US1904643A - Lighting unit - Google Patents

Description

April 18, 1933. R. l.. HUS 1,904,643

LIGHTING UNIT Filed June 5, 1930 ffl fara/fion Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE RALPH I. HUSE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT & M. ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F SOUTH BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS LIGHTING- UNIT Application filed June 5, 1930. Serial No. 459,284.

This invention relates to a lighting unit and more particularly to a lighting unit for use in a Wall or other surface for illuminating in the vicinity of the Wall.

In general the invention has for an object to provide a novel and superior lighting unit of a character which may be inset into a Wall or other surface to provide illumination in the immediate vicinity of the Wall and enable the latter to be properly illuminated for its entire length With a minimum number of lighting units.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved lighting unit Which is particularly adapted among other uses for illuminating engine pits and similar places Where it is desirable that the unit be inset into the` surface, preferably the Wall, to be substantially Hush with the Wall, and the construction of which is such as to provide efficient illumination of the character desired With a minimum Weakening of the Wall especially When the latter is mad-e of concrete or like cementitious material. A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting unit of the character ref-erred to, Which can be inset in a Vertical Wall of minimum height, economically manufactured, easily and accurately installed and such that the lamps may be conveniently replaced When burnt out.

With these objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in a lighting unit and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing illustratinga preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a sectional vieW illustrating an engine pit and the present lighting .units installed in the upright Walls of the pit; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the illuminating device; and Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In general the present lightingunit is adapted for use in those places Where it is of advantage that the lighting unit be inset into the Wall, floor or other surface, such for example as the Wall of an engine pit. I-Ieretofore various illuminating units have been mounted upon the Walls of engine pits inea position in Which they project in Whole or in part beyond the face of the Wall, and in practice such units have been broken and destroyed by the Workmen in the pit during cated above the pit.

rlfhe present invention contemplates a unit Which may be permanently inset into the Wall in a position in which no part of the unit projects materially beyond the f-ace of the Wall. In this manner liability of damage to the unit is entirely avoided during the course the repairing or inspection of an engine lo- 4of the use of the pit.

The invention also contemplates a construction of unit in Which provision is made for conveniently opening the unit, enabling the electric lamp bulbs to be replaced and to render the interior of the unit accessible for any desired purpose. The unit may and preferably Will be provided With a plurality of lamp sockets' for the reception of lamps and'vvith a reflector co-operating with the lamp or lamps and constructed to direct the lighting rays length- Wise of the Wall and in relatively `close proximity thereto so that a maximum length of Wall is illuminated by each lighting unit,

which enables the Wall of the pit,"tunnel orV the like to be illuminated'vvith a flood-light as distinguished from a spotlight, With lighting units spaced a maximum distance apart and thereforewith a minimum number and at a minimum cost. j j

The present lighting unit is simple in yconstruction and lends itself tov economical manufacture and simplicity in' installation in the Wall, as Will 'be described.

Referring novv to the drawing, 10 represents a casing Which is preferably of cast iron, of a general lelongated shape,'having a projecting rim portion l2 around the y.front edge of the casing, anda preferably transversely curved rear portion 14, which Vis elongated, as illustrated in Fig. 2, for the reception of a reflector 16 Within the casing, as will be described. The back of the casing is provided with a plurality, and preferably at least four, anchoring members for anchoring the casing in concrete or other cementitious material in order to securely maintain the casing in its operative positiony in the wall.

rAs herein shown `each anchoring member is hinge, such as illustrated at in Fig. 3, to a face plate 24 screwed to the face of the casing. A suitable gasket 28 is interposed between the face plate 24 and the face of the casing to assure a water-tight joint between these parts. The rim section 23 is also provided .with a gasket 29 extendingv around the same, and which is adapted to engage the face plate 24 to provide a water-tight connection between the cover member and the face plate when the cover is closed. The glass section 22 may and preferably will be secured inthe rim section 23 by a clamping member 30 screwed to the rim section, and suitable gaskets 32 are provided between both surfaces of the glass and the corresponding surfaces of the rim section and the clampingmember respectively.

In order to lock the cover member in its closed position and at the same time afford a convenient means by which the cover member may be opened, I preferably provide a plurality of locking members mounted-on the casing-and as .hereiny shown each comprises a. revoluble wedge 34 (see Fig. 4) mounted upon a pin 36 secured by a screw 3S to the face plate 24 and each having a handle 39 -by which it may be turned. The locking member is designed to engage the face of themetal frame 23 of the cover member when the handle is in one position, and to permit the said frame to pass the locking member when the cover member is ,swung Open to expose the interior of the casing when the handle has-been moved to another position.

The reflector 16 is elongated in shape and curved about an aXis extended longitudinally of the casing and is provided with end walls 42 which are inclined with relation to saidlongitudinal aXis and converge toward each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and3.

The inclined end walls 42 are provided with holes 43 to permit one and preferably two lamps 40, 41 to be extended through saidholes and be screwed intoflamp sockets 44,k 45 secured to the end walls 46 of the casing in line with said holes.

The casing is provided with a wire inlety into which the threaded end of a wire conduit 52 may be screwed and the lead wires workman.

53 connected to the lamp socket 44. In order to facilitate the electrical connection between the lamp sockets 44, 45, I preferably provide an elongated conduit 56 extending longitudinally of the rear wall of the casing and which may and preferably will. be formed in thekcasing when the latter is cast. Connecting wires 58 are extended through such connecting conduit 56from the lamp socket 44 to the lamp socket 45, and the provision of the wiring conduit 56 simplifies th-e wiring connections within the casing and enables the reflector to closely fit into the curved rear section of the casing.

It will be observed that in the present lighting Vunit therim section-V 12 projects beyond both-the cover member 22, 23 and the locking members 32, so that when the unit is set into a wall or vother upright surface 60 with the front edge of the rim vflush with th-e wall, the cover member and lockingv members are positioned behind the'plane of the wall in a position in which there is little liability oftheir becoming broken as the workman swings hammers and other implements during repairs and adjustments being madeupon an engine over thepit.

This construction contributes to the durability and long life of the unit. It will also be observed that the construction of the present unit is such as to enable the glass cover member to be readily removed or swung into a position toeXpose the interior of the unit and to enable burnt-out lamps to be replaced. y l

rlhe simplicity and ease with which these lamps may be replaced. contributes to the utility of the unit for-the reason that-the workman being busy has not in the p ast taken the troublev to replace burnt-out lamps in prior lighting units heretofore used in pit lighting, chiefly for the reason that such replacement took considerable time and involved considerable inconvenience to the The elongated casing enables the lighting unitvto be set in a vertical wall or surface of minimum height with a minimum weakening of the wall and therefore enables the lighting unit to be set in close'proximity to thev top or bottom of the wallof a pit, tunnel or the like,`and also in the riser of a concrete step. It is especially advantageous when it is desired to locate the lighting unit in close proximity to the top of the side walls of a pit, tunnel or the like, having the track rails 62 located near the edges of the pit as represented in Figl, as in such case, the concrete side walls of the pit are weakened'a minimum amount by remgoval of a minimum amount of theconcrete below and substantially in close proximity to the railsf62 upon .which the locomotive o1 otherV vehicle ,rests loo set into the forms for the concrete walls and accurately positioned with relation thereto before the concrete is poured, which enables the green cement or concrete to be poured and allowed to set without danger of distortion or disturbance of the casings of the lighting units.

The elongated casing co-operates with the inclined end walls of the reflector, to enable the beam of light projected by said inclined end walls longitudinally of the casing to be brought into closer proximity to the upright wall of the pit, tunnel or the like and enables said beam to illuminate a maximum length of wall beyond the casing in the direction of the long axis of the latter, with the result that the wall of the pit, tunnel or the like may be illuminated for its length with a continuous or flood light in contradistinction to a non-continuous or spot light, and this continuous lighting effect may be obtained with a minimum number of lighting units set at a maximum distance apart.

It will thus be seen that a lighting unit having an elongated casing provided with an elongated reflector having a transversely inclined end wall or walls is especially useful in pits, tunnels and the like to obtain maximum illumination within the pit, tunnel or the like, and especially at the side walls thereof so as to avoid accidents to the workmen in the pit, tunnel and the like and to enable them to see clearly the work which is to be performed, and further enables the proper illumination to be obtained by railroads without materially weakening the structure of the pit, tunnel, and the like, and with a minimum number of lighting units.

The elongated body portion of the reflector projects light laterally with relation to the side walls of the pit after the manner represented in Fig. l, and such light cooperates with the light projected longitudinally of the side walls by the inclined end walls of the reflector to flood the pit, tunnel or the like with the desired illumination.

IVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. A lighting unit comprising a casing having a rearwardly extended portion and a forwardly extended rim and provided with means for anchoring said casing in a recess in a wall, a lamp socket and lamp within said rearwardly extended portion, a face plate within said rim and secured to said casing, a cover member hinged to said face plate and provided with a removable glass member, and means within said rim for securing said cover member in its closed position.

2. A lighting unit comprising a casing having a rearwardly extended portion and a forwardly extended rim, a lamp socket and lamp within said rearwardly extended portion, a face plate within said rim and secured to said casing, a cover member hinged to said face plate and provided with a removable glass member, and means within said rim for locking said cover in its closed position.

3. A lighting unit comprising a casing having a rearwardly extended portion and a forwardly projecting rim, a reflector located in said casing, a face plate secured to said casing within said rim, a cover member for said reflector' provided with a glass member and pivotally mounted on said face plate within said rim, and revoluble means for securing said pivoted cover member in its closed position to said face plate within said rim.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RALPH L. HUSE.

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