Brooder lamp fixture with power cord suspended in enclosure

Abstract

An improvedA brooder lamp fixture for use in providing heating in brooder operations by infrared radiation, such as in swine and poultry breeding . The brooder lamp fixture has an integral electrical plug, cord and bulb socket, which holds an infrared bulb. A frame member has two interlocking semi-circular components surrounding the electrical cord proximate to the socket. The frame member extends radially outward from said cord a distance approximately equal to the width of the infrared bulb, and has a circular outer rim. A protective shade/enclosure is attached to the outer rim of the frame member and extends downward at least about nine inches to about fifteen inches from the frame member includes an integral assembly including an electrical plug, an electrical cord, a lamp socket and a frame member engagedly surrounding the electrical cord, proximate to and spaced apart from the socket; and a downwardly extending shade member having an interior volume and an aperture bounded by an aperture wall in an upper portion of the shade. The integral assembly is attached to the shade by inserting the socket through the aperture into the interior volume and thereafter engaging the frame member to the wall of said aperture.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An improved brooder lamp fixture for use in providing infrared radiation  in brooder operations, such as for swine and poultry breeding, said brooder lamp fixture comprising: 
       an integral assembly including an electrical plug, an electrical cord and an incandescent bulb socket, said socket being provided with means to engage an infrared radiation-generating bulb ;  
       a lightweight infrared radiation-generating bulb engaged in said socket and depending therefrom, said infrared bulb having a narrow first end adapted to engage said socket and a broad second and opposite end of larger dimension adapted to provide infrared radiation therefrom, said first end and said second and opposite end being separated by a length; 
       an interlocking mating frame member engagedly surrounding said electrical cord proximate to and spaced apart from said socket, said mating frame member comprising a  first and second interlocking semi-circular frame member component  components, which frame member components are  being adapted to combine together to surround and engage said electrical cord, said frame member extending radially outward from said electrical cord proximate to said socket a distance of at least approximately equal to said larger dimension of said infrared bulb, and terminating in a circular outer rim ; and,  
       a depending protective shade/enclosure member adapted to fixedly  engage said circular outer rim of said  mating frame member and depend therefrom, and extending downward therefrom a distance of at least about nine inches to about fifteen inches  from said frame member to radially surround a bulb when said frame member is engaged with said shade.  
     
     
       2. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said depending protective shade/enclosure member extends downward a distance of at least about ten inches to about fourteen inches from said frame member. 
     
     
       3. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said depending protective shade/enclosure member extends downward a distance of at least about eleven inches to about thirteen inches from said frame member. 
     
     
       4. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said depending protective shade/enclosure member extends downward a distance of about twelve and one-quarter inches from said frame member. 
     
     
       5. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaced sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; and said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is flared outward by from about ten to about twenty degrees. 
     
     
       6. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 5 , wherein said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is flared outward by from about twelve to about eighteen degrees. 
     
     
       7. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 6 , wherein said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is flared outward by fifteen degrees. 
     
     
       8. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1  wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaced sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; and said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is provided with a plurality of open louvers. 
     
     
       9. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 8  further comprising a plurality of spaced louvers located in said first section proximate to and radially outwardly from said outer rim. 
     
     
       10. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 8 , wherein said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is provided with a plurality of open louvers in an array of eight equi-radially spaced sets of three openings. 
     
     
       11. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of spaced louvers located in said first section proximate to and radially outwardly from said outer rim. 
     
     
       12. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaced sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; and said section of said protective shade/enclosure is provided with three equi-radially spaced legs defining a planar surface adapted for contact with another surface. 
     
     
       13. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of spaced louvers located in said first section proximate to and radially outwardly from said outer rim. 
     
     
       14. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 1  wherein each of said interlocking mating frame members includes a key projecting radially outward from said circular outer rim and wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaces sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; a pair of notches spaced for insertion of said keys into said notches in said first section; and said first section includes raised, half-dome shaped means, each located proximate to said notches, with one-half dome shaped means located on either side of each notch to hold the shade/enclosure in position once said keys of said outside frame member have been passed through said notches and over said half-dome shaped means. 
     
     
       15. An improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 14  further including a second set of raised, half-dome shaped means located from said half-dome shaped means on either side of each notch to further limit travel of said keys along said first section. 
     
     
       16. An improved brooder lamp fixture for use in providing infrared radiation in brooder operations, such as for swine and poultry breeding, said brooder lamp fixture comprising: 
       an integral electrical plug, cord and bulb socket, said socket being provided with means to engage an infrared radiation-generating bulb, wherein said infrared radiation-generating bulb has a narrow first end adapted to engage said socket and a broad second and opposite end of larger dimension adapted to provide infrared radiation therefrom, said first end and said second and opposite end being separated by a length;  
       an interlocking mating frame member engagedly surrounding said electrical cord proximate to said socket, said mating frame member comprising a first and second interlocking semi-circular frame member component which frame member components are adapted to combine together to surround and engage said electrical cord, said frame member extending radially outward from said electrical cord proximate to said socket a distance of at least approximately equal to said larger dimension of said infrared bulb, and terminating in a circular outer rim; and,  
       a depending protective shade/enclosure member adapted to fixedly engage said circular outer rim of said mating frame member and depend therefrom, and extending downward a distance of at least about nine inches to about fifteen inches from said frame member.  
     
     
       17. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 16 , wherein said depending protective shade/enclosure member extends downward a distance of at least about ten inches to about fourteen inches from said frame member. 
     
     
       18. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 17 , wherein said depending protective shade/enclosure member extends downward a distance of at least about eleven inches to about thirteen inches from said frame member. 
     
     
       19. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 17 , wherein said depending protective shade/enclosure member extends downward a distance of a bout twelve and one-quarter inches from said frame member. 
     
     
       20. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 17 , wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaced sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; and said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is flared outward by from about ten to about twenty degrees. 
     
     
       21. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 20 , wherein said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is flared outward by from about twelve to about eighteen degrees. 
     
     
       22. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 20 , wherein said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is flared outward by fifteen degrees. 
     
     
       23. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 17 , wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaced sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; and said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is provided with a plurality of open louvers. 
     
     
       24. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 23  further comprising a plurality of spaced louvers located in said first section proximate to and radially outwardly from said outer rim. 
     
     
       25. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 23 , wherein said plurality of open louvers are in an array of eight equi-radially spaced sets of three openings. 
     
     
       26. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 25  further comprising a plurality of spaced louvers located in said first section proximate to and radially outwardly from said outer rim. 
     
     
       27. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 17  wherein said protective shade/enclosure member includes first and second spaced sections, said first section being proximate said mating frame members and said second section being distal from said mating frame member; and said second section of said protective shade/enclosure is provided with three equi-radially spaced legs defining a planar surface adapted for contact with another surface. 
     
     
       28. The improved brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 17  further comprising a plurality of spaced louvers located in said first section proximate to and radially outwardly from said outer rim. 
     
     
       29. A brooder lamp fixture comprising: 
       
         an assembly including an electrical cord, an electrical plug disposed at a plug end of the cord, a socket for engaging an incandescent bulb disposed at a socket end of the cord, and a frame member surrounding and engaging the electrical cord proximate to and spaced apart from the socket; and  
       
       
         a downwardly extending shade member having an interior volume and an aperture bounded by an aperture wall in an upper portion of said shade member, said assembly being fastenable to said shade member by first inserting the assembly through the aperture of said shade member and thereafter fixedly engaging said frame member with the wall of said aperture by rotating said frame member within the aperture. 
       
     
     
       30. The brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 29 , wherein the frame member surrounds and engages the electrical cord at such a distance from the socket to allow limited movement of the socket when inserted into the interior volume of said shade member. 
     
     
       31. The brooder lamp fixture according to  claim 29 , wherein the frame member comprises first and second interlocking components, the interlocking components for combining together to surround and engage the electrical cord. 
     
     
       32. A method for assembly a brooder lamp comprising a shade member having an aperture in an upper portion, the method comprising the steps of: 
       
         forming an integrated assembly of an electrical plug, a cord and a socket;  
       
       
         fastening a frame member around the cord of the integrated assembly;  
       
       
         inserting the integrated assembly into the aperture such that the frame member fits within the aperture; and  
       
       
         engaging the frame member with a wall of the aperture by rotating the frame member.