AU691100B2 - Lamp accommodating structure - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FORA STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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*5 S. S Name of Applicants: T, 0L< erry Lee COUSINS and Catherine TAMME erry Lee COUSINS SActual Inventor: Ti IEG Address for Service: o Lg kt, o Invention Title: Details of Associated Provisional Application No: EA R 17-.iti A ki zi71Q; "Lamp Accommodating Structure" PN 2513 dated 19th April, 1995 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

-1- This invention relates to a lamp accommodating structure, and is particularly directed to a structure which can be load bearing and can for example be utilised in a building structure.

In many building structures, the locations of illuminating lamps are inconvenient, and for example in a building structure wherein the lamp is required to illuminate a space exterior of the building, difficulties can be encountered in properly shielding against the effects of weather.

Lamp accommodating cases are almost invariably produced from material which although decorative have very little strength, and therefore the lamps are almost invariably attached to a structure and form merely an accessory.

iOOQii The main object of this invention is to provide a structure wherein the lamp 5 can be accommodated and the structure can withstand the forces which are imparted both by dead loads and also by live loads such as wind, and still further, to provide a structulre which can accommodate a lamp with a low probability of moisture ingress.

In this invention a load bearing lamp accommodating structure which is located between upper and lower post portions comprises a lamp body for housing said larp having at least one light emitting aperture therein, and means at either end of said lamp body for securing said lamp body between said upper and lower post so

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that the combination of said lamp body and upper and lower posts form a single load bearing unit.

A number of means of securing the lamp body to the upper and lower posts may be used. Examples may comprise sockets at each end of the lamp body into which the ends of the upper and lower posts locate. Alternatively, the securing means may comprise a generally U-shaped portion having two side walls and a web with a further plate that locates across the opening of the generally U-shaped portion.

In one embodiment the invention may comprise two half frames, means for securing the half frames together so as to clamp a structural post or beam, webs extending across each of the half frames to support the end of the structural member to which they are clamped, and also to provide a platform for securing of a lamp fitting. In lieu of the half frames, the post engaging surfaces may include surfaces of half clamps located at the ends of the structure, With this invention, it is not difficult to provide sufficient strength in the half frames to withstand the loads likely to be imparted in a building structure, and in a typical application the half frames are used between the ends of a post to provide illumination at a desired height. The half frames may be of equal but opposite configuration, or may comprise frame members wherein one frame member clamps only one side face of a post for example and the other covers three side faces.

Or '15 Three embodiments of the invention are described hereunder in some detail with reference to and are illustrated in the accompanying sketches in which: Pig 1 is an isometric view which shows a structure comprising two half frames which are formed from materials such as steel; Fig 2 shows an alternative structure wherein use is made of two identical half frames each being a casting or moulding; Fig 3 shows an alternative arrangement useable on a round post; Fig 4 is an isometric view illustrating a preferred arrangement illustrating a structure joining upper and lower post portions; Fig 5 is a partly sectioned side eleval ionl view in the direction of arrow 5 on Fig 4, drawn to a larger scale than Fig 4; Fig 6 is an end elevation of Fig 5; and Fig 7 is a plan view of Fig 6.

Referring to Fig 1, a lamp accommodating structure 10 is fabricated from angle section steel welded at 11 to join vertical post members 12 to horizontal members 13, all of which are of angle sectio..The frame so formed comprises a first RA/ frame portion 14 and a second fr-ame portion 15, the first frame portion 14 having one M 1t 7 3 transverse member joining thie two clamping post portions 12, and two horizontal members 13 extending outwardly therefrom, while the second portion 15 comprises also two frame portions 12 but only one horizontal portion 16, this being repeated near but not at the upper end, and the lower end of the post, The ends of the post portions 12 beyond the horizontal members 13 are apertured at 17 to receive bolts 18 which can extend through a wooden verandah post for example. By thids means, the half frames can be firmly clamped to a post, and the webs 20 of the horizontal portions 16 can form end supports for the post. They also form platforms to whidch light fittings carn be secured.

In use, a verandah post for example is not continuous but has a portion removed at the desired locality of a light, and thereby the upper portion of the post and the lower portion of the post will abut the webs 20 of the horizontal portions 13, and the bolts 18 will ensure firm locking of the structure to the post, substantially avoiding any weakness which might otherwise be imparted by a non structural lamp case. The spaces between the vertical clamp portions 12 will provide access for lamps, and the fittings for the lamps can be carried for example by the upper webs Since the position of a lamp is likely to be near the top of a verandah post, the upper portion above the upper webs 20 can be drilled centrally to accommodate wiring and thereby wiring is protected against the adverse affects of weather. By utilising resilient gasket means on the webs 20, the water which is shed from thle upper portion of the post to the webs 20 will not readily corrode the lamp fitting.

The arrangement described in the first embodiment is particularly suitable for outdoor structures such as gazebos, but where more decor is required, the lamp body and securing means may be cast as shown in figure 2. In figure 2 there are two castings 24 (which may for example be of structural aluminium) and the horizontal webs 25 can form the abutments for the ends of verandah post portions or the like, in the same way as the first embodiment.

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~I The securing means comprises generally U-shaped sections 26 comprising two side walls and a web. The two halves of the lamp body 24 are held together by bolts 18 passing through aperture 17 as in the first embodiment. Once again there is a requirement in this embodiment for use of a gasket between a lamp fitting and the web to which it is secured, but with that proviso, the lamp fitting can be protected against the effects of weather and the wiring leading b that fitting can similarly be protected as in the first embodiment.

In both drawings, the post is designated 28 and is shown in dashed lines, while in figure 2 a tubular lamp 29 is also shown in dashed lines, and is secured at its ends by fitting 30. A door may be provided to facilitate access to a lamp globe.

In Fig 1, the clamping frame portion 15 was unitary, but this is not always bo necessary. Fig 3 shows an alternative arrangement, particularly suitable for a round 5 post. Round posts 32 are shown as being of timber, but could for example be tubular steel. Platforms 33 abut the ends of the posts, and the upper and lower ends of the S tubular light structure 34 are "halved" along a diametral plane at 35 to provide access for the post ends, which are capped by semi-circular clamps 36 which clamp side wall surfaces of post portions. Fasteners may be used for securing both the :20 structure 34 and clamps 35 to the posts 32.

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The embodiment of Figs 4, 5, 6 and 7 is the embodiment which is presently S preferred by the inventors, for the reason that it provides an inexpensive robust unit which is easily affixed both during building, and when affixed as a retrofit in an existing building.

Again, the lamp body 10 comprises two portions which are clamped together as in Fig 1, but in lieu of the angle section used in Fig 1, use is made of a heavy gauge sheet metal. The main portion is 41 and this comprises a channel portion as seen best in Fig 7 having a web and two flanges. These flanges are overlapped by the short flanges 42 of a shallow U-shaped closure plate 43 which is secured by fasteners 44 to the main portion 41. The closure plate 43 is readily removed to provide access for changing globes within the lamp accommodating structure. Bolts 46 clamp the main portion 41 to an upper post portion 47 and to a lower post portion 48, and the upper post portion 47 can carry a batten holder 49. Transparent or translucent panels 50 are used as in the other embodiments.

The main portion 41 is provided with an internal U-shaped bracket 52 which receives and retains the fasteners 44, but in the alternative fasteners can be used in the flanges 42 to retain the closure plate 43 to the main portion 41.

While the structure of the final embodiment of Figs 4 to 7 is the mechanical equivalent of the structure shown in Fig 1 in many ways, the construction is simpler and less expensive, and the final appearance is much improved.

Obviously the details of construction can be changed but still lie within the '15 invention, and it will be seen by those skilled in -the art that it is feasible to have a lamp accommodating structure which is capable of withstanding the structural forces of a building, to provide light at a convenient location, and to provide protection for both the lamp fittings used and the wiring leading to them.

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Claims (13)

1. A load bearing lamp accommodating structure which is located between upper and lower post portions comprising: a lamp body for housing said lamp having at least one light emitting aperture therein and, means at either end of said lamp body for securing said lamp body between said upper and lower post so that the combination of said lamp body and upper and lower posts form a single load bearing unit.

2. A load bearing lamp according to claim 1 wherein said lamp body has a square or rectangular cross-section that substantially matches the cross-section of said upper and lower posts. *0*00* t5 3. A load bearing lamp according to claim 2 wherein said lamp body has at least four light emitting apertures with one aperture in each side of said lamp body. .i

4. A load bearing lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said means for securing said lamp body between said upper and lower posts comprises the ends S0 :20 of said lamp body each locating over a respective end of said upper and lower posts, and fasteners that locate through said portion and said upper and lower posts. o S 0 5. A load bearing lamp according to claim 4 wherein said portion locating over .oo..i respective ends of said upper and lower posts comprises a first portion having a generally U-shaped cross-section comprising two side walls and a web with a second portion comprising a plate that is secured across the opening of said first portion.

6. A load bearing lamp according to claim 5 wherein said lamp body has flanges that extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lamp body that locate against the ends of said upper and lower posts. M

7. A load bearing lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said lamp body comprises at least two portions that are assembled either side of said upper and lower posts.

8. A load bearing lamp according to claim 7 wherein said means of securing said lamp body to said upper and lower posts comprises at least one of said portions of said lamp body having a generally U-shaped section at each end of said lamp body portion comprising two side walls and a web.

9. A load bearing lamp according to claim 8 wherein each end of each lamp body portion has a generally U-shaped section comprising two side walls and a web.

10. A load bearing lamp according to claim 8 wherein one of said lamp body 44*444 portions has generally U-shaped sections throughout its length, the other said 1: "5 portion comprising a plate that is releasably securable to said other portion. 6 i 11. A load bearing lamp according to claim 10 wherein fastening means locate through and between the side walls of said U-shaped portions, and through each portion of said upper and lower post positioned therein and said plate is releasably :20 secured to said first lamp body portion by threaded fasteners that locate within said upper and lower posts. a°

12. A load bearing lamp according to any one of claims 7 to 11 wherein at least a one of said lamp body portions has flanges that extend transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lamp body that locate against the ends of said upper and lower posts.

13. A load bearing lamp according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising transparent or translucent panels covering said light emitting apertures.

14. A load bearing lamp accommodating structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig 1. A load bearing lamp accommodating structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig 2.

16. A load bearing lamp accommodating structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig 3.

17. A load bearing lamp accommodating structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 4, 5, 6 and 7. Datedthis 18th dayof February 1998. TERRY LEE COUSINS AND CATHERINE TAMME 5 BY THEIR PATENT ATTORNEYS MADDERNS 1 a* a a D I- I I ABSTRACT A lamp accommodating structure (10) can be secured between upper post portion (47) and lower post portion (48) of a post for a gazebo, for example, being secured to those portions by bolts and a closure plate (43) can be releasable secured to provide access to a lamp when in the lamp accommodating structure, for all sides of the structure containing transparent or transtlcent panels (50) which enable the lamp to shed light in several directions simultaneously. a S o 5 S o