US1124410A - Fire-alarm. - Google Patents

Description

P. PRANEK.

FIRE ALARM. APPLICATION FILED JAN.10,1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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ammo L F. Frarzek RN JWN FRANK FRANEK, 0]? CHUGWATER, WYOMING.

FIRE-ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Application filed January 10, 1914. Serial No. 811,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK FRANEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chugwater, in the county of Platte and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

The primary object of this invention is to provide an automatic fire alarm which operates by the burningofa combustible memher to close an electric circuit, said alarm being of extremely simple and practical construction.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide in a fire alarm system a circuit closer comprising a pair of stationary contact arms to be engaged by a pair of spring contact arms; said last mentioned arms being normally held from contact with the stationary arm by a celluloid ball carrying a wick.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings. in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my fire alarm, partly in section, and Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating one of the binding posts.

Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a block of non-conducting material, such as hard rubber, which may be mounted on a base 2, and which carries a pair of metallic contact arms 3 and 4 having laterally projecting flanges 5 formed on their inner ends through which extend the fastening members 6. The arms extend outwardly for a distance at right angles to the base and parallel to each other, are then extended towardeach other, and terminate in spaced parallel portions 7. A pair of metallic spring contact arms 8 and 9 having angularly extending flanges 10 formed on their inner ends are secured to the base between the arms 3 and 4 and project outwardly between the parallel portions 7 of the stationary arms in opposed relation thereto.

A sphere 11 of celluloid or some other readily combustible material is. provided to draw the arms 8 and 9 toward each other away from contact with the stationary arms 3 and 4. This sphere is .hollow and is provided with diametrically opposed openings 12 and 13 through which the arms 8 and 9 extend. The outer terminals of the arms are bent laterally in opposite directions, as indicated by the numeral 14, to engage the outer surface of the sphere and hold it against movement from engagement with the contact arm. A wick 15 of any desired length extends through opposed openings 16 and insures a destruction of the sphere should a fire occur in its vicinity by conducting the flame into engagement therewith.

The stationary arms and the spring arms may be connected in an electric circuit for the purpose of sounding an alarm when the sphere 11 is destroyed in various ways, and for the purpose of illustration 1 have shown a source of current 17, connected to the arm 3 by a wire 18. A wire 19 connects the arms 8 and 9, and wires 20 and 21 and a bell 22 complete the circuit. A binding post having a pair of forks or parallel arms 23 and a threaded stem 24 is soldered to each of the contact arms 3, 4, 8 and 9 so that the wires may be easily connected thereto by use of nuts 25. 26 designates a casing secured to the base 2 and inclosing a portion of the circuit closer or alarm.

From the foregoing description taken. in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that should a tire occur in the vicinity of the alarm. the sphere 11 will be destroyed, allowing the spring arms 8 and 9 to engage the parallel portions 7 of the arms 3 and l and complete the electric circuit, thereby causing the bell 22 to ring. A new sphere may be easily positioned by sliding the same over the extended portion 4 of the arms 8 and 9 so as to draw them toward each other and break the circuit.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement to each other, a pair of spring contact arms secured to the base and projecting therefrom between the first mentioned arms, a combustible element connected to the spring arms to hold them from engagement with the stationary arms, and a wick connected to the combustible element.

3. in a fire alarm, anon-conducting base, a pair of stationary contact arms secured to said base and projecting therefrom in spaced relation to each other, a pair of spring contact arms secured to the base and extending between the stationary arms for engagement therewith when released, a hollow sphere formed with opposed openings through which the spring arms project, whereby they are held from engagement with the station ary arms and an electric circuit to be closed by contact of the station arms with the spring arms.

4. In a fire alarm, a non-conducting base, a pair of stationary arms secured thereto, said arms projecting at right angles to the base for a portion of their length and then converging toward each other, a .pair of spring arms secured to the base and extending between the stationary arms for engagement therewith, a hollow sphere of combustible material having opposed openings through which the spring arms extend, whereby they are held from contact with the stationary arms, a wick connected to the combustible sphere and an electric circuit having alarm mechanism, said circuit being closed by engagement of the spring contact arms with the stationary contact arms.

. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK 'FRANEK.

Witnesses:

W. FRED Consumes, J. K. Hocnmu.

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