US2010799A - Light installation - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES LIGHT INSTALLATION Irvin J. Sexton, Greenville, Mich., assignor to Gibson Electric Refrigerator Greenvllle, Mich, a. corporation of Corporation,

Michigan Application May 20, 1933, Serial No. 671,959

4 Claims. (01. 240-4) This invention relates to electrical illumination, and more particularly to improved means for illuminating the interior of insulated and other thick-walled cabinets and enclosures such as are embodied in electric refrigerators, refrigeration cases and the like. An important object of the inventionis the provision of means for installing an electric light bulb in an ice box or the like in such manner that the bulb is completely housed within the walls of the cabinet, yet is readily accessible for removal and replacement when desired, is effectively heat-insulated from the refrigerated zone, and the installation of which furthermore does not destroy the efficiency of insulation of the cabinet against inward leakage of outside heat.

Another important object is the provision of a novel method of providing electrical illumination in such a thick-walled cabinet which pro duces a very neat and attractive installation which. is nevertheless of extreme simplicity and very inexpensive of construction.

Another object is the elimination of all necessity for providing lenses, reflectors, r shades, and the utilization in spite of the attractive appearance of the installation above remarked upon, of nothing but a flat sheet of glass or the like over the bulb, such glass being installed in a novel and extremely simple manner rendering it easily removable although securely positioned and furthermore serving to complete a virtually air-tight enclosure of the bulb in an eificient insulating cell. 1

A still further object is the provision of such a light installation which consumes no space within the cabinet.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views;

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevational view of an iceless refrigerator incorporating my improved lighting installation, showing the door of the cabinet open and partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 3 is a detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, reference character 5 designates the cabinet of an iceless refrigerator, the details of construction of which cult to the light. hated as long as the door'remains open, and is aperture is left free.

extending to the light Socket 5 0 and alight switch Q in series therewith.

As best shown in Figure 3, the light switch may be arranged in'the door jamb 12 with an operating button 14 projecting therethrough at the hinged edge of the door ii in such manner that when the door is closed the button is pressed in- Ward, at which time the circuit is broken, while when the door is opened the button is released and moves outward under the influence of suitable spring means (not shown) to close the cir- 0 The light is resultantly illumiextinguished upon closing the'door. It will be appreciated that the details of construction and installation of the switch 9 may also bevaried as desired, and that the particular arrangement shown is not an essential feature of. the invention.

The upper wall of the cabinet is shown as comprising spacedinner and outer sheet metal sheathing plates designated l6 and I1 respectively, between which is arranged suitable insulation I 8. The inner sheathing plate I6 is cut away to form an aperture therein-(undesignated) of substantial size, as best shown in Figure 2. The 5 insulation behind suchaperture is removed to form a pocket 20, which may be cylindrical and of appropriate size to accommodate the socket It and light bulb H and to'leave a suitable air space surrounding them, as shown. The pocket 40 29 may be lined by an internal sleeve, as 24, of sheet metal tubing. The outer sheathing plate I1 is continued across the back of the pocket so formed, and provided only with a smaller aperture 22 to permit passage therethrough of the portion of thelight socket which projects into the pocket, the entire socket being supported by the plate H and tightly closing that aperture, as best shown in Figure 2. The large aperture in the plate I6 is of greater diameter than the tube 24, and the edge of the plate surrounding the That is to say, the insulation thereabove if not sufficiently soft is cut away or loosened for a slight distance immediately above the portion of the plate around the aperslot 21 adapted to support a glass plate 26 which is held by the grommet in the shown position in which it forms a closure for the light pocket 29, and liesflush with the plate l6 immediately beneath or against the end of the sleeve 24. The internal diameter of the grommet, as shown, is preferably slightly greater than the outside diam-v eter of the sleeve 24.

It will be seen that when access to the bulb i lis desired the plate 26 may readily be removed by distorting the grommet, while in similar fashion the plate may be easily and quickly replaced. The grommet 25 may, as will be readilyapparent, effectively seal the plate 26 in its shown relation in which it forms a continuation of the inner sheathing plate 16,- and by tightly closing the pocket 20 form an insulating air cell which prevents leakage of heat into the cabinet from either the light bulb or from outside the box, while nevertheless supporting the bulb within the'cabinet wall in such manner that it consumes no space within the 'box. Despite these advantages it will be seen that the bulb is readily accessible,'

as above remarked. The interior of sleeve 24 and other walls of the pocket 20 maybe provided with an enameled or other suitable surface of white or other reflecting character if desired. While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated. to adequately fulfill thejobjects and advantages primarily stated, it is to bejundertion, modification'and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrically lighted cabinet construction, in combination with a cabinet having relatively thick walls formed of spaced inner and outer sheathing plates and interposed insulation, a frame defining a pocket within a portion of the wall from which the insulation has been removed, the inner sheathing plate having an aperture therein and in alignment with the pocket so formed, the outer Sheathing plate being extended across the back of the pocket, at light socket supported by the outer sheathing plate and projecting into the pocket, and a tranlucent plate covering. the inner extremity of the pocket and tightly connected to the portion of the inner. sheathing plate surrounding the aperture there:

in, which is thereby closed.

2. An electric light installation for a cabinet by the inner sheathing and extending across the aperture therein, said plate being tightly connected to that portion of the inner sheathing surrounding the aperture and bearing against the inner end of the frame structure.

3. An electrically lighted cabinet construction comprising in combination with a cabinet having relatively thick walls formed of spaced inner and outer sheathing plates and interposed insulation, a frame structure forming walls of and defining a pocket within a portion of the wall from which the insulation has been removed, the inner sheathing plate having an aperture therein larger than and in alignment with the pocket, which is thereby provided with an open inner extremity, a resilient grommet having internal and external grooves, the portions of the inner sheathing plate surrounding'theaperture therein being fitted into the outer groove in the grommet to position the latter, a translucent plate fitted into the internal groove in-the grommet and supported thereby in a position of closure extending across the aper-v turein the inner sheathing plate, and .a light plate and into the pocket. stood that. the invention is susceptible to variathereof, means for lighting the interior of the cabinet, including an electric light within the pocket, an inwardly projecting relatively thin portion surrounding the inner end of the pocket; means closing the outer end of the pocket, and translucent means closing the inner end of the pocket including a resilient retaining and sealing member carried by the wall of the cabinet and surrounding the inner end of the pocket, said resilient member having an internal and an external groove, and being positioned by engagement 'of its outer groove with the thin inwardly projecting portion surrounding the aperture, and a translucent plate fitted into the internal groove, whereby the plate is removable from the resilient member and the latter is removable from the inner sheathing by distortingsaid resilient member.

IRVIN J. SEXTON.

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