US3293426A

US3293426A - Lighting fixture

Info

Publication number: US3293426A
Application number: US326438A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur E Zeitz; Samuel J Zagel
Original assignee: Compco Corp
Current assignee: Compco Corp
Priority date: 1963-11-27
Filing date: 1963-11-27
Publication date: 1966-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-20

Description

Dec. 20, 1966 v 2511-2 ETAL 3,293,426

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 27; 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @WW Z Dec. 20, 1966 A. E- ZEITZ ETAL 3,293,426

LiGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,293,426 LIGHTING FIXTURE Arthur E. Zeitz, Lombard, and Samuel J. Zagel, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Compco Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,438 6 Claims. (Cl. 240-25) This invention relates to a lighting fixture, and, more particularly, to a fluorescent lighting fixture having a novel arrangement of structural shapes, light tubes and ballast.

From time to time, it is necessary to repair the light fixtures with which the invention is concerned, and in the past this has been an onerous operation. It will be appreciated that may such fixtures are mounted on vertical standards or poles for outdoor installation, so that repair of the electrical components, particularly the ballast, is difificult and, at times, hazardous. This is avoided in the instant invention through a novel construction, and the provision of such construction constitutes an important object of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting fixture wherein the ballast is supported upon a pivoted or hinged door panel whereby maximum accessibility is provided for repair, replacement, etc.

A more specific object is to provide a lighting fixture of the elevated, outdoor type wherein the ballast is provided at the supported end of the fixture and on a pivotally mounted door positioned on the underside of the fixture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be seen in the details of construction and operation set down in this specification.

The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighting fixture embodying the inventive construction;

FIG. 2 is a bottom elevational view of the lamp housing of the fixture, with parts broken away for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the pole end of the fixture, on an enlarged scale, as taken along the line 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the lamp housing as taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is another transverse vertical view as taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a longtitudinal horizontal sectional view through the structure shown in FIG. 3 as taken on the line 66 thereon.

In the illustration given and with particular reference to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates generally a light fixture of the fluorescent type which is seen to be mounted in cantilever fashion on a standard or pole 11 equipped with the usual base 12. Typical usages of such fixtures are in gasoline stations, parking lots, etc. The light fixture includes an outer casing 14 which is secured to the pole 11 by means of an adapter 13 (see particularly FIGS. 3 and 6). On its underside, the casing 14 is equipped with transparent glass as at 15 (see FIG. 2) which protects the elongated fluorescent tubes 16. The casing 14 provides a light chamber 17 (see FIG. 3) and, adjacent the supported end, a ballast space or chamber 18. On its underside, the ballast chamber is equipped with a door 19 (see particularly FIG. 3), with the door carrying the ballast 20.

The ballast 20 is coupled by electrical wiring 21 to sockets 22 carried by a transverse wall 23 which divides the casing into the light compartment 17 and the ballast compartment 18. Also provided is electrical wiring 24 coupling the ballast 20 with sockets (not shown) at the other end of the casing 14. For the puurpose of supporting the electrical wiring 24 in running the length of the casing 14, a channel 25 is provided along the top longitudinal median of the casing 14 (compare FIGS. 3 and 4). The supply wiring for the ballast transformer 20 is clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 6 and is designated 26, the wiring 26 terminating in plug receptacles 27' for disconnection. The receptacles 27 are coupled to exterior wiring 28 which is seen to run through the adapter 13 and ultimately to the pole 11 to a source of electrical current (not shown).

The numeral 29 (see particularly FIG. 6) designates an end casing which in this case is provided at the supported end of the casing 11 (see also FIG. 3). The adapter 13 is secured to the casing 29 by means of bolt units 30, and the casing 29 also provides a support for the hinge 31 having hinge leaves 31a and 31b for pivotally supporting the door 19. The door 19 is releasably supported in an operative position as seen in solid line in FIG. 3 by means of the fasteners 32. The ballast 20, as pointed out previously, is supported on the door 19.

Reference to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 reveals the heat transfer plate 33 which projects into the ballast compartment 18 above the ballast 20 and which serves to conduct heat from the ballast transformer 20 to the end of the casing 14, i.e., into the relatively heavy casing 29 for diffusion to the atmosphere. The plate or shield 33 is suitably anchored to the end casing 29* by means of bolts 34.

In the operation of the device, the casing 14 is rigidly anchored to the adapter 13 as indicated in FIG. 3. The adapter may be equipped with a pivotal joint so as to vary the inclination of the fixture 10 relative to the pole 11. As mentioned previously, the wiring normally is mounted within the pole 11 so as to provide a totally enclosed unit. The wiring proceeds from the ground through the pole 11 to the ballast transformer 20 via the separable couplings 27, and thence to the light tubes 16 via the

wiring

21 and 24.

In the event of ballast failure, there is easy servicing made possible through removal of the fasteners 32 or like releasable locking means so as to swing the door 13 to the dotted line position as seen in FIG. 3. For this purpose, there is suflicient slack provided in the

wiring

28, 21 and 24 and, as indicated in the dotted line position in FIG. 3, the receptacles 27 may be detached, after which the ballast 20 may be removed in the event replacement is indicated.

The provision of a separate ballast chamber 18 at one end of the casing 14 not only facilitates the above-mentioned repair or replacement, as the case may be, but also provides for an advantageous dissipation of heat via the plate or shield 33 which is anchored to the end casing 29 for diffusion of the heat to the atmosphere.

While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention has been set down for the purpose of illustration thereof, many variations in the details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A fluorescent light fixture, comprising a casing providing a lamp space and a ballast space, at least part of said ballast space being defined by an outer wall of said casing, a door opening in said outer wall and a door mounted on said outer wall closing said door opening and adapted to pivot outwardly of said space, a ballast mounted on said door for movement with said door into and out of said space fastener means at one end of said door only releasably coupling said door to said wall, and electric wire means coupling said spaces with the ti,v exterior of said casing whereby only said fastener means needs to be removed to pivot said door outwardly to expose said ballast for replacement.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said casing is elongated and said ballast space is provided at one end of said casing.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said casing is equipped at .said one end with means for cantilever mounting of said casing on a vertical standard, said door being positioned on the underside of said casing.

4. A fluorescent light fixture, comprising an elongated casing having a transverse wall adjacent to but spaced from one end defining a ballast chamber at said one end and a light chamber extending over the remainder of said casing, light-supporting sockets on said wall and at the other end of said casing for supporting light tubes in said light chamber, a door closing the underside of said ballast chamber and pivotally attached to said casing, a ballast mounted on said door for movement with said door into an operative position when said door is closed and to a service position when said door is pivoted to an open position, fastener means at one end of said door only releasably holding said door in closed position against said casing, first electrical wiring coupling said ballast and sockets, and second electrical wiring coupling said ballast to the casing exterior for supplying electrical current thereto whereby only said fastener means needs to be removed to pivot said door outwardly to expose said ballast for replacement.

5. A fluorescent light fixture, comprising an elongated casing having a transverse wall adjacent to but spaced from one end defining a ballast chamber at said one end and a light chamber extending over the remainder .of the casing, light-supporting sockets on said wall and at the other casing end for supporting light tubes in said light chamber, a door closing the underside of said ballast chamber and pivotally attached to said casing, a ballast mounted on said door, fastener means at one end of said door only releasably holding said door in closed position, electrical wiring coupling said ballast and said wall sockets, additional electrical wiring coupling said ballast and said other casing end socket, an elongated channel in said casing light chamber confining and supporting said other wiring, and means in said casing for supplying electrical current to said ballast where by only said fastener means needs to be removed to pivot said door outwardly to expose said ballast .for

replacement.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said casing is centrally transversely enthickened over the length of said light chamber, said channel being supported along the longitudinal median of said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,062 1/1946 Reeves 240-51.11 2,849,574' 8/1958 Burns et al. 240-25 X 3,071,683 1/1963 Queale 24025 3,183,346 5/1965 Spaulding et al. 24025 3,185,835 5/1965 Muller et a1 240-51.11

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. CHARLES R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURE, COMPRISING A CASING PROVIDING A LAMP SPACE AND A BALLAST SPACE, AT LEAST PART OF SAID BALLAST SPACE BEING DEFINED BY AN OUTER WALL OF SAID CASING, A DOOR OPENING IN SAID OUTER WALL AND A DOOR MOUNTED ON SAID OUTER WALL CLOSING SAID DOOR OPENING AND ADAPTED TO PIVOT OUTWARDLY OF SAID SPACE, A BALLAST MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR FOR MOVEMENT WIHT SAID DOOR INTO AND OUT OF SAID SPACE FASTENER MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID DOOR ONLY RELEASABLY COUPLING SAID DOOR TO SAID WALL, AND ELECTRIC WIRE MEANS COUPLING SAID SPACES WITH THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CASING WHEREBY ONLY SAID FASTENER MEANS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO PIVOT SAID DOOR OUTWARDLY TO EXPOSE SAID BALLAST FOR REPLACEMENT.