US3354305A

US3354305A - Lighting fixture

Info

Publication number: US3354305A
Application number: US520949A
Authority: US
Inventors: Spicer Edward; Cohan Nathan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-01-17
Filing date: 1966-01-17
Publication date: 1967-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-21

Description

Nov. 21, 1967 E. SPICER ETAL' 3,354,305

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 17, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 21, 1967 E. SPICER ETAL 3,354,305

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 17, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,354,305 LIGHTING FIXTURE Edward Spicer, 11631 Dona Alicia Place, Studio City, Calif. 91604, and Nathan Cohan, 1029 Maj/brook Drive, Beverly Hills., Calif. 90210 Filed Ian. I7, 1966, Ser. No. 520,949 17 Claims. (Cl. 240-73) This invention relates generally to lighting fixtures of the type having a main support and at least one fixture arm extending outwardly from the main support to mount a lamp socket. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved lighting xture of this type having novel and simplified means for securing the fixture arm, or arms, to the main support.

The prior art is replete with a wide assortment of chandeliers and other lighting fixtures of the type to which this invention pertains. These existing fixtures, however, have certain inherent deficiencies which this invention seeks to overcome. One of the foremost of these deficiencies resides in the relatively high cost of manufacture of the existing fixtures. This high cost of manufacture is due, in large part, to the relatively complex methods and means required to assemble the fixture arms on and secure these arms to the main support of the existing fixtures. Thus, in the existing lighting fixtures the fixture arms are commonly secured to the support by threaded, welded, or other similar connections which are not only costly to fabricate but also render difficult, time consuming and hence costly the task of assembling the fixtures. In many cases, these connections preclude the possibility of selling fixtures to final purchasers in disassembled condition for subsequent assembly by the purchasers. As a consequence, the lighting fixtures must be assembled at the factory and then handled in this assembled condition throughout the entire distribution system from the factory to the purchaser. Obviously, this complicates and increases the costs and storage space involved in distribution handling of the fixtures.

Most, if not all, lighting fixtures of the kind under discussi-on are quite ornate and have extending fixture arms composed of multiple, separately formed arm members, some of which support lamp sockets and are thus primarily functional in character. Other members of the xture arms are primarily ornamental in character and have scroll shapes or other ornate configurations. In the past, it has been customary to mechanically join the separate members of each fixture arm by screws, rivets, welding, or the like prior to assembly of the members on the main fixture support. These methods of joining the separate members of each fixture arm add substantially to the overall cost of the fixture. From the standpoint of cost, of course, the preferred method of joining the separate members of each fixture arm is Welding. The heat generated during the welding operation, however, often discolors the members and thus necessitates subsequent treatment of their surfaces to remove or obscure the discoloration. This, of course, adds to the overall cost of the fixture. Moreover, it is often desirable to provide the members of each fixture arm with different colors in order to enhance the overall ornate appearance of the lighting fixture. Joining of the members by welding generally precludes such differential coloration for the reason that the members must be finished to the desired colors after welding, to avoid discoloration of the surface finish, and the task of separately finishing the welded members is often impossible, or at least difficult to the point of being economically unfeasible.

It is apparent at this point, therefore, that a definite need exists in the art for an improved lighting fixture of the character described which is devoid of the above noted and other deficiencies. It is a general object of this invention to provide such an improved lighting fixture.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting fixture of the character described wherein the fixture arms are secured to the main fixture support in a novel and simplified manner which substantially reduces the time and effort required to assemble the fixture and, therefore, the overall cost of the fixture.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting fixture `of the character described which is composed of relatively simple, economically fabricated parts.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting fixture of the character described which may be sold to a final purchaser in a disassembled condition for subsequent assembly by the purchaser, thereby eliminating the necessity of handling the fixture in an assembled condition throughout the distribution system between the factory and the purchaser.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting fixture of the character described embodying one or more fixture arms composed of separate functional and ornamental arm members which are joined to one another by the same means which secure the fixture f arms to the main fixture support, thereby eliminating the need for separate fastening means between the arm members.

A related object of the invention is to provide a lighting fixture of the character described wherein the separate members of each fixture arm may be conveniently provided with different surface finishes, or colors, without increasing the overall cost of the lighting fixture, thus to enhance the ornamental appearance of the fixture.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting fxture of the character described having novel means for longitudinally locating each fixture arm relative to the main xture support, and the separate members of each fixture arm relative to one another, thus to facilitate proper assembly of the fixture.

-A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting fixture of the character described which is relatively simple in construction, economical to manufacture, pleasing in appearance, and otherwise ideally suited to its intended purposes.

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

With these and such other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the lighting fixture, Whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevation of an improved lighting fixture according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan View of the lighting fixture in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified lighting fixture of the general type shown in FIG- URE 1, wherein the fixture arm is equipped with an ornamental scroll member;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of a chandelier according to the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 7*7 in FIGURE 6'; and

FIGURE 8 is a section taken on line 8 8 in FIG- URE 7.

The lighting fixture illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 of these drawings comprises a main support 12 and a fixture arm 14 secured at its inner end to and extending outwardly from the support. Mounted on the outer end of the fixture arm l14 is an electrical socket 16 for receiving a lamp 1S. in the completed fixture, socket 16 and lamp 18 may be enclosed by a suitably ornate glass envelope, shade, or the like (not shown).

The main fixture support 12 of the illustrated lighting fixture comprises a mounting bracket with a vertical leg 20 having a mounting surface 22 which is adapted to be placed against a wall 24 or other suitable support. The bracket is secured to this wall by screws 26 which extend through holes in the bracket leg 20. The lower end of the bracket leg may be bent into any desired ornamental configuration, such as the spiral or scroll configuration illustrated. Mounting bracket 12 includes a relatively thin, plate-like horizontal leg 28 which extends outwardly from the upper end of the bracket leg 20 to support the fixture arm 14.

Extending through the outer end of the bracket leg 28 is an opening 30 to receive the inner end of the fixture arm 14. In the illustrated lighting fixture, both the fixture arm 14 and the bracket opening 30 are rectangular in transverse cross section. As will appear from the ensuing description, however, the fixture arm 14 may be circular in transverse cross section, in which case the ends of the bracket opening 30 will be semi-ellipsoidal in shape. Bracket opening 30 is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the bracket arm 21S. Accordingly, the opening has a major axis 30a extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bracket arm 28 and a minor axis 30b extending normal to the major axis. The length dimension of the bracket opening 30, that is the dimension of this opening in the direction of its major axis 30a, is substantially greater than the corresponding cross sectional dimension of the fixture arm 14. The width dimension of the bracket opening, that is the dimension of the opening in the direction of its minor axis 301), is just slightly greater than the corresponding cross sectional dimension of the fixture arm.

It is evident at this point, therefore, that the inner end of the fixture arm 14 has a relatively close fit within the bracket opening 30, in the direction of the minor axis 3011 of this opening. Accordingly, the fixture arm is restrained against both lateral translational and angular movement relative to the mounting bracket 12 by the longitudinal edges of the bracket opening 30. On the other hand, the inner end of the fixture arm has a loose fit within the bracket opening 30 in the direction of its major axis 30a. Accordingly, the fixture arm 14 may be rotated relative to the bracket arm 28 to its'limiting angular position, illustrated, wherein the underside of the inner end of the fixture arm seats against the outer transverse edge 30C of the bracket opening 3) and the upper side of the inner end of the fixture arm seats against the inner transverse edge 30d of this opening. Fixture arm 14 is bent into the generally S-shape illustrated, whereby when this arm occupies its illustrated limiting angular position relative to the mounting bracket 12, the outer extremity of the arm, and the lamp socket 16 mounted thereon, are generally vertically disposed. In this position of the fixture arm, the socket 16 opens upwardly to receive the lamp 18. The electrical leads 32 for the socket extend through the interior of the fixture arm 14 and from the inner end of this arm for connection to the household wiring (not shown). As noted earlier, the socket 16 and lamp 18 are normally enclosed by a shade, glass envelope, or the like (not shown). For this reason, the socket 16 of the illustrated fixture is provided with a lower flange 34 to which the lamp shade or envelope may be secured.

The inner end of the fixture arm 14 is releasablyy secured to the mounting bracket 12 by clamping means 36 which are effective to urge the fixture arm in a direction of its limiting angular position relative to the bracket and into clamping engagement with the edges 30e and 30d of the bracket opening 30. In the particular lighting fixture under consideration, clamping means 36 comprise a pair of U-bolts 38 and 40 which extend over the inner end of the fixture arm and are secured to the bracket arm 28, at opposite ends of its major axis 30a. U-bolt 38 is secured to the underside of the bracket arm 28 and extends about the underside of the fixture arm 14, in such a way that tightening of the latter bolt urges the inner end of the fixture arm upwardly into clamping engagement with the inner edge 30d of the bracket opening 30. U-bolt 40 is secured to the upper side of the bracket arm 28 and extends about the upper side of the fixture arm, in such a way that tightening of the latter bolt urges the inner end of the fixture arm downwardly into clamping engagement with the outer edge 30C of the bracket opening. It is evident at this point, therefore, that the U-bolts 38, 40 serve to urge the fixture arm 14 to its illustrated limiting angular position relative to the mounting bracket 12 and into clamping engagement with the inner and outer edges of the bracket opening, thus to releasably secure the fixture arm to the mounting bracket.

One obvious advantage of the above described means for clamping the fixture arm 14 to the mounting bracket 12 is that the arm and bracket may be quickly and easily joined without riveting, welding, or other time consuming and costly fabricating operations. Another advantage of the illustrated lighting fixture resides in the fact that the ornamental appearance of the fixture may be simply and economically varied by providing the `fixture arm with one or more ornamental members in addition to the main lamp supporting member of the arm. FIGURE 5 shows such an ornamented lighting fixture 100. Thus, lighting fixture comprises amounting bracket 102 identical to that of the lighting fixture 10 described above and a fixture arm 104 including

separate arm members

106 and 108. Arm member 106 is a lam-p supporting iember which is identical to the fixture arm 14 in lighting fixture 10. Arm member 108 is an ornamental member which is fashioned from a metal strap, or the like, and may be formed in to any desired ornate configuration, such as that illustrated. According to the present invention the members 166, 108 of the fixture arm 104 are secured to one another and to the mounting bracket solely by the clamping means 110 on the bracket. Thus, these members are placed in side by side contacting relation along the major axis of the mounting bracket opening 112, as shown, so that tightening of the clamping means 110 `is effective to join the members to one another and to the bracket. Preferably, the members have the same cross sectional dimension in the direction of the minor axis of the bracket opening, whereby the members are retained in longitudinal alignment by the longitudinal edgesof the opening.

The ornamented lighting fixture 100 has certain advantages in addition to those discussed earlier. Thus, because the

members

106, 108 of the fixture arm 104 are joined to one another and to the mounting bracket by the clamping means 110, it is unnecessary to Weld, bolt, or otherwise mechanically join the members to one another. lThis, in turn, simplifies and reduces the cost of manufacturing and assembling the lighting fixture Moreover, the ornamental appearance of the fixture may be changed, at any time, by simply releasing the clamping means 110 and replacing the ornamental member 108 of the fixture arm 104 by an ornamental member of different shape, color, or surface finish. In this regard, it will be recalled, from the earlier discussion, that it is difficult or impossible to provide existing lighting fixtures of this type with fixture arms having separate members of different color or surface finish. Thus, as was noted earlier, the fixture arm members of the existing lighting fixtures are commonly welded, bolted, or otherwise. mechanically joined to one another in such a way that it is extremely difficult or impossible to provide the members with different surface finishes on colors. Moreover, the existing practice of welding the fixture arm members to one another is undesirable for the reason that the heat of welding discolors the members and, thereby, necessitates surface finishing of these members after welding. This dfiiculty is obviously avoided in the present lighting fixture. While the fixture arm 104 of the ornamented lighting fixture 100 illustrated in FIGURE 5 has but a single ornamental member 103, it is obvious that the arm may be provided with one or more additional ornamental members disposed above and/ or below the main lamp supporting member of the arm.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 6 through 8, illustrating a chandelier 200 according to the invention. Chandelier 200 comprises a central support or distributor 202 and a number of fixture arms 204 spaced about and extending outwardly from this central support. The central support 200 has a pendant 206 which is commonly attached by a link chain, or the like (not shown) to the ceiling of a room. At the lower end of the pendant 206 are bracket means 20S for securing the fixture arms 204 to the pendant. Bracket means 20S comprise a circular bracket plate 210 which is centrally apertured to receive the lower end of the pendant 206. Fixed to the pendant below the bracket plate 210 is a hickey 212 which supports the bracket plate from below. A nut 214 is threaded on the pendant above the bracket plate for clamping the latter tightly against the hickey 212. EX- tending through the bracket plate 210 are a number of openings 216 for receiving the inner ends of the fixture arms 204, respectively. These openings are uniformly circumferentially spaced about the bracket plate 210 at equal radial distances from the center of the plate. The bracket plate openings 216 are rectangular in cross section and each is elongated in a radial direction of the bracket plate 210. Accordingly, each opening has a major axis extending radially of the plate and the minor axis normal to its major axis.

Each fixture arm 204 comprises

separate arm members

218 and 220. Arm members 218 comprise lamp supporting members which are substantially identical to the lamp supporting members, or arms of the earlier embodiments of the invention. Arm members 220 comprise metal straps which are bent into the ornate configuration shown. The inner ends of the

members

218, 220 of each fixture arm 204 are disposed in side by side contacting relation within their respective bracket plate opening 216. As in the previous for-ms of the invention, the length dimension of these openings in the direction of their major axes is substantially greater than the corresponding cross sectional dimension of the fixture arms 204. The width dimension of the openings in the direction of their minor axis is just slightly greater than the corresponding cross sectional dimension of the fixture arms. Accordingly, each fixture arm is restrained against any substantial lateral movement relative to the bracket plate 210 but is rotatable relative to this plate to a limiting angular position illustrated in FIGURE 8, wherein the undersurface of the arm, that is the surface of the arm furnished by the respective ornate arm member 220, seats against the outer edge of the respective bracket plate opening 216 and the upper surface of the arm furnished by the lamp supporting arm member 218, seats against the inner edge of the opening.

Fixture ar-ms 204 are secured to the bracket plate 210 by clamping means 222 including an upper circular clamping plate 224 and a lower circular clamping plate 226. The upper clamping plate 224 is co-axially disposed above the bracket plate 210 and has a large central opening 228 receiving the fixture pendant 206. About the outer edge of the clamping plate 224 is an upturned, generally conical clamping lip 230 which generally parallels and seats against the upper surfaces of the fixture arms 204, opposite the outer edges of the bracket plate openings 6 216. The lower clamping plate 226 is co-axially disposed below the bracket plate 210 and has a large central opening 232 receiving the hickey 212. About the outer edge of the lower clamping plate is an upturned, generally conical clamping lip 234 which generally parallels and seats against the undersurfaces of the fixture arms 204 opposite the inner edges of the bracket plate openings 216. Clamping

plates

224, 226 are joined by screws 236 which extend through aligned openings in the upper clamping plate and the bracket plate 210 and are threaded in the lower clamping plate. Rotation of these screws 236 in one direction, therefore, is effective to draw the clamping plates toward one another and, thereby, to urge the clamping lips 230, 234 on these plates into clamping engagement with the fixture arms 204. It is evident that the clamping pressure of the clamping lips 230, 234 against the fixture arms 204 urges these arms in the direction of their limiting angular positions and into clamping engagement with the inner and outer edges of the bracket plate openings 216, thus to releasably secure the arms to the central support or distributor 202 of the chandelier.

One feature of the chandelier 200, which may be embodied in the lighting fixtures of FIGURES l and 5, if desired, resides in means for longitudinally locating the fixture arms 204 relative to the central chandelier support 202 and relatively longitudinally locating the members 21S, 220 of each fixture arm relative to one another. Thus, the inner end of each fixture arm 204 has an upper transverse notch 238 which extends into the upper side of the respective lamp supporting arm member 218. When each fixture arm 204 is rotated to its limiting angular position, the arm notch 238 receives the inner edge of the corresponding bracket plate opening 216, thus to longitudinally locate the arm relative to the bracket plate 210. The inner end of the ornate member 220 of each fixture arm 204 has a transverse shoulder 240 which abuts the inner end of its adjacent fixture arm member 218, thus to relatively longitudinally locate the arm members relative to one another. It is evident at this point, therefore, that the fixture arms 204 may be quickly and easily assembled on the pendant 206 by simply inserting their inner ends through the bracket plate openings 216 and sliding the arms back and forth, longitudinally of their inner ends, until the inner edges of the openings engage in the arm notches 238. Thereafter, the ornate arm members 220 are -moved longitudinally outward relative to their respective lamp supporting arm members 21S until the shoulders 240 bottom against the inner ends of these latter members. Finally, the clamp screws 236 are tightened to draw the upper and

lower clamping plates

224, 226 into clam-ping engagement with the fixture arms 204, thereby securing these arms to the fixture support 202.

As in the previous embodiment of the invention, the electrical leads 242 for the lamp sockts 244 on the outer ends of the lamp supporting arm members 218 extend through the latter members. The inner ends of these leads are electrically connected to main electrical leads 245 which extend upwardly through the chandelier pendant 206 for connection to the household wiring (not shown). Each lamp socket 244 and the lamp 250 contained in the socket are enclosed in an ornate glass envelope 252, which may be tinted, if desired.

The central support 202 of the chandelier 200` may be ornamented in any desired manner. The illustrated support, for example, is provided with a number of ornamental bands 254 which are circumferentially spaced about the chandelier pendant 206 and extend upwardly from the bracket means 208. These bracket means, in turn, are obscured y.from below by an ornamental fitting 256 which is secured to the hickey 212. As may be best observed in FIGURE 8, fitting 256 has an upper, cupshaped flange 258 which seats against the outer edge of the bracket plate 210 and is formed with an u-pstanding parametrical lip 260 which extends upwardly about the a outer edge of the bracket plate to obscure the latter and the clamping

plates

224, 226 from view.

It is obvious, at this point, that the chandelier 200 possesses all of the unique advantages of the lighting fixtures described earlier. Thus, the fixture arms 204 may be quickly and easily secured to the bracket plate 210 without welding, bolting, riveting, or other fabricating operations which complicate and prolong the assembly and thereby increase the overall cost of the chandelier. Moreover, the

members

218, 220 of each fixture arm 204 are joined to one another and to the central chandelier support 262 solely by the clamping

lmeans

224, 226. Accordingly, these members may ybe provided with different colors or surface finishes to enhance the overall ornate appearance of the chandelier. In addition, there is no need to finish or re-nish the surfaces of the fixture arms after assembly, as is required in the existing lighting fixtures, or chandeliers, which resort to welding for joining the several members of each fixture arm. Clearly, therefore, the invention hereinafter described and illustrated possesses the several features and advantages set forth earlier.

While certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, the invention is obviously susceptible of numerous modifications in the design, arrangement of parts, and instrumentalities of the invention and is to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

`a main support including a relatively thin, plate-like bracket member having an opening therethrough, a fixture arm extending outwardly from said support and having an inner end disposed within said opening, -said opening having a cross sectional dimension along a given axis of the opening which is substantially greater than the corresponding cross sectional dir'nension of said arm and, whereby said fixture arm is rotatable in a given direction relative to said br-acket member to a limiting angular position wherein one side of said arm seats against the edge of said opening at one end of'said axis, the opposite side of said arm seats against the edge of said opening at the opposite end of said axis, and said arm end is disposed at an acute angle relative to said bracket member, clamping means associated with said bracket member and disposed in clamping engagement with said arm for urging said arm end in said direction of rota-tion relative to said bracket member and into clamping engagement with said edges of said opening, thereby to releasably secure said arm to said support, and a lamp socket mounted on said fixture arm.

2. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said fixture arm comprises a plurality of separate arm members having inner ends disposed within said opening in side by side contacting relation along said axis and ysaid `arm members are secured in assembled relation solely by Ithe clamping forces active between said arm members, said clamping means, and said bracket member.

3. A lighting fixture according to claim 2 wherein:

said arm members each have a different color.

4. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said fixture arm comprises a plurality of separate arm members having inner ends disposed within said opening in side by side contacting relation along said axis, said arm members are secured in assembled relation solely by the clamping forces active between said arm members, said clamping means, and said bracket member, and one of said arm members has a transverse locating shoulder at its inner end engaging the inner end of an adjacent arm member for relatively longitudinally locating said adjacent arm members.

8 5. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein: said opening is elongated in the direction of said axis, whereby said axis is the major axis of said opening and said opening has `a minor axis normal to said major axis, and said opening is dimensioned in the direction of lsaid minor axis to receive said arm end with -a relatively close fit, thereby to restrain said arm against movement relative to said bracket member in a direction transverse to said given direction. 6. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein: said opening is elongated in the direction of said axis, whereby said axis is the major axis of said opening and said opening has a minor axis normal to said major axis, said fixture arm comprises a plurality of separate arm members having inner ends disposed within said opening in -side by side contacting relation along said axis, said members are secured in assembled relation solely by the clamping forces active between said arm members, said clamping means, and said bracket member, sai-d inner ends of said arm members have approximately the same dimension in the direction of said minor axis, and said opening is dimensioned in the direction of said minor axis to receive said inner ends of said arm members with a relatively close fit, whereby said arm members are retained in lateral alignment by the edges of said opening at the ends of said minor axis and said arm members are restrained against movement relative to said bracket member in a direction transverse to said given direction.

7. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said fixture arm comprises a tubular arm member mounting said lamp socket, and electrical leads extending from said socket through said arm member to said support.

8. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said arm end has a transverse locating notch in one of said sides thereof receiving the adjacent edge of said opening for longitudinally locating said arm lrelative to said bracket member.

9. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said clamping means comprise `at least one U-bolt secured to one side of said bracket member at one end of said axis and engaging over said arm end.

10. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said clamping means comprise a pair of U-bolts secured to opposite sides of said bracketk member at the ends,

respectively, of said axis .and engaging over said arm end.

11. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said clamping means comprise a clamping plate at one side of said bracket member having a clamping lip engaging said arm end opposite one of said edges of said opening, and means for urging said clamping plate toward said bracket member.

12. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said clamping means comprise a pair of clamping plates at opposite sides of said bracket member and having clamping lips, respectively, engaging said arm end opposite said edges, respectively, of said opening, and means for urging said clamping plates toward said bracket member.

13. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said support comprises a mounting bracket having a wall engaging surface, and said bracket member comprises an arm on said mounting bracket extending outwardly from said surface.

14. A chandelier comprising:

a central support including a pendant and a generally circular and co-axial bracket plate disposed in a plane substantially normal to said axis, said plate having `a number of openings generally uniformly spaced about said axis, an equal number of fixture arms extending outwardly from said pendant and having inner ends disposed within said openings, respectively,

each said opening having a cross sectional dimension along a radial axis of said bracket plate which is substantially greater than the corresponding cross sectional dimension of its respective arm end, whereby each said fixture arm is rotatable in a given radial direction relative to said bracket plate to a limiting angular position wherein one side of the respective arm end seats against the radially inner edge of its receiving opening, the opposite side of the respective arm end seats against the radially outer edge of its receiving opening, and the respective arm end is disposed at an acute angle relative to the plane of said bracket plate, clamping means associated with said bracket plate and disposed in clamping engagement with said arm ends for urging said arms in said given directions thereof and into clamping engagement with said edges of their respective receiving openings, thereby to releasably secure said fixture arms to said ends, and a lamp socket mounted on each fixture arm.

15. A chandelier according to claim 14 wherein: said clamping means comprise a generally circular and 16. A lighting fixture according to claim 15 wherein: said clamping means comprise a pair of generally circular and co-axial clamping plates disposed at opposite sides of said bracket plate and each bounded by a generally conical parametrical clamping lip, the clamping lip 0n one of said clamping plates engages one of said sides of said arm ends opposite one of said edges of said openings, the clamping lip on the other clamping plate engages the opposite sides of said arm ends opposite the other of said edges of said openings, and means for urging said clamping plates toward said bracket plate, thereby to urge said clamping lips toward their respective opposing opening edges.

17. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 wherein:

said bracket member has a normally upper side, one of said edges of said opening comprises an outer edge of said opening, and said fixture arm extends above said upper side of said bracket member and then outwardly from said bracket member over said outer edge, whereby the weight of said arm urges the latter to said limiting angular position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,059,742 4/ 1913 Lumley 240-78 X 1,806,852 5/ 1931 Hamlyn 240-108 2,701,299 2/ 1955 Florence 240-78 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,117,751 11/ 1961 Germany.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

DAVID L. JACOBSON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A LIGHTING FIXTURE COMPRISING: A MAIN SUPPORT INCLUDING A RELATIVELY THIN, PLATE-LIKE BRACKET MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH, A FIXTURE ARM EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING AN INNER END DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OPENING, SAID OPENING HAVING A CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION ALONG A GIVEN AXIS OF THE OPENING WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE CORRESPONDING CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION OF SAID ARM AND, WHEREBY SAID FIXTURE ARM IS ROTATABLE IN A GIVEN DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID BRACKET MEMBER TO A LIMITING ANGULAR POSITION WHEREIN ONE SIDE OF SAID ARM SEATS AGAINST THE EDGE OF SAID OPENING AT ONE END OF SAID AXIS, THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID ARM SEATS AGAINST THE EDGE OF SAID OPENING AT THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID AXIS, AND SAID ARM END IS DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE RELATIVE TO SAID BRACKET MEMBER, CLAMPING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BRACKET MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ARM FOR URGING SAID ARM END IN SAID DIRECTION OF ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID BRACKET MEMBER AND INTO CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID EDGES OF SAID OPENING, THEREBY TO RELEASABLY SECURE SAID ARM TO SAID SUPPORT, AND A LAMP SOCKET MOUNTED ON SAID FIXTURE ARM.