Abstract:
An adapter device, for enabling installation of an electrical light fixture to a ceiling mounted electrical box by one person, includes an opening into which a plurality of bendable tabs and a cover screw engaging yoke extend. The adapter device is affixed in an electrical access hole in the body of the electrical light fixture and enables the light fixture to be temporarily suspended from the partially unscrewed cover screw on the electrical box. The temporarily suspended light fixture may be readily aligned with adjacent walls, etc., rotated to enable installation of permanent support anchors, and repositioned to permanently secure it to the installed support anchors.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to the overhead installation of a cumbersome electrical light fixture, such as a fluorescent light fixture, and in particular to a method and apparatus for enabling one person to install a cumbersome electrical light fixture to a ceiling-mounted electrical box. 
   Installation of a relatively large electrical light fixture, to a ceiling generally requires two persons or the provision of separately installed adapter devices on the ceiling. The prior art includes a number of patents describing devices for aiding in the installation of such cumbersome light fixtures. Among these patents are the following. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 2,433,819, issued Dec. 30, 1947 to K. Scribner in which a separate plate, having a plurality of downwardly projecting slotted tabs for embracing studs in the sides of a lighting fixture, is secured to the ceiling. The adapter plate requires separate installation and the lighting fixture must have non-standard mounting studs, both of which detract from the benefits of the arrangement. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,506, issued Jan 11, 1983 to W. Rapp similarly discloses a special mounting base and removable mating bracket. The mounting base is separately secured over an electrical outlet box in the ceiling and the mating bracket attached to the lighting fixture. The arrangement enables the lighting fixture to be temporarily suspended from the mounting base while enabling electrical and mechanical installation by one person. The arrangement involves the installation of a separate mounting base and a mating removable bracket, which is relatively costly and time consuming. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises a very simple, economical method and apparatus for simplified installation of cumbersome electrical lighting fixtures. It includes an adapter that is secured to the light fixture, without fasteners, which enables the light fixture to be temporarily suspended from the cover screw of an electrical box in the ceiling to enable electrical and mechanical installation of the light fixture by one person. While a fluorescent light fixture is described, it will be appreciated that the invention is directed to any cumbersome electrical light fixture. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for enabling ceiling installation of a cumbersome light fixture by one person. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide an economical method and apparatus for enabling one person installation of a ceiling mounted electrical light fixture. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide an adapter for a standard fluorescent fixture to simplify its installation. 
   A feature of the invention is the provision of a simple, readily installed adapter for enabling ceiling installation of a cumbersome light fixture by one person. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a greatly reduced, not-to-scale, plan view of the sheet metal body of a prior art standard eight-foot fluorescent light fixture; 
       FIG. 2  is a right side view of the top cover of the body of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a full-scale plan view of an adapter plate constructed in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is right side view of the adapter plate of  FIG. 3  with bendable tab  28  displaced at right angles for installation in the electrical access hole in the electrical fixture; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view showing the installed adapter plate and light fixture engaging the cover screw of an electrical ceiling box; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view through the ceiling box, adapter plate and light fixture body; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a molded plastic adapter plate constructed in accordance with the invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cross section taken along line  8 - 8 —of  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  are not-to-scale views of a body  10  of a conventional fluorescent light fixture. The body  10  includes a centrally located electrical access hole  12  for permitting electrical connections to be made between the elements of the fluorescent fixture and the installation&#39;s electrical wiring (neither of which is shown). A plurality of mounting holes  14  are provided in body  10  for securing the fluorescent light fixture to a ceiling. It will be appreciated that elements of the fluorescent light fixture, such as sockets, wiring, ballasts and bulbs are not shown. These elements are well known and form no part of the present invention. All of the elements, with the exception of the bulbs, are generally secured to the body  10  at the time of installation of the fluorescent fixture. It will therefore be appreciated that the weight of the light fixture is considerable as well as cumbersome since it is up to eight feet long and fifteen or more inches wide. Consequently installation generally requires two people or the use of one of the prior art techniques and apparatus. 
   In accordance with the invention, an adapter device is secured to the body  10 , specifically the adapter device is secured in the centrally located electrical access hole  12  in body  10  to serve as a temporary support for the fluorescent light fixture to enable one person to install the light fixture to a ceiling. A preferred form of an adapter device is shown in  FIG. 3 . Initially the device comprises a stamped metal plate  20  defining a hole  22  having three bendable mounting tabs  24 ,  26  and  28  extending into the hole. The diameter of hole  22  is approximately the same as that of electrical access hole  12  in body  10  so that the mounting tabs may be bent back and flattened over body  10  to secure adapter device  20  in electrical access hole  12 . To simplify installation of the adapter device  20  in the field, two of the tabs ( 24  and  26 ) are initially pre-bent to overlie the body of adapter device  20 . A yoke, formed of closely spaced legs  30  and  32 , having upturned ends  34  and  36 , respectively, also extends into hole  22  for providing a screw head captivation arrangement, as will be described. The upturned end  36  of tab  32  is best seen in the side view of  FIG. 4 , and as indicated by the dashed lines, tab  28 ′ has been bent back at a right angle prior to installation of adapter device  20  in electrical access hole  12  of body  10 . To facilitate proper bending of tabs  24 - 28 , a pair of small notches “N” is formed at the base of each of the tabs. 
   Tabs  24 - 28  are inserted in electrical access hole  12  and flattened over to securely sandwich body  10  as shown. To facilitate operation of the screw head captivation arrangement, the adapter device  20  is installed on the body  10  so that upturned ends  34 ,  36  of legs  30 ,  32 , respectively, face away (down) from the ceiling when the fluorescent light fixture is installed. These legs  30  and  32  of the yoke are separated by a distance “S”. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate the method and apparatus of the invention. In  FIG. 5 , the fluorescent fixture, with adapter device  20  installed in electrical access hole  12  of body  10 , (only a portion of which is illustrated) is presented to an electrical box  40 , that is securely mounted in ceiling  50 , with the cover screw  42  of electrical box  40  having been unscrewed to a position extending well below the surface of ceiling  50 . The fluorescent fixture is held substantially parallel to ceiling  50  and moved such that adapter device  20  is aligned with electrical box  40  with the screw head captivation arrangement of legs  30  and  32  straddling cover screw  42 . It will be appreciated that the distance “S” between legs  30  and  32  of the yoke is selected to be slightly greater than the diameter of the cover screw  42 , but less than the diameter of screw head  44 . The fluorescent fixture is positioned over electrical box  40  with cover screw  42  engaging adapter device  20 , as illustrated by the position of the cover screw  42 ′ shown in dotted lines. In this position, the installer may lower the fluorescent fixture until legs  30  and  32  rest on screw head  44  whereby the weight of the fluorescent fixture is transferred to the electrical box. In the lowered position, the upturned ends  34 , 36  of legs  30 , 32  prevent disengagement of legs  30 , 32  from screw head  44 , thus captivating the fluorescent fixture. It will be noted that in this position one end of body  10  engages ceiling  50  (engagement point not visible in the partial view) with body  10  assuming a slight angular displacement from ceiling  50 . This orientation is illustrated in  FIG. 7  in which the distance “D 1 ” is seen to be slightly smaller than the distance “D 2 ”. 
   With the fluorescent fixture being temporarily supported (via the yoke legs  30  and  32  of the adapter device  20  and the cover screw  42  of electrical box  40 ) from the ceiling, the installer may align and permanently secure the fixture. For example, in this position, the fluorescent fixture may be rotated about the cover screw  42  to its desired orientation with respect to the room walls, etc., and its position appropriately marked on the ceiling through one or more of the mounting holes  14  in body  10  (see  FIG. 1 ). The fixture may then be rotated out of the way, and while still being supported by the electrical box  40 , suitable anchors can be installed at the now-revealed marked locations on ceiling  50 . The fixture is then returned to the desired position so that fasteners may be attached to the anchors for permanently securing the fixture to the ceiling. It will be appreciated that the cover screw  42  my also be tightened to further secure the fixture to the ceiling. Electrical connections may then be made and the fluorescent bulbs installed. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a different form of adapter device  60 , one that is molded of plastic. The basic construction is the same as that of adapter device  20  with L-shaped legs  64  and  66  corresponding to legs  30  and  32  forming the screw head captivating arrangement and locking tangs  68 ,  70  and  72  replacing bendable tabs  24 ,  26  and  28 . Adapter device  60  is simply snapped into electrical access hole  12  of body  10  and locked thereto by locking tangs  68 - 72 . Because the locking tangs of adapter  60  do not grasp body  10  as securely as the bendable tabs of adapter  20 , adapter plate  60  is preferably installed in body  10  with its large surface positioned between body  11  and ceiling  50 . In this manner the locking tangs remain essentially unloaded when adapter plate  60  is supporting the light fixture. In all other respects the adapter devices are the same in function. 
   What has been described is a novel method and apparatus for enabling installation of cumbersome electrical fixtures by one person. It is recognized that numerous changes to the described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its true spirit and scope. The invention is to be limited only as defined in the claims.