Mounting arrangement for a lamp

Claim 2

A mounting arrangement for a cylindrical lamp comprising: a. a pair of spaced apart sockets for engaging opposite ends of the lamp so that an electrical connection is made with the lamp, at least one of the sockets being movable toward and away from the other socket; b. bracket means for mounting the one socket including a first bracket element engaging the one socket and mounted for pivotal movement about one end toward and away from the other socket and a second bracket element pivotally coupled at one end to the other end of the first bracket element; c. spring means adapted to provide a biasing action axially of the lamp to maintain a secure engagement of the lamp by the sockets, wherein movement of the first bracket element toward the other socket and into a predetermined locking position, when the lamp is disposed between the sockets so as to be engaged thereby, tends to compress the spring means so that secure engagement of the lamp with the sockets will be maintained by the biasing action of the spring means, and movement of the first bracket element away from the other socket and away from the predetermined locking position, when the lamp is engaged by the sockets, tends to release compression of the spring means and permits movement of the one socket away from the other socket so that the lamp can be disengaged from the sockets and axially displaced from between the sockets; and d. detent means engageable with the other end of the second bracket element, engagement of the detent means with the second bracket element preventing pivotal movement of the second bracket element, thereby maintaining the first bracket element in its predetermined locking position and preventing pivotal movement of the first bracket element about its one end away from the other socket and away from the predetermined locking position.

Claim 3

A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the spring means is disposed between the first bracket element and at least a portion of the one socket so that compression of the spring means is achieved by relative movement between the first bracket element and the portion of the socket.

Claim 4

A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the one socket is located below the other socket and the lamp when engaged by the sockets assumes a generally vertical orientation.

Claim 5

In a sign having a frame for supporting a sign face and a sign face that permits light to pass therethrough and that is adapted for illumination by at least one cylindrical lamp disposed in the sign behind the face, the improvement of a mounting arrangement for a cylindrical lamp comprising: a. a pair of spaced apart sockets for engaging opposite ends of the lamp so that an electrical connection is made with the lamp, one of the sockets being located below the other socket and being movable vertically toward and away from the other socket; b. bracket means mounting the one socket, and including: i. a first bracket element engaging the one socket and mounted for pivotal movement about one end toward and away from the other socket, and ii. a second bracket element pivotally coupled at one end to the other end of the first bracket element; c. spring means disposed between the first bracket element and a portion of the one socket; and d. detent means formed on the sign frame and engageable with the other end of the second bracket element, so as to prevent pivotal movement of the second bracket element, thereby to maintain the first bracket element in a predetermined locking position and to prevent pivotal movement of the first bracket element about its one end away from both the other socket and the predetermined locking position; pivotal movement of the first bracket element toward the other socket and into the predetermined locking position, when the lamp is disposed between the sockets so as to be engaged thereby, tending to compress the spring means so that the spring means will bias the one socket away from the first bracket element and toward the other socket to maintain a secure engagement of the lamp with the sockets when the first bracket element is in its predetermined locking position, and pivotal movement of the first bracket element away from the other socket and away from the predetermined locking position, when the lamp is engaged by the sockets, tending to release compression of the spring means and permitting movement of the one socket away from the other socket so that the lamp can be disengaged from the sockets and axially displaced from between the sockets.

Claim 6

In a sign having a frame for supporting a sign face and a sign face that permits light to pass therethrough and that is adapted for illumination by at least one cylindrical lamp disposed in the sign behind the face, the improvement of a mounting arrangement for a cylindrical lamp comprising: a. a pair of spaced apart sockets for engaging opposite ends of the lamp so that an electrical connection is made with the lamp, one of the sockets being located below the other socket and being movable vertically toward and away from the other socket; b. bracket means mounting the one socket, and including: i. a first bracket element engaging the one socket and mounted for pivotal movement about one end toward and away from the other socket, and ii. a second bracket element pivotally coupled at one end to the other end of the first bracket element; c. spring means disposed between the first bracket element and a portion of the one socket; and d. detent means formed on the sign frame and engageable with the other end of the second bracket element, so as to prevent pivotal movement of the second bracket element, thereby to maintain the first bracket element in a predetermined locking position and to prevent pivotal movement of the first bracket element about its one end away from both the other socket and the predetermined locking position; pivotal movement of the first bracket element toward the other socket and into the predetermined locking position, when the lamp is disposed between the sockets so as to be engaged thereby, tending to compress the spring means so that the spring means will bias the one socket away from the first bracket element and toward the other socket to maintain a secure engagement of the lamp with the sockets when the first bracket element is in its predetermined locking position, and pivotal movement of the first bracket element away from the other socket and away from the predetermined locking position, when the lamp is engaged by the sockets, tending to release compression of the spring means and permitting movement of the one socket away from the other socket so that the lamp can be disengaged from the sockets and axially displaced from between the sockets.

Claim 7

The improvement of claim 4, wherein the bracket means also includes a third bracket element mounted on the sign frame and pivotally coupled to the one end of the first bracket element so as to permit pivotal movement of the first bracket element.

Claim 8

The improvement of claim 4, wherein an opening is formed in the sign frame to permit access to the mounting arrangement and to facilitate insertion of a lamp into the mounting arrangement.