Latch and hinge assembly for refractor panel in luminaire

A latch and hinge assembly for releasably securing the refractor panel of a luminaire on the luminaire housing at the open end thereof includes first and second pairs of spring loaded plunger rods mounted at non-intersecting ends of the frame of the refractor panel, each such pair of rods extending along a common axis parallel to the edge of the corresponding end of the frame. The rod ends which normally extend outwardly from the frame at opposite ends thereof are received in aligned apertures in corresponding walls of the luminaire housing to attach the refractor panel thereto. Manually operated tabs for retracting the plunger rods of the first rod pair extend from a first surface of the panel facing the interior of the housing while the tabs for retracting the plunger rods of the second rod pair extend from the opposite surface of the panel facing the exterior of the housing. The location of the manually operated retracting tabs prevents the release of two rods not of the same pair. The first pair of plunger rods serves as a hinge about which the panel may be pivoted and the second pair of plunger rods serves as a latch which is releasable for obtaining access to the interior of the luminaire housing. A preferred embodiment of the luminaire and refractor panel according to the invention has the shape of an equilateral polygon so that the refractor panel can be oriented in various preselected ways with respect to the housing for ease in maintenance of the luminaire.