US103117A - Improvement in alarm-telegraph signal-boxes - Google Patents

Description

J. ABBOTT. ALARM TELEGRAPH SIGNAL BOX. No. 108.117. w Patented M ay 17,.1870.

All R1 bination with a signal-box providedwith an automatic and thus switches the whole operating mechanism out of the circuitat the completion of the giving of each to be closed without injury to said lever, thus preto the inner door, and can be made to fit closely therewe cam.

JOB ABBOTT, or CANTON, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC FIRE-ALARM coni a r PANY, or LEETONA, OHIO. Y

Letters Patent No. 103,117, dated May 11, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT ALARM-TELEGRAPH SIGNAL-BOXES,

The Schedulexeferred to in these Letters Patent and msklngp'art of the same To all whom it may concern;

Nature and Objects ofmy Invention. y The first part of my invention relates to the comsignalizing mechanism, of a switch mechanism, operated by the automatic mechanism, and arranged with respect to said'automatic mechanism in such a manner that saidautomatic mechanism closes the switch,

fire-alarm by said mechanism, thus effecting a great saving of battery power in working the circuit, and preventing the operating mechanism from being injured by atmospheric electricity.

' The second part of my invention relates to the construction of a fire-alarm telegraph signal-box, provided with a longitudinal partition dividing its interior into two apartments, and with two hinged inner doors, one to each apartment, and with an outer door covering both of the inner doors of the box, whereby I obtain a signal-box in which the automatic sigualizing mech'-' anism, and the key-telegraph mechanism can be arranged separately from each other, and which is peculiarly adapted to the use of devices for preventing the automatic mechanism and key mechanism from being operated simultaneously, thus making the signal-box of peculiar utility in single circuits which are used for both police and fire-alarm telegraph purposes. The third part of my invention relates to the construction of a stop mechanism, operated by an arm on the main driving-shaft of the automatic mechanism, and servingto prevent the inner door from being closed until the winding-lever of the automatic mechanism is in a proper position to allow said door venting the danger of bending or breaking said lever.

The fourth part of my invention relates to the combination of a pivoted shield-piece provided with a suitable knob-hole, with the inner door of the signal-box, and with the winding-lever of the automatic mechanism, said winding-lever being provided with a knob extending through the knob-hole in the shield-piece, and a slot in the inner door, so that the shield-piece is operated by the movement of the knob of the windinglever, whereby the shield-piece can .be secured directly to, so as to effectually exclude dust and dirt from the interior of the apartment.

The fifth part of my invention relates to the combination with the frame ofa signal-box provided with two hinged inner doors,of a locking mechanism, operating on said inner doors in such a mauner'that the opening of one door causes the locking of the other door, so that it cannot be opened until the first-opened door is closed,-thns preventing persons from obtaining access to but one of the inner apartments at a time, and making the automatic mechanism and key mechanism as distinct from each other (sofar as access to them is concerned) as if they were placed in separate boxes, by which the danger of mixing the operations of the automatic mechanism and key mechanism may be materially diminished.

The sixth part of my invention relates to the construction of a switch-wheel, provided with three insulated conducting-strips, which is so combined with the four terminii of the four parts of two electrical circuits, as that, when in one. position, its outer strips serve to unite the two separate parts of each circuit, while in another position, obtained by a rotation of said wheel, its central strip serves to uniteone part of one circuit with the opposite part of the other circuit, whereby I obtain a very simple means of breaking and uniting the different circuits in a signal-box,

for the purpose of switching the automatic mechanism-out ot' the circuit when the key mechanism is in operation.

The seventh-part of my invention relates to the construction of a switching mechanism, which is operated bythat inner door of the 'signal-box which in: closes the key mechanism, and is combined with the different circuits in the signal-box in such a manner that the opening of said inner door causes the automatic signali'zing mechanism to be switched out of the circuit, thuspreventing the possibility of the operator breaking inonto the circuit by operating the 'key .mechanism while the automatic mechanism is In operation, which would confuse the signals and render the fire-alarm unintelligible. I

The eighth part of my invention relates-to the construction of a locking mechanism, which is operated by the automatic mechanism, and by which the inner 'door of the signal-box which incloses the key mechanism is kept locked until the completion of any signal commenced by the automatic mechanism, whereby I prevent the operator from interrupting the transmissionof a fire-alarm by the automatic mechanism, by opening the lower inner door, and thus switching the automatic mechanism ut of the circuit.

Description of Accompanying Drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of a signahbox embodying my invention, with the inner doors removed.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same, with side of box removed.

Figure 3 is a front view of the same, with inner doors closed.

Figure 4 is a view of the rear side of the inner door in l sing the automatic mechanism.

Figure 5 is an edge view of the same.

Figure (5 are detail side view and plan of a portion of the box, showing the construction of the switchwheel mechanism.

Figure 7 is a view showing the arrangement of the anvils under the switch-wheel.

Figure Sis a view of the rear face of the switchwheel.

Figure 9 is a front view of the gear-wheel, segment, and lever-arm for operating switch-wheel.

Figure 10 are side views and plan of mechanism for locking the inner doors.

eneral Description.

The signal-box cousistsof the frame A A, in which is secured the removable back D and the longitudinal partition E, which divides the interior into two apart ments.

The inner doors 0 and Y are .hinged to the frame A A, and serve to inclose the upper and lower apartments of the box, and the outer door Bis hinged to the frame A A, and covers both the interior doors 0 and Y, as shown.

The posts 30 30 30 are inserted in the back D, and the plate F is secured on their front ends, and the shafts 1, 2, and 3 are arranged in the hack D and plate F, as shown.

The geared sect-or J is secured on the main shaft 1, and meshes into the pinion I on the shaft 2, on which is secured the circuit-wheel H.

The pulley K is secured on the shaft 1 and has socured to it the cord 31, which passes up over the pulley L on the shaft 3, and has the weight M attached at its end, as shown in figs. 1 and 2.

The key N is pivoted .on astandard, 32, and has the pin 9 inserted in its end, which is kept pressed against a pin in the standard It by means of the spiral spring shown in fig. 1.

lins are inserted in the face of the circuit-wheel H, in a manner depending on the particular signal required, and a sliding ed, with beveled lower end, is arranged in the end 0 the key N, so that, as the circuit-wheel H is revolved from left to right by the downward movement of the geared sector J in dr'a-wing up the weight M, the pins in the circuit-wheel H strike the beveled end of the rod in the key N, and slide it forward, so as to allow of their passing said rod without vibrating said key, and thus breaking the circuit; while in the automatic rotation of said circuitwheel from right to left, caused by the action of the weight M, the pins in said circuit-wheel strike the square side of the rod in the key N, thus vibrating said key, and breaking the circuit by drawing the ping back from the pin in the standard 7:, as is readily seen.

The general construction of this automatic mechanism is the same as that shown in Letters Patent granted to Alexander Allen for an improved automatic fire-alarm apparatus, on the 1st day of June, 1869, to which reference is made for a more detailed description.

The key mechanism \V is an ordinary telegraphkey, arranged to work on a closed circuit, (the circuit being broken by depressing the knob, so as to raise the screw 1) from the anvil 41,) and is arranged in the lower apartment of the box, as shown being separated from the automatic mechanism by the partition E.

The sounder mechanism consists of the electromagnets T, having the pivoted armature Utarranged at their end, as shown, the movements of said armature being controlled by screws in the standard V, in an ordinary manner.

The screw-cups O O,iu which are secured the ends 2 of the main circuit wires, are arranged on the back, D, of the box, as shown, and insulated wires are arranged-as indicated by dotted lines, so as to form one circuit, commencing at the right-hand screw-cup O, thence to the electro-magnets T, at the point x; thence through the wire on said magnets to the point w; thence to the screw '0 in the key W; thence from the anvil 21, through the points j i, to the standard h; thence through the pin in said standard, and the pin g in the key N, to the left-hand screw-cup 0. And a second circuit is formed by the switch a thence from .the anvil b,'through the points lit, to the left-hand screw-cup 0, which last-described circuit is called. the switch circuit.

The switch a, represented in drawings, consists of a plate of sheet-brass, cut out in an 1-shape, and having one leg bent at right angles to the plane of the plate, and secured under the screw-cup 0, while the body of the plate sets up on the face of the frame A, as shown.

The anvil b is secured in the frame A under the free end of the switch a, and the rod 0 has one end secured in the switch a, and passes through a hole in the standard (I, secured on the back D.

The notch e is formed in the geared sector J, and when said sector completes its upward movement, the face of this notch strikes the end of the rod 0 and presses the plate adown on the anvil I), thus closing the switch.

The plate a, being made of elastic metal, and of such form as to stand away from the anvil 7), when not pressed down by the rod 0, it is evident that when the geared sector J is turned down, in winding up the weight M, the plate awill spring away from the anvil b, thus opening the switch and breaking the switch circnito a 7) l 70 0, which causes the electric current to pass over the circuit 0 a; w c u j 1' kg 0, which brings both the key mechanism and the automatic mechanism into the main circuit, so' that either of them can be used for purposes of transmission.

As soon, however, as the automatic mechanism completes its operation,the geared sectorJ moves up against the rod 0, thus pressing the plate a onto the anvil b, which closes the switch and completes the switch cir cuit, thus switching out the operating mechanism by forming a shorter circuit bctween the screw-cups O O.

The winding-lever G is secured on the main shaft 1, and is provided with the knob f, which extends through the circular slot 21, formed in the inner door 0, as shown in figs. 2 and 3.

On the back of the door 0 is secured the pivoted shield piece 12, by means of the pivot screw 18, said pivot screw being in line with the shaft 1, when the door 0 is closed, and the arms, 13 and 14, of said shield-piece being of the proper shape to cover the slot 21 in the door G.

The stop-pin 16 limits the upward rotation of the head 13 14, and the spiral spring 19 keeps the shield piece drawn up against the stop-pin 10, as shown in figs. 4 and 5.

The outer edges of thehead 13 14 can be beveled off, and a press strip, 17, can be arranged, as shown,

-in order to hold the head 13 14 downclose to the slot 21, if desired.

The knob-hole 15 is cut in the head 13 14, and the knob f of the winding-lever G passes through said hole, as shown in fig. 3, from which it is seen that, by grasping the knob f on the outside of the door 0, the

As the shield piece 12 is kept up against the stoppin 16 by the spring 19, it is evident that if the door 0 were open, and an attempt were made to close it winding-lever G may be drawn down to wind up the lever 11, thus drawing down the lever q before the winding-lever G was in the proper position to allow the'knobfto pass into the knob-hole 15, said knob would be struck by the arm 14 of the shield piece, and the knob or winding-lever would be liable to be bent or broken.

To prevent this difficulty, the leverX is pivoted on the pin it, secured in lugs at the top of the frame A A, and a rod, 1', with base piece 8, is secured in said lever over the wlnding-leverG in such a manner that, when said winding-lever is at the end of its upward movement its end rest-s under the base piece 8, and thus supports the lever X, so'that it passes through the hole 20 in the door 0, thus allowing said door to be closed. I

But if the winding-lever G were drawn down while 1 the door 0 was open, the forward end of the lever X would drop down until its rear end struck the frame A, so that if an attempt were then made to close the door 0, it would strike the end of the lever X, and be thus held open until the winding-lever G came up to raise the lever X, thus preventing the knob or winding-lever from being injured.

For the purpose of greater security against false alarms, it may be found advisable to operate the automatic mechanism from the inside of the inner door, 0,

or, in other words, not to have any projecting kno'b or other contrivance for operating the winding-lever from the outside of the door 0, but to compel the operator to unlock both the outer and inner doors, and open them, before being able to give an alarm, and itis always desirable to prevent the operator from manipulating but one mechanism at a time, so that he could not confuse the automatic alarm signals by attempt ing to operate with the key mechanism while the automaticmechanism is in operation.

To effect this result in the construction just indicated, the leverfq is pivoted ona pin, 5, in a slot cut in the partition 1 and a second lever, 12, is pivoted on a pin, 4, in the same slot, and hasa forked end,.which sets over a pin, 6, in the lever q. 1

A lock-pin is formed on the end of the lever q, and a corresponding hole is made in the bottom of the door 0, and the several parts are so arranged that when the lower door, Y, is opened, the weight of the forward end of the lever 11 causes it to fall, and thus raises the lever q, so as to shoot the lock-pin at its end into the hole in the bottom of the door O, thus locking said door, as shown in fig. 2. The end of the lever 11 being made sloping on its under side, as shown, as the lower door Y is closed it raises that end of the and unlocking the door 0, as is readily seen.

It is also readilyseen that a similar device could be used to lock the lower door Y, by the opening of the upper door 0, from which it is seen that the opening of either door would look the other door, so that but one door could be opened at the same time for the purpose before shown.

H A modification of the same device is shown in the inner side strip, in fig. 3, in which the levers 7 and 11, of the form shown in fig. 10, are arranged on the pins 8 and 10, the forked end of lever 11 setting over the pin 9, in the lever 7, and the lower end of the lever 11 being thrown out when the door Y is opened by the spring, shown in fig. 3.

When a projecting knob orother contrivance is used, by which the winding-lever G can be operated from the outside of the inner door 0, it is evident that the use of a locking mechanism, which would lock either door by the opening of the other door, as has just been shown, would not be of any use, 'for the operator could pull down the knob f, and thus put the automatic mechanism in operation, even when the lower door, Y, were opened, and the upper door, 0, were looked, as shown in figs. 2 and 3.

In order to meet this difficulty I switch the. automatic mechanism out of the main circuit, when the lower door is opened, and the key mechanism-is exposed by breaking the switch-circnit o a l) l k 0, and the combined-key and automaticcircuit o a; w e a j t h g 0 by disconnecting the points I and It, and. the points j and t, and by connecting the points j and It, so as to form a key circuit, 0 a: w v 10 k 0, into which the automatic mechanism does not enter, as is readily seen.

To eifect this breaking of two circuits, and joining the opposite parts of the dili'eren't circuits, I arrange the four anvils, H and It Z, which form the terminii of the parts of said circuits, on the ends of the opposite sides of a hexagon having its center at 22, as shown in fig. 7. r

The switch-wheel Q is secured on the shaft 26, which has a bearing in the hole 22, and on this wheel is arranged the three metallic strips, 23, 24, and 25, 'which are insulated from each other,as shown in fig. 8, either by the wheel Q being made of non-conducting material or'in any other suitable manner.

The switch-wheel Q being placed over the anvils t j k l, with the outer strips 23 and 24 resting on the anvils 'i j and It I, said anvils will be electrically connected, thus forming the switch-circuit and the combi ned key and automatic circuit before described; but if the switch-wheel Q be now turned an angular distance of sixty degrees to the right, the connection between the anvils i and j and the anvils k and I will be broken, and the central strip 25 will then rest on and electricallyconncct the anvilsj and 7;, thus forming a key-circuit independent of the automatic mechanism, as before described.

- The shaft 26 of the switch-wheel Q is journaled in the hole 22 in the back D, and on the standard 0 on the partition E, and has secured on it the gear-wheel P, which meshes into the gear sector R on the shaft 5, which is arranged in lugs on the under side of the partition E, as shown in fig. 6.

The arm S is secured on the end of the shaft 3', and a bracket, 3 with an angular inside face, is secured on the lower'door Y, as shown in figs. 2 and 6, so that as said door is closed, the bracket y strikes the arm S, and moves it from right to left, which causes the gearwheel P and switch-wheel Q to rotate in the same dirotation of the arm S is under its axis of rotation, while that of the switch and gear-wheel is over and. around their axis of rotation.

A spiral spring, 27, (see fig.'9,)'is attached to a'pin on the gear-wheel 1 and to the side of the frame A, and acts to produce a rotation of the gear-wheel and switch-wheel from left to right, and the several parts are so arranged as that when the door Y is closed, as represented in fig. 6, the arm S will have the angular position shown in fig. 9, and the strips 23 and 24 of the switch-wheel Q will rest on the anvils 4'. j and k l. Now,if the door Y be opened so as to draw the bracket y away from the arm S, the spring 27 will cause the switch-wheel Q to rotate an angular distance of sixty degrees to the right, thus bringing the strip 24 onto the anvilsj and k, and switching out the automatic mechanism, as before explained, and it is readily seen that the closing of the door Y will restore the switch-circuit and the combined key and automaticcircuit. But if no precaution were taken to prevent opening the lower door Y while an automatic signal was being transmitted, the operator might open said door, which would switch the automatic mechanism-out of the circuit, as just shown, thus cutting off and destroying the automatic signal.

To'prevent this difiiculty the sliding rod Z is arranged in a hole in the partition E, and in the standard-m on said partition and the upper end of said rod rection,-as will be readily seen by noticing that the is bent so as to stand over the knob f on the winding 3 thus lcckin' said lower door.

The rod Z is of such length as that when the winding-lever Gr is at the end of its upward movement, the knob f supports the red at such a height as to allow the bracket y to pass under the end of studied, from which it is seen that the lower door Y can be opened at any time when the winding-lever G is not drawn down and the automatic mechanism is not in operation, but that as soon as said lever is drawn down, the rod Z locks the door Y, and keeps it locked until the automatic mechanism completes the signal.

I am aware that switches have been before used in signal-boxes hence I lay no claim to a switch mechanism, except when operated by the automatic signalizing mechanism and acting to switch the operating mechanism out of the main circuit, as is herein shown. Nor do I claim dividing a signal-box into two apartments by means of a longitudinal partition, nor the arrangement of tbeautomatic mechanism and key mechanism in separate apartments, nor the use of a single inner door in a signal-box, nor the use of a separate inner cover or door for each apartment of the signal-box, except when said two inner doors are hinged, so as to swing open by turning on an axis; nor do I claim the;use of a pivoted shield-piece for covering the slot in the inner door, except when the same is provided with a knobhole through which the knob of the winding-lever is extended, so that said shield-piece is'operated by the action of the knob of the winding-lever, in place of being operated by a knob secured on itself, and serving as a means of operating the windin -lever as in revious constructions.

(la-has.

\Vhat'l claim herein as new and of my invent-ion, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A signal-box provided with an automaticsignalizing mechanism, and with a switch mechanism operated by said automatic mechanism, and so arranged that said automatic mechanism closes the switch, and thus switches the whole operating mechanism out of the circuit at the completion of each fire-alarm given by said automatic mechanism, substantially as is herein specified.

2. A signal-box divided by a horizontal partition into two apartments, and provided with a separate hinged inner door to each of said apartments, and with an outer door inclosing both the inner doors of the box, one of said apartments containing the automatic signalizing mechanism, and the other the key mechanism, substantially as'is herein specified.

'3. In combination with the inner door of a signalbox, a stop mechanism arranged in the interior of the' box, and operated by an arm on the main shaft of the automatic mechanism, for the purpose of preventing said inner door from being closed until the windinglever is in such a position as to prevent its injury by by and acting upon said inner doors, in such a manner that the opening of either door causes the locking of the other door, so that it cannot be opened until the first opened door is closed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The switch-wheel Q, having the insulated metallic strips 23 24 25'arranged on its face, when used in combination with the four anvils, if L l, forming the terminii'ot' the parts of two circuits, the several parts being arranged as and for the purpose specified.

7 In combination with a signal-box having the automatic mechanism and key mechanism arranged in separate apartments, a switching mechanism operated by the inner door which incloses the key mechanism, and combined with the different circuits in the signalbox in such a manner that upon opening the inner door inclosing the key mechanism, the automatic mechanism shall be switched out of the main circuit, substantially as is herein specified.

8. In combination with a signal-box provided with automatic and key mechanism and switching mechanism, arranged and operating as specified in seventh clause, a locking mechanism operated by the automatic mechanism, and serving to keep the inner door inclosing the key mechanism locked, until the completion of any signal commenced by the automatic mechanism, substantially as is herein specified.

As evidence of the tbregoing, witness my hand this 20th day of April, 1870.

' JOB ABBOTT. Witnesses:

A. M. S'roU'r, A. M. SroU'r, Jr.

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