Adjustable Light Fixture

Abstract

An adjustable light fixture recessible in a ceiling for directing light at various angles toward an object. A shade having an electric light bulb is suspended within a housing by a pair of multi-membered arms. Each arm is adjustable for moving the shade vertically. The shade is rotatably mounted to a handle for allowing the shade and bulb to pivot 180.degree. about the horizontal mounting axis. The handle is rotatably mounted to a U-shaped bracket fastened to the pair of arms allowing the shade and bulb to rotate about a vertical axis. Stops are provided to prevent tangling of the electric wires.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is an adjustable light fixture.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The display industry, particularly display personnel for department stores, have been seeking a single light fixture which is adjustable both to give general illumination and to direct light at various angles at an object.

Thus, the single fixture could be used to light a general overall area or could be used as an accent light. In the past when directing light toward an object to emphasize various features it has often been necessary to move the object with respect to the light since the fixture was not quickly and easily adjustable. In addition, many times two different light fixtures were required to provide general illumination and accent light. At least three United States patents have been granted for light fixtures. They are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,855,503 to Gerstel, 3,263,072 to Kruger and 3,381,123 to Docimo.

From the above background it can be seen that there is a need for a light fixture which may be quickly and easily adjusted to light a general area and to direct light at an object at various angles. The fixture should be adjustable in the vertical direction. In addition, the light should be rotatable about a vertical axis and pivotable about a horizontal axis. The light should be adjustable both when it is recessed in a ceiling and when it is extended from the ceiling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention involves a light fixture which may be adjusted to direct light at various angles. The fixture has a shade with an electric light bulb mounted therein and movable in the vertical direction by a pair of arms suspended within a housing. The shade and bulb are rotatably mounted to a handle allowing the shade and bulb to pivot around a horizontal axis. The handle is rotatably mounted to the pair of arms by a U-shaped bracket allowing the shade and bulbs to rotate about the vertical axis. Stop flanges are attached to the arms limiting the movement thereby preventing tangling of the electric wires.

One object of the present invention is to provide a light fixture which may be quickly and easily adjusted for directing light at various angles and for providing general illumination. The light fixture is adjustable both when it is recessed in a ceiling and when it is extended from the ceiling.

Related objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an adjustable light fixture incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the light shade and associated structure of the adjustable light fixture shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along the line 3--3 in the direction of the arrows of an arm connection of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the adjustable light fixture of FIG. 1 shown mounted to a plaster ceiling.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the adjustable light fixture of FIG. 1 with the shade pivoted to create a "half-moon" light.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For the purposes of promoting and understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a fragmentary perspective view of an adjustable light fixture 20 having an electric light bulb mounted within beam-directing reflector or shade 70 which is suspended by arms within housing 21 mounted to a ceiling. Shade 70 may be swiveled and moved vertically. In addition, shade 70 may be pivoted about its horizontal mounting axis allowing for different lighting techniques.

Housing 21 has a side wall 22 enclosing the arms and shade and is covered on the top by wall 23. Threaded rods 24 have flat bottom ends fastened to side wall 22 by welds 48. The top threaded ends of rods 24 pass through the top wall 23 with wing nuts 25 threaded thereon securing the top wall to the side wall. The ends of the toggle arms 38 and 39 supporting the light shade are rotatably mounted to right angle mounting brackets 57 and 58 which are each fixedly fastened to side wall 22 by bolt 27, lock washer 26 and hex nut 28. Arm 39 has its top end rotatably mounted to flange 57 by nut 54, washer 55 and bolt 56. Likewise, arm 38 has its top end rotatably mounted to flange 58 by a nut, washer and bolt. Rotatably mounted to the lower end of arm 39 is the top end of arm 41. Likewise, rotatably mounted to the lower end of arm 38 is the top end of arm 40. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 3--3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows the top end of arm 41 mounted to the lower end of arm 39 by bolt 56 passing through the two arms and secured by nut 54. A flat washer 55 is located between the two arms allowing the two arms to rotate about the axis of the bolt. The mounting arrangement shown in FIG. 3 is identical with the mounting arrangement used to mount lower end of arm 38 to the top end of arm 40. Likewise, the same mounting arrangement is used to mount the top end of arm 38 to flange 58 and the top end of arm 39 to flange 57.

Rotatably mounted to the bottom of toggle arms 40 and 41 (FIG. 2) is U-shaped bracket 50 which in turn is mounted to a yoke or shade handle 60 for supporting shade 70. The lower end of arm 41 is rotatably mounted to one of the top ends of U-shaped bracket 50 by bolt 43 and nut 44. Likewise, the lower end of arm 40 is rotatably mounted to the other top end of U-shaped bracket 50 by bolt 42 and nut 45. Shade handle 60 has a generally inverted U-shaped configuration with its top middle portion rotatably mounted by bolt 75, flat washer 76 and hex nut 77 to the horizontal portion of U-shaped bracket 50. Rotatably mounted to the lower ends of shade handle 60 is the light shade 70. Bolt 71 freely passes through arm 78 of shade handle 60 and through the side wall of shade 70 and is secured thereon by hex nut 74. A lock washer 72 is located between arm 78 and shade 70 and lock washer 73 is located between hex nut 74 and shade 70 thereby allowing shade 70 to rotate about the axis of bolts 71. Arm 79 of shade handle 60 is likewise rotatably mounted by a bolt, lock washers, and nut to the opposite side of shade 70.

Shade 70 is cup-shaped having its open end at the bottom allowing the light from bulb 80 to shine out. As shown in FIG. 2, bulb 80 is threadedly received into socket 81 which is fastened to the top wall of shade 70. Socket 81 is conventional in nature and is fastened to the top wall of shade 70 by screws 82 (FIG. 1). Wires 83 (FIG. 2) exit socket 81 covered by insulation 84 passing through the side wall of shade 70. A snap bushing 85 is secured to the side wall of shade 70 allowing the insulated wire to exit therethrough. Wires 83 then connect the socket with the source of electrical energy passing through connector 29 (FIG. 1). Connector 29 is secured to wall 23 by nut 31 threaded onto the bottom end of connector 29. Screw 32 is provided on connector 29 having a blunt end for securing the wires passing through the hollow center of connector 29.

It can be appreciated that wires 83 may become tangled between the various arms suspending shade 70 as the shade is moved vertically, swiveled or pivoted. Therefore, the present adjustable light fixture 20 incorporates several features for precluding injury to wires 83. For example, a standard cable clip 86 (FIG. 1) secures the insulated wires to shade handle 60. Similar clips may be employed on other arms securing the cable thereto. As shade 70 is swiveled or rotated about the vertical axis, the insulated wires will become twisted around the arms if the rotation of the shade is not limited. Therefore, means have been provided on the arms to limit the amount of rotation. Referring to FIG. 2, Flange 64 extending upward is welded to the horizontal portion of shade handle 60 in such manner so as to abut against a horizontally extending flange 51 welded to one of the vertical arms of U-shaped handle 50. Thus, shade handle 60 may be rotated one complete revolution about the longitudinal axis of bolt 75. Further revolution in the same direction is prevented when flange 64 abuts against flange 51.

Referring to FIG. 1, a similar flange 46 is secured to the top end of arm 40 for abutting aginst the lower portion of arm 38 thereby limiting the downward movement of the apparatus. Likewise, flange 47 is secured to the top portion of arm 41 for abutting aginst the lower portion of arm 39. Cut outs 52 and 53 are provided respectively on arms 38 and 39 to allow for clearance when the shade is in the most upward position of the fasteners used to secure arms 38 and 40 together and arms 39 and 41 together. Arms 38 and 39 have equal lengths less than the internal diameter of housing 21. Arms 41 and 40 also have equal lengths but are shorter than arms 38 and 39.

Adjustable light fixture 20 may be mounted to a suspended ceiling or to a plaster ceiling. FIG. 1 illustrates the mounting of the adjustable light fixture to suspended ceiling. Fastened to the outside of housing 21 is a standard mounting frame 33. Mounting frame 33 is secured to the lower portion of side wall 22 by screw 35 and nut 36. Mounting frame 33 has a horizontal wall 95 extending around wall 22 and is integrally attached to a vertical wall 96 also extending around housing 21. Mounted within housing 21 is trim member 67 which extends out the bottom opening of housing 21 abuttingly engaging the lower portion of frame 33. Trim member has a hole in its center for allowing shade 70 to be pulled through and is mounted to the inside of wall 22 by butterfly spring mountings 68. Mounting 68 has bracket 97 welded to the outside surface of tram member 67 extending upward with a rod 98 fixedly fastened to its top. Spring 99 is wrapped around rod 98 is such a manner that the two ends of the spring extend upward. A right angle bracket 65 is welded to he inside surface of wall 22 having two grooves 100 for each receiving one end of spring 99. The ends of spring 99 are bent at a right angle away from each other enabling trim member 67 to be pulled downward away from housing 21 without spring 99 becoming disengaged from bracket 65. Thus, the distance between horizontal wall 95 of mounting frame 33 to horizontal wall 101 of trim member 67 may be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of ceiling tile 87. The tiles in a suspended ceiling are generally supported by inverted T-shaped bars 88 having horizontal flanges supporting the lower surface of the ceiling tile. Mounted perpendicular to the top of bars 88 are C-shaped bars 89. A right angle bracket 90 is used to mount horizontal wall 95 to the vertical wall of bar 89. Screw 93 and nut 94 are used to securely fasten horizontal wall 95 to right angle bracket 90 and screw 91 and nut 92 are used to secure bracket 90 to bar 89. Thus, adjustable light fixture 20 may be readily mounted to a suspended ceiling. Likewise, the adjustable light fixture may be mounted to the traditional plaster ceiling by disengaging spring 99 from brackets 65 and removing trim member 67 from the light fixture. The light fixture is then inserted into a hole in the plaster ceiling as shown in FIG. 4 and screws 102 and wing nuts 103 are used to secure horizontal wall 95 of mounting frame 33 to plaster ceiling 104.

It will be evident from the above description that the adjustable light fixture allows the shade and light bulb to be adjusted vertically in the extreme upward and downward positions or in any intermediate position. Thus, the light fixture may be adjusted in the recesses position as generally shown in FIG. 5 or in the extended position as generally shown in FIG. 1. Likewise, the light fixture may be adjusted at any intermediate location. In one embodiment of the light fixture, shade 70 was extendable one foot from the fully recessed position and was adjustable along the entire 1 foot distance. It will be further evident that the shade and light bulb may be swiveled or rotated about the vertical axis 360.degree. and may be pivoted 180.degree. about a horizontal axis. It is also possible to create a "half-moon" lighting effect 105 by positioning shade 70 within housing 21 as shown in FIG. 5 and by pivoting the shade in such a manner so that a portion of the light emitted from bulb 80 is blocked by the structure of the fixture. It will also be evident from the above description that the light bulb and shade may be extended from the housing to provide general illumination.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

Claims

The invention claimed is:

1. A display lighting fixture assembly for recessed mounting in a wall or ceiling, said assembly comprising a tubular housing having a mounting flange at one of its ends adapted to mount said housing end substantially flush with a wall or ceiling surface with the body of the housing extending inwardly from said surface, a beam-directing reflector disposed in telescoping relation within said housing with the reflector spaced from the inner surface of the housing wall, a yoke supporting said reflector for angular adjustment within said housing about an axis normal to the longitudinal axis of said tubular housing, and extensible mounting means for the reflector permitting its withdrawal from within the housing, said mounting means comprising two sets of extensible toggle levers extending within said housing in opposed spaced relation and having the corresponding lever ends pivotally supported at generally diametrically opposite points within said housing, a bracket member extending between and pivotally joined to the corresponding spaced lever ends remote from said pivotally supported lever ends, a single fastening member centrally joining said reflector supporting yoke and said bracket thereby permitting said reflector to swivel with relation to said bracket and toggle arms and to be angularly tilted with relation to said supporting yoke both when said toggle arms are retracted so that reflector is within said housing and when said toggle arms are extended so that said reflector extends outside said housing.

2. A display lighting fixture assembly as claimed in claim 1 having a trim member masking the end of said housing adjacent said reflector and a supporting connection of adjustable length extending between said housing and trim member to permit selective spacing of the trim member from said housing end.

3. A display lighting fixture assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said yoke carries a stop cooperating with said bracket to limit swivel motion of said reflector to 360.degree. .