US3643086A

US3643086A - Lighting unit

Info

Publication number: US3643086A
Application number: US58860A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank D Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-28
Filing date: 1970-07-28
Publication date: 1972-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-15

Abstract

A headlamp unit designed to be powered by cells is pivoted on the ends of a pair of flexible nonmetallic strips which extend inwardly along the inner surface of a bowl which carries the headlamp, each strip is frictionally supported on the bowl by head pins and each strip has a pair of rearwardly extending aligned slots, with each slot to a pin.

Description

United States Patent Shaw [ Feb. 15, 1972 [54] LIGHTING UNIT [72] lnventor: Frank D. Shaw, 143 Bermondsey Road,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: July 28,1970

[21] App1.No.: 58,860

[52] US. Cl ..240/4l.6, 240/ 10.6, 240/ 10.67, 240/61.6, 240/6l.12, 240/78 BA [51] Int. Cl. ..F2lv 7/00 [58] Field of Search ..240/10.67, 41.6, 44, 44.2, 240/6l.6, 61.7, 61.8, 10.63, 10.65, 10.6, 78 HA [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1931 Gilbert ..240/10.67 6/1957 Lozeau ..240/10.63

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser Assistant Examiner-John P. Beauchamp Attorney-Douglas S. Johnson [57] ABSTRACT A headlamp unit designed to be powered by cells is pivoted on the ends of a pair of flexible nonmetallic strips which extend inwardly along the inner surface of a bowl which carries the headlamp, each strip is frictionally supported on the bowl by head pins and each strip has a pair of rearwardly extending aligned slots, with each slot to a pin.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBIS I972 3.643.086

l N VENTUR. FRANK D. SHAMN BY Q a/M 9M Attorney This invention relates to lighting units and more particularly to emergency lighting units, powered by cells, which provide for adjustment of the light beam in both horizontal and vertical directions.

PRIOR ART The use of emergency lighting units has significantly increased in recent years due in part as a counter to power shortages but also as required installation in banks, stores, etc., each unit being connected to the alarm system and becoming operative on activation of the alarm.

A common type of emergency lighting unit consists of a container, in which the dry or wet cells are located, with at least one automotive-type headlight mounted exteriorly on the container; each lamp is usually supported on a ball and socket joint to permit it to be swiveled into the desired position, for instance, so that the beam is directed along a stairway when the unit operates. A problem encountered in practice of such units is that while the ball and socket joint makes it easy to direct the beam from the lamp in the required direction, it is equally easy for it to get misplaced in the event that it is inadvertently touched.

Accordingly, it has been proposed to incorporate the lamp in the container but a difficulty is to arrange for an adequate degree of swivel and also to leave enough space to incorporate a sufficient number of cells. From the aesthetic aspect, as distinct from the practical aspect, it is also desirable to include the sealed beam headlights in the wall of a container.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an emergency lighting unit wherein the lamp, preferably an automotive-type headlight, is incorporated in a recess in the wall of the portable container holding the cells and in which the lamp can be adequately swiveled to change the direction of the beam as required.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a mounting for the automotive-type headlight located in the wall of the container which mounting minimizes the possibility of movement of the lamp if it is inadvertently touched after it has been set in the required position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in frictionally pivoting a headlamp unit located in the wall of a container carrying power cells, on a pair of opposed pivots which permit upward and downward movement of the head lamp. These pivots are attached to a concave metal bowl enclosing the back part of the sealed beam headlight in spaced-apart relationship while the metal bowl is adapted to be rotatable in the container. Each pivot is located on the front end of an individual flexible nonmetallic strip which extends inwardly along the bowl. Each strip is frictionally supported on the bowl by a pair of headed pins and each strip has a pair of spaced-apart rearwardly extending aligned slots, with each slot to a pin. The pivot strips can be pulled to their outward positions by simply pulling on the headlight unit and because they are independent of each other they can be pulled out in tandem or one can be left at its original position to thus give a secondary adjustment of the headlight unit angle in relation to the wall of the container.

mounted in relation to a bowl and a recessed wall according to the invention;

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are sections showing the construction and operation of the mounting.

DESCRIPTION OF T E PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the invention has particular relationship to a portable emergency lighting unit, it is not limited thereto. and the special mounting is adaptable to any wall having a suitable recess.

With reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numbers represent like members, 10 is a wall of a container not shown, the front wall 10 having a recess 12.

A metal bowl 14 is located in the recess 12, the metal bowl having a dish-shaped wall 16 which terminates at its front in a flange 18 which bears against the front wall 10 of the container. The wall 16 of the metal bowl 14 has a centrally disposed opening 20 to assist in the circulation of the air and thus provides cooling of the unit during operation. Frictionally secured to the inner surface of the wall 16 of the metal bowl 14 are a pair of similarly constructed nonmetallic strips 22 which are in opposed relationship in the bowl 14. Each strip 22 has a pair of aligned rearwardly extending

slots

24 and 26 each carrying respectively, a

28 and 30 both of which are secured to the wall 16 of the bowl 14. Each

28 and 30 has a

head

32 and 34 and the height of the body of each

28 and 30 is limited so that the strips 22 are in frictional relationship with the inner surface of the wall 16 with the bowl 14. Forward of each slot 24 of eachstrip 22 is a pin 36 secured to the latter thereto. Located in the bowl 14 but in spaced-apart relationship therefrom, is a sealed beam headlamp 38 which is frictionally and pivotably engaged to the pin 36 of each strip 22. I

The metal bowl 14 is snapped into the recess I2 and held in place between the flange l8 and the pin 28. The sealed beam headlight unit 38 due to its being pivotally engaged on the pin 36 of each strip 22 allows for tilting through 45 upwards and 45 downwards. The rotation of the metal bowl 14 allows a further rotation through 360 in the wall around the center of the recess 12.

The combination of the tilt adjustment plus the rotation of the bowl 14 makes it possible to adjust the light beam anywhere in an imaginary cone where the cone tip would represent the sealed beam unit and the cone included angle would be Since this degree of light coverage is restrictive by competitive standards, the strips 22 which are frictionally engaged to the bowl can he slid outwards from the wall 10 face to locate the plane of the sealed beam unit further out from the wall. The sealed beam unit 38 can now pivot through essentially 360 but for the practical purposes it would not normally be pivoted more than in an upward direction or 95 in a downward direction. This combined with the rotation of the bowl 14 makes it possible to adjust the light beam anywhere in an imaginary cone having an inverted cone angle of I claim:

1. A lighting unit in a wall having a recess, consisting of a concave bowl in said recess adapted to be rotatable in said recess, a sealed beam lamp in said how] in spaced relationship in said bowl, a pair of opposed spaced-apart nonmetallic strips extending rearwardly in said bowl, means on said bowl holding said strips in movable frictional relationship to said bowl and on the forward end of each strip frictionally supporting said lamp for pivotable movement.

2. A lighting unit according to claim 1 wherein each of said nonmetallic strips has a pair of spaced-apart slots extending rearwardly and said means on said bowl holding said strips comprises a pair of headed pins secured to said bowl, each pin to an individual slot.

Claims

1. A lighting unit in a wall having a recess, consisting of a concave bowl in said recess adapted to be rotatable in said recess, a sealed beam lamp in said bowl in spaced relationship in said bowl, a pair of opposed spaced-apart nonmetallic strips extending rearwardly in said bowl, means on said bowl holding said strips in movable frictional relationship to said bowl and on the forward end of each strip frictionally supporting said lamp for pivotable movement.