US2770715A - Weatherproof and vapor-tight fixture - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1956 Filed Sept. 5, 1953 H. D. STECHER WEATHERPROOF AND VAPOR-TIGHT FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HENRY D. STECHER AT TORNEYS FIG 3 NW. 13, 1956 H- D. STECHER 2,770,715

WEATHERPROOF' AND VAPOR-TIGHT FIXTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. HENRY D. ST CHER BYBM /0mtun w MM ATTORNEYS United States Patent WEATHERPROOF AND VAPOR-TIGHT FIXTURE Henry D. Stecher, Lakewood, Ohio Application September 3, 1953, Serial No. 378,350

6 Claims. (Cl. 24011.2)

This invention relates to fixtures and more particularly to pendant type weather-proof and vapor-tight fixtures for use in locations exposed to moisture such as out of doors and in shower rooms.

In one form of construction of a pendant type weatherproof fixture, the globe and guard therefor are fastened to the outlet box of the fixture by means of a fitting detachably connected by screws or the like to the outlet box. This fitting generally is provided with a globe retaining collar for engaging and supporting the globe. Since the various outlet or junction boxes or mounting circles with which such :a fitting is used may have mounting holes located on circles of different diameters, a problem of fastening the fitting to the outlet box or circle arises when the globe retaining collar on the fitting directly overlies the mounting holes in the outlet box. Under such conditions, it has been necessary in the past to use an adapter plate in conjunction with the fitting in order to mount the latter on the outlet box in lieu of the tedious task of drilling and tapping new mounting holes in the box. My invention, inter alia, solves this problem by its universality and eliminates the need for such an adapter.

An object of my invention is to provide a weatherproof fixture with a universal fitting that can be directly connected to the fixture outlet boxes of different sizes regardless of the diametrical spacing of the mounting holes in the outlet boxes within the conventional range of size limitations. Another object is to provide weather-proof fixture to and from which a globe guard may be quickly and conveniently attached and detached. Another object is to provide such a fixture with novel foolproof guard locking means which prevents the guard from vibrating loose and ultimately accidentally falling from the fixture even when the guard locking screws are not tightened against the guard or have been loosened by vibrations. A further object is to provide a weather-proof fixture which is simple and economical to manufacture and which effectively prevents ingress of moisture, dust and other foreign matter to the interior of the fixture.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the laccompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation partially in section of the fully assembled fixture emboding my invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the fixture.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the underside of the fitting to which the globe and globe guard are attached and which constitutes a part of my invention.

Figure 4 is a central section of the fitting taken on the lines 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the guard showing the details of the guard rim.

Figure 6 is a section through the guard rim taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawings as a pendant-type fixture having an outlet box or body member 10 formed with a plurality of radial internally threaded openings 11 through which one or more cables 12 extend for carrying electric power to the lamp of the fixture. The openings 11 which are not in use are closed and sealed by plugs 13. Cable 12 preferably is carried in a rigid conduit 14 which is externally threaded for making a firm vapor-tight connection to the outlet box which, along with the rest of the fixture, may be supported directly on the conduit 14 or by other suitable means to an adjacent supporting structure.

Leads 15 of cable 12 connect to terminals 16 on the near side of .a vertically disposed lamp socket member 17. The outlet or junction box has a bottom wall 18 with a central opening 19 through which the upper end of socket member 17 extends for electrical connection to cable 12. A lamp 20 supported in and electrically connected to socket member 17 extends downwardly therefrom and is enclosed in a cylindrical globe 22 having a closed lower end and an open upper end 23 formed with relatively large external threads 24. Globe 22 is secured to :and supported on the outlet box by means of a preferably cast or molded fitting 26 which is connected to the outlet box 10 by screws 27 extending through countersunk holes 28 in the base wall 29 of the fitting and engaging tapped holes 30 in the bottom wall 18 of the outlet box.

Fitting 26 has an integral annular collar 32 with an inner diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the globe and is formed with internal threads 33 of the same size and pitch as threads 24 on the globe for securely holding the globe to the fitting. The threads 33 on the fitting flange, being large in size and pitch, may be cast or molded when the fitting is formed. Socket member 17 has mounting flange 35 fastened by screws 36 to the base wall 29 of the fitting which has a central opening 37 through which the body of the socket member extends. A gasket 39 between the fitting base wall and the adjacent bottom wall 18 of the outlet box and another gasket 40 between the fitting base wall and the open end edge of the globe seals the connections of these parts and makes the fixture weather-proof. A globe guard 41 having a rim 42 with a plurality of globe protecting vertically extending ribs 43 connected thereto is detachably connected to the fitting 26 exteriorly of fitting collar 32 for protection of the globe and lamp. The novel manner in which guard 42 engages and is locked on fitting 26 will be explained more fully below.

It frequently occurs that an installed fixture after a period of use is converted to accommodate globe and guard of larger or smaller diameter as the needs of the user may require. Since the fixture outlet box initially is provided usually with a pair of tapped mounting holes similar to holes 30 in the drawings, the conversion may require the use of a globe supporting fitting 26 with a collar 32 having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the circle on which the outlet box mounting holes 30 are formed. Under such conditions, the collar 32 will directly overlie the mounting holes in the outlet box and normally preclude direct attachment of the fitting to the outlet box. In order to overcome this problem. and thus provide a fitting capable of universal application, the collar 32 of fitting 26 is formed with a plurality of identical diametrically opposed bosses or protuberances 44, a pair being shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, which project radially from. the lower as more specifically in the bosses 44, which directly overlie viewed part of the collar 32. The interior surfaces 45 of the bosses 44 preferably are frusto-conically shaped as shown and curve outwardly from the diameter of the collar to define openings or recesses 46 in the collar, or

Patented Nov. 13, 1956 the pair of countersunk mounting holes 28 in the base wall 29 of the fitting. I prefer that the diameter of the collar 32 measured at the surfaces 45 at the upper ends 47 of the bosses, 44, that is, distance A on Figure 4, be not less than the spacing between outside edges of the countersunk portions of holes 28 in the fitting base Wall in-order to permit full accessibility to and insertion and removal of fastening screws 27 when the fitting is positioned for attachment to the outlet box. The bosses 44 are integral with the collar and preferably are formed at the same time the fitting proper is cast or molded. Hence the recesses 46 in the bosses need not be machined separately. Other mounting holes 28a and 28b may be and preferably are formed in the base wall 29 on circles with diameters greater than and less than the diameter of mounting holes 28 to register with similarly spaced mounting holes in the bottom wall of other outlet boxes to permit direct connection of the fitting to the outlet boxes with differently spaced mounting holes.

The. upper ends 47 of bosses 44 preferably are flat as shown, are spaced a distance B, see Figure 4, from the bottomsurface of the base wall 29, and thus define outwardly opening recesses 48 in the bosses. The thick ness of rim 42, indicated as C in Figure 6, of the guard 41 is less than the depth B of the outer recesses in the bosses and the diameter of the inner edge of guard rim 4-2 is. approximately the same as the external diameter of the flange 32. Hence when the guard is assembled on the fixture, guard rim 42 fits into recesses 48 above bosses 44 directly under the peripheral portions of the fitting base wall 29 and the bosses overlie the guard rim and hold the guard in place on the fixture. The outer portion of each boss preferably is formed with a vertically tapped hole 50 with which a guard locking screw 51 cooperates for bearing against the guard rim and securely locking the guard in place on the fixture. Each boss 44 is recessed under the screw hole 50 as indicated at 52 to accommodate the screw head.

One of the features of my invention is that substantially the complete fitting 26 may readily be formed in one operation as by casting. The collar 32, the globe engaging threads 33 [on the interior of the collar 32, the bosses 44, the internal and external recesses 46 and 48 and central opening 37 and the counter-sunk holes 28 in the base wall 29-all may be and preferably are formed in the casting process. Only the locking screw holes 50 in the bosses may require separate machining. The internal and external recesses 46 and 48 can be formed by means of one core piece in the casting process. The fitting 26 therefore may be quickly produced at a minimum of cost which, coupled with the universality of application of the fitting to various outlet boxes and the multiple purpose of the fitting in supporting the globe and guard, contributes to the overall merit and advantage of the fixture and the components thereof.

As mentioned above, guard r-im 42 preferably is of such size that the inner edge thereof fits closely with some clearance around the exterior of collar 32 on fitting 26 when the fixture is assembled. In order to permit the guard to be mounted over the bosses 44 on the fitting, the inner edge of the guard rim is formed with diametricaL 1y opposed slots 54 which are slightly larger in cross-sectional area than the largest portions of the bosses. When the guard is oriented with respect to the fitting so that the slots 54 in the guard rim register with the bosses 44 on the fitting, the guard can be moved to and withdrawn from the assembled position shown in Figure 1. When the guard, with its rim 42 initially positioned in the plane of the external recesses 48 in the bosses, is rotated relative to the fitting so that the slots 54 are out of register with the bosses, the latter overlie the rim and prevent separation of the guard from the fitting. Tightening of locking screws 51 against the guard rim holds and locks the latter firmly in place on the fixture.

In order to prevent accidental separation of the guard 41 from the fitting 26 as may occur, for example, if the support for the fixture vibrates thereby inducing vibrations in the fixture, loosening the guard locking screws and angularly displacing the guard relative to the fitting until the slots in the guard rim register with the bosses 44, I provide the lower, as viewed surface of the guard rim with a plurality of depressed portions or seats 56, one form of my invention being illustrated in the drawings, .see Figures 5 and 6, as having a pair of identical diametrically opp osed seats. Each of these seats is located at a point on the rim preferably immediately adjacent a slot 54 and is suificiently wide to fit over the top 47 of one of the bosses 44 on the fitting. Each seat 56 is formed with an abrupt shoulder 57, see Figure 6, located adjacent the nearest slot 54 and a sloping or inclined surface 58 remote from slot 54 which merges gradually with the lower surface of the rim. When the guard rim is slipped over the bosses 44 during assembly, the slots 54 being registered therewith, the guard is rotated relative to the fitting 26 until the bosses overlie the portion 59 of the lower surface of the rim adjacent seats 56. remote from slots 54. Locking screws may then be tightened to secure the guard to the fitting 26. The inclined surface 58 on each seat 56 permits the respective bosses, to ride out of the seat during this assembly operation. If the locking screws, through inadvertence, are not securely tightened or if they become loose through vibration so that the guard is free to rotate relative to the fitting 26, such rotative movement of the guard as might cause the bosses to become aligned with slots 54 and permit separation of the guard from the fitting is arrested by shoulders 57 in the seats 56. When the bosses overlie the seats 56, the Weight of theguard causes seats 56 to bottom or rest on the tops 47 of the bosses and rotation of the guard in a direction tending to bring about alignment of slots 54 with bosses 44 is possible only if the guard is lifted so that shoulders 57 clear the bosses. Thus vibrations cannot displace the guard when seated on the bosses even when the locking screws have become loosened and accidental separation of guard from the fixture as a result of such causes is effectively prevented. This safety feature also prevents inadvertent separation of the guard from the fixture through manipulation bythe installer or maintenance'man since the positive step of lifting the guard prior to rotation of same is required for disassembly.

To facilitate and simplify assembly and disassembly of the guard, I prefer that the amount and direction of rotation of the guard necessary to properly locate the guard on the fitting prior to locking be limited. For this purpose I provide one or more stops 43:: adjacent one side of the respective slots 54 on the rim and similar stops 43b on the far sides of the seats 56. These stops preferably comprise certain of the vertically extending ribs 43 which form the cage portion of the guard for enclosing the globe and which are diametrically spaced apart at the rim a distance less the diametric spacing between the outer parts of the bosses 44 on the fitting. Stops 43a permit the guard to be rotated in one direction only, that is, in the direction so that each seat 56 moves toward the nearest boss 44 on the fitting. s65? 43b limit the extent of angular displacement of the guard relative to the fitting during assembly and locate the proper angular position of the finally assembled guard with the bosses 44 overlying portions 59 on the While I have illustrated and described a weather-proof vapor-tight fixture as a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood my invention may be successfully practiced in conjunction with other types of fixtures and therefore isnot limited solely to weather-proof fixtures.

Changes and improvements in and modifications of the above described preferred form and embodiment of my invention may occur'to those skilled in theart without departing from the precepts and principles of the invention. Therefore, I do not wish my patent to be limited to the precise embodiment herein specifically shown and described nor in any manner inconsistent with promotion and progress of the art made by my invention.

I claim:

1. A fixture comprising an outlet box having a bottom wall with a central opening therein, said bottom Wall having a pair of diametrically opposed tapped mounting holes, a fitting member having a base wall adapted to be juxtaposed to and fastened to said wall of the outlet box, said base wall of the fitting having a pair of diametrically opposed holes spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of said mounting holes in said outlet box and having a central opening overlying said opening in the bottom wall of the outlet box, a socket member extending through said openings and having a mounting flange overlying said base wall and fastened thereto, a globe, a guard for said globe, said fitting member having an annular globe supporting collar projecting from said base wall and having a mean diameter substantially the same as the diametric spacing of the mounting holes in said outlet box, means to secure said globe to said collar, said collar having radially outwardly extending bosses spaced from said base wall, said bosses having internally formed recesses overlying said holes in said base wall, means extending through said holes in said base wall and in said bottom wall for securing said fitting member directly to the outlet box, said guard having a rim with a thickness less than the spacing of said bosses from said base Wall, and adapted to fit closely around the exterior of said collar between said bosses and said base wall, said rim having diametrically opposed slots formed on the inner edge thereof adapted to pass over said bosses to permit assembly and disassembly of the guard to and from the fitting and having diametrically opposed depressed seats arcuately spaced from said slots, said seats having shoulders, said seats when the guard is assembled on the fitting member resting on said bosses whereby said shoulders are engageable with said bosses to prevent accidental rotation of said guard relative to said fitting.

2. A fixture comprising an outlet box having a bottom wall, a fitting member having a base wall adapted to be juxtaposed to and fastened to said wall of the outlet box, a socket fastened to said fitting member, a lamp in said socket, a globe for said lamp, a guard for said globe, said fitting member having an annular globe supporting collar projecting from said base wall, means to secure said globe to said collar, said collar having radially outwardly extending bosses spaced from said base wall and defining external recesses in said bosses, and means for securing said fitting member to the outlet box, said guard having a rim adapted to be disposed within the external recesses in said bosses and adapted to fit closely around the exterior of said collar, said rim having a portion thereof formed to pass over said bosses to permit assembly and disassembly of the guard to and from the fitting and having diametrically opposed depressed seats having shoulders, said seats when the guard is assembled on the fitting member resting on said bosses whereby said shoulders are engageable with said bosses to prevent accidental rotation of said guard relative to said fitting.

3. In a fixture having a cylindrical outlet box, a socket, a lamp in said socket, a globe for said lamp, and a guard for said globe, said guard having a rim, said outlet box having a bottom wall with a central opening through which said socket extends and a pair of diametrically opposed tapped mounting holes intermediate the sides of said outlet box and the edge of said opening, the improvement of a fitting member for securing said globe and guard to said outlet box, said fitting member having a base wall adapted to be juxtaposed to said bottom wall of the outlet box and having a pair of holes adapted to register with said tapped holes in the bottom wall of said outlet box, said fitting member also having an annular collar projecting from said base wall and threaded internally for engaging and supporting said globe, the mean diameter of said collar being substantially the same as the diametric spacing of said holesin the bottom wall of the outlet box and in the base wall of thefitting member, said flange having a pair of bosses projecting radially therefrom, the inner surfaces of said bosses defining recesses which overlie said holes, respectively, in the base wall and the bottom wall whereby to permit access to said holesfor' securing the fitting member to the outlet box, and screw means extending through the holes in said base Wall and in said bottom wall for securing said fitting member directly to said outlet box, said bosses being spaced from said base wall and defining therebetween external recesses in the bosses, said rim of the guard being adapted to fit in said external recesses for attachment of the guard to the fitting.

4. In a fixture having a cylindrical outlet box, a socket, a lamp in said socket, and a globe for said lamp, said outlet box having a bottom wall with a central opening through which said socket extends and a pair of diametrically opposed tapped mounting holes intermediate the sides of said outlet box and the edge of said opening, the improvement of a fitting member for securing said globe to said outlet box, said fitting member having a base wall adapted to be juxtaposed to said bottom wall of the outlet box and having a pair of holes adapted to register with said tapped holes in the bottom wall of said outlet box, said fitting member also having an annular collar projecting from said base wall and threaded internally for engaging and supporting said globe, the mean diameter of said collar being substantially the same as the diametric spacing of said holes in the bottom wall of the outlet box and in the base wall of the fitting member, said collar having a pair of bosses projecting radially therefrom, the inner surfaces of said bosses defining recesses which overlie said holes, respectively, in the base wall and the bottom wall whereby to permit access to said holes for securing the fitting member to the outlet box, and screw means extending through said holes in said base wall and in said bottom wall for securing said fitting member directly to said outlet box.

5. In a fixture having a cylindrical outlet box, a socket, a lamp in said socket, a globe for said lamp, and a guard for said globe, said guard having a rim, said outlet box having a bottom wall with a central opening through which said socket extends, the improvement of a fitting member for securing said globe and guard to said outlet box, said fitting member having a base wall adapted to be juxtaposed to said bottom wall of the outlet box, means for securing said fitting member to the bottom wall of said outlet box, said fitting member having an annular collar projecting from said base wall, means for securing said globe to said collar, said collar having a pair of radially projecting bosses spaced from said base wall and defining therewith external recesses in said bosses, said guard rim being adapted to be disposed within the external recesses of said bosses and adapted to fit closely around the exterior of said collar, said rim having a portion thereof formed to pass over said bosses to permit assembly and disassembly of the guard to and from the fitting and having diametrically opposed depressed seats having shoulders, said seats when the guard is assembled on the fitting member resting on said bosses whereby said shoulders are engageable with said bosses to prevent accidental rotation of said guard relative to said fitting.

6. In a fixture for an outlet box having a lamp globe and a guard for said globe, the improvement comprising a fitting member having a base wall and an annular collar projecting from said base wall, means to secure said globe to said collar, said collar having a plurality of radially projecting bosses having inner surfaces defining internal boss recesses and being spaced from said base wall so as to define external boss recesses, screw means adapted to be positioned in vertical alignment with said internal boss recesses for securing said fitting member directly to said outlet box, said guard having parts engageable in said external boss recesses whereby 1,762,724 Manneschmidt June 10, 1930 said guard is fastened to-said fitting member. 1,978,882 O11ey Oct. 30, 1934' References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED PATENTS 5 597,622 Great B ita-111 Jan. 29,

1,393,075 Boyton et a1 Oct. 11, 1921 1,754,931 Brachtl Apr. 15, 1930

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