U.S. patent number 3,634,679 [Application Number 05/047,816] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-11 for decorative lighting apparatus.
Invention is credited to Michael J. Krzyston.
United States Patent |
3,634,679 |
Krzyston |
January 11, 1972 |
DECORATIVE LIGHTING APPARATUS
Abstract
Disclosed herein is lighting apparatus for display or decorative
purposes in which a multifaceted jewel or a light dispersing and
deviating element located between a focused light source and a
screen or frosted globe is rotated about first and second
transverse axes to provide variegated or kaleidoscopic lighting
effects on the globe.
Inventors: |
Krzyston; Michael J.
(Milwaukee, WI) |
Family
ID: |
21951138 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/047,816 |
Filed: |
June 19, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
40/431; D26/112;
362/281; 362/811 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21S
10/06 (20130101); Y10S 362/811 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21S
10/00 (20060101); F21S 10/06 (20060101); F21p
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;40/131,77,130,138,139,40
;240/2G,7.1,41C,10.1,46.49,78LE,78LH,26,3.1,49 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Capozi; Louis J.
Claims
I claim:
1. Lighting apparatus comprising a base, a light-deflecting element
having a polar axis, a light source providing a focused light beam
on said deflecting element, a light-receiving screen spaced from
said element and positioned to receive light from said deflecting
element, means for supporting said deflecting element on said base
for rotation about said polar axis and for planetary movement of
said deflecting element in an orbit about said light beam, and
means for rotating said element about said polar axis and moving
said element in said orbit about said light beam to provide a
variegated lighting effect on said screen.
2. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means
for supporting said element for rotation about said polar axis and
for planetary movement in an orbit about said light beam comprises
a bearing having inner and outer races, said outer race being fixed
to said base, a support member having an aperture extending
transversely to the axis of rotation of said inner race, said
support member being supported on said inner race, a shaft fixedly
secured to said light-deflecting element, said shaft being
rotatably supported in said aperture in said support member, a
drive roller on said shaft frictionally engaging said outer race
and wherein said means for rotating said element about said polar
axis and for planetary movement in an orbit about said light beam
comprises drive means on said shaft engageable with said outer race
and a motor having an output shaft drivingly connected to said
inner race.
3. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 2 including a light
reflector supported on said inner race, said reflector having a
reflective surface below said light-deflecting element and an
aperture in said mirror to permit said light beam to strike said
element.
4. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein, said
reflector is upwardly convex.
5. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein, said
reflector comprises a series of circular ring sectors arranged to
define a central aperture.
6. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein, said
light-deflecting element comprises a multifaceted jewel.
7. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein, said
light screen comprises a cylindrical wall portion having an arcuate
extent of less than 360.degree..
8. Lighting apparatus comprising a base, a prism, a light source
providing a beam of light on said prism, a light screen for
receiving reflected and refracted light from said prism, means for
supporting said prism for rotation of said prism about a first axis
and for movement of said first axis and said prism about a second
axis with said prism within said beam of light and means for
rotating said prism about said first and second axes to provide a
multicolored continuously changing light effect on said screen.
9. Lighting apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said
reflector is upwardly concave.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The invention relates to decorative lighting apparatus and more
particularly to lighting apparatus which uses a polychromatic light
source to provide varying color patterns on a shade or globe.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention provides decorative lighting apparatus in which a
light screen or globe supported on the top of a pedestal or base or
located remote from the base receives an ever-changing variety of
colored patterns, designs and images from a light deviating and
dispersing prismatic element in the form of a multifaceted glass
jewel which is rotatably supported for rotation about first and
second axes.
The first axis is provided by an inclined tube or sleeve which
rotatably supports a shaft which has an end secured to the jewel.
The sleeve is fixed to an upstanding bracket which is supported on
the inner race of a bearing. The outer race of the bearing is
secured against rotation by a tight fit in a counterbore in the
base. The inner race is rotatable with respect to the base and
outer race to form the second axis of rotation for the jewel. An
electric motor supported within the base has a friction roller on
the motor output shaft which frictionally engages the inside
surface of the inner race to rotate the inner race about the second
axis. A friction roller on the lower end of the inclined jewel
shaft, frictionally engages the upper surface of the outer race to
rotate the shaft and the jewel about the first axis as the inner
race is rotated by the motor.
The light source directs a focused beam upwardly onto the jewel.
The jewel functions as a prism to disperse the various wavelengths
of the polychromatic light source at different angles of deviation.
The separated beams of light emerging from the jewel are received
by the light screen. In addition to dispersion of the various
component wavelengths from the light source as they pass through
the jewel, it is believed that, some of the dispersed rays are
reflected internally by the various facets or jewel faces and
directed downwardly at an acute angle with the light source. These
rays are reflected upwardly toward the screen by a reflector or
mirror which can be supported on the inner race of the bearing. A
small aperture in the reflector permits the light beam from the
light source to pass through the reflector and strike the
jewel.
The rotation of the jewel, about two axes, insures a constantly
changing orientation of the jewel, light source and light screen,
thus providing ever-changing color patterns on the screen. The
coloring effects on the screen include patterns which travel around
the screen in a direction counter to the direction of other
patterns and at different speeds.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the following disclosure.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view in fragmentary section showing
lighting apparatus in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified
embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of the invention, in
which the mirror is constructed of mirror sectors.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a further
embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable
those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical
embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which
may be embodied in other specific structures.
In the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses lighting apparatus which is
generally designated 10 and which includes a pedestal or base 12
which supports a frosted or translucent light screen or globe 14.
The globe 14 has a flange 16 which innerfits in the upper end 18 of
the base.
The lighting apparatus includes a light-deflecting element, prism,
or jewel 20 provided with a plurality of facets 23. The word
deflecting means any bending of light waves whether it occurs by
reflection on the surface of the element or internally as the light
beam passes through the element. In accordance with the invention,
means are provided for supporting the jewel 20 for rotation about
first and second transverse axes. In the disclosed construction,
the jewel 20 is fixedly secured to the inner end of a shaft 22
which is rotatably supported in a hollow aperture in a tube or
sleeve 24. The sleeve 24 is mounted on an upstanding bracket or
support member 26 which is supported on the inner race 28 of a
bearing 30. The outer race 32 is in firm engagement with the inner
wall 34 of the base and supported on a shoulder 35. Although a ball
bearing is disclosed, any bearing having independently movable
elements can be employed.
The invention also provides means for rotating the jewel 20 about
the first and second axes. As disclosed, the means comprises a
drive roller 36 which is fixed to the outer end of shaft 22 and is
in frictional engagement with the upper surface 38 of the outer
race 32. Alternatively, the roller 36 can engage the base and a
rotatably supported disc can be employed rather than the inner race
28. The use of a precision bearing, however, affords a smooth
rotation about the axes at a constant speed without any
intermittent irregularities of movement. A motor 40 with a gear
reduction unit drives a shaft 42 which is provided with a friction
roller 44 which frictionally engages the inner surface 46 of the
inner race 28. With an outer race having a diameter of over 31/2
inches and the roller 36 having a diameter of approximately
three-eighth inch, the jewel 20 rotates on shaft 22 about 10 times
for each revolution of the inner race 28.
In operation of the lighting apparatus of the invention, when the
motor 40 is energized the shaft 42 rotates the inner race 28 about
the axis of the light beam 55. As the inner race 28 moves, the
engagement of the drive roller 36 and the upper surface 38 of the
outer race will cause the jewel 20 to rotate about the first axis
provided by the shaft 22. The continual rotation of the jewel about
the two axes provides ever-changing color patterns and designs. The
jewel disperses the polychromatic light beam into the various
colors of the rainbow. Some of the light is reflected internally by
the jewel facets and will be directed downwardly toward a reflector
or mirror 60, which is supported on the inner race and which is
provided with an axial aperture 62 to permit the light beam 55 to
pass through the mirror. Some of the light reflected from the
reflector will be directed upwardly as shown by arrow 64 to strike
the lower portions of the screen 14.
FIG. 2 shows a modified embodiment of the invention employing an
upwardly convex mirror or reflector 68. It is believe that, mirror
68 more effectively reflects light from the jewel to the lower
portions of the screen 69 which is supported remotely, as for
instance, on a wall (not shown), rather than the base. The screen
69 is a fragment of a cylinder having a cylindrical wall with
arcuate extent of less than 360.degree., which is thus open to
provide a viewing surface on the inside rather than the outside
surface as with a sphere.
FIG. 3 shows a mirror 70 constructed from circular ring sectors 72
arranged to provide a central aperture. The sectors 72 can also be
supported at differing angles or planes to further increase the
number of differing lighting effects.
FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the
mirror sectors 72 are supported to form an upwardly concave
reflector. The inner ends 74 of the sectors 72 are supported on a
plastic disc 76 which can be secured to the inner race 28. The
outer edges 78 of the segments can be supported by an annular ring
80 having a beveled surface 82.
The mirrors are believed to cause movement of some of the images at
a higher rate of speed than background color effects and in a
direction counter to the movement of the background colors.
Various light screens can be employed. Screens supported on the
base can include elongated hollow cylinders, fragments of
cylinders, cones and other geometrical configurations.
The light patterns can also be projected onto backdrops such as a
wall, a ceiling or any other screen which is not supported by the
base 12. Where the viewing surface of the screen is also the
surface incident to the light, an opaque surface can be employed
rather than a translucent surface.
The configuration of the screen, and the location and orientation
of the screen with respect to the jewel 20 determine the shape,
form and intensity of the images and patterns.
* * * * *