Lamp Guard

Abstract

A lamp guard having a clamping band for securing the same to a lamp socket, a plurality of substantially U-shaped wire members having the free ends of the legs thereof integrally secured to the clamping band and extending to one side of the clamping band and adapted to enclose and protect a lamp; and a pair of rings, one integrally joined to the legs of the wire members at an intermediate point thereon and the second integrally joined to the bight portions of the U-shaped members.

Description

This invention relates to a lamp guard and more particularly to a lamp guard of the type adapted to enclose an electric lamp or bulb and protect the same from blows or the like. Guards of this general character are used extensively in industrial or shop areas which use open electric bulbs for illumination and which are subject to frequent breakage by being accidentally struck or by other abuse.

There are a variety of guards for protecting electric bulbs on the market but most of these are not completely satisfactory mainly because they are too flimsy and do not stand up too well when subjected to hard usage with the result that, not only are the guards bent beyond repair but are often completely broken and the bulbs within destroyed, requiring frequent replacement of both these items.

Applicant has overcome these disadvantages by his guard, particularly in the manner in which its parts are arranged and in the manner and at what specific points they are fastened together.

It is therefore one object of my invention to produce a lamp guard which is sturdy enough to withstand the hard use and abuse normally given such objects in factory and shop.

It is another object to produce such a guard which can be manufactured by established methods at a reasonable cost.

Still further objects of the invention include the provision of a guard which will enable removal and replacement of the lamp bulb without necessitating removal of the guard; and in the provision of a guard which can be easily attached to lamp sockets of slightly varying sizes without the use of tools other than a simple screwdriver.

The above and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as this description proceeds and reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the guard according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation; and

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, 10 generally indicates a two part clamp having arcuate portions 11 and 12 adapted to fit around an electric lamp socket (shown in phantom at 13 in FIG. 3) and outstanding perforated ears 11' and 12', through which clamping bolt and nut means 14 extends for drawing the two parts of the clamp together to effect the clamping action about the lamp socket.

A number of side members generally indicated 15 are attached to the two part clamp. These side members are preferably made of wire and are generally U-shaped, having leg portions 16 with the free ends 17 thereof welded or otherwise integrally secured to the two part clamp. The legs 16 extend to one side of the clamp and are bent outwardly at 18 to form, in effect, diverging leg portions 19 for some distance below the clamp to provide space therewithin to contain the bulb. The legs 16 are bent inwardly again at 20 and the leg portions 21 below these bends are extended in substantially parallel relationship with each other to the bight portions of the U-shaped side members generally indicated at 22. The bight portions 22 are formed into three substantially straight, but angularly related portions 23, 24 and 25, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. A ring 26 surrounds the leg portions 21 just below the bends 20 and is secured to these leg portions by welding or any equivalent means at points 27 and 28 on each of the U-shaped side members.

A second ring 29 surrounds the leg portions 21 just above the bight portion 22. In fact, the angularly related portions 24 and 25 of the bight portion are bent so as to extend from within the ring 29 to below the ring and lie on the undersurface thereof and the portion 23 of the bight portion is thus made to lie entirely below the ring 29 as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The ring 29 is secured to the leg portions by welding or equivalent means. It has been found convenient to spot weld the legs to the ring at points 30 between the vertical sections of the legs and the inner surface of the ring and at points 31 and 32 between the angularly related portions 23, 24 and 25 of the bight portion of the U-shaped side members and the under surface of the ring 29. It has been found that fastening the ring 29 to the side members in this fashion and at the specific points mentioned results in an extremely strong structure which will withstand extremes in rough treatment and abuse.

Claims

Having described a preferred form of my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lamp guard comprising:

a. a clamp band adapted to clampedly engage a lamp socket;

b. a plurality of substantially U-shaped, open-end side leg members having the open ends of the U-shaped members fixedly attached to the clamping band and extending outwardly from one edge thereof;

c. a first continuous ring member encircling the legs of the U-shaped side leg members fixedly attached thereto at points intermediate of the length of the side leg members;

d. a second continuous ring member encircling the side legs adjacent the U-shaped ends of the side leg members;

e. each of the U-shaped end portions of the side leg members having a central section formed perpendicular to the side leg portion of the side leg member adapted to extend in a substantially parallel plane with and adjacent the second ring member, and means for fixedly attaching the side leg members to the second ring.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which the central portions of the U-shaped side leg members are formed into a bight portion to engage the outer lower surface of the second ring, and means for fixedly attaching at least the bight portion of the U-shaped leg members to the second ring.