US1724538A - Electric-lamp-fixture mounting - Google Patents

Description

1929- c. L. WEICHELT ET AL 1,724,538

ELECTRIC LAMP FIXTURE MOUNTING Filed Nov. 12, 1926 T1 El-Z.

Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

CARL L. WEIGHELT AND HARRY F. GILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASP

SIGNORS TO \VIRT COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

ELECTRIC-LAMP-FIXTURE MOUNTING.

Application filed November 12, 1926. Serial No. 147,964.

Our present invention has for its object to provide a device for attaching electric light fixtures to the terminal boxes, or so called outlets, used in installing electric lighting wiring systems in buildings. The outlet box connector hereinafter described in detail is constructed with relatively adjustable members whereby electric lamp fixtures which, by reason of their design or features of operation, require them to be located in certain positions with reference to a horizontal or a vertical plane may be positioned as desired.

To these and other ends our invention consists in certain improvements all as will be fully described and the novel features set forth in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a commercial form of the device embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating its use in conjunction with a pull chain type of lamp fixture located in operative position and Fig. 3 is a rear view of a fixture and its support.

In the several figures, similar reference characters indicate similar parts.

80 Our invention comprehends an adjustable terminal box fixture supporting attachment which is adapted to be supplied as a part of a fixture and possesses the capabilities of affording suflicient adjustment to a fixture so that it may be accurately positioned with reference, for instance, to the other objects or to a given plane, irrespective of the position assumed by the base member which must be secured in one position or another according to certain limitations established by those structural features of what may be termed the base support. The latter primarily may be the screw studs or points of attachment of a terminal box but as the connection is adapted to be secured directly to a wall or ceiling, these points on the support may be the wall studding or lathing, or the floor joist. Where terminal boxes are employed in house wiring systems, these are made of sheet metal and provided, as shown in Fig. 1, with inwardly turned ears 1 which carry screw studs 2. These ears on some makes of boxes are located in alinement with each other at opposite sides of a box, on other boxes they are situated diagonally at opposite corners. However, irrespective of their location, the fixture manufacturer has no means of knowing what type of box will be used in a given wiring installation. It will also be appreciated that the installer of the wiring system must contend with the limitations in the structural arrangements of a building as he finds them in the immediate vicinity at which an outlet box must be situated. It is therefore often diflicult, if not impossible, to secure such a box in a position, with reference to the securing studs 2, which will more than approximate a prescribed position for the ultimate desired location of a given fixture. House wiring systems are usually installed during the construction of a building and the fixtures are not attached and wired until the building is completed; hence it is desirable that the workman who performs this last operation be provided with means which will enable him to adjust the fixtures to obtain the required symmetry without changing the position of the outlet boxes which are in reality permanently fixed.

The base supportfor a fixture, be it an outlet box or otherwise, has two separated points of attachment, such as the screw studs 2, and cooperating therewith is a cross piece 3 having apertures 4:, preferably in the form of slots, to receive the attaching devices. The ends of member 3 are preferably offset slightly to raise its center portion to accommodate the other member of the structure which is in the form of a bracket comprising the rear plate 5 having forwardly extending portions 6 and inwardly extending ends 7 which may be provided with threaded perforations 8 to receive the fixture attaching screws 9 and 10.

The cross piece 3 is provided with a central aperture to accommodate the circuit wires leading to the fixture and it is preferably made circular to form a bearing receiving a hub 11 formed integrally on the plate 5. The edges of the cross piece at opposite sides of the central aperture are made arcuate and concentric with the axis of rotation of one part upon the other, as shown, and at diametrical points on the plate 5 clamping screws 12 and 13 are so located that their edges will extend over the curved edges of the cross piece, thus permit-ting the cross piece and bracket member to be rigidly secured in any desired position of adjustment.

In illustrating the operation of the attaching device, there has been shown in conjunction therewith a vrheostat fixture for electric lights, which comprises the subject matter of our copending application, Serial No. 147,965, filed concurrently herewith. This is a type of pull chain wall fixture which necessarily should be secured in such a position that its operating chain, or chains, 15 should hang vertically from its interior point of attachment and preferably without engagement with other parts of the fixture. The fixture shown adequately illustrates the importance of the feature of adjustability in the mounting attachment, since it consists of an inner portion or switch mechanism 16 and the outer canopy 17, both of which are at tached to the bracket member, the former by the screws 9 and the latter by the screws 10 which engage the threaded apertures in the end portions 7.

In attaching a fixture it is customary to remove all of the parts from the connecting device and to then secure the cross piece 3 to the studs 2. The binding screws 12 and 13 are'then loosened to permit the bracket plate 5 to be rotated (in the present instance with the particular fixture illustrated) into a vertical position and rigidly secured by tightening the studs 12 and 13. When the operator has completed the wiring connections to the switch parts, these are again secured in place after which the canopy is attached.

We claim as our invention:

1. A fixture mounting comprising a cross arm adapted to be attached at its ends to a base support and having an oifset central portion, a fixture carrying member lying in the rear of the ofiset portion and having forwardly extending portions at its extremities for attachment to a fixture, said oflset portion and. member being provided with registering apertures for passage of wires and being pivoted together at their circular edges, and a clamping member carried on one of the parts and engaging the other to securethem in adjusted positions.

2. A fixture mounting comprising a plate member provided with an aperture and adapted to be attached to a base, a fixture carrying member in the form of an apertured plate, one of said plates carrying a collar surportions.

1,724,ass

rounding its aperture which extends into the aperture of the other to form a bearing, and means for securing said plates in a given position of adjustment.

3. In a fixture mounting for an electrical outlet box, the combination withtwo plate members having registering apertures for passage of wires, said members being pivoted together at their circular edges, one of said members having an arcuate portion concentric with the axis of movement and lying within the area of the other member and a clamping screw on said other member engaging said arcuate portion.

4. In a fixture mounting, the combination with a cross arm having slotted ends offset from the plane of the arm adapted to be secured to the studs of a wiring system outlet box and provided with a central aperture for passage of wires, of a fixture carrying bracket comprising a plate extending beneath the arm and having a similaraperture also for passage of wires, a hub surroundingthe aperture on one of the parts and extending into the aperture on v the other to form a bearing and means carried on one of said parts and engaging the other to secure them in adjusted position.

5. A fixture mounting comprising a cross arm adapted to be attached in a fixed position to a base and having a central aperture, a fixture carrying member overlying one face of the arm and also havingan aperture registering with the other, both parts being pivoted together with their. apertures V in alinement, said arm being formed with arcuate portions concentric with the apertures, and clamping devices on the member adjacent the arcuate portions and arranged to engage the other face of the arm.

6. In a fixture mounting, the combination with a member for attachment in a fixed position on a base and a fixture carrying plate thereon, both of said parts being provided with registering apertures for the passage of wires,said parts being pivoted together at the edges of their apertures, of

arcuate portions on one of said parts concentric to the apertures and clamping screws 'on the other part engaging the first mentioned part in the area of its concentric we CARL L. wRIormLr- HARRY F. GILL.

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