US1934624A - Flexible stem for lighting fixtures - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1933. o GUTH FLEXIBLE STEM FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed March 25, 1952 INVENTOR 7 :ORNEY M Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,934,624 FLEXIBLE STEM FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Oscar D. Guth, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to The Edwin F. Guth Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March 25, 1932. Serial No. 601,080 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-85) My invention relates to that class of devices which are designed to insure the suspension of the lighting fixture in a plumb or vertical position. It is well known to those familiar with the industry that the contractors in installing the outlet or junction boxes in the ceiling very frequently leave them so that they are not in the same plane as the ceiling with the result that when supporting means of the lighting fixture is secured to the stud on the outlet box it does not hang true, a number of devices have been invented for this purpose but all of those with which I am familiar are objectionable due to the fact that they are mounted below the canopy which imparts an unsightly appearance to the chandelier.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple device to be interposed between the fixture supporting means and the outlet box which will absolutely insure the fixture being suspended vertically and which can be entirely enclosed inside of the canopy.

A further object is to accomplish this result in an exceedingly inexpensive manner.

My means of accomplishing the foreging objects may be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawing which is hereunto annexedand made a part hereof, in

which Fig. l is a side elevation of my improvement secured to an outlet or junction box showing the fixture attached; and

2 is an enlarged detailed view of the device having portions of the outer wall broken away to show the interior construction.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar arts throughout the entire description.

As shown the drawing, the outlet or junction box 1 is shown mounted so that the stud 2 is at angle from the vertical. To this stud is attached my flexible stem 3 which as shown is mounted inside of a standard canopy 4, although obviously it may extend outside of the canopy if desired. To this stud is secured a bus -ing 5 which is mounted in the upper end 6 of the flexible stem 3. This is preferably accomplished by forming circumferential grooves 7 in the external wall of the bushing 5 into which the walls of the tube 3 adjacent the end 5 may be spun thus holdthe bushing 5 firmly and securely in place. In the other end 8 of the tubular sleeve 3 I mount a ball 9 which is provided with an extension 10. This extension has internal threads 11 formed thereon which are adapted to be secured to a rod 12 which supports a lighting fixture 13 which obviously may be of any suitable or desired style. The extreme end 14 of the tubular wall 3 is inturned to form a socket for the ball 9. In one side of the ball 9 I form a longitudinal slot 15 to receive a detent 17 which extends into this slot 15. This detent 1''! may be inexpensively formed out of the wall of the tubular sleeve 3 by compressing the wall inwardly into the slot as clearly seen in Fig. 2. This insures the ball being held against rotation but does not interfere with its universal movement and in fact permits a very wide degree of movement as clearly seen by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The result is that even if the contractors workmen are very careless in the installation of the outlet or junction boxes, still, by the use of my improved flexible stem the fixture can be suspended correctly. The tubular sleeve 3 is preferably provided with a longitudinal slot 16 for the admission of the electrical wires (not shown) which convey the current to the lighting fixture.

Although I have shown internal'threads on the extension and in the bushing 5 it will be obvione that they may be external threads in the event that the stud 2 of the outlet is provided with internal instead of external threads which change will in no wise depart from the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention what I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, a com bination with an outlet box, of a canopy which closes said outlet box, a bushing secured to the stud of said outlet box. a sleeve mounted inside of said canopy and extending from the outlet box stud to the termination of the canopy, a plurality of peripheral grooves in said bushing into which the walls of the sleeve adjacent one end are compressed, the other end of said sleeve being inturned to form a socket, a ball in said socket, a threaded extension on said ball, a slot in the surface of said ball, means formed from the wall of said sleeve to engage said slotand hold said ball against rotation upon the axis of said extension, there being a longitudinal slot in said sleeve for the admission of electric conductors.

OSCAR D. GUTH.

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