US2762598A - Lighting fixture hangers - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 11, 1956 R. M. RUNGE LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGERS Filed Feb. 16, 1953 INVENTOR. 1967/4 /70 PflNG'! Arm/aw y LIGHTING FIXTURE HANGERS Richard- M. Runge, Meriden, Conn., assignor to The Miller Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut- Application February 16, 1953', SerialNo. 336,987

3Claims. (Cl. 248-327) The present invention relates to lighting fixture hangers and is more particularly directed toward lighting fixture hangers suitable for adjusting the height of the Wireways of fluorescent lighting equipment.

It is customary to make fluorescent lighting equipment in unitsof relatively long lengths and to mount these units below the ceiling by means of suitable spaced stems one or'more: of which may be used, to carry wiring from the ceiling down into the wireway. Owing to unevenness of the ceiling and irregular length of the various parts, it is often necessary to effect vertical adjustment of a wireway to level it, or to adjust adjacent wireways when assembled end to end to form continuous wireways or continuous equipment whereby proper vertical alignment may be had.

The present invention contemplates hanger means for mounting such lighting fixtures in a manner in which it is possible to easily adjust the height of the wireway so as to bring it even with the adjacent wireway, or make it level as desired. It is also an object of the present invention to provide such adjustable means which is inconspicuous, easily accessible for use after the fixture has been installed, and one in which the wiring is completely protected inside the lighting fixture at all times without any danger of injury to the wires.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one embodiment in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lighting fixture equipped with the improved leveling means;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the stem of the lighting fixture with the adjustable mounting means;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the lighting fixture illustrating the adjustment of the fixture vertically;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4--4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of fitting.

In the drawings, a conventional lighting fixture canopy illustrated at and conventional outlet box at 11. The fluorescent lighting fixture unit is indicated generally at 12, this unit having the usual wireway 13, reflector 13' and carrying lamp sockets and lamps not shown. The wireway 12 is supported by two pendent stems 14 and 15 which may be close together or near the ends of the fixture unit 12. One of these stems, for example stem 14, may be tubular and carry wiring while the other stem 15 may be tubular or a rod as desired.

In the drawing, the stem 14 is shown as being supported from the outlet box by a rod or nipple 20, hickey 21 and conventional swivel joint 22 into which the top end late t 2, of the stem 14 is threaded as indicated. The other stem 15 may be supported in any suitable fashion, for example by a bracket or strap 23, hickey or dummy 24- and swivel joint 25. Withthis arrangement, the stems 14 and 15 hang pendent.

As shown in the drawings, both stems are threaded as indicated at 26, 26 for a predetermined distance from the lower ends 27, 27. The lower end of the stemor rod'is preferably flared out as indicated in the drawing or the threads are mutilated in any suitable manner so that a nut threaded 0n the stem cannot be removed. Before the mutilation of the threads at the bottom of the tube or rod; a tubular fitting 28 having a bare hole or passageway 28' of larger internal diameter than the outside of the tube or rod, and the nut 29 is passed through a transversely extending opening 29' threaded on the rod or tube. The fitting 23 is cut back so as to have lateral opening recesses 30, 30 and is cut away as indicated at 31' to receive a nut 29 and provide room so that the periphery of the nutis available for manipulation to turn it on the threads 26;

The lower ends of the fittings 28' are reduced and threaded as indicated at 32 and are adapted to pass through holes 33- in the top, wall 34 of the wireway 12. Nuts 35 are adapted to be received on the threads 32 and secure the fittings 28 to the top of the wireway;

In the installation of lighting equipment with the devices described, wiring such as W is passed down from the outlet box 11 through the hickey 21, swivel 22 and tube 14 and out through the bottom of this tube into the wireway. The wireway is supported by the nuts 35 on the lower threaded ends 32 of the fittings 28.

When one desires to raise or lower the wiring channel, it is merely necessary to manipulate one or both of the nuts 29 to secure vertical adjustment of the wiring channel. When the wiring channel is in its extreme lower position as indicated at the left of Figure 3, the fitting 28 passes down outside the enlargement 27 until the nut 29 engages this enlargement and prevents further lowering of the wireway or accidental separation of the parts. The wiring passes into the fixture as indicated.

When one desires to raise the wiring channel, it is merely necessary to turn the nut 29 in the proper direction to lift the fitting 28. This will bring the bottom end 27 of the tube or rod closer to the bottom of the wireway and as threading 26 is of limited length, it is possible to make certain that the bottom of the wireway, or reflector which usually closes it, is not brought against the wiring which passes out under the end of the tube. In this way the raising and lowering of the wireway can be limited to an amount somewhat more than the vertical depth of the wireway and one can be certain that at all times the Wiring is adequately protected.

In the modified form shown in Figure 5, the fitting 40 is made from a bent yoke 41 and a nipple 42. The space between the top of the yoke and the head of the nipple provides room for the nut 29. The holes 41' in the top of the yoke and 42' in the nipple provide passageways for the tube 14, and the threads 43 at the bottom of the nipple 42 accept the nut 35.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, and various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a lighting fixture having a horizontal wireway of substantial vertical depth and provided with a conduit opening in the top thereof, a tubular fitting secured to the top of the wireway and extending upwardly therefrom, the fitting having intermediate its ends a lateral cutout and upwardly and downwardly facing shoulders, a

tubular stem of smaller diameter facing shoulders, a tubular stem of smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the fitting and having a running thread along its lower end, and a traveling nut on the threads and between the shulders, the lower end of the stem being multilated to prevent separation of the stem and nut, the length of the threading; on the stem being such that when the nut is in its upper position the stem may extend nearly to the bottom of the wireway, so that wiring extending from the stem to the wireway is protected.

. 2. Alighting fixture support comprising a pendent rod having running threads near its lower end, a fitting having an oversize vertical passageway therethrough to receive the rod, a horizontal, transversely extending opening intermediatethe fitting ends and intersecting the passageway to provide an upwardly and a downwardly facing internal shoulder about the passageway, and a nut disposed in the opening and through which the threaded rod extends, the upper and lower faces of the nut being adjacent the downwardly facing and upwardly facing internal shoulders respectively to prevent sliding the fitting along the rod, the nut being accessible through said transversely extending opening for turning the nut on the rod to effect vertical adjustment of the fitting along the rod, the lower end of the fitting being tubular and having a downwardly facing shoulder and being of reduced diameter below the last mentioned shoulder, and means on the reduced diameter portion for securing a lighting fixture body against the latter shoulder.

3. A lighting fixture support comprising a pendent rod having running threads near its lower end, a tubular fitting having an oversize vertical passageway therethrough to receive the rod, a horizontal, transversely extending opening intermediate the fitting ends and intersecting the passageway to provide an upwardly and a downwardly facing internal shoulder about the passageway, and a nut of lesser outside diameter than the outside diameter of the tube disposed in the opening and through which the threaded rod extends, the upper and lower faces of the nut being adjacent the downwardly facing and upwardly facing internal shoulders respectively to prevent sliding the fitting along the rod, the walls of the fitting at each end of the transversely extending opening having cut out portions adjacent the upper and lower faces of the nut which reduce the thickness of said walls and provide finger receiving recesses into which the nut protrudes for manipulation to effect vertical adjustment of the fitting along the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,147,284 Doane Feb. 14, 1939 2,456,997 Sachs Dec. 21, 1948 2,459,034 Kruger Ian. 11, 1949 2,632,620 Hurley Mar. 24, 1953

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