US2544707A - Mechanical device for relamping fluorescent fixtures - Google Patents

Description

MECHANICAL DEVICE FOR RELAMPING FLUORESCENT FIXTURES L. MARGOLIS March 13, 1951 Filed 001;. 8, 1946 Lozzz'a 2%? Patented Mar. 13, 1951 OFFICE MECHANICAL DEVICE FOR RELAMPIN G FLUORESCENT FIXTURES Louis Margolis, Washington, D. 0.

Application October 8. 1946, Serial No. 701,925

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-20) This invention relates to a mechanical device for removing and installing fluorescent lamps in the fixtures therefor.

The use of fluorescent lamps has become quite widespread in commercial'and other types of dwellings and there are'many types of installations in which the lamps are fixed to the ceiling a considerable distance from the floor, thus requiring a ladder or stand to reach the lamps for removing and installing them. In factories and other places, it is frequently impractical to use such stands as furniture or equipment may be located at such places as it would be desirable to place the ladder. Further, the moving of ladders, etc., is very cumbersom and awkward and it is desirable to provide in place of ladders, etc., an extension device to produce the result achieved by poles and spring-pressed fingers or other devices used on conventional round incandescent light bulbs.

The poles and lamp removing devices as used on round or substantially spherical light bulbs obviously cannot be used or modified to remove the elongated tubular light bulbs used on fluorescent lights, and it is an object of this invention to provide a means for removing and intion and details of construction disclosedin the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a mechanical device for re-lam'ping fluorescent fixtures constructed according to an embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 4-'4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the louvre wrench, t

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the jaws with the starter plug adapters in place; and

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the starter plug adapters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 .7 designates generally a device for relamping M, of suitable length. The supporting member stalling fluorescent light bulbs fromfixtures out 7 of normal reach of a person.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gripping tool which ma be attached to a pole of suitable length for gripping and turning an elongated fluorescent light bulb in its fixture and means at the lower end of the pole for actuating the gripping tool by an operator.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tool of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter, having gripping jaws, for gripping a fluorescent light bulb or similar object, pivotally secured to oneend of a pole, and means for locking the jaws in a selected pivoted position, the jaws being rockable in their unlocked position for rotating the bulb in its socket.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind having an adapter for insertion in the jaws whereby the starter plug may be removed or installed in the fixture and having a wrench for adjusting the louvres of the fixture.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement combina- I2 is formed with a downwardly extending tapered screw or bolt l5 which engages securely in the end of the pole M for fixing the member l2 thereon and a short section of tubing or sleeve 16 is provided at the upper end of the pole or rod I 4 about the member l2v and pole 4 tohold the pole against splitting and to further secure the member l2 thereon. The supporting member I2 is provided on its upper end with upwardly extending laterally spaced apart arms I '1, thus forming a bifurcated supporting member l2.

- A jaw member I8 is pivotally mounted between the arms I! by a pivot pin or bolt [3 which extends through the arms and is formed with an elongated lever arm IS. The outer end of the lever arm I9 is provided with a gripping jaw 20 fixed or formed thereon and the rear or inner end of the arm I!) i 'enlarged and shaped in a segmental arcuate plate 2| having annularly spaced apart notches 22 along the periphery.

A second jaw member 24 is pivotally mounted on the first jaw member l8 by a pin or bolt 25 which extends through the lever arm 19 and lever arm, 26 of the member 24. A jaw121 is fixed on the outer end of the jaw member 24 confronting the jaw for gripping the light bulb H therebetween. The lever arm 26 of the jaw member 24 is oifset intermediate its length, as at 28, and bent at right angles to lie adjacent the arms ll of the base 12 outwardly thereof with the outer end of the arm 26 coincident with the pivot point l3 in the normal position of the device it. By such an arrangement both arms may be pivoted in unison relative to the rod or handle I4 and the arm 24 may be pivoted relative to the arm 18 at any position of the arm IS in relation to the handle M.

The jaw member 24 is rocked about its pivot 25 for gripping the bulb ll between the jaws 20 and 21 by an operator holding the lower end of the pole 14. A knurled nut 28 is rotatably supported between the arms of a U-shaped supporting plate 29 which is fixed in the lower end of the pole, the arms of which extend outwardly from one side. The nut 28 is rotatably secured by a screw 38 engaging through the lower arm of the support 29, the screw 38 being fixed to the nut 28 by a set screw 39 engaging through the side of the nut. A square shaft 30 having the corners thereof threaded to engage in the nut 28 engages through the nut for sliding motion relative to the pole l4 upon rotation of the nut.

The sliding motion of the shaft 30. is translated to the law member 24 by a cable or cord 3! which is fixed at one end of the arm 26 coincident with the pivot. l3. A U-s-hapcd clip 32 is secured loosely to the arm 26, adjacent the pin 13, by a bolt 34 which extends through the arms of the clip 32, one being on each side of the lever 26, and the pivot member 2.4, and the cable 3| is fixed to the bight of the clip 32; One arm of the clip 32 extends beyond the member 34 for attaching an end of; a spring 35. The other end of the spring 35 being fixed to the adjacent arm IT by a pin 36 for constantly pulling the lever 26 upwardly and the jaw 21 downwardly to the open position. A pulley 31' is carried by the supporting member (2 below and forwardly of the pivot l3 over which the cable 3! is trained for reaching the lever 26 from the side of the handle 14.

A locking lever or rod. 40 is slidablycarried by the rod 14 opposite from the. knurled nut 28. and is formed with a looped finger grip or handle 4! at its lower end. The rod 40 is slidably supported between brackets 42' and 44 and is constantly urged upwardly by a spring 45 between the lower bracket 42 and a shoulder 46 r on the rod 40. The upper end of the rod 40 is flattened as at 41. and is engageable in the slots 22 of the plate 2| for locking the plate 2! and jaw member id in selected position. The slots 22 are so located on the plate 21' that the arm l8 may be locked in a position at substantially right angles to the handle [8 or in alignment with the handle in the other pivoted and locked position. By pulling the handle 4! downwardly the end of the rod 40 or keeper 41 is pulled from the slot 22 and the arm i8 is free to be moved to another pivoted position relative to the handle 54.

In the use and operation of this relamping device [0, the jaw member l8 will be initially locked in the extended or aligned position by the keeper 4i, and the jaws 20 and 21 will be opened by rotatin the nut 28. The jaws will then be placed on opposite sides of the lamp II and tightened down by rotating the nut 28 until sufficient force is exerted on the jaw member 24 to grip the tube H securely between the jaws. The handle 4| is pulled downwardly then to unlock the jaw member l8, and the bulb II is rotated in its plugs by pushing the handle 14 upwardly and the jaw member 18 is rotated to its right angular position as shown in Figure l, at which time the bulb H may be readily removed from its fixture. The installation procedure is obviously performed by reversing the removal as out-lined above.

Most fixtures for fluorescent lights are equipped with a startin plug which is to be replaced from time to time. In order to remove and install such plugs in elevated fixtures, an adapter 50 may be used on thi device Hi. The adapter 50 consists of a pair of blocks 5| generally rectangular in shape, which have a rearwardly extending lug 52 extending from the center of the length of the rear side of each block 5| near the upper edge. The lug 52 is adapted to extend into a bore or recess 54 in the jaws 20 and 21 for securing the blocks 5| therein. Each block 51 is formed with a forwardly opening semi-circular recess or cut-out 55 on one side of the center line and the cut-outs 55 register with each other to provide jaws for gripping the starter plug, not shown.

As certain fixtures, as one described in my copending application for a fluorescent light fixture, filed of even date herewith, are provided with pivoted locked closures, and it is desired at certain times to open said closures, a key Ell is fixed on the lower end of the rod or handle i4 whereby the pole may be reversed and the key 60, having a slot SI for engaging the closure operating means may be engaged with the lock or latch therefor.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I. A relamping device of the kind described comprising a handle, a supportin member fixed on said handle, a lever member pivotally mounted on said supporting member, a second lever member pivotally secured between the ends thereof to said first lever member and spring pressed to released position, each of said lever members including a gripping jaw on the outer end thereof, said second lever member terminating substantially adjacent the pivot point of said first lever member, means for locking said first lever member in selected pivoted position, means for rocking said second lever member, said looking means including a spring-pressed locking member engageable in keeper slots in said first lever member, and an elongated rod on said locking member extending to a point adjacent the inner end of said handle whereby the latter may be disengaged by an operator at the lower end of said handle.

2. A relamping device comprising an elongated handle, a pair of ears carried by the outer end of said handle, a lever pivotally secured between said ears, a, second lever rockably carried between the ends thereof by said first lever, a gripping jaw carried by each lever, releasable locking means operable from the inner end of said handle and engageable with said first lever for locking the latter in selected angular posi- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Arthur Apr. 30, 1901 Birkenmaier Apr. 12, 1932 Carson Jan. 9, 1945 Beard Jan. 29, 1946 Diver Sept. 23, 1947

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