US1063930A - Automatic alarm and signal device. - Google Patents

Description

G. R. BAILBYGL W. 0. WARREN. AUTOMATIC ALARM AND SIGNAL DEVICE. APPLICATION TILED JULY 3, 1911.

1,063,930. Patented June 3, 1913.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1911.

1,068,930. Patented June 3,1913.

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E ATES CLARENCE R. BAILEY AND WILLIAM 0. WARREN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,

ASSIGNORS F SIXTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS T0 C. W. HOLDEN AND FORTY ONE- HUNDREDTHS TO WILLIAM P. ECTON, BOTH OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC ALARM AND SIGNAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE R. BAILEY and WILLIAM O. IVAnnnN, both citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Alarm and Signal Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in alarm and signal devices and has particular relation to signals that are useful in connection with street crossings and street railways.

It is an object of the invention to provide a signal and alarm mechanism which may be located in plain view, at the crossing of streets or road-ways and particularly at the crossing of car lines, so'that the device will bein plain sight from all the' approaches to the crossing.

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a crossing signal with means whereby it may be electrically operated by an operator located at any suitable or desired point for directing the course of travel at the crossing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which may be suspended upon the crossing trolleywires of a car line in such position as not tointerfere withthe trolleys of passing cars, thedevice being provided with stop and pass signals both for the cars of the crossing lines a sj well as for the other street trafiic passing the cor ner.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1- is a perspective view of the improved signal device as supported. upon the crossing trolley wires of car lines at the'intersection of streets. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsectional view through the same taken above the greater portion of the mechanism .mounted therein and showing the improved signal drum arranged within the device, a portion of which rior structure.

is broken away to further reveal the inte- 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view show- 'tions are made, with the various Fig. 3 IS a vertical sec-j tional View taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig.

operating magnets and the mechanism for controlling the semaphore. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical View illustrating the circuits employed in connection with the signal and the manner in which the electrical connccdevices operated by the circuits. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view showing the arrangement of the stop and pass signals employed in the device.

While the mechanism forming the subject matter of this invention is applicable to signals located at various points where it is desired to control traflic both upon the streets and roadways'or upon car lines, the mechanism is particularly well adapted for use at the intersection of car lines at street cross-.

ings and for the purpose of describing the invention the mechanism has been illustrated as applied and adapted to the intersecting car lines of a street corner, the signal proper being mounted upon the crossing trolley wires and the features and details of the invention will now be more particularly described, reference being had to said illustration.

In the said drawing 5 indicates acasing in which most of the mechanism employed in connection with the signal is usually located. The said casing 5 may be mounted upon a base 6 which is adapted to be suspended by any suitable corner fastenings 7 to the trolley wires of electric car lines as indicated in Fig. 1. The casing 5 is made ofsufiicient size to have openings for certain signals upon the different sides thereof, which face the streets approaching the crossing.- Such openings as 8 are therefore arranged in the walls of the casing 5 facing the streets, and signals of various kinds are adapted to be displayed at said openings for directing the course of trafiic at the crossing. The casing is also usually provided with battle plates or blinds 9 arranged upon each side of the openings so that a view of adjacent openings cannot be obtained when approaching the signal upon a given street. In this way the signals cannot be confused.

The upper portion of the casing 5 is preferably made conical as shown at 10 and in the peak or top thereof an alarm bell mecha- Patented June 3, 1913.

1 the point tilt e5 trical type. The conductors extending from nism as 11 is mounted, so that when the signals have been changed the fact can be drawn to the attention of the traveling public or the car motor-men by the ringing of said bell. The means for completing a circuit through the bell is usually placed at where the operator of the signal device is to be located and the running of the conductors to said bell is indicated upon the diagram in Fig. 5 and Will be hereinafter .more fully described.

lVithin the casing 5 is revolubly mounted an indicator drum 12, which is centrally pivoted upon a shaft 13 that extends vertically upon the axial line of the said casing 5. The drum 12 is usually made nearly as large as the casing 5 so that its peripheral wall 14 will move just inside the openings 8 of the said casing 5. The said wall is provided with indicating signs at 15 which are generally transparent, so that at night time light may be caused to shine through the same and clearly disclose the substance of the sign. The signs appearing at the various points upon the periphery of the drum, are usually in the form of words such as Stop, Pass or the like and the letters of the words are formed upon the indicating sign 15 of a suitable color and opaque ness to be readily discernibleifithe day time as well as when light is passed through the signs at night, The signs carried by the said drum 12 are generally such as are ap plicable to the places where the signal mechanism is installed. 1

At the ordinary crossings of a street, especially where travel is to be directed durlng the busy parts of the day, the said drums usually have indications placed thereon in the order indicated in the diagrammatical view in Fig. 6, thus the indications are arranged so that opposite signs will show the Word Stop while signs opposite the cross streets will show Pass. The indications are also arranged so that the signs of Stop may be made to appear at all the streets, which is useful in stopping trafiic when there is a fire in the neighborhood and the fire engines should be allowed clear passage at the crossings. Other signs are also arranged so that the word Pass may be brought opposite all of the openings, so that in the less crowded periods of the day or night, all parties approaching the crossing will be permitted to pass as they come to" the same. Ofcourse other arrangements of indications and signs'may be employed as found suitable to the conditions. 7

The movement of the drum 12 is under the control of a Suitable operator and is preferably accomplished through electrical means. Thus a motor 16 is mounted within the easing 5 and adapted to rotate the shaft 13, the said motor being of any ordinary electhe said motor pass to any suitable source 0 energy and thence to a point where a switch is within control of .the operator for moving the motor. The motor is usually so connected that it may be driven first in one direction or in-the other for turning the drum and thus bringing the indications or signs thereon opposite the openings in the casing 5. The drum is ordinarily arranged to engage four stops as at the street crossing and for this purpose a projection or depend ing flange 17 is arranged upon the under surface of the horizontal portion, of the drum and at one extremity of its movement engages a stop 18 while at the other extremity of its movement it engages a stop 19. These stops are usually in the form of fixed posts or pins which project upwardly from the base 6 upon which the apparatus is mounted. It will be understood that by actuating the motor in one direction or reversing it the drum may be caused to turn until the depending flange. 17 engages either the pin 18 or the pin 19. The drum is also adapted to be stopped at any intermediate points by electrically controlled detents which will now be'described. The saiddctents'are preferably made in the form of "spring mounted armatures 20 and-21. The

free ends of the said armatures extend over the poles of the electric magnets 22 and 23 whichare mounted upon the base 6. The ends of the detents controlled by these magnets ordinarily spring upwardly above the magnetsa sufficient distance to engage the depending detents 17 as shown in Fig. 3. lVhen either of'the magnets is actuated the armature thereof is drawn downwardly to a suflicient extent to permit the drum 12 to be rotated past the same by the action of the motor 16.

Associated with the signs carried by the drum 12 and arranged above or below the same are other'signals preferably in the form of semaphores .24, whlch are generally employed to time when they are permitted to pass the crossing. The said semaphores may be made of any usual or ordinary construction and the shafts carrying the same project through the casing '5 and they are provided'with arms 25 which are connected by means of links26 with the vibrating ends of spring armatures 27, Each of the said armatures is mounted adjacent to poles of magnets 28. The semaphores are also usually provided with lights operating in conjunction therewith, electric lamps 29 being mounted within the casing 5 opposite apertures therein, so that the light therefrom may shine through the glazed apertures 30 and 31 of the semaphores. There is a semaphore 24 preferably provided for each of the streets approaching the crossing, especially when there are crossing car lines at that point. The magnets indicate to the car motor-men the magic 28 which control the said semaphores, are each provided with suitable conductors which extend to points within convenient reach of the operator of the signal mechanism. Inside of the signal displaying openings of the casing 5 and the drum 12 are lamps 32 which are lighted at night.

The same source of energy is preferably employed for operating different portions of the mechanism and the connections therewith and with the parts of the device are clearly set forth in the diagrammatical view of Fig. 5. As shown in said diagrammatical view the'source of-energy maybe a battery from which a main conductor 34 extends in such a manner that it may be connected with the motor 16 by a conductor 35 extending to the field windings of the motor 16. A conductor 36 also extends from the other pole of the battery to aswitch device 37. A conductor 38 extends from the switch to the field winding of the motor 16. Other conductors 39 and 40 also extend to the switch mechanism 37 from the brushes Hand 42. The switch 37 is so wired that by turning the switch in one direction the current may be sent through the motor so as to rotate its armature in one direction and when the switch is moved to the other side the direction of the current is reversed through the motor for turning the armature in the opposite direction.

In this simple manner the motor can be operated for turning the drum 12 in one direction or the other under the control of the operator. The alarm bell 11 is adapted to be connected in the circuits made by the conductors 39 and 40. For this purpose conductors 43 and 44 lead from thesaid condoctors 39 and 40 to the said bell mechanism 11. A switch 45 is adapted to complete the circuit through the bell mechanism engaging for this purpose contacts 46 and 47. The contact 46 is directly connected to the bell magnet by a conductor 48 and when the circuit is completed through this contact and conductor, a single ring will b given by the bell which may be of course repeated by moving the switch back and forth for pro ducmg a greater number of rings. When it is desired toring the bell continuously the switch 45 is moved to the contact47 which is connected by a conductor 49 which has a make and break circuit mechanism 50 of a usual type, whereby a continuous ringing of the bell will be accomplished until the switch 45 is moved away from the contact 47. The bellmechanism can thus be used as a signal device, a certain number of signals or rings denoting a certain order, or the bell mechanism may be employed as a continuous alarm to notify everyone at the crossing to beware of dan er as for instance at the time when the'fire. e artment may be passing.

The magnets or operating the stops and semaphoresa'reralso operated from the same source of electrical energy, thus conductors 51 and 52 connect the magpiets 22 and .23 of the stop devices with the conductors 34, while the other leads from the said magnets extend to a common conductor 53 which extends to the opposite side of the battery from the conductor 34. Push buttons or other contact devices at 5'1 and 55 are operable forcompleting the circuits through those magnets, when the stop devices are to be operated for releasing the drum 12 as above described. The magnets 28 for each of the semaphores is in like manner connect ed by conductors 56 and 57, and 58 and 59 with the line conductor 34 and the said magnets arc'also adapted to be connected with conductor 53 by means of press buttons 60, one being provided for each of said magnets. It will thus be observed that the operation of the semaphores with the press buttons or keys 60 are within easy reach and control of the operator. 1

The device is as above intimated especially well adapted for use at street crossings and the suspension of the same over the middle portions of the crossing streets, bring the same within clear view .of all who pass the crossing. In handling the ordinary tratlic at a crossing instead of having to station an ofiicer or attendant at said crossing, the operator of this device can cause the turning of the drum 12 so as to indicate which line of travel is open, by exposing the proper signs at the openings 8. The alarm mechanism can be actuated at the same moment to indicate to those who are passing when it is time to move. The our travel can be controlled by the operation of the semaphores also under the supervision of the operator of the device. In the event of it being necessary as in case of fire to have the crossing clear, the mechanism can show the word Stop at all of the openings in the casing 5 and the alarm bell 11 maybe rung continuously to notify all of the danger. When the crossing is not used much, as during certain portions of the day. or night, the drum can be moved so as to expose the word Pass opposite all of the approaches to the crossing, so that all the traflic will begfree to move forward as it comes to the said crossing.

What we claim is 1. A crossing signal device, comprising a rotating drum having sign carrying apertures formed in its walls, a light stationed within said drum and adapted to show through said apertures, a motor capable of turning said drum about the light, a plurality of stops to limit the rotation of said drum, means for controlling the direction in which said drum turns, and electrically operated stops under the control of an operator for stopping the drum intermediate of g said limiting stops, all of said stops operating to expose the desired combination of signs to view at a street crossing.

2. A signaling device for street crossings, comprising a rotating signal drum, a light cooperating therewith, a housing inclosing said drum and having a plurality of apertures through which the signals of the drum may be displayed, a plurality of limiting stops, means for turning-the drum through a limited path defined by said limiting stops to bring different combinations of signals opposite the openings, and magnetically controlled stops for holding the drum in positions intermediate of the limiting stops.

3. A traflic controlling signal mechanism for street crossings, comprising a housing having apertures opposite the streets at the crossing, battle plates projecting from said housing to prevent the openings from being seen except at the street opposite which it is located, a rotating signal drum Within said housing, a plurality of stops on the casing, a stop on the drum adapted to engage said casing stops, electrical means for controlling the movement between said casing stops, and

noeaeeo a stationary light mounted Withinthe drum and adapted to illuminate the signals of the drum at night time.

4. A traffic signal for crossings, comprisin either direction limited by said stops,

armatures adapted to stop the drum at intermediate points between said limit stops, and electro-magnets adapted to control said armature-s in accordance with the desired combination of signals to be exposed by the movement of the drum.

ltn witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 23rd day of June, 1911,

CLARENCE 1t, BAILEY. WILL AM (O. VVAltldEN,

Witnesses: v

Ennrnnn A, Eirrxxnsn, Enema Q, Penman.

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