Portable lighting apparatus

Abstract

A portable lighting apparatus having a lamp assembly attached to the top of an elongated mast, preferably formed of interconnectable relatively short sections. The lamp assembly includes at least one electric lamp affixed to a horizontal shaft for rotation about a horizontal axis. Associated with the horizontal shaft are a pair of gears, suitably a vertical rack and a pinion engaged therewith, the pinion being operatively attached to the horizontal shaft. A spring associated with the pinion tends to rotate the gear in a direction which biases the engaged rack downwardly. The lower end of the rack abuts a movable pushrod generally centrally located within the hollow mast and running the length thereof. The lower end of the mast is telescopically mounted on a mast support provided with a fixed vertical stoprod which abuts the lower end of the pushrod. Vertical movement of the lower end of the mast relative to the mast support causes vertical movement of the rack which in turn rotates the engaged pinion and the horizontal shaft on which the lamp is mounted, thus permitting any desired elevational angle of the lamp to be obtained. Similarly, rotation of the entire mast relative to the mast support permits adjustment of the apparatus in azimuth to be made as desired. When the desired position of the lighting apparatus is obtained, the apparatus is fixed by means of a clamp which clamps the lower end of the mast to the mast support.