US3059137A

US3059137A - Screw-in fluorescent lighting fixture

Info

Publication number: US3059137A
Application number: US39321A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward G Reaves
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-11-22
Filing date: 1960-06-28
Publication date: 1962-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-16

Description

Oct. 16, 1962 E. e. REM E 3,059,137

SCREW-IN FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Original Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 ATTORNEYS ZwARDGi/PEAVES I INVENTOR BY [1 1 I I 1962 E. G. REAVES SCREW-IN FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Original Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [0w FIFO 6. REA vs 5 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,059,137 SCREW-1N FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Edward G. Reaves, New York, N.Y. (2419 Davidson Ave, Central Station, Bronx 68, N.Y.) Original application Nov. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 693,276, new Patent No. 2,943,233, dated June 28, 1960. Divided and this application June 28, 1960, Ser. No. 39,321 18 Claims. (Q1. 313-204) This invention relates to a fluorescent lighting fixture of the type having a toroidal tube.

The present application is a division of my prior application, entitled Fluorescent Lighting, Serial No. 698,276, filed November 22, 1957, now Patent No. 2,943,238.

The object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture of spherical shape and of pleasing appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture of spherical shape which will uniformly diffuse the light rays to all parts of the room in which the lighting fixture is used.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture of spherical shape having an improved support for the toroidal tube.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture of spherical shape which is adapted to be arranged seriatim with identical fixtures to supply increased illumination to any desired degree.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture of spherical shape having a socket therein for an ordinary bulb, which may provide auxiliary illumination or be used as a night lamp.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture comprised by two complementary hollow hemispheres, which form an enclosure for the on and oil? switch, starter and ballast reactor.

Still other objects, advantages and improvements will become apparent from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the fluorescent lighting fixture according to the present invention, with the toroidal tube being shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fluorescent lighting fixture.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 3-3 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the internal components of the lighting fixture.

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing one of the mounting brackets for the toroidal tube.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of two of the lighting fixtures connected seriatim.

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram showing the internal connections within the lighting fixture.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and to FIGS.

1 and 2 in particular, the fluorescent lighting fixture according to the present invention is here generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and is shown as comice prised in part by two hemispherical top and bottom sections 10a and 1%, respectively, of sheet material. The exact material of which these hemispherical sections are made is of no particular importance, but polished brass is commonly used in the making of lighting fixtures and has been found satisfactory in this case to provide light reflective surfaces for the hemispherical sections forming the spherical body. The two (2) hemispherical sections 10a and 10b align along the horizontal diametral plane. The top hemispherical section 10a is inset adjacent its bottom to form a flange 11, which receives the bottom hemispherical section adjacent its top, so that the two hemispherical sections are flush over their outer curvilinear surfaces.

The toroidal fluorescent tube is shown at 12. This tube is interrupted for a short part of its arcuate length and in the interrupted segment there is positioned a plug element 13. This plug element carries four (4) pins (not shown), which are respectively connected to the electrodes 14-14 (FIG. 5) of the tube. A connector element 15 has four (4) sockets (also not shown) therein, which respectively receive the pins on the plug element 1 2, and from these socket elements four (4) conductors extend through a hole 16 in the top hemispherical section 1% to the interior of the latter.

The fluorescent tube 12 is supported by a plurality of brackets 17, comprised in part by arms which have arcuate ends 17a, for receiving the tube. At their inner ends these brackets are received between the flanges of channel members 19 and are secured to the bottoms of these channel members by rivets 18, as shown in FIG. 4. The channel members 19 have their flanges cut away at their inner ends and the bottoms are bent downwardly to form lugs 19a. Screws 20 extend freely through suitable holes in the lugs 19a, the Wall of the lower hemispherical section 10b adjacent the top of the latter, and are received in suitable screw-threaded holes in the flange 11 on the top hemispherical section 10a. If desired, nuts 21 may be soldered on the outer surface of the flange 11 to provide additional thread length for the screws 20. By making the brackets in two (2) pieces, 17 and 19, the arms 17 may be of different lengths and toroidal fluorescent tubes 12 of diflerent diameters may be used on the same fixture. Three (3) of the brackets 17, spaced 120 apart, around the hemispherical sections 10a and 10b, are preferably used, but a greater or lesser number may be used, if desired.

At its top the upper hemispherical section 10a has mounted thereon along its vertical axis, a conventional Edison type screw plug 22. The latter has a base 23 of Bakelite, or other phenolic condensation product, and screws 24 extend freely through suitable holes in this base and the top of the hemispherical section and have nuts (not shown) on their lower ends.

The top hemispherical section 19a also has a hole 26 therein, through which the starter 27 freely extends, so as to be accessible and removable and replaceable from the exterior of the fixture.

On the interior of the top hemispherical section 10a, the starter 2'7 is received in a socket 28, which is secured by rivets 29 to the bottom of a generally U shaped bracket 30. This bracket has inturned lugs 30a-30a at its upper ends and screws 31-31 extend freely through holes in the top hemispherical section and are received in suitable screw threaded holes in the lugs a 30a. A single pole, three (3) way switch 32 is mounted in the bottom hemispherical section 10b by screws 33-33, which extend through suit-able holes in the hemispherical section and carry lugs 3434 at their outer ends, which lugs engagethe casing of the switch. A pull chain 38 extends through a suitable hole 37 in the hemispherical section and preferably has a pendant 39 at its lower end.

A ballast reactor designated generally by the reference numeral 40, is also mounted in the bottom hemispherical section 1012. This ballast reactor is enclosed by a casing 41, which has oppositely extending lugs 41a41a, at its bottom. Screws 4242 extend freely through suitablerholes in the hemispherical section and are received in suitable screw-threaded holes in the lugs 41a41a.

An Edison type socket designated generally by the reference numeral 44, is mounted in a suitable hole in the hemispherical bottom section 10b and concentrically posi-l tioned with respect to the vertical axis of the latter. This socket is comprised in part by a hub 45, which has the usual lamp base rolled -thread on' its interior, and has a flange 45a, which abuts the bottom of the hemispherical section. An externally threaded sleeve 46 surrounds the hub 45 and is received in a suitable screw-threaded hole in the bottom hemispherical section and serves to hold the flange 45 against thebottom of the latter.

As shown in FIG. 5, one fluorescent lighting fixture according to the invention may be inserted in the bottom of another by screwing the top'22 on the first light- 7 ing fixture into the socket 44 of the second' .the bottom socket 44 of the fluorescent lighting fixture to hsupply increased illumination or to provide a night lig t.

A wiring diagram is shown in FIG. 6. One electrode 14 of the fluorescent tube 12 is connected to one side of an ordinary 110 Volt AC. line through the ballast reactor the other electrode 14 is connected to the other side of the AC. line through the three (3) way switch 32; the electrodes 1414 are connected together through the starter 27. -It will be understood that the connections to the AC. power line are through the plug 22. The three 3) way switch 32 has a movable arm 35 and contacts'36a, 36b, 36c and 36d. When the arm 35 is on the contact 36a, the circuit is completed through the toroidal tube 12; when the arm 35 is on both the contacts 35b andSSc, the circuit is completed through the toroidal tube 12 and either a second identical fluorescent lighting fixture, as shown in FIG. 5, or the'incandescent bulb 48; and when the arm is on the contact 36d, the circuit is com'pleted'through only the incandescent bulb described myflinvention, What I Letters Having now fully claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Patent of the United States is:

1. A fluorescent lighting fixture comprised by a spherical body having a light reflective surface, a toroidal fluorescent tube surrounding said body, and means secured to said body extending radially outwardly therefrom I carrying the toroidal tube at their outer ends.

their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said.

arms to said hemispherical sections and the latter to each other.

3. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised by two hemispherical sections aligned along a same, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said arms to said hem spherical sections.

4. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised 'by two hemispherical sections aligned along a horizontal diametrical plane, and internally threaded socket secured to one of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of same, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said arms to said hemispherical sections.

5. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised by two hemispherical sections aligned along a horizontal diametrical plane, a screw plug secured to one of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of same, an internally threaded socket secured to the other of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of same, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said arms to said hemispherical sections. v

6. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised by two hemispherical sections each having a light reflective surface aligned along a horizontal diametrical plane, a starter, an on and oif switchand a ballast reactor mounted within said hemispherical sections, a toroidal tube surrounding said sections when joined, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections carrying the toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said arms to said hemispherical sections.

7. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised by two hemispherical sections aligned along a horizontal diametrical plane, a screw plug secured to one of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of same, a starter, an on and off switch and a ballast reactor mounted within said hemispherical sections, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing'said arms to said hemispherical sections. a

8. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised by two' hemispherical sections aligned along a horizontal diametrical plane, an internally threaded socket secured toone of'said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of same, a starter, an on and off switch and a ballast reactor mounted within said hemispherical sections, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said arms to said hemispherical sections. 7

9. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comprised by two hemispherical sections aligned along a horizontal diametrical' plane, a screw plug secured to one of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis dially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal tube at their outer ends, and fastening means for securing said arms to said hemispherical sections. e

prised by two hemispherical sections aligned along a horizontal diametrical plane, a screw plug secured to one of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of 10. A fluorescent lighting fixture including a body comhorizontal diametrical plane, a screw plug secured to one of said hemispherical sections along the vertical axis of same, an internally threaded socket secured to the other of said hemsipherical sections along the axis of same, a ballast reactor, a starter, an on and off switch mounted within said hemispherical sections, said on and off switch being adapted to close one first contact, a pair of contacts, and a fourth contact, radially extending arms on said hemispherical sections adapted to carry a toroidal a conductor from one terminal of the screw plug to the 5 ballast reactor, a conductor from the ballast reactor to a socket in the connector for one side of one electrode of the toroidal tube, a conductor from a socket in the connector for the other side of said electrode of the toroidal tube to the starter, a conductor from the starter to a socket in the connector for one side of the second electrode of the toroidal tube, a conductor from one socket in the connector for the other side of the second electrode of the toroidal'tube to the first contact and one of the pair of contacts of the on and off switch, a branch circuit including a conductor from the second terminal of the screw plug to the socket, and a conductor from the socket to the other of the pair of contacts and the third contact of the on and oil switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,603,417 Schaller Oct. 19, 1926 2,298,961 Miller Oct. 13, 1942 2,472,597 Levy June 7, 1949