US1799304A - Lighting appliance - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1931. H. 1.. LOGAN 1,799,304

LIGHTING APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 7, 1928 ATTORN EY Patentech Apr. 7, 1931 NITED s ATE OFFICE WHEY L. LOGAN, F WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK, ASSIG NOR TO HOLOPH ANE COM- ranmrno, or WHITE PLAINS, NEW

YGRK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LIGHTING AJPPJLGE Application filed September The present invention relates to lightingappliances and is more particularlgy directed toward a lighting appliance suitable for use in hospitals. v

i Tn hospital lighting especiallyin the lighting of psychiatric wards, it is desirable to have a strong light for generalillumination andto'be able to provide a dim light for purposes of supervision. Tn psychiatric 1n wards, it has been customary to employ the ordinary type of hospital lighting which provides merely a bright light for general illumination and a dim or supervisory light which illuminates the entire room at low intensity. This evenly distributed light was the invention may ta 2., for general illumination throughout the room and wherein one can obtain a dim. light for supervisory purposes with the light rays sent out in a direction which will not annoy the patient. a

o A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting unit for these purposes which can be installed flushwith the ceiling so that no projecting parts are visible to excite the patient. Furthermore, the present invention provides units of'this type wherein the lens which directs the light rays fromboth the lamp sources is protected against accidental shattering by a plate of shatter proof glass placed underneath the lens. Such a plate 40 will prevent serious damage to the unit and injury on account of falling glass. 1

The accompanyin drawlngs show, for purposes of illustratmg the present invention, two of the many embodiments in which e form, it being underr, 1928. Serial No. 304,417.

stood that the drawings are illustrative of the v invention rather thanlimiting. the same. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a room, a bed, a lighting unit and typical light distribution curves obtainable from the unit;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the ceiling'and showing the unit; I p I Figure 3 is'an inverted plan view of the corner of the lighting unit; and v Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a modified form of construction. I

As shown in Figure 1, the lighting unit A is mounted in the ceiling of a room B. A bed or article of furniture is indicated at C. This bed may be directly underneath'the lighting unit as indicated in the drawings, or the lighting unit may be above and to one side 1 of the bed. As has been stated, this lighting unit has two sources of illumination, one

adapted to produce a strong light for general illumination, and the other adapted to prov duce a dim light for supervisory purposes. A typical curve of light distribution for the bright light is indicated by the curve 10, while a similar curve for the dim light is indicatedby the curve 11. It will be noted that the curve 10 is generally symmetrical about the axis of the lighting unit and that the curve 11 is asymmetricahand is here shown.

as being directed away from the bed.

In the form'of construction illustrated in ,Figures 2 and 3, the lighting unit is attached to an outlet box 15 suitably placed above a ceiling 16. The outlet box is provided with a threaded pipe or nipple 17 which passes through a hole 18 in the top of a metal box or housing 19. The box or housing is clamped to the ipe or nipple by nuts 20 and 20. As here shown, the lower edge of the box or housin is bent inwardly to provide a flan e 2 T e box or housing is adapted to e fastened to the sheet metal lath, or other support, 22 by means of angles 23, screws 24 and bolts 25. The bolts 25 also secure in place a sheet metal channel 26. This channel is adapted to support the edges of the plaster 27 about the opening in the ceiling.

'A large electric lamp 30 is carried in a socket 31 supported on a strap 32 carried inside the box 19. The center of the light source in the lamp 30 is placed directly in the center of the box 19 and as shown, is a slight distance above the bottom of the box. An arm 34 is mounted on the lower end of the pipe or nipple 17 and is clamped in place by a nut 35. This arm 34 carries a small lamp socket such as an intermediate base socket 36 adapted to support a small electric lamp 36.

According to the preferred form of construction, the arm 34 may be turned through substantially 360 so as to place the small light 36' in any desired position relative to the axis of the box. The wires are brought in through the pipe 17 and carried'to the sockets as indicated. A lens 40, preferably protected by 41 .is secured unit.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the form of construction contemplates the use of a sheet metal channel-shaped square ring 42 adapted to fit inside the channel 26. The ring 42 carries a number of clips 43 preferably welded or soldered to it and these clips fold over above the lens plate 40. A flat plate 44 is welded or otherwise secured to the channel member 42 and this fiat plate 44 extends inwardly so as to be underneath the glass plate 41. The glass plates 40 and 41 are separated from one another and from the clips 43 and plate 44 by means of gaskets indicated by the letter G. Asbestos packing or other suitable material is filled into the space 45 and screws 46 are passed through holes in the plate 44. These screw heads are provided with notches 48 to cooperate with a spanner wrench.

In the form of construction just described, the lens 40 is preferably a flat square plate having prisms molded in the lower face of suitable shape and design to concentrate light coming along the axis of the lens into a symmetrical beam so that a bright symmetric light beam may be obtained when the principal light source 30 is illuminated. When, however, the auxiliary lamp 36 is lighted, there will be a comparatively dim asymmetric beam produced, on account of the eccentric position of the light source.

It will also be noted that the unit is entirely flush with the ceiling and that there is nothing whatever projecting which can be injured by the patient or which can excite the patient. The shatter proof glass effectively prevents serious injury to the lens or the falling of the glass. It is, however, easy to relamp the unit by employing the proper tools to take out the screws 46 so that the a plate of shatter proof glass in place to close the lighting glass plates may be lowered. If at any time the direction of the supervisory beam is to be changed, it is merely necessary to open up the unit and swing the supervisory lamp to the desired position. The adjustability of this supervisory lamp, however, is ordinarily of use only when the unit is being installed, as the parts can then be fixed in the desired position.

In the modified form of construction illustrated in Figure 4, the housing 50 is shown in the form of a round casting. This casting has a flange 51 adapted to rest on the edge of the plastered ceiling and an inwardly directed flange 52. The lens 40 and plate of shatter proof glass 41 are mounted in a ring 53 adapted to be threaded into the inside of casting 50. The ring 53 has a flange 54 adapted to support the glass plates and a re taining ring 55 placed above the plates. .1. gasket 56 may he provided if desired. In order that the threaded rin may not be accidentally removed, a loc ing screw 57 is threaded up into the unit so as to cross the threads between" the parts 53 and 50. This locking screw has aspanner head entering a recess so that it cannot be accessible except by the proper tool. I

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but two of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any wa with respect thereto.

I claim:

1. A lighting appliance comprising a downwardly opening housing, a light collecting lens mounted in the opening of the housing, a main light source mounted in the axis of the lens for producing a symmetrical beam of high intensity, a horizontal arm pivoted to be turned about the axis of the lens and an auxiliary light source carried on said arm to one side of the axis of the lens for producing an asymmetric beam of low intensity with its axis in a direction determined by the position of the arm.

2. A lighting appliance, comprising an inverted box having a central hole in the top, a length of pipe extending downwardly through the hole, an arm mounted on the pipe near the top of the box, a small lamp carried on the end of said arm, a large lamp "also mounted inside the box, and a light collecting lens across the bottom of the box, the lens and lamps being so inter-related that the large lamp produces a symmetrical beam of high intensity and the small lamp produces an asymmetrical beam of low intensity.

3. In lighting apparatus for hospitals, a room, a bed arranged on the floor of the room, and a light source mounted in the ceiling of the room directly above the central portion of the bed, said light source comprising a light collecting lens and two electriclamps, one mounted in the axis of the lens and of high candle power for producing a symmetrical beam of high intensity for general illumination of said bed, the other lamp being mounted to one side of the lens* axis and having low candle power for producing an asymmetrical beam of low intensity directed awa from the bed.

Signed at New v ork, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 6th day of September, 1928.

HENRY L. LOGAN.

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