(f) reflector means covering a substantial portion of said bottom opening forming an enclosure with said housing, and a lamp-receiving aperture provided through said reflector;

(g) lamp support means aflixed to said housing and positioned at least partially within said enclosure;

' (h) refractor means aflixed to and depending from said housing;

' (i) clamp means positioned within said enclosure and aligned with said aperture in said housing side wall, said clamp means and the periphery of said housing side wall aperture adapted to provide spaced support for supporting said housing from said arm, said clamp means comprising:

(1) a cup-shaped member having a front wall, a side wall and a rear opening, said rear opening facing said aperture in said housing side wall, said side wall of said cup-shaped member having a threaded aperture, said cup-shaped member also having an internal projection located generally opposite said threaded aperture and spaced from the inner surface of said side wall of said cup-shaped member by a predetermined distance greater than the thickness of said support arm wall,

(2) threaded set screw means engaging said threaded aperture and adapted to contact the outer surface of said support arm and to urge the inner surface of said support arm against said internal projection;

(j) adjustment means comprising:

(1) an external boss projecting from said cupshaped member and provided with a threaded aperture,

(2) adjusting screw means engaging said threaded aperture, said screw means longitudinally aflixed with respect to said housing, said adjusting screw means, when rotated, altering the position of said cup-shaped member with respect to said aperture in said housing side wall.

5. The luminaire as specified in claim 4 wherein the front wall of said cup-shaped member is provided with openings adapted to permit the passage therethrough of wiring leads running to the electrical components within said housing. 1

6. A luminaire adapted to be supported by a tubular supporting arm, said luminaire comprising:

an inverted generally bowl-shaped housing having a top wall portion, a side wall portion, and a bottom opening, said side wall provided with an aperture adapted to receive the tubular supporting arm with an extremity thereof extending into said housing;

the aperture in said side Wall having a thickened reinforcing lip portion at least partially therearound which is adapted to engage a portion of the supporting arm which is proximate thereto, and said top wall provided with an aperture forming a ventilation opening in said housing;

a reflector member covering a substantial portion of said bottom opening in said housing to form an enclosure with said housing, said reflector member having plural apertures provided therein;

lamp support means affixed to said housing and positioned at least partially within said enclosure formed by said housing and said reflector member, and said lamp support means adapted to support a lam-p which depends therefrom through one of the apertures provided in said reflector member,

refractor means affixed to and depending from said luminaire; and

clamp means affxed to said luminaire and positioned within said enclosure, said clamp means aligned with and substantially spaced from the aperture in said side wall, said clamp means adapted to engage the inwardly extending extremity of the tubular support ing arm proximate the inside and outside of one wall portion thereof, and said clamp means and the lip portion of the aperture in said side wall providing spaced supports for supporting said housing from said luminaire-supporting arm.

7. The luminaire as specified in claim 6, wherein a photo-control socket is affixcd to said top wall and positioned within a portion of the aperture in said top wall so as to allow the remaining unoccupied portion of the aperture in said top wall to provide a ventilation path for said housing.

8. The luminaire as specified in claim 6, wherein said clamp means is provided with a threaded aperture, and wherein an adjusting screw means is provided engaging the threaded aperture in said clamp means, said screw means longitudinally aflixed with respect to said housing, said screw means when rotated altering the position of said clamp means with respect to the aperture in said side wall.

9. In a luminaire of the type adapted to be supported in a generally cantilever manner by a supporting arm, a luminaire housing having a side wall with an aperture provided therethrough, clamp means aflixed to and positioned within said luminaire in alignment with said aperture in said side wall, said clamp means and the rim of said aperture in said housing side wall contacting said supporting arm and providing spaced support for said luminaire, said clamp means comprising:

' a cup-shaped member having a front wall, a side wall, and a rear opening, said rear opening facing said aperture in said housing side wall, said cup-shaped member side wall having a threaded aperture, said cup-shaped member also having an internal projection located genera-11y opposite said threaded aperture in said cup-shaped member side wall, said internal projection spaced from the inner surface of said cupshaped member side wall a predetermined distance greater than the thickness of the wall of said support arm, threaded set screw means engaging said threaded aperture in said cup-shaped member side wall and adapted to contact the outer surface of said support arm and to urge the inner surface of said support arm against said internal projection;

an external boss projecting from said cup-shaped member and provided with a threaded aperture; and

adjusting screw means engaging said threaded aperture in said external boss, said screw means longitudinally aflixed with respect to said housing, said screw means when rotated altering the position of said cup-shaped member with respect to said aperture in said housing side wall.

10. A luminaire adapted to be supported by a supporting arm, said luminaire comprising:

(a) an inverted, generally bowl-shaped housing having a top wall portion with an aperture provided therein, a side wall portion and a bottom opening, said side wall provided with an aperture adapted to receive said supporting arm, and said top wall having photocontrol socket means affixed thereto and positioned within a portion of said top wall aperture to provide a ventilation path for said housing;

(b) reflector means covering a substantial portion of said bottom opening and forming an enclosure with said housing;

(c) lamp support means affixed to said housing and positioned at least partially within said enclosure formed by said housing and said reflector;

(d) refractor means aifixed to and dependingfrom said housing;

(e) clamp means positioned within said enclosure and aligned with said aperture in said side wall, said clamp means and the rim of said aperture in said side wall adapted to provide spaced supports for supporting said housing from said. supporting arm;

(f) a curb provided around said top wall aperture extending above the exterior surface of said top wall of said housing, said curb being provided with at least one cutout portion;

(g) said photo-control socket meansv extending partially through said aperture in said top wall, but in. a non-mating relationship, with the periphery of said aperturein said top wall;

(l1) photo-control means engaged with. said socket means, and said photo-control. means have a flange portion overlapping said curb and spaced therefrom, said flange portion adapted to prevent the entrance of rain into the housing through said cutout portion in said curb; and

I (i) said ventilation path comprising:

cantilever manner by a hollow supporting arm and comprising:

a housing having a side wall provided withan ape-rture therein adapted to receive. the. hollow supporting arm, the aperture in said side wall having a thickened reinforcing lip portion at" least partially therea-round which is adapted to engage the portion of the hollow supporting, arm whichv is proximate thereto;

clamp means positioned inside said luminaire housing, said clamp means and said thickened reinforcing lip portion providing spaced supports along the axis of the hollow supporting arm for supporting said luminaire, said clamp means comprising a securing member spaced from and in generalalignment with theaperture in said side wall and adapted to receive the inwardly extending extremity of the hollow supporting arm and engage same in a non-crush fashion; and

screw means rotatably supported by said housing, generally at right angles to the axis of the hollow supporting arm as engaged by said thickened reinforcing lip portion and by said clamp means, said clamp means having a threaded aperture whichvthreadably engages said screw means, said clamp means movable along the axis of said screw means in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis of. the hollow supporting member as said' screw means is rotated to position said clamp means withrespect to the aperture in said side wall and thus facilitate positioning of said luminaire as mounted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,279,170 4/1942 Kraut 240-25 X 2,970,222 1/1961 Husby et a1. 240-25 X 3,009,053 11/1961 Shaw et a1. 240-47 X 3,065,338 11/1962 Husby et al 240-25 3,065,339 11/1962 Fahey 240-25 3,184,586 5/1965 Hammes et al 240-47 X NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner;

EVON c. BLUNK', Examiner.

CHARLES R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

11. A LUMINAIRE ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED IN A GENERALLY CANTILEVER MANNER BY A HOLLOW SUPPORTING ARM AND COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING A SIDE WALL PROVIDED WITH AN APERTURE THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE HOLLOW SUPPORTING ARM, THE APERTURE IN SAID SIDE WALL HAVING A THICKENED REINFORCING LIP PORTION AT LEAST PARTIALLY THEREAROUND WHICH IS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE PORTION OF THE HOLLOW SUPPORTING ARM WHICH IS PROXIMATE THERETO; CLAMP MEANS POSITIONED INSIDE SAID LUMINAIRE HOUSING, SIDE CLAMP MEANS AND SAID THICKENED REINFORCING LIP PORTION PROVIDING SPACED SUPPORTS ALONG THE AXIS OF THE HOLLOW SUPPORTING ARM FOR SUPPORTING SAID LUMINAIRE, SAID CLAMP MEANS COMPRISING A SECURING MEMBER SPACED FROM AND IN GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE APERTURE IN SAID SIDE WALL AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE INWARDLY EXTENDING EXTREMITY OF THE HOLLOW SUPPORTING ARM AND ENGAGE SAME IN A NON-CRUSH FASHION; AND

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