US2975271A - Lighting fixture - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1961 L. I. DVORAK 2,975,271

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS March 14, 1961 1.. l. DVORAK LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1958 s Sheets-Sheqt 2 INVENTOR. 55761? [DI 08A? March 14, 1961 DVORAK 2,975,271

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 {55 A INVENTOR LESTEE [.DVOEAK ATTORNE S United States Patent. C

LIGHTING FIXTURE Lester I. Dvorak, Westlake, Ohio, assign-or to The Art Metal Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 17, 1958, Ser. 'No. 715,776

7 Claims. (Cl. 240-147) lighting fixtures or the like wherein it is desirable to move one or more of the fixture members to provide access to the normally inaccessible interior of the same and hence to the illuminating device mounted therein while retaining the lighting fixture as a unitary and integral unit.

In present day lighting fixtures of the type referred to, the illuminating device such as a bulb or fluorescent tubing is norm-ally inaccessible by reason of the fact that a lens or the like completely encloses the same to thereby provide a fixture which is pleasing to the eye and to provide a more difiused and indirect lighting effect. Oftentimes, when it is desirable to replace said illuminating device, the lens must be completely removed from the fixture before access can be had to the same. For example, the artisan in the field is fully cognizant of the type of lighting fixture wherein a canopy type lens is relasably held to the fixture housing by means of suitable threaded fasteners threadably received within the housing and extending radially inwardly thereof to engage with the outer wall of the lens. ing fixture before access to the illuminating device may be accomplished, it is necessary to first detach the lens from its operative association with the housing. As a resuit, the lighting fixture in eifect is almost totally disassembled, and further, with the several parts of the lighting fixture being separated one from the other, the same are apt to be lost or damaged during the interval when replacement of the illuminating device is necessary.

Other similarly operative lighting fixture devices are well known to the artisan wherein it is likewise required to totally remove one or more of the fixture members before access to the illuminating device may be accomplished.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of a hingeable support structure especially designed for use with lighting fixtures, or the like, wherein one or more of the fixture members may be'readily swingably moved to obtain access to the normally inaccessible interior of the fixture while retaining the said fixture members in operative association with each'other as a unitary and integral unit.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel and improved hingeable support structureespecially designed for use with lighting fixtures, or the like, and wherein the structure hingedly sup-ports at least one of the fixture members and latchably connects the same in an operative position relative to the other of said fixture members.

Still another object of the present invention is the proyision of a novel and improved hingeable supportstrucin this particular type of light- 2,975,271 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 ice 2 tu re especially designed for use with a lighting fixture having a canopy type lens completely enclosing the illaminating device of said fixture and wherein the said structure peripherally hingeably supports the lens on the fixture and additionally provides for swinging said lens to obtain access to the normally inaccessible illuminating device disposed in the interior of said fixture.

. Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be realized by one skilled in the art to which it pertains and upon reference to the following disclosure of a preferred embodiment and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and wherein:

--Fig'. 1- is an elevational view, shown partly in section, of a lighting fixture showing one embodiment of hingeable support structure of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the lighting fixture of Fig. 1 but shows the lens member of the fixture being supported by the hingeable support structure and swingably moved and positioned thereby to permit access to the illuminating device mounted therein;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lens support bar in the hingeable support structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an "elevational side view of the support bar Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view, shown partly in section, of another embodiment of hingeable support structure of the present invention with the same adapted for use with the lighting fixture of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the support bar in the hingeable support structure of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an elevational side view of the support bar of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is :a fragmentary view in elevation of the lighting fixture of Figs. 1 and 5 and shows the latching mechanism for the hingeable support structure with the same in its normal latched position;

Fig. '9 is a fragmentary plan view and shows a preferred form of hinge-end connection adapted to hingeably connect the support bar of either embodiment to the fixture housing; and,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view and shows the latch mechanism of Fig. 8 in its actuated condition.

Referring now to the drawings throughout which like elements are designated by the same reference character, a preferred embodiment of hingeable support structure of the present invention is herein shown in Figs. 1-4, merely for purposes of illustration, in a ceiling-type lighting fixture having a circular shallow pan-shaped housing 4 formed with a substantially flat base 5 integrally connected at its periphery to an annular upstanding rim 6. Said rim may extend downwardly of the base 5 and thence inwardly and upwardly adjacent the periphery of the latter, as is shown at 5a, to provide a substantially circular recess 6a. A plurality of illuminating devices, such as the incandescent-type lamps 7 mounted in sockets 8, as indicated in Fig. 1, are rigidly mounted to the housing base 5 bymeans o-fbrackets 9 so as to extend downwardly therefrom, said devices being connected to a suitable electrical power source (not shown) by means of pairs of conductors 11 and 12 extending through apertures 13-formed in said housing base and connected in electrical circuit to each of the sockets 8, as will be understood in the art. The instant form of lighting fixture also includes a suitable canopy-type light lens member 14, preferably'c'ircular in configuration and formed with a base wall 15 integrally connected at its peripherytive thereby todifiuse anddefiect the: lightemanating from the same as will be readily understood. As is previously mentioned, it is also desired that the lens member 14 be capable of being moved from its normally operative position, as just described, to a position, for instance, similar to that shown in Fig. 2, wherein access to the illuminating devices 7 may be had without first requiring that said lens member be disconnected and/or separated from the fixture housing.

To accomplish this, the support structure of the present invention is operable to hingeably connect the lens member 14 to the housing 4 While peripherally supporting the same at predetermined'spaced points, and for this purpose said structure includes an elongated substantially straight support bar 17, and as is seen in Figs. 3 and 4, comprising a flat head plate 18, having a leg plate 19 extending longitudinally therealong and depending perpendicularly downwardly from either side of the same. A bolt 20 has its shank portion 21 protruding through an aperture 21a formed centrally in the head plate 18 and extending downwardly therefrom between the aforesaid leg plates 19 of said support bar. The shank portion 21 of said bolt is likewise suitably threaded on its free end, the purpose for which will be presently explained.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the head plate 18 of said support bar, adjacent each end thereof, is integrally provided with a pair of wing plates 22, the plates of each pair being integrally connected to opposite sides of said head plate and extending laterally outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, preferably in substantial coplanar relation to each other and said head plate. In addition, one end of said head plate is provided with a fiat supporting shoulder 24 located slightly above the latter, being integrally connected thereto by means of an upwardly inclined wall 25. Said shoulder is preferably located such that its bottom surface, as seen in Fig. 4, lies in substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the aforesaid head plate 18. The aforesaid wing plate 22 on the latter end of the support bar also mounts a hinge plate 27, which in its present form includes a flat base 28 rigidly fastened by means of rivets or the like as indicated at 29 to said wing plates inwardly of the aforesaid supporting shoulder 24. The outermost transverse edge of the base 28 is integrally connected to a bridge-like hinge portion 31 which extends over said supporting shoulder, being formed with a hinge tongue 32 on its free end having a hinge eye 33 which is suspended downwardly from said hinge portion and spaced longitudinally outwardly of the end of said shoulder.

In like manner, the wing plate 22 on the opposite end of the support bar 17 rigidly mounts a latch member 35, the latter, in its present form having a flat base 36 securely fastened at 37 to said wing plates and integrally connected to a latch arm 38 by means of an upwardly and outwardly inclined wall 39. As seen in Fig. 4, the latch arm of said member is preferably disposed such that the underside surface thereof is substantially coplanar with the upper surface of said head plate on the aforementioned support bar 17.

With this particular construction, said support bar is provided with opposed coplanar surfaces 41 and 42 which are adapted to provide peripheral support for the lens member 14 in a manner now to be described.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the lens member 14 is placed over the support bar 17 in such manner that diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral edge 44 of the annular wall 16 thereof abuts against the aforesaid surfaces 41 and 42. The threaded end of the shank 21 of the aforementioned fastener 20 protrudes through an aperture 45 centrally provided in the lens member base 15 and receives a nut 46 or the like, the latter having a circular button-shaped head 47 extending ,over the surface of the lens base 15 bordering said aperture which tends to press said lens against the said support- 4 ing surfaces. In this manner, the lens member 14 is securely fastened to the suppprt bar 17, the latter thereby engaging with said lens member at spaced diametrically opposite points on the edge of its annular wall 16 and also at its base center.

It is further contemplated that the lens member 14 be attached to the fixture housing 4 such as to be swingably movable, as above described, to permit access to the illuminating devices 7. For this purpose a hinge plate 45 is mounted on the upper face of the housing base 5 adjoining the periphery thereof, and as is seen in Fig. 9, has spaced hinge arms 46 each being formed with a similarly formed hinge eye 47. The housing base 5 is suitably apertured, as is indicated at 48 in Fig. 2, at a point slightly spaced radially inwardly from the annular wall 6 to define a narrow stop 49 whose radial dimension is substantially equal to the effective length of the aforesaid hinge tongue 32, the reason for which will'be hereinafter apparent. In attaching the lens member 14 to the housing base 5, said support bar is positioned such that the hinge tongue 32 extends upwardly through the aperture 48 and between the spaced hinge arms 46, as is shown in Fig. 9, whereby the hinge eyes 33 and 47 are moved into substantial alignment and receive a hinge pin 50. With this construction, the lens member 14 is hingeab'ly attached to the fixture housing 4, and may be swingably moved from its normally operative position as is shown in Fig. 1 to a position below the said housing, for instance as is shown in Fig. 2, whereby the illuminating devices 7 areaccessible to the user for replacement, cleaning or the like.

An important feature of the cooperative association between the hinge tongue 32 of the aforesaid hinge plate 27 andthe aforementioned narrow stop 49 and also to the above defined sizes for the same elements relates to the fact thatthe hinge tongue extends over the latter, and hence when the lens member 14 is swingably moved to a level beyond that shown in Fig. 2, said hinge tongue is lowered to and engages with the upper surface of said stop and thereby defines the lowermost position for said reflector member. This latter position is also preferably selected such that with the lens member thus conditioned, its weight tends to swing it to a still lower position relative to the housing and hence biases said hinge tongue againstsaid stop to positively define said lowermost position, I

The novel and improved hingeable support structure of the present invention also includes means effective to releasably latch-ably attach with the latch member 35 mounted on the end of the support bar 17 opposite to said hinge connection such that the lens member 14 is held in its operative position in the manner shown in Fig. 1', For this purpose the free end of the latch arm 38 is provided with. an upright resilient hood-type latch 52 being spaced above the base 36 of said latch member and hence positioned to extend into the fixture housing 4 upon movement of the lens member 14 to its Fig. 1 position. To accomplish this, the base 5 of the housing adjacent the periphery thereof, and preferably diametrically opposite the above described hinge connection, is provided with an enlarged opening 53 through which said latch is adapted to extend and lockably engage with the locking plate .54 of a latchable lock member 55, now to be described.

With reference directed particularly to Figs. 8 and 10, the present form of lock member 55 includes a base 56 having leg portions 57 and 58 disposed in perpendicular relation to each other and rigidly attached to the upper surface of the housing base 5 by means of any suitable said bridge portion lies adjacent and faces toward the aforesaid opening 53. The lock member 55 is also pro.- vided with a curved arm 61 which extends upwardly from the end of the base leg 50 as seen in Fig. 8 and integrally connects to one end of a resilient spring member 62. A pair of spaced arms 63 connects to one end of the locking plate 54 and thence curves upwardly therefrom to connect at longitudinally spaced points with the spring member 62 adjacent its free end. Said locking plate, in addition, is provided with an enlarged opening 64 formed adjacent said latter end and between the aforesaid spaced arms 63. As shown particularly in Fig. 8, the spring member 62 normally lies against the inside face 65 of the housing rim 6, closely following the contour of the same in such manner that the locking plate 54 extends partially underneath the bridge portion 60 in the base leg 58. With said locking plate thus located, the latch 52 on the latch member 35 normally resiliently engages its upper surface 66 adjacent the enlarged opening 64 sufliciently to latchably retain the lens 14 in the housing 4 in its aforementioned operative position.

The lock member 55 is adapted to be actuated to unlatch the member 52 from its latchable engagement with the locking plate 54 such that the lens 14 may then be swung downwardly relative to the fixture housing 4, and for this purpose an operator or button 68, substantially cylindrical in configuration, is slidably disposed within an aperture 69 formed in the annular rim 6 of said fixture housing. Said operator extends radially inwardly toward the axis of the latter and is provided with an inner portion 71 of somewhat reduced diameter defining an annular shoulder 72 adjoining its one end. Said reduced end portion projects inwardly through a suitable aperture 73 provided in the spring member 62, the latter being retained between said annular shoulder and an enlarged head 74 formed on the extremity of said operator.

With this structure, it will now be realized that by pushing the operator 68 into the fixture housing 4, the annular shoulder 72 on said operator is effective to swing the free end of the spring member 62 about the curved arm 61 and integrally connected base leg 57 in such manner as to slide the locking plate 54 inwardly along the upper surface of the housing base 5 and beneath the aforesaid bridge portion 60 on the base leg 58. As a result, the enlarged opening 64 on said locking plate is carried to a position directly below the latch 52 on the latch arm 38 and in substantial vertical alignment with the enlarged opening 53 in the housing base 5. With the locking plate held in this positon, the lens 14 may then be swung downwardly or clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 whereby the latch 52 is carried downwardly and out through the aligned openings 53 and 64. The lens 14 is then free to be pivotally moved to a position wherein the illuminating devices 7 are-exposed and accessible for purposes of maintenance, replacement or the like. It will be further realized that when the cylindrical operator 68 is released, the resilient characteristics of the spring member 62 returns the locking plate 54 to its latching position whereat it will engage the latch 52 upon subsequently moving the lens 14 to its normally operative position. The movement of said spring member is also operative to push the operator 68 outwardly of the housing 4 to condition the same in its latchable position.

When said lens is moved to its operative Fig. 1 position, guide means-may be additionally provided to correctly position or guide the support bar 17 and hence the lens member 14 into their proper location with respect to the housing 4. More particularly this may be accomplished by means of the form of guide means shown herein in Figs. 1 and 2 and which comprises a bracket 76 having a base 77 rigidly attached to the underside surface of the housing base 5. A leg 78 (only one of which is shown) is integrally formed on each end of the base 77 and depends downwardly substantially vertically therefrom. Although not shown in the drawings, the bracket 76 is located centrally on a line intersecting the above described hinge-end connection and latching mechanism such that each of said bracket legs is spaced transversely outwardly substantially the same distance from said line, but on opposite sides of the same. Likewise, with said legs preferably spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate the support bar 17, then, when said bar is swung upwardly to the housing base 5 the guide means is effective to center the same and the lens member on the housing 4. It is also noted particularly in Fig. 1, that the present form of support bar, when positioned to hold the lens member 14 in its normal operative position, lies closely adjacent and extends substantially parallel to the base 5 of the housing 4 and preferably inbetween the aforesaid sockets 8 mounting the illuminating devices 7. Hence, with this particular construction, the depth of the lighting, fixture may be made substantially more shallow thereby resulting in a more compact structure, which, when attached to a room ceiling or the like, provides maximum head clearance as is defined in the art.

In the embodiment of hingeable support structure shown in Figs. 5-7, the support bar of the previous form is replaced by a similarly operative support bar 81 which is somewhat U-shaped in configuration and which has an elongated base leg 82 integrally attached at each of its ends to an upwardly and outwardly inclined leg 83, the latter being substantially coplanar to each other and to said base leg. The central part of the base leg 82, as seen in Fig. 7, is preferably formed with a downwardly depending abutment 84, substantially in the form of a frustrum of a pyramid and having a flat crown portion 85. The opposed longitudinal edges of said support bar are also preferably constructed so as to have a narrow flange, as indicated at 86, extending perpendicularly outwardly from said bar, being effective to lend additional rigidity thereto. The center of the abutment 84 is. formed with a substantially semi-circular opening 87 extending inwardly of the crown portion and adapted to accommodate the en, larged head 88 of a suitable threaded fastener 89 rigidly secured to said crown by welding or the like. The shank 91 of said fastener is adapted to extend outwardly through a suitable aperture provided in the aforesaid flat crown portion 85 and'thence outwardly thereof substantially perpendicularly of the narrow flange 86, the purpose for which will be presently explained.

With particular reference directed to Figs. 6 and 7, .each support bar leg 83, at the free end thereof, is preferably integrally formed with. an elongated flat plate. or flange 92, the latter connecting to said free end by means of an upwardly inclined shoulder 93, said flange extending outwardly therefrom in substantial parallel spaced relation to the aforesaid crown portion 85. With this construction, the support bar 81 is provided with spaced co.-' planar flange surfaces 94 which are effective, in conjunction with the aforesaid flat crown portion 85 of saicl'base leg, to engage with various parts of the lens. member 14 and hence provide bilevel support. therefor in a manner now to be described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the lens member 14 is placed over the instant form of support bar in the same manner as previously described whereby its annular edge 44 rests upon the aforesaid flange surfaces 94, and the crown portion 85 of said bar is spaced centrally above the inner surface of the lens base 15. The threaded shank 91 of the fasener 89 is adapted to extend through an aperture 96 provided in the center of said lens base and receives a nut 97 or the like, the latter having a cylindrical internally threaded body 98 threadably received on said shank and extending through said aperture to engage the aforementioned crown portion 85 on the support bar base leg 82. Said nut is likewise provided with an enlarged button-shaped head 99 substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of the aperture 96, and which extends over and engages with that its free end and the adjacent surface of the buttonshaped head 99 engage with the crown portion 85 of said support bar and lens base 15, respectively, under a slight bearing pressure. In this manner, the instant form of support bar is also effective in a 'manner similar to that of the previous form to provide bi-level engagement with the lens member 14.

The hingeable connection for the instant form of support structure is substantially similar to that of the previous embodiment with its hinge plate 101 rigidly attached at its base 102 to wing plates 103 extending transversely outwardly on opposite sides from the free end of one of the support bar legs 83 such that its hinge tongue 104 and hinge eye 105 on the free end of the latter is suspended outwardly longitudinally of the adjacent flange 92.

In like manner, the latch member 107 in the present embodiment is somewhat similar to the latch member 35 previously described in the form as shown in Figs. 1-4, however, in the instant construction, the base 108 of said latch member is substantially flat and is rigidly attached to opposed wing plates 109 formed integrally on the free end of the opposite leg 83 of the support bar 81 such that its latch 112 is located directly thereabove and spaced inwardly of the adjacent flange 92. The present latch member is identically operable with the lock member 55 as in the previous construction, however, since the latch 112 of the present form is located somewhat inwardly of the end of the support bar leg 83, the placement of the openings 53 and 64 in the housing base 5 and lock member 55 respectively, may necessarily have to be re-located so as to permit the projection of said latch therethrough.

Having thus described several preferred embodiments of hingeable support structures of the present invention, it is now realized that the same provides a novel and improved hingeable, latchable support especially designed for use with lighting fixture members or the like whereby the several fixture members may be swingably moved relative to each other to obtain access to the interior of said fixture and to the illuminating device normally carried therein, while retaining said fixture as a substantially integral unit.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting an illuminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosing said device being effective to diffuse the light emanating therefrom, hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lensmember to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having a base, a leg member integral with each end of said base, plate means formed integrally with the end of each of said leg members extending outwardly from said support bar in opposed substantially coplanar relation for engagement with peripherally spaced parts on the open end of said lens member, a flat crown portion formed centrally on said base in paralle spaced relation to said plate means for connection to said lens member at a point spaced from said open end, fastener means carried on said flat crown portion adapted to extend centrally through said lens member, lock means connecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member to force the latter into slight pressure engagement with the plate means on said support bar, hinge means on one of said leg members extending outwardly of the plate means associated therewith being hingeably connected to said housing and effective to pivotally attach said lens member to the latter, and latch means on the other of said leg members disposed in said housing and effective to releasably latchably attach said lens member to the latter.

2. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting an illuminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosing said device being eflective't'o diffuse the light emanating therefrom, hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lens member to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having a base, a leg member integral With each end of said base depending outwardly and upwardly therefrom, a flat plate formed on the end of each of said leg members disposed in relative coplanar relation and extending outwardly in opposite directions from said base, abutment means depending transversely outwardly from the center of said base and having a fiat crown portion disposed in parallel spaced relation to each of said flat plates, said flat plates being adapted to engage with peripherally spaced parts on the open end of said lens member, fastener means carried on said fiat crown portion adapted to extend centrally through said lens member, lock means operatively connecting to said fastener lens member, lock means operatively connecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member to force the latter into slight pressure engagement with the flat plates on said support bar, hinge means comprising a hinge plate carried on one of said leg members disposed outwardly therefrom and in substantial perpendicular relation to the flat plate associated with the latter, means hingeably connecting said hinge plate to said housing adjacent the periphery thereof, and latch means carried on the other of said leg members being disposed in said housing and extending upwardly in substantial perpendicular relation and into engagement with said housing at a point thereon opposite the said hingeably connecting means being effective to releasably latchably attach said lens member to the latter.

3. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting an illuminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosing said device being effective to diffuse the light emanating therefrom, hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lens member to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having a base, a leg member integral with each end of said base and depending outwardly therefrom, plate means on each of said leg members disposed in spaced coplanar relation and adapted to engage with peripherally spaced parts on the open end of said lens member, said base having means operatively engageable with said lens member in a different plane from that of said coplanar means on said leg members and effective to centrally support said lens member, fastener means carried on said base means adapted to extend centrally through said lens member, lock means connecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member to force the latter into slight pressure engagement with said plate means on said support bar, means on one of said leg members for pivotally attaching said support bar to said housing, a latch car ried on the other of said leg members and extending perpendicularly upwardly therefrom, and latching means comprising a resilient spring arm mounted in said housing and movably actuatable into latching condition with said latch effective to releasably attach said member to said housing.

4. In alighting fixture or the like as defined in claim 3 and wherein a lock plate is mounted on said resilient spring arm being movable therewith into latching engagement with said latch effective to releasably attach said lens member to said housing.

5. In a lighting fixture or the like as defined in claim 3 and wherein operating means are movably carried in said housing and actuatable to engage with said resilient spring arm and efiective to unlatch the same from said latch and thereby allow said lens member to be swung about said pivotally attaching means.

6. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting an illuminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosing said device being effective to diffuse the light emanating therefrom, hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lens member to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having a base, a leg member integral with each end of said base and depending outwardly therefrom, plate means on each of said leg members disposed in spaced coplanar relation and adapted to engage with peripherally spaced parts on the open end of said lens member, said base having means operatively engageable with said lens member in a different plane from that of said coplanar means on said leg members and efiective to centrally support said lens member, fastener means carried on said base means adapted to extend centrally through said lens member, lock means connecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member to force the latter into slight pressure engagement with said plate means on said support bar, means on one of said leg members for pivotally attaching said support bar to said housing, a latch carried on the other of said leg members and extending perpendicularly upwardly therefrom, latching means comprising a resilient spring arm attached at its one end to the inside of said housing, a lock plate carried on the opposite end of said spring arm and movable therewith between said housing and said latch into engagement with the latter to latchably releasably attach said lens member to said housing, and a keeper bar on said latching means operatively engageable with said lock plate and effective to define a predetermined directional movement for the same to cause said latchable condition.

7. In a lighting fixture or the like having a housing supporting an illuminating device and a bowl-like lens member for completely enclosing said device being effective to diifuse the light emanating therefrom, hingeable support means for swingably latchably attaching said lens member to said housing, comprising an elongated support bar having a base, a leg member integral with each end of said base depending outwardly and upwardly therefrom, a fiat plate formed on the end of each of said leg members disposed in relative coplanar relation and extending outwardly in opposite directions from said base, abutment means depending transversely outwardly from said base in a direction opposite to said leg members and having a flat crown portion disposed in parallel spaced relation to each of said flat plates, said fiat plates being adapted to engage with peripherally spaced parts on the open end of said lens members and said crown portion being centrally connected to said lens member at a point spaced from said open end, said flat plates and crown portion thus providing a bi-level engagement with said lens member, fastener means carried on said fiat crown portion adapted to extend centrally through said lens members, lock means connecting to said fastener means and engaging with said lens member to force the latter into slight pressure engagement with the flat plates on said support bar, hinge means comprising a hinge plate carried on one of said leg members in substantial perpendicular relation to the fiat plate associated with the latter, means hingeably connecting said hinge plate to said housing adjacent the periphery thereof, a latch carried on the other of said leg members and extending upwardly therefrom in substantial perpendicular relation, latching means comprising a resilient spring arm attached at one of its ends to the inside of said housing, a lock plate carried on the opposite end of said spring arm being movable therewith between said housing and said latch into engagement with the latter to latchably releasably attach said lens member to said housing, keeper means on said latching means operatively engageable with said lock plate and effective to define a predetermined directional movement for the same to cause said latchable condition, and operating means mounted in said housing being movable therein into engagement with said spring arm eitective to actuate said lock plate to an unlatched condition and allow said lens member to be swung about said hinge means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,912 Doane Nov. 15, 1938 2,259,307 Herbold Oct. 14, 1941 2,338,559 Winkelmeyer Ian. 4, 1944 2,584,671 Cator et al. Feb. 5, 1952 2,701,299 Florence Feb. 1, 1955 2,727,984 Smythe et al Dec. 20, 1955 2,744,191 Renaud et al. May 1, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 232,270 Germany Apr. 9, 1910 284,134 Italy Apr. 2, 1931 900,850 Germany Jan. 4, 1954

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