US3119565A - Illuminating device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 28, 1964 R. K. NOTTINGHAM ILLUMINATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1961 IN VEN TOR. Ralph K. Nottingham Fig. 2

Buckhorn, Cheat/1am 8 B/ore ATTORNEYS J 1964 R. K. NOTTINGHAM ILLUMINATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12. 1961 Fig. 3

Ralph K Nottingham Buckhorn, Cheafham 8 Blore Fig. 5

ATTORNE Y9 United States Patent 3,119,565 ILLUMHNATENG DEVHQE Ralph K. Nottingham, 2934 NE. 51st Ave,

Portland, Greg. Filed Apr. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 102,604 7 Claims. ((Cl. Mil-10.1)

The present invention comprises an illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon an adjacent wall and ceiling. The illuminating device is intended to give soft lighting of a pleasing nature and is particularly suited for use in tearooms, cocktail lounges and the like. The device throws a tall, brilliant, constantly changing flame pattern vertically upon an adjacent wall, and shimmering constantly changing colored patterns to either side thereof and upon the ceiling above the device. The device is so constructed that the constant- 13 changing, brilliant flame appears to be surrounded by dim light curtains such as are seen in auroras, the effect eing pleasing to the senses.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which is easily fabricated from inexpensive materials, which may be readily mounted in a desired position of use, and which may be easily serviced, such as to replace burned out bulbs or to create a different pattern.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from inspection of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

in the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, with portions broken away, of the present invention in operation;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the present invention, with parts broken away, and schematically illustrating the operation of the device;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along lines 35 of FIG. 2 and on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

The device comprises an opaque housing it} adapted to be positioned adjacent a wall, such as by standing it upright upon a shelf T1 or by connecting it to a wall with suitable brackets (not shown). The casing comprises end walls and 13, a front wall 14-, and a rear wall 15. The housing also includes a bottom wall in having upwardly turned front and rear flanges 17 which extend upwardly within and beyond the lower edges of the front and rear walls so as to provide slots 18 for the entry of cooling air, while preventing downward escape of light from the housing. The slots 18 are masked by portions of a false bottom wall 19 provided with perforations 2t to permit cooling air to flow through the housing. The upper surface of the housing is partially blocked at the front by a partial upper wall member 21 having an upwardly extending mask flange 22 which hides portions of the apparatus to be described. The housing is thereby provided with a wide slot in its upper surface, the rear edge of which is defined by the upper edge of the wall and the forward edge of which is defined by tie masking flange 22.

A source of light, such as the element 25 of an incandescent light bulb as, is mounted within the housing toward the bottom thereof. The mounting is conveniently provided by a bracket 27 fastened to the false bottom wall 19, the bracket supporting a light bulb socket 28. The bracket is so mounted as to position the element of the bulb centrally within the casing and in such manner that the bulb may be surrounded by a tubular, translucent shield 36. The shield horizontally surrounds the light source, extending about the light source in the vertical sense to such an extent that any light emitted through the open slot at the top of the housing must pass through the shield. The shield is colored in a patchwork manner by applying thereto various colored patches of paint, or translucent colored film or the like as indicated at 31. The shield is of sufiicient internal diameter at one end and so arranged that the bulb may be replaced. A convenient form of shield is herein illustrated comprises a lantern chimney having an annular bead 32 at one end by means of which the shield may be mounted on a driving mechanism.

The shield mounting herein illustrated comprises a bracket 35 adapted to engage the end of the shield, and a clamp member 36 removably afiixed thereto and which engages the bead 32. The bracket 35 is fixed to a driven shaft 37 which is horizontally journaled in a U-shaped support 39 mounted upon the false bottom wall W. The support 39* also mounts an electric motor 40 which drives the shaft 37 through pinion 4 and gear 42.

A double convex lens is fixedly mounted within the housing with its optical center to the rear of a vertical plane, indicated at A, and extending through the optical center of the light source 25 and including the axis of the shaft 37. A convenient mounting comprises a lens holding wire frame 46 supported by a bent rod 47 mounted upon the bracket 27 and braced by a rod 4'3 fastened to the wall 12 'The central plane of the lens is inclined rearwardly in such manner as to cast a flame shaped pattern on an adjacent wall, the lower edge of which is at point B, the widest part of which is near point C, and which tapers upwardly therefrom to a point high up on the wall. As the various patches 3d of different colors on the shield 3ft rotate past the rearwardly inclined plane C-D which includes the optical centers of the lens and or" the light source 25, and also includes the axis of rotation of the shield 39, the flame pattern kaleidoscopicmly changes. The flame pattern is the most brilliant portion of the design oreated on the wall, due to the relative nearness of the lens 45 compared to other portions of the apparatus to be described.

Mounted directly above the light source and Within the open slot at the top of the housing there is a driven shaft 56', the axis of which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the shield and Within the plane A. A plurality of double convex lenses are mounted upon and strung along the shaft St), each lens being suitably mounted in a wire mounting frame fixed to the shaft. The lenses include a central lens 51 which is directly above the light source, a pair of laterally positioned, intermediate lenses 52, and a plurality of outwardly positioned lenses 53. The lens 51 is mounted with its optical axis normal to the axis of the shaft 56 and at one side of the shaft Sil, and the lenses 52 are mounted with their optical axes normal to the axis of shaft 56 and on the opposite side of the shaft, so that the optical center of each of the lenses 51 and 52 orbits in a vertical plane and about the axis of the shaft 50. The lenses 53 are mounted in oppositely disposed pairs at outward inclinations with respect to the axis of the shaft 50. The optical axes of the lenses 53 are inclined at about 45 to the axis of shaft and lie in planes normal to the planes of the optical axes of the lenses 51 and 52. The shaft 5%) is driven by an electric motor 54 through a pinion 55 and gear 56. Preferably the speed of rotation of the shaft 50 differs from the speed of rotation of the shaft 37.

As the lenses 51, 52 and 53 orbit about the axis of shaft 50 shimmering multi-colored kaleidoscopic patterns are created on the adjacent wall and ceiling. The rays of light thus produced are not as intense as the flame pa tern, and the rays fan inwardly and outwardly toward and away from the central pattern, crossing and recrossing each other. Due to the differences in speed and the relative displacement of the lenses with respect to the shield it may be hours before any given pattern repeats itself.

As an added feature a multi-faceted crystal ball as is mounted above the central portion of the shield 30 and generally in a position in front of the plane A. The ball is mounted at the end of a long, substantially horizontal shaft 61 which is substantially parallel to shaft 37. The shaft is driven by an electric motor 62 mounted on the wall 13. The shaft is slightly bent at 63, adjacent its point of attachment to the motor, whereby the ball 60 is caused to orbit in a vertical plane. Myriad rays of light are created by the refractive ball, which rays of light travel toward and away from the housing and in a constantly changing pattern, the effect being to create generally vertically changing patterns superimposed upon the generally horizontally shifting patterns created by the orbiting lenses.

It is to be appreciated that the three separate motors 40, 54 and 62 may be replaced by a common motor having any suitable driving connections to the shafts 37, 5t and 61. Current for the motors and light source is introduced through a connector 65. Other modifications and arrangement in detail such as come within the true spirit and scope of the following claims are considered to be a part of my invention.

I claim:

1. An illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall comprising an opaque housing adapted to be positioned adjacent a wall, a source of light mounted within said housing, an openended tubular, translucent shield of patchwork coloration horizontally surrounding said source of light, means to rotate said shield about a horizontal axis, a double convex lens fixedly mounted within said housing in optical alignment with said source of light in a position above said shield and at one side of a vertical plane including said source of light, said device being adapted to be positioned with said vertical plane parallel to an adjacent wall surface, said housing having a wide slot in the upper surface thereof, the forward edge of said slot being in front of said vertical plane and the rear edge of said slot being to the rear of an inclined plane passing through the optical centers of said light source and lens, a shaft mounted for rotation within said housing about a horizontal axis in alignment with said source of light and said slot, a plurality of double convex lenses mounted upon said shaft along the length thereof, and means to rotate said shaft.

2. An illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall comprising an opaque housing adapted to be positioned adjacent a wall, a source of light mounted within said housing, an openended tubular, translucent shield of patchwork coloration horizontally surrounding said source of light, means to rotate said shield about a horizontal axis, a double convex lens fixedly mounted within said housing in optical alignment with said source of light in a position above said shield and at one side of a vertical plane including said source of light, said device being adapted to be positioned with said vertical plane parallel to an adjacent wall surface, said housing having a wide slot in the upper surface thereof, the forward edge of said slot being in front of said vertical plane and the rear edge of said slot being to the rear of an inclined plane passing through the optical centers of said light source and lens, a shaft mounted for rotation within said housing about a horizontal axis in alignment with said source of light and said slot, and parallel to the axis of said shield, a plurality of double convex lenses mounted upon said shaft along the length thereof, and means to rotate said shaft at a speed differing from the speed of rotation of said shield.

3. An illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall comprising an opaque housing adapted to be positioned adjacent a wall,

a source of light mounted within said housing, an open ended tubular, translucent shield of patchwork coloration horizontally surrounding said source of light, means to rotate said shield about a horizontal axis, a double convex 5 lens fixedly mounted within said housing in optical alignment with said source of light in a position above said shield and at one side of a vertical plane including said source of light, said device being adapted to be positioned with said vertical plane parallel to an adjacent wall surface, said housing having a wide slot in the upper surface thereof, the forward edge of said slot being in front of said vertical plane and the rear edge of said slot being to the rear of an inclined plane passing through the optical centers of said light source and lens, a shaft mounted for rotation within said housing about a horizontal axis in alignment with said source of light and said slot, a plurality of double convex lenses mounted upon said shaft along the length thereof, and means to rotate said shaft, said plurality of lenses each being mounted with its optical center offset from said shaft so that the lens orbits about the axis of said shaft.

4. An illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall comprising an opaque housing adapted to be positioned adjacent a Wall, a source of light mounted within said housing, an openended tubular, translucent shield of patchwork coloration horizontally surrounding said source of light, means to -ro tate said shield about a horizontal axis, a double convex lens fixedly mounted within said housing in optical alignment with said source of light in a position above said shield and at one side of a vertical plane including said source of light, said device being adapted to be positioned with said vertical plane parallel to an adjacent wall surface, said housing having a wide slot in the upper surface thereof, the forward edge of said slot being in front of said vertical plane and the rear edge of said slot being to the rear of an inclined plane passing through the optical centers of said light source and lens, a shaft mounted for notation within said housing about a horizontal axis in alignment with said source of light and said slot, and parallel to the axis of said shield, a plurality of double convex lenses mounted upon said shaft along the length thereof, and means to rotate said shaft at a speed differing from the speed of rotation of said shield, said plurality of lenses comprising a plurality of lenses mounted with their midplanes parallel to the axis of said shaft along an intermediate portion thereof and a plurality of lenses mounted with their midplanes at acute angles to the axis of said shaft and located toward the ends thereof.

5. An illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall comprising an opaque housing adapted to be positioned adjacent a wall, a source of light mounted within said housing, an openended tubular, translucent shield of patchwork coloration horizontally surrounding said source of light, means to rotate said shield about a horizontal axis, a double convex lens fixedly mounted within said housing in optical alignment with said source of light in a position above said shield and at one side of a vertical plane including said source of light, said device being adapted to be positioned with said vertical plane parallel to an adjacent wall surface, said housing having a wide slot in the upper surface thereof, the forward edge of said slot being in front of said vertical plane and the rear edge of said slot being to the rear of an inclined plane passing through the optical centers of said light source and lens, a shaft mounted for rotation within said housing about a horizontal axis in alignment with said source of light and said slot, and parallel to the axis of said shield, a plurality of double convex lenses mounted upon said shaft along the length thereof, and means to rotate said shaft at a speed differing from the speed of rotation of said shield, said plurality of lenses comprising a plurality of lenses mounted with their midplanes parallel to the axis of said shaft along an intermediate portion thereof and a plurality of lenses mounted with their midplanes at acute angles to the axis of said shaft and located toward :the ends thereof, a multifaceted, refractive ball mounted between said light source and said shaft, means to rotate said ball, and means to cause said ball to follow an orbital path while rotataing.

6. In an illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall,

an opaque housing having an aperture therein, an incandescent lamp having a filament, socket means mounted in the housing supporting the lamp in a position spaced from the aperture and inclined relative to the aperture, a tubular translucent shield having a patchwork coloration pattern, means mounting the shield for rotation on an axis generally transverse to the axis of the aperture and rotation in a position surrounding the filament, drive means for rotating the shield, lens means positioned in the housing in optical alignment with the filament and the aperture, and means for revolving the lens means about an axis substantially transverse to the optical axis of the lens means. 7. In an illuminating device for casting a constantly changing kaleidoscopic design upon a wall,

an opaque housing having at the top thereof an openmotor drive means in the housing,

a translucent multicolored hollow shield rotated by the drive means in a position extending generally horizontally,

a light source in the shield and including an incandescent filament inclined relative to the vertical,

a shaft driven by the drive means,

means mounting the shaft rotatably in a position uetween the opening and the shield and extending gen erally parallel to the shield and spaced laterally from the shield,

a plurality of biconvex lenses,

and means mounting the lenses on the shaft in positions spaced along the shaft between the opening and the shield and in which the optical axes of the lenses are substantially perpendicular to the shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,513,077 Welsh Oct. 28, 1924 1,699,169 Thurstone Jan. 15, 1929 1,918,123 Newman July 11, 1933 1,973,454 Wilfred Sept. 11, 1934

Claims (1)

1. AN ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR CASTING A CONSTANTLY CHANGING KALEIDOSCOPIC DESIGN UPON A WALL COMPRISING AN OPAQUE HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ADJACENT A WALL, A SOURCE OF LIGHT MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, AN OPENENDED TUBULAR, TRANSLUCENT SHIELD OF PATCHWORK COLORATION HORIZONTALLY SURROUNDING SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT, MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHIELD ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A DOUBLE CONVEX LENS FIXEDLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN OPTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT IN A POSITION ABOVE SAID SHIELD AND AT ONE SIDE OF A VERTICAL PLANE INCLUDING SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT, SAID DEVICE BEING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED WITH SAID VERTICAL PLANE PARALLEL TO AN ADJACENT WALL SURFACE, SAID HOUSING HAVING A WIDE SLOT IN THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF, THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID SLOT BEING IN FRONT OF SAID VERTICAL PLANE AND THE REAR EDGE OF SAID SLOT BEING TO THE REAR OF AN INCLINED PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE OPTICAL CENTERS OF SAID LIGHT SOURCE AND LENS, A SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATION WITHIN SAID HOUSING ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID SOURCE OF LIGHT AND SAID SLOT, A PLURALITY OF DOUBLE CONVEX LENSES MOUNTED UPON SAID SHAFT ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT.

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