Combination passenger reading light and air ventilator

A ball mount comprising:

• a support having a circular opening therein,
• a ball element,
• means for retaining said ball element within said opening,
• an anti-rotation projection on said support and extending radially inward of said circular opening, said projection having a height and a width,
• said ball element including an elongated substantially vertical channel along the outer surface thereof and having a depth greater than the height of said projection and having a width exceeding the width of said pin, said channel including side walls extending in planes containing an axis of said ball element, said projection being engaged in said channel and cooperating therewith to permit said axis to be positioned at any desired orientation within a conical region while preventing substantial rotation of said ball element about said axis.

An orientable reading light fixture comprising:

• a support having a circular opening;
• a ball housing having an opening adjustably mounted within said support opening and adapted for movement to position an axis thereof at any desired orientation within a conical region;
• a socket assembly mounted on said ball housing and adapted to engage a lamp to be located within said ball housing;
• a bezel element secured to said ball housing opposite said socket assembly, said bezel element having a first portion fitting within said ball housing;
• said bezel element also having a substantially cylindrical second portion extending coaxially of the axis of said ball housing and outwardly from said ball housing opening, said bezel element having an annular peripheral shoulder to abut against the outer end of said ball housing and having a curved outwardly flared surface area meeting the exterior surface of said ball housing, the curvature of said surface area being substantially the same as the curvature of said ball housing to form a substantially smooth continuation of the outer surface of said ball housing whereby said housing may be tilted beyond the edge of said support opening until said bezel element second portion contacts said edge.

An orientable reading light fixture comprising:

• a support having a circular opening;
• a ball housing adjustably mounted within said opening and adapted for movement to position an axis thereof at any desired orientation within a conical region;
• a socket assembly mounted on said ball housing and adapted to engage a lamp to be located within said ball housing;
• a bezel element removably secured to said ball housing opposite said socket assembly, said bezel element having a first portion fitting within said ball housing;
• said ball housing including inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface including at least one channel substantially parallel to an axis of said ball housing, said channel having a base, a pair of sidewalls, and an end wall,
• said bezel element first portion including at least one spring detent facing outwardly, said detent having a pair of sidewalls adapted to removably engage said channel sidewalls and having an end wall adapted to engage said channel end wall to inhibit axial withdrawal of said bezel element from housing,
• at least one of a channel sidewall and a detent sidewall being slanted and non-radial with respect to said ball housing axis, whereby said detent may be disengaged from said channel by axial rotation of said bezel element to disengage said detent from said channel and permit axial withdrawal of said bezel element from said housing.

A ventilated adjustable reading light fixture comprising:

• a support having a circular opening;
• a hollow ball housing adjustably mounted within said circular opening and having front and rear openings on opposite sides of said support;
• a socket assembly mounted on said ball housing proximate said rear opening, said ball housing and socket assembly combination including at least one opening to form an airflow passage from outside said housing past said socket assembly and into the interior of said housing, said socket assembly being adapted to engage a lamp to be located within said ball housing, whereby air may flow through said support past said lamp by way of said front and rear housing openings and between said socket assembly and said ball housing, said socket assembly including:
• an electrically conductive mounting member having first and second portions, said first portion being adapted to engage the base of an electric lamp bulb, said second portion including a ring extending around said first portion, said ring being held in spaced relationship from said rear opening of said ball housing to form a substantially annular opening therebetween;
• a terminal base formed of an electrically insulating material and mounted upon said ring;
• a first terminal positioned on said base and electrically connected to said mounting member;
• a second terminal mounted on said terminal base;
• and
• a lug formed of an electrically conductive material and connected to said second terminal, said lug extending from said second terminal to a position proximate said first portion of said mounting member and being positioned to engage a central contact of a lamp adapted for mounting within said socket assembly, whereby electrical connections to said lamp and socket assembly permit substantially unhindered flow of air through said air passage between said socket assembly and said ball housing.

A ventilated adjustable reading light fixture comprising:

• a support having a circular opening;
• a hollow ball housing adjustably mounted within said circular opening and having front and rear openings on opposite sides of said support;
• a socket assembly mounted on said ball housing proximate said rear opening, said ball housing and socket assembly combination including at least one opening to form an airflow passage from outside said housing past said socket assembly and into the interior of said housing said socket assembly being adapted to engage a lamp to be located within said ball housing, whereby air may flow through said support and past said lamp by way of said front and rear housing openings and between said socket assembly and said ball housing,
• said ball housing including front and rear portions and a plurality of channels formed on the exterior surface thereof, said channels being separated by corresponding ridges, the outer surface of said ridges forming the outer periphery of said housing and contacting said support opening, said channels extending between said front and rear portion of said ball housing, whereby air may flow from the rear portion of said ball housing to the front portion thereof by way of said channels.