US1085947A - Adjustable electric-light fixture. - Google Patents

Description

T. SMITH. ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.3, 1904.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO THEO. SMITH MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC-LIGHT FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3,1914.

Application filed October 3, 1804. SeriaINo. 226,920. I

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Electric- Light Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to adjustable electric light fixtures, and has for'its object to provide a new and improved fixture of this description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of an adjustable fixture embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the device shown in Fig; 1; Fig. 3 is a side view showing a modified construction; Fig. l is a sectional View taken on line le-it, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is'a view of the upper or supporting part of Fig. 1 as seen from above; Fig. 6 is an enlarged. sectional view taken: on line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 8.8 of Fig. 6.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

As herein illustrated, the fixture is shown as suspended from the ceiling. It is, of course, evident, however, that the device might be suspended from a side wall or other supporting part. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the electric light A isfastened to the socket A which is movably or pivotally connected to the hollow tube B, the electrical conductor B passing through the hollow of said tube and connecting with the terminals in the socket A The tube B is adapted to slide within the guiding or telescoping part C. The parts B and G are adapted to be moved with relation to each other so as to lengthen or shorten the fixture, the part B being adapted to be held when released in any desired position. Associated with the telescoping part C is a holding part 1), through which the tube B passes. A movable engaging part, D is associated with the holding part D (see Fig. 7) and is adapted to make frictional contact with the tube B. This engaging part may be arranged in any desired manner, and as herein shown consists of a spring piece adapted to be forced with greater or less pressure against the tube B by means of the thumb 2 comes opposite the projection D screw D This thumb screw works in. a threaded hole in the holding part D, and preferably passes therethrough so that when tightened up sufficiently it will engage the tube B and prevent movement thereof. The holding part D is preferably cut away, for the reception of the end of the engaging part D The tube B is preferably provided at 1 its back with notches, B and the bottom of the holding part is bent inwardly so as to form a projection, D adapted to engage the notches B This projection may be formed in any other desired manner.

desired to move the light up and down, the

When it is tube B is grasped and pulled toward the 1 engaging part D thus releasing the projection D from one of the notches B in the tube B. The tube. may then be slid up or down until the desired position of the light is secured, and when released will move back into engagement with the projection D and will be stopped when one of-the notches B The tube B is provided at its end with a contact device consisting of two insulating blocks, B :which are connected to the tube by spring pieces B Associated with each block is a .metallic contact, B to which is connected one of the conductors B A spring, 13, is located between the insulating blocks B and normally tends to spread them apart so as to insure proper electrical contact with the conducting strips or elongated contacts C located within the guiding or telescoping part C.- The spring pieces B are attached to the tube B, and are insulated therefrom by means of pieces of insulation on each side thereof, as shown at B being fastened to the tube by means of screws which pass through enlarged holes therein, thus preventing any electrical cont-act with the tube. A suitable bushing, through which the conductors pass, is also'placed' in the end of the tube.

The" guiding or telescoping part C may be constructed in any desired manner, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is made in two partsadapted to be fastened together. The conducting strips, or elongated contacts, C are fastened in position so as to be insulated from the telescoping part. This may be done in any desired manner. As herein shown, there isprovided for each contact a metallic strip, C (seeFigs. 7 and 8) to which is attached; an insulating strip, C

The elongated contacts C are fastened at intervals to the insulating strip by means of screws or rivets, (1*, the heads thereof being at the back and being countersunk, the top being covered with wax or other insulatii'ig material, C", so as to prevent electrical contact with the strip C The heads of the rivets or screws which connect the insulating piece C with the strip G are also countersunk in the insulating strip C and are covered with wax or other insulating material, as shown at C. The strips C are then fastened to the telescoping piece at intervals by screws or other suitable devices, as shown at (Fig. 7). The elongated contacts C are stationary, and the electrical conductors E and F are connected thereto, such conductors being connected with the source of electric supply. In order that the lamp may be moved to any desired position, the telescoping piece C is connected to the support by anniversal joint, the parts of which are preferably hollow, so that the conductors E and I" may pass therethrough. As herein shown, the telescoping part C is connected to a split sleeve, G, provided with a tightening screw, G Thi split sleeve is clamped upon an intermediate piece, G which in turn provided with a split portion or sleeve, G adapted to be clamped by a screw, G upon a stationary supporting piece, G rigidly fastened to the ceiling or other support.

It will. be noted that the engaging parts of the sleeve G and the intermediate piece G may be made long so as to give a large frictional area, and that the parts may be clamped so as to secure any desired friction. This is also true of the sleeve G and stationary part G It will further be noted that this connection consists of three rightangled pieces, all of which are movably and friction-ally connected together, and all of which are hollow, so as to permit the conductors to pass therethrough. It will further be seen that I have here an electrical, adjustable or extension fixture, comprising two parts, one connected with the light, and the other with a stationary part, the two parts adapted to be moved with relation to each other to vary the position of the light, said parts adapted to be moved together with relation to the stationary part to also 'ary the position of the light, and that by this means the light may be moved to any desired position, and will be sustained in this position. If, for example, the device is suspended from the ceiling the light may be moved down to its operative position for reading, or for other purposes, and will be sustained in this position and may then be easily and quickly moved up out of the way so as not to interfere with the passage of people beneath it, and so as to act as a chandelier if desired. In other Words, it

will be seen that by means of this construction I have a simple and eflicient adjustable device which will serve the purpose of an extension, and which is yet self-contained, and free from the objections of such extension and the trouble and diiiiculty arising from the electrical conductor ordinarily used with such extension, for with my device a simple movement changes its character, as it were, and removes it to a safe position where interference with it or by it 15 wholly avoided, and yet it may be brought into its operative extension position by a simple movement of the parts.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modified construction wherein the telescoping part U is open at the side, as shown at H, and the conductors E and F are continuous and pass through the tube B, the elongated sliding contacts being omitted. In this construction when the tube B is moved up the conductors E and F project out through the opening H and form a loop at the side of the telescoping part.

I have described in detail a particular construction embodying my invention, but it is, of course, evident that the parts may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and l, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown.

I claim:

1. An adjustable fixture, comprising two telescoping parts, a stationary support to which one part is connected, an electric light socket to which the other part is connected, the two parts free to move laterally with relation to each other, and an exterior alining spring outside of both telescoping parts and connected to the telescoping part attached to the stationary support, said spring adapted to normally hold said latter part in alinement.

2. An adjustable light fixture comprising two telescoping parts connected together so as to be free to move laterally with relation to each other, one part adapted to be connected with a fixed support, a lamp connect ed with the other part, a locking device for locking the two telescoping parts against relative longitudinal movement, said locking device being rendered operative or inoperative by moving one of said parts laterally with relation to the other.

3. An adjustable electric light comprising two telescoping parts, a support to which 0 e telescoping part is attached, an electric lamp connected with the other, elongated contacts associated with one of said parts and connected with a source of electric supply, movable contacts associated with the other part and electrically connected with said lamp, a holding part associated with one of the telescoping parts and provided with an engaging part adapted to engage fixture,

said other part, the telescoping parts adapted to be disengaged so as to be free to be moved up or down by a side movement of one of said parts but adapted to engage when released, so as to be held against relative movement.

4. An adjustable electric light fixture, comprising two telescoping parts movable laterally with relation to each other, a locking device for locking said parts against relative longitudinal movement, controlled by said lateral movement, an electric lamp con nected with one of said parts, a support for the other part, a universal connection between the latter part and said support, said universal connection comprising three hollow pieces all located near said support, each consisting of two branches at right angles to each other, two of said parts being split parts, all of said parts being out of alinement and movably connected together end to end, an electric conductor passing through said pieces, and means for completing the connection between said conductor and the electric lamp in all the various positions of the telescoping parts.

5. An adjustable electric light fixture, comprising two telescoping parts, one provided with elongated stationary contacts connected to a source of electric supply, the other provided with spring-pressed contacts adapted to slide along the elongated stationary contacts, an electric lamp associated with said latter part and electrically connected with said contacts, a spring fastened to one telescoping part and making a sliding connection with the other telescoping part, and adapted to normally hold it in alinement.

6. An adjustable electric light fixture, comprising two telescoping parts one free to move laterally with relation to the other, one adapted to slide within the other, a hollow holding part projecting from the end of the exterior telescoping part, the opening therein of smaller cross sectional area than the opening in the exterior telescoping part, the inner telescoping part passing through said opening the two parts engaging so as to prevent relative rotation, an engaging device associated with said hollow holding part for engaging said inner telescoping part so as to hold it in any desired position but arranged so that it can be disengaged therefrom by the lateral movement of said part to permit free relative movement of the two telescoping parts.

7 An adjustable electric light fixture, comprising two telescoping parts, one adapt-ed to slide within the other, a hollow holding part projecting from the end of the exterior telescoping part, the opening therein of smaller cross sectional area than the opening in the exterior telescoping part, the inner telescoping part passing through said opening, the two parts engaging so as to prevent relative rotation, an engaging device for engaging said inner telescoping part so as to hold it' in any desired position but arranged so that it can be disengaged therefrom to permit free longitudinal relative movement of the two telescoping parts, an electric lamp attached to said inner telescoping part, two electrical contacts attached to said inner telescoping part and electrically connected with said lamp, two elongated electrical contacts located within the outer telescoping part and insulated therefrom, and means for elastically pressing the contacts attached to the inner telescoping part into engagement with said elongated stationary contacts, whereby the electrical connection to the lamp is complete in all the various positions of the parts.

8. An adjustable electric light fixture, comprising two telescoping parts, one adapted to slide within the other, the holding part associated with the outer telescoping part consisting of a hollow piece of smaller cross sectional area than said outer telescoping part and provided with an elastic engaging part adapted to frictionally engage the inner telescoping part, a projection associated with said holding part and toward which the inner telescoping part is elastically pressed by the engaging part, a series of notches on said inner part adapted to be engaged by said projection, an electric lamp connected with said inner part, and means for completing the electrical connection to said lamp during all the various positions of the telescoping parts.

9. An adjustable fixture comprising two telescoping parts, one adapted to slide within the other, the inner part provided with a series of notches on the exterior thereof and fixed with relation thereto, a project-ion on the outer part adapted to engage said notches, and a spring for pressing said inner part toward said projection.

10. An adjustable light fixture comprising two telescoping parts, one sliding within the other, the outer telescoping part adapted to have its upper end movably connected with a horizontal support so as to be free to swing in a vertical plane, the inner telescoping part provided on its exterior with a series of notches, a projection on the outer telescoping part adapted to engage said notches and a spring for pressing said inner part toward said projection.

HOMER L. KRAFT, PERCIVAL H. TRUMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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