US2543641A - Lighting fixture and fittings therefor - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 27, 1951 P. 'D. PHILLIPS LIGHTING FIXTURE AND FITTINGS THEREFOR Filed Dec. 23, 1944 Patented Feb. 27, 1951 LIGHTING FIXTURE AND FITTINGS THEREFOR Paul D. Phillips, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to Benjamin Electric Mfg. Company, Desplaines, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 23, 1944, Serial No. 569,489

9 Claims.

. 1 This invention relates to light fixtures, more particularly to fluorescent lamp fixtures for housing a plurality of fluorescent lamps and fittings therefor and it is an object of the invention to provide improved lighting fixtures and-- fittings therefor of the character indicated.

While the invention will be described in connection with fluorescent lamp fixtures, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that modifications may be made to adapt the inven v tion for use with other types of light fixtures. Fluorescent lamps create illumination which .is relatively free from glare and which may be viewed quite directly without producing harsh reactions on the eyes. However, where it is. necessary for a fluorescent lamp to be viewed directly for. relatively long periods of time, eye strain results. To prevent this situation fluorescent lamps are put in shades or reflectors which reflect the light and prevent glare, such reflectors being ordinarily provided with rela tively long sides so that it is not possible to see the fluorescent lamp directly unless the viewer is quite close to the fixture.

With the increasing use of fluorescent light; ingv it has become common practice to place plurality of fluorescent lamps in' a single fixture or reflector. Particularly, is this true in industrial lighting applications where large numbers of fixtures are used. In many instances the fixtures are placed high above the floor with the result that even with long reflector sides the fluorescent lamp is visible to a viewer some distance away. This situation is aggravated by having a plurality of fluorescent lamps in one fixture since a lamp spaced parallel to another lamp is viewable at a different angle or from a difierent position and thus while the reflector may shield one lamp it may not shield the other. Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide improved fluorescent lamp fixtures for shielding a plurality of fluorescent lamps so that all of the lamps are viewable at the same angle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved shielding or baffle means for shielding the lamps in a. fluorescent lamp flxture.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved shielding or baffle means that is free from warping and is a highly efficient re flecting surface for use in. a light fixture.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved lamp shielding or baffle means that is simple to use and assemble.

In carrying out the invention in one form a reflector having top and side reflecting surfaces lamps, bafile means are placed between the lamps. More particularly a bafile comprising a pair of opposed light reflecting surfaces, including mounting brackets, extending between the light reflecting surfaces for attaching the bafile to the reflector is provided. The reflecting surfaces have beams arranged for attaching them to the bracket and thermally resistant cushioning blocks or washers are placed between each of the reflecting surfaces and the bracket.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a fluorescent lamp fixture embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a modification of one element of the invention, shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4. is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational View of a further modification of one elementof the invention, shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown in Fig. 1 as embodied in a light fixture I0 comprising a metallic reflector H and a bafile or shield 12 attached to the reflector by a bracket l3. The reflector H is made of any suitable material, for'example sheet metal, and is formed into a configuration having a top reflecting surface I4 and side reflecting surfaces I5 and IS. The top and side reflecting surfaces may be provided with any desired angular reflecting portions and ariin I1 is provided around the lower edge of the sides to give the reflector the necessary rigidity. The reflector is of proper length to accommodate fluorescent lamps of a desired wattage and end members 2% and H may be used to complete the unit. The lengths of fluorescent lamps vary from a few inches to several feet, four foot lengths being quite common and the reflector is of corresponding length, proper provision being made (not shown) for supporting the fluorescent lamps in the reflector. It is understood that the inside surface of the reflector is treated or coated to provide a smooth reflecting surface that will be free from imperfections. One well known method is to coat the surface with white vitreous enamel.

Positioned within the reflector l I by well known means, not illustrated, are the fluorescent lamps I 8 and H), which may be of a well known type comprising a cylindrical tube having a relatively small diameter and being relatively long, the fluorescent lamps being symmetrically spaced from the center line of the reflector and sepap with enamel. 22 and 23 are provided, respectively, such as by bending, with concave portionsi25 and 26 which 3 rated by the bafiie l2 which is of a length approximately to the length of the fluorescent lamps.

The baflle I2 is arranged between the fluorescent lamps i8 and I9 to improve the lighting quality of the reflector as will be explained and includes the reflecting members 22 and 23 which may be coated with white vitreous enamel to provide a good reflecting surface. The reflecting members 22 and 23 extend approximately the full length of the reflector and may be constructed by bending a flat piece of sheet metal into the configuration shown thereby providing a. smooth bottom curved portion 24 which is also coated The upper edges of the members face each other to form a channel and which slight warping may result in chipping or crack ing the enamel and impair the reflecting surface.

I make the bail'ie i2 sufliciently rigid so that it will not warp under the effects of the heat from the vitreous enameling process.

This is an important consideration since the battle is long and therefore has considerable area which may be coated with a vitreous enamel and consequentl Any desired number of brackets 53 may be used to attach the baffle 12 to the reflector ll depending on the length of the baiile. For a bathe used with fluorescent lamps up to four feet in length,

two brackets may be used one adjacent each end here 22 and 23. threaded in a suitable hole in the vertical porof the bafiie. The bracket l3 may be formed of relatively heavy gauge metal by a stamping operation, for example, and includes a horizontally bent fastening portion 22 a and a vertical por tion 21 extending between the reflecting mem- As shown in Fig. l a screw 23 is tion 21, the screw head being spaced therefrom by a nut 29 and the baiile being held to thebracket l3 by the concave portions 25 and 26 contacting the shank and the head of the screw. Spaced between inside surfaces of the reflecting members 22 and 23, respectively, and the bracket por;

- tion 21 are cushioning blocks 38 and 3! which may be asbestos, for example, the: blocks being glued or fastened by some. other means to the bracket portion 27 and unattached to the members 22 and 23. The members 22 and 23 are re silient with respect to each other and engage the blocks thereby to form with the screw 28 a, firm plete the fastening means.

' and vibration free connection with the bracket i3. It will be understood that to assemble the bracket l'3 to the bafiie #2 it is only necessary to slide the bracket I3with the blocks 30 and 3! attached thereto into the space between the reflecting members 22 and 23, as shown, so that the shank and head of the screw are received in the chanlnel formed by the concave portions 25 and 26.

In Figs. 3, 4, and 6 are shown brackets 32 and 33 which are modifications of bracket [3 and which are similarthereto except for the bent out lugs 34 on the bracket 32 and the pushed outprotuberances 35 on the bracket 33 which correspond to the screw 28 threaded in.the bracket portion 21.

is easilyv assembled. by first assembling the brackets [3 to the bafile'lZ and then inserting 4 the bolts 36 into the holes in the reflector top [4. A thermally resistant washer 36a is placed between the inside of the reflector top 14 and the bracket portion 27a to provide a vibration free connection.

With the light fixture mounted for use, an observer approaching in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, would see the fluorescent lamp l9 at some point distant from the fixture when his line of sight is represented by the broken line 39 which is tangent to the lower portion of the lamp -9 and is tangent to or just touches the edge I1. When the baflie i2 is not present, it will be apparent that the same observer will be able to see the lamp it when he is at a much greater distance from the light fixture since his line of sight is represented by the broken line as which 1 is tangent to the lower portion of the lamp [8 and also just touches or is tangent to theedge 27. Under this situation, even though the depth of the reflector is such that an observer cannot see the lamp [9 except when close to it, the observer may view the lamp i8 continuously. To prevent this from occurring the bafiie i2 is so dimensioned that its lower portion 25 extends below the lamps l8 and H! to the point where the line of sight of an observer approaching as alreadyindicated is represented by the broken line H which is tangent to the lower edge of the lamp l8 and is tangent to the edge 2d of the baifie, the broken line 4| being parallel to the broken line 39. In other words, with the baffle the lamps are viewable from the same angle. In order not to prevent the top reflecting surface [4 from being used as a reflector by each lamp, the top edge of the battle is positioned below the reflecting surface 54, but in order not to make the top surface of lamp I8 visible to an observer before he can view the lamp [9, the top edge of the bafile [2 extends above the broken line 42 which is tangent to the top surface of the lamp s and is parallel to the line 39'.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that reflectors may be provided for housing more than two lamps and that in such a case a baflle is placed between every lamp and the succeedinglamp, each baffie being positioned according to the foregoing principles.

While a: particular embodiment of the invention has been shown it will be understood of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is,

therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent 1. A light bafile comprising a pair of spaced reflectingmembers joined along one edge thereof to form a continuous and smooth light reflecting surface, the free edges of said reflecting members being bent to form curved portions concave toward each other to form a channel, a bracket extending between said reflecting members, and protuberances integrally formed with said bracket and received in said channel for attaching said reflecting members to said bracket.

a concave edge extending longitudinally thereof to provide a stiffening member, means on said bracket engaging said concave edges to attach said reflecting members to said bracket, said reflecting members being resiliently formed relative to each other thereby to maintain engagement between said concave edges and said bracket means, and cushioning blocks placed between each of said reflecting members and said bracket.

3. A light bafile comprising a pair of opposed light reflecting members spaced from each other and integrally joined along one edge thereof with a smooth curved portion to form a continuous and smooth light reflecting surface, stiffening members extending along the other edges of said reflecting members, said stiffening members being uniformly smooth also to provide a continuous light reflecting surface, a bracket extending between said light reflecting surfaces for attaching said baiile to a light fixture, projections on said bracket cooperating with said stiffening members for attaching said bracket to said light reflecting members, and cushioning blocks spaced between each of said reflecting members and said bracket.

4. A light bafiFle comprising a pair of opposed light reflecting members spaced from each other and integrally joined along one edge thereof with a smooth curved portion to form a continuous and smooth light reflecting surface, stiffening members extending along the other edges of said reflecting surfaces, said stiffening members comprising said edges bent into smooth curved surfaces concave toward each other and forming a' channel, a bracket having a portion extending between said light reflecting members for attaching said light reflecting members to a light fixture, said extending portion having protuberances projecting into said channel to attach said bracket to said light reflecting members and cushioning blocks spaced between each of said light reflecting members and said extending portion.

5. In combination, a reflector having a large ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension and adapted to support a pair of fluorescent lamps having a large ratio of length to diameter therein, a bafile having two reflecting side members spaced between said fluorescent lamps and extending substantially the full length of said reflector, said reflecting side members being spaced apart and having concave portions extending along one edge thereof to form a channel, and bracket means extending between said reflecting side members, said bracket means having protuberances slidably received in said channel for suspendedly mounting said baffle to said reflector.

6. In combination, a reflector having top and side reflecting surfaces and being adapted to support therein a pair of fluorescent lamps having a large ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension, and a bafile having upper and lower edges spaced between said fluorescent lamps, the lower edge of said baffle extending below said fluorescent lamps to a point where a line tangent to the lower portion of one of said lamps and tangent to the lower edge of said baflie extends at the same angle as a line tangent to the lower portion of the other of said fluorescent lamps and tangent to the edge of the adjacent reflector side, said baffle including a pair of reflecting surfaces having a channel member along the top edge thereof, and brackets slidable into the space between said reflecting surfaces and having protuberances received in said channel for attaching said bafiie tosaid reflector.

'7. A light baffle comprising a pair of spaced reflecting members integrally joined along one edge thereof to form a continuous light reflecting surface, stiffening means extending along the free edges of said reflecting members comprising said free edges bent to form channel portions, bracket means extending between said reflecting members at the side opposite to said one edge and protuberances associated with said bracket means extending into said channel portions for attaching said bracket means to said bafile.

8. In combination, a reflector having a large ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension and adapted to support a pair of fluorescent lamps having a large ratio of length to diameter therein, a baffle having two reflecting side members lying between said fluorescent lamps and extending substantially the full length of said reflector, said reflecting side members being spaced apart and having concave portions extending along one edge thereof, bracket means extending between said reflecting side members for suspendedly mounting said baffle from said reflector, and protuberances associated with said bracket means projecting into said concave portions for attaching said bracket means to said reflecting side members.

9. In combination, a reflector having a large ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension and adapted to support a pair of fluorescent lamps having a large ratio of length to diameter therein, a baffle having two substantially. parallel reflecting side members integral with each other along one edge spaced between said fluorescent lamps and extending substantially the full length of said reflector, said reflecting side members being spaced apart and having concave portions extending along one edge thereof, and bracket means extending between said reflecting side members, said bracket means including means engaging with said concave portions for suspendedly mounting said baffle from said reflector, said reflecting members being resiliently formed relative to each other for holding said concave portions in engagement with said engaging means.

PAUL D. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,221,954 Schepmoes Nov. 19, 1940 2,282,445 Alderman et a1 May 12, 1942 2,291,495 Beals July 28, 1942 2,332,039 Zampol Oct. 19, 1943 2,334,005 Hoeveler Nov. 9, 1943 2,335,545 Shannon et al Nov. 30, 1943 2,337,437 Allen Dec. 21, 1943 2,339,100 Netting Jan. 11, 1944 2,345,235 Carter Mar. 28, 1944 2,358,811 Kloner Sept. 26, 1944 2,411,952 Biller Dec. 3, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 559,825 England Mar. 7, 1944

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