Barrier wall mounting plate for electrical fixture enclosure

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6439750
  • Patent Number
    6,439,750
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, April 18, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 27, 2002
    23 years ago
Abstract
A lighting fixture has a canopy formed thereon. Electrical wiring for a lamp socket of the fixture is routed through the canopy. One end of each wire electrically connects to the socket, and the other end of each wire extends through the canopy. A mounting plate fits in opening defined by the canopy and is secured to the canopy. The plate has a central opening through which the free ends of the wires extend. The mounting plate includes a swivel bar attached to the plate on its side to connect it to an outlet box. By attaching the outlet box to the swivel bar, and then the mounting plate to the fixture, the fixture can be adjusted to any orientation regardless of the orientation of the outlet box. In one embodiment, the swivel bar is replaced with arcuate slots through which fasteners extend to allow the plate (and hence the fixture) to be set to a desired orientation with respect to the outlet box. The lighting fixture, in one embodiment, includes a socket assembly comprising a mounting bar which is mounted to the plate at one end and to which a socket is mounted at an opposite end. The cover and socket assembly are both independently mounted to the plate. Hence, no wiring is associated with the cover, per se.
Description




STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT




Not applicable.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to electrical fixtures such as ornamental lighting fixtures and the like, and more particularly, to a mounting plate for use in installing the fixture.




Referring to the prior art construction shown in

FIG. 1

, an electrical lighting fixture such as an outdoor lighting fixture F is made of metal or a molded plastic material. On one side of the fixture a canopy C is formed through which electrical wiring W for a lamp socket K is routed. The fixture typically includes three electrical wires W


1


-W


3


one end of each of which are electrically connected to the lamp socket. The other ends of each wire are initially free.




A mounting plate P is formed to fit in an opening defined by an inner wall surface of the canopy. Electrical wires (not shown) from a wall switch or the like are routed through an opening G in a sidewall S of an electrical outlet box B which is already mounted in place in a wall. Ends of these other electrical wires are spliced together with the free ends of the wires W


1


-W


3


, and the exposed ends of the attached wires are covered with wire nuts U that are threaded onto the wires. Mounting plate P is then attached to outlet box B by screws (not shown) which fit through holes H formed in the plate. The spliced ends of the wires are now completely enclosed within a space defined by the outlet box B and mounting plate P. This must be done in accordance with paragraph 7.1 of Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) standard 1571, in order for the fixture to receive UL approval. The mounting plate is now attached to canopy C by screws E which fit through notches or holes R formed on opposite sides of the mounting plate, and through openings (not shown) in the canopy. The ends of the screws E project through these openings and cap nuts T are threaded onto the exposed ends of the screws to provide a decorative appearance. This rigidly attaches the mounting plate and outlet box to the fixture.




From an aesthetic standpoint, an installed fixture such as outdoor lighting fixture F is mounted in a preferred orientation, vertical, for example. The fixture, when mounted in place, should not appear to be canted to one side or the other. However, it often occurs that the fixture is canted when the fixture/outlet box assembly is installed in place, and this condition can be time consuming and costly to correct.




BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with the invention, generally stated, a lighting fixture made, for example, of metal or a molded plastic material includes a canopy formed on one side. Electrical wiring for a lamp socket of the fixture is routed to the socket through the canopy. One end of each wire is electrically connected to the socket, and the other, free end of each wire extends through the canopy. A mounting plate fits over an opening defined by the canopy and is secured to the outlet box. The mounting plate has generally the same shape as the fixture canopy so to form a barrier between the outlet box and the canopy. The plate has a central opening through which the free ends of the wires extend. Electrical wires for connecting the fixture to a power source are routed through an opening in a sidewall of an electrical outlet box. Ends of these electrical wires are spliced together with the free ends of the other wires, and the exposed ends of the spliced wires are covered with wire nuts, electrical tape, or the like. The mounting plate could include a swivel bar attached to the plate on the side of the plate to which the outlet box attaches. The swivel bar is first attached to the outlet box, and the fixture canopy is then attached to the mounting plate. This allows the fixture to be positioned in any orientation regardless of the outlet box orientation. The electrical wires are completely enclosed by the outlet box and mounting plate as required by UL standards. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.




In one embodiment, the socket is mounted within, and connected to the cover or rain shield. In a second embodiment, the socket is mounted on an arm and is separate from cover. The arm (with the socket) and the cover are individually connected to the barrier mounting plate. Preferably, the arm is removably connected to the barrier plate.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of a prior art electrical fixture/outlet box assembly;





FIG. 2

is a rear elevational view of a mounting plate of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a side elevational view of the mounting plate;





FIG. 4

is an exploded view illustrating an electrical fixture/outlet box assembly using the mounting plate of the present invention;





FIGS. 5A and 5B

, and


6


A and


6


B illustrate alternative embodiments of a rectangular plate for use with other fixtures;





FIGS. 7A and 7B

and


8


A and


8


B illustrate generally circular shaped plates for use with yet other fixtures;





FIG. 9

is a side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the lighting fixture in which the lamp is mounted directly to the mounting plate and the canopy is closed around the lamp, and mounted to the mounting plate;





FIG. 10

is a rear perspective, exploded view of the lighting fixture;





FIG. 11

is a cross-sectional view of the lighting fixture, when assembled; and





FIG. 12

is a cross-sectional view of the lighting fixture, but adapted to receive an incandescent bulb, rather than a fluorescent bulb.











Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.




DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to the drawings, the prior art construction shown in

FIG. 1

has been previously described, as have the installation problems associated therewith. Referring to

FIGS. 2 and 3

, an improvement of the present invention includes a barrier wall mounting plate


10


for use with fixture F and replaces the mounting plate P described with respect to FIG.


1


. The barrier wall mounting plate


10


includes a flat plate


12


whose outer contour is shaped so the mounting plate is received in an opening defined by an inner wall of a fixture canopy. For example, as shown in

FIG. 2

, each corner of the plate is scalloped, as indicated at


14


. The plate


10


has an opening


16


for the free ends of electrical wires connected to the fixture lamp socket to be pulled through the opening. Opening


16


is swedged and edge rolled as shown in FIG.


3


. Plate


12


further includes a pair of opposed, tapped openings


18




a


,


18




b


. These openings are for attaching the mounting plate to the fixture canopy. The mounting plate is attached to canopy C by screws, such as the screws E, which fit through the tapped openings, and through openings (not shown) in the canopy.




Four arcuate segments


20




a


-


20




d


are formed in plate


12


. The segments form opposed pairs of segments which are centered on respective diagonals d


1


, d


2


extending from the corners of plate


12


. The width of each segment is sufficient for the head of a screw


22


(

FIG. 4

) to fit through the segment.




A swivel bar


24


is rotatably mounted on a side


26


of the plate


12


. This is the side of the mounting plate to which an outlet box B attaches to the mounting plate. Swivel bar


24


is rotatable through 360°. The swivel bar has a middle section


24




a


which abuts side


26


of the barrier wall mounting plate. Outer sections


24




b


,


24




c


respectively extend outwardly of the ends of this middle section and are raised away from the side of the mounting plate. Each outer section


24




b


,


24




c


has an elongate slot


28




a


,


28




b


, respectively extending longitudinally of the swivel bar


24


.




When the ends of the wires are spliced together and the wire nuts are fitted onto the wires, the mounting plate


12


is attached to the outlet box B using the screws


22


. The threaded shank of the screws


22


are inserted through one of the arcuate segments (segments


20




c


and


20




d


in

FIG. 4

) and then through one of the slots


28




a


,


28




b


into a treaded bore (not shown) in the base of the outlet box. The slot width is sufficiently narrow so the head of the screws do not fit through the slots. Thus, when the screws are tightened, mounting plate


10


is drawn up tight against the outlet box. The screws E are now threaded through the tapped bores


18




a


,


18




b


in the plate and through the openings in the canopy. The exposed ends of the screws are covered by the cap nuts T to again provide a decorative appearance.




Because the outlet box is attached to the swivel bar portion of the mounting plate, fixture F can be oriented as desired by the installer without having to make cumbersome adjustments to the fixture/outlet box assembly. And, in accordance with paragraph 7.1 of Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) standard 1571 the spliced ends of the wires are not exposed. However, whereas in the prior art construction of

FIG. 1

, the outlet box and fixture canopy defined the enclosure in which the spliced ends of the wires were contained; now, this enclosure is defined by the outlet box and barrier wall mounting plate


10


. Additionally, the novel construction of barrier wall mounting plate


10


allows the electrical fixture (whether or not a lighting fixture) to be molded out of polymeric materials which do not have to meet UL requirements for an electrical enclosure. The design of mounting plate


10


also addresses those requirements relating to the maximum size of open holes in an enclosure such as are specified in Table 9.1 of UL standard 1571 relating to incandescent fixtures. Finally, while lighting fixture F is for use with an incandescent light bulb


1


, the mounting plate


10


construction described herein is also useful with fixtures for fluorescent lights and other types of lighting as well.




Although not shown in the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that barrier wall mounting plate


10


can be installed backward to the installation shown in FIG.


4


. That is, plate


12


could be attached to outlet box B and swivel bar


24


to canopy C.




Referring to

FIG. 5A

,


5


B and


6


A,


6


B, other barrier wall mounting plate constructions are indicated


30


and


50


respectively. Each mounting plate includes a flat plate


32


,


52


with scalloped corners


34


,


54


. An opening


36


,


56


is formed in the respective plates for routing the electrical wiring. Each plate has opposed, tapped openings


38


a,


38


b and


58


a,


58


b respectively, these openings being in wells


39


,


59


formed in the respective plates


32


,


52


. Four arcuate segments


40




a


-


40




d


and


60




a


-


60




d


constructed in the same manner as the segments


20




a


-


20




d


are formed in the respective plates


32


,


52


. Swivel bars


44


,


64


and attached on sides


46


,


66


of the plates


32


,


52


. Elongate slots


48




a


,


48




b


and


68




a


,


68




b


are formed at the respective ends of each bar


46


,


66


, the slots extending longitudinally of the respective swivel bars. Use and installation of the barrier wall mounting plates


30


,


50


is as previously described.





FIGS. 7A

,


7


B illustrate a circular barrier wall mounting plate


70


. Since plate


70


is circular and not square or rectangular, it does not have scalloped corners. Again, the mounting plate fits within a similarly shaped fixture canopy. The mounting plate


70


includes a flat plate


72


. An opening


76


is formed in the plate for routing the electrical wiring. Opposed, tapped openings


78




a


,


78




b


are formed in wells


79


at the periphery of the plate


72


. Four arcuate segments


80




a


-


80




d


which are constructed in the same manner as the segments


20




a


-


20




d


are formed in the plate


72


. A swivel bar


84


is attached to side


86


of the plate


72


. Elongate slots


88




a


,


88




b


are formed at the respective ends of the bar


86


, the slots extending longitudinally of the swivel bar. Use and installation of the barrier wall mounting plate


70


is substantially the same as for the plate


10


.




Referring to

FIGS. 8A and 8B

a barrier wall mounting plate


100


comprises a generally rectangular plate


102


having a rounded end


103


. Wiring from the lamp socket is extended through an opening


106


in the plate, and the plate has a tapped hole


108


for attaching barrier wall mounting plate


100


to canopy C of a fixture.




This embodiment of the barrier wall mounting plate includes no swivel bar as do the previously described embodiments. Rather, a barrier wall mounting plate


100


has two sets of arcuate slots comprising an inner set of slots


120




a


-


120




d


and an outer set of slots


122




a


-


122




d


. The respective sets of slots allow plate


100


to be used with different size outlet boxes. Screws (not shown) are inserted through opposed slots in the respective set of slots. The slot width is less than the diameter of the head of a screw. The screws are not fully tightened when first threaded into threaded openings in the outlet box. Rather the outlet box/plate assembly are first rotated so the fixture is in a desired orientation and then the screws are tightened.




What has been described is an electrical lighting fixture including a mounting plate attachable to a portion of the fixture through which electrical wiring for the fixture is routed. This wiring is connected, in turn, to electrical wiring routed from a power source to the fixture through an outlet box. The mounting plate includes a swivel bar to which the outlet box attaches. The electrical wiring, including spliced together sections of wiring, are enclosed within the outlet box and mounting plate, as is required for UL listing. Attaching the outlet box to the swivel bar allows the electrical fixture to be mounted in a preferred orientation regardless of the orientation of the outlet box. Or, the mounting plate has sets of arcuate slots which are used for attaching the fixtures to the outlet box.




An alternative mounting arrangement of the light fixture is shown in

FIGS. 9-12

. The light fixture


200


includes a socket assembly


202


which is mounted to a barrier wall mounting plate


208


. A rain shield base or canopy


204


and a diffuser


206


encase the socket assembly and complete the light fixture


200


.




The mounting plate


208


is substantially similar to the mounting plate


100


(FIG.


8


). It includes a generally rectangular plate


212


having a rounded end


213


. A wiring opening


216


is formed generally in the center of the plate


208


. A tapped hole


218


is positioned below the wiring opening


216


to attach the rain shield base


204


to the barrier wall mounting plate


108


, as will be described below. The barrier wall mounting plate


208


has two sets of arcuate slots comprising an inner set of slots


220




a


-


220




d


and an outer set of slots


222




a


-


222




d


. The respective sets of slots allow plate


208


to be used with different size outlet boxes. Lastly, the plate


208


includes a “+” shaped opening


224


above the wiring opening


216


. To mount the plate


208


to an outlet box, screws (not shown) are inserted through opposed slots in the respective set of slots


220




a-d


or


222




a-d


. The slots have a width less than the diameter of the head of a screw. The screws are not fully tightened when first threaded into threaded openings in the outlet box. Rather the outlet box/plate assembly are first rotated so the fixture is in a desired orientation and then the screws are tightened.




The socket assembly


202


includes an arm


230


having a mounting end


232


from which a pair of squeezable spring arms


234


extend. The spring arms


234


are received in the “+” opening


224


to snappingly connect the arm


230


to the plate


208


. An extension portion


236


of the arm


230


extends from the mounting end


232


and away from (and generally perpendicular to) the plate


208


. A bracket


235


is mounted to (or formed at) the free end of the arm extension portion


236


.




Although the spring arms


234


extend from the arm


230


, they could, instead extend from the plate


212


, and the arm portion


232


could be provided with slots to receive the spring arms


234


. Other types of snap engagements could be used to mount the arm


230


to the plate


212


. For example, flexible spring arms, having outwardly extending fingers, could be used. Non-snapping engagements, such as pin and slot connections or even screws or other similar conventional fasteners could be used to mount the arm


230


to the plate


212


. The arm


230


could also be permanently secured to the plate


212


, for example, by welding.




A lamp socket


238


is mounted to the bracket


235


which receives a lamp L. In the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 9-11

, the lamp L is a compact fluorescent lamp, and hence, the socket


238


is a fluorescent lamp socket. Additionally, a ballast


240


is mounted to the arm extension


236


. In the embodiment shown in

FIG. 12

, the lamp L is an incandescent bulb, and hence, the socket


238


is one which receives an incandescent bulb.




The rain shield base


204


includes cover or fixture


250


which is sized to surround the socket


238


when the light fixture


200


is assembled. The fixture


250


shown in

FIGS. 9-12

is meant to be illustrative only to show the invention. Other fixture designs can be used as well. For example, a lantern fixture, such as shown in

FIG. 4

, could be used. As seen in

FIGS. 11 and 12

, the cover


250


has a bottom rim or edge


252


which is at, or below, the bottom edge of the socket


238


, Hence, only the lamp or bulb L extends below the cover bottom edge


252


, so that all the electrical wires are protected from wind, rain, etc. The cover is shown to be generally dome shaped, but could be any shape desired. A hollow throat


254


extends from the back of the cover


252


and includes a forward opening


256


and a rear or back mouth


258


. The bottom of the throat


254


is approximately level with the bottom edge


252


of the cover


250


, and a wall


260


extends downwardly from the bottom of the throat


254


. Additionally, a small wall


262


extends upwardly from the top of the throat


254


. This wall


262


is a decorative wall, and can be omitted if desired. A peripheral lip


264


extends rearwardly from the walls


260


and


262


, and surrounds the rear mouth of the throat. A wall


266


extends across the top of the throat


254


. The wall


266


in combination with the lip


264


defines a space sized and shaped to encase the barrier wall mounting plate


208


, as seen in FIG.


11


. As can be appreciated, the upper decorative wall


262


, and its associated lip, can be omitted. In this case, the upper wall


266


would form the top portion of the lip


264


.




A screw hole


270


is formed in the wall


260


and is positioned to be aligned with the tapped hole


218


in the plate


208


, as seen in FIG.


11


. The throat


254


is sized to admit the arm


230


from its forward end to its back end at the opening


258


. As best seen in FIG.


11


,the throat


254


is wider than the arm mounting portion


232


is tall. Thus, the arm


230


can be easily passed through the throat to press the arms


234


into the “+” opening


224


to mount the arm


230


to the plate


208


. The throat is also sized to receive the ballast


240


(should a compact fluorescent lamp be used in the lighting fixture).




The diffuser


204


is mounted to the underside of the rain shield cover


250


in any conventional manner. As shown, the diffuser


204


has a lip or flange


272


which is received in a channel in the cover


250


. Alternatively, the diffuser could be threaded at its top to be screwed into the cover


250


.




In assembling the lighting fixture


200


and electrically connecting the fixture to the wires in the outlet box, the arm


230


is first passed through the throat


254


of the rain shield base


204


, and the arm


230


is mounted to the plate


208


by snapping the arms


234


into the “+” opening


224


. With the rain shield base


204


hanging loose over the arm, the wires from the socket (or ballast) are passed through the wiring hole


216


in the plate


208


and are connected to the wires in the outlet box. The plate


208


can then be mounted to the outlet box as described above. Thus, the connection between the wires from the socket (or ballast) with the building wires is made within the outlet box, as seen, for example, in FIG.


1


. The rain shield base


204


is the positioned over the plate to align its screw hole


270


with the tapped hole


218


in the plate


208


, and a screw is passed through the two holes to fix the rain shield base


204


to the plate. Lastly, the diffuser


206


is mounted to the rain shield base


204


.




The advantage of the lamp fixture of

FIGS. 9-12

over the lamp fixture of

FIG. 2

is that the socket and wires are all associated with the arm


230


and the plate


208


. Unlike the lamp fixture of

FIG. 2

, the socket is not a part of the rain shield. Hence, there is no wiring associated with the rain shield, per se. Because the socket is not assembled with the rain shield, assembly costs are reduced. Further, maintaining the socket assembly separate from the rain shield and diffuser reduces the number rain shields and diffusers that need to be kept in inventory. It also allows for a consumer to change the rain shield base


204


and/or the diffuser


206


subsequent to installation of the lighting fixture, without the need to obtain a new socket assembly.




As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. For example, the cover or rain shield


204


could be connected to the plate


212


in other fashions also. For example, the cover could be provided with squeezable arms similar to the arms


234


or with spring fingers extending from the inner surface of the cover wall


260


and which are received in openings in the plate. This would eliminate the need for a screw and the screw hole


270


in the cover wall


260


. These examples are merely illustrative.



Claims
  • 1. An electrical fixture mountable to an outlet box through which electrical wires for connecting the fixture to a power source are routed, the fixture comprising:a cover on which a canopy is formed, the cover defining an opening; a socket assembly independent of the cover; the socket assembly including a mounting arm having a lamp receiving socket mounted at one end of said arm; a barrier wall mounting plate fitting over the cover opening and to which both said socket assembly and said cover are connected, the plate having an opening therein through which the free ends of the wires extend, the free ends of the wires being spliced together with ends of the electrical wires routed through the outlet box, the mounting plate including connecting means for attaching the plate to the outlet box with the electrical fixture being movable relative to the resulting outlet box/mounting plate assembly for the fixture to be positioned in a preferred orientation regardless of the orientation of the outlet box, and with all of the electrical wires being completely enclosed by the outlet box and mounting plate.
  • 2. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said mounting arm is removably connected to said barrier wall mounting plate by a connector; said connector being on one of said arm and said plate; the other of said arm and said plate receiving said connector.
  • 3. The fixture of claim 2 wherein said connector is a squeezable arm.
  • 4. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a hollow throat which extends from said canopy; said mounting arm extending through said throat.
  • 5. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the cover is connected to the plate by a fastener which extends through a surface of the cover and into the barrier wall mounting plate.
  • 6. The fixture of claim 5 wherein the cover includes a wall extending downwardly from a bottom of the throat; the surface through which the fastener extends comprising the wall.
  • 7. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a swivel bar rotatably mounted to said plate.
  • 8. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises at least one arcuate segment formed in the mounting plate and at least one fasteners extending through the arcuate segment for attaching the mounting plate and the outlet box together; the segment being smaller in width than a head of the fastener.
  • 9. An electrical lighting fixture comprising:a lamp socket in which a light bulb is inserted: a cover for the lamp socket including a canopy formed for electrical wiring to the lamp socket to be routed through the canopy with one end of each of a plurality of electrical wires to be electrically connected to the socket and the other, free end thereof extending through the canopy, the fixture being attached to an outlet box through which electrical wires for connecting the fixture to a power source are routed; and, a barrier wall mounting plate assembly including a plate and a swivel bar rotatably mounted to the plate, the plate fitting in an opening defined by the canopy, the plate having an opening therein through which the free ends of the wires extend, the free ends of the wires being spliced together with ends of the electrical wires routed through the outlet box; the barrier wall mounting plate assembly being attached to the outlet box by one of the plate and the swivel bar, the canopy being attached to the other of the plate and the swivel bar; attachment of the outlet box to the barrier wall mounting plate assembly allowing the fixture to be positioned in a preferred orientation regardless of the orientation of the outlet box, and with all of the electrical wires being completely enclosed by the outlet box and mounting plate.
  • 10. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein said swivel bar is rotatable through 360° for the fixture to be oriented in a desired position with respect to the outlet box.
  • 11. The lighting fixture of claim 10 wherein the barrier wall mounting plate assembly is attached to the outlet box by fasteners extending through the swivel bar and into the outlet box; the swivel bar including an elongate slot at each end thereof through which a fastener for attaching the outlet box and mounting plate together is inserted.
  • 12. The lighting fixture of claim 11 wherein the width of the slot is narrower than a head of the fastener to draw the swivel bar up against the outlet box as the fastener is tightened.
  • 13. The lighting fixture of claim 12 wherein said mounting plate includes a flat plate in which a plurality of arcuate segments are formed, the arcuate segments being larger in width than the head of a screw for the screw to be inserted through a slot in the swivel bar from the side of said plate opposite that to which the outlet box is mounted.
  • 14. The lighting fixture of claim 13 further including screws for attaching the mounting plate to the canopy after the mounting plate is attached to the outlet box, the swivel bar allowing the fixture to be rotated relative to the outlet box to a desired position.
  • 15. An electrical lighting fixture comprising:a lamp socket in which a light bulb is inserted: a cover for the lamp socket including a canopy formed for electrical wiring to the lamp socket to be routed through the canopy with one end of each of a plurality of electrical wires to be electrically connected to the socket and the other, free end thereof extending through the canopy, the fixture being attached to an outlet box through which electrical wires for connecting the fixture to a power source are routed; and, a barrier wall mounting plate fitting in an opening defined by the canopy, the plate having an opening therein through which the free ends of the wires extend, the free ends of the wires being spliced together with ends of the electrical wires routed through the outlet box, the mounting plate including a plurality of arcuate segments formed in the mounting plate and spaced uniformly thereabout, fasteners for attaching the mounting plate and the outlet box together being inserted through opposing segments with the segments being smaller in width than the head of a screw so the fasteners, when tightened, draw the outlet box and mounting plate together, the fixture being oriented in a desired position before the fasteners are tightened, attachment of the outlet box to the mounting plate allowing the fixture to be positioned in a preferred orientation regardless of the orientation of the outlet box, and with all of the electrical wires being completely enclosed by the outlet box and mounting plate.
  • 16. The electrical lighting fixture of claim 15 further including an inner set of arcuate segments and an outer set thereof, said sets being concentric with arcuate segments from one set or the other being used depending upon the size of the outlet box to which the fixture is connected.
  • 17. An electrical lighting fixture comprising:a barrier wall mounting plate mountable to an outlet box; a socket assembly connected to the barrier wall mounting plate; the socket assembly including a mounting arm connected at one end to the mounting plate and having a lamp receiving socket at another end of said arm; and a cover connected to the barrier wall mounting plate independently of the socket assembly; the cover including a canopy which at least partially surrounds the socket when the lighting fixture is assembled; a hollow throat through which said mounting arm passes, and an opening at a rear of said throat, said barrier wall mounting plate being received in said opening.
  • 18. The fixture of claim 17 wherein said mounting arm is removably connected to said barrier wall mounting plate by a connector; said connector being on one of said arm and said plate; the other of said arm and said plate receiving said connector.
  • 19. The fixture of claim 18 wherein said connector is a squeezeable arm.
  • 20. The fixture of claim 17 wherein the cover is connected to the plate by a fastener which extends through a surface of the cover and into the barrier wall mounting plate.
  • 21. The fixture of claim 20 wherein the cover includes a wall extending downwardly from a bottom of the throat; the surface through which the fastener extends comprising the wall.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/376,836 filed Aug. 18, 1999 entitled BARRIER WALL MOUNTING PLATE FOR ELECTRICAL FIXTURE ENCLOSURE, which is incorporated herein by reference.

US Referenced Citations (5)
Number Name Date Kind
1659404 Lipschutz Feb 1928 A
5477439 Kowalenko et al. Dec 1995 A
5537304 Klaus Jul 1996 A
5549266 Mitchell et al. Aug 1996 A
6257743 Ursch Jul 2001 B1
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/376836 Aug 1999 US
Child 09/837667 US