US3683173A

US3683173A - Recessed lighting fixture including pivotally mounted power supply

Info

Publication number: US3683173A
Application number: US855337A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin F Guth Jr
Original assignee: EDWIN F GUTH CO
Current assignee: GUTH LIGHTING SYSTEMS INC "GLS" A CORP OF MISSOURI; EDWIN F GUTH CO
Priority date: 1969-09-04
Filing date: 1969-09-04
Publication date: 1972-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-08

Abstract

Electric lighting fixture which, in use, is recessed within a ceiling or wall, characterized by having its lamp housing removably mounted to a plaster-ring, and a power regulating instrumentality hingedly mounted to the plaster-ring in a position where it is not accessible through the plaster-ring when the lamp housing is in operative position, but when the lamp housing is removed from its mount, the power regulating instrumentality can be hinged into a position where it may be operated upon through the plaster-ring.

Description

United States Patent Guth, Jr.

[54] RECESSED LIGHTING FIXTURE INCLUDING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED POWER SUPPLY [72] Inventor: Edwin F. Guth, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.

[73] Assignee: The Edwin F. Guth Company, St.

Louis, Mo.

[22] Filed: Sept. 4, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 855,337

[52] US. Cl. ..240/78 HA.

[51] Int. Cl. ..F21s l/02 [58] Field of Search...240/2 BV, 6, 25, 9, 9 A, 51.11, 240/78, 78 CF, 78 H, 78 R, 78 HA, 78 LD [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,094,670 10/1937 Rambusch ..240/78 H 3,293,426 12/1966 Zeitz ..240/5l.11 X 2,413,666 12/1946 Tuck ..240/5 1.11

[ Aug. 8, 1972 I 8/1952 Winkler 240/5111 2,802,933 8/1957 Broadwin ..240/78 2,998,512 8/1961 Duchene ..240/78 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser Assistant Examiner-C. E. Snee, 111 Attorney-Paul M. Wenk [57] ABSTRACT Electric lighting fixture which, in use, is recessed within a ceiling or wall, characterized by having its lamp housing removably mounted to a plaster-ring, and a power regulating instrumentality hingedly mounted to the plaster-ring in a position where it is not accessible through the plaster-ring when the lamp housing is in operative position, but when the lamp housing is removed from its mount, the power regulating instrumentality can be hinged into a position where it may be operated upon through the plasterring.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEmus 8 I972 3.683.173

sum 1 or 2 EDWIN F. gum, JR

RECESSED LIGHTING FIXTURE INGLUDING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED POWER SUPPLY This invention relates generally to illumination, and particularly to fixtures of the kind which are customarily recessed in the ceiling of a room, and which require ballasts, transformers, capacitors, or other electric power regulating instrumentalities for their operation, and such instrumentalities are necessarily located above the ceiling in which the fixture is recessed, so that the light emanating from it is transmitted through an aperture in the ceiling to the space below the ceiling.

When a reactance instrumentality for a fixture of the kind described requires replacement, or other attention, it has heretofore been necessary for the repairman to climb into the plenum space above the ceiling where the fixture is mounted; or to remove sections of ceiling, such as the modular panels of acoustical material surrounding the situs of the recessed fixture, in order to get at the instrumentality where a fault has developed.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is to make the reactance instrumentalities of a fixture of the kind referred to conveniently get-at-able.

This objective is accomplished, in accordance with the present invention, by mounting the reactance instrumentalities, the lamp housing, and an appropriate reflector, if any is employed, so that each is movable relative to the other, and particularly so that the lamp housing may be readily released from its anchorage, and moved either to the side of the aperture in the ceiling, but above the ceiling, or downwardly through the aperture in the ceiling, such movement being independent of the reactance instrumentalities, but making them accessible through the aperture in the ceiling. Preferably, the reactance instrumentalities are mounted in a housing which is hinged at the outer perimeter of a plater-ring, while the lamp housing, with or without reflector, is releasably mounted at the inner periphery of the same plater-ring. Such an arrangement provides the alternatives: that if the lamp housing is smaller than the inner periphery of the plaster-ring, it can be moved downwardly through the aperture in the plaster-ring to be out of the way, but below the ceiling, for operations to be performed, through the aperture in the plaster-ring, upon the adjacent exposed reactance instrumentalities; or that the lamp housing, with or without reflector, may be of such magnitude that it will not pass through the aperture in the plaster-ring, but can nevertheless be released from its connection with the plaster-ring and moved sidewise in the space above the ceiling, so as to get it out of the way of operations to be performed on the reactance instrumentalities. In neither case does the electrical connection between the lamp housing and the enclosure, or framework, which accommodates the reactance instrumentalities, need to be mechanically released. Where the enclosure or framework which mounts the reactance instrumentalities is hinged to the outer periphery of a plaster-ring as above indicated, the hinging is preferably about a substantially horizontal axis, so as to bring the instrumentalities to be operated upon into a position where they are invertical alignment with the aperture in the plaster-ring, and may even project downwardly through it, thereby facilitating operation upon them or replacement of them.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of .a portion of conventional modular ceiling having recessed therein a vapor lamp type of fixture constructed in accordance with the present invention, all being shown in their normal operating position but with part of the ceiling broken away to expose the fixture;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, but showing the lamp housing disassembled from the plaster-ring, and moved away from it;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the several components of the fixture showing the lamp housing connected to the reactance instrumentalities only by electrical cable, and showing, in dotted lines, a position of said instrumentalities which rmke them readily accessible for repair or replacement by a person working and looking through the plaster-ring from below the ceiling;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view showing that portion of the ceiling in which the fixture is recessed, which surrounds the plaster-ring, and showing the reactance instrumentalities in the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of the lamp housing; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the plaster-ring and adjunct parts.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of modular ceiling panels 1, which may be of acoustical material, are mounted upon an appropriate framework to support them as a ceiling at the chose elevation above the floor of a room to be illuminated. Above the ceiling composed of the panels 1, there is provided an open space, commonly called a plenum, which accommodates ductwork and other equipment including the unsightly part of lighting fixtures which are recessed into the ceiling for illuminating the room area thereabout. In the form shown in FIG. 1, the recessed lighting fixture consists of a lamp housing 2, which. is disposed wholly above the visible ceiling surface, a transformer and capacitor enclosure 3 disposed wholly above the visible ceiling surface and connected by flexible electrical cable, such as BX cable 4 to the lamp housing. Each of the lamp housing 2 and enclosure 3 is connected to a plaster-ring 5 in a manner such as to pemiit relative movement among them. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the plaster-ring has a circular aperture 6 surrounded by a horizontally extending flange 7 from which depends a vertical flange 8. As is usual withsuch devices, the plaster-ring 5 is fitted into an appropriate hole in the ceiling, such hole being shown in the drawings as having a quadrant in each of four different panels 1, and the ring is appropriately anchored to the ceiling structure, as by tabs 9 projecting radially outward from the margin of flange 7. The flange 8 is intended to project through the hole in the ceiling panels, and to have its lower edge terminate substantially flush with the exposed or visible surface of the ceiling structure. At one side of the horizontally extending flange 7, the plasterring 5 has a channel member 10 secured thereto. The

upper flange of the channel 10 constitutes the fixed leaf transformer 16, each of which is removably affixed to the interior of box 12, so that they may be readily removed and replaced when desired; and they are electrically connected in the conventional way through BX cable 4 to the top of lamp housing 2, in which a lamp receptacle 17 is disposed.

The hinged arrangement of box 12, relative to the plaster-ring l5, permits the box and its contents, including the wiring, to be moved from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in the same FIG., provided the lamp housing 2 has been moved out of the position shown in FIG. 1 to a position such as that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The lamp housing 2 is secured to the plaster-ring in any suitable fashion, such as by the provision of a plurality of lugs 18, each vertically projecting from, but substantially aligned with, the inner periphery of flange 8. In the form shown, the tabs 9, previously described, form an integral part of the lugs 18, but project radially outward from flange 7. Each of the vertically projecting lugs 18 has a threaded hole in which a screw 19 is accommodated with its head projecting radially inward.

The several screws 19 are intended to interfit each with one of several branched slots 20, which open at the lower edge of the lamp housing 2, so that the shanks of screws 19 may enter the slot 20 at the lower edge of housing 2, while the screw is in position within the threaded hole of its lug 18. Each slot 20 has a plurality of horizontally extending

branches

21, 22 and 23, each at a different distance from the open lower end of housing 2, and hence providing three different degrees of telescoping between the lower end of housing 2 and ring at which the parts can be brought to rest and secured in position, with the heads of the screws 19 on the inside of lamp housing 2.

When the lamp housing has been thus assembled in appropriate position relative to ring 5, a parabolic reflector 24, or its equivalent, may be inserted upwardly through plaster-ring 5 into a position whereat top rim 25 of the reflector is engaged by spring fingers 26 located within the lamp housing 2. The engagement between rim 25 and spring fingers 26 is sufiiciently firm to hold the reflector in position with an upward bias, but is nevertheless yieldable to release the reflector when a downward force is applied to it. Such downward force may be applied by merely reaching the hand upwardly through the plaster-ring 5, so that the fingers engage above rim 25, and pressing it downward. At its bottom end, reflector 24 is provided with an outtumed lip 27, whose outside periphery is preferably greater than the inside periphery of flange 8 on the plaster-ring, so as to limit the movement of the reflector upwardly relative to the plaster-ring. However, as in many cases the plaster-ring does not extend downwardly through the ceiling material to a degree such as to expose the lower edge of the plaster-ring, it is preferable to provide the reflector with a separate flanged collar 28 whose internal periphery is such as to accommodate the reflector 24 with a loose fit, but whose external periphery is sufficiently greater than the periphery of any part of the reflector that it will extend outboard of ring flange 8 to a degree sufficient to cover any space between the plaster-ring and the surrounding ceiling panels 1.

Accordingly, those skilled in the art will understand that when the fixture of the invention is installed, as shown in FIG. 1, and it is necessary to replace the capacitor 15 access may be readily gained to the capacitor, without necessitating that an attendant crawl into the space above the ceiling, by the following sequence of steps:

1. Reaching through the open lower end of reflector 24 to engage the rim 25 with the fingertips of one hand, and pulling the reflector downwardly;

2. Releasing the grip of screws 19 in their

corresponding branch slots

21, 22 or 23, and turning the lamp housing 2 a degree or so in the direction to free the stems of screws 19 from the branch slots which they had occupied, and bring those stems into the vertical slot 20;

3. Pushing the lamp housing 2 upwardly to free it from engagement with the plaster-ring, and setting it ofi' to the side of the plaster-ring above the ceiling, as shown in FIG. 2 the flexibility and length of BX cable 4 being sufficient to provide for such movement of the lamp housing without movement of enclosure 12;

. Tilting enclosure 12 about hinge axis 11 into the dotted line position shown in FIG. 3, which brings the

instrumentalities

15 and 16 into position immediately in line with the opening through plasterring 5 where they can be readily removed and replaced, or repaired, or any fault in their external wiring corrected.

The structure disclosed provides for certain alternatives in the foregoing procedure, as, for example, instead of moving the lamp housing 2 ofi to the side above the ceiling, the screws 19 can be completely removed from their threaded holes, and the lamp housing lowered down through the plaster-ring so that it is suspended by cable 4 at a sufficient distance below the ceiling that it does not interfere with the attendant working on the contents of enclosure 12.

Another alternative in the aforesaid procedure is that the work which needs to be done within enclosure 12 can be accomplished through the plaster-ring without moving 12 from the vertical position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, into the horizontal position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 3.

In the arrangement shown, where the

instrumentalities

15 and 16 are mounted to the back (i.e., the side remote from hinge pin 11) of box 12, the center of gravity of box 12 and its contents is such as to tend to tilt the box and contents in the counterclockwise direction relative to the plaster-ring, as seen in FIG. 3. This is desirable so that the ordinary vibration to which a building is subject will not tend to hinge the box 12 and contents in the clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3, where it might collide with or damage lamp housing 2. On the other hand, with the box 12 and its contents mounted to the outside of the inner periphery of the plaster-ring, it is desirable to protect the fixture from the possibility that such ordinary vibrations might rock the box 12 in the counterclockwise direction, as seen in taken. In addition, the plaster-ring is preferably provided at the opposite ends of said diameter with a pair of upstanding slotted standards 30, each having an adjustable clip 31 with an underhanging lip adapted for engagement with an accessible part of the ceiling supporting framework. The clips 31 are adjustable vertically relative to the ring 5, so that at the time of installation, the clips can be readily positioned for best engagement with the permanent ceiling framework, and they too may be adjusted while the parts are in the position shown in FIG. 2.

From the foregoing description, those skilled in the art should understand the construction and operation of the invention and realize the advantageous results achieved by it. While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail and certain alternatives suggested, it is not to be understood that the invention is limited to the details of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An electric lighting fixture mounted in recessed relation to a ceiling with parts concealed by the ceiling, said parts including:

a. a housing for accommodating a lamp,

b. a power control instrumentality,

c. a flexible electrical connector extending between and means secured to said ceiling for releasably mounting (a) in a normal operating position, and for hingedly mounting (b) in a normal position clear of (a), said hinged mounting being such that (b) can move into the normal position of (a) when (a) is released and moved clear of its normal position, said connector (c) being of length sufiicient that (a) can be moved out of said normal position to an extent such that (b) can occupy it without disconnecting (c) from either (a) or (b).

2. The fixture of claim 1 in which the center of gravity of (b) is positioned to bias (b) away from (a) when (a) is in its normal position.

3. An electric lighting fixture of the character requiring a power regulating instrumentality in its electrical circuitry incorporating its lamp receptacle, and said fixture being of the type which, when mounted for use, has a substantial part of its lamp housing recessed in a ceiling means or the like, comprising, a plaster-ring mounted to said ceiling means, said lamp housing being removably mounted to said ring, the power regulating instrumentality mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said plaster-ring, whereby said instrumentality is pivoted out of alignment with the aperature of the ring while the housing is mounted to said ring, and said instrumentality capable of alignment with the aperature of said ring for ease of accessibility when the housing has been removed from the same.

4. The invention of claim 3 including a removable reflector mounted within said lamp housing.

5. In an electric lighting fixture of the character requiring a power regulating instrumentality in its electrical circuitry and incorporating a lamp receptacle, said fixture being of the type which, when mounted for use, has a substantial part of its lamp housing recessed in a ceiling means or the like, said fixture comprising, a plaster-ring mounted to said ceiling means, the. power a instrumen i mo ted for i tal movem nt 335% respect to s id ring, v v lnareby instrumentality lies upwardly of the ceiling means and outside of the rings inner periphery project-ed during normal installation and usage of the lighting fixture, and said instrumentality capable of pivotal movement into alignment inside the rings inner periphery projected to facilitate lamp maintenance.

6. The fixture of claim 5 wherein the lamp housing is removably mounted to said ring, and said housing when fixed in place upon the ring substantially obstructs the pivotal movement of said instrumentally about the ring.

7. The fixture of claim 5 wherein the power regulating instrumentality hingedly connects to said plasterrmg.

Claims

1. An electric lighting fixture mounted in recessed relation to a ceiling with parts concealed by the ceiling, said parts including: a. a housing for accommodating a lamp, b. a power control instrumentality, c. a flexible electrical connector extending between (a) and (b), means secured to sAid ceiling for releasably mounting (a) in a normal operating position, and for hingedly mounting (b) in a normal position clear of (a), said hinged mounting being such that (b) can move into the normal position of (a) when (a) is released and moved clear of its normal position, said connector (c) being of length sufficient that (a) can be moved out of said normal position to an extent such that (b) can occupy it without disconnecting (c) from either (a) or (b).

5. In an electric lighting fixture of the character requiring a power regulating instrumentality in its electrical circuitry and incorporating a lamp receptacle, said fixture being of the type which, when mounted for use, has a substantial part of its lamp housing recessed in a ceiling means or the like, said fixture comprising, a plaster-ring mounted to said ceiling means, the power regulating instrumentality mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said ring, whereby said instrumentality lies upwardly of the ceiling means and outside of the ring''s inner periphery projected during normal installation and usage of the lighting fixture, and said instrumentality capable of pivotal movement into alignment inside the rings inner periphery projected to facilitate lamp maintenance.

7. The fixture of claim 5 wherein the power regulating instrumentality hingedly connects to said plaster-ring.