US3456103A - Swimming pool light - Google Patents

Description

Jul 15, 1969 J. N. BOND 3,456,103

SWIMMING POOL LIGHT Original Filed May 2, 1966 m mwa'ozz JOKE/7H m 50w (Ea/W United States Patent Ofiice 3,456,103 Patented July 15, 1969 3,456,103 SWIMMING POOL LIGHT Joseph N. Bond, 28 Sarina Drive, Commack, N.Y. 11725 Continuation of application Ser. No. 546,630, May 2, 1966. This application Nov. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 681,296

Int. 'Cl. F21v 31/.00 US. Cl. 240-26 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A light fixture for a swiming pool has a waterproof case having a front lens backed by a grounded metal wire mesh. The case has a rigid conduit through which the power cable extends from an electric source to the lamps. The conduit is hook shaped so as to removably support the lamp from a rail.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 546,630, filed May 2, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to a lighting fixture and more particularly it relates to an improved illumination device for lighting a swimming pool below its water line.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a submersible, Waterproof, swimming pool light fixture adapted for a non-permanent type of installation which includes a supporting conduit that is readily attachable and detchable to the pool structure or any other fixed part thereof and further in which the electrical conductors to the light fixture pass through the conduit and are not permanently connected to the utility supplied power, the electrical connection thereto being made by means of a standard receptacle plug.

Another object of this invention relates to the light fixture embodying a waterproof casing body in which is mounted one or more sealed beam lamps and a lens closure for the body detachably secured thereto in water tight relationship.

A still further object of this invention is to provide behind the lens a metallic open mesh which is detachably connected to the casing body interiorily thereof and which has a grounded connection assuring safety from electrical shock even if the lens and lamp are both broken and the interior of the casing body becomes filled with water.

Other objects, advantages, and features of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the lighting fixture with part of the casing body broken away to show details of construction.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the lighting fixture with parts of the lens broken away to show details of construction.

FIGURE 3 shows in side elevation and partly in vertical section the lighting fixture and its supporting conduit in operative mounted position on a part of a pool structure.

The present invention is shown, see FIGURE 3, as applied to under-water illuminating devices for a swimming pool formed in any desired conventional manner having awall 12. Thewall 12 is provided with apipe standard 14 which may have arail 16 and which standard 14 serves a purpose as will be hereinafter described. Thepool 10 is shown filled with water to thelevel 18.

A lighting fixture indicated generally at 20 is shown in FIGURE 3 as submerged below thelevel 18 of the water in the pool and is held suspended therein by a rigidtubular metal conduit 22 provided at its lower end with aflange 24 seated on thetop wall 26 of a housing orcasing body 28. Screws orbolts 30 rigidly secure theflange 24 to thecasing body Wall 26. Theconduit 22 is of a somewhat inverted U-shape formation having along leg 32, anupright portion 34 and ashort leg 36 preferably parallel toleg 32. A suitable readily attachable anddetachable clamp 38 secures theshort leg 36 to thepool pipe standard 14 as clearly shown in FIGURE 3, thus rigidly suspending thelighting fixture 20 below thewater level 18 and in vertical parallel relationship to thepool wall 12. Preferably the extent of theupright portion 34 of theconduit 22 is such as to have thelighting fixture 20 close to or abutting the surface of thepool wall 12.

Thecasing body 28 of thelighting fixture 20 is open at its front and is formed in one piece to provide thetop wall 26, a bottom wall 40, arear wall 42, andside walls 43, 44, Formed at the outer edge of the casing body walls is a continuous outwardly extendingflange 46. Atransparent lens 48 of Lucite or any other suitable plastic provides a front closure for the open front of thecasing body 28 and is formed with a continuous outwardly extendingflange 50 along its perimetrical edge that is complemental to thecasing body flange 46, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3. Thelens flange 50 is detachably secured to thecasing body flange 46 as by screws (not shown) in the manner well known. If desired there may be provided between theflanges 46 and 50, a suitable seal, gasket or layer of sealing compound. To further render the connection of theflanges 46, 50 watertight there is provided a continuous channel shapedgasket 52 which snugly receives theflanges 46, 50 and the side walls of which frictionally and tightly engage the outer side Walls of the flanges in the manner shown. The channel shapedgasket 52 may be made of rubber or plastic and is both flexible and resilient.

Secured in any desired manner as by thebolts 55 to theupper wall 26 of the casing body and located interiorly thereof are a pair of lamp supporting brackets 56 (only one being shown), see FIGURE 3. Thebrackets 56 each have a downwardly inwardly inclined annular arm 58 in which is detachably mounted a sealedbeam lamp 60 in the manner well known in the art. An electric wire orconductor 62 is connected at one end to thesocket 64 of thelamp 60, theconductor 62 being passed through theconduit 22 and out of the lower open end of the clampedshort arm 36, see FIGURE 3. The conductor having a conventional plug at its other end (not shown) for operative connection with an electric receptacle supplying electric current. It is to be noted that with the open end of theconduit arm 36 facing downwardly and remote from the water in the pool that there is no likelihood of any water entering the conduit to find its way into the interior of thecasing body 28.

Arranged across the opening of thecasing body 28 and directly to the rear of thelens 48 is ametal wire mesh 66 having an upper bent overportion 68 secured to theupper wall 26 of the casing body by thebracket arm 56 andscrews 55. Aground wire 70 and plug 72 provides an eifective ground for thewire mesh 64.

In the form and size of the housing orcasing body 28 shown, twolamps 60 are utilized in side-by-side relationship, each mounted on a bracket arm 58. In order to hold thelamps 60 and bracket arms fixed together in their effective operative position the bracket arms 58 are interconnected by a detachablerigid clamp 76, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

It is to he noted that theconduit 22 provides a rigid mount or support for the submergedlighting fixture 20, the arrangements having the following features and advantages:

(I) Can be removed from pool and stored if pool is disassembled during winter season.

(2) Relamping or servicing is performed with light completely removed from water.

(3) Electrical service enters through hollow mount eliminating the need for water-tight sealing of electrical connections. Electrical service does not come in contact with pool water.

(4) Grounded metallic mesh inside lens assures safety from electrical shock even if lens and lamp are both broken and light becomes filled with water.

(5) No heat problem since light is completely surrounded by water. Permits use of high wattage lamps.

(6) Wide angle of light dispersion.

(7) Requires no alteration or modification of pool,

(8) Easilyinstalled.

While certain novel features of my invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An underwater illuminating apparatus for use in a swimming pool, comprising in combination:

a watertight housing open at its front,

two sealed beam incandescent electric lamps mounted within said housing,

an electric conductor connected to said lamps,

an inverted U-shape, hollow, rigid conduit having substantially parallel legs of unequal length, the interior of said conduit communicating with the interior of said housing with said electric conductors carried by said conduit,

a detachable clamp engaging the shorter of said legs for securing said conduit to a wall of the swimming pool in order to support said light housing in the pool below the surface of the water,

a translucent lens in watertight engagement with said housing at its open front,

a metallic electrically conducting mesh extending across the open front of said housing,

said mesh disposed inside said translucent lens and supported independently of said lens, and

means for grounding said mesh.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,185,904 6/ 1916 Hendricks 24026 2,095,657 8/1936 Burgess 24041.5 2,562,064 7/ 1951 Rutledge 240--3 3,192,379 6/1965 Degarmo 24011.2 3,265,884 8/1966 Kelley 240'11.2 X 3,364,347 1/ 1968 Russell 24026 3,265,804 8/1966 Berger 24051.11 X

NORTON ANSI-1BR, Primary Examiner M. H. HAYES, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 24041.55, 102

Images