US2770717A

US2770717A - Electric lighting fixture

Info

Publication number: US2770717A
Application number: US335534A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin W Schwartz; Max J Marks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-02-06
Filing date: 1953-02-06
Publication date: 1956-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-13

Description

Wmm 13, 1956 M. w. SCHWARTZ ET AL 2,770,717

ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 6. 1953 A v I;

l2 INVENTOR. 30 '1' MART/N w SCHWARTZ BY MAX J. MARKS WwmM/z United States Patent ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE Martin W. Schwartz and Max J. Marks, Chicago, 11]. Application February 6, 1953, Serial No. 335,534

7 Claims. (Cl. 240-73) This invention relates in general to an electric lighting fixture and is more particularly described as a combination lighting and night light fixture adapted to be used in bathrooms and powder rooms, but may have a more general application wherever used in other locations.

In many locations, particularly in powder and toilet rooms, it is desirable to have considerable illumination when a person is occupying the room, and it is also desirable to provide a dim or night light illumination which will be suflicient to locate the fixture itself, to overcome extreme darkness in the room and to provide an accessible .switch by means of which the illumination can be quickly and easily changed from one type to the other. It is not necessary that both degrees of illumination be in efiect at the same time as the night light is so small in comparison with the regular illumination that when the high light is turned on, the low light will be turned off.

This lighting fixture is particularly designed and intended for use over medicine cabinets, vanity glasses, mirrors and the like, and provides an overhead horizontal light projecting outwardly from the wall to illuminate a mirror placed upon the wall which supports the fixture.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lighting fixture adapted to project outwardly from the wall and having horizontal lighting elements carried thereby at a distance from the wall and to illuminate a surface above or below the fixture and in the plane of the base of the fixture.

A fiurther object of the invention is to provide a combination lighting fixture having relatively high and low lighting elements, one of which is a reduced power night light and the other is a higher power display light.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination night light and display fixture which comprises straight tubular lamps for display lighting and an incandescent lamp of low power for night lighting.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combination fixture for bath rooms, and the like, having a high power displaylight, and a low power night light, and a convenient plug-in outlet for shaving and other purposes.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an electric lighting fixture for straight tubular lamps having a base for mounting against the wall and the lamps projecting outwardly from the base, and ditfusing shades therefor of curved construction seated at opposite sides of the fixture and engaged at the outer edge thereof to provide a somewhat oval outline.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which, i

a Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electric lighting fixture in accordance with this invention as viewed from the underside thereof; i i

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fixture as mounted above a mirror as commonly used in connection with a vanity or bathroom cabinet; 1 a

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the reflector shown in Fig. 1 with some of the parts removed;

"ice

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the night light and the controlling switch;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View as taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1. i

A high degree of illumination is not required for many rooms which are occasionally used and the present invention provides an electric lighting fixture for straight tubular lamps which is adapted to be mounted on the wall above a bathroom or vanity cabinet so that the cabinet or a mirror thereof will be illuminated thereby, and the fixture is also provided with a reduced power or night light which may be turned on when the high power light is turned ofi, thus providing suflicient illumination for anyone entering the room to locate the fixture itself and to dimly illuminate the room so that a switch on the fixture can be operated to turn on the high light as desired. 1

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, this fixture comprises a base 10 with

side flanges

12 and 14 extending in the same direction as opposite sides of the base and connected to the ends of the base are end plates 16 having side flanges 18 for strengthening purposes.

The end plates 16 extend in the same direction from the base as the

side flanges

12 and 14 thereof and connecting the end plates at their outer free extremities is a cross bar 20 preferably in the form of an I-beam, the base of which is spot-welded or otherwise secured to the outer extremities of the end plates.

Projecting inwardly at the base of each end plate and additionally connecting it to the base 10 is a bracket 22 which afiFords a protected space for mounting a lamp starter device 24 which is inserted through an appropriate opening in each end plate. Mounted upon the brackets 22 at both ends and extending between them is a cover plate 26 which has rounded side edges 28 and further outwardly rounded extensions 30 with parallel sides fitting within the side flanges 1-2 and 14 of the base. Thisplate may be secured by fastening screws 32 inserted at the ends through the plate and into the tops of the brackets 22.

Mounted at the sides of the cover plate 26 in the space between the outwardly rounded edges 28 and the adjacent edges of the extensions 39 are holder springs 34 each curving upwardly from its center and downwardly at the ends and having a central angular mounting clip 36 r by which it is pivotally connected to one of the sides 28.

The spring is thus free to center itself in a limited arc of mjovernent and presents outer roundedextremities for engaging the inner edge of a curved transparent shade 38 of glass or other material. Each shade 38 is more curved at its outer edge and each shade is of such a width that the outer curved end thereof may be pressed below the adjacent outer edge of the I-beam 20 by slightly com? pressing the spring 34 and the shade is held in place by a slide 40 which has inwardly curved side flanges 42 adapted to embrace the edges of the outer flanges of the I-beam and to project inwardly of the I-beam in contact with the outer edges of the shades 38 thus holding them resiliently in place against the supporting springs 34.

Thus either of the upper or lower shades 38 maybe disengaged from this holding arrangement and removed by pressing the inner end of the shade against the spring 34 sufiiciently to disengage the outer end from the corresponding edge of the slide 40. p

In order to produce a smooth and finished appearance, a decorative cap plate 44 is attached over each end of the fixture and it has curved side flanges which extend over the ends of the shades 38 and over the ends ofthe I-beam 20 and the slide 40 thereof holding these parts tightly inplace and enclosing them to provide a neat and finished appearance, The cap plates 44 may each be secured in place by means of a threaded stem 46 which extends through a hole 48 in the plate with a fastening nut 50 applied to the end of the stem and against the Plate in a well known manner.

The cover plate 26 also provides a space between the end brackets 22 for connecting wires, transformers and other parts necessary for straight tubular lamps 52 suitably mounted between the end plates 16. Mounted intermediate the ends of the fixture by attaching it to one of the side flanges 14 of the base plate is a multiple way switch 54 having an outer rotatable knob 56 for changing the switch from one connection to another and mounted to rotate on the switch stem is a knob 58 which has a sleeve 60 which extends through the side flange 14 provided at its inner side with flattened portions 62 for engaging a similarly shaped opening with flattened portions at the end of a flat mounting link 64 held in tight engagement on the sleeve 60 by a nut 66 at the inside ofthe flange 14. To the other end of the link 64 is connected a small or miniature lighting socket 68 in which a lamp 70 of small wattage is mounted so that by rotating the knob 58, the lamp socket and the lamp 70 may be rotated from a position below and parallel with the side flange 14 to a position at an angle thereto with the lamp 70 projecting above the edge of the side flange so that a new lamp may be inserted and removed when the socket 68 is in this position. To replace the lamp 70, itis necessary to remove the shades 38 and the cover plate 26 in the manner explained in order to rotate the socket 68 for access to its lamp 70.

In the edge of the side flange 14 at the end of the lamp socket 68 and opposite the lamp 70, the side flange is formed with outwardly extending louvers 72 through which light rays from the lamp 70 may pass in a thus restricted manner to produce a limited illumination through the base and the cover plate 26 to the outside of the fixture.

At one, end of the base is a convenient outlet 74 of the. plug-in type which may be used for electric shavers, electrical massage devices, or in fact, for any electrical equipment. This socket is usually at one end of the fixture but may be located at any convenient place along the base. In order to confine the light of the lamp 70 substantially to the outlet louvers 72, a reflector 76 is preferably attached to the socket 68 and extends over two sides of the lamp confining the lightrays therefrom to a space at the end of the lamp socket and opposite the louvers so that the faint light from this lamp will not be shining through the interior of the fixture but substantially all of the light will be directed outwardly through the louvers 72. In order to fit the cover plate 26 within the

base side flanges

12 and 14, it is necessary to provide a cut out 78 (flange 14 being broken away in Fig. 3 to show the cut out) in one 'of the side extensions 30 of sufficient length to embrace the switch 54 and also the lamp 70 and its socket 68 so that the reflector 76 is of value in preventing the dispersion of light from the lamp 70 except through the louvers 72. Another cut-out 80 is also provided extending from the edge of the side extension 30 to embrace the plug outlet 74.

With this construction, a complete night light fixture is produced of a type particularly designed andintended for illuminating a mirror A which is supported substantially from the same wall to which the fixture itself is applied, the advantage and novelty being that the lamps of the fixture are horizontally arranged parallel to the surface of the mirror above and in front of the mirror and shining downwardly thereon so that there is a good illumination of the mirror surface when the fixture lights are. connected and there is sufficient illumination for illuminating the room and for also shining upon the mirror when the nightlight is connected and the other. lights areturned off. The controlling switch maybe of-a three or four way construction in one position of which both lights are turned off, in another position, the night light is turned on and the other lights are turned off, in a third position, the high lights are turned on and the night light is turned off. Usually the convenience outlet plug 74 is connected for use at any time, but a fourth switch connection may be provided for turning it off or on as desired.

The transparent shades 38 may be separately removed as previously set forth and the cover plate 26 may be removed by removing the screws 32 without removing the lamps 52 which are mounted in the end plates 16 and also to replace the small night lamp 70.

While a preferred construction has thus been described in detail, it should be regarded by way of illustration rather than as a limitation of the invention as various changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:

1. A night lighting fixture for cabinets, mirrors and the like, comprising supporting means including a translucent base extending horizontally from a wall and over a cabinet or mirror to' be illuminated, a straight tubular lamp supported in the fixture in a horizontal position at a distance from the wall to which the fixture is connected so that it is in advance of a cabinet opening or a mirror, transparent shade means supported by the base and enclosing the lamp, a night light mounted in the base of the fixture and having an opening therethrough for light rays therefrom, means for shielding the rays of the night light from the interior of the fixture and from illuminating the shade means, and switch means for connecting the straight tubular lamp or the night light for illumination at different times but not at the same time.

2. In a lighting fixture, a supporting base having opposite side flanges, end plates attached to the base and extending in the same direction as the side flanges from the base, means for connecting the outer ends of the end plates, a cover plate fitting between the side flanges of the base and between the end plates, spring means attached to the sides of the cover plate, lamp enclosing shades in curved segments extending outwardly at the sides of the fixture, each in contact at one edge with the spring means and the outer edge being curved inwardly below the said connecting means, and a slide fastener movable over the connector and engaging the outer ends of both shades to bind them in place against their respective springs.

3. A structure in accordance with claim 2, characterized by having the means connecting the outer ends of the end plates in the form of an I-beam, and said slide fastener engaging the outer webs of the I-beam and having inwardly turned edges to embrace the edges of the I-beam and to engage the outer ends of the shades to hold them in place against the springs.

4. A structure in accordance with claim 3, in which cap plates are provided for the outer sides of the end plates which extend over the ends of the base, thev outer sides of the end plates and over the ends of the shades and the slide fastener for holding them in place, thereby enclosing the ends of the fixture.

5. A structure in accordance with claim 2, having a straight tubular lamp parallel to the base and a relatively small night light mounted in the base and substantially covered by the said cover plate, a switch also mounted in the base having an operating stem extending outwardly through the base and rotatable to one position to illuminate the first named tubular lamp or to illuminate the small night light, but not both of them at the same the flange when the said cover plate is removed so that lamps may be interchanged in the socket.

7. A lighting fixture in accordance with claim 6 in which the night light is provided with a reflector bent over the end and two sides of the lamp opposite the flange and the louver therein to confine illumination from the night light so that it will pass outwardly through the louver and will not pass internally of the fixture itself.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Regester Mar. 23, 1937 Lieberman July 25, 1939 Sher June 25, 1940 Stewart June 10, 1941 Hodges Dec. 9, 1941 Margolis Sept. 26, 1950