US1992973A - Ceiling lighting unit - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1935. A, 1, SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT Filed 007i. l, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l ff f, i.. y W ummmulllllmgllunn- 'J6 361/ l ll 36 l I i l" Il y. 9: M {hm-h'M/I r//f//f/f/f/ /////////f,////// I.:

HW 1N III..

ATTORNEY March 5, 1935. A J SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT Filed Oct. l, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imm. "IWL ATTORNEY March 5,` 1935.A A, 1 SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT ATTORNE March 5, 1935.

A. J. SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT Filed OCT.. l, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 imim;mummvmulullu lso Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES CEILING LIGHTING UNIT kArthur Y Sweet, West Caldwell, N. J., assignor to Westinghouse Lamp Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 1,

Y c f6 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial lighting and relates more particularly to xtures arranged to provide a ceiling or skylight type of unit.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to provide rooms withvarious types of lighting fixtures and such fixtures have been inthe nature of overhead lighting units. i

It is an object of the present invention, Vhowever, to provide an overhead unit which may be supported on the ceiling of a room in such a manner as to provide a sklight for artificial illumination.v n c Another object ofthe invention is to provide a skylight type of unit ofvsimple construction and convenient to install. u n Another object of the invention is to provide a skylight unit for theV ceiling of a room in which the various component parts may-be quickly assembled and wherein means are lprovided to facilitate the operation of supporting the fixture. n A further object ,of the invention is to provide a supporting structure for vceiling lighting whereby units of various constructional forms may be conveniently and adequately supported. n

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting plate forv a lighting source within a ceiling light unit whereby the light rsource may be quickly and conveniently secured in a given position within the unit. n

y Other objects and advantages of the invention will bemore clearly understood from the followdescription together with the `accompanying drawings in which: t. v Y Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of laceiling lighting unit constructed in accordancewith the present invention, the View being taken from beneath the fixture and looking upwardly; Y,

Figure 2 is afragmentary cross-sectional View taken on line II-II of Figure l, and shows the position of the light units with vrespect to the light transmitting portions of the unit;

n FigureS is a view taken onlineIII-'III of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 isa perspective View cfa fixtureconstructed in accordance with the present invenf tion showing a box-like or parallelogram formation;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective viewr'nshowing t a portionnof the frame for holding a glass plate turein position with respect to the supporting plate Y 1932, serial No. 635,758 (ol. 24o-7s) Figure 7 showsa front and edge viewzofa square frame for holding a glass plate; i Figure 8 shows a front and edge view of an oblong frame for holding the glass plate;

AFigure 9 shows front and edge views of la triangular frame for holding aglass'plate; 4

Figure 10 is a perspective v iew showing the edges of two frames secured together; Y *i Figure 11 is a perspective View showing the edges or flanges of two frames secured together and having wedge members to hold .the frames in angular relation;

Figure"l2 is a perspective view of r insertion between the flanges of the frames;

Figure Y13 shows a perforated supporting lplate and a lamp socket attached thereto having means forsupporting a reiiector; Figure 14 is a perspective View of another design of ceiling fixture or skylight of a substantially dome shape; and *n Figure 15 is a perspective View of another modified form of the skylight structure wherein the unit constitutes a lborder lighting around the ceiling.

Y 'Ihe structure of the present invention insofar asrthe fabrication of the variousframework for holding the light transmitting plates is concerned, follows the construction as setv forth in fa wedge for my copending. application Serial No., 630,503 filed istermed thereinas cove lightingfor the interior ,l

of a room and the. light transmitting wall was secured to the ceiling and side wall so that it bridged the corners giving an arcuate arrangement. z n

lThe present invention isdirected tothe provi sion of an overhead artificial-skylight and provides a structure wherein the various ,elements of the skylight structure'may be quickly assembled and positioned, and furthermore,V the struc:

ture` is so arranged that theassembly maybe quickly and conveniently rearranged Vand the position of the light Vunits may also be changed and conveniently positioned to meet` thedesign of the unit.

As shown in Fig. 4, thepresvent"inventionpro.-

vides an overhead or ceiling unit 10 which may mar the ceiling and also makes it Yimpractical to change or otherwise substitute one form of light unit for another.

In accordance with the present invention, NI provide wha't may be termeda universal over-J head support in the form-ofiaperforated plate 14, (see Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 13). The plate 14 may be secured to the ceiling byVl means of tapfor expansion bolts l5. These bolts maybe secured to the ceiling in accordance with the practice ofsecuring weighted bodies to' plaster or similar walls.` By reason of Vthe universalp'late, however, only` aminimuni amount ofV supporting bolts are necessary and Ywhen the'plate is once secured tothe ceiling, various typesof fixtures may be heldin position without furtherl connection with the actual ceilingof a room and one orv morev light giving velements may be secured inl various positions in the fixture.

y In accordance with the present invention, the plate 14 isV provided with perforations 16 which perforations are sufficient in number toY provide apertures to receive bolts 17. The bolts 17 Vmay extend downwardly and through a channel bar 18 extending inwardly from and secured to a side-wall 19-of a unit. The channel bar may be rivetedor otherwise secured to a top flange 21 of what maybe termed ay carrier frame 22. The carrier frames 22 iare provided with side flanges 23 and are positioned end to end andA secured by rivets 24 (see Fig. 6), constituting the side walls 19 or skeleton structure.

The carrier frames 2,2 are, as shown, positioned with their borderY or lateral flangesextending outwardly and thus each frame is in the nature ofpa receptacle to receive a frame 25 consisting of: aflange 26 andV surrounding border-jor lateral flanges'27.- The frame 25 is relativelymnarrow and thus provides an opening 27 so that a light transmitting element, as for example a glass plate 28, when positioned in the frame, as shown more clearly in Fig. y6,'will be held by the Vedges of the frame but light will be permitted to pass through by reasonof vthe opening" 27.- The Aframe -25 whichl maybe termed a plate retaineris so constructedas to tightlyt the inner l surfaces of theY lateral flanges of thexed frame 22. Thus when the frames 22 areconnected Vto provide aiskeleton structure, the retainer frames 25 with the plates positioned therein-maybe-forced into position in the frames 22V andthe plate transmitting frames will thus be retained. f Y

It has been found that by constructing the retainer frames with suitable 'outside dimensions that these frames lwhen forced into positionpby a straight thrust; that is, by keepingv the frames 25 and 22 parallel, the frictionalfengagement is suilicient to hold the retainer'vfr'ames i'n position. With this construction it will be evident that any tendency of the retainer frameto tip out holds it tighter and that in order toiremove the same itlniustbepulled out in a straight line or withvthe frame portions of these elementsr in parallelfrelation. reasonof this construction it is possible to conveniently remove a frame and change the glass plate whereas the retainer frame plate when once positioned cannot become accidentally dislodged.

For the purpose of holding bottom light transmitting plates 34, frames 35 .are provided. These frames are similar to the frames 22 above described and each is provided with 4flanges 36. As shown more clearly in Fig. 1 eachof the four sides of the construction shown is provided with an angular member 38Vand the lower frames are secured to these members by means of rivets 36 passingV through anges 36 and the anges of the angular members 35 in contact with the flanges 36. The side carrier frames 22 rest on the flanges 3970i the angular members and these parts are secured by rivets 4l. The flanges of adjacent carrier frames 22 may be secured by rivets extending through their side adjacent flanges and the same is true of the frames which constitute .the bottom` Wall of the V,unitrwhich latter frames are secured, together by rivetsk 36',l as shown in Figs. 2, 10 Yand v11,V

For the purpose of enclosing and. giving a ,symmetricalv appearance to the upper .edgeA of the Vunita cover or casing; 42 is provided." This cover may be' of' relatively light weightjmetal and isheld in place by a tap bolt"43"t hreadedly engaged 'witha lug 44 extending from and secured by rivet 45 tothe plate 14. It will be evident that vit Ais'important in a fixture of the present make to provide means for conveniently and expeditiously supporting the light units such as electric incandescentlarnps in proper position with relation to the light transmitting walls of the unit.

In the present construction, by reason of the perforatedsupporting plate 14', sockets 46 for supporting lamp 47 may -be 'conveniently and quickly secured by means of bolts 48 to the plate 14. By reason of the numerous perforations and their arrangement .with respect tocenterS, a socket may be secured vin one of a great number of different positions. In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the socket is -provided with a screw collar 49 of insulative materialvand a reflector 51 is clamped betWeen-the-collar and the body 52 of-the base.

By this arrangementgthe reflectors may be readily applied or removed'as desired. The reflector mayextend inthe form of a plate Yabove the lighting elementsjandmaybe --provided with a seriesfof knock-outV portions 51""sothat the apertures may be provided at different-places toreceive the sockets 46.- IfL desirable a decorative molding or-lletmay be provided along the edge of the unit. y Y

Although structures; s hown i'n Figs. 4-and' 15, are provided with planarywalls, it may be desirableto make a structure shown-inl Fig. 14 wherein the Yvarious plates rwhich constitute `the v bottom wall'and Ythe plates constituting the side walls are disposed in angular relation.I For this purpose, wedge members 54, as shown in'Figs. 11` and12, -may be `interposedibetween the side flanges 23l of the carrier frames 22 Vso that when the frames are riveted together, by rivets 36',

the flanges 3*5 will be disposed in the properfanpacked in a very compact form for shipment to the particular room in which it is to be installed. The workmen then position the various bolts V1'7 in the plate 14 and secure the sockets 46 thereto in the designated positions after which the plate 14 is secured to the ceiling by the bolts 15. 'Ihe threaded lugs 44 for supporting the casing 42 may be secured to the plate 14 at the factory or may be riveted thereto on the job. The light transmitting unit may then be assembled by riveting the various'carrier frames together to provide a skeleton structure the side walls 19 of which receive the retainer frames 25. The light transmitting plates 34 are held by gravity in the frames 35. The skeleton frame may'then be secured in position by means ofthe bolts 17 and the retainer frames with the light transmitting plates therein may be forced into their respective positions to complete the light-transmitting walls.

It will be appreciated that although a sky-light unit constructed in accordance with the present invention has all the appearance of being apart of the architecture of the room, it is, in fact, readily removable and may be changed from a rectangular or square design type of unit to a more ornamental or polygonal sided design.

The invention, therefore, is of relatively great importance in providing an effective ornamental lighting unit which at the same time may be installed at relatively low cost with respect to the structure, retainer frames for light transmittingV plates, said retainer frames having flanges arranged to frictionally engage the flanges of said first mentioned frames and plates loosely retained between said frames.

2. A lighting unit comprising a plurality of frames having fianges, means for securing flanges of adjacent frames together to provide a skeleton structure, retainer frames for light transmitting plates, said retainer frames having flanges arranged to frictionally engage the inner surfaces of the flanges of said first mentioned frames.

3. A lighting unit comprising a plurality of carsaid frames having laterally extending peripheral anges, a removable retainer frame frictionally engaging said anges to removably retain a plate with its edges between said retainer plate and said carrier frame and means for connecting the flanges of said carrier frames in adjacent relation to form a light transmitting partition.

4. A lighting unit comprising a structure composed of carrier frames for light transmitting plates, each of said frames comprising strips bent to form angle members having one flange to receive a plate and a removable plate retainer member formed from strips bent to form angle members and proportional so that the peripheral fianges thereof frictionally engage the inner faces of the peripheral fianges of a carrier memrier frames for light transmitting plates, each of ber to removably retain a plate in saidkcarrier ceive a plate and a removable plate retainer member formed from strips bent to form angle-members and proportioned so that the peripheral flanges thereof frictionally engage the inner faces of the peripheral flanges of a carrier member to removably retain a plate in said carrier frame, and means for securing the peripheral flanges of said carrier frames together to provide a light transmitting partition.

6. A structure for holding light transmitting plates comprising a plurality `of frames having peripheral anges, means for connecting the flanges of adjacent frames together to provide an enclosure having a bottom wall and side walls consisting of a plurality of frames to receive plates, retainer'frames for loosely holding said plates in said first mentioned frames, means for securing the edges of said side walls adjacent to the wall of a room and means for supporting a light source Within said enclosure.

ARTHUR J. SWEET.

Images