US2849599A - Fluorescent luminaire of simplified construction - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1958 J. w. STEINER ET AL 2,849,599

FLUORESCENT LUMINAIRE OF SIMPLIFIED CONSTRUCTION Filed June 19, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR$ Joseph W. Sremer 8 ATTORNEY William S. Kolb'.

Aug. 26, 1958 J. w. STEINER ET AL FLUORESCENT LUMINAIRE OF SIMPLIFIED CONSTRUCTION 3 Sfieets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1955 INVENTORS Joseph W. Steiner 81 William S. Kolb. m 7% ATTORNEY 1958 J. w. STEINER ET AL 2,849,599

FLUORESCENT LUMINAIRE OF SIMPLIFIED CONSTRUCTION Filed June 19. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent FLUORESCENT LUMINAIRE 0F SIMPLIFIED CDNSTRUCTION Joseph W. Steiner, North Olmsted, and William S. Kolb,

Euclid, ()hio, assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvauia Our invention relates generally to an improved luminaire construction and more particularly to a luminaire for fluorescent lamps which is of simplified construction to facilitate assembly.

Under many conditions, it is quite common to utilize a large number of fluorescent lamp luminaires in order to obtain the desired degree of illumination. In view of the large number of luminaires that are often required it can readily be realized that structural changes in a luminaire which result in lowering the cost of the luminaire will result in substantial savings to a user. Likewise in view of the cost of installing labor, structural changes which result in reducing the installation time will also result in substantial saving to the user. In some instances the basic cost of a luminare may be increased to incorporate installation time saving features and still result in a lower installed cost of a complete lighting system.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an improved luminaire of novel construction to facilitate assembly during installation.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide lampholding means which may be assembled with the body member of a luminaire in a novel manner and which will also act to cross-brace the body member at its ends.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved luminaire having a cross-brace insertable within and directly supported by the body member of the luminaire and which has secured thereto extending lampholding means.

Another object of our invention is to provide a support for a luminaire body member which may be inserted in the body member as a complete sub-assembly having lampholding and reflector securing means secured thereto.

Another object of our invention is to provide a single cross-brace for each end of a luminaire body member which may be inserted manually from the underside of the body member and which is directly supported by the body member by engagement with integral side flanges on the body member.

As can also be appreciated, it is desirable that luminaires be compactly and securely packaged in order to minimize shipping charges and breakage losses. By providing a luminaire that may be shipped disassembled a substantial reduction in shipping charges may be obtained with reference to the packaging required for a completely assembled luminaire. Such partial assemblies also permit the component parts to be more securely packaged in order to substantially reduce breakage losses in transit.

Accordingly, another object of our invention is to provide a luminaire having individual components which can be easily assembled in the field.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved luminaire having a minimum of individual component parts which may be factory assembled.

In the past some luminaires have been designed to have individual component parts. However, to our knowledge all of such luminaires have required separate 2,849,599 Patented Aug. 26, 1958 ice and sometimes cumbersome fastening means. With such luminaires, it is necessary that the fastening means be handled separately, and in the event that one or more of such fastening means are misplaced and lost a considerable amount of lost time may occur before additional fasteners are obtained and installed.

Accordingly, another object of our invention is to provide an improved luminaire having separate components which may be assembled together within a minimum of standard separate fastening means.

Another object of our invention is to provide a luminaire having lampholding plates manually insertable in each end of the body member and secured thereto by previously positioned fastening means.

Another more specific object of our invention is to provide an improved luminaire having separate components which may be readily assembled together by prepositioned fastening means.

These and other objects of our invention Will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of our invention when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevational view and partial longitudinal cross-section view of a luminaire constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section view of the luminaire shown in Fig. 1, taken substantially along the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view, partially in section, of the luminaire shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section view of another type of luminaire constructed in accordance with our invention and having open ends;

Fig. 5 is an end view, partially in section, of the luminaire shown in Fig. 4 with an end cover attached, and taken substantially along the line V--V of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of portions of one end of the luminaire as shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

One type of luminaire embodying the principles of our invention is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 6 and comprises a channel shaped body 1 having spaced substantially parallel side walls 2 each of which terminates in a longitudinal inwardly facing flange 3. The body 1 may be formed from any suitable material such as sheet metal, and may be mounted either flush against or supported from various types of ceiling or wall constructions by various well-known supporting means (not shown) engaging the bight portion 4 of body 1. Inasmuch as the particular form of mounting for the body 1 is unimportant with respect to our invention, for the sake of simplicity in describing our invention, only an overhead mounting will be referred to.

A ballast unit 5 for the fluorescent lamps is secured through integral legs 6 at each of its ends to bight portion 4 of body 1 in any suitable manner, such as by a machine screw and nut assembly '7. Heretofore, it has also been customary to cross-brace the side walls at each end of the luminaire body by any suitable means, such as by welding or bolting steel cross plates to each side wall 2 of the body 1 and supporting lampholder and reflector attaching devices therefrom in any suitable manner. It will be noted, however, that we have combined all these functions, i. e., cross-bracing, lampholding and reflector attaching device into a single separate subassembly which may easily be inserted into each end of body 1. This is accomplished by providing an opposed pair of notches 99 in the flanges 3 inwardly displaced from each end of body 1, and a second opposed pair of notches 1010' in the flanges 3 inwardly displaced from each pair of notches 99, respectively, so that two pairs of opposed notches are positioned in flanges 3 at each end of body 1.

A generally L-shaped support 8, which may be fabricated from any suitable material such as sheet metal, is insertable from the underside of body 1 and comprises an upper cross-plate portion 11 and an integral dow'nwardly extending supporting plate portion 12. The upper cross-plate portion 11 is slightly smaller laterally than the lateral distance between side walls 2 and is provided at each side with downwardly extending flanges 14 and 15. Flanges 15 are inwardly displaced on cross plate 11 from flanges 14, whereby two sets of downwardly extending opposed flanges are provided which are longitudinally spaced apart a distance corresponding to the longitudinal spaced notches 910 and 9'10' in flanges 3 at each end of body 1. By this arrangement, support,

8 may be inserted from the underside at either end of body 1 by aligning flanges 14 and 15 with notches 9-9' and 10-10, respectively, and pushing support 8 upward. In order that cross-plate 11 may clear flanges 3, the outer end thereof is provided at each of its sides with an inward offset 70, and the portion between each flange 14 and each flange 15 is provided with an inward offset 71. After flanges 14 and 15 are positioned above flanges 3 and they have cleared flanges 3, support 8 may then be moved longitudinally of body 1 toward the adjacent end thereof and lowered, so that flanges l4 and 15 engage the upper surface of flanges 3. The reverse procedure can be followed if it is desired to remove a support 8 from the body 1 at any subsequent time. Thus, it will be noted that a support 8 may be mounted at each end of body 1, and that each support 8 is directly supported by flanges 3 of body 1.

In order to cross-brace body 1 and to definitely locate each support 8 within body 1, each sidewall 2 is provided adjacent each of its ends above the portion of flange 3 between notches 9 and 10, and 9 and 10, respectively, with an opening through which the body of a standard sheet metal screw 17 may be inserted. In order to accomplish the purpose of our invention of providing prepositioned fastening means, a V-shaped sheet metal nut 18 is utilized to hold screws 17 within body 1. Nuts 18 are provided with a clearance hole in their outer leg through which the body of screw 17 extends and a hole in its inner leg which preferably engages the innermost threads of screw 17 in some manner such as by integral projections. Screw 17 may then be rotated so as to initially compress the legs of nut 18 together; thereafter, due to the spring effect of the legs of nut 18, nut 18 will hold screw 17 so that it projects inward from sidewalls 2 at all times. Each flange 15 of support 8 is provided with a longitudinally tapered notch 19 having its open side towards flange 14 so that when support 8 is moved longitudinally toward the adjacent open end of body 1, each flange 15 may be located between the legs of a V-shaped nut 18 and the body of a screw 17 enters notch 19. It will be noted that each flange 15 is positioned between the legs of a nut 18 and that its longitudinal travel is limited by the engagement of the outer edge of flange 15 with the bottom portion of the V-shaped nut 18, thereby determining the relative position of the body of screw 17 within notch 19. Thereafter each support 8 may be rigidly secured to each sidewall 2 of body 1 by tightening screws 17 by any suitable means into nut 18 at each of the supports 8. As each nut 18 is adjacent the upper surface of flange 3 of body 1, the nuts 18 are prevented from rotating with screws 17 thereby insuring that the open side of the V-shaped nuts 18 are properly located at all times. Thus it will be noted that nuts 18 function both to properly hold screws 17 within body 1 and to hold and locate support 8 firmly within body 1. The specific fastening means described is preferred due to the enumerated advantages, however, it will be realized that other similar fastening means may be employed if desired. It is of course obvious that other types of fastening means may be utilized to secure support 8 to the sidewalls 2 of body 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 a duplex lampholder 13, including a body member 20 and a plunger 21 located between a cup-shaped housing 22 and the supporting plate portion 12, at one end of body 1, are provided and a duplex lampholder 13', including a stationary body member (not shown) located between another cup-shaped housing 22 and the supporting plate portion 12 at the other end of body 1 in order to support fluorescent lamps 72 below body 1. Duplex lampholders adapted to support such single pin fluorescent lamps have been widely utilized in the lighting industry, and the particular construction and operation thereof do not form a part of this invention. The particular lampholders 13 and 13 are more clearly shown and described in detail in the copending application, Serial No. 209,506, filed February 5, 1951, of ODonnell, Forstrom and Meehan on a Lamp Holder, and issued as Patent No. 2,728,057 on December 20, 1955.

As has also been indicated, the lampholders 13 and 13' and supports 8 are merely individual components of a complete sub-assembly. Each cross-plate 11 of support 8 is provided with a positioned hole adjacent to but displaced from its inner edge, through which an upwardly extending stud portion 25 of a wing lock 26 extends. The stud portion 25 may be formed from any suitable material and is preferably formed from rod steel in order that the stud portion 25 may be threaded to receive a nut 27 at the top, and its lower end portion is formed in a grip loop 28. A helical spring 29, which may be formed from any satisfactory spring material is positioned around stud portion 25 of wing lock 26 and a nut 27 is threaded on stud portion 25 so that spring 29 is secured between the upper surface of cross-plate 11 and the lower surface of nut 27, thereby biasing the wing lock 26 upwardly. In order to prevent spring 29 from biasing stud portion 25 of wing lock 26 upward beyond a certain point, stud portion 25 is provided with a pair of integral outwardly extending tabs 90, which may be formed by any suitable process, so that the tabs engage the undersurface of cross plate 11. Wing locks 26 are utilized to secure an approximately U-shaped reflector 31 to the body 1 in a manner hereinafter described. Reflectors 31 may be formed from any suitable material, such as sheet metal, having a bight portion 32 in engagement with the undersurface of flanges 3 of the body 1. An approximately rectilinear offset 33 is provided adjacent each end of bight portion 32 of reflector 31 having both its longitudinal and lateral center lines passing through the center of stud portion 25. In order to permit grips 28 of wing locks 26 to extend below reflector 31, laterally extending centrally located slots 34 are provided in the offsets 33 which are longitudinally spaced to correspond to the longitudinal spacing of stud portions 25 of the wing locks 26 in their secured position. Portions of offsets 33 adjacent slots 34 are provided with a cam surface 84 which is cooperable with the rounded upper surface 82 of grips 28 when grips 28 are manually rotated approximately 90 to secure reflector 31 to the underside of body 1. To insure that grips 28 are securely locked when rotated, a recess 86 is provided in offset 33, along the longitudinal center line of offset 33, which is joined at each of its sides to the underside of offset 33 by a cam surface 85. Thus, in operation, grips 28 of wing lock 26 are initially turned so that they extend laterally between the side walls 2 of body 1. Reflector 31 may then be manually positioned against the underside of flanges 3 of body 1 so that grips 28 extend through the slots 34. Thereafter each grip 28 may be individually grasped and initially rotated so that surfaces 82 of the grip 28 engage the cam surfaces 84 at each side of the slot 34. Further rotation of the grip 28 causes the surfaces 82 of grip 28 to ride upward on cam surfaces 84 until surfaces 82 engage the undersurface of offsets 33.

Upon further rotation of grips 28, surfaces 62 of grips 28 will be lowered by engagement with cam surfaces 85 into the recesses 86. In order to remove reflector 31, the reverse process is followed. As recesses 86 are above the bottom surfaces of offsets 33, grips 28 will be secured against accidental rotation due to the force required to compress spring 29 in lifting grip 28 from recesses 86. It should be noted that once the sub-assembly comprising support 8, lamp holders 13 and 13', and the wing lock 26, is installed at each end of body 1, the requisite wiring between the leads 35 of ballast unit 5' to lamp holders 13 and 13' may be accomplished either in the factory or the field before the reflector 31 is installed,

Although only an individual luminaire constructed in accordance with our invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, such luminaires are adapted to be mounted in tandem or in rows. Regardless of the method of mounting, it may be desirable that the open ends of each body 1 be closed. Accordingly, we have provided an end plate 36 which may be formed from any suitable material such as sheet metal, and which is adapted to close either end of body 1. As more clearly shown in Fig. 3, end plate 36 has approximately the same contour as body 1, and is provided on each of its sides with an upper tab 37 which extends inwardly flush against the inside of each side wall 2, and a lower tab 38 which extends inwardly flush against the outside of each side wall 2 of body 1. As shown in Fig. l, the top of each end plate 36 is provided with an inwardly facing projection 45 which is adapted to be positioned against the upper surface of bight portion 4 of body 1 and, which has an integral offset 39 at its innermost end. An end plate 36 is installed by initially inserting tab offset 39 downwardly through a laterally elongated hole 40 in bight portion 4 of body 1 adjacent the ends of the body 1, and then rotating the plate 36 toward body 1, so that tabs 37 and 38 engage the inner and outer surfaces, respectively, of each side wall 2 thereby aligning side walls 2 properly. End plate 36 is also provided with a pair of laterally spaced screws 41 which extend through holes in end plate 36 and are held in the end plate 36 by means of fibre retaining washers 42 placed over the screws 41 and against the inner surface of end plates 36. v

When the end plate 36 is rotated to closed position, tab ofiset 39 engages the inner surface of bight portion 4 of body 1 and the offset portion thereof thus secures end plate 36 at its upper end to body 1. When so assembled screws 41 are opposite laterally spaced holes 44 in supporting plate portion 12, whereby the end plate may be secured to supporting plate portion 12 by turning screws 41 so as to threadedly engage holes 44.

Thus, it will be noted that by this luminaire construction we have provided separate components, i. e. body, end plates, reflectors, and a support having reflector securing means and larnpholding means mounted thereon, which may readily be assembled when the luminaire is installed with the use of simple tools. As separate components are utilized, they may be disassembled for shipping in order to obtain smaller carton sizes and reduce shipping and handling charges. It should further be noted that the entire luminaire assembly can, after the luminaire body is initially installed, be completed without requiring the handing of any loose hardware, as such hardware is all previously mounted and retained on one of the component parts. If desired, a standard sheet metal screw 46 can be driven through side walls 2 to engage side tabs 37 on end plates 36 and flanges 14 on cross plates 11 in order to additionally secure the respective parts together. For this purpose, side walls 2, tabs 37 and flanges 14 are provided with pilot holes P (Fig. 6) which are in alignment when the respective components are assembled. Although screws 4-6 must be handled as loose hardware, they are not required to completely assemble a luminaire and, consequently, may be supplied separately. As described, our construction reerected without sacrificing other desirable features of the luminaire construction. It should be particularly noted that we have obtained many other advantages with our luminaire construction. Thus, the sides of body 1 are held in alignment by tabs 37 and 38 on end plate 36, and body 1 is securely cross braced by the upper plate portion 11 of support 8. It will also be noted that the entire weight of the sub-assembly is carried by the integral flanges 3 of body 1. If desired, as shown in Fig. 1, an elongated spiral spring 30 may be positioned between the lower surface of cross plate 11 and the upper surface of offset 32 around stud portion 25 of wing lock 26 which will be compressed between reflector 31 and the lower surface of cross plate 11 when reflector 31 is installed, whereby a positive electrical grounding of the reflector 31 to the body 1 is obtained.

As can readily be appreciated, the principles of our invention are equally applicable to various other types of luminaires and many modifications of the particular design previously discussed can be made without departing from the spirit of our invention. Thus, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate another type of luminaire incorporating various design changes. As before, the luminaire shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a channel shaped body 1' having spaced substantially parallel side walls 2, each of which terminates in a longitudinal inwardly facing flange 3. It should be noted that flanges 3 do not CX Qld to the end of body 1' and are provided with only one pair of opposed notches 47 inwardly displaced from each end of flanges 3'.

A support 8' comprising an upper cross plate portion 11' and an integral downwardly extending supporting plate portion 12 is insertable from the underside of body 1. The cross plate portion 11' is provided at each of its sides with spaced downwardly extending flanges 14' and 15'. The portion 11' has an inward oflset (not shown) between flanges 14 and 15 for clearing the end portions of flanges 3. Flanges 14 are located adjacent the outer end of each cross plate portion 11, and flanges 15 are inwardly displaced from flanges 14, whereby two sets of downwardly extending opposed side flanges are provided.

After body 1 has been properly installed, a support 8' may be positioned within each end of body 1 by aligning flanges 15' with notches 47 and pushing support 8 upward. After flanges 15' are positioned above flanges 3', the support 8' may be moved longitudinally toward the adjacent end of body 1 and lowered so that flanges 15 engage and are supported by flanges 3. If desired an inwardly extending longitudinal lance 75 may be pro vided adjacent each end of each sidewall 2' above each flange 15" in order to guide support 8' when being inserted.

In order to securely fasten support 8 in body 1, each side wall 2' is provided adjacent each of its ends with an inwardly extending screw 17 which is held from dropping out by means of a V-shaped sheet metal nut 18' secured to its inner end in the same manner as described with relation to nut 18. It will be noted, however, that nuts 18 are not adjacent flanges 3, therefore, if desired in order to prevent nut 18' from rotating, sidewalls 2 may be provided with integral lances adjacent nuts 18'. Each flange 14- of support 8' is provided with a longitudinal tapered notch 13', having its open side toward the adjacent end of body 1. Thus, when support 8' is first inserted in body 1' and then moved toward the adjacent end of body 1', the body portion of each screw 17 is received in notch 19' of the adjacent flange 14. Thereafter each screw 17' may be tightened by means of a screwdriver to secure flanges 14' of support 8' between nuts 18 and the inner surfaces of side walls 2 of body 1'. In the event a lance 75 is utilized it will be noted that the lance prevents support 8' from rotating counterclockwise around screws 17'.

In view of the various types of lampholding means commercially available, various shapes of plate portions 12' for supporting such lampholding means can be utilized. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, individual lampholders 48 are secured to the arms 61 of the generally V-shaped plate portion 12 by any suitable means such as machine screws 52 which threadedly engage threaded holes in plate portion 12. Lampholders 48 are provided with a circular opening 49 in the front face in which are located a pair of guides 76 and a pair of contacts 77. Openings 49 are connected to the underside of lampholder 48 by a slot 79 whereby a bi-pin fluorescent lamp 51 may be inserted in each opening 49 and rotated so that the contact pins 73 of lamp 51 engage contacts 77 of lampholder 48. A lampholder structure similar to the structure shown is disclosed in Patent No. 2,456,940, issued December 21, 1948, to C. H. Hodgkins.

As shown, lamps 51 are of the type that require separate starting means before any discharge will occur in lamps 51. Such separate starting means comprise a starter socket 54 which is adapted to receive a starter 56. Starter socket 54 is secured to each cross plate portion 11' in any suitable manner, such as by machine screws 55' extending through each starter socket 54 and threadedly engaging cross plate portions 11. In order that a starter 56 when inserted in a starter socket 54 does not extend an undesirable distance downwardly beyond a reflector (not shown) which may be secured flush against the underside of flanges 3', it will be noted that cross plate portion 11' is positioned further in body 1 than cross plate portion 11 is positioned in body 1. Accordingly, in order to utilize standard wing locks 26, as previously discussed, each cross plate portion 11 is bent inwardly from the starter socket 54 at a point 68 so that the inner portion 57 of each cross plate portion 11' is the same distance above flanges 3 as each cross plate portion 11 is above flange 3. By this construction the same distances with reference to wing locks 26 are obtained and therefore only one standard sub-assembly of Wing locks 26 need be fabricated for each type 'of luminaire. A grounding spring 30 may also be provided in the same manner and for the same purpose as previously described.

A suitable ballast unit is secured to the bight portion 4' of body 1' by any suitable means, such as machine screw and nut assemblies 7. Although the luminaire shown in Figs. 4 and 5 does not have a reflector attached, such a reflector as described with relation to body 1 is normally attached by wing locks 26 in substantially the same way. It will also be noted that the requisite wiring between the lampholders 48, sockets 54 and ballast 5' may be accomplished before the reflector is installed.

Bight portion 4' of body 1' is provided with laterally elongated holes 60 adjacent each of its ends, and supporting plate portion 12' is provided with laterally spaced holes whereby an end plate 36' may be secured to either end of body 1 in the same manner as the end plate 36 is secured to body 1, as previously discussed. As shown in Fig. 4, one end of body 1' may be provided with a connector 62 whereby two bodies 1' may be assembled in end to end relationship. Connector 62 may be formed from any suitable material such as sheet metal and is preferably channel-shaped having a bight portion 63 and downward-1y extending side walls 64. By this formation, connector 62 may be inserted so bight portion 63 and side walls 64 rest flush against the inner side of bight portion 4' and side walls 2, respectively, of body 1' so that each adjacent body 1 is held in alignment. Holes 65 are provided in bight portion 63 of connector 62 which are aligned with holes 60 in adjacent ends of bodies 1 whereby adjacent ends of bodies 1' may be secured to connector 62 by any suitable means such as sheet metal screws 66. Connectors 62 are also provided with holes 78 in sidewalls 64 which may be aligned with slots 67 adjacent both ends of sidewalls 2 whereby the sides of a connector 62 may be secured to each sidewall 2' at each side of two bodies 1' arranged end to end by any suitable means such as sheet metal screws 69.

Thus, it will be noted that a luminaire may be constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention-and incorporate numerous design changes. Primarily it will be noted that the downwardly extending plate portions 12 and 12' of the insert- able supports 8 and 8 may be adapted to support various types and numbers of lampholders 13 and 13'. Also cross plate portions 11 and 11' may be varied and perform additional functions other than cross bracing and reflector supporting, such as providing a support for lamp starting means.

It should particularly be noted that the flanges 14 and 15 of support 8 can readily be modified so that either may be utilized to engage captive securing means in the sidewalls 2 of body 1, such as screws 17 or, if desired, only one set of flanges 1414' or 15-15 need be supported from the integral flange 3 of body 1. Also, if desired, in order to accommodate a greater number of lamps, wing locks 26 may be laterally displaced in order that they may be manually turned from the underside of the fixture.

Having described preferred embodiments of the invention in accordance with the patent statutes, it is desired that the invention be not limited to these specific constructions, inasmuch as it is apparent that modifications in addition to those specifically pointed out herein may be made Without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, it is desired that this invention be interpreted as broadly as possible and that it be limited only as required by the prior art.

We claim as our invention: I

1. A luminaire comprising an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in inwardly facing longitudinal flanges at its free edge, at least a pair of spaced notches in each of said flanges adjacent each end of said body member, respectively, so a to form at least two pairs of opposed notches at each end of said body member, a cross member having at least two extending supporting flanges at each of its sides so as to form at least two pairs of opposed flanges, said cross member being notched between adjacent supporting flanges whereby said pairs of supporting flanges may be inserted through said pair of notches at each end of said body member and said cross member positioned between said sidewalls, at least one of said pairs of supporting flanges having open ended slots in one side which extend longitudinally in one direction so that when said cross member is moved longitudinally it engages prepositioned fastening means adjacent the end of said body member, whereby said cross member may be located and secured to each of said sidewalls.

2. A luminaire comprising an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls which terminate at their free ends in inwardly facing flanges, a rigid cross brace having a width less than the distance between the opposed edges of said flanges, projections at opposite sides of said brace providing a combined width which is greater than the distance between the opposed edges of said flanges but less than the distance between said sidewalls, notches in said flanges of a size to receive said projections so that said cross brace can be inserted from the underside of said body member between said sidewall-s of said body member at one position longitudinally of said body member and thereafter moved longitudinally of said body member to an operative position where said brace is supported by engagement of its projections on said flanges, means for securing said brace to said opposite sidewalls at its operative position, and said cross brace having lampholder means mounted thereon.

3. A luminaire comprising, an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls, a cross member secured to said sidewalls at each end of said body member comprising a plate extending between said sidewalls adjacent the free ends thereof, an end member secured to one of said plates so as to cover the adjacent end of said body member and having an outer and an inner projection at each of its sides, each of said outer projections engaging the outer surface of the adjacent one of said sidewalls, and each of said inner projections engaging the inner surface of the adjacent one of said sidewalls, whereby said sidewalls are held aligned, and said cross members having *lampholder means mounted thereon.

4. A luminaire comprising, an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof which is of a size to pass between said flanges, said cross member having opposed wider portions which have lateral flanges extending toward and engaging said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, a notch in one side of a cross member flange at each side of said cross member receiving prepositioned adjustable securing means on the adjacent sidewall of said body member for securing the cross member at its operative position, said notches extending longitudinally of said body member so that the cross member can be moved longitudinally of the body member from its operative position to a second position, said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the cross member flanges and the wider portions of said cross member at the aforesaid second position of the cross member, so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at said second position, and lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member.

5. A luminaire comprising, an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof which is of a size to pass between said flanges, said cross member having opposed wider portions which have lateral flanges extending toward and engaging said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, adjustable means mounted on said sidewalls at a location to releasably engage and secure the cross member flanges to said sidewalls, respectively, at the aforesaid operative position of said cross member, said cross member when released being movable longitudinally of the body member from its operative position to a second position, said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the cross member flanges and the wider portions of said cross member at the aforesaid second position of the cross member .so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at said second position, and lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member.

6. A luminaire comprising, an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof and having opposed lateral flanges extending toward and engaging said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, said cross member flanges projecting from only a portion of each side of the cross member with the remainder of the cross member being of less width than the distance between said body member flanges, adjustable means mounted on said sidewalls at a location to releasably engage and secure the cross member flanges to said sidewalls, respectively, at the aforesaid operative position of said cross member, said cross member when released being movable longitudinally of the body member from its operative position to a second position, said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the cross member flanges at the aforesaid second position of the cross member so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at its aforesaid second position, and lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member.

7. A luminaire comprising, an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof and having a pair of spaced lateral flanges at each side extending toward and engaging said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, said cross member flanges projecting from only a portion of each side of the cross member with the remainder of the cross member being of less width than the distance between said body member flanges, adjustable means mounted on said sidewalls at a location to releasably engage and secure the cross member flanges to said sidewalls, respectively, at the aforesaid operative position of said cross member, said cross member when released being movable longitudinally of said body member from its operative position to a second position, said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the cross member flanges at the aforesaid second position of the cross member so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at its aforesaid second position, lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member, and a reflector located against the free edges of the sidewalls of said body member and above the outer ends of said lampholding means.

8. A luminaire comprising an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof, which is of a size to pass between said flanges, said cross member having opposed wider portions which have lateral flanges extending toward and engaging said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, adjustable means mounted on said sidewalls at a location to releasably engage and secure the cross member flanges to said sidewalls, respectively, at the aforesaid operative position of said cross member, said cross member when released being movable longitudinally of the body member from its operative position to a second position, said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the cross member flanges and the wider portions of said cross member at the aforesaid second position of the cross member so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at said second position, lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member, a reflector located against the free edges of the sidewalls of said body member and above the outer ends of said lampholding means, and means on said cross member for releasably securing said reflector in position.

9. A luminaire comprising an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof which is of a size to pass between said flanges, said cross member having opposed wider portions which engage said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, adjustable means mounted on said sidewalls at a location to releasably engage and secure the cross member to said sidewalls, respectively, at the aforesaid operative position of said cross member, said cross member when released being movable longitudinally of the body member from its operative position to a second position,

said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the wider portions of said cross member at the aforesaid second position of the cross member so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at said second position, and lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member.

10. A luminaire comprising an elongated body member having laterally extending spaced sidewalls each terminating in an inwardly extending longitudinal flange at its free end, a cross member in said body member at least at one end thereof which is of a size to pass between said flanges, said cross member having opposed wider portions which engage said body member flanges at the operative position of said cross member to be supported thereon, adjustable means mounted on said sidewalls at a location to releasably engage and secure the cross member to said sidewalls, respectively, at the aforesaid operative position of said cross member, said cross member when released being movable longitudinally of the body member from its operative position to a sec- 0nd position, said body member flanges having notches therein located to receive the wider portions of said cross member at the aforesaid second position of the cross member so that the latter may be inserted or removed from between said sidewalls at said second position, lampholding means mounted on said cross member and projecting outwardly therefrom away from said body member, a reflector located against the free edges of the sidewalls of said body member and above the outer ends of said lampholding means, and means on said cross member for releasably securing said reflector in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,291,491 7 Naysmith July 28, 1942 2,321,099 Naysmith June 8, 1943 2,408,783 Kloner Oct. 8, 1946 2,567,015 Fine et 'al. Sept. 4, 1951 20 2,619,585 Peters Nov. 25, 1952

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