Lighting Fixture

Abstract

A lighting fixture including a bulb socket mounted on an extension arm, wherein means for tilting and rotating the bulb socket are formed as part of the socket assembly.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a lighting fixture having a tiltable and rotatable light bulb socket assembly on an extension arm. On known lamps in this art, a tilt-turn joint is situated at the end of an extension arm and consists of a rotatable collar which carries a second arm arranged in bearings for tilting movement. The second arm carries at its outer end a standard light socket fitting. The socket and tilt-turn joint are enclosed within a cylinder, because the bare socket and screw-on joint arrangement is not attractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is to provide a lighting fixture of the described type which avoids the disadvantages of the known arrangement and on which parts need not be hidden for attractiveness. It is also a purpose of the invention to provide a lamp of simple construction using a minimum of parts while permitting a tilt-turn arrangement.

The foregoing purposes are achieved by forming an extended part of the lamp socket so as to provide part of the tilt joint.

In an advantageous embodiment, the lamp socket extension has a slot in which a collar is located for tilting movement, the collar being rotatably positioned on an extension arm. The collar can be formed with a cylindrical part having parallel end faces, which is fitted in the slot for swing or tilt movement.

In the new type of lighting fixture, the socket itself performs the functions which previously required a separate joint assembly. Due to the invention, a construction is possible which is not only simple, but also pleasantly aesthetic. The collar moves within the slot and is out of sight in most positions of the socket. The normal smooth cylindrical construction of the lamp socket and extended part give the lamp a pleasing appearance even without a decorative covering tube. Due to the fact that the extended socket body forms part of the joint, the whole construction is simplified and the new type lamp can be produced at lower cost despite its other advantages.

A further suggestion of the invention is that the width of the slot corresponds to the diameter of at least part of the collar, or to the parallel end faces of the cylinder part. Another suggestion is that the electric wiring for the lamp socket is conducted through the extension arm tube and through the turn-tilt joint into the extended lamp socket without any open zones or areas. The advantage of such construction is that all wiring can be enclosed for both safety and aesthetic reasons.

It has proved to be advantageous to provide the extended part of the socket with two coaxial bores, one on each side of the slot, each bore having a larger external diameter, so that a shoulder is formed for supporting a securing means which is connected to the collar or the cylinder. Suitably, the securing means consists of screws which are screwed into the collar or cylinder part. To achieve the desired soft yet firm adjustability of the tilt or swing joint, spring washers may be provided between the screw heads and the bore shoulders. In order to maintain the friction at the desired pitch after it has been adjusted by means of the screws, the securing means are locked relative to the collar, such as by using a suitable adhesive.

An additional suggestion is that the extended part of the socket and the socket are joined together by means such as screws, and if uniformity is desired, the socket and extended part should be of equal diameter.

Finally, it is suggested that a ring having axially extending spring arms is fitted between the socket and the extended part. A decorative tube, such as a chrome-plated tube, can be pushed over the spring-loaded arms to exert a friction-grip pressure on the inside surface of the tube to thereby hold it in a preselected position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification and drawings.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a lighting fixture constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tilt-swivel joint;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of spring means for holding a cover tube;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a cylinder with a rotatable joint and extension arm; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the elements of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The lighting fixture has a light bulb socket 1 to which is secured in axial alignment an extended part 2. The light bulb socket and extended part may be screwed together or joined by any other suitable means (not shown). Disposed between socket 1 and extended part 2 is a ring 3, best seen in FIG. 3, which carries oppositely and axially directed spring arms 4. Spring arms 4 exert a spring pressure on the inside of a tube 5 which is assembled over the socket and extended-part assembly. The spring arms grip the interior surface of tube 5 to thereby hold it in any selected position, with the tube being axially adjustable. Tube 5 is provided with a longitudinal slot 6 through which an arm 7 can pass for allowing relative adjustment of the tube. The opposite end of the tube has removably mounted therein a reflector 8, and an electric light bulb 9 is shown in phantom as being fitted into the socket within the reflector.

Socket 1 and extended part 2 may be termed as a lamp socket assembly and are preferably of equal diameter to form a uniform cylinder.

Arm 7 is a tube connected at one end to a bracket or flange 10 through which the lighting fixture can be fitted to a wall or ceiling. An electric cable 11 passes through tube 7 and the turn-tilt joint arrangement as hereafter described to electrify the socket.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a collar 14 is rotatably mounted on tube 7. A stop screw 12 is secured to tube 7 in the path of movement of a lug 13 formed on collar 14 to thereby limit the rotation of collar 14 to slightly less than 360.degree..

Collar 14 is formed as part of a cylindrical body 22. Extended part 2 is provided with a slot 15 which receives cylindrical body 22, with the side walls 23 and 24 of the cylindrical body being dimensioned so as to be received in slot 15. A recess 25 in the form of a 90.degree. sector is formed in cylindrical body 22, providing space for electrical cable 11 when the lamp is tilted. Approximately 90.degree. of tilt is provided for. The extreme relative positions of extension arm 7 are shown in solid and phantom lines in FIG. 1.

As best seen in FIG. 2, side walls 23 and 24 of cylinder 22 have threaded bores 16 for receiving screws 17. Spring washers 19 seat on the shoulders 20 of bores 21 formed in extended part 2 in order that the screw heads 18 provide a frictional drag force between cylindrical body 22 and extended part 2. If desired, once the friction has been adjusted, an adhesive can be applied to the screw threads.

Preferably, socket 1 and extended part 2 forming the socket assembly are formed of plastic material.

It will thus be seen that the advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting fixture having a light bulb socket assembly including a slot and means defining a rotatable, tiltable joint, said means constituting part of said assembly and including a rotatable collar having parallel side walls, the spacing between said side walls being substantially that of the width of said slot, said collar being rotatably mounted on an extension arm, said socket assembly slot permitting tilt action of said collar with respect to said socket assembly, said rotatable and tiltable means further including coaxial bores in said socket assembly having shouldered recesses, threaded aligned bores in said collar and screws acting between said coaxial bores and said threaded bores, said recesses in said coaxial bores receiving the heads of said screws and further including washers surrounding said screws beneath the heads thereof and acting against said shouldered recesses, said screws and washers acting between said coaxial bores and said threaded bores for pivoting said collar with said collar assembly.

2. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light bulb socket assembly includes a cylindrical socket portion and a cylindrical extended portion connected to said socket portion in axial alignment, said cylindrical socket and said extended portion being of substantially equal outside diameter.

3. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 2 and further including spring means disposed between said socket and said extended portion and a tube slidably mounted over said socket assembly, said spring means acting against the inside surface of said tube for positioning same.

4. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 3 wherein said spring means includes a ring and a plurality of spring arms extending generally perpendicularly from the plane of said ring, some of said spring arms extending in one direction and the other of said spring arms extending in an opposite direction.