Patent Abstract:
A cable assembly is used to suspend a utility light adjacent a ceiling or along a wall. The cable assembly includes a plurality of S-hooks for supporting and allowing smooth movement of the utility light along the cable. Attached to one of the S-hooks is a plastic drag chain for manually adjusting the placement of the light at all points along the cable. It also provides for an extendable and retractable utility light suspended from that S-hook. Use of this configuration allows the utility light to be used at all points along the cable and in the surrounding areas adjacent to it.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to lights and light fixtures. More specifically, it relates to a cable and a cable assembly that is used in conjunction with a retractable utility light that 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 of light fixtures and retractable light fixtures is well known. These fixtures provide illumination in nearly any place and under nearly any condition as long as an electrical source is nearby to supply energy. 
     In the experience of this inventor, two spaces long ignored by the light fixture industry are workshop and storage areas. Frequently, portable light sources are required. Unfortunately, portable light sources require batteries, which are expensive to replace, bothersome to recharge, or fail to put out the necessary quantity of light. This inventor is also cognizant that many people who take advantage of utility lights frequently need both hands to perform the task they had planned. 
     This inventor is also aware that people will not purchase an extremely costly item to light their work or storage areas, nor will they install expensive lighting systems. In view of that recognition, this inventor previously devised a track and trolley assembly that is surface mounted to a ceiling and extends longitudinally in front of a number of adjacent apartment or condominium compartment storage areas. An example of that assembly is described and illustrated in the McGuire U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,140. Though that assembly improves over prior art in that it provides a new, useful and uncomplicated device that allows a single electrical outlet to be utilized with a retractable utility light, the track assembly itself is somewhat more complex in construction than such as may be desired by a user of the assembly. 
     Therefore, this inventor has provided a new, useful and an even less complicated device that allows a single electrical outlet to be utilized with a retractable utility light for illuminating a living or storage space as desired or required. This innovative approach to portable, economic utility lights generally comprises a length of cable, a pair of surface mountable cable clamps, an electrical extension cord, a plurality of electrically insulated “S-hooks” with a portion of the cable inserted through one loop of the “S” and the other loop of the “S” accommodating a portion of the electrical extension cord, another “S-hook” supporting a chain, with the chain supporting an extendable and retractable utility light, a plurality of support brackets, and a plastic drag chain attached to the S-hook supporting the light. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new, useful and uncomplicated device for moving a portable utility. It is another object of this device to provide for a sliding or slidable mobile utility light, the light being slidable along a suspended cable. It is a further object to provide for a utility light assembly that allows the light to be retractable for providing light at various levels and at various distances from the cable for greater illumination. It is also an object of this invention to provide such a device that utilizes a minimal number of elements and that requires few steps to utilize. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device that is quickly and readily usable with existing electrical outlets. It is still another object to provide such a device that also electrically isolates the utility light from the cable that it is suspended from. 
     The present invention has obtained these objects. As previously alluded to, it provides for a cable assembly that is used to suspend a utility light adjacent to a ceiling or along a wall. The cable assembly includes a simplified trolley for supporting and allowing smooth movement of the utility light along the cable. Attached to this simplified trolley is a plastic drag chain for manually adjusting the placement of the light along the cable. It also provides for an extendable and retractable utility light. Use of this configuration allows the utility light to be used at all points along the cable and the areas adjacent to it. The foregoing and other features of the device of the present invention will be further apparent from the detailed description that follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the elevated cable assembly and light suspended between two walls. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged left side, front and top perspective view of an electrically insulated S-hook utilized in the assembly shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numbered figures refer to like numbered elements throughout, FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention. The device includes a cable assembly, generally identified  10 . The cable assembly  10  includes a longitudinally extending cable  20 . The cable  20  includes a first cable end  22  and a second cable end  24 . The first cable end  22  is folded over to form a first cable end loop  32 . The second cable end  24  is likewise folded over to form a second cable end loop  34 . The loops  32 ,  34  of the cable ends  22 ,  24  are secured in that shape by means of a cable clamp  42 ,  44 , respectively, situated at each end of the cable  20 . Other methods and means of cable securement are well known to the inventor and the configuration illustrated by this detailed description is meant only for illumination and not for limitation. 
     Located generally at the first end  22  of the longitudinally extending cable  20  is a first ninety-degree bracket  50 . Also shown at this end  22  of the cable  20  is a turnbuckle  60 , the purpose of which will be explained later. At the second end  24  of the cable  20  is a second ninety-degree bracket  52 , although it is to be understood that many other types of wall bracket could be employed. As shown, a portion of the second cable loop  34  passes through an aperture or hole (not shown) that is defined within one leg of the bracket  52 . The significance of the use of the ninety-degree brackets  50 ,  52  is that each can be attached to either a horizontal surface such as a ceiling (not shown) or to a vertical surface such as a wall  62 ,  64 , respectively by means of a fastener  54 ,  56 . Both attachment means allow for the spacing of the extended cable  20  away from other adjacent surfaces, such as a ceiling or a wall, for example. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the first end  22  of the cable  20  is attached to a first eyelet end  65  of the turnbuckle  60 . The second eyelet end  66  of the turnbuckle  60  is attached to the first ninety-degree bracket  50 . As shown, a portion of the second eyelet end  66  of the turnbuckle  60  passes through an aperture or hole (not shown) that is defined within one leg of the bracket  50 . It is to be understood that the turnbuckle  60  can be a standard over-the-counter turnbuckle designed to permit rotation of the first and second eyelet ends  65 ,  66  within a central turnbuckle body  67 . In this fashion, the tension of the cable  20  can be adjusted by rotation of the turnbuckle body  67  such that the cable  20  assumes an as nearly linear position as possible as it hangs between the brackets  50 ,  52 . Although not shown, it would also be possible to utilize a second turnbuckle  60  at the opposite end of the cable  20 . 
     It is also to be understood that the cable  20  of the device of the present invention can be one of several different types that are readily and commercially available. Ordinarily, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, a standard steel cable having a diameter of approximately ⅛ inch to ¼ inch could be used, although both larger and smaller cables would be acceptable. An alternative embodiment of the device of the present invention employs a cable  20  of nonconductive material similar to steel in both strength and stiffness. Yet another embodiment of the device of the present invention employs a cable  20  that is coated with a nonconductive material (not shown). The cable  20  of the present invention is not of any specific length, rather, if sold as a package, should come in such a length that the end user can customize the length of the cable  20  to the size of the room in which the assembly is to be installed as such is desired or required. 
     The device of the present invention further includes a plurality of S-shaped hooks or “S-hooks”  70 . The number of S-hooks  70  to be used in the assembly  10  is determined, in part, by the overall length of the cable  20 , each S-hook  70  being movable along that length of the cable  20  that extends between the clamps  42 ,  44 . As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of S-hooks  70  are used to suspend an electrical extension cord  80  along the cable  20 . Each S-hook  70  can be a standard S-hook such as one might find used, for example, in a shower curtain apparatus. However, the preferred embodiment of each S-hook  70  is as shown in FIG.  2 . As shown, the upper portion  72  of each S-hook  70  features an insert  76  that is not electrically conductive. The S-hook insert  76  includes a central aperture  78  for receiving a portion of the cable  20  (shown in phantom view) through it. This nonconductive insert  76  prevents the possibility of a short circuit to the cable  20 , thereby preventing any shock hazard by virtue of an energized cable  20  or any part of the assembly  10  connected to the cable  20 . Obviously, if as described above, the cable  20  is insulated, the S-hook  70  need not be insulated. The upper portion  72  of each S-hook  70  also functions as a trolley, thereby permitting movement along the cable  20 . The bottom portion  74  of each S-hook  70  accommodates a portion of the electrical extension cord  80  (also shown in phantom view). 
     The electrical extension cord  80  includes a male end  82  and a female end  84 . The male end  82  of the cord  80  is attached to a standard electrical outlet  110  located in the wall  64  and provides electrical energy to the utility light  90 , the utility light  90  being connected to the female end  84  of the cord  80 . In the preferred embodiment, the utility light  90  is suspended from yet another S-hook  92 . This utility light supporting S-hook  92  partially or completely encircles the cable  20 . And the utility light supporting S-hook  92  also provides an attachment point for a plastic drag chain  94 . The plastic drag chain  94  is used to pull the utility light supporting S-hook  92  and the utility light  90  along the length of the cable  20 . The plastic drag chain  94  should be of a length that it is long enough for a person to reach to move the utility light  90  along the cable  20 . 
     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 that provides an apparatus for moving a portable utility light over a large area and requires only a minimal number of elements to utilize.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5