US 5,517,393 AGranted

Illumination assembly

OwnerGeorge H. Townsend, Jr., Robert J. Townsend, Sr.inventors

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Abstract

An illumination assembly allowing quick and easy access to traffic, billboard or other lighting is provided. The illumination assembly includes a rotatable conveyor assembly having a cable or cord driven by one or more drive pulleys to rotatably place lighting luminaires over supported operating, maintenance or other areas. When a light bulb contained in a luminaire burns out or otherwise requires servicing, the rotatable conveyor assembly is activated to drive the corresponding luminaire to a maintenance area, having a maintenance support plate. The luminaire is conveniently and safely serviced, and the conveyor cord then drives the luminaires back to their normal lighting positions. Reconfiguration in the field with greater or lesser luminaires, track size or otherwise is possible.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An illumination assembly including means supporting a plurality of light mounting fixtures for illuminating a display surface over a thoroughfare, comprising:

a support frame positioned adjacent to the display surface and extending at least partly over the thoroughfare;
said plurality of light mounting fixtures resting on said support frame;
an endless movable conveyor assembly, connected to said support frame, guiding the plurality of light mounting fixtures on a track guide assembly extending over at least a portion of said support frame, at least of a portion of said track guide assembly being in a generally parallel relation to the display surface;
means on said light mounting fixtures for engagement with said track guide assembly to guide said light mounting fixtures about said track guide assembly;
and
a reversible drive apparatus adapted to rotate in a single direction for selectively moving said conveyor assembly to move said light mounting fixtures about said track guide assembly to a maintenance position of said support frame out from over the thoroughfare for servicing, then return the light mounting fixtures to an operating position for illumination of the display surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/343,987Filed 18 Nov 1994
Granted: 14 May 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F21V 19/04
Fastening of light sources or lamp holders: with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret
F21V 21/34
Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices ; Hand grips: supporting elements displaceable along a guiding element
G09F 13/02
Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising: signs, boards, or panels, illuminated by artificial light sources positioned in front of the insignia
G09F 13/0472
Constructional details: traffic signs