US2038506A - Ground light - Google Patents

Description

- J. O. CADIEUX GROUND LIGHT A ril 21, 1936.

Filed June 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1936- v J. 0'. CADIEUX GROUND LIGHT Filed June 16, 1930 Z-Sheets-Sheet} Patented Apr. 21, 1 936- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE,

' GROUND LIGHT Joseph 0. Cadieux, Merlden, Connl, assignor to Connecticut Telephone & Electric Corporation, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 16,1930, Serial n 461,456

' 3 Claims. (01. 177-329) My invention relates to electric lighting apparatus and particularly to a construction suitable for illuminating airways and fields.

One object of the invention is to provide a compact but powerful and eflectlve lamp suitable for illumination by the use of incandescent gas and the like.

A special object is to provide a compact lamp and transformer combination suitable for mounting in the ground.

Another object is to provide a lamp so that a gas tube can be readily inserted in the socket or removed therefrom.

.Another object is to provide a combination transformer and lamp socket which is rugged and can be readily protected from the elements.

In its preferred form the invention contemplates a housing consisting of an outlet box having an extension with a cover and suitable to be installed in the ground. Within this housing is mounted a transformer and a socket for a detachable or removable lamp tube which is preferably of a disc-like spiral formation. A reflecting surface is also provided and a transparent cover is protected by a suitable grill.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a single lamp embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view'showing a number of the lamps arranged in the ground.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a lamp embodying my invention shown installed in a pit. The main part of the housing is in the form of an outlet box 5 to which conduit sections 6 for the conductor wires are attached. This box has an interior flange i on which is supported an inner housing i which may be of insulating materiai: This housing has a flange 9 supported on v the flange l and secured in place by screws 10.

The transformer H will usually boot the step-up type suitable, for instance, for transforming from volts to the voltage necessary for a gas lamp, which may be upwards of 1000 or 20,000 volts. This transformer may be supported on brackets 82 and may be embedded in insulating composition filled in through the housing or casing 8 around the transformer. A branch block l3 may be mounted in the outlet box 5 for convenience in wiring.

The socket member 54 may also be of insulating material supported on the member 8 and secured by the screws it. This socket member is provided with a pair of contact clips l5 preferably in recesses l6 and connected by leads I! to the output of the transformer. An insulating disc 18 may be provided in the socket I4 and secured in place by a rivet I! so as to prevent, to the maximum degree, accidental access to the contacts I5 which are on the high tension side of the transformer.

. and removal of the gas tube.

The outer end of the housing 24 is in the form ofan outwardly flaring extension which has a flange 25 secured by bolts or screws 26 to the ends of the outlet box 5. A yielding packing or gasket 21 is preferably provided between the adjacent parts and a yielding gasket or packing ring may also be inserted between the flanges l and 9. The outer edge of the extension 24 is provided with a raised rim or flange 29. Within the extension 24 is also preferably mounted a disc 30 which mayserve as a reflector and may be colored if desired.

Iihe inner surface of the flaring extension 24$ may serve as a reflector in case the disc 30 isomltted. The transparent cover glass 3| of convex form is preferably provided to protect the "tube 2i and keep out water and dirt. The outer edge or flange of this cover 3! fits within the rim or washer 32. p

I also prefer to provide an external protecting grid or grill 33 formed of metal with suitable openings so as to permit a maximum emission of light and at the same time mechanical protection of the tube and socket. This grid may have a rim 34 secured to the 'rim 9 of the housing by a number of screws or bolts 35 and a yielding gasket 36 may be interposed between the rims 29 and 34.

These units thus far described may be installed in any suitable manner, as for instance in a concrete pit 37 sunk in the ground and with the upper portions of the lamp projecting only slightly above the surface of the ground.

Such a construction can be readily assembled or disassembled for the purposes of inspection or bred for any other suitable purpose.

The convex reflector 30 serves to support and reinforce the ,tube 2| and to spread the light from the tube over a wider area.

When the reflector 30 is removed the concave surface 24 serves to concentrate the light.

I claim:

1. In a gas lamp, a downwardly and inwardly disposed supporting member having inner and outer flanges, a main housing having inner and outer flange portions, said latter outer flange being aligned with and fastened to the inner flange of the supporting member, a secondary housing for enclosing a transformer provided with a flange fastened tothe inner flange of the main housing, and a socket member fastened to the inner flange of the main housing and having terminal clips for supporting a lamp in electrical connection with said source of electrical energy, said supporting member, main housing, secondary housing and socket forming a unitary structure adapted to be supported in a pit by the outer flange on said supporting member.

2. In a ground light, a housing having an exterior flange adjacent the upper edge thereof, said flange being adapted to support said housing in a pit whereby the upper edge of said housing will be substantially flush with the surface of the ground, illuminating means in said housing comprising a luminescent gas tube having a conical convolute form and means for removably mounting said tube in a socket in said housing, a conical convex reflector supported in said housing adjacent the lowersurface of said tube, a convex light transmitting cover for said housing supported by said flange, a vertically disposed rim on said flange surrounding'said cover and having a vertical dimension slightly greater than the thickness of said cover, and a metal grid secured to and engaging said rim and extending over said cover to protect the latter.

3. A gas lamp comprising a conical upwardly flaring housing, a relatively flat dome shapedglobe forming the upper portion of said housing,

a luminescent gas tube of convex convolute form within said housing and extending into said globe, connector means within the housing engaging the terminals of the tube for making electrical connections with the terminals of the tube, a conical convex reflector having a portion conforming to the shape of the lower portion of said tube. and in contact with the lower part of the tube to support the tube, said reflector also including a conical upwardly flaring outer portion which conforms to the shape of the inner, surface of the conical upwardly flaring housing, whereby the said reflector is supported by the inner wall of said housing adjacent the outer convolutions of said tube.

JOSEPH O. CADIEUX.

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