Patents Assigned to Thomas Industries, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5420775
    Abstract: A spray shield for temporarily covering an open face of a fixture, particularly a canister light fixture. The spray shield is conveniently outlined on and removable from a panel of cardboard shelf packaging of the canister light. The spray shield provides a disk-shaped portion surrounded by radially extending tabs which can be bent off from to the disk-shaped portion to form a resilient shallow pan which is grippingly held within an inside surface of the canister light. The spray shield as a flat panel can be easily removed from a panel of the packaging which provides a weakened line around an outer circumference of the spray shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond J. Kusmer
  • Patent number: 5343373
    Abstract: A housing for a tubular lamp having a generally rectangular configuration with parallel side walls and end walls forming a box with an open top and bottom. The side walls provide a channel at a bottom end and an inwardly directed flange at a top end along their length. A V-shaped reflector having straight segments with horizontally turned end portions is resiliently inserted against each side wall where one of the horizontally turned end portions presses against the inwardly directed top flange and the opposite end portion of the reflector fits into the channel. The invention provides for quick assembly and change-out of reflectors depending on conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Tillotson
  • Patent number: 5327932
    Abstract: A valve plate assembly is provided with a valve restraint for maintaining a valve within a recessed portion of the valve plate. The valve restraint further includes an irregular surface which contacts the surface of the valve when the assembly is in use, for example, in a compressor. The irregular surface may include through-holes at least partially through the surface which contacts the valve or may be a textured surface which contacts the valve during use. The valve plate includes a recessed portion having guides for receiving notched sections in the sidewalls of the valve and valve restraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Roy J. Rozek
  • Patent number: 5325281
    Abstract: An adjustable lighting fixture has a power transfer means interposed between a lamp holder and the point of mounting. The power transfer means has an input shaft, which may be offset from the point of mounting, such as a fixture mounting pole, or in line therewith, and an output shaft which rotates in response to the rotation of the input shaft about its own axis. When the axis of power input is in line with the point of mounting, a physical rotation of the power transfer means will cause the rotation of the lamp holder about an axis extending through the point of mounting. When the axis of power input is offset from the point of mounting, an orbital input about the axis of the power input, or in other words an orbiting of the power input shaft about the axis extending through the point of mounting, will cause rotation of the lamp holder about said axis extending through the point of mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald P. Harwood
  • Patent number: 5322332
    Abstract: A latch assembly for use with a panic exit device, particularly a top latch having a U-shape which engages a stem portion of a T-shaped receiving lug mounted overhead to a top member of the door frame. The U-shaped top latch is pivotably mounted to the active stile of the door. The latch assembly causes the U-shaped latch to pivot upward to capture the stationary T-shaped receiving lug, or pivot downwardly to disengage from the T-shaped receiving lug. The latch member is in sliding and abutting engagement with two latch plates which slide in one direction to retain the latch member in a downward orientation to hold the latch in an open position, and slide in an opposite direction to allow the latch member to pivot upwardly upon engaging pressure by the strike. A wedge is caused to slide into blocking engagement with the latch when it is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: George Toledo, Petros Z. Mantarakis
  • Patent number: 5243735
    Abstract: A device for closing swinging doors of the type utilizing a rotating member to compress a spring during door opening to store energy in the spring to effect a closing of the door is provided with a driving connection to a d.c motor/generator effective to cause rotation of the motor during a closing movement of the door. The motor/generator acts as a generator during the closing with the generated electrical energy fed back to the motor/generator to retard rotation of the rotor, providing a brake on the closing movement of the door. The feedback circuitry includes a switch disabling or diminishing the braking during the final degrees of closing movement as well as a variable setting device allowing control of braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. O'Brien, II
  • Patent number: 5227762
    Abstract: A power line carrier controlled lighting system connected to an AC power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventors: David Guidette, James V. Olson, Robert D. Munson, Willard Garnett
  • Patent number: 5213125
    Abstract: A valve plate assembly includes a flapper valve and restraint in recessed intake and outlet ports of a valve plate. The recessed ports have guides located therein corresponding to notched sections of the flapper valve and the restraint such that a foolproof method of assembly can be achieved. In addition, a screw clearance in the top of the piston is not required since the recessed portion allows for the screw to be at or below the surface of the valve plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Shawn A. Leu
  • Patent number: 5213025
    Abstract: A one-piece piston assembly including a hollow frusto-conical piston is secured to a crankshaft ring via a hollow joint or waist member. Preferably the joint or waist member is frusto-conically shaped as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Roy J. Rozek
  • Patent number: 5193647
    Abstract: A device for controlling swinging doors utilizing an externally powered motor to compress a spring during door opening to store energy in the spring. The motor is not used to open the door, but only to compress the spring, thereby utilizing a minimum amount of electrical energy and allowing for a very easy opening of the door. The motor acts as a generator during the closing of the door with generated electrical energy fed back to the motor to retard rotation of the rotor, providing a brake on the closing movement of the door. The feedback circuitry includes a switch for varying the braking during the final degrees of closing movement as well as a variable setting device allowing control of braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. O'Brien, II
  • Patent number: 5184852
    Abstract: A rod casing for activating vertically arranged latch bolts, the casing and latch bolts arranged in an active stile of a door and engageable to a door frame. The rod casing provides a vertically slidable actuator cam engageable by both a lock/unlock actuator and a delatch or dogging actuator. The lock/unlock actuator and the delatch actuator are rotatably mounted upon a spindle piece which itself is rotatable by a user such as by a key-activated lock cylinder. The lock/unlock actuator when rotated slidingly abuts the actuator cam and drives the actuator cam vertically upward to cause unlatching of the latch bolts. The delatch actuator, upon rotation of the spindle piece in an opposite direction underlies the actuator cam and dogs the actuator cam in its vertically risen position. To deactivate the delatch actuator, the lock/unlock actuator can be rotated to interfere and displace the delatch actuator to release the actuator cam from the dogging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc., Builders Brass Works Division
    Inventor: James O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5161837
    Abstract: A rod casing for activating vertically arranged latch bolts, the casing and latch bolts arranged in an active stile of a door and engageable to a door frame. The rod casing provides a vertically slidable actuator cam engageable by both a lock/unlock actuator and a delatch or dogging actuator. The lock/unlock actuator and the delatch actuator are rotatably mounted upon a spindle piece which itself is rotatable by a user such as by a key-activated lock cylinder. The lock-unlock actuator when rotated, slidingly abuts the actuator cam and drives the actuator cam vertically upward to cause unlatching of the latch bolts. The delatch actuator, upon rotation of the spindle piece in an opposite direction underlies the actuator cam and dogs the actuator cam in its vertically risen position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc., Builders Brass Works Div.
    Inventor: James O'Brien, II
  • Patent number: 5128592
    Abstract: An electronic circuit for receiving input electrical power at a lower frequency and for energizing a load at a higher frequency. The electronic circuit has a rectifier for rectifying the input electrical power received on an input thereof and a pre-regulator for changing the rectified AC voltage provided by the rectifier to a source voltage. The electronic circuit further has a non-resonant inverter for providing electrical power at the high frequency to the load and includes first and second switches and is connected to the pre-regulator and to the load circuit. A logic circuit is responsive to a sensed signal representing only current flowing in the first and second switches for operating the first and second switches. The frequency of current in the load circuit varies for any substantial change in the magnitude of the source voltage, for any change in load impedance, and for any change in a set point value. A device for setting the set point value is connected to the logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Dean, Russell G. Greenwood, Sylvan E. Irwin, IV
  • Patent number: 5124901
    Abstract: An adapter for sloped ceilings or the like mounts a recessed lighting assembly in a ceiling at an angle to the ceiling surface. A lamp mounting sleeve is pivotable on the adapter frame and is fastenable in a plurality of angular positions by a strap extending between the mounting sleeve and the adapter frame. Mounting of the lighting assembly in the ceiling is accomplished by butterfly clips which permit the used of a variety of hanger bars and brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Thomas Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Sojka, Raymond J. Kusmar
  • Patent number: 5114192
    Abstract: A latch assembly for use with a panic exit device, particularly a top latch having a U-shape which engages a stem portion of a T-shaped receiving lug mounted overhead to a top member of the door frame. The U-shaped top latch is pivotably mounted to the active stile of the door. The latch assembly causes the U-shaped latch to pivot upward to capture the stationary T-shaped receiving lug, or pivot downwardly to disengage from the T-shaped receiving lug. The latch member is in sliding and abutting engagement with a latch cam which pivots in one direction to retain the latch member in an upward orientation to capture the T-shaped receiving lug, and pivots in an opposite direction to allow the latch member to pivot downwardly upon opening pressure on the door and actuation of the panic exit device, to release the latch member from the receiving lug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: George F. Toledo, James A. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5109323
    Abstract: A socket arrangement for a light fixture holding a tubular lamp having contacts on opposite ends, providing a fixed socket opposite a spring loaded socket with a lamp maneuvering cavity adjacent to the fixed socket, allowing a tubular lamp to be installed nearly straight-in to the sockets, and preventing electrical shock. By providing the maneuvering cavity opposite the spring loaded socket, a first end of a tubular lamp can be maneuvered into the cavity to allow an opposite end of the tubular lamp to insert into the spring loaded contact, and further insertion causes compression of the spring loaded contact, which retracts the first end out of the maneuvering cavity a sufficient distance to swing the first end through a slot formed in a side of the fixed socket and into the fixed socket, whereupon the spring loaded socket expands to resiliently hold the tubular lamp between the two sockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignees: Thomas Industries, Inc., Day-Brite Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Brad Waycaster
  • Patent number: D356383
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Pickett
  • Patent number: D356384
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Pickett
  • Patent number: D356385
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Pickett
  • Patent number: D361613
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Thomas Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Carlisle A. Thomas