US3334221A

US3334221A - Ornamental lighting fixture

Info

Publication number: US3334221A
Application number: US374538A
Authority: US
Inventors: Austin J Aslund
Original assignee: WIDE LITE CORP
Current assignee: MINATURE LIGHTING PRODUCTS Inc A CORPOF PA; MINIATURE LIGHTNG PRODUCTS COINC A CORPOF FLA; WIDE LITE CORP
Priority date: 1964-06-11
Filing date: 1964-06-11
Publication date: 1967-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-01

Description

gs 1957 A. J. ASLUND 3,334,221

ORNAMENTAL LI GHTING FIXTURE Filed June 11, 1964 INVENTOR Ausmv J AJA 04 0 BY fl w W I" ATTO/F/VEV United States Patent 3,334,221 ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING FIXTURE Austin J. Aslund, Lakewood, Califi, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Wide-Lite Corp., a division of Esquire, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed llune 11, 1964, Ser. No. 374,538 13 Claims. (Cl. 240-78) This invention relates generally to lighting fixtures and more particularly to novel ornamental lighting fixtures which are adjustable to alter the pattern of light and shadow cast by the fixtures.

Modern architectural design has created an ever increasing demand for novel ornamental lighting. Particularly desired are ornamental lighting fixtures which cast unique patterns of light and shadow on adjacent walls and ceiling surfaces. Many and varied ornamental lighting fixtures of this type have been devised, of course. The existing lighting fixtures of which I am aware, however, are deficient in that they do not permit alteration of the pattern of light and shadow cast by the fixtures. There is, accordingly, a need for ornamental lighting fixtures which are adjustable to vary the pattern of light and shadow cast by the fixtures.

A general object of this invention is to provide such adjustable ornamental lighting fixtures.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide ornamental lighting fixtures of the character described which are adjustable to alter the pattern of light and shadow cast by the fixtures on adjacent wall and ceiling surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide ornamental lighting fixtures of the character described which are relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to install, and otherwise ideally suited to their intended purposes.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become readily apparent as the description proceeds.

Certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail by reference to the attached drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an ornamental lighting fixture according to the invention, illustrating the pattern of light and shadow cast by the fixture on an adjacent ceiling surface;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged section taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section through a modified ornamental lighting fixture according to the invention; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

The ornamental lighting fixture illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 3 of these drawings comprises a ceiling plate 12 having central, internally threaded hub 14. Extending through the plate 12, at two more positions radially spaced from the hub 14, are countersunk holes for receiving mounting screws 16. When installing the lighting fixture 10, the ceiling plate 12 is placed over the open side of a conventional receptacle box 18 which is installed in a wall or ceiling prior to plastering. In the drawings, the receptacle box 18 is assumed to be installed in a ceiling 20. As is customary, the box 18 is flush with the lower, plastered surface of the ceiling 20. When the lighting fixture 10 is installed, the ceiling plate 12 seats against the surface of the ceiling 20. The mounting screws 16 are threaded in intumed lugs 24 on the receptacle box 18 for securing the ceiling plate in position.

3,334,221 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 Threaded in the central hub 14 of the ceiling plate 12 is a lamp socket 26. A lamp 28 is threaded in the lower end of this socket. The illustrated ornamental lighting fixtures are designed for low voltage operation. For this reason, the lamp 28 is shown to be of the low voltage type. It will become apparent as the description proceeds, however, that the present ornamental lighting fixtures are not limited to such low voltage operation.

The lower end of lamp socket 26 and the lamp 28 therein are enclosed within a lamp shade assembly 30. This shade assembly includes an upper mounting plate 32 having a central, internally threaded hub 34 threaded on the lamp socket 26, below the ceiling plate 12. The outer peripheral edge portion of the mounting plate 32 is turned downwardly to form an ornamental rim or flange 36 about the mounting plate. Below the mounting plate 32 is a lamp shade 38 proper. This shade has an annular body 40 coaxially disposed about the lower end of the lamp socket 26 and the lamp 28. The upper end of the shade body 40 is turned outwardly to form a flange 42. This flange seats against and is welded, or otherwise rigidly secured to the undersurface of the mounting plate 32. Lamp 28 is energized through electrical leads 44 which extend from the upper end of the lamp socket 26 and through an opening in the upper wall of the receptacle box 18.

In the ornamental lighting fixture 10 illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3, the shade body 40 has an inverted frusto-conical shape. The lower, small diameter end of the shade has an opening 44 thru which light from the lamp 28 may pass. In a typical ornamental lighting fixture according to the invention, the shade 30 is fabricated from sheet metal so that the shade body 40 is opaque. For this reason, a multiplicity of holes 46 are drilled, punched, or otherwise formed in the shade body 40 and are relatively uniformly distributed over the body to permit light from the lamp 28 to pass through the shade. When a lighting fixture of this type is installed and illuminated, it casts on the ceiling 20 a pattern of light and shadow similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 1. In this figure, the reference characters L indicate patches of light from the fixture.

According to the present invention, the lighting fixture 10 is uniquely constructed to alter its light pattern. The pattern is thus altered by adjusting the relative axial position of the lamp 28 and the shade 30, thereby to change the position of the lamp relative to the holes 46 in the shade. This adjustment of the relative axial position of the lamp 28 and the shade 30 is accomplished by rotating the shade relative to the lamp socket 26. During rotation of the shade, the latter is elevated or lowered with respect to the lamp 28, depending upon the direction of rotation of the shade, by virtue ,of the threaded connection between the shade mounting plate 32 and the lamp socket 26. As the lamp shade is thus adjusted up and down, the position of the lamp 28 with respect to the shade holes 46 changes, thereby changing the pattern of light and shadow cast on the surface of the ceiling 20 by the lighting fixture.

It will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art that the light pattern adjusting feature of the invention may be embodied in ornamental lighting fixtures having shade configurations other than that illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3. FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a modified ornamental lighting fixture according to the invention having one possible alternative shade configuration. The lighting fixture of FIGURES 4 and 5 is identical to the lighting fixture 10, just described, except for the shape and construction of the shade 102 of the fixture 100. Shade' 102 includes a body 104 having a generally upright frusto-conical configuration. At the upper end of the shade body is an internally threaded hub 106 which is threaded on the lower end of the lamp socket 26. Ex-

tending outwardly from the hub-106 is a flange 108 which seats against and is welded to the under surface of an ornamental plate 110. This ornamental plate corresponds to and is similarly shaped to the mounting plate 32 of the lamp Shade body 104, like the shade body 40 in FIGURE 2, is fabricated from sheet metal and is formed with a multiplicity of holes 112 through which light from the lamp 28 may pass. Mounted in the lower, large diameter end of the shade body 104 is a transparent lens 114 which may be fabricated of acrylic plastic, for example. Lens 114 may be optically designed to focus light rays from lamp 28 for illuminating either general or local areas below the shade.

It is apparent that the shade 102 in the modified ornamental lighting fixture 100 is adjustable up and down relative to the lamp 28 by rotating the shade. As the shade is thus axially adjusted relative to the lamp, the position of the lamp with respect to the shade holes 112 is changed. This change in the relative position of the lamp and shade holes, in turn, alters the pattern of light and shadow cast by the lamp on the ceiling 20, in much the same way as adjustment of the shade 30 in the lighting fixture 10 alters the light and shadow pattern created by that fixture.

While the invention has been described in connection with ceiling mounted lighting fixtures, it is apparent that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in wall mounted fixtures as well. Accordingly, the invention should not be regarded as limited in application to ceiling fixtures.

It is evident from the preceding description that the ornamental lighting fixtures herein described and illustrated are fully capable of attaining the objects and advantages preliminarily set forth.

While certain principally preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that various modifications in the design, arrangement of parts, and instrumentalities of the invention are possible within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

The invention has been described in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent laws by providing a full public disclosure of at least one of its forms. However, such detailed description is not intended in any way to limit the broad features or principles of the invention, or the scope of patent monopoly to be granted.

I claim:

1. An ornamental lighting fixture for casting an adjustable pattern of light and shadow on an adjacent supporting surface such as a ceiling, comprising:

a flat ceiling plate adapted to be mounted on the ceiling surface, having a threaded central opening formed therein;

means for mounting said flat ceiling plate to the ceiling surface;

an elongated, externally threaded lamp socket occupying said central opening in threaded engagement therewith, and extending therebeyond to receive a lamp;

and a lamp shade assembly including a fiat mounting plate having a central opening through which said lamp socket extends, a lamp shade having an annular body coaxially disposed about the lower end of said lamp socket and said lamp with the upper end of said shade body being rigidly secured to the undersurface of said mounting plate, and an internally threaded hub cooperatively associated with said central opening of said mounting plate for threadedly engaging said lamp socket;

said shade body being opaque and having a multiplicity of relatively transparent areas therein at locations both above and below the lamp whereby a pattern of light and shade is cast upon the adjacent ceiling surface;

said pattern being adjustable by rotating said mounting plate relative to said lamp socket so as to change the vertical position of said lamp shade relative to the lamp.

2. An ornamental lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flat mounting plate has a downwardly curved peripheral flange for-med thereon, the bottom of said flange being at a significant-1y higher elevation than said lamp.

3. An ornamental lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upper end of said shade body includes an integrally formed horizontal flange rigidly secured to said flat mounting plate.

4. An ornamental lighting fixture as claimed in claim 2 wherein the upper end of said shade body includes an integrally formed horizontal flange rigidly secured to said flat mounting plate.

5. An ornamental lighting fixture as claimed in claim 4 wherein said shade body has an inverted frusto-conical shape.

6. An ornamental lighting fixture as claimed in claim 4 wherein said shade body has a generally upright frustoconical shape, said internally threaded hub being incorporated in the upper end of said shade body.

7. A light fixture, comprising an elongated lamp socket, means for suspending the lamp socket from a supporting surface with one end extending vertically downwardly to receive a lamp, a lamp shade body carried from the socket in surrounding relation thereto, a plate about the socket above the shade body and having an outer periphery extending beyond the upper end of the shade body, said shade body being opaque and having a multiplicity of relatively transparent areas therein between the end of the socket and the supporting surface so that a pattern of light and shade is cast upon a portion of the fixture between the upper end of the shade and the outer periphery of the plate, and means for moving the shade body longitudinally of the socket so as to adjust said shade body toward and away from the supporting surface.

8. A light fixture, comprising an elongated lamp socket, means for mounting the lamp socket in a supporting surface with one end extending therebeyond to receive a lamp,

.an opaque lamp shade body, means for mounting the lamp shade body about the socket, a plate on one of said mounting means extending radially outwardly from the socket, said shade body having a multiplicity of relatively transparent areas therein arranged between the end of the socket and the supporting surface so as to cast a pattern of light and shade on the plate, and means for moving the shade body longitudinally of the socket so as to adjust said shade body toward and away from the supporting surface.

5!. A light fixture as claimed in claim 8 wherein said relatively transparent areas are ararnged to also cast a pattern of light and shade upon the supporting surface about the plate.

10. A light fixture, comprising an elongated lamp socket, means including a plate adapted to be mounted on a supporting surface and having an opening formed centrally therein to carry the lamp socket with one end ex tending therebeyond to receive a lamp, a lamp shade assembly including an opaque lamp shade body, and means for mounting the shade body about the socket including a plate extending radially outwardly from the socket to conceal the plate of the socket mounting means, said shade body having a multiplicity of relatively transparent areas therein arranged between the end of the socket and the supporting surface so as to cast a pattern of light and shade on areas surrounding the socket, and means for moving the shade body mounting means longitudinally of the socket so as to adjust the shade body toward and away from the supporting surface.

11. A light fixture as claimed in claim 10 wherein the relatively transparent areas in the shade body are arranged to cast the pattern of light and shade upon the plate ofthe shade body mounting means.

12. A light fixture as claimed in claim 11 wherein there is a flange on the outer periphery of the plate of the shade body mounting means which is turned in a direction away from the supporting surface.

13. A light fixture, comprising an elongated lamp socket, means suspending the lamp socket from a supporting surface with one end extending vertically downwardly, a low voltage lamp received in the end of the socket, an opaque lamp shade body, means for mounting the shade body in surrounding relation of the socket, including a hub carried on the socket, a plate about the socket above the shade body and having an outer periphery extending beyond the upper end of the shade body, said shade body being opaque and having a multiplicity of relatively transparent areas therein between the end of the socket and lamp received therein and the supporting surface, so that a pattern of light and shade is cast upon a portion of the fixture between the upper end of the shade and the outer periphery of the plate, and means for adjusting the hub longitudinally of the socket, and said hub being movable over the lamp and end of the socket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,605,956 11/1926 Kornfeild et a1 240132 1,851,916 3/1932 MacDonald 240108 XR 2,218,291 10/1940 Muller 240108 XR 2,723,344 11/1955 Greminger 240-78 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,602 4/ 1904 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

C. C. LOGAN II, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

7. A LIGHT FIXTURE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED LAMP SOCKET, MEANS FOR SUSPENDING THE LAMP SOCKET FROM A SUPPORTING SURFACE WITH ONE END EXTENDING VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY TO RECEIVE A LAMP, A LAMP SHADE BODY CARRIED FROM THE SOCKET IN SURROUNDING RELATION THERETO, A PLATE ABOUT THE SOCKET ABOVE THE SHADE BODY AND HAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERY EXTENDING BEYOND THE UPPER END OF THE SHADE BODY, SAID SHADE BODY BEING OPAQUE AND HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF RELATIVELY TRANSPARENT AREAS THEREIN BETWEEN THE END OF THE SOCKET AND THE SUPPORTING SURFACE SO THAT A PATTERN OF LIGHT AND SHADE IS CAST UPON A PORTION OF THE FIXTURE BETWEEN THE UPPER END OF THE SHADE AND THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE PLATE, AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE SHADE BODY LONG-