Lighting arrangement for photographic work including combined spot and flood light luminaire

A luminaire includes a rectangular casing having side walls extending forwardly from a rear wall. A hand grip is adjustably secured to one side wall so that the casing can be held in one hand of a user, and a shaft is rotatably mounted in the casing and projects outwardly through such one side wall. A handle is secured to the projecting end of the shaft, adjacent the hand grip. A lamp socket is mounted on the shaft intermediate its ends and a lamp is mounted upright in the socket. A reflector assembly is interchangeably mounted in the casing and includes a small diameter inner parabolic reflector, a large diameter outer parabolic reflector coaxial with the inner reflector, and a transition zone interconnecting the reflectors. The reflector assembly has a relative elongated slot therein receiving the lamp socket for swinging of the upright lamp, about the axis of the shaft by operation of the handle, between an inner position, in which the lamp, in cooperation with the inner parabolic reflector, provides a "broad" or "wide angle" flood light, and an outer position in which the lamp, in cooperation with the inner and outer parabolic reflectors, which have different focal lengths, provides a concentrated spot light.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to lighting arrangements for photographic work and, 
more particularly, to a novel lighting arrangement including a novel 
luminaire, arranged to be held in one hand or mounted on a support, and 
including a lamp bulb and reflector assembly easily continuously 
adjustable to positions providing either a concentrated spot light or a 
broad or wide angle flood light, or to any intermediate position. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
As mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582, issued Dec. 3, 1974 to Ross 
Lowell, proper lighting is of the greatest importance in professional 
photography, with respect to still pictures, television, and motion 
pictures, and the quantity and quality of the lighting are equally 
important. Mood or dramatic effects are dependent upon the light source, 
its size, its angle, and control devices. While well-equipped studios 
usually are provided with a variety of light equipment, including 
luminaires, control devices and mounting means, these tend to be 
cumbersome as they usually have only a single function. However, when a 
photographer must take still or motion picture "interiors" away from a 
studio, a problem is presented due to the necessity of transporting heavy 
and bulky lighting equipment to frequently distant or inaccessible 
locations. 
In many situations, and depending upon the subject being photographed, 
either for still pictures, television or moving pictures, it may be 
required to illuminate the subject with either a concentrated "hard" or 
spot light or with a diffused "soft" or flood light, and in many instances 
both types of lighting must be used in a particular sequence of pictures. 
This does not present too much of a problem in studio work, but, on 
location work, a problem is presented in that the photographer must 
exchange a hard or spot light luminaire for a soft or flood light 
luminaire, either when hand-held or when mounted on a suitable support. 
Such interchange requires considerable time, which is of importance when 
it is considered that the speed of set-up is important, because of crew 
size and expense, as well as the impatience of personalities being 
photographed and inflexible schedules. Furthermore, it is usually 
necessary to use various photographic accessories, such as reflectors, 
barn doors, umbrellas, gels, and the like with both flood lights and spot 
lights, which again present a considerable problem to a photographer 
working at location away from a studio as well as a photographer working 
in a studio. As a result, there has been a long-felt need for an efficient 
spot light and flood light arrangement which can be easily transported, is 
versatile, and is readily adaptable to existing conditions at a chosen 
location, as well as a long-felt need for such a lighting equipment or 
lighting arrangement which can be readily used with conventional power 
supplies usually provided in photographic work and which has a great deal 
of flexibility with respect to the arrangement of the various components 
in order to provide full control for dramatic lighting, soft lighting or a 
variety of other effects. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, this problem is solved by 
providing an exceptionally compact luminaire including a reflector 
assembly comprising a small diameter inner parabolic reflector and a large 
diameter outer parabolic reflector coaxial with the inner reflector, and 
by further providing an upright lamp mounted in a socket extending through 
a slot in the reflector assembly and pivotal between an inner position in 
which, in association with the inner reflector, the lamp provides a broad 
or wide angle flood light, and an outer position, in which the lamp, in 
cooperation with the inner and outer reflectors, provides a concentrated 
spot light, the luminaire being arranged to be held in one hand by means 
of a hand grip and an operating handle for pivoting the lamp between its 
two positions being provided adjacent the hand grip so that the lamp may 
be pivoted by the thumb of the same hand holding the hand grip. Thus, a 
photographer holding the luminaire in one hand, can readily change the 
lighting from a concentrated spot light to a broad or wide angle flood 
light by merely using the thumb of the hand holding the luminaire to pivot 
the lamp between its two positions. 
More specifically, the luminaire, forming the principal component of the 
present invention, includes a substantially square casing having side 
walls extending forwardly from a rear wall, and a hand grip adjustably 
secured to one side wall whereby the casing can be held in one hand of a 
user, the hand grip, for storage, being foldable against the casing. A 
shaft is rotatably mounted to extend through a pair of opposite side walls 
and project outwardly of the side wall on which the hand grip is mounted, 
and a knob is secured to the projecting end of the shaft adjacent the hand 
grip. A lamp socket is mounted on the shaft intermediate its ends, and a 
lamp is mounted upright in the socket. Thus, in each of its two positions, 
the lamp extends upright rather than axially of the reflector assembly, 
and this is an important feature of the present invention. 
A further feature of the invention is that the luminaire is completely 
compatible with the various accessories of the lighting arrangements shown 
and described in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582. For this 
purpose, a tubular bracket, identical with the bracket 55 shown more 
particularly in FIGS. 5, 10 and 11 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582 is pivotally 
mounted on a side wall of the luminaire casing. Additionally, a further 
bracket is pivotally mounted on the rear wall of the luminaire casing, for 
swinging to various adjusted positions, and is arranged to have mounted 
therein, for example, as umbrella of the type shown at 100 in FIG. 14 of 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582. By virtue of the provision of the tubular 
bracket, the combined spot light and flood light luminaire of the 
invention, in addition to being hand-held, may be mounted on a suitable 
support, such an upright post, and may have various other accessories 
mounted in association therewith, all as disclosed, for example, in U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,852,582. 
A rectangular barn door frame can be slipped onto the luminaire casing, and 
has mounted thereon, four barn doors or leaves, with each leaf comprising 
three sections for more precise light control to cooperate with other 
doors in various configurations. Each barn door can be easily removed from 
the barn door frame by a quick-release quarter-turn fastener. The barn 
door frame additionally serves as an accessory holder allowing two 
accessories to be used at the same time. 
The luminaire is arranged to be operated at several voltages standard with 
photographic equipment, such as the usual 120 volt a.c. supply, a 240 volt 
a.c. supply, or a 30 volt d.c. supply, the only requirement being to 
select the lamp to be mounted in the socket in accordance with the 
particular voltage or source to which the luminaire is connected. 
The reflector assembly is interchangeably mounted in the luminaire casing. 
Thus, the reflector useable with the 120 and 240 volt sources and the 
corresponding lamps has regular peening. Another reflector, 
interchangeable with the reflector just mentioned, is operable with a 30 
volt d.c. battery source, and has oval peening on an intermediate surface 
and circular peening on an outer surface. Furthermore, a single parabolic 
reflector may also be mounted in the luminaire casing, this reflector 
having no peening and providing an optimum spot light effect, being used 
primarily for spot lighting and long throws of high intensity. For a 
"warming" effect, a gold reflector, similar to the reflector first 
mentioned, can be interchangeably mounted in the luminaire casing. The 
reflectors are designed to obtain the best spot-to-flood ratio and the 
best smoothness in transition between flood lighting and spot lighting 
despite lamp (bulb) filament configurations, and, to a large extent, such 
transition is substantially imperceptible. 
Furthermore, various types of filters can be interchangeably mounted on the 
luminaire, depending upon the effect desired. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lighting 
arrangement, including a novel luminaire readily adjustable with one hand 
to provide either a concentrated "hard" or spot light or a "soft" broad or 
wide angle flood light. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such a lighting arrangement 
and luminaire with which a plurality of photographic accessories can 
easily be used, by mounting on the luminaire or on elements associated 
therewith. 
A further object of the invention is to provide such a lighting arrangement 
and luminaire which can either be held in one hand, with one hand 
adjustment thereof between the hard or spot light and the flood light 
position, or can be mounted on a suitable support by a bracket providing 
for mounting of additional accessories or another luminaire in association 
with the first luminaire. 
For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made 
to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as 
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring first to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the principal feature of the 
luminaire, generally indicated at 10, is the provision of an upright lamp 
20 in association with a reflector assembly 40, the lamp 20 being 
swingable between a solid line position, shown in FIG. 1, in which, in 
combination with the reflector assembly, it provides a broad or wide angle 
flood light, and a broken line position, shown in FIG. 1, in which, in 
combination with the reflector assembly, it provides a concentrated spot 
light. For this purpose, the reflector assembly 40 comprises a relatively 
small diameter inner parabolic reflector 41, a relatively large diameter 
outer parabolic reflector 42 coaxial with reflector 41, and a transition 
zone 43 coaxial with both reflectors. A slot 44 is provided in assembly 
40, whereby lamp 20 may be swung between the solid line and broken line 
position of FIG. 1 about the axis of shaft 26, while the lamp 20 remains 
upright. 
As best seen in FIGS. 2, 8, and 11, the luminaire 10 comprises a metal 
casing 11, generally rectangular in form, including a rear wall 12 having 
side walls 13 extending forwardly therefrom and perpendicular thereto, the 
upper and lower side walls being formed with vents 14 for cooling of the 
lamp casing 11. 
A hand grip 15 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 16 for pivoting about a 
pivot 17 between an operative position, shown in FIG. 2, and a retracted 
position, shown in FIG. 11. 
Referring to FIG. 3, lamp 20 is disengageably mounted in a socket 21 
secured on the mounting bracket and light baffle 22, in turn secured on a 
lamp shaft 26 extending between a pair of facing side walls. Leads 23 
connect socket 21 to a receptacle 24 secured to rear wall 12, as best seen 
in FIG. 8. Lamp shaft 26 has a locating collar 27 thereon, and a threaded 
end 28 projects through one side wall and has a nut 31 secured thereon. 
The opposite end of lamp shaft 26 extends through the same side wall on 
which is mounted the hand grip 15, and is bent to form a handle 25 having 
a knob 30 on its free end. Knob 30 may be operated by a thumb of the same 
hand which grasps the hand grip 15, so that one hand switching between a 
spot light position and a flood light position, of lamp 20, can be readily 
effected. 
When lamp 20 is in the solid line position shown in FIG. 1, it cooperates 
with inner parabolic reflector 41, for minimum intensity, to provide a 
broad or wide angle flood light. When lamp 20 is in such solid line 
rearward position, reflector 41 is "defocused" so that, relative to lamp 
20, it no longer works as a parabolic reflector. When lamp 20 is swung to 
the dotted line position of FIG. 1 by operation of handle 25 through knob 
30, it cooperates with inner parabolic relfector 41 and with outer 
parabolic reflector 42 to provide a concentrated spot light. In both 
positions, lamp 20 is substantially upright and is swung between its two 
different positions, rather than being longitudinally or axially displaced 
therebetween. 
As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 11, an accessory mounting bracket 35 is 
pivoted, at one end, to the rear wall 12 of casing 11, as by a bolt 36. 
Bracket 35 has a main arm 34 extending substantially parallel to rear wall 
12, and a second arm 33 bent at right angles to arm 34 and terminating in 
a channel-shape offset 37 formed with slots 38 for receiving mounting arms 
of accessories, such as the stem of an umbrella 45 shown in FIG. 11. A 
clamping knob 32 is threaded into channel offset 37 for clamping the stem 
of umbrella 45 or a similar elongated rod-like element of a photographic 
accessory, in position. While bracket 35 is shown, in FIG. 11, as mounting 
an umbrella 45, it may also be used to mount other accessories such as the 
gel frame 75, or the flag 70, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582, the 
luminaire of the present invention being fully compatible with the various 
photographic accessories shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582. 
For interchangeably mounting various reflector assemblies 40 in casing 11 
of luminaire 10, a reflector assembly retainer, or inner housing, 50 is 
suitably secured in casing 11, this retainer being best shown in FIGS. 1 
and 4. Retainer 50 is formed with a relatively large slot 51 through which 
socket 21 can extend into the slot 44 of reflector assembly 40. Retainer 
50 is further formed with an annular shoulder 52 and, outwardly thereof, 
with a lip 53. Reflector assembly 40 is mounted in reflector assembly 
retainer 50 by engagement of rim 46 on reflector assembly 40 against the 
shoulder 52, and is retained in position by a retainer ring 54 releasably 
engaged in lip 53 of retainer 50. By the provision of the open-ended 
retainer ring 54, the reflector assemblies may be easily interchanged as 
desired. It will be noted, particularly from FIGS. 2, 8 and 11, that the 
lip or rim 53 of reflector assembly retainer 50 partially projects 
outwardly of the side walls 13 of casing 11 of luminaire 10, and the 
function of these projecting portions will be explained hereinafter. 
Luminaire 10, and particularly lamp casing 11, is arranged to have mounted 
thereon a four-leaf barn door assembly with each leaf having three 
sections for more precise light control. Referring more particularly to 
FIG. 2, the barn door includes a substantially square frame 55 of 
relatively thin and resilient metal having four side walls 56 each formed 
with a respective elongated slot 57 adjacent its rear edge. By virtue of 
slots 57, the barn door frame 55 may be snapped over lip or rim 53 of 
reflector assembly retainer 50, so that the barn door frame can be rotated 
through 360.degree. about the axis of retainer 50. At each end, and 
adjacent its forward edge, each wall 56 is formed with an upstanding 
apertured ear 58 receiving a pivot pin for a respective barn door bracket 
60 which has an elongated channel shape and is formed with an aperture 63 
intermediate its ends. Furthermore, and for a purpose to be described, the 
front edge of each side wall has extending inwardly therefrom a pair of 
symmetrically spaced slots 61 having opening thereinto a respective pair 
of notches 62. 
Brackets 60 are arranged to have mounted thereon the barn doors indicated 
at 65 and 65'. Barn door 65 comprises a center leaf 66 having pivoted 
thereto, as at 64, two side leaves 67. The barn door leaf 66 has a 
combination rectangular and triangular configuration, whereas the barn 
door leaves 67 are triangular. By virtue of the three leaves, the 
effective area of the barn door may be readily varied as desired and, by 
virtue of the pivoted bracket 60, the barn doors may be adjusted at any 
desired angle. Each barn door 65 is secured to a bracket 60 by a 
quick-acting fastener 68 requiring only one quarter of a turn for 
engagement and disengagement. 
The barn door 65' also includes three leaves, including a rectangular 
center leaf 66' and triangular side leaves 67' each pivoted, as at 64' to 
one corner of leaf 66', leaf 66' also being provided with a quick-acting 
fastener 68'. Either type of barn door, or both types, as desired, can be 
used with the barn door frame 55, the barn door 65 being readily 
interchangeable with the barn door 65', and vice versa. 
Barn door frame 55 is designed to operate as a mounting for various 
accessories such as, for example, the filter frame 70 shown in FIG. 2. 
Referring to FIG. 2 filter frame 70 has a planar back wall 76, which is 
preferably square, with bevelled corners, and which is formed with a 
central circular opening 77. Wall 76 has top and bottom flanges 71 
extending perpendicularly forwardly therefrom, and side flanges 72, also 
extending perpendicularly forwardly therefrom. Each flange 71 is formed, 
near its ends, with a pair of elongated slots 73. The slots 73 in the top 
flange 71 closely embrace bent ends 74 of spring arms 75 having free ends 
extending through the slots 73 in the lower flange 71. 
Filter frame 70 can be mounted in barn door frame 55 by engaging bent ends 
74 of spring arms 75 in the notches 62 of any wall of barn door frame 55. 
The free ends of spring 75 are then squeezed toward each other so that 
these arms can be engaged in the slots 61 in the opposite wall of barn 
door frame 55 and then allowed to spring outwardly into the selected notch 
62. Barn door frame 55, and particularly its slots 61 and notches 62, can 
also be used to mount additional accessories, including, for example, a 
snoot on which there may be mounted a second barn door frame also adapted 
to mounting other accessories. Standard accessories for mounting on barn 
door frame 55 include scrims, dichroics, safety glass, cookaloris, snoots, 
and the like. 
In addition to being able to interchangeably mount glass filters 80 of 
various types and various colors, filter frame 70 can also be used to 
mount various scrims, such as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. Each of the 
scrims shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, in the same manner as the filter 80 
shown in FIG. 2, has a circular rim 84. FIG. 5 illustrates a scrim 81 in 
the form of a relatively fine mesh screen. FIG. 6 shows a scrim 82 having 
a first screen section 82a extending through a major portion of the 
circular area defined by rim 84, and a second section 82b which is in the 
form of a segment, the two sections 82a and 82b being of relatively fine 
mesh screen, and section 82b being adjustable relative to section 82a. 
FIG. 7 illustrates a scrim 83 in the form of a circular plate of 
perforated metal. The several scrims, as well as the several filters, can 
be used interchangeably with the luminaire to provide desired lighting 
effects, and also with outer reflector 42, for maximum intensity. 
As previously mentioned, the reflector assembly 40 is interchangeable with 
other reflector assemblies. FIG. 9 illustrates a reflector assembly 85 
interchangeable with reflector assembly 40 and having overall the same 
combination of inner and outer parabolic reflectors and the transition 
zone. The reflector shown in FIG. 9 is arranged to be used with 120 and 
240 volt lamps, and has regular peening 86 on the transition zone and on 
the outer parabolic reflector. 
FIG. 10 shows another reflector assembly, interchangeable with the 
reflector assembly 40 and in the form of a reflector assembly for use with 
lamps operating at 30 volts. This reflector assembly 90 has regular 
peening on the transition zone, oval peening 91 on an intermediate portion 
of the outer parabolic reflector, and circular peening 92 on the extreme 
outer portion of the outer parabolic reflector. 
A third reflector useable with the luminaire is generally the same as the 
reflector 85, but has a gold finish to provide a "warming" effect. In 
addition, another reflector may be used for a high intensity spot light 
with a long "throw". This reflector, as distinguished from the reflector 
assemblies already described, is a single parabolic reflector with an 
unpeened, specular surface. 
With reflector assemblies involving a small diameter inner parabolic 
reflector, a transition zone, and a larger diameter outer parabolic 
reflector, there is obtained the best spot-to-flood ratio and the best 
smoothness in transition, the transition being practically imperceptible. 
As previously mentioned, the luminaire is provided with a clamp by means of 
which it may be mounted upon a suitable support post. Referring to FIG. 
11, a clamp 95 is mounted on the side wall 13 opposite to the side wall 13 
which carries thereon the hand grip 15 and the operating knob 30. The 
clamp 95 is identical with the clamp or bracket 40 shown more particularly 
in FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582, and is provided with a clamping knob 
96 by means of which the bracket or clamp 95 may be clamped, for example, 
to a tripod post or the like generally indicated at 97. In the same manner 
as the bracket 40 of the U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582, the clamp or bracket 95 
may be used to mount additional accessories such as shown, for example, in 
FIGS. 10 and 11 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582. 
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described 
in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the 
invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied 
otherwise without departing from such principles.