Patent ID: 8851703

Claim:
A combination for replacing a ballast of a conventional fluorescent fixture without having to wire the ballast to the conventional fluorescent fixture, wherein the conventional fluorescent fixture has a conventional hood, a conventional set of power supply wires, and a conventional set of lamp socket wires, said combination comprising: a) as socket; b) a ballast; and c) means for electrically, mechanically, and interchangeably connecting said ballast to said socket without wiring said ballast to the conventional fluorescent fixture, wherein said socket (1) mounts to the conventional hood of the conventional fluorescent fixture, (2) electrically splices to the conventional set of power supply wires, and (3) electrically splices to the conventional set of lamp socket wires of the conventional fluorescent fixture; and whereby said ballast is electrically, mechanically, and interchangeably connected to said socket for replacing said ballast, said socket comprises a body defining a socket chamber, wherein said body of said socket is generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped, wherein said body of said socket has: a) a rear wall; b) a pair of end walls; c) a pair of side walls, and d) a front wall, said rear wall of said body of said socket being mounted to the conventional hood of the conventional fluorescent fixture, said socket further including a set of power supply wires, said set of power supply wires of said socket extending outwardly from a first one of said end walls of said body of said socket, said set of power supply wires of said socket are electrically spliced to the conventional set of power supply wires of the conventional fluorescent fixture, said socket further including a set of lamp socket wires, and a plurality of electrical slots, said pair of side walls of said socket have a pair of through slots extending axially therethrough respectively; said ballast having a body, said ballast body being of generally rectangular parallelepiped-shape, including: a) a rear walk; b) a pair of end walls; c) a pair of side walls; and d) a front wall, said ballast being retained in the chamber of said socket by at least the pair of through slots.