Abstract:
A track and a track assembly is surface mounted to a ceiling and extends longitudinally in front of a number of adjacent apartment or condominium storage compartments. The track assembly includes a trolley which is travelable along the track and which includes cooperating friction brakes. The friction brakes allow the trolley to be fixed in any location along the track. Suspended from the trolley is an extendable and retractable utility light fixture. Also attached to the trolley is a recoiled electrical connection and a pull cord for manually moving the trolley and suspended utility light fixture along the length of the track.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to lights and light fixtures. More specifically, it relates to a track and a track assembly which is used in conjunction with a retractable utility light which allows for slidable movement of the retractable utility light along the track assembly and which allows for a greater area of usage for the retractable utility light. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use in light fixtures is well known. The use of retractable utility lights is also well known. Such fixtures and lights allow illumination in almost any place and under almost any conditions, as long as there is an electrical source nearby which can be used to energize the fixture or light. In the experience of this inventor, one area where light fixtures are particularly useful is in providing illumination along a row of condominium or apartment storage compartments which are located in a common area in that condominium or apartment complex. Also in the experience of this inventor, stationary light fixtures are sparsely used in such circumstances and, where used at all, are not particularly useful to the person attempting to carefully examine the contents of his or her apartment or condominium storage compartment. Oftentimes, the stationary light fixture is not located directly in front of the compartment or it is not located close enough to the storage compartment to allow for adequate or direct illumination of the contents. Understandably, the economics of light fixture placement by the condominium or apartment owner does not always allow for the placement of such adequate or direct lighting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new, useful and uncomplicated device which allows a single electrical outlet to be utilized with a retractable utility light for illuminating a plurality of condominium or apartment storage compartments. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device which requires only a minimal number of elements and which requires a minimal number of steps to utilize. It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device which is readily and quickly usable with existing electrical boxes which are located in an existing condominium or apartment compartment storage area. 
     The present invention has obtained these objects. It provides for a track and a track assembly which is surface mounted to a ceiling and which extends longitudinally in front of a number of adjacent apartment or condominium storage compartments. The track assembly includes a trolley which is travelable along the track and which includes cooperating friction brakes. The friction brakes allow the trolley to be fixed in any location along the track. Suspended from the trolley is an extendable and retractable utility light fixture. Also attached to the trolley is a recoiled electrical connection and a pull cord for manually moving the trolley and suspended utility light fixture along the length of the track. The foregoing and other features of the device of the present invention will be further apparent from the detailed description which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a left side elevational view of a device constructed in accordance with the present and showing the track assembly mounted to a ceiling or other horizontal surface. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the track portion of the track assembly shown FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged top cross-sectional view of the trolley portion of the present invention taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG.  1  and showing the details of the trolley. 
     FIG. 4 is a front and left side perspective view of a portion of the track shown FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the track portion shown in FIG.  4  and showing the detail of the elements thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention. The device includes a track assembly, generally identified  10 . The track assembly  10  includes a plurality of track sections  20 . Although only two track sections  20  are shown, it is to be understood that any number of track sections  20  could be longitudinally aligned to form a track continuum and still come within the scope of this invention. The track sections  20  are connected together by means of a track coupler  1 . The track coupler  1  includes a first coupler member  15  and a second coupler member  16 . The first coupler member  15  and the second track member  16  are fastened together by means of a plurality of bolts  7  and nuts  8 . See FIG.  5 . The coupler members  15 ,  16  essentially wrap around the ends of adjacent track sections  20  but leave a gap or slot (not shown) at the underside of the track sections  20 . The significance of this gap or slot will be further apparent later in this detailed description. 
     The track sections  20 , together with the track coupler  1 , are mounted to a ceiling or to the underside of another horizontal surface by means of a plurality of track hangers  11 . See FIG.  5 . Again, while only two track hangers  11  are shown in the preferred embodiment as disclosed, it is to be understood that any number of such track hangers  11  may be used with the track assembly  10  and still come within the scope of this invention. The track hangers  11  utilize bolts  9  or other fasteners to effect the attachment of the track assembly  10  to a ceiling or other horizontal surface. As was true with the track coupler  1 , each track hanger  11  includes an opening at its underside (see FIG. 5) the significance of which will become apparent further in this detailed description. 
     Another accessory included in this track assembly  10  is a stop member  13  located at the opposing ends of the track sections  20 . The stop member  13  also includes a fastening plate  14 , a fastening bolt  5  and a wing nut  6  for fastening the stop member  13  within the track section  20 . See FIG.  5 . The purpose and function of the stop member  13  will also become further apparent later in this detailed description. 
     The track sections  20  are similarly configured to consist of a top wall or surface  21 , a first side wall  22  and a second side wall  23 . The top and side walls  21 ,  22 ,  23 , each of which is a longitudinally extending surface, define a generally c-shaped elongate cavity or channel  27 . Each side wall  22 ,  23  carries an inwardly directed flange  24 ,  25 , respectively. The inwardly directed flanges  24 ,  25  define an opening or aperture  26  within the track section  20  which opens from beneath the track section  20  via the slot  26 . See FIGS. 4 and 5. As previously disclosed, the track coupler  1  and the track hangers  11  likewise conform to this general shape and allow for this slot continuum along the bottom of the track assembly  10 . 
     Located within and moveable along the internal channel  27  of each of the track sections  20  is a trolley  30 . The trolley  30  includes a first trolley member  31  and a second trolley member  32 . The first and second trolley members  31 ,  32  are fastened together and further include four trolley wheels  35  which ride along and on top of the inwardly directed flanges  24 ,  25  of the track sections  20 . The first and second trolley members  31 ,  32  further include and are connected to trolley hanger members  38 ,  39 , respectively, which extend through the track assembly slot  26  and form a flat surface at the bottom of the trolley  30 . The flat surface formed by the hanger members  38 ,  39  is situated completely outside the track section  20 . The trolley  30  further includes a pair of friction brake elements  33 ,  34  fastened to the trolley members  31 ,  32  by means of a bolt  3  and nut  4 . The purpose and function of the friction brake elements  33 ,  34  will be further apparent later in this detailed description. Attached to the under surface of the trolley hanger members  38 ,  39  is a hanger mechanism  36  which, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, takes the form of a U-bolt. The hanger mechanism  36  or U-bolt is fastened by use of hanger bolts  2 . The hanger mechanism  36  is connected to one end of a suspension chain  41  or other secure and suitable connection means. The opposite end of the chain  41  or connection means is attached to a standard retractable utility light fixture  51 . The retractable utility light fixture  51  includes a cord recoiling mechanism and a light member  53 . Electrical power is provided to the fixture  51  by means of a coiled electrical cord  55 . The electrical cord  55  has “memory” such that the tendency of the cord  55  is to keep itself coiled, even after full or near full extension. Also attached to the hanger mechanism  36  is a pull chain  42  or other suitable pull mechanism. It is contemplated by this inventor that the pull chain  42  of the present invention may be fabricated of a light-weight but strong plastic material for safety reasons. It could also be constructed of a nylon cord or some other strong material. 
     In application, the plug end of the electrical cord  55  is attached to a typical electrical receptacle which is situated at or near the track assembly  10 . The user grasps the pull chain  42  and urges the trolley  30  along the track sections  20  to the point desired or required. While it would appear that the trolley  30  would, after moved into position, freely move back along the track sections  20  due to the recoil effect of the electrical cord  55 , the presence of the friction brakes  33 ,  34  as part of the trolley  30  prevents such free movement. In fact, the presence of the friction brakes  33 ,  34  allows the trolley  30  to be moveable along the entire length of the track sections  20  and well away from the electrical receptacle. The friction brakes  33 ,  34  of the trolley  30  do not, however, allow the built-in “memory” of the electrical cord  55  to overcome the friction force they apply to the inner surfaces of the track side walls  22 ,  23 . Accordingly, the trolley  30  will, in effect, be movable only by the force exerted by the user on the pull cord  42 . Only the force of the user applied to the pull chain  42  is sufficient to re-locate the trolley  30  along the track assembly  10 . 
     From the foregoing detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention set forth herein, it will be apparent that there has been provided a new, useful and uncomplicated device which allows a single electrical outlet to be utilized with a retractable utility light for illuminating a plurality of condominium or apartment storage compartments; which requires only a minimal number of elements and which requires a minimal number of steps to utilize; and which provides such a device which is readily and quickly usable with existing electrical boxes which are located in an existing condominium or apartment compartment storage area.