U.S. patent number 3,652,047 [Application Number 04/850,853] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-28 for luminaire attaching means.
This patent grant is currently assigned to American Electric Manufacturing Corporation. Invention is credited to George N. Starr.
United States Patent |
3,652,047 |
Starr |
March 28, 1972 |
LUMINAIRE ATTACHING MEANS
Abstract
Luminaire mounting or attaching structure adapted for cantilever
attaching a street lighting luminaire to the support arm structure
of the luminaire supporting mast or pole structure. The luminaire
attaching structure includes means for trilaterally clamping the
distal end portion of the luminaire support arm including the anvil
jaw and a pair of wedge jaws. A single bolt-like shaft having
left-hand and right-hand thread portions is adapted to be turnably
manipulated for causing converging or diverging movement of the
pair of wedge jaw members respectively for causing trilateral
clamping or loosening action of the anvil and wedge jaw members on
the distal end of the luminaire support arm.
Inventors: |
Starr; George N. (Memphis,
TN) |
Assignee: |
American Electric Manufacturing
Corporation (Southaven, MS)
|
Family
ID: |
25309281 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/850,853 |
Filed: |
August 18, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/431;
248/219.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V
21/116 (20130101); E04H 12/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F21V
21/116 (20060101); F21V 21/10 (20060101); E04H
12/24 (20060101); E04H 12/00 (20060101); F21v
021/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/226B,230,316B
;269/156,218 ;279/67,112 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schultz; William H.
Claims
I claim:
1. The combination with a street lighting luminaire having a main
housing and with luminaire support structure including support arm
structure adapted for elevatingly supporting said luminaire, of
luminaire attaching means adapted for attaching the luminaire main
housing structure to the distal end portion of said support arm
structure comprising coacting anvil jaw means and wedge jaw means
supported from said luminaire housing and adapted to clampingly
engage the distal end of said support arm and cantilever support
said luminaire housing from said support arm, said wedge jaw means
including a pair of wedge jaw members including a left and a right
jaw member arranged respectively on opposite sides of a vertical
plane lying coincident with the longitudinal axis of said support
arm and with each wedge jaw member having surface structure adapted
to clampingly engage said support arm, means guidingly constraining
said left and right wedge jaw member in converging-diverging
movement of each wedge jaw member respectively toward and away from
said support arm, and including selectively operative force means
for causing forcible converging movement of said pair of wedge
jaws; said pair of wedge jaws and sail anvil jaw means being
adapted to generally trilaterally clampingly engage the distal end
portion of said luminaire support arm upon converging clamping
movement of said pair of wedge jaw members; said means guidingly
constraining said left and right wedge jaw members converging
diverging movement including guideway structure defining left and
right upwardly opening channel structure configured for snugly
freely engaging respectively said left and right wedge jaw members
and configured for translational bidirectional movement of each
wedge jaw member in converging-diverging movement of said right and
left wedge jaw members.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to street lighting luminaire fixture
attaching means for cantilever attaching and elevatingly supporting
a luminaire fixture on luminaire support arm structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional manner of attaching a luminaire on a luminaire
support arm is by means of a pair of so-called fitter clamps
supported by threaded fastener means from the luminaire housing
structure. The pair of fitter clamps are adapted to bridgingly span
the distal end portion of the luminaire support arm and to be
threadedly clamped against the support arm. Each fitter clamp of
the pair of fitter clamps is threadedly supported by two clamp
bolts which are uniformly tightened or loosened in adjusting a
fitter clamp to the luminaire support arm structure. An installer
or lineman in installing a luminaire on the luminaire support arm
structure typically tightens and loosens the bolts of each of the
fitter clamps in obtaining horizontal linearity of the luminaire
and in arranging the luminaire in correct horizontal alignment with
the roadway surface. In aligning or obtaining horizontal linearity
of a luminaire fixture, considerable skill and practice is
necessary on the part of the lineman or installer of the luminaire.
The conventional luminaire fixture mounting means includes means
for angularly shifting the distal or nose portion of the luminaire
fixture upwardly or downwardly substantially 5.degree. in either
upwardly or downwardly direction. Such angular adjustment of the
cantilever supported luminaire is obtained by respectively
loosening and tightening the fitter clamps on the distal end
portion of the luminaire support arm. Typically, the
wrench-engaging head portions of the fitter clamp adjustment screws
project downwardly and access to the fitter clamp adjustment screws
are gained by opening the hinged lower housing of the luminaire. In
mounting or adjusting the angularity of a luminaire, the workman or
installer must assume a rather awkward position in tightening and
loosening the fitter clamps and in working overhead in tightening
or loosening the respective fitter head clamp screws projecting
downwardly in the bottom opening of the luminaire fixture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes luminaire mounting means having only
one threaded bolt-like shaft for clampingly securing the luminaire
housing on the distal end of the luminaire support arm. By turnably
manipulating only a single threaded shaft, a luminaire may be
installed on a luminaire support arm and the luminaire fixture
readily adjusted to obtain a desired horizontal linearity of the
luminaire fixture relative to the roadway surface. The single
adjustment or bolt-like mounting shaft of the luminaire attaching
means preferably includes a wrench-engaging head portion extending
laterally horizontally through an aperture in the luminaire housing
and externally of the housing. A workman or installer installing a
luminaire having the attaching means of the invention has only to
turnably manipulate the single adjustment shaft in installing or
adjusting the luminaire and does not need to gain entry or access
to the interior of the luminaire as in prior art luminaire
structures. The luminaire attaching means of the invention requires
negligible skill or practice to accurately or properly install a
luminaire and provides sturdy and secure attachment means for the
luminaire fixture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is an environmental showing of the luminaire attaching means
of the present invention (shown in hidden lines) illustrating the
mounting of a luminaire on the luminaire support arm structure of a
luminaire fixture installation.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal plane sectional view
of the luminaire attaching means as viewed upwardly on the line
II--II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical plane transverse
sectional view of the luminaire attaching structure taken as on the
line III--III of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical plane transverse
sectional view taken as on the line IV--IV of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a vertical plane longitudinal sectional view taken as on
the line V--V of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the jaw members of the
attaching means of the present invention in a slightly modified
form.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The luminaire attaching means of the present invention is indicated
by numeral 11 and is described in conjunction with a roadway or
street lighting luminaire fixture 13 and luminaire support arm
structure 15. Luminaire fixture 13 typically includes an upper main
housing 17 and a lower housing 19 supporting the refractor 21 of
the luminaire.
Luminaire attaching means 11 includes an anvil jaw member 23 and a
pair of wedge jaw members 25, 25' adapted to trilaterally
clampingly engage the distal end portion of luminaire support arm
15. Wedge jaw members 25, 25' include respectively obliquely
extending surface structure 27, 27' adapted to clampingly engage
the cylindrical outer surface of the luminaire support arm. In
FIGS. 1 - 5 the jaw members 25, 25' are shown in their simplified
form to fit a support arm structure generally of one size. However,
the oblique surface structure of each of the jaw members is
preferably stepped as shown in FIG. 6 to provide two surface
structures, 27a and 27b in place of the one (27) so that it is
adapted to fit support arm structures of two different sizes. In
other words, surface structure 27a is for a smaller support arm and
27b is for a larger support arm. Also, the surface structures 27a
and 27b preferably have a slight curvature as shown, to accommodate
the different angular positions of the support arm relative to the
jaw members. Guide structure including a U-sectioned guideway
member 29 guidingly constrains left and right wedge jaw members 25,
25' in converging-diverging movement transversely of the luminaire
support arm. Selectively operative force means including a
contradirectionally threaded shaft 31 is operative for causing
converging or diverging movement of wedge jaw members 25, 25'.
Threaded shaft structure 31 preferably includes a wrench-engaging
head portion 33 adapted to receive a hand wrench for turnably
manipulating shaft 31 and for converging-diverging movement of
wedge jaw members 25, 25'. Head portion 33 of threaded shaft
structure 31 preferably extends through an aperture 35 formed in
lateral vertical wall 37 of luminaire housing 17.
Anvil jaw member 23 preferably is adjustably supported subjacently
on the underside of luminaire housing top wall 39; anvil jaw member
23 preferably is tiltably supported on the underside of luminaire
housing top wall 39 and is adapted to be self-adjusting to a
certain angular adjustment of luminaire fixture 13. Anvil jaw
member 23 preferably is rectangular elongated in horizontal section
and is adapted to be arranged in corresponding longitudinal
extension relative to luminaire support arm 15. The underside
portion of anvil jaw member 23 is formed with longitudinally
extending concave structure 41 adapted to correspondingly engage
the upper cylindrical surface structure of luminaire support arm
15. Anvil jaw member 23 is adapted to be longitudinally tiltably
moved to corresponding parallel linearity with the luminaire
support arm upon transverse clamping engagement of wedge jaw
members 25, 25' with the under cylindrical structure of the
luminaire support arm.
The means tiltably supporting anvil jaw member 23 from luminaire
housing 17 preferably includes corresponding raceway structure 43,
43' and runner structure 45, 45' formed respectively superjacently
on anvil jaw member 23 and subjacently on luminaire housing top
wall structure 39. Raceway and runner structures 43, 43' and 45,
45' are arranged respectively symmetrically of a vertical plane
lying coincident with the longitudinal axis of the luminaire
support arm and function for longitudinally tilting anvil jaw
member 23 relative to luminaire main housing structure 17.
A retainer bolt 47 extending upwardly through an elongated
countersunk opening 49 in anvil jaw member 23 loosely retains race
and runner structures 43, 43'; 45, 45' in corresponding arrangement
while yet permitting longitudinal tilting movement of the anvil jaw
member relative to the luminaire housing. Retainer bolt 47 extends
upwardly through elongated countersunk opening 49 of jaw member 23
and is threadedly fixed in top wall 39 of luminaire housing 17. A
downwardly projecting abutment flange 51 extending transversely
across the inward end portion of anvil jaw member 23 defines
abutment structure for limiting the entry of the distal end of
support arm 15; when luminaire fixture 13 is fitted on support arm
15, abutment flange 51 abuttingly engages distal edge 15" of
tubular support arm 15 and correctly longitudinally positions the
luminaire housing relative to the support arm.
Turnably manipulating threaded shaft 31 clockwise or
counterclockwise is effective for causing simultaneous equidistant
converging or diverging movement of left and right wedge jaw
members 25, 25'. Lefthand thread means 53 and righthand thread
means 53' interengaging respectively shaft 31 with left and right
wedge jaw members 25, 25' function for causing converging or
diverging movement of the wedge jaw members upon turning movement
of shaft 31. Clockwise turning of shaft 31 is operative for causing
converging movement of wedge jaw members 25, 25' and wedging
engagement of oblique surface structures 27, 27' of the wedge
members with the under cylindrical surface of support arm 15.
Guideway member 29 extends subjacently transversely of support arm
15 and preferably includes upwardly opening integrally formed
channel structure 55, 55 configured for snugly freely engaging
respectively substructure portions of wedge jaw members 25, 25'.
Guideway member 29 preferably includes coplanar horizontal
oppositely projecting paired flange portions 57, 57; 57', 57 fixed
respectively on the undersurfaces 59, 59' respectively of
longitudinally extending depending boss structure 61, 61'.
Capscrews 63, 63; 63', 63' extending upwardly respectively through
flange portions 57, 57; 57 , 57 and threadedly engaged respectively
in boss structure 61, 61' fixedly dependingly secure guideway
member 29 on luminaire housing structure 17 and transversely
subjacently of luminaire support arm 15. Downwardly opening slot
structure 65, 65' formed respectively in boss structure 61, 61
accommodates the upper structure respectively of wedge jaw members
25, 25' and prevents upward displacement of the jaw members when
they are in inactive disposition. A transverse web portion 67
depending from housing top wall 39 and bridgingly interconnecting
housing sidewalls 37, 37' preferably reinforces the luminaire
housing structure and integrally intersects boss structures 61,
61'. Wedge jaw members 25, 25' each preferably include paired rib
portions 69, 69; 69 , 69 projecting upwardly respectively on
opposite sides of the jaw members (rib portions 69', 69' only
illustrated in FIG. 5). Rib portions 69, 69; 69' , 69' provide
means for reducing the horizontal extension or thickness of oblique
surface structures 27, 27' of jaw members 25, 25 . Horizontally
narrow oblique surface structures 27, 27' provide respectively
narrow wedge surfaces engaging the luminaire support arm and
provide means for ready tilting and angular adjustment of the
luminaire housing relative to the luminaire support arm
structure.
In installing street lighting luminaire fixture 13 on support arm
structure 15, the following procedure may be carried out: With
threaded shaft 31 turned counterclockwise and wedge members 25, 25'
in a diverged disposition, the luminaire fixture is translationally
longitudinally moved over the distal end of luminaire support arm
15. While elevatingly supporting the forward nose end of the
luminaire at a desired angularity, wrench means may be utilized for
clockwise turning threaded shaft 31 thereby convergingly clamping
wedge jaw members 25, 25' on the undersurface of the support arm;
converging movement of wedge jaw members 25, 25' forces support arm
15 against concave structure 41 of anvil jaw member 23 thereby
tiltably moving the anvil jaw member in parallel alignment with the
support arm structure; the forward nose portion of the luminaire
may be lifted or lowered to position the luminaire at a desired
angularity; threaded shaft 31 is clockwise turned thereby with the
luminaire arranged at a desired angularity, trilaterally clamping
jaw members 23, 25, 25' on the distal end of the luminaire support
arm structure and cantilever supporting the luminaire structure on
the support arm.
* * * * *