Abstract:
A lamp that is arranged for unlimited adjustment of the light fixture. A sleeve fitted to a support member is rotatable to provide rotational adjustment of an attached fixture. A bracket is pivotally mounted to the sleeve which supports the fixture. The fixture is also pivotally movable relative to the bracket. The mounting arrangement provides for unlimited adjustment of the light fixture to direct the light emanating from the fixture.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a lamp having cooperative swivel connections relative to a lamp base to provide optimum maneuvering of light projection. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Lamps are common place in households and are both decorative and functional for satisfying lighting needs. Lighting needs can be general lighting, i.e., a light source that lights a general area such as a room, or they can be for specific lighting, i.e., a light source that lights a specific area such as a display of a picture or reading material held by a person. 
     As an example, a living room in a home typically has arranged seating for multiple persons. Often, as between the seating places for any two people, a lamp will be provided. Typically the lamp provides general lighting that may not be satisfactory for either person to read. The lamp may in some instances be moved back and forth in an attempt to provide a more intense reading light for one or the other but such movement of the lamp is unsatisfactory. 
     It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to provide an adjustable lamp, i.e., one where the light can be directed at different locations and in different directions without repositioning the lamp base. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a lamp is provided with a cylindrical section, e.g., similar to that of a tube or pole, and a sleeve surrounds the section and can be rotated but restricted to a turn of less than  360  degrees around the section. A hollow stem is extended radially from the sleeve and an opening in the sleeve provides a passageway through the hollow stem and the sleeve. The cylindrical section has a circumferentially directed slot that extends preferably at least half way around the cylinder and up to about 300 degrees. The sleeve and stem are mounted to the cylinder and relative to the slot in a manner to provide an opening from the cylinder interior into the stem regardless of the rotative positioning of the stem within a given degree of rotation of the sleeve, e.g., 300 degrees. A bracket in the form of a stem extension is rotatably secured to the stem and a cross bore in the bracket (e.g., in the form of a secondary lateral stem extension) provides a mounting for a lamp fixture. 
     It will be appreciated that an electrical cord can be extended along the cylinder interior to the circumferential slot, and through the slot and into the stem, and then through the stem extensions for connection into a socket of the light fixture. It will be appreciated that the cylindrical section may be provided on a variety of lamp base configurations, an example being an upper section of a pole lamp. 
     The axis of the cylinder section is oriented vertically so that the stem, stem extensions and socket housing can be rotated about the vertical axis of the cylinder and in a horizontal plane, thus placing the light fixture that is extended from the L-shaped bracket at any side of the cylindrical section. The lateral stem extension rotates about the axis of the stem, e.g., through 300 degrees of rotation to thereby rotate the light fixture in a vertical plane. The fixture itself may be angularly adjustable relative to the secondary stem extension. 
     With the above arrangement, a single light bulb secured in the socket of the light fixture (generally referred to as a light source) can be directed as desired to enhance lighting of different seating arrangements or to emphasize various display items such as statues or paintings. A pole lamp may be provided with two or more such lighting arrangements and the top of the pole may be provided with an overhead fixed torchire lighting arrangement for general lighting of the area. 
     The above describes a preferred embodiment and variations thereto are contemplated. The invention will be more fully appreciated upon reference to the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of an adjustable assembly for a lamp of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a portion of the lamp of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the lamp in assembled relation; 
     FIG. 3A illustrates the adjustability of the lamp; and 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 are alternate embodiments of an adjustable lamp. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Refer to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings which illustrates one embodiment of an adjustable lamp  10  of the present invention. The lamp  10  has features that permit adjusting and directing the direction of light emitted from a light fixture. The lamp  10  illustrated is a lamp that is referred to as a pole lamp. The lamp  10  has a base  12  from which a tubular section  14  is extended. A non-adjustable fixture  15  is mounted on the top of the section  14 . The fixture  15  illustrated may have many varying forms, and the fixture  15  illustrated is just one example. In this embodiment the section  14  has another fixture  38  adjustably mounted between the base  12  and the fixture  15 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the section  14  is in two sections that are joined by a formed cylindrical section  16 . The section  16  is insertable into the tubular sections  14  and is retained by screws  18 . A portion of the side wall of the section  16  is removed which provides an opening  20  that defines a circumferential slot and connecting web  22 . 
     A tubular sleeve  30  sized to fit over the section  16  is mounted so as to surround section  16 . The sleeve  30  is rotatable on the section  16  and in the example, bearing rings  32  are provided at each end of the sleeve  30  to aid rotation of the sleeve  30  and further function as decoration. 
     Stop members  34  are inserted in the sleeve to limit the rotation of the sleeve on the cylindrical section  16 . The stop members  34  will engage the connecting web  22  of the section  16  to limit the rotation of the sleeve  30 . The sleeve  30  has a mounting stem  36  that extends from the side wall of the sleeve  30  and is arranged to receive the light fixture  38 . The stem  36  is a tubular member that is arranged to receive a configured bracket  40 . 
     The bracket  40  is an L-shaped member defining tubular stem extensions and has an end  42  that is insertable into the stem  36 . A circular groove  44  is provided near end  42 . The groove  44  does not extend completely around the end  42  but has a stop portion  46  that is substantially flush with the diameter of the end  42 . A set screw  48  mounted in the stem  36  is provided to engage the groove  44  in the bracket  40  when the bracket  40  is installed into the stem  36 . The screw  48  will retain the bracket  40  in the stem  36  and will also serve to engage the stop member  46  of the bracket  40  to limit rotation of the bracket  40  relative to the stem  36 . 
     The end  48  of the bracket  40  is similarly arranged and has a groove  50  and a stop member  52  formed in the groove  50 . A collar  54  on the Light fixture  38  is arranged to receive the end  48  of the support  40 . A set screw  56  provided in the collar  54  will engage the slot  50  to retain the fixture  38  on the bracket  40  as well as engaging the stop member  52 . A socket  39  with light bulb  41  is connected electrically by a wire conductor  3  that extends through the sections  14 ,  16  stem  36  and L-shaped bracket  40  as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     The sleeve  30  may be swivelled or rotated around the axis of the tubular section  14  as indicated by arrow  60  in FIG. 2 with the rotation being limited by the stop member  34  engaging the web  22  of the cylindrical section  16 . 
     The sleeve  30  in this embodiment is arranged to rotate about 300 degrees on the section  16  which provides a large range of adjustment. Similarly the bracket  40  is arranged to rotate relative to the stem  36 , the rotation being limited by the screw  48  engaging the stop member  46 . The fixture  38  is rotatable on the end  48  of the L-shaped bracket  40 , the rotation being limited by the screw  56  engaging the stop  52 . As shown in the figure, the sleeve  30  is rotatable as indicated by arrow  60 , the bracket  40  is rotatable relative to the sleeve  30  as indicated by arrow  62 , and the fixture  38  is rotatable on the bracket  40  as indicated by arrow  64 . The direction of the light emitted from the bulb  41  of fixture  38  thus may be directed in unlimited directions. FIG. 3A illustrates the rotational capability of the sleeve  30  on the support  16  as indicated by arrow  60 . 
     The present invention is not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  but is suited to other lamp configurations. For example the same concept may be applied to the lamp of FIGS. 4 and 5. In this example, the sleeve  30  is fitted with dual pivotal arms  80 . The arms each have a light fixture  82  pivotally mounted on their ends. The light fixture  82  may be pivoted on the end of the arms as shown in the dashed outlines of FIGS. 4 and 5. The light from each lamp may thus be directed as desired by rotation of the sleeve  30  and/or pivoting the arms  80  as well as pivoting the light fixture on the arms. Other variations are contemplated, including but not limited to ceiling mounted lamps, wall mounted lamps and so forth. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is therefore not to be limited to the embodiments described and illustrated but is to be determined from the appended claims.