US2475233A

US2475233A - Lighting fixture

Info

Publication number: US2475233A
Application number: US773757A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gilman Louis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-09-13
Filing date: 1947-09-13
Publication date: 1949-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1966-07-05

Description

L. GILMAN July 5, 1949.

Filed Sept. 13, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

Laws i/m mn W W Hi5 ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING FIXTURE Louis Gilman, Brighton, Mass.

Application September 13, 1947, Serial No. 773,757

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a fluorescent or other lighting fixture and in particular to the construction of the enclosure or casing surrounding the light tube or bulb through which light is diffused. Lighting fixtures, besides being ornamental, must diffuse the light in a desired pattern and reduce glare to a minimum. In the present invention, not only are these advantages obtained but the fixture is made from sheet stock for the most part by a stamping and shaping process whereby the fixture is put together and assembled economically and quickly.

The fixture constructed in accordance with the present invention is durable and strong without giving the appearance of being clumsy. A further feature of the-construction of the present invention is that the fluorescent lights are shielded on the sides, with the light directed downward, through a series of louvres running transverse to the fluorescent tubes, the louvres themselves being so constructed with relation to the side pieces of the fixture that when one looks longitudinally along the fixture from the end or at an angle, the glare of the naked light is completely eliminated.

The present invention will be more fully described in the specification set forth below, when taken in connection, with the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the same, in which Fig. 1 shows the fixture in perspective as viewed from the lower or floor side as though the fixture were suspended or fixed on the ceiling;

Fig. 2 shows a development of a portion of the fixture shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fi 1;

Fig. 4 shows a section taken on the line t-t of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of a detail.

Referring to the drawings, the development shown in Fig. 2 shows the pressed out structure lying in one plane before being formed into its three-dimensional shape. This comprises a center member l, which eventually is bent in position to run longitudinally of the whole fixture or what is the equivalent at right angles to the plane of the paper. Branching off at an angle to this central member II are louvre baffles or plates 2, which are attached to the center memher i through small tie strips 3 which act as hinges or pivots for the plates 2, since these plates are ultimately positioned at right angles to the paper. The baffle plates 2 are pivoted at their other ends by means of thin strips or tie pieces t to a side element 5 of the fixture. The

side 5 is provided with a series of rows of small louvres 6, 6, 6, etc., which are pressed outward so as to permit the reflected light from the bulbs or tubes to shine in a general downward direction as when'the fixture is mounted on the ceiling. It will be noted that the side pieces I and 5 of the pressed section shown in Fig. 2 actually form the central rib and one side wall respectively of the fixture. The baflle plates 2 are attached by the connecting strips 3 and 4 respectively, connecting to the side pieces I and 5 as shown in Fig. 2, the strip 3 on one end near the tops of (iii the baffle plates, and the strip 4 on .the other end near the bottom of the baille plates. It will also be noted that these baflle plates are curved at the end where the strip 4 is attached as indicated at I and at the other end the baffle plates have a straight section B and a smaller section forming the rest of the end of the baille plate. This small section at the end of the baflle plate has a hook-like projection 9 at the upper edge of the plate as viewed in Fig. 2 and then a recess extending to the strip 3 where it' connects the side or center member I to the baffle plate 2. It will also be noted that the curved end I is not symmetrically positioned with respect to the side piece 5 and that the battle plates 2 run at an angle to the side elements I and 5 which are parallel to each other.

After the element shown in Fig. 2 has been pressed out of a piece of sheet stock, the baflie plates 2 are twisted or rotated in the direction of the arrow A until they are perpendicular to the plane of the paper. The side I is also turned at an angle of in the direction of the arrow B, and similarly the plate 5 is turned through an angle of 90 in the direction of the arrow C. After this, the two sides I and 5 are moved longitudinally in opposite directions until they are brought opposite one another, in which position the bailles 2 will be positioned substantially perpendicular to both side elements. The twisting of the baffle elements will bring the upper edge ID of the bafile plate in the lowest position as indicated in Fig. 1, and this edge at its outermost end will project beyond the edge II of the side piece 5. The virtue of this construction is that the light traveling in the general longitudinal direction of the fixture is cut 01? and prevents end glare from the fixture.

The section just described forms substantially one-half or one side of the fixture. Two of these units or elements are united together along the center inside strip or piece I by welding or any Other suitable means. The short strip section 3 3 extends symmetrically both to the right and left of the strips I, as indicated in Fig. 4, and forms with the hooked elements 9 a channel-like section for the receipt of a finishing strip l2, which may be of a polished metal or coated metal providing a finish such as chrome. This strip may run lengthwise of the fixture and be bent up at the end as indicated at l3. At each end of the fixture there is attached a supporting band II, which at the sides on the curved portions l5 and I6 may be welded to the ends of the side pieces 5, and at the center may be welded to the finishing strip l3 and the center element I. This end band is at each extremity is provided with an inwardly extending rolled hooked end shown as I! and [8 in Fig. 3. These hook-like sections or portions attach to the inwardly projecting flanges 20 of the end plates IS. The flanges curve similarly as the band I and thereby fit each other. The

.end pieces i9 may be welded to the rest of the fixture or may simply be supported in place as described or in any other suitable way. The attachment of the lighting elements may be made in any desired manner as by a bracket or plate spanning the fixture or by attachment to the end plates. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 4 that the slope of the edge 8 of the baiiie plates permits, if desired, the supports for a lighting tube, such as a fluorescent tube, to be set low down in the fixture, i. e., near the bailie plate 2.

I claim:

1. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame having side supporting elements, a plurality of baflle plates arranged parallel to one another between the side supporting elements, and short connecting strips substantially narrower than the width of the baffle plate at the ends of the baiiie plates attaching said plates to said side supporting elements, said supporting elements, baiiie plates, and connecting strips being formed as an integral piece of the same sheet stock, said baiiie plates extending downward beyond the lower edge of the side supporting elements with the ends of the baiile plates having a corner extending at least at one side beyond the point of connection to said connecting strip between said bafiie plates and said side supporting elements.

2. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame having side supporting elements with longitudinally extending rows of louvres, a plurality of transversely extending baffle plates arranged parallel to one another and substantially perpendicularly to the side supporting elements, and short connecting strips substantially narrower than the width of the baflie plates at the ends of the baffle plates attaching said plates to said side supporting elements, said baiile plates extending downward beyond the lower edge of the side supporting elements with the ends of the bafile plates having a corner extending at least at one side beyond the point of connection to said connecting strip between said baiile plates and said side supporting elements.

3. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame having a centrally extending supporting means and parallel extending side supporting elements, a plurality of transversely extending bailles each having a short strip substantially narrower than the width of the bafile plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting means, and a second short strip similar in size to said first strip attaching the other end of said baflies to the side supporting elements, each of said short strips having at least a 90 twist therein 4 in addition to a bend with respect to said side supporting elements.

4. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame having a centrally extending supporting means and parallel extending side supporting elements, a plurality of transversely extending baflies each having a short strip substantially narrower than the width of the baflle plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting means, and a second short strip similar in size to said first strip attaching the other end of said baflies to the side supporting elements, each of said short strips having at least a 90 twist therein in addition to a bend with respect to said side supporting elements, the short strips On the outer ends of the baflles being connected near the top edges and on the inner end of the baflies being connected near the bottom edges thereof, the outer ends of the baflles being curved outwards of the side supports beyond their point of attachment to the sides.

5. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame formed of two central supporting ribs attached face to face and two side supporting elements one on either side of said central supporting ribs, a plurality of transversely extending baffles on each side of said central supporting ribs, each baffle having a short strip substantially narrower than the width of the baflie plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting means and a second short strip similar in size to said first strip attaching the other end of said baiiies to the side supporting elements.

6. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame formed of two central supporting ribs attached face to face and two side supporting elements one on either side'of said central supporting ribs, a plurality of transversely extending bafiies on each side of said central supporting ribs,

each baflle having a short strip substantially narrower than the width of the baille plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting means and a second short strip similar in size to said first strip attaching the other end of said bailies to the side supporting elements, and a supporting band at the ends of the fixture extending from one of said side supporting elements around to the central supporting ribs and continuing to said other side supporting elements and attached at each said side and at said central supporting rib.

7. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame formed of two central supporting ribs attached face to face and two side supporting elements one On either side of said central supporting ribs, a plurality of transversely extending baflles on each side of said central supporting ribs, each baille having a short strip substantially narrower than the width of the baflie plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting means and a second short strip attaching the other end of said baifles to the side supporting elements, supporting bands at the ends of the fixture extending from one of said side supporting elements around to the central supporting ribs and continuing to said other side supporting elements and attached at each side and at the central supporting rib and an end piece interlocking with each supporting band.

8. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame formed of two central supporting ribs attached face to face and two side supporting elements one on either side of said central supporting ribs, a plurality of transversely extending baflles on each side of said central supporting ribs. each baflie having a short strip' substantially narrower than the width of the battle plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting means and a second short strip attaching the other end of said battles to the side supporting elements, each baflle at the inner end adjacent, the central supporting rib having an inwardly extending projection at its outside edge and a strip extending longitudinally of the fixture resting between and on said projections.

9. A lighting fixture comprising an enclosing frame formed of two central supporting ribs attached face to face and two side supporting elements one on either side of said central supporting ribs, a plurality of transversely extending baffles on each side of said central supporting ribs, each baflie having a short strip substantially narrower than the width of the hailie plates attaching one end thereof to the central supporting nieans and a second short strip attaching the other end of said baifles to the side supporting elements, said short strips each having twists of 90