US2134270A - Bracket - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1938. vl VENDOPE 2,134,270 y BRACKET Filed Jan. 23, 1956 @ww-Mofa Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES van L. vendope, nanas, Tex., assigner of thirtythree and one-third per cent to Richard Burdick and thirty-three and one-third per cent to Arthur S. Baron, both of Dallas, Tex.y y

Application January 23, 193s, senai'Na-sosl 3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in brackets. One object of the invention is to provide an improved bracket which-is particularly adapted for use in supporting the usual Lumiline lamp.

An important object of the invention isto provide an improved bracket which is arranged to be attached to the ordinary Lumiline lamp without changing the structure of said lamp, whereby the lamp may be connected with the ordinary electrical outlet terminal, the bracket serving not only as a support but also' as an electrical/connector, which eliminates the necesbracket for illuminating the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bracket for a Lumiline lamp which is so constructed that a plurality of "Lumiline lamps can be placed in longitudinal alignment and electrically connected to a plurality of the usual electric sign receptacles or outlet terminals, the bracket being adjustable vso that the connection may be readily made, irrespective of' the position or location of the receptacles.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bracket for a Lumiline lamp, which bracket is secured to the usual removable caps of said lamp, whereby the lamp may be inserted between or removed from the caps without disturbing the bracket.

A construction designed to carry out the. lnvention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and -by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the'invention is shown, and wherein:

Figurel is an isometric viewof an ordinary Lumiline lamp having a bracket, constructed in accordance with the invention, attached thereto,

l Figure 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, and showingthe bracket engaged in the usual electrical outlet terminal,

Figure 3 Vis an enlarged isometric view offone end ofthe lamp and bracket, A

Figure 4'is a diagrammatical view showing a 5o plurality of the Lumiline lamps in longitudinal alignmentand theconnection by the brackets with the usual outlet terminals,

Figure 5 is an elevation showing how the Lumiline lamps may be employed in forming Y 55 a letter in an electric sign,

sity of employing a separate specially constructed' (ci. 17a-32s) y Figuren` is a,'view` similar to Figure 4, and

showing a modified form of bracket, and

Figure 7 is a transverse, sectional view taken through one of the caps arid showing another4 f way of securing the'bars to the caps.

` In the drawing,the numeral I0 designates an ordinary Lumiline lamp such as is manufactured and sold by the Generall Electric Company. 'I'his'lamp is cylindrical, being tube-like, and is made in standard Ylengths of 12 and 18 vinches. 10 Each end of the lamp has a metallic terminal Il which is formed with a central recess l2.

A ilanged insulating cap `I3 isadapted to lit over each terminal and this cap is` provided with an annular spring contact i4. When the capis 15 placed over the terminal, the contact I4 frictionally engages Vthe wall of the recess |2S'With a releasable snap-fastener eiect/to hold the cap on the end of the lamp, and also to make electrical contact with the terminal. A metallicear 20 orlug VI5 of electrical conductivity'extends outwardly from one side of each capand this lug is preferably made integral Withthe contact I l. All of thev above described parts are of standard manufacture'and form no part ofthe present 25 invention.v I'hey have been described merelyfor the sake of clarity. y Y

It is the usual practice to provide with each Lumiline lamp, a specially cnstructed base (not shown). This base has spring clips which v30 have electrical lead wires connected therewith, and the spring clips are arranged to receive the metallic lugs or ears I5. The base may be secured to a Wall, or other' suitable place. It is not only expensive to manufacture a base vi'or 35 each lamp but it is impossible to electrically connect the lamp proper with the usual outlet terminal such as an attachment plug outlet, or signreceptacle. Therefore, the lamp l'cannot be used unlessfthe specially constructed base'is pro- 40 vided. f A Y -In carrying out the invention, a Ybracket I6 which not only serves asa support for the lamp, but also may be inserted in the usual electrical attachment plug outlet, whereby the lamp may be connected with s'aid outlet, isk provided. 'I'he bracket includes a pair of at electrical conductor bars l1. Each bar as shown has one end soldered, e or otherwise suitably secured, to the inner side of oneV of jthe metallic lugs I5 provided on the 50' other, whereby the prongs formed thereby are spaced from each other. The thickness of the bars I8, as well as the spacing between the prongs is such that said prongs may be inserted in the usual pair of slots I9 of the female portion of an electrical outlet attachment plug 20.

Since one end of each bar is connected with the lug I5 of one of the caps ofthe lamp and the opposite end is inserted in the electrical outlet attachment plug 20, it is obvious that the electrical current is conducted to the terminals I I of the lamp, whereby said lamp is illuminated when the plug is placed in an electrical outlet socket. The electrical conductor bars I1, which form the bracket, are covered with a suitable insulating material 2i such as rubber.

From the above, it will be seen that a cheap and inexpensive bracket, by which the Lumiline lamp may be directly connected with the ordinary outlet attachmen't plug is h`ad. The prongsA I8 of the bracket may be readily inserted in, or removed from, the plug and, thus, attachment or detachment of the lamp may be quickly accomplished. Since the arms of the bracket are rigidly secured to the lugs I5 which areran integral part of the removable caps I3, it is obvious that the lamp I may be removed from the caps without disturbing the bracket. Thus, if the lamp burns out or if, for any reason, replacement is necessary, such replacement may be readily made. a

Although the bracket may be utilized for attaching the lamp to any ordinary outlet terminal, it has been found particularly useful in mounting the Lumiline lamps on electric signs. It is well known that the sign receptacles or outlet terminals of electric signs are not equally spaced on all signs and usually they vary from to 8 inches apart. Lumiline lamps are made in standard lengths of 12 and 18 inches, land thus it will be seen that when the lamps are placed end to end in longitudinal alignment-to form a portion of a letter, it is not possible to position' the lamps so that a receptacle Awill be located directly midway between the ends of each lamp'. The present invention, however, takes care of such contingency, as will be presently explained.

In Figure 4, three Lumiline lamps are shown placed end to end in longitudinal alignment. The outlet receptacles or plugs A of the sign are ordinarily spaced about 7 inches apart, and, therefore, it will be seen that it is impossible to space the lamps so that a receptacle is located centrally with relation to each lamp. In such case, one of the arms I1 of the bracket of each lamp is shortened so as to reach the nearest receptacle. Thus, the prong of this arm is engaged in one of the slots of said receptacle to connect the lamp with one side of the electrical circuit. The other arm Il of the bracket is of such length as to engage the receptacle nearest this end of the lamp,and its prong engages one slot of the nearest receptacle, whereby the circuit to the lamp is completed. It would be possible, however, to construct one arm longer than the other (Figure 6) so that the prongs of both brackets engage the same receptacle. In such case, it is only necessary to lengthen one of the bars and shorten the other, and then bend said bars to form the prongs I8. With such arrangement, said prongs may be formed at any point along the length of the lamp, whereby the lamps may be placed end to end, and electrically connected lto the present wiring systems including outlets or receptacles, irrespective of the position of said outlets or receptacles; It is noted that the bracket not only serves as a support for the lamp but forms the electrical conductor for connecting the lamp with the outlets.

In Figure 7, another method of securing the bracket to the cap of each lamp is shown. In this form, each bar I1 is hingedly secured by a pin or rivet 25 to the ear I5 of the cap, but with a suiiicient tightness to support the weight of the lamp, yet it is forcibly movable for adjustment. With such arrangement the lamp can be swung a limited distance with 4relation to the bracket, `so=that when several lamps are in align- Vment and any one lamp burns out, the burned out lamp may be swung out of alignment with the othersrto permit removal and replacement of said lamp.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A supporting bracket for an elongate tubular lamp including a pair of arms similar in all f respects and designed to mate to form the bracket, each arm formed of flat stock having one end bent at right angles to form a flat prong to be inserted in an electric plug receptacle, its other end being bent at right angles oppositely disposed tothe rst mentioned end and shaped to form an annular member adapted to engage one end of said lamp, the construction being such the two arms, each connected to its respective' end of the .tubular lamp and having its inner end posed to the rst mentioned end and shaped to form an annular member provided with a spring tension for snapping in position on one end of said lamp, the construction being such the two arms, each connected to its respective end of the tubular lamp and having its inner end inserted in an electric plug, mating to form the support for the lamp, and insulation on said arms between their ends.

3. A supporting bracket for an elongate tubular lamp of the type having a metallic terminal having a central recess a't each end, consisting of a pair of separate electricalcurrent conduct ing bars extending in opposite directions from each other, each bar at its outer end having a relatively short forwardly directed electrical terminal facing the terminal on the other bar and having contact means consisting of a substantially l flat contact with projecting spring iingers frictionally engaging the metallic terminals of the lamp, a cap of insulating material enclosing each of the electrical contact means on the bracket bars and the ends of the tubular lamp, whereby the lampl is supported by the bars and'in close proximity thereto, and rearwardly directed flat contactprongs on the adjacent inner ends of the bars to plug in an electric outlet and thereby maintain the bars in their lamp supporting bracket formation.

VAN L. VENDOPE.

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