US2526074A - Lighting fixture having means to shield the light source - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 17, 1950- E. F. GUTH 2,526,074

' LIGHTING FIXTURE HAVING MEANS T0 SHIELD THE LIGHT SOURCE 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1946 Oct 17, 1950 E. F. GUTH LIGHTING FIXTURE HAVING MEANS T0 SHIELD THE LIGHT SOURCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filegi July 22, 1946 Patented Oct. 17,

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LIGHTING FIXTURE HAvINaMEANs T01" I sHIE prH your, SOURCE; 1 1

Edwin F. Guth, Florissant, Moi j; Application July 22, 1946,, Serial No. 685,547

This invention relates to lighting fixtures and moreparticularly to lighting fixtures which decrease glare.

Among the'objects of thepresent invention may be noted the provision of lighting fixtures which shield the light source from the eyes of the observer;'the provision of lighting fixtures which shield the light source from the eyes of the observer yet provide substantially unimpaired light upon the area to be illuminated; the provision of' light fixtures which decrease indirect glare; the provision of lighting fixtures which have unusually low brightness characteristics combined with a high percentage of light output; and the provision or lighting'fixtures which are rugged in construction, dependable in operation, efiicient in action and which maybe economically constructed. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

-In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated, I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment 'of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the Fig. 1 embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a bottom ment; and

Fig. 4 is a view partially in section taken on line 44-on Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Many lighting fixtures have either high bright- 3 claims. (o zeosmil plan of the Fig. 1 embodi ness characteristics or ,a-low light output while an ideal fixture would have low brightness characteristics without reducing light output. In general the lower the brightness characteristics the smaller will be the distance a person must move from a position directly under a lamp fixture to a position from which a direct view of the light source is impossible; that is, the smaller the observance angle and the less the glare.

It has been found in accordance with the present invention that a lighting fixture can be so designed as to have low brightness characv teristics but with a percentage of light output equalling that of high glare o1- high transmisv '21: sion glassenclosed fixtures. This is accomplished by the use of a lamp fixture so constructed as; to

reduce the angle of direct light observance. lhis method ,of decreasing the brightness .;characteristics'withoutreducing' the percentag 'of light output shields the lightsource from normal and direct observation soas, to protect the eyes of observer. g I Referring now to the drawings, the lighting fixture l. includes end plates 3,;a case5 and a baffle 1. A bracket 8 supports baiile 7 and socket mounting brackets9 (see Fig. 2). The space betw eeen bracket 8 and case 5, boundedat each d by e Plate .1.1 ut ed fo im n nethe customary electrical equipment indicated generally at H. Socket mounting brackets 9 each carry lamp sockets l3, l5, l1 and ill at each end.

A glass plate or panel 2| made from low absorption texture orconfiguration of crystal glass is mounted in hinging hooks 23 and 25. A glass plate or panel 21, identical with glass plate 2| is mounted in hinging hooks 29 and 3|. Hinging hooks 23 and 3| are supported respectively by channels 33 and 35 which are formed at the bottom edge of case 5. Hinging hooks 25 and 29 arerespectively supported by U-shaped channels 36 and 37 Which are mounted on baille 1. It will be seen that glass plate 2| may be pivoted on flange 33 or channel 36 to permit access to the interior of the fixture without removing plate 2| from the fixture, or if preferred, glass plate '2l may thus be lifted out of the fixture. Similarly glass plate 21 'may be pivotedv onfiange 35 or channel 31 to permit entry to the fixture, ormay be lifted out of the fixture. Four fluorescent light tubes'39 are shown mounted in sockets l3, l5, l1 and I9. Bafile 1 extends down from the apex of the inverted V formed by plates 21 and 21 30 below a horizontal line from the center of the fluorescent tubes 39 mounted in sockets I 3 and l9,'that is, the depth of the inverted V.

From Fig. 1 it will be seen that the arrangement of the baflle l prevents direct. observation of light from the fluorescent tubes 39 mounted in sockets l3 and greater than that indicated respectively by line 4| and line 43. Flanges 33 and 35similarly prevent observation of direct light fromthe fluorescent tubes 39 mounted in sockets l5 and l l at an observance angle greater'than respectively by line 45 and line 41.

Baflie 1 may be made of material which has lightidiffusing qualities or may be made of opaque material. The top section 48 of baflle 1, that'is the portion above U-shaped channels I!) at an observance angle v that indicated 3 36 and 37, may be omitted if desired and-baffle I attached to end plates 3. Interior surfaces 49 and 5| may be reflective throughout or translucent panels may be inserted in case 5. The angle at which diffusing glass plates 2| and 21 are mounted also aids in the reduction of glare, and these plates 2| and 21 prevent access of dirt into the fixture. Plates 2| and 21' may be made of transparent or translucent. plastic instead of glass. if desired. Other tubular lamps than fluorescent light tubes 39 may be used.

Attention is directed to my copending Patent 2,440,603 of April 27, 1948.

In View of the above, it will beseen' that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above construction without departing from theiscope of the invention, it is intended that 'all ;matter- J contained in the above description or' shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and" not in a limiting sense;

I' claim:

'1. Alighting fixturecomprising an open-bottomed case, two light-transmitting panels carried by the case in position to providega closure of inverted V-shape for its open bottom, a light source in the case above each panel; and a baflle extending downward from the apex of the 'closure for shielding the eyes of an observer from either light source throughout a range of angles of observance. I

2. A lighting-fixture comprising an elongate, open-bottomed case, two light-diffusing glass panelscarried-by the casein position to provide 4 a closure of inverted V-shape for its open bottom with the apex of the V extending longitudinally of the case, at least one tubular lamp extending longitudinally within the case above each panel, and a baflie extending downward from the apex of the closure and longitudinally for the length of the lamps for shielding the eyes of an observer from any lamp throughout a range of angles of observance.

' 3,-A- lighting fixture, asset forth in claim 2, wherein the'bafile extends downward sufiiciently far to block directlight from any lamp with respect to an observer on one side of the fixture at observance angles above approximately 30 with the-horizontal.

EDWIN F. GUTH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,484,211 7 Erikson Feb. 19,1924 1,699,692 Ecker"- Jan. 22, 1929 2,269,182; Claspy et al. Jan. 6, 1942 2,302,561 Benson Nov. 24, 1942 2,311,444 Kellogg Feb. 16,1943 2,321,099 Naysmith June 8', 1943 2,327,552 Poehling Aug. 24, 1943 2,329,268 Heath Sept. 14, 1943 2,330,507 McCabe Sept. 28, 1943 2,335,737 Campen Nov. 30, 1943 2,336,599 Dunbar Dec. 14, 1943 2,365,614 Winkl eret al 'Dec. 19, 1944

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