US2507549A - Servicing device for fluorescent lighting fixtures - Google Patents

Description

y 1950 L. F. SMITH ET AL' 2,507,549-

SERVICING DEVICE FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed May 21, 1947 59 I2 28 Fig. 2

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Fig. 5 14 i 4 I 4 30 Inventor Lee E Smith Herbert J. Sandstmm WWW Patented May 16, 1950 iJNl'i'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE SERVICING DEVEGE FOR FL'UGRESCENT LIGHTING Lee F. Smith and Herbert J. Sandstrom, Columbia City, @reg.

Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in servicing devices for fluorescent lighting fixtures and the primary object of the present invention is to provide adevice for inserting and removing an elon a d glass light ing tube employed in fluorescent lighting fixturesv Another important object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character referred to including novel means for receiving a lever arm increasing the turning action of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a servicing device for fluorescent lighting tubes including means for readily and quickly removing and replacing the starters therein.

A still further aim in the present invention is to provide a device of the class described that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the d tails of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention, with parts of the lever handle broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1, with parts of the handle broken away and shown in section;

Figure 3 is an end view taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line s i of Figure 2, showing the jaws in an open position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line ii6 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral ill represents an elongated rod screw-threaded at one end to receive a handle member i2. Pivoted to the other end of rod it is an opposed pair of semi-circular jaws it having resilient pads i 6 secured to their inner periphery, to prevent injury to a glass tube gripped by these jaws. One end of one of these jaws is bifurcated as at I8, to pivotally receive the reduced end 20 of the other jaw, as shown best in Figure 5 of the drawings.

The handle member 12 is further provided with an annular recess 22, that rotatably receives a ring 2 having a pair of outwardly projecting cars 26, which are bifurcated at their outer ends.

A pair of jaw activating bars 28 are pivoted between ears 26 and the other ends of these bars are pivoted between the bifurcated ends of cars 30 projecting from the jaws l4.

Secured to one end of member 12 by set screw 32 or the like, is a socket holding member 34 having its outer portion cut away to pivotally receive a lever engaging socket 36.

A collar 33 is threadingly engaged on member 12 facilitating the removal of ring 24 from the handle member.

The outer free ends of the jaws M are provided with opposed semi-circular apertures 49 which are useful in gripping the starter (not shown) carried by the fluorescent lighting fixtures.

In practical use of the present invention, the handle member i2 is turned in one direction by hand, or by a lever 39 inserted in socket 36, while the rod it is held against rotation by either a user holding the rod lb or by one of the jaws contacting a lighting tube placed between the jaws which causes the jaws to spread apart, as best shown in Figure 4. of the drawings. To clamp the jaws together and around the periphery of a lighting tube, it is merely necessary to turn the handle member l2 in an opposite direction.

It is often necessary to replace or repair the starters carried by the fluorescent lighting fixture; to accomplish this end the jaws are so held that the apertures Ml frictionally grip the starter to be pried loose from its socket, with the handle member 52 being adjusted on rod It to cause the necessary clamping action of the jaws.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprebended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A fluorescent lamp handling tool comprising a handle having an internally threaded recess, a rod screw-threaded at one end to receivably engage said threaded recess, a rotatable member carried by said handle, a pair of arcuate jaws pivoted at one of their ends to said rod, and a pair of links connecting said jaws to said rotatable member.

2. A fluorescent lamp handling tool comprising a handle having an internally threaded recess, a rod screw-threaded at one end to receivably engage said threaded recess, a rotatable member carried by said handle, a pair of substantially semi-circular jaws, one of said jaws having a bifurcated terminal, the remaining of said jaws having a reduced terminal engaging the bifurcated terminal of said first-mentioned jaw, a pin pivoting the engaged terminals of said jaws to said rod, and a pair of actuating links connecting said rotatable member to said jaws.

3. A fluorescent lamp handling tool comprising a handle having an internally threaded recess, a rod screw-threaded at one end to receivably engage said threaded recess, a rotatable member carried by said handle, a pair of elongated jaws pivoted at one of their ends to said rod, concaved recesses provided in the remaining ends of said jaws for gripping the starter of a fluorescent lamp, and pitmans connecting said rotatable member to said jaws.

4. A fluorescent lamp handling tool comprising a handle having an internally threaded recess, a rod having a screw-threaded end receivably engaging the threaded recess, a ring rotatably carried by said handle, ears projecting outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of said ring, a pair of semi-circular jaws pivoted at one of their ends to said rod, further ears projecting outwardly from the central portions of said jaws, and a pair of links connecting said first-mentioned ears to said further ears.

5. A fluorescent lamp handling tool comprising a handle having an internally threaded recess, a rod having a screw-threaded end receivably engaging the threaded recess, a ring rotatably carried by said handle, ears projecting outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of said ring, a pair of complementary semi-circular jaws, one of said jaws having a bifurcated terminal, the remaining of said jaws having a reduced bifurcated terminal engaging the bifurcated terminal of said first-mentioned jaw, said rod having a flattened terminal engaging said reduced bifurcated terminal, a pin pivoting the flattened terminal of said rod to the engaged bifurcated terminals of said jaws, further ears projecting outwardly from the central portions of said jaws, and a pair of connecting links between said firstnientioned ears and said further ears.

LEE F. SMITH. HERBERT J. SANDSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,193,685 Harvey Aug. 8, 1916 2,427,842 Diver Sept. 23, 1947

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