US1916412A - Fixture support - Google Patents

Description

July 4, 1933 s. Nl BUCHANAN 1,916,412

FIXTURE SUPPORT Filed Feb. 29, 1928 I5 Sheets-Sheet l .m `Illllllllll -llilmmmvw 1 lll-dimmumw//f/ Snom/toa STEPHEN N. BUCH/NAN July 4, 1933- s. N. BUCHANAN 1',9l6,'412

FIXTURE SUPPORT Y Filed Feb. 29, 1928 'sneets-sheet 2 i 'www 5mm/nto@ 5 TEP/15N N. BUCHANAN @Howe/ao S, N. BUCHANAN FIXTURE SUPPORT July 4, 1933.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Fe?. 2,9, 1928 gnou/1to1 STEPHEN MBUCHANAN Y Patented July 4, 1933 UNrrEn ,STATES PATENT oFF-ica STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN, on ELIZABETH, NEWJERSEY,v AssreNon To THE 'rHoivrAs & BET'rs co., on ELrzaEiitrH, NEW JERSEY, A ooEroEArron or NEW JEEsEY FIXTURE sUrroRT `Application led February 29, 1928. Serial No. 257,904.

This invention relates to electrical outlet box fittings such as fixturesupports to attach lighting fixtures and the like to boxes and consequently relates to box fittings ordinarily called hickeys and studs whichA together make the fixture support. Box studs and hickeys are used 'to install or attach a lighting fixture, lamp or chandelier to a box in electrical house wiring work, and I have produced what may be called a slip or plugin hickey and stud which are connected together by a slip-in action7 instead off screw fastening them together as in the old fashion way. t i

The load or weight of the electric lighting fixture is hung from the outlet box.

chanic approaches the job to hang a lighting fixture. The latter usually includes a fixture stem on the lower end of which is carried the electric lights or lamp fixture and on the upper end affitting, called a hickey is fastened. The old style hickey is screwed onto the fixture stein before the mechanic ascends his ladder or scanold and hence is not in itself difficult to attach butfit hasbeen the practice for the mechanic to have to carry the load of the lighting fixture up the ladder and then feel for and find theythreads of the box stud and then screw the hickey into the stud, all of which is difficultand tedious work. Furthermore the rotation ofthe lighting fixture to screw the hickey into the box stud causes the fixture wires. to become snarled up and damaged, especially so when the wires are untwisted by the mechanic who pulls or jerks Vthem out to unravel them.

' :As to the old style hickey mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, this part is a well known box lfitting including two threaded hickey sleeve ends integrally formed on a wire receiving loop. This device is herein called a ,hickey because it is thus known to the trade and performs the purposes of attaching-a fixture stein and hence the lighting fixture to a box and provides an outlet'for the fixture wires which run up through the stem to a box B from a lighting fixture (not shown) on the lower end of thestem. My invention provides new and useful-cooperat- Ordi? narily a box stud is on the box when the me ing hickeys and studs as well as new parts and fittings accessory thereto, wherebythe difficulty long experienced'inscrewing the upper-'hickeyend to a box stud is entirely removed. .j

It is a general object to avoid the difficu'l*V ties and to reduce the labor and render Vmore convenient the installation of a lighting fixture and its connection to a box. To this end, I have produced a fixture support which includes a novel box stud and hickey so constructed andarranged that a plug-'in or' slip in connection or anchorage is effected between these two parts and hence between the fixture stem carrying a lighting xture and the box without making 'a screw fastened connection between the hickey and box stud. lt is the elimination of thisscrew threaded connection'which constitutes an important feature of this invention and whichgreatly V simplifies thework. y

A further object is to produce a fixture sup` n from the box stud Jto-remove the lighting fixture from the wall or ceiling. y

' Another object is to produceV essential adapter means byV which present day old hickeys are refitted or converted to make them slip into my new box stud, and bywhich the old present day box studs are refitted or converted to make them receive my new hickeys. For the former use I havedevised a hickey adapter 'and for the latter use a stud adapter. 'A furtherobject is to produce several forms of construction in accordance with the principlesvof this invention and to this end the accompanying drawings are presented tor show several examples to meet and fulfill all possible uses arising between the various types of box fittings including different styles of boxes, fixture studs and hickeys. Accordingly Ihave devised several forms of boxor .fixture studs and hickeys', and I have produced hickey adapter and a box stud adapter-so as to make my inventionusef'ul with many old fittings whicha building contractor may have on hand and hence may use in the box assembly and which the lighting fixture contractor may have on hand and hence may use in the lighting .fixture assembly before fixing or installing the latter on the box, Figures 1 through 4 illustrate the first form of the invention wherein all parts, i. e. my hickey and box stud, are new and are designed so as not to use any old fittings or adapters. Hence in thisform of construction the well known box B is already fitted with my new box or fixture stud 15 when the workmancomes to install an illuminating fixture.

Figure 1 is a box assembly View in section, showing the new hickey Aplugged into the new box stud,with a conduit attached l.to the box leading current supply wires thereto.

Figure 2 is a box and stud assembly view in section,- and showing the new hickey in position ready to be plugged into the new box stud.

hickey anchorage head and socket of the novel box-stud.v j

. Figure 4f shows a plan view of the base or .foot of my new box stud as taken on the line fl-t of Figure 2.

l* igures 45 through 8 show hickey adapter means and illustrate thevsecond form of the invention wherein the novelty isr in the box studand in a hicley ladapter by which an` sembly, the hickey adapter with its attached parts being iniposition ready to be plugged into the new style box stud. Y

Figure 7 shows al perspective view of the hicliey slip-in adapter made in the form of a support plunger. This hickey adapter means enables the workman to use old style hickeys which he may have on hand with my new style box stud and secure all the conveniences of the invention.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the new box adapted to receive the hiclrey adapter shown in Figure 7 and is taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6. Y

. Figures 9 and 10 show a combination of two adapter means and illustrate a third form of the invention wherein an old style box stud 50 is converted into a new style socketed box stud by-a stud adapter sleeve 52 and into which the 'hiclrey adapter of Fig- 7 is received thus enabling the workman Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 8-3' of Figure 1A and hence through the Y novel` to use ankold hickey HS, or by which the new in an old hickey is connected to an old box F stud, this arrangement being brought about by employment of a box stud adapter of the general type as shown in Figure 12 and a hickey adapter as in Figure 7. A compression spring may be used to remove looseness from all parts after they are assembled, instead of a lock nut as in the second form.

Figure 10 shows a plan view of an old form of box stud, but which I convert to use with my invention by employing a stud adapter 5.2 to receive `a hickey adapter 38, orto receive the new style hickey 26.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 illustrate a fourth form of the invention wherein my improved fittings and fixture support ar-e adapted for use on cast boxes CB which ordinarily have integral threaded studs 60. For this form of cast box I again use a sleeve stud adapter 61 which screws onto the box stud and I t-herebyconvert it into asocketed box stud so 'as to receive a new plugin hickey 26, or to receive my new hickey adapter 88.

vFigure 11 shows the cast box and stud in fragmentary section and a coil spring actuated vlocking plunger is provided to lock the hickey to the box stud adapter after the parts are connected by a plug-in action.

Figure 12 is a perspective View of the box stud adapter removed from all parts. An adapter of this general form refits an old box stud for use with my new slip-in hickey to secure all the advantages of this invention.

'Figure 13 is a section on'the line 18-18 of Figure 11.l

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate the fifthform l" of the invention wherein my new slip-in hickey of the first form is slightly modified to provide combined peripheral and longitudinal grooves in the slip-in hea-d of the hickey.

Figure l14 is a box assembly view, the stud and box being in section, and the modified hick-ey being in elevation.

Figure 15 is a View on the line 1.6-1.5 of

Figure 14; showing the engaged box stud socket and hickey head in section'. Y

In accordance with the principles of my invention, I have produced, among other things as above not-ed, two box fitting adapters. J One may be called abox stu-d adapter and is used to convert the old style threaded box stud now in use to one which will receive my novel plug or slip-in hickey. In this way, an old type screw threaded stud may be left on the .box7 when found so fitted as in old house work, yet the workman may use my new slip-in hickey therewith.` The other may be called a hickey adapter and is used to convert the old style two-threaded ended hickey to one which will plug into my novel box stud. In this way, my new box stud may he left on the box, when found so fitted as in new house work,l yet the workman may use up his old hickeys and still effect a slip-in connection. Likewise I have Vproduced a novel box stud which preferably shoul-d be fitted to outlet boxes so as to make direct connection with my new slip-in hickey land thus eliminate all necessity for either type of adapter means.

Electrical house vwiring installations ordinarily embody electric outlet steel boxes B having knock-out openings or holes Il to receive pipes'or conduits P in which cable C runs into Athe box and in which the current supply wires W are connected with the fixture wires FIN leading up through a fixture stem FS. Cast iron boxes CB are also used for Acertain classes of work and cable (not shown) is usually connected to this type of box to supply current to the lighting fixture wires FW. The lower end of the fixture stem FS supports a lighting or lampfixture, say a chandelier and encloses the fixture wires FV. It is the usual practice to provide a hickey L, the lower sleeve end HS invariably being screw threaded to make connection with and support the fixture stem FS and a lighting fixture (not shown) on the lower end of the stem.

The screw thread-ed hickey sleeve lower ends HS are preferably of similar struct-ure throughout the several examples of the invcntioii,biit vary in size and form for different work. On the other hand the remaining structural'portions orupper ends of the hickeys L are new 4and so constructed and arranged as to accomplish new results and effect a saving of labor on fixture installatio-ns regardless of the character of the box or box stud which may have been installed by the building` contractor, and reo'ardless of the type of hickey, new or old, which the lighting contractor may use; In this way, when the lighting fixture contractor approaches my invention. y

Coming now to a description of the first form of the invention as shown in Figures 1 through l, itinay be remarked that this form includes hickey L the upper end 26 of which is new and adapted to be plugged into a box stud which is likewise new, and in this respect no old parts are used, and this form of the invention is therefore well suited for new house work, where no old electrical work or parts are encountered. The novel box stud includes an anchorage base7 plate or foot 15 integral with a sleeve 1G which provides a' slip-in hickey receiving socket 17. Screws or other means let anchor the stud to the box B in the usual way. rlhis box stud 15-16 may be enlarged at 18 on one side of the sleeve so as to provide a plunger bore 19 for the reception of a locking plungthc. job, he is equipped in all respects to'use er 20 which is slidably retained in the bore 19 so that the inner end 21 of the plunger protrudes into the stud sleeve 16.

One end of the locking plunger 2O is made with head or flange b which the work@ s Y man with his screw drivel' or by linger action withdraws the plunger end 21 from the sleeve socket 17 so as to disconnect the plug-in or slip-in hickey from the box stud 15.' The base or foot 15 grooved at 22 above the socket 17 and the plunger head 25 rests wi thin this groove. A plate spring 23 has one end anc ored at`2l to the box stud while its other end is flexibly free and normally lies in contact with the plunger head 25 to maintain the plunger end 21 in ini'iermost limited position. The plunger end 21 withdrawn from the stud socket 17 by` overcoming the seating pressure of the spring 23 which is accomplished by lifting upward on the plunger head 21.

rlhe bore 19 and locking plunger 2O are vdisposed at an angle to the axis of the hickey head 26 and stud sleeve 16 which position of the plunger enables an upward entering thrust of the hickey head 26 to push 'the locking plunger 20 out of the way or back out of the sleeve, the spring 23 yielding `for this purpose so that the hickey may bc plugged into the stud. Furthermore this angular position of the plunger presents a substantially long or maximum portionthereof to and against the hickey head 26 to positively anchor the latter in the stud sleeve 16. The downward pressure or pull of the hickey head 26, due to the weight of a lighting fixture, tends to firmly engage the'hickey head and locking plunger one with the other. y The angular interlocking action between the hickey plunger head 26 and the locking plunger 2O is a positive one. y

The-hickey used in connection with this first form of the invention includes the usual wire receiving loop L integrally rormed with lower hickey sleeve HS and this formation HSL in box hickeys aren now in use but I have improved the upper end of the hickey by adding the slip-in plunger head 2G so as to make a plug-in connection between the hickey L and box stud 15 and hence avoid screwing` the parts together as in the past.

In this simple change, I have attained a new' mode of action and a labor saving result without losing' the benefit of the old form of well known hickey portions HSL which are in themselves well suited to attach to the fixture stem FS and expose the wires FW inthe loop L.

The plug-in hickey head 26 is made with one or more locking` plunger pockets or notches 27 for the reception of the plunger end 21. These notches 27 are disposed about the cylindrical surface of the'slip-in head 26 and when the workman comes to install the lighting fixtures, he first screw connects the hickey sleeve HS onto the fixture stem FS and thereafter` he carries the lighting fixture (not shown) and stem FS with hickey L up a. ladder or scaffold and plugs the hickey head 26 into the socket 17 of the box stud 15. This installation is accomplished Without screwing the hickey L to the box stud 15 which is ordinarily the way the work has been accomplished in the past.

The old method of screwing a hickey to a box stud, say of the old type of stud shown at 50 in Figure 9 or at 60 in Figure 11, is laborious in that the workman is required to carry the weight of the lighting fixture, some times very massive7 up on a ladder and rotate the lighting fixture and supporting stem FS until thesame is screw fastened to the stud 50 or 60 and box which has always been. an arduous task in view of the fact that oneniust locate and start the threads between the old style hickey and old style box stud. Furthermore the old method usually results in twisting or snarling up the fixture wires Fl/V so4 that after the work of screwing the fixture stem S into the box stud is accomplished it is then necessary for the workman to unwrap the wires thereby damaging the insulation.

In the drawings, the fixture wires FIN and the lead-in wires W are shown as being of somewhat short length but as a matter of fact they are left lon@` in actual practice so that the electrician may make soldered and wrapped connections onv the outside of the box B and he then pushes them up in the unobstructed portions of the box. However, by adoption of my invention this task of screw threading the stem FW into the box assembly as well as unwrapping the twisted up wires is avoided. Manifestly a great deal of time is thus saved which reducesthe labor cost in that the workman simply makes a quick slip-in connection between the fixture stem FS and the box B.

Coming next to a description of the second form of the invention shown in Figures 5 through 8, provision is here made for the use of old style hickeys HSL with a new type box stud 30 similar in many respects to the box stud already described in the first form. In this second form, there is shown in Figure 7 what may be called a hickey adapter which I have devised for affording a kplug-in connection between the old hickey HSL and new box stud or 15. In this way the mechanic may use up the supply of old hickeys on hand with the newbox stud assembly when the latter is used in the building.

To the box B is attached the box or fixture stud 30 in the usual way as by screws 14. The stud 30 includes a sleeve 31 and a locking plunger bore 32 is formed at an angle in the sleeve so that a locking plunger 33 will slide up and down in the sleeve. head or flange 34; is made on one end 'of the locking plunger 33 and the other end ofthe plunger projects into the inside of the stud sleeve 3l. TheA upper open end of the bore 32 proximate the plunger head 34 is peaned over at 35 to prevent the plunger 33 from dropping out. The indent or peaned portion 35 coacts with a fiat surface 36 formed on the plunger 33 to slidably retain the same in the i sleeve 31. This locking plunger 33 drops into place by its own weight and protrudes inside the sleeve 31.

The hickey adapter comprises a smooth plug-in plunger head upper end 38 with a threaded anchorage lower end 39. Locking pockets or notches 40 are formed in the surface of this adapter 38 and are engaged by the lower end of the locking plunger 33 or 21 when .the adapter head 38 is slipped into the stud sleeve 31. The screw threads 39 of the hickey adapter attaches to the old type hickey L both ends of which are screw threaded at HS since it has been the practice in the past to screw fasten one end of this hickey L to the fixture support FS and the other end HS to an old style box stud fastened within an outlet box. Each end of the old hickey L is no more than a mere sleeve HS so designated to indicate the old type of hickey ends, which however may be used with my improved box parts simply by the employment of the hickey adapter 38.

v A lock nut 42 is screwed onto the hickey adapter end 39 and is tightened against the lower end ofthe stud sleeve 31 after the parts are assembled. By tightening the lock nut l2 it follows that the hickey adapter head 38 is forced into tight engagement with the locking plunger 33 thereby removing all play existing in the parts so that final anchorage is effected. and no looseness may develop.

Describing the third form of construction in Figures 9 and 10, I have devised an adapter combination which permits the use of old box studs and old hickeys. In this respect the structure in the third form constitutes a distinct advantage in that all old fittings may be used but at the same time the mechanic on the job is saved the difiiculty of screw fastening the fixture stem FS to the box B by the old process of rotating the stem FS and lamps hanging on the lower end thereof while working on top of the ladder or scaffold.

The box B is here shown as being fitted with an old form of box stud 50 carried on a foot plate 51 and secured to the box in any approved manner. In some box installations the building contractor may have used this old type of box stud 50, and at the same time the lighting fixture contractor may desire to avail himself of the advantages of this invention and yet may himself be supplied with old hickey parts. Even so, I have provided in this situation a novel stud adapter in the form of ay sleeve 52 screwthreaded at one end to fasten it to the old style box stud 50 and open at' the other end to eect a plugin connection with the hickey adapter 38 or with the new style hickey L26if the latter is available for use. In either case, the lower end HS of either type of hickey, old or new, is screw fastened to a fixture stem FS and up through which the fixture wires FV are lead toward the box B.

Instead of using the lock nut 42 heretofore described as in the second form, I here employ a compression spring 53 carried on the hickey adapter 38 between the lower end of the stud adapter sleeve 52 and the hickey sleeve HS which snaps or presses all the play out of the parts when the slip-in connection is made. A. locking plunger 33 is carried with the stud adapter 52 Vto lock the hickey adapter 38, with all parts carried thereon, to the stud adapter 52 and hencev the stem FS to the box. My new stud adapter 52 therefore converts the old box stud 50 to one which is in effect socketed so as to receive a hickey head whether of the integral kind'shown atv 26 or a separate adapter shown at 3S.

By combining the two adapters 38 and 52, the old box stud and old hickey are converted to .simpler uses.

Coming to the fourth forni of the invention as shown iii Figures 1l, l2 and 13,4

special provision is made' for adapting my improvements Ato old style cast boxes CB which are provided with a cast hxture stud 66. Ordinarily it is the practice to use an old style hickey I-IS screw fastened to the old cast box stud 60, the disadvantages of which have been explained and the elimination of \.\'liich is now made possible by working in accordance .with the principles of this invention Yand adapting the parts supplied thereby.

In working with the old cast boxes CB, and aside from the precise illustration of Figure l1, vthe mechanic in fact may vuse the hickey adapter 38 of Figure 7 so as to at aclithe old hickey IIS to the box CB which the reader may well iiiiagi-ne by reference to the second form Figure 5 or third form Figure 9 of the invention, since indeed I have provided a box stud adapter 6l which will receive and lock the hickey adapter 38 thereinto. The coinliiiiation of both types of adaptersl 38 and 6l or 2 fulfill many uses and requirements.

In this fourth forni, the newA style slip-in hickey 26 isl similar to or may be the saine F as the first form shown in Figure l, and I have provided a stud adapter in the form of a sleeve 6l threaded at one end and open at the other end to receive the hickey plunger head 26. This adapter sleeve 61 is fitted with an angularly disposed locking plunger 62 which is urged to seated position by a coil spring 63 mounted between an integral ear 64 and the head or flange 65. This spring 63 holds the locking plunger 62 against and in one of the hiokey pockets 27 so that it is anchored in the sleeve 61 against-.rotation and against removal except by withdrawal of the-plunger 62.' .y w

The fixture stem FS and hickey L26 are first screw fastened together and the head 26 of the latter is plugged into the adapter sleeve 6l, the locking plunger 62yielding 11pwardly to permit the hickey head 26 to enter the sleeve, whereupon the mechanic rotates the stem FS until one of the pockets 27 is en-` gagcd by the lower end of the plunger62. The fixture stern and box assembly is now completed and is effected without-laboriously screw fastening the hickey to the box stud In the fifth formlof'theinvention in Figures 14- and l5 there is shown astructure which is similarin some respects to the first forni in Figure l. However a ,box stud 70 is made with a hickey receiving socket 71 to receive a hickey head 72, the latter being formed if desired with plunger locking pockets 7 3 joining i a peripheral locking groove 74. Vith this form of construction the mechanic simply plugs the hickey head 72 into the stud socket 7l and is not required torotate the stem F P to hunt one pocket 73 since indeed the groove 74 instantly catches the lower end of p a locking plunger 75. Neyeitheless Ima-y provide locking plunger pockets 7 3 to stop undue or accidental turnine of a lamp fixture carried on the lower end of the stem FS. l

In general, it is now clear to the reader that supply means by which the advantages of this inventionare attainedregardless of what' character of box or box stud isencountered. The first form of my invention is largely used for new and original house work. f The secondV form is used for either since I show a box assembly which comprises the new box and stud assembly but an old In the main, my new box stud comprises a receptacle socket to receive the plug-iii head of the hickey, and the socket and head are preferably cylindrically-shaped parts and are easily manufactured and fitted together.

The cooperating cylindrically-shaped parts.

are smooth surfaced. The locking device possesses a bolt action, automatic in function when a spring is used as at23 or 63, so by merely plugging the hickey head into a stud socket, the two parts are automatically locked together because the spring actuated' locking plunger instantly returns and snaps into one of the Y pockets or ratchets in the plug-in hickey head.

According to my novel'principles involved inthe production of box studs, as suggested by all forms, the stud is carried by the box, separately attached4 or integral therewith, and takes the form of. sleeve-like means into which a plunger-like device is plug connected and this plunger carries the hickey and fixture stem.

Throughout all examples ofthe invention, the bolt-action locking plungerfis similar in mode of operation to a spring pressedV dog since the plungersQO, 3?), 62 and 75 ratchet and lock against the ratchet detents 27 and 40 formed in the hickeyhea'ds.A Any suitable resilient spring means may be used to actuate vthe locking bolt or dog and the spring' is preferably placed outside of the hickey receiving socket of the box stud;

What is claimed is: l. A fixture support',comprising, in combi nation, a hollow fixture stud and means to cure same to an outlet box, a hickey carrying a slip-in head which plugs into the fixture stud, means for locking the head in the vstud when plugged together, and means carried by one of the parts of the support and exerting a force against the stud tending to withdraw the head from the stud and serving to accentuate the action of the locking means.

i2. A fixture support comprising, in combination, a hollow fixture stud and means to secure saine to `an outlet box, a hickey carrying a slip-in head with plugs into the fixture stud, means for locking the `head in the stud when plugged together, andV a nut threaded upon the slip-in head and engaging the end of the hollow stud thereby exerting a force against the stud tending to withdrawthe head from the stud and serving to accentuate the action of the locking means.

4f. A fixture support comprising, in combination, a hollow fixture stud forming a socket andmeans closing one end of the socket and securingthe stud to a box, a groove in the securing means yabove the socket, a plate spring secured at one end in the groove and l the other end being flexibly free, and a locking plunger slidably mounted in the fixture stud -and having one end projecting into the socket while the other end engaged by the flexibly free spring end.

5. A fixture support comprising, in combination, a hollow fixture stud forming a socket, and means closing one end of the socket and securing the stud to a box, a groove in the securing means above theI socket, a plate spring secured one end in the grooveand the other end being flexibly free, a locking plunger slidably mounted in the fixture stud and having one end projecting into the socket while the other end is engaged by the flexibly free spring end, and means carried by one of the parts of. the support and exerting a force against the stud tending to Withdraw the head from the stud and serving to accentuate the action of the locking means.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

STEPHEN N. BUCHANAN.

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