US1993426A - Illuminating arrangement - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1935.

J. D. WHlTTAKER ET AL ILLUMINATING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 20, 1952- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill ATTORNEY March 5, 1935. J. D. WHITTAKER ET AL 1,993,426

ILLUMINAT ING ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1932 INVENTORS Jwuvllhflfiuukac Mo 6. hack,

BY /W AT RNEY" atentecl Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE New York, N. Y., assignors to Welsbach Street Lighting Company of America, Philadelphia,

Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1932, Serial No. 606,321

14 Claims.

This invention relates generally to illuminating arrangements, such as electrical illuminating bulbs of a type wherein the bulb is of a character or has so associated therewith a feature which 5 calls for a predetermined angular positioning of the bulb about an axis thereof for the proper functioning of the illuminating arrangement, and more particularly to the provision therewith of means whereby the bulb is subject to a controlled angular adjustment for permitting the bulb to arrive at its said predetermined angular position and to be maintained in that position.

The particular problem to which the invention is herein shown and applied, and which it solves,

is that of street illumination. A recent development in this art contemplates a substantially uniform illumination of the street area, and a redirection of the light that would uselessly illuminate the buildings lining the street, into the street area. To attain such a result requires fixtures or light sources constructed particularly with this end in view, and where specially designed light sources are used, peculiar problems are'presented, which it is the aim of this invention to solve.

Whereas, the ordinary sources of light used for street illumination scatter their light rays uniformly in all directions around the source, so that the resultant illumination may be described as circular, recent practice aims to direct the bulk of the light along the street itself, and to reduce the amoimt of light falling on the sidewalks, and still more so, the adjacent buildings. For this purpose either the light source must be specially designed so as to distribute the light non-uniformly or asymmetrically, or an ordinary light source must have its light redistributed either by some external means or by some lightcontrolling means which forms a part of the bulb itself. It will be understood that the term asymmetric as referring to light distribution, is intended tosignify a non-uniform, non-circular light distribution, which is different in different directions radially from the source, and which light so that asymmetric light distribution is obtained.

When a bulb of this character is mounted on a fixture in the usual manner, the relationship of the reflector to the area intended to be illuminated efliciently by the light source may not be that intended. For instance, where the customary incandescent filament bulb has the customary screw-threaded plug for insertion into a receptacle,. screw-threaded for seating the plug therein, the plug must be screwed down tightly into the receptacle in order that positive contact between the terminals of receptacle and plug may be effected. The relationship of plug and receptacle, when so assembled, is not capable of accurate and ready predetermination at the time of manufacture either of the plug or of the receptacle, an accuracy which requires that the reflector, forming a unit with the bulb, will properly direct the rays from the bulb in the desired direction upon the area to be illuminated. In any case, the requirement that the receptacle be accurately located so that the end position of its threads bear a definitely fixed relation to the area to be illuminated, and that the plug, which must be accurately constructed for cooperation with the receptacle, be accurately related to the position of the reflecting means on the bulb, gives rise to great expense both in manufacture and in assembly of the several elements.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means whereby an incandescent filament bulb lighting source, having a reflector substantially integrally associated therewith so as to effect asymmetric light distribution, may be located in a fixture and, without the necessity of accuracy either in the manufacture of the bulb receiving member of the fixture, orin the assembly of the bulb plug with the body of the bulb, the bulb and its reflector may be located quickly and easily to direct the rays therefrom into proper association with the area intended to be illuminated by such fixture. This adjustment of the bulb may be effected whether power is shut ofl or even if current is being supplied to the bulb. Such adjustment causes no interruption of the illumination supplied by the bulb either by failure to make such adjustment, that is, by positioning the bulb in an incorrect position, or by movement of the bulb into its properly adjusted relationship. Adjustment of the bulb does not, in any way, affect the efliciency of the circult, the resistance of the lighting circuit being in no way changed either during the making of the change, or at any time thereafter. The effective contacts between bulb and socket and between other conducting parts return always to a definitely fixed relationship, in which such parts are similarly related. Once the bulb has been adjusted into such a position, and merely by such adjustment, it will remain fixed in that position by automatically operative means.

For the purposes of effecting this invention there is required, in some of its elements, the provision of an illuminating source, more specifically of the incandescent filament type, having associated therewith a reflecting surface capable of diverting for illumination of roadways, rays which normally would go either to such areas where illumination is unwanted, as where the rays fall upon houses located immediately adjacent the fixture, or to such points where the degree of illumination is not important, as where the rays fall upon the sidewalks.

In one particular embodiment of such bulb, the reflector is designed to change the normal distribution of light rays emanating from the filament so that, as opposed to the production of an illuminated area symmetrically disposedabout the fixture and circular in effect, an area, substantially elliptical or oval in shape and the center of figure of which will not lie on the axis of the illuminating source, so that the illumination will be asymmetric, will be covered by the rays from the filament directed by such directive means. Such reflector, in one embodiment, is produced by the application, directlyto the glass of the bulb, and in the neighborhood of the filament, of a silvering coating distributed to produce the desired effect.

With an effectively illuminated area of the character indicated, the directional efiect of the reflector itself takes on added importance as the clear intent of such a member is to extend the elliptical area effectively illuminated by the source not crosswise, but lengthwise, of the roadway, and as far beyond the illuminating source as possible. A slight deviation from such directional effect, intended in the design of the illuminating source, would result in increased transverse, and decreased longitudinal, illumination of the roadway. Therefore, adjustment of a bulb of this character, after association with its fixture, and so that the directional effect of the reflector will be effective for maximum efiiciency, becomes a necessary requirement.

Bulbs of this character are generally provided with screw-threaded plugs to be threaded into screw-threaded receptacles provided for the same. In the assembly of the plug with the bulb, and of the reflector with the bulb, the relationship of plug and receptacle cannot easily be accounted for, and if they were, they would require expensive processes for the proper location of these elements. The means to assure ability to relate the light directive means to the area to be illuminated, after the bulb has been fixed in its receptacle, is made a part of such receptacle.

The bulb should be tightly seated in the receptacle with which it is associated in order that electrical contact be positive. Therefore, the bulb must be screwed down tightly into the receptacle. To turn the bulb out of this tightly engaged relationship in order to obtain the adjustment would loosen the bulb from the tightly seated relationship resulting in an invariable contact, causing an arc. The arc that would take place would ruin both lamp and socket.

For this reason, the receiving socket for the bulb has been constructed of two sections, capable of relative rotation. One of the sections receives the plug of the bulb so that the bulb may be tightly seated therein. The other section carries terminals for making connection with the conductors supplying power to the fixture, means connecting the two sections transmitting this power to the receptacle in which the bulb is seated.

The two sections are heldv seated together resiliently, that is, they may separate a small distance, but a powerful spring tends normally to return them to their tightly seated position. It is a factor of the invention that, when the bulb is being seated in the receptacle, pressure of the spring becomes greater, and thereby increases the pressure of contact between plug and receptacle, and between the sections of the socket, with consequent reduction in' electrical resistance. Also, in this relationship, vibration of the two sections with relation to each other is substantially eliminated.

The two sections are retained together in such manner that they are relatively rotatable. Between them are positioned means to form one electrode or conductor for transmitting power between the sections no matter into what relation the sections may be rotated. This electrode or conductor additionally operates to resist such rotational movement and thereby to retain the sections in any position to which they may be adjusted. These results are accomplished by a pair of discs or rings, positioned in face to face, concentric relationship, and each having ratchet teeth of the same pitch and extent fonned therein so that they will interlock as the spring forces the two sections together.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction or arrangement of parts, or to any particular application of such construction, or to any specific manner of use. or to any of the various details thereof, herein shown and described, as the same may be modified in various particulars or be applied in many varied relations without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, the practical embodiment herein illustrated and described merely showing one of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

For the attainment of these objects and of such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, we have illustrated an embodiment of our invention in the drawings wherein the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout and wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view, illustrating the arrangement of a lighting fixture embodying the invention in relation to an area to be illuminated by one type of directive bulb;

Fig. 2 is a detail elevational view of a portion of a lighting fixture, parts of the fixture being broken away to illustrate the assembly therewith of a bulb and socket embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a socket embodying the invention, portions of the socket being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 isa sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, illustrating the construction of one of the ratchet discs;

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, illustrating the construction of the other disc;

Fig. 6 is-a detail sectional view, taken on an arc at the position of line 6-6 of Fig. 3, to illustrate the association of the discs and their retaining elements; and

Fig. '7 is a view from the line 7-7 of Fig. 3 and in the direction of the arrows, parts being broken away to illustrate the association of the connectors with the socket.

The invention is shown applied in connection with an outdoor lighting fixture unit 10, to be positioned, as shown, on a sidewalk 12 and with relation to a roadway 14 and buildings 16. As

shown in Fig. 1, the intent of this illuminating unit is to dispose its effective illuminating rays over an area 18, here shown as covering, for the most part, roadway 14 and, but slightly, sidewalk 12 and buildings 16. Also, the direct rays from the fixture are intended to extend the width of the roadway, but preferably not upon the walk at the other side of the roadway, and, of course, not to the buildings on that side.

As shown in Fig. 2, the bulb 20 has associated therewith a reflecting unit 22 particularly designed for that specific purpose. While the refiecting unit may have any desired characteristic, the application of the invention is brst illustrated in connection with a unit of this character. The bulb preferably is of the incandescent filament type, having a filament 24 located substantially at the center of the spherical portion 26 of the bulb, such center, in this case, also being approximately the focal point of reflecting unit 22. The filament is connected to a plug 28 sealing the bulb and having the customary threaded portions for reception in a screw-threaded receptacle.

For receiving and retaining this plug, the fixture unit has a socket 30 intended to be seated and retained on a cover plate 32 in the unit so that its terminals 34 will be retained by terminals 36 in the fixture. To terminals 36 may be connected the conductors 38, which extend through the fixture to a suitable power source (not shown). The socket, when seated on the cover plate, will be arranged to dispose a bulb substantially in central relation to a globe 40 forming a cover for the fixture, this globe being retained by suitable fastening means 42.

The socket is constructed so that, after the bulb is seated firmly therein by threading it completely into the socket, socket and bulb may be axially adjusted without disturbing the connections between terminals 34 and 36. Terminals 36 are generally of very heavy spring metal, extending toward each other from supports 44 so that, if terminals 34 are not engaged, these members will spring together and complete a circuit. When terminals 34 are forced between the terminals 36, the latter are separated and current must then flow through the socket, the bulb and the other portions of the circuit associated therewith. An insulator 46 may be interposed between terminals 34.

The socket consists of two sections 48 and 50, preferably of insulating material such as porcelain. Both may be substantially of the same diameter in order' to form a completed article of neat appearance. In section 48, a bore 52 receives a thimble 54. Guided over the end 56 of the thimble is a cap 58 through which and the thimble a bolt 60 extends toward and through the headed end 62 of the thimble. This bolt is capped by a'nut 64 to prevent separation of thimble and cap. This nut may be secured against accidental displacement, due to the turning of the parts when the socket is adjusted, by any of the well-known nut-lock arrangements, the details of such construction being outside the bounds of my invention. A spring 66 is seated between the flanged end 68 of the cap and the end wall '70 of a counterbore 72 in section 48.

Screw-threaded openings in the flange '76 of the thimble are intended to receive the ends of screws '78, passed through the body of section 50 and by means of which the thimble is secured firmly to section 50. These screws also function to clamp to section 50, a conductor plate seated in a recess 82. Plate 80 extends to the outer periphery of section 50, at which point one of the terminals 34 is bolted thereto by a member extending through the section and having its end nested in a recess 84, properly insulated.

Bore 52 and counterbore 72 are additionally enlarged into a bore 86 at the forward end of section 48. In bore 86 there is seated a shell 88, screw-threaded to receive plug 28. As shown in the drawings, this shell has at one end an inwardly turned fiange 90 through which securing members 92 are passed.

These members also extend through suitable passages 94 in section 48 to secure to this section an annular member 96. Member 96 is of conducting material and has formed therein, adjacent its outer periphery, an annular set of teeth 98 of regular pitch and depth. Oppositely disposed to member 96 and secured to section 50 is another annular member 100, likewise formed with teeth 102 of the same pitch and depth as those of member 96. Member 100 is secured to section 50 by means of devices 104, one of which, at least, secures to the section the other terminal 34.

The action of spring 66 will be to force the two sections together, as can readily be seen by examination of the drawings. The teeth of the members 96 and 100 will be forced to seat firmly together. However, the pivot formed by bolt 60 will not be interfered with so that the two sections may be rotated relatively any desired amount without affecting the contact or conducting capacity of members 96 and 100. It is further to be noted that, when the plug 28 is turned down firmly in shell 88, cap 58 will be.

engaged by the plug and be forced inwardly into the counterbore 72, increasing the pressure exerted by the spring and thus more firmly seating the members in contacting relationship. The bolt slides along with the cap, a recess in section 50 permitting such movement. A turn of the socket will, by reason of the camming action of the ratchet teeth, cause a slight raising of the section 48 away from section 50. The spring will efiect immediate return of these sections to the relationship shown in Fig. 6. The necessary wiping contact by the plug as it is screwed down into the shell against the cap will not be hindered,

nor will the firm seating of the bulb, when the cap has reached its limit of movement and abuts the end of the thimble, be lessened.

It will be understood that, while we have illustrated herein the illuminating arrangement in connection with which our invention is employed as being a bulb provided with reflecting areas for giving asymmetric light distribution for street illumination in accordance with the prototype, that my socket arrangement is capable of employment in bulbs having similar problems, and adaptable for other purposes, as for example, in presenting to view in a predetermined angular arrangement some emblem or characteristic appearing on the face of the bulb, and it will be further understood that such uses fall within the scope of our invention, because from one aspect,- while it is not intended that in such cases the illumination shall be asymmetric, when analyzed to their basic aspect, it will be found to be the I'ull equivalent thereof.

Many other changes could be elfected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of operation set forth,'and in the specific details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention intended to be defined in the claims, the specific description herein being merely to illustrate an operative embodiment carrying out the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination with an electric illumination standard, an electric incandescent filament bulb to supply asymmetric illumination, electrical conductors associated with the standard for supplying power tothe bulb, an electric socket made up of two relatively movable sections each provided with cooperating electrically conducting means, one of the sections being fixedly related to the standard and having its conducting means in electrical contact with said electrical conductors, whereby a bulb received in the socket may be adjusted with relation to the standard to change the asymmetry of the illumination, while remaining fixedly assembled in the socket and without disturbing its electrical connection with said conductors.

2. A socket for an electric illuminating bulb for giving asymmetric illumination, comprising a bulb receiving and retaining section, and a conductor anchoring section, the two sections being resiliently retained against separation but being relatively rotatable, and means for completing the electrical circuit between the two sections in all relative angular positions of the two sections, and means for maintaining the two sections in any one of a number of angular positions and against accidental rotation therefrom.

3. A socket for an electric illuminating bulb for giving asymmetric illumination, comprising a bulb receiving and retaining section, a conductor anchoring section, resilient means for retaining the two sections against separation but permitting relative rotation of the sections, and means for completing the electrical circuit between the two sections in all positions of relative adjustment.

4. A socket for an electric illuminating bulb comprising a bulb receiving and retaining section, a conductor anchoring section, resilient means for retaining the two sections-against separation but permitting relative rotation of the sections, said means providing one terminal of contact for the bulb in the bulb receiving and retaining section, and means for completing the electrical circuit between the two sections in all positions of relative adjustment, said means operating to retain the sections against accidental rotation.

5. In combination in an electric fixture for asymmetric illumination, a pair of interfitted socket sections, one of the sections having a threaded bulb receiving and retaining socket seated therein, a pair of conductor terminals on the other section, a sectional connector electrically connected to one terminal and extending between the two sections, resilient means cooperating with the connector for, retaining its'sections in assembled relation, the connector providing an axis of rotation for the sections, and a pair of opposed contacts, one on each section, one contact being connected to the other terminal, and said contacts being forced together at all times by the operation of said resilient means.

6. In combination in a lighting fixture for asymmetric illumination, 9. pair of interfitted socket sections, one of the sections having a threaded bulb receiving and retaining socket seated therein, a pair of conductor terminals on the other section, a sectioned connector electrically connected to one terminal and extending between its two sections, the connector providing one contact for the bulb received in the threaded socket, resilient means cooperating with the connector for retaining the sections in assembled relation, the connector providing an axis of rotation for thesections, and a pair of opposed contacts, one on each section, one contact being connected to the other terminal, and the contacts being forced together at all times, by the operation of said resilient means.

I. In combination in a lighting fixture for asymmetric illumination, 8. pair of lnterfitted socket sections, one of the sections having a threaded bulb receiving and retaining socket seated therein, a pair of conductor terminals on the other section, a sectioned connector electrically connected to one terminal and extending between its two sections, the connector providing one contact for the bulb received in-the threaded socket, resilient means cooperating with the connector for retaining the sections in assembled relation, the connector providing an axis of rotation for the sections, and a pair of opposed plates having ratcheting elements thereon, one on each section, one plate being connected to the other terminal, the other plate being connected to the threaded socket, the plates being forced together at all times by the resilient means.

8. A socket for incandescent bulbs having two longitudinally aligned sections pivotally related to each other, one being adapted to receive an incandescent bulb, and the other adapted for mounting in fixed relation to the electric conductors of the power source, complementary means on said sections adapted to contact electrically, for conducting electricity from the fixed section to the bulb-receiving section, means for holding said complementary means in electrical contact, said complementary means and said holding means being constructed and cooperating so as to maintain the two sections in any one of a number of angular positions and against accidental displacement therefrom.

9. A socket for incandescent bulbs having two longitudinally aligned sections pivotally related to each other and of substantially the same diameter, one being adapted to receive an incandescent bulb, and the other adapted for mounting in fixed relation to the electric conductors of the power source, complementary means on said-sections adapted to contact electrically, for conducting electricity from the fixed section to the bulb-receiving section, means for holding said complementary means in electrical contact, said complementary means and said holding means being constructed and cooperating so as to maintain the two sections in any one of a number of angular positions and against accidental displacement therefrom.

10. A socket as in claim 8 in which the sections abut each other, so that pressure exerted on the lumination, comprising an electric incandescent filament bulb having light directive means permanently associated with the casing thereof, for securing asymmetry of light distribution, and said bulb being provided with a screw type base, a threaded unit adapted to receive said base in threaded engagement, and a fixed element pivotally associated with said threaded unit, and permitting angular adjustment thereof for varying the axis of asymmetry of the bulb, electrical conducting means within said fixed element in conducting relation to a source of electrical power,

and electrical conducting means within the threaded unit adapted to conduct electricity from said fixed element to the base of said bulb, and means for maintaining said unit and said element in contact while permitting relative adjustment and against accidental displacement from all positions of relative adjustment.

13. A lighting unit as in claim 12 in which the unit and the element are so related as to permit step-wise angular adjustment by small increments.

14. A lighting unit as in claim 12 in which the threaded unit is located positionally intermediate the bulb and the fixed element, and is seated thereon, and forms an extension of the latter, whereby pressure on the bulb will be transmitted to the fixed element and will be resisted thereby.

JOHN D. WHI'I'IAKER. MORRIS B. BECK.

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