Device For Assisting Attachment Of Heavy And/or Bulky Article

Abstract

The attachment of, for example, a heavy illuminating appliance to a power source box fixed to a wall or a ceiling of a room or hall can be accomplished easily by a single operator with the help of an attachment assisting device comprising a support member to be fixed to the inside of the power source box and an engaging member to be mounted on the free end portion of a tube carrying a heavy illuminating appliance at the other end and also carrying therethrough an electric cable of this appliance. In the attaching operation, the operator first establishes engagement between the engaging member and the supporting member, so that the connecting of the appliance to the box is greatly facilitated, and the labor and cost are accordingly saved tremendously.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention is concerned with a coupling means, and more particularly it pertains to a device for assisting the attaching or fixing of a bulky and/or heavy article, such as an electric illuminating appliance, to a vertical or horizontal surface such as a wall or ceiling.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Attaching or fixing of a heavy and/or bulky article, such as an electric illuminating appliance, especially an electric illuminating appliance equipped with a lighting fitting for use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulk, has been performed in the past usually by an operator with the help of one or more assistant operators because of the difficulty in handling such a heavy and/or bulky article by a single person, causing a great inconvenience and a requiring large expenditure of labor and consequently the attachment operation is costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a device for assisting the attaching or fixing, to a wall or a ceiling, of a heavy and/or bulky article such as an electric illuminating appliance equipped with a lighting fitting for use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulb.

Another object of the present invention is to save the labor and cost required for the attaching or fixing of a heavy and/or bulky article such as the one mentioned above by the provision of a device of the type described, for assisting the attaching or fixing of the heavy and/or bulky article to a wall or a ceiling, which device comprising a supporting member to be fixed either to a holding member provided on the wall or ceiling or directly to such a surface and a separate engaging member provided on one end portion of the article to be attached.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described which is suspended vertically from a horizontal ceiling.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described which is suspended from a vertical wall surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of an electric illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings for use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulb fixed to a power source box of a horizontal ceiling by the use of the attachment assisting device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat diagramatic vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the power source box, a flange and a free end portion of the tube of the said appliance, showing how the appliance is engaging the box of a horizontal ceiling by the attachment assisting device representing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic enlarged perspective view, showing a suspension ring attached to the free end portion of the tube of the appliance, said ring serving as a part of the attachment assisting device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation, showing an electric illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings for use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulb fixed to a power source box of a vertical wall surface by the use of the attachment assisting device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the manner in which the free end portion of the tube of the appliance engages a power source box fixed to a vertical wall surface by the use of the attachment assisting device representing the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic enlarged perspective view of the end portion of said tube, showing a ring which is a part of the device of the present invention.

It should be understood that the drawings show, simply by way of example, some of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In these embodiments, they are used in the attachment of heavy and bulky electric illuminating appliances equipped with lighting fittings for explosive gas atmosphere.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, there is shown an electric illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings 1 and 2 for use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulb. One such example of illuminating appliance is comprised of an electric bulb not shown which is surrounded, in a substantially air-tight fashion, by a body 1a and this body 1a is equipped externally, at its lower portion, with a protective cover or globe 2a which is conjugated via a gasket not shown to the body 1a. The body 1a and the globe 2a are fastened tightly together by clamping means 3. Thus, the inside of the body 1a is substantially air-tight. Reference numeral 4 represents a guard member provided on the external side of the globe 2a. As will be understood, the globe 2a has a substantial thickness and is stiff as is the body 1a, in order to protect persons and/or structures standing or provided near the electric illuminating appliances from being injured or damaged from possible explosion of the electric bulb housed inside the body 1a. In the past, the body 1a was made of a heavy casting. Recently, however, it is made with a less heavy material such as a stainless steel. Consequently, in case a mercury arc lamp of 400W is to be lighted inside the body 1a, this lamp would weigh 12 - 13 kgs, whereas the body 1a could weigh 16 - 17 kgs if constructed of a heavy casting. Furthermore, the lighting up of such a mercury arc lamp required a stabilizer. This stabilizer usually weighed 8 - 12 kgs. Thus, the electric illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings for an explosive gas atmosphere bulb and using a stabilizer would weigh as much as 20 - 25 kgs if the body 1a is made with a stainless steel and would have a further additional weight of 4 - 5 kgs if the body is of a casting. However, no consideration has been heretofore given as to the simplification and facilitation of the operation of attaching or fixing such a heavy and/or bulky article to a vertical wall or a horizontal ceiling. For example, a heavy electric illuminating appliance equipped with a lighting fitting for use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulb was, in the past, attached to a power source box of a wall or a ceiling in much the same manner as ordinary light-weighing electric appliances were attached, i.e., by first connecting the cable or cord provided in the power source box to the cable provided in the body, and then by fixing to the box the flange which was mounted on one end portion of the body. Thus, the attaching or fixing of such a heavy and bulky article to a wall or a ceiling could not be performed by a single person in many cases, and it required the help of one or more additional laborers.

The description will hereunder be directed to the device of the present invention by referring to the drawings.

The attachment assisting device of the first embodiment of the present invention is used in the attachment, to a horizontal ceiling, of a heavy and bulky electric illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings 1 and 2 as stated above. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 represents a straight tubular member carrying the said illuminating appliance at one end and having two holes 11 and 11 formed diametrically through the other end, and having an electric cable 6 running through this tubular member 5 for connecting the electric bulb (not shown) which is housed within the body 1a to a power source. A flange 7 is mounted on the tubular member 5 for sliding on the external circumference of this straight tubular member 5. A suspension ring 8 which is a part of the device is passed through the two holes 11 and 11 of the tubular member 5 in the manner as shown in FIG. 3. As best seen in FIG. 2, a power source box 9 is fixed to the horizontal ceiling. A hook 10 which constitutes the remainder of the attachment assisting device of the present invention extends downwardly from the base of the box 9 inside thereof. The suspension ring 8 may be made from a coil of steel wire or with any other appropriate flexible and strong material. Numeral 12 represents a fastening means such as a bolt and a nut for fixing the flange 7 to the box 9 via a gasket 16. Numeral 13 represents a screw for fixing the flange 7, at a desired portion of the circumference of the tube 5, via the cylindrical slidable portion 7a of the flange.

The heavy and bulky illuminating appliance is connected to the power source box 9 in a simplified and easy manmer by a single operator as follows. First, the screw 13 of the flange 7 is loosened to lower, via the cylindrical portion 7a, the flange 7 which is mounted on the tubular member 5. Then, the suspension ring 8 of the tubular member 5 is hung from the hook 10 so that this tubular member 5 carrying the entire illuminating appliance at its lower end is suspended by these two members 8 and 10 from the hook 10. It should be understood that, during the operation of suspending the tubular member 5 from the box 9 by having the suspension ring 8 engaged by the hook 10, frictional resistance is produced between the ring 8 and the holes 11, 11 and therefore the ring 8 will be held stationary at the desired position without causing any rotation thereof, as it depends downwardly from the hook 10. The terminals of the cable or cord 6 are then connected to the corresponding terminals of the cable or cord not shown of the power source box 9. Finally, the flange 7 is applied to the appropriate position of the lower face of the box 9 and is connected thereto by the fastening means 12. In this manner the heavy and bulky illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings 1 and 2 is attached.

According to the first embodiment, a suspension ring is provided at one end portion of a tube carrying, at its other end, a heavy and bulky electric illuminating appliance, and a supporting hook is affixed to the inside of a power source box so that first said ring is engaged by the hook and then the flange which is slidably mounted on the tube is fastened to the power source box. Thus, the operator can connect the cable of the electric bulb to the power source box and then the flange can be attached, after the illuminating appliance is suspended from the box. Accordingly, the entire attachment operation can be accomplished by a single operator. Furthermore the weight of the appliance is supported by the hook in this instance. Therefore, the flange as well as the fastening means such as bolts and nuts provided on the flange are free of the load of the appliance, and thus a highly safe attachment is obtained.

Next, a description of the second embodiment will be made in which a heavy and/or bulky article is fixed to a vertical wall surface. For the sake of simplicity of explanation, the heavy and bulky article which is attached to the vertical wall is the same electric illuminating appliance equipped with lighting fittings fo use with an explosive gas atmosphere bulb as the one used in the first embodiment. Therefore, its detailed explanation is omitted. The only difference relating to this appliance is found in the tube provided on top of the appliance. In this second embodiment, this tube 50 has a circular cross section and has a bent portion 50a formed adjacent to its main portion so that the illuminating appliance depends vertically downwardly from end of said bent portion of the tube. As in the first embodiment, a flange 80 is slidably mounted on the tube 50. An electric cord 60 is passed through this tube 50 in the same manner as described above. This cord 60, however, is led outside this tube 50 from an opening 70 formed through the wall of this tube at a position close to the free end thereof. A suspension ring 90 which may be made from a coil of steel wire is passed through two holes 130 and 130 formed diametrically through the tube 50 near the free end of the latter. A power source box 100 which is fixed to a vertical wall therealong is provided additionally at its center with a projection 110 which extends at right angle relative to the base of the box. In FIG. 5, this projection is seen to extend horizontally. This projection 110 is of an appropriate shape and diameter to be snugly received by the open end of the tube 50. A hook 120 extends from the base of the box 100 at a site near the projection 110. Numeral 140 represents a fastening means such as a bolt and a nut for connecting the flange 80 to the power source box 100. Numeral 150 represents a screw for attaching the slidable annular cylindric portion 80a of the flange 80 onto the desired site of the external circumference of the tube 50.

When it is intended to attach or fix the illuminating appliance to the power source box 100, the operator is required first to loosen the screw 150 of the flange 80 to shift the position of the flange 80 away from the open end of the tube 50, and then to mount the open end of the tube 50 onto the projection 110 in the manner shown in FIG. 5. Thereafter, the suspension ring 90 is brought into engagement with the hook 120. Then, the terminals of the electric cord 60 drawn out from the opening 70 of the tube 50 are connected to the electric source terminals of the box 100. Finally, the flange 80 is applied to the box 100 and is fastened thereto by the fastening means 140 and 140. With this, the heavy and bulky electric illuminating appliance is completely connected to the box 100.

In this way, a heavy and/or bulky article can be attached securely to a vertical wall easily by a single person. Moreover, the engagement between the tubular member and the power source box projection extending from the vertical wall, and also the engagement between the suspension ring and the hook prevent casual detachment of the tubular member from the box after the attachment of the illuminating appliance. Furthermore, the flange is free of any load of the appliance. Thus, a highly safe attachment is obtained.

Though not shown, the supporting member and the engaging member of the attachment assisting device of the present invention need not be a suspension ring and a hook. They may also be, for example, threaded end portions of a male and female pair of tubular members. Various other modifications of these two members may be conceived by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Also, the projection formed in the box may be annular having an inner diameter to receive the open end of the tube, or it may have a threaded end portion to be threadably received in or threadably receive the threaded open end portion of tube.

The open end portion of the tube need not have a circular cross section of its open end portion, and may have sides. In such a case, the holes for the suspension ring may be formed through two of the sides, and the projections should have a cross sectional shape complimentary to the cross sectional shape of the tube.

Claims

I claim:

1. A device for assisting the attachment of a heavy and/or bulky article securely to a horizontal or vertical surface, comprising:

a power source box having a base portion adapted to be connected to the horizontal or vertical surface and a top portion, said power source box having a hollow central portion and said top portion having an aperture;

a supporting member consisting of a hook located within said power source box, said supporting member being attached to said base portion of said power source box at a position opposite the aperture in said top portion;

a hollow shaft member extending in a straight line, one end being connected to said article and the other end being inserted within said power source box and supported by supporting member;

engaging means consisting of a ring on one end of said shaft for engaging said supporting member; and

a flange member, said flange member having apertures at opposite ends thereof and slidably engaging said power source box at the other end thereof.

2. A device for assisting the attachment of a heavy and/or bulky article securely to a horizontal or vertical surface, comprising:

a power source box having a base portion adapted to be connected to the horizontal or vertical surface and a top portion, said power source box having a hollow central portion and said top portion having an aperture;

a supporting member consisting of a hook located within said power source box, said supporting member being attached to said base portion of said power source box at a position opposite the aperture in said top portion;

a hollow shaft member having a bend therein, one end being connected to said article and the other end being inserted within said power source box and supported by said supporting member;

engaging means consisting of a ring on one end of said shaft for engaging said supporting member; and

a flange member, said flange member having apertures at opposite ends thereof and slidably engaging said shaft member at one end and detachably engaging said power source box at the other end thereof.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which the open end portion of the bent tubular member engages a projection extending from the vertical surface at a site near the hook.