US3831022A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible chandelier
Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-14
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Granted: 1974-08-20
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Expires: 1992-08-14
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides a prewired chandelier having a supporting stem with radially extended arms which arms are permanently hingedly connected to the stem to permit them to be folded into a more compact form without disturbing the prewiring which extends through the stem, the hinged connections and the arms. In the preferred form of the invention the hinges are disposed with vertical axes parallel to each other and to the supporting stem, and the arms are foldable from their radial positions to positions where they are substantially parallel to each other, that is, in planes substantially parallel to a plane, passing through the vertical axis of the stem. The arms being permanently hinged do not allow any substantial stress upon the prewired conductors beyond flexing sufficiently to allow the arms to swing from folded to unfolded position and vice versa. The chandelier in folded condition requires less space and packing for shipment. The invention employs a simple but effective locking means for rigidly holding the lamp arms in their radial positions. This locking means may be disengaged by a very simple operation to release the lamp arms for folding to their collapsed or folded form. It appears to be broadly new the present invention to fold the arms of a prewired chandelier, on permanent hinges, to reduce the space required for shipment or storage while at the same time maintaining continuously, in both folded and unfolded condition, functional mechanical hinge and electric flexible connections whereby the folded or collapsed condition of the chandelier may be converted with minimum effort into the completely expanded and electrically connected chandelier ready be installed. In brief, the mechanical and electrical connections are maintained in folded as well as expanded condition and through all intermediate positions.
Inventors
- 👤 D Porter
- 👤 D Bray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 08:20
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21S; F21S8/00; F21S8/04; F21S8/06; F21S8/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
In a chandelier having a base supported by a vertically extending conduit, said base including a circular base plate for supporting a plurality of lamp arms, and a cup-shaped housing having its open end facing towards said base plate, said base plate supported in a fixed relation to said vertical conduit, pivot means disposed in circular arrangement about the center of said base plate for rotatably mounting the inner end of each lamp arms on said base plate allowing the free end of said arms to be swung laterally between a radial mounting position and a position in which said arms are substantially parallel, said cup-shaped housing being provided with cutouts in its cylindrical side wall from said open end, said cutouts equal in number to said lamp arms and spaced to align with said arms when placed at said radial mounting position and adjustable means for moving said cup-shaped housing towards and away from said base plate for selectively locking said arms in said cutouts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a chandelier having a base supported by a vertically extending conduit, said base including a circular base plate for supporting a plurality of lamp arms, and a cup-shaped housing having its open end facing towards said base plate, said base plate supported in a fixed relation to said vertical conduit, pivot means disposed in circular arrangement about the center of said base plate for rotatably mounting the inner end of each lamp arms on said base plate allowing the free end of said arms to be swung laterally between a radial mounting position and a position in which said arms are substantially parallel, said cup-shaped housing being provided with cutouts in its cylindrical side wall from said open end, said cutouts equal in number to said lamp arms and spaced to align with said arms when placed at said radial mounting position and adjustable means for moving said cup-shaped housing towards and away from said base plate for selectively locking said arms in said cutouts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination of claim 1, in which said vertical conduit has a threaded portion at its lower end extending through an opening formed in the center of the closed end of said cup-shaped housing, and said adjustable means comprises a ring nut in threaded engagement with said threaded portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The combination of claim 1, in which each of said lamp arms comprises a flattened stem portion at its inner ends and a tubular portion outwardly of said circular base plate, said flattened stem portion having a lengthwise slot in communication with the inner passageway of said tubular portion to provide a wireway from said base.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
104 words
A prewired foldable chandelier having a vertical stem; a horizontal arm supporting plate on said stem; a plurality of hollow lamp support arms; means for pivotally securing the inner ends of said support arms on the plate for movement of said arms about vertical axes between folded and unfolded positions, said arms in the unfolded condition of the chandelier radiating out from the plate; insulated wires extending down said stem and branching into said hollow arms; lock means for retaining said arms in substantially radial extended position, said arms when released from said latter position being foldable into positions substantially parallel to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
A prewired foldable chandelier having a vertical stem; a horizontal arm supporting plate on said stem; a plurality of hollow lamp support arms; means for pivotally securing the inner ends of said support arms on the plate for movement of said arms about vertical axes between folded and unfolded positions, said arms in the unfolded condition of the chandelier radiating out from the plate; insulated wires extending down said stem and branching into said hollow arms; lock means for retaining said arms in substantially radial extended position, said arms when released from said latter position being foldable into positions substantially parallel to each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
78 words
A chandelier having a stem, a base member maintained on said stem, a plurality of lamp arms extending radially from said base member, permanent hinge connections between the inner ends of each of the arms and the base member, said hinge connections allowing folding of the arms to predetermined positions where they require less space than in the unfolded positions, said stem, base member and arms being prewired, and means for locking said arms in the unfolded position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
A chandelier having a stem, a base member maintained on said stem, a plurality of lamp arms extending radially from said base member, permanent hinge connections between the inner ends of each of the arms and the base member, said hinge connections allowing folding of the arms to predetermined positions where they require less space than in the unfolded positions, said stem, base member and arms being prewired, and means for locking said arms in the unfolded position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
136 words
A foldable chandelier comprising a vertical tubular suspension stem serving as a conduit for electric conductors, a horizontal frame plate supported transversely of, and on, the stem, a plurality of lamp bracket arms, hinge means fixedly securing said arms on said frame plate on axes, at right angles to said frame plate, electric conductors extending through said stem and branching into said lamp bracket arms, and releasable holding means releasably holding said lamp bracket arms in substantially radial extended positions, said arms when released from said holding means being swingable into and out of substantial parallelism with a vertical plane extending through the axis of said tubular stem, the branch conductors to said arms being flexed but remaining integral upon movement of the arms from the extended radial position to the folded position, and vice versa.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
136 words
A foldable chandelier comprising a vertical tubular suspension stem serving as a conduit for electric conductors, a horizontal frame plate supported transversely of, and on, the stem, a plurality of lamp bracket arms, hinge means fixedly securing said arms on said frame plate on axes, at right angles to said frame plate, electric conductors extending through said stem and branching into said lamp bracket arms, and releasable holding means releasably holding said lamp bracket arms in substantially radial extended positions, said arms when released from said holding means being swingable into and out of substantial parallelism with a vertical plane extending through the axis of said tubular stem, the branch conductors to said arms being flexed but remaining integral upon movement of the arms from the extended radial position to the folded position, and vice versa.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The foldable chandelier of claim 6 wherein the holding means comprises a detent movable relative to said plate into and out of the path of folding movement of said arms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The foldable chandelier of claim 6 wherein the holding means is a spring metal detent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The foldable chandelier of claim 6 wherein the holding means is rigid blocking means movable into and out of the path of movement of the foldable arms.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The foldable chandelier of claim 6 wherein the frame plate has permanent stops to limit the angular movement of the arms to a radial position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The foldable chandelier of claim 6 wherein the normal angular position of the arms is maintained by resilient stop means yieldable to permit swinging movement of the arms into parallelism with a common plane.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-19 | 1978-02-18 | 1978-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-19 | 1982-02-18 | 1982-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-19 | 1986-02-18 | 1986-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |