Luminaire ballast mounting system

Abstract

A luminaire ballast mounting system for mounting a ballast housing to a multiple of wiring systems. The ballast mounting system includes a mounting plate having a pair of depressed support runners along two parallel side edges and an elongated slot extending from the center thereof to one of the support runners. A mounting plate slide having a threaded aperture therein is positioned in the elongated slot to facilitate attaching the mounting plate to a threaded conduit, hook or loop. Cover plates on each side of the ballast housing form a pair of rails which slide over the depressed support runners on the mounting plate, and an access cover retains the mounting plate in position over the central portion of the ballast housing intermediate the two ballast housing cover plates. The mounting plate also includes a plurality of knockouts which permit the cover plate to be mounted directly to a three inch or four inch outlet box.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional industrial lighting fixture is in many instances a high pressure mercury vapor lamp or more recently a high pressure sodium lamp. When either of these discharge lamp lighting sources are employed the fixture is generally in the form of a ballast housing for containing the transformer and capacitor required for operating the lamps with a dependent lamp socket, lamp and reflector combination. In the industrial application, these lighting fixtures are generally hung in several different ways. In some instances the electrical wiring is carried through rigid conduit terminating at the lighting fixture location in a simple male pipe fitting. In other instances the wire carrying conduit terminates in a conventional electrical outlet box to which the fixture must be attached. Another common means for hanging industrial lighting fixtures is the hook and loop connection. In other words the location at which the lighting fixture is to be hung is provided with either a large metal loop or a metal hook and the lighting fixture is then expected to carry the complementary member for purposes of quick and easy installation and removal of the lighting fixture. Manufacturers of industrial lighting fixtures must therefore provide for these alternative kinds of fixture mounting by either specific adaptation of the fixture at the manufacturing site for a particular order at a particular installation or alternatively provide the customer with mounting adapter mechanisms to accommodate the various kinds of installation requirements which their standard fixtures might encounter.

Another problem in the mounting of industrial lighting fixtures is the weight of the fixture itself. This problem is obviated when the hook and loop type connection is available since it can be quickly mounted and the electrical connection accomplished while the weight of the luminaire is supported by the hook and loop connection. When an industrial lighting fixture is mounted to a male pipe connection or directly to an outlet box, in many instances, the luminaire must be held at the point of mounting for the time which it takes to accomplish the connection either through rotation of the luminaire on the threaded pipe or the application of mounting bolts at the outlet box.

In the majority of industrial luminaries the capacitor is mounted on one side of the ballast housing and the transformer is located at the other side of the housing. When the same fixture is used to house transformers for 100, 175, 250 and 400 watt luminaires it will be evident that an imbalance in the distribution of weight between the transformer side and the capacitor side will occur from wattage-to-wattage or from voltage-to-voltage. Of course, this imbalance presents no problem when the ballast housing is mounted directly to a rigid conduit or to an electrical outlet box because of the rigid interconnection in both cases. However, when the hook and loop type mounting is employed differences in weight on opposite sides of the luminaire housing can cause the luminaire to tilt from its preferred vertical orientation when the hook or loop is fixed at the geometric center of the ballast housing. Of course, this problem can be solved by providing mounting locations within the ballast housing for different sized transformers at varying distances from the pivot point, but this can provide casting problems as well as ballast housing size problems.

Certainly, the provision of a single luminaire ballast housing mounting system capable of accommodating these multitude of situations is desirable. Such a system, must not only accommodate the luminaire to the various kinds of installations generally encountered but must also provide for a balanced hanging when the hook and loop type connection is employed, as well as providing for ease of connection in terms of relatively simple and quick attachment of the heavy ballast housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mounting systems for industrial type luminaires and more particularly to a mounting system exhibiting versatility with regard to the several wiring systems which it will encounter.

The luminaire ballast housing mounting system of this invention provides a support mechanism for mounting the luminaire ballast housing to rigid conduit, electrical outlet boxes or a hook and loop mounting system and further provides a built-in counterbalancing system for asymmetric weight distribution in the hook and loop type mounting system. The luminaire ballast housing and mounting means of this invention includes an elongated open top ballast receiving housing having a reduced sidewall height on one side of a central portion thereof with cover plates overlying and secured to opposite end portions of the elongated open top ballast receiving housing. The cover plates are spaced one from the other with the inner edge of each of the cover plates extending into the central portion of the housing defined by the reduced sidewall height. A mounting plate having a pair of depressed parallel support runners on each side edge is constructed and arranged so that the runners underlie the inner edges of the respective cover plates and thereby support the ballast housing while the remainder of the mounting plate overlies and closes off the central portion of the open topped ballast housing. Means are located at the center of the mounting plate for mounting the ballast housing, which means, includes an elongated slot in the mounting plate extending from the center thereof in a direction perpendicular to the depressed parallel support runners. A variably positionable mounting plate slide having a threaded aperture therein is positioned within the elongated slot and may be selectively secured therein so that the threaded aperture can be selectively positioned relative to the geometric center of the ballast housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent and better understood as the following detailed description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the luminaire ballast housing mounting system of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof with a portion of the housing broken away and the reflector attached;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the luminaire ballast housing mounting system of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein the like reference characters represent like parts throughout the several views, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 an industrial type luminaire ballast housing generally designated 10. As illustrated, the ballast housing has a general "saddle bag" configuration with a pair of spaced ballast housing compartments or pods 12 and 14 interconnected by a splicing compartment 16. Of course, for purposes of this invention the ballast housing could be of uniform depth throughout and provide more of a "bathtub" appearance. As best seen in FIG.2, a lamp socket containment 18 and dependent reflector 20 may be secured to the ballast housing centrally of the splicing compartment 16. The ballast housing 10 has generally an elongated open top with a reduced sidewall height in the splicing compartment area or central portion on one side which permits the ballast housing to be hung from the premounted mounting plate in a manner which will be later described.

Overlying each end of the open top ballast housing are cover plates 22 which are secured to the ballast housing as for example by screws 24. The inwardly extending edges or ends 26 of the cover plate 22 extend over and into portions of the splicing compartment 16 and form guides or rails from which the ballast housing is eventually suspended. The back wall 28 of the splicing compartment 16 is preferably formed as a part of the ballast housing.

The mounting plate 30 includes at its edges a pair of parallel, depressed or dependent runners 32. The mounting plate 30 also includes an elongnated aperture 34 which extends from an area centrally of the mounting plate toward one of the support runners 32 at an angle substantially perpendicular to the parallel support runners. The aperture 34 terminates at one of the runners 32 and has communicating therewith a slot 36 at one side edge thereof. A mounting slide 38 having a threaded aperture 40 and a threaded bore 42 therein is variably positionable within the elongated aperture and can be retained in a position with its threaded aperture 40 at the geometric center of the mounting plate by means of a locking screw 44 which extends through the slot 36 and is threaded to the threaded bore 42.

A mounting hook 46 including a threaded shaft 48 may be rotatably secured to the threaded aperture 40 and a lock nut 50 on the threaded shaft 48 is employed to secure the shaft 48 in the aperture 40.

The mounting plate 30 also includes a plurality of knockouts 52 therein which are spaced in a predetermined relationship to provide for the direct fastening of the mounting plate 30 to a three inch or four inch electrical outlet box.

The ballast housing 10 is retained on the mounting plate 30 through the positioning of the mounting plate support runners 32 under the inwardly extending edges 26 of the cover plate 22. An access cover 56 is employed to retain the mounting plate in position and prevent the inadvertent removal of the mounting plate runners 32 from under the guides or rails 26 of the cover plates by closing off the portion of the ballast housing sidewall of reduced height through a pair of bolts 58 threaded into apertures 60 in the access plate mounting flanges 62.

When the luminaire ballast housing mounting system of this invention is employed in connection with the mounting of a ballast housing to a three inch or four inch electrical outlet box the mounting plate 30 is merely secured to that outlet box by mounting screws through the prepositioned knockouts 52. The ballast housing 10 is then slid onto the laterally extending support runners 32 which are positioned under the inwardly projecting rails or guides 26 on the cover plate 22. After appropriate electrical connections are made the access cover 56 is secured in position by means of the bolts 58 and the luminaire is mounted for operation.

When it is desired to mount the luminaire ballast housing to the threaded male end of a rigid wire carrying conduit the mounting plate slide 38 is positioned within elongated aperture 34 in the mounting plate 30 and secured thereto by means of the lock screw 44. The mounting plate 30 is then threaded onto the end of the rigid conduit at the threaded aperture 40 and secured thereto by means of, for example, a locking nut of the type disclosed at 50. With the mounting plate rigidly connected to the conduit the ballast housing 10 is then attached to the mounting plate in the same manner as described with respect to the mounting of the ballast housing to an electrical outlet box.

The ballast housing 10 generally carries therein a capacitor 64 and a transformer 66. Regardless of the configuration of the ballast housing the capacitor is generally mounted on one side of the housing and the transformer on the other. Since the ballast housing is generally intended for use with lamps of varying wattages the weight of the transformer differs depending on whether the operating voltage is 120 or 240 volts and the power input is 100, 175, 250 or 400 watts. When the hook and loop type connection is employed for mounting the luminaire ballast housing, this pivotal type connection requires that, in general, the weight distribution about the pivot point be symmetric in order for the luminaire to hang in its desired vertical orientation. When the transformers vary in weight a geometrically centrally located hook 46 will not permit the luminaire to hang in its intended vertical orientation if the weight distribution is asymmetrical. In accordance with the present invention, when the locking screw 44 is removed the mounting plate slide 38 can be moved to an infinite number of positions in the elongated aperture 34. In order to hang a ballast housing by means of a loop and hook connecting system in accordance with the present invention the mounting plate slide need only be moved in the elongated aperture 34 until the ballast housing hangs in a level configuration. Rotatably tightening the threaded extension 48 into the threaded aperture 40, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, will cause the hook connector 46 to be secured to the mounting plate 30 by the gripping action of the lock nut 50 and the mounting plate slide 38 on the mounting plate 30. More specifically, the hook connection can be made to the mounting loop with the hook connector loosely associated with the mounting plate slide 38 and the ballast housing then slide to the left, as illustrated in FIG. 1, until a level position is acquired. Tightening of the lock nut 50 then affixes the relationship between the mounting hook 46 and the mounting plate 30.

As will be apparent from the foregoing the luminaire ballast housing mounting system of this invention permits the ballast housing to be mounted in any one of the conventional mounting systems and further provides for the vertical mounting of the luminaire when an asymmetrically loaded ballast housing is employed in connection with a loop and hook connector mounting system.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A luminaire ballast mounting system for mounting a luminaire ballast housing to a fixture hanging means, said mounting system comprising, in combination;

a pair of spaced ballast housing compartments,

a splicing compartment interposed between said ballast housing compartments,

a cover plate overlying and secured to each of said ballast housing compartments with opposed edges of said cover plates overlying portions of said splicing compartment adjacent each ballast housing compartment,

a mounting plate including a pair of laterally extending parallel support runners on opposite edges thereof and an elongated aperture therein extending from an area centrally of said mounting plate toward one of said support runners, said support runners underlying the opposed edges of said cover plates and supporting said ballast housing, and

a mounting plate slide having a threaded aperture therein adjustably positioned within said elongated aperture, said threaded aperture adapted to connect said luminaire ballast housing to said fixture hanging means.

2. The luminaire ballast mounting system of claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a slot communicating with said elongated aperture and said mounting plate slide includes a threaded bore therein said mounting plate slide being secured in a fixed position in said elongated slot by means of a locking screw extending through said slot and into said threaded bore.

3. The luminaire ballast mounting system of claim 1 wherein a mounting hook having a threaded end thereon is threadedly received in said threaded aperture in said mounting plate slide, said mounting hook including locking means thereon for securing said mounting plate slide in any preselected position within said elongated aperture in said mounting plate.

4. The luminaire ballast mounting system according to claim 3 wherein said locking means is a lock nut on the threaded end of said mounting hook.

5. A luminaire ballast housing including mounting means therefor, comprising:

an elongated open topped ballast receiving housing having a reduced sidewall height on one side of the central portion thereof,

a cover plate overlying and secured to opposite end portions of said elongated open topped ballast receiving housing, spaced one from the other, the inner edge of each of said spaced cover plates extending into said central portion defined by said reduced sidewall height,

a mounting plate having a pair of depressed parallel support runners on each side edge thereof, said support runners underlying said inner edges of each of said cover plates and supporting said ballast housing while the remainder of said mounting plate overlies and closes off said central portion of said open topped ballast housing; and

means located centrally of said mounting plate for mounting said ballast housing.

6. A luminaire ballast housing according to claim 5 wherein an access cover is secured to the sidewall of said ballast housing at said reduced sidewall height portion of said ballast housing, said access cover preventing inadvertent removal of said mounting plate from its position underlying said inner edges of said cover plates.

7. A luminaire ballast housing according to claim 5 wherein said means located centrally of said mounting plate includes an elongated slot in said mounting plate extending from the center thereof in a direction perpendicular to said depressed parallel support runners, said elongated slot terminating adjacent one of said runners, and a mounting plate slide having a threaded aperture therein is adjustably positioned within said elongated slot, said threaded aperture adapted for mounting said ballast housing.

8. A luminaire ballast housing including mounting means therefor according to claim 7 wherein said mounting plate includes a slot communicating with said elongated aperture and said mounting plate slide includes a threaded bore therein said mounting plate slide being secured in a fixed position in said elongated slot by means of a locking screw extending through said slot and into said threaded bore.

9. A luminaire ballast housing including mounting means therefor according to claim 7 wherein a mounting hook having a threaded end thereon is threadedly received in said threaded aperture in said mounting plate slide, said mounting hook including locking means thereon for securing said mounting plate slide in any preselected position within said elongated aperture in said mounting plate.

10. A luminaire ballast housing including mounting means therefor according to claim 9 wherein said locking means is a lock nut on the threaded end of said mounting hook.