Decorative fan motor cover and mounting structure therefor

An upwardly opening generally cylindrical decorative cover including a bottom wall having a central opening formed therein is provided and the cover is upwardly displaceable over the lower portion of a dependingly supported ceiling fan motor controlling switch housing with the central opening in the bottom wall of the cover snugly receive all but the upper portion of the switch housing therethrough and the inner periphery of the bottom wall disposed about the central opening abutted against a mounting flange structure carried by an upper portion of the switch housing and removably anchored thereagainst. The upper open portion of the cover is loosely telescoped upwardly over those portions of the ceiling fan motor projecting below the blades of the ceiling fan and disposed between the blades and the dependingly supported switch housing. The bottom wall of the cover may include openings therethrough for the passage of motor cooling air therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Some forms of ceiling fans include suspended motor housings from whose 
upper portions a bladed rotor assembly is journalled and with a fan motor 
controlling switch housing dependingly supported below the motor housing. 
Although ceiling fans of this type usually are equipped with decorative 
motor housings, such housing usually are either painted a decorative white 
or are brass or otherwise plated and these types of finishes do not always 
blend with or otherwise complement the decor of the associated room. The 
invention makes possible the easy addition of many decorative, fan 
housings of delicate construction, such as, wood, ceramic or glass. All 
the decorative housings are interchangeable, and designed to attach easily 
after the ceiling fan is on the ceiling. Because of this design, the 
decorative fan housings can be shipped separate of the heavy motors, thus 
eliminating breakage problems found by other fan maufacturers. 
Accordingly, a need exists for structure by which relatively inexpensive 
decorative covers may be applied over the fan motor housings in question. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The decorative fan motor housing cover of the instant invention comprises 
an upwardly opening cylindrical shell including a bottom wall having a 
central opening formed therein. The shell is upwardly displaceable 
relative to, abuttable against and releasably mountable from flange 
structure provided on an upper portion of a fan motor controlling switch 
housing dependingly supported from the motor housing to be decoratively 
covered and the decorative shell is of sufficient height, when mounted 
from the fan motor controlling switch housing flange structure, to extend 
upwardly over those portions of the associated fan motor housing disposed 
below the upper bladed rotor of the associated ceiling fan. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a decorative cover for the 
motor housing of a dependingly supported ceiling fan. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a decorative cover which may 
be readily mounted in operative association with an existing ceiling fan 
as well as incorporated into the manufacture of new ceiling fans. 
Still another object of this invention is to provide a decorative cover 
which may be constructed in many different shapes and sizes and be 
externally finished in an infinite number of ways, and be easily 
attachable or changeable, by the consumer, without taking off the blades, 
or taking the fan down. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a ceiling fan motor decorative cover in accordance with the 
preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of 
manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a 
device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively 
trouble free in operation. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally 
designates a conventional form of ceiling fan dependingly supported from 
an overhead ceiling 12. The fan 10 includes support structure in the form 
of depending elongated tubular structural member 14 anchored relative to 
the ceiling 12 in any convenient manner and including a decorative 
upwardly opening ceiling abutting housing 16 on its upper end. The lower 
end portion of the structural member 14 supports a motor housing 18 
therefrom and the motor housing encloses an electric motor having a 
rotatable field upon which a bladed rotor 20 is mounted, the bladed rotor 
20 being disposed above the motor housing 18. 
A downward extension of the structural member 14 or a separate tubular 
structural member 22 depends downwardly from the lower end of the motor 
housing 18 and supports a motor controlling switch housing 24 from its 
lower end. The structural members 14 and 22 contain electrical wiring (not 
shown) for the motor within the housing 18 and the switch housing 24 
supports a switch 26 for controlling operation of the motor within the 
housing 18. The foregoing may be considered as conventional ceiling fan 
structure. 
The decorative cover assembly of the instant invention is referred to in 
general by the reference numeral 28 and includes a decorative cover or 
housing 30, a mounting flange assembly referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 32, a mounting gasket 34 and a retaining flange assembly 
referred to in general by the reference numeral 36. The cover or housing 
30 comprises an upwardly opening cylindrical body 38 including a bottom 
wall 40 having a central opening 42 formed therein as well as peripherally 
spaced air inlet slots 43 spaced centrally intermediate the inner and 
outer peripheral portions of the bottom wall 40. The body 38 includes a 
decorative outer finish 44. 
The mounting flange assembly 32 comprises an inverted cup-shaped body 46 
including a lower end radially outwardly projecting peripheral flange 48 
and the body 46 further includes an upper end wall 50 having a central 
opening 52 formed therein. Further, the body 46, including the flange 48 
and the upper end wall 50, is radially slotted as at 54. The width of the 
slot 54 is substantially the same as the diameter of the tubular support 
member 22. Accordingly, the mounting flange assembly 32 may be radially 
engaged with the support member 22 intermediate the motor and switch 
housings 18 and 24 and then lowered into position with the upper end wall 
50 of the mounting flange assembly 32 abutted against and supported from 
the upper end of the switch housing 24. The outer periphery of the 
underside of the flange 48 is relieved as at 55 and receives the annular 
mounting gasket 34 and the cover or housing 30 is upwardly displaced over 
the lower portion of the switch housing 24 to a position with the inner 
periphery of the bottom wall 40 abutted against the gasket 56. Then, the 
half annular plates 58 of the retaining flange assembly 36 are secured in 
place beneath the inner periphery of the bottom wall 40 by fasteners 60 
passed upwardly through apertures 62 formed in the plates 58 and threaded 
in threaded bores 64 formed in the flange 48 inwardly of the relieved area 
54. In this manner, the housing 30 may substantially fully enclose the 
motor housing 18. 
FIG. 4 illustrates three modified forms of retaining flange assemblies 
referred to in general by the reference numerals 36', 36" and 36"'. The 
assembly 36' is similar to the assembly 36, except that the assembly 36' 
includes a peripherally continuous annular plate 58' provided with 
apertures 62' corresponding to the apertures 62. The assembly 36" includes 
a first plate 59 of approximately 270.degree. in annular extent and a 
second plate 61 which is approximately 90.degree. in annular extent. The 
plates 59 and 61 together form the assembly 36". 
The assembly 36'" serves the same function as the assembly 36, except that 
the assembly 36'" includes four aperture plates 63 which are each 
approcimately 90.degree. in angular extent. 
After the cover or housing 30 has been mounted in the manner illustrated in 
FIG. 2, cooling air for the motor housing may enter the cover or housing 
30 through the slots 43. 
With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 5 of the drawings, 
there may be seen a modified form of switch housing 24' which includes an 
integral flange 48' corresponding to the flange 48. When the switch 
housing is provided with an integral flange such as the flange 48', the 
cover assembly 28 does not include the equivalent of the mounting flange 
assembly 32. Rather, the gasket 34 is seated in the relieved areas 55' of 
the flange 48' and the retaining flange assembly 36 is used to anchor the 
bottom wall 40 of the cover or housing 30 to the integral flange 48'. 
It is, of course, to be noted that the decorative outer finish 44 of the 
housing 30 may include any suitable design and simulate any type of 
material. Further, if it is desired to change the decorative appearance of 
the housing 30, it is merely necessary to remove the four fasteners 60 and 
exchange a new housing 30 for the old housing removed and to then secure 
the new housing in position by utilizing the fasteners 60. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted 
to, falling within the scope of the invention.