Mounting system for suspended lighting fixtures

A mounting system has a box which is open at one end and a plate dimensioned to cover the opening. A disengagable pivot is positioned at one edge of the box and plate. A hooking mechanical connection is located at the opposite end of the box and plate. The light fixture is attached to the system and the system is in turn attached to an overhead structure. The plate and box engage each other at the pivot so that the plate does not initially cover the open end of the box. Thereafter, the plate may be rotated on the pivot and be secured against the open end of the box by the hooking mechanical connection.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to mounting systems for industrial lighting fixtures 
and more particularly to such systems for hanging light fixtures from 
overhead structures. 
It is often desirable to suspend electrical lighting fixtures from overhead 
structures such as ceilings or exposed ironwork. Typically, in order to 
meet certain safety regulations, the electrical wiring to the lighting 
fixture must be run through metal conduit and metal junction boxes. The 
junction boxes are used where the pieces of conduit or the wires within 
the conduit must be joined. Often, the conduit and junction boxes are used 
to provide the mechanical structure by which to suspend the light from the 
overhead structure. 
For example, a junction box is attached to an overhead structure by means 
of screws or other threaded fasteners. A conduit with electrical supply 
wires is run through the conduit and the wires are thus terminated within 
the box. The lamp assembly is mechanically suspended from the junction box 
and the wires connected to the lamp are spliced to the electrical supply 
wires within the junction box. The box is not always mechanically 
connected directly to the overhead structure but may be suspended from it 
by means of a pipe or second electrical conduit. 
The installation of such lighting systems is time consuming and somewhat 
dangerous. The junction box must first be installed either on or suspended 
from the overhead structure with the electrical supply wires terminated 
within the box. In practice this will mean that such a box is located high 
above the floor of the room. The fixture must be carried up a ladder or 
scaffold by the electrician installing it and he must make the mechanical 
and electrical connections between the junction box and the lamp. Usually 
the junction box is open at the bottom and the lamp is attached to a plate 
which can be fixed, by means of screws, to the bottom of the junction box. 
Short lengths of wire from the electrical supply are located in the 
junction box and corresponding short wires from the lamp assembly are 
positioned at the side of the plate which will be enclosed in the box. The 
electrician must hold the plate with the lamp attached in close proximity 
to the box while splicing the wires. This operation is often carried out 
in precarious conditions. Depending on circumstances, it may require that 
the electrician balance the lamp on the ladder, that he hold it in one arm 
while splicing the wires with the other, or that he enlist the aid of a 
helper to position the lamp and plate. 
After the wires are spliced, the plate must be secured to the box by means 
of screws or other threaded fasteners. Again this is awkward since the 
screws must be fitted while the plate and lamp are held in proper 
alignment with the box. There is the possibility that the screws, the 
lamp, or tools will be dropped. Even worse, the operation often requires 
the electrician to assume an awkward and unbalanced position on top of the 
ladder or scaffold. This causes an increase in the likelihood that he will 
fall. 
The above mentioned shortcomings are not only present when the fixture is 
installed. The lighting fixtures sometimes have to be removed for repair 
or the wires within the junction box must be inspected. In such cases the 
junction box must be opened. If the fixture is to be removed the wires 
must be disconnected. 
For all their shortcomings, the mounting systems described above are 
relatively sturdy once assembled since the various parts are attached to 
the junction boxes with screws. There is little danger of the plate and 
connected lighting fixture becoming dislodged due to inadvertent acts of 
the electrician, vibration, or objects striking the fixture. 
It would be advantageous to retain the sturdiness of the mounting systems 
presently in use while overcoming their shortcomings. 
Hence, an object of the present invention is to provide new and improved 
mounting systems for suspended lighting fixtures which enables rapid, 
convenient and safe installation or removal. 
A further object is to provide mounting systems for suspended lighting 
fixtures which may be assembled or disassembled while workmen are above 
ground without the use of tools. 
Also an object of the invention is to provide for suspended lighting 
fixtures, by means of a plate attached to a lamp assembly so that the 
plate may be pivotably attached to the remainder of a junction box while 
allowing access to the interior of the box and to the wires therein and 
which thereafter may be closed without the use of tools. 
It is yet another object to provide mounting systems for suspended lighting 
fixtures, in a manner which requires components to be moved in two 
different directions in order to close or open and thereby prevent 
inadvertant dislodgement of the component parts. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention in one form comprises a box which is open at one side and a 
plate dimensioned to cover the opening. A disengagable pivot is positioned 
at one end of the box and plate. A hooking means is located at the 
opposite end of the box and plate. The lighting fixture is attached to the 
system and the system is attached to the overhead structure. The plate and 
box are dismountably engaged at the hinge so that the plate does not 
initially cover the open end of the box. Thereafter, the plate may be 
swung on the pivot to a position wherein the plate is secured against the 
open end of the box and latched in place by the means of a hooking 
mechanical connection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in FIG. 1, a mounting system 20 is used to suspend a lighting 
fixture 22 from an overhead structure. The fixture includes a reflector 24 
and a ballast 26. The mounting system is attached to a conduit 28 which 
depends from the overhead structure (not shown). The electrical wires 
which supply power to the lamp are inside the conduit 28. The splice 
between these wires and the wiring of the fixture is located within the 
mounting system. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the system in an opened position. As will be discribed 
in more detail below, the plate 52 is attached to the ballast 26 of the 
fixture and a support means in the form of a junction box 30 is attached 
to conduit 28. The box and plate are hingedly attached to each other by a 
disengageable pivotal connection 45. 
FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 show a support means or junction box 30. It is preferably 
constructed of die cast aluminum, is open at its bottom side, and is 
provided with a conduit port 32 at its top side. The conduit port 32 may 
be threaded in order to mate with a similarly threaded conduit 28. 
Alternatively, the port 32 may be left unthreaded and conduit 28 may be 
inserted through the port and the box 30 where it is secured by means of a 
nut or other fastener onto the end of the conduit 28. 
The support or junction box 30 contains the splice between the electrical 
supply wires from the conduit 28 and the wires to the lamp fixture. Hence, 
the dimensions of the box should be chosen according to the number, gauge 
and length of the wires to be spliced. 
The box 30 is provided with a horizontal lip 34, extending the length of 
the left side of the box and having a chamfered edge 36. A flange 38 
extends below the front of the box 30 while a similar flange 40 extends 
below the rear of the box 30. 
A ridge 42 protrudes diagonally upward from the right side of the box 30 
and extends from the front flange 38 to the rear flange 40. 
A rod 44, preferably integrally die cast with the box 30, is positioned 
parallel to the edge of left side of the box. The ends of the rod are 
secured in holes in the front and rear flanges 38 and 40. 
Also positioned at the left side of the box 30 are two cam surfaces 46. 
These cam surfaces have generally concave faces. The profile of the cam 
surfaces is extended by the chamfered edge 36 of the lip 34. 
FIGS. 6 and 7 show the plate 52, which is preferably formed of extruded 
aluminum. The main body 54 of the plate is generally planar and is 
provided with mounting screw holes 56. In this embodiment the holes 
provide a means for attaching the plate to the light fixture. The wires 
from the fixture pass through port 58 located in plate 52. 
As can be seen in FIGS. 6, 8a, the right side of the plate has a latch 
means in the form of hooking element 60, which is dimensioned to fit over 
the ridge 42 at the right side of box 30. The left side 62 of the plate 
comprises an upper horizontal wall 64, a notch 66 and a descending wall 68 
having a distal end 70. The left side 62 of the plate cooperates with the 
left side of the box. 
FIGS. 8a, 8b, and 8c illustrate the operation of the plate 52 and box 30. 
The system is shown moving from a closed to an open position since this 
more clearly illustrates the dimensioning of the plate 52 and the box 30. 
For the sake of clarity, the lamp, conduit wires, wire connectors, etc. 
are not shown. 
The closed position is shown in FIG. 8a. At the right side of the assembly 
the hooking element 60 fits over the ridge 42 to latch the plate 52 over 
the open side of box 30. The ridge and hooking element provide a 
mechanical connection between the box and the plate. At the left side, the 
notch 66 fits over the rod 44. The notch and rod provide a disengageable 
pivotal connection 45 between the box and plate. The distal end 70 of the 
descending wall 68 abuts the horizontal lip 34. The close fit of the end 
of distal descending wall performs two functions. First, it seals the box 
to assure that no dust or debris can enter it. Secondly, it helps prevent 
the plate from being moved toward the right, as illustrated, unless the 
left side of the plate is lifted so that the end distal 70 is above the 
horizontal lip. 
The operation of disengaging the hooking element from the ridge is shown in 
FIG. 8b. It is necessary to move the right side of plate 52 upwardly and 
to the right. However, because of the positioning of the distal end 70 
against lip 34, this cannot be accomplished unless the left side of the 
plate 52 is also raised. 
Once both sides of the plate 52 are raised the plate can be moved to the 
right to disengage and unlatch the hooking element 60 from ridge 42. It 
should be noted that as the plate is moved to the right the distal end 70 
of descending wall 68 rides up the chamfered edge 36 of the lip and up the 
cam surface 46. The horizontal wall 64 is positioned above the rod 44. 
Once the hooking structure has been unlatched and disengaged, the plate 
swings on the pivot to the open position shown in FIG. 8c. It should be 
noted that the distal end 70 slides down the cam surfaces 46 and the 
chamfered edge 36. This ensures that the notch 66 is automatically 
directed against the rod 44 even if no special care is taken to position 
it. 
When the lamp is attached to the plate, the plate assumes approximately the 
oblique angle A as shown in FIG. 8c. When the plate is in this position 
the descending wall 68 abuts the chamfered edge 36 of horizontal lip 34. 
This prevents the plate from shifting downwardly and disengaging the notch 
66 from the rod 44. Thus the notch is correctly positioned over the rod 
for when the plate is to be closed over the box. 
The procedure to close the box is simply the reverse of the procedure to 
open it. During initial assembly the plate must be first positioned on the 
box to mate the notch 66 and rod 44 shown in FIG. 8c. The plate 52 need 
only be positioned so that the descending wall 68 is against the cam 
surfaces 46 and then moved downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 8c. 
The plate is then swung upwardly about the rod 44. Once it is almost 
horizontal, plate 52 must be moved to the right so that the hook structure 
60 passes over the ridge 42 as shown in FIG. 8b. Then the plate is moved 
to the left into the position shown in FIG. 8a. 
An important feature is that the box cannot be opened unless the plate, and 
therefore the attached lamp, is moved in two distinct motions, which are 
upwardly and then to the right. Also, both the left and right sides of the 
plate must be elevated in order for the plate to be moved to the right. 
These motions cannot occur responsive to gravity acting on the weight of 
the lamp. This feature reduces the possibility that the plate will become 
unhooked accidently by an inadvertent action of an electrician, vibration, 
or an object striking the attached lighting fixture. 
The initial installation of the system will now be described in conjunction 
with the FIGS. 2 and 8a, 8b, and 8c. 
It is presumed that a conduit with electric supply wires protruding 
therefrom is suspended from an overhead structures such as the ceiling. 
The lighting fixture is to be suspended from the conduit and electrically 
connected to the supply wires. 
The plate 52 is attached to the lighting fixtures by means of screws 72 
(FIGS. 6, 7) inserted through the holes 56 and received by the lamp 
fixture (not shown in FIGS. 6, 7). In the installation illustrated in FIG. 
2 the screws are inserted into tapped holes in the ballast assembly 26. 
The wires 74 from the fixture are passed through port 56 in plate 52. This 
operation can be performed at any place, as before the workman has to 
mount a stepladder, for example. The box 30 is attached to the conduit 28, 
in any convenient manner, as by turning a threaded conduit port onto the 
threads on the conduit, for example. 
Finally, the system is assembled. The plate 52 (with fixture attached) is 
positioned so that the notch 45 (FIG. 8a) engages the rod 44. The plate 52 
and box 30 assume the position shown in FIG. 2 and the wires 74, 75 are 
spliced, using wire nuts 76 or any other suitable techniques. The splicing 
is easily accomplished since the entire weight of the fixture is supported 
from the opened box. Also, the electrician has both hands free, and does 
not have to support or steady the fixture while the wire nuts 76 are put 
into place. 
Once the splicing is completed the wires are tucked into the box and the 
plate closed over the box as described above. 
FIG. 10 shows an alternate support means structure 88. Unlike the box 30 
shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, which may be suspended from the conduit, this 
support means 88 may be mounted flush against a ceiling or like surface. 
In practice, a conventional junction box (not shown) may be recessed above 
the ceiling with screws protruding from it. Support means on box 88 are 
connected to the junction box by slipping the protruding screws through 
holes 50. These holes 50 may have a keyhole or any other suitable shape. 
Still, other means for fastening the box to a ceiling structure or 
junction box may be used, where desirable. Aperture 51 is preferably 
dimensioned to match an opening in a conventional junction box. Since the 
spliced wires can be inserted through aperture 51 and positioned within 
the junction box, the support means on box 88 need not be as deep as box 
30. 
Variations to the invention are possible. For example, the plate could be 
attached to the conduit and the box attached to the lighting fixture. The 
plate or box may also be formed as an integral part of the fixture. 
Also, the system may be used to suspend virtually any item, although it is 
particularly well suited for suspending other items requiring electrical 
connections. These other items may include T.V. monitors or cameras, and 
microphones or loudspeakers, or the like. 
Those who are skilled in the art will readily perceive how to modify the 
system. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed to cover all 
equivalent structures which fall within the true scope and spirit of the 
invention.