Device for the quick installation of light fittings for street lamps in general

Abstract

 A device for the quick installation and/or replacement of the light fittings of street lamps in general comprises two sleeves (1, 2) telescopically insertable one into the other to be clamped together by at least one automatic clamping member (22) which can be released by simple pressure from the outside, and of which one is intended to be fixed to the standard (4) of a street lamp while the other is intended to be fixed to the light fitting (44) thereof. The copenetrating ends of these sleeves comprise respective electrical connectors (10), (100) the mutual engagement/disengagement of which takes place simultaneously with the mutual insertion/withdrawal of said ends.

Description

[0001] This invention relates in a totally general manner to the maintenance of street lamps in general and typically those for public lighting, and more particularly to a device for facilitating the installation and replacement of the lampholders or light fittings of said street lamps.

[0002] These latter are known to comprise a straight or curved standard and a lamp holder or light fitting which is fixed to the top of the standard.

[0003] Their installation or maintenance has to be done from street level using convenient equipment normally in the form of a motor vehicle provided with a telescopic ladder or an articulated arm, with an end basket for carrying a man. Such equipment is very bulky, with the result that as streets generally carry a virtually continuous flow of traffic, it is of the maximum importance that such equipment remains stationary for the minimum possible time in traffic areas.

[0004] In this respect one only has to consider crossroads and particularly narrow roads to understand the blockage and slow traffic problems that this can lead to, with the additional danger of causing accidents.

[0005] Again, known street lamps are constructed in such a manner that in most cases, because of the considerable time required, it is inadvisable to remove the light fittings in order to carry out maintenance in the workshop, so that it becomes obligatory to effect said maintenance in situ, this consisting of opening the light fitting, cleaning it, replacing the lamp and remounting it, often in the rain. Essentially, in this specific sector there is a deeply felt requirement for means able to vastly accelerate and simplify the operations involved in installing the light fittings of street lamps for public lighting.

[0006] The main object of the present invention is to satisfy said requirement within the context of a simple, robust, rational and reliable means.

[0007] According to the invention the means used for this purpose comprises two coaxial sleeves one of which is intended to be permanently fixed to the top of the standard of a street lamp and the other is intended to be fitted to the light fitting of said street lamp, said sleeves being insertable one into the other, by which they also become fixed together by means of at least one clamping member, which can be released by simple pressure from the outside.

[0008] Within the facing ends of said two sleeves there are housed corresponding electrical connectors of male and female type respectively, which make or break their connection automatically on inserting or respectively withdrawing one sleeve into or from the other.

[0009] In this manner all the objects of the invention are attained. Firstly in this respect, a light fitting can be installed or replaced extremely quickly as no mechanical or electrical dismantling operations are required.

[0010] Consequently the time for which the relative equipment remains stationary on the street is extremely short.

[0011] Again, to remove a light fitting it is necessary merely to release said at least one clamping member, thus when maintenance (such as cleaning) is required on said light fitting it can easily be replaced with another and taken to the workshop.

[0012] Lastly, it should be noted that the particular configuration of the invention enables the operations involved in said installation and replacement of light fittings to be mechanized, for example by means of an articulated arm provided with an end gripper as will be apparent hereinafter.

[0013] The characteristics and constructional merits of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanied figures in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention, shown assembled;

Figure 2 is a partial section on the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial view in the direction III of Figure 1.

[0014] Said figures, and in particular Figure 1, show a first sleeve 1 and a second sleeve 2, this latter being longer than the former sleeve 1.

[0015] As can be seen, the sleeve 1 comprises at one end an inwardly directed shoulder 3 which rests against the end of the hollow standard 4 of a usual street lamp.

[0016] Said sleeve 1 comprises at its opposite end two diametrically opposed outer raised portions, with which transverse screws 6 are associated to fix the sleeve 1 onto said standard 4.

[0017] In addition, as shown in Figure 3, with each raised portion 5 there is associated a guide and centering baseplate 7, the free end of which is of semicircular shape to facilitate its insertion into a conjugate recess 77 provided in the corresponding end of the second sleeve 2.

[0018] This latter is mounted totally over the preceding. It should be noted that the inner sleeve 1 and outer sleeve 2 are mounted practically as an exact fit on the standard 4 and on the sleeve 1 respectively.

[0019] To facilitate their mutual insertion, at least a central portion of the outer surface of the sleeve 1 and of inner surface of the sleeve 2 are made slightly conical.

[0020] In addition, in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the raised portions 5 lie, there is provided at the end of the sleeve 1 at least one projecting U-piece 8 (see Figure 2) which is received in a corresponding recess 88 in the sleeve 2.

[0021] The sleeve 2 also comprises an outer circumferential rib 20 to which, on a transverse axis 22, there is pivoted a longitudinal lever 22 terminating in an outwardly facing engagement tooth or pawl 23 or engaging the U-piece 8.

[0022] Between said lever 22 and the sleeve 2 there is a compression spring 24, the maximum opening travel of the lever 22 being determined by a bearing foot 25 shown in Figure 2.

[0023] The free or working end of the lever 22 terminates in a position corresponding with the edge of the outer sleeve 2, so that alignment and engagement of the lever 22 with the U-piece 8 is only possible when the baseplates 7 are received in the corresponding seats 77 (see Figures 1, 2).

[0024] The described configuration enables the light fitting to be installed and removed from the ground with the aid of a mechanized gripper which grips the outer sleeve by pressing on the lever 22 to release the pawl 23.

[0025] With reference to Figure 1 it can be seen that a female electrical connector or socket 10 is fixed to the top of the sleeve 1 by means of a fixing collar 9, to be connected in known manner to the electrical supply mains feeding the street lamp.

[0026] Correspondingly, a male electrical connector or plug 100 is fixed against an inwardly directed shoulder 33 of the sleeve 2 by means of a fixing collar 99, to be connected in known manner to the electrical circuit of the street lamp light fitting 44.

[0027] The means for fixing the light fitting onto the sleeve 2 are indicated schematically by 40.

[0028] The merits and advantages of the invention are apparent from the aforegoing and from an examination of the accompanying figures.

[0029] The invention is not limited to the single embodiment illustrated and described, but also comprises all technical equivalents of the aforesaid means and their combinations, if implemented within the context of the following claims.

Claims

1. A device for the quick installation of the light fittings of street lamps in general, characterised by comprising two sleeves (1, 2) telescopically insertable one into the other to be clamped together by at least one clamping member (22) which can be released by simple pressure from the outside, and of which one (1) is intended to be fixed to the standard (4) of a street lamp while the other (2) is intended to be fixed to the light fitting (44) of said street lamp, the copenetrating ends of said two sleeves being provided with electrical connectors (10), (100) the mutual engagement/disengagement of which takes place simultaneously with the mutual insertion/withdrawal of said sleeves, means (7, 77) being provided for guiding and torsionally locking said sleeves relative to each other and maintaining their orientation constant.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said at least one clamping member (22) consists of a longitudinal pawl which is transversely pivoted to the outer sleeve (2) supporting the light fitting and is elastically maintained by a spring in the required position for engagement, and is arranged to engage with a U-piece (8) branching from the inner sleeve (1), which is fixed to the street lamp standard.

3. A device as claimed in the preceding claims, characterised in that said means consist of projections (7) provided on the inner sleeve and arranged for insertion into corresponding recesses (77) provided in the outer sleeve.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said electrical connectors consist of a female element such as a socket and a male element such as a plug, which into one and the other sleeve respectively, they being connected respectively to the supply mains and to the internal circuit of the light fitting (44) of the street lamp.

Drawing