US3128003A

US3128003A - Lighting fixture installation

Info

Publication number: US3128003A
Application number: US194809A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel J Zagel
Original assignee: Compco Corp
Current assignee: Compco Corp
Priority date: 1962-05-15
Filing date: 1962-05-15
Publication date: 1964-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-07

Description

April 7 1964 5. J. ZAGEL 7 3,123,003

.LIGHTING FIXTURE INSTALLATION Filed May 15, 1962 INVENTOR.

ATT'YS United States Patent 3,128,003 LIGHTING FIXTURE INTALLATION Samuel J. Zagel, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Compco Corporation, Chicago, lill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 15, 1962, Ser. No. 194,809 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-18) This invention relates to a lighting fixture installation, and, more particularly, to a lighting fixture installation incorporating a novel mounting bracket.

The instant invention has particular utility in connection with fluorescent lighting wherein elongated casings are employed. These casings are relatively heavy, and normally include glass, so that the problem of installation is a delicate onethe installation ordinarily being at an elevated point. Extraordinary care must be taken not to jar the casing, and the length makes them unwieldy to handle.

It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a way of mounting the elongated casing which avoids the difficulties outlined above, and this constitutes a principal object of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mounting bracket suitable for installation at the point where a lighting fixture casing is to be mounted so that all that is required thereafter is to lift the casing in place and secure the same, if desired.

Still another object is to provide a novel lighting fixture installation including a novel mounting bracket for installation first at the site of mounting and thereafter to apply an advantageously constructed casing thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be seen in the details of construction and operation set down in this specification.

The invention will be explained in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a lighting fixture used in connection with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view such as would be seen along the sight line 2-2 applied to FIG. 1; and

being omitted from FIG. 1 for the sake of simplifying the drawing.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the frame 11, which alternatively can be considered a casing, includes a top plate 14 which is seen to be inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 15 to act as a gravel and water stop. The top plate 14 is equipped with a downwardly-extending flange 15 at the extreme rear thereof and a downwardlyextending flange 16 at the extreme forward portion thereof. The top wall 14 is integrated, as by welding, to end plates or sides 17 which are provided with inwardlyextending flanges as at 18 for defining the frame around the diffuser plate 12. Preferably, the diffuser 12 is pigmented white so as to give a soft illumination. Thus, the diffuser and the

flanges

16 and 18 define a front wall or side of the casingthis in combination with an upwardly-extending flange 19 provided as part of the frame 11. The bottom wall generally designated 20 is made up of a diffuser 21 similar to the diffuser 12 and flange portions 22 and 23 provided as part of the frame 11.

3,128,003 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 The rear wall of the casing 11 is provided by a plate 24 which is equipped with a forwardly-extending flange portion as at 25, the wall 24 extending below the bottom wall 20 as at 26.

Extending between the lower rear corner and the upper forward corner is a reflector 27 which has a forwardlyextending flange portion 28 cooperating with the flange portion 23 to define a way or support groove for the bottom diffuser 21. A formed clip 29 is provided at the lower forward corner of the casing 11 to serve as the other way (in combination with flange portion 22) for the diffuser 21. Aiding in supporting the reflector 27 is a strap 30 which may be secured as by welding to the upper wall 14 as at 31. An angle clip 32 is provided at the upper forward corner of the casing 11 to cooperate with the flange portion 16 in defining a way or support groove for the front diffuser 12.

The reflector 27 supports a lamp 33 which is suitably connected by wiring (not shown) to a ballast 34-this in conventional fashion. The ballast 34 is mounted on the rear wall 24, as by metal screws which are omitted for the sake of simplifying the drawing.

The end walls 17 are equipped with mounting holes as at 35 for interconnecting several lengths of fixtures and where a given end wall 17 provides the end of a multifixture installation, the holes 35 can be closed by the usual plug buttons. Each end wall 17 is also equipped with a knock-out portion 36 to provide a continuous wireway.

As an example of the casing 11, the length between the outsides of the end walls 17 is 72 /8", while the overall height of the front wall 36, measured between the outsides of the flange portions 16 and 19, is 12". The distance between the front wall 36 and the mounting structure 13 is also 12".

The casing 11 is mounted on the structure 13 by means of a bracket generally designated 37. The bracket 37 is seen to include a unitary body which is elongated corresponding to the length of the casing 11 and equipped at the lower end with a trough-like portion as at 38. The trough-like portion is advantageously provided by deforming or bending the bracket body 39 on itself along longitudinal lines as at 40 and 41 so as to develop a discrete horizontal portion as at 42 and an upstanding wall portion 43 defining the trough 38.

At its upper end, the body 39, which conveniently may be constructed of metal, is equipped with a stepped portion 44 made up of a horizontally-extending part 45 and a vertically-extending part 46.

The structure 13 is defined in part by a horizontal top wall 13a and a vertical front wall 13b, defining a right angle as at 130. The stepped portion 44, in combination with the essentially planar body 39, conforms to this right angle, and the bracket 37 is secured to the structure 13 by means of a plurality of screws 47.

Examination of FIG. 2 indicates that the depending flange portion 26 of the rear wall 24 is supported within the trough portion 38, while the depending flange 15 of the top wall 14 is secured to the upstanding part 46 by means of a plurality of sheetmetal screws 48.

The bracket 37 may be additionally secured to the structure 13 by other bolts or screws as at 49 and 50.

In the installation of the device, the bracket 37 is first secured to the structure 13, utilizing the bolts, screws, etc., 47, 49 and 50*, after which the fixture 10 is elevated above the bracket 37 and thereafter moved down wardly to fit the depending flange portion 26 of the rear wall 24 into the trough portion 38 while positioning the depending flange 15 of the top wall 14 rearwardly of the upstanding part 46. At this juncture, the installation is completely secure, and the artisan at his leisure can install the additional securing screws 48.

In the specific example given, the height of the depending flange is 1 as is the width of the horizontal part 45 of the bracket 37. I find it advantageous to provide the stepped portion 44, since this permits complete roofing prior to instalation of the lighting equipment. Further, there is an advantageous rigidification of the upstanding part 4-6, since the top 1311 of the structure 13 also carries a portion of the weight load. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in certain installations it may be advantageous to change the character of the stepped portion i4 and perhaps omit the same if space requirements so dictate.

The trough-like portion 38 is shaped to position the upstanding wall portion 43 a discrete distance away from the main body 33 of the bracket 37, with this distance being greater than the thickness of the rear wall 24, particularly the thickness of the depending flange portion 26. Thus, there is ready access to the trough portion 38, but it will be noted that the head 47:: of the screws 47 project outwardly from the body 39 to abut the rear wall 24 and thus effectively urge the flange portion 26 against the upstanding wall 4' 3 of the trough portion 38.

In FIG. 3, a modified form of the bracket is seen and is designated generally by the numeral 137. The upper portion of the bracket 137 is folded on itself as at 146 to develop a horizontally-extending portion 145. As in the case of the FIG. 2 construction, the bracket 137 is suitably anchored to a wall or other structure, as by means of bolts, one of which is pictured as at 149.

While, in the foregoing specification, I have set down a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention for the sake of illustration thereof, many variations in the details herein given may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A lighting fixture installation, comprising a supporting structure, an elongated casing having a generally flat rear wall, said rear wall extending beyond said casing transversely thereof to provide a lower mounting flange, said casing having a hook-shaped portion extending rearwardly transversely beyond said flat wall to provide an upper mounting flange, and an elongated mounting bracket secured to said supporting structure and said casing, said bracket having a trough-like portion along one longitudinal edge receiving said lower mounting flange of said casing, and a rigid flat portion along its other edge standing free of said supporting structure, said fiat portion being positioned between said casing and said hook-shaped portion.

2. A lighting fixture installation, comprising a frame adapted to support a casing, an elongated, generally rectangular casing on said frame and equipped with a rearwardly projecting top wall having a terminal depending flange and a downwardly projecting rear wall, a bracket interconnecting said casing and frame, said bracket including an elongated unitary body, said body having a flat, longitudinally-extending central portion and being equipped with an upper bearing portion for engagement with said depending flange, with said upper bearing portion being parallel to and laterally ofiset from said central portion, said bracket also being equipped with a lower trough-shaped portion receiving said downwardly projecting rear wall, and means securing said bracket to said frame and said casing to said bracket.

3. A lighting fixture installation, comprising a frame adapted to support a light fixture casing, an elongated, generally rectangular casing mounted on said frame and equipped with a rearwardly projecting top wall having a terminal depending flange and a downwardly projecting rear wall, a bracket interconnecting said casing and frame, said bracket including an elongated unitary body, said body having a flat, longitudinally extending central portion and being equipped with an upper bearing portion for engagement with said depending flange, said upper bearing portion being parallel to and laterally offset from said central portion, said bracket being equipped with a lower trough-shaped portion receiving said downwardly projecting rear wall, said trough-shaped portion being defined by folding said body on itself to provide an upstanding wall separated from said body by a distance greater than the thickness of said depending flange, and means securing said bracket to said frame and said casing to said bracket.

4. A lighting fixture installation, comprising a frame adapted to support a light fixture casing, an elongated, generally rectangular casing mounted on said frame and equipped with a rearwardly projecting top wall having a terminal depending flange and a downwardly projecting rear wall, a bracket interconnecting said casing and frame, said bracket including an elongated unitary body, said body having a flat, longitudinally extending central portion and being equipped with an upper bearing portion for engagement with said depending flange, said upper bearing portion being parallel to and laterally offset from said central portion, said bracket being equipped with a lower trough-shaped portion receiving said downwardly projecting rear wall, said trough-shapedportion being defined by folding said body on itself to provide an upstanding wall separated from said body by a distance greater than the thickness of said depending flange, and means securing said bracket to said frame and said casing to said bracket, said securing means including screws positioned above said trough-shaped portion for securing said body to said frame, said screws bearing against said rear wall to urge the same against said upstanding wall.

References Cited in' the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,277,738 Wilkinson Aug. 4, 1939 2,569,772 Olsen Oct. 2, 1951 3,084,247 Bobrick Apr. 2, 1963

Claims

1. A LIGHTING FIXTURE INSTALLATION, COMPRISING A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, AN ELONGATED CASING HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT REAR WALL, SAID REAR WALL EXTENDING BEYOND SAID CASING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF TO PROVIDE A LOWER MOUNTING FLANGE, SAID CASING HAVING A HOOK-SHAPED PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY TRANSVERSELY BEYOND SAID FLAT WALL TO PROVIDE AN UPPER MOUNTING FLANGE, AND AN ELONGATED MOUNTING BRACKET SECURED TO SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND SAID CASING, SAID BRACKET HAVING A TROUGH-LIKE PORTION ALONG ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE RECEIVING SAID LOWER MOUNTING FLANGE OF SAID CASING, AND A RIGID FLAT PORTION ALONG ITS OTHER EDGE STANDING FREE OF SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, SAID FLAT PORTION BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CASING AND SAID HOOK-SHAPED PORTION.