US139818A - Improvement in speaking-tube annunciators - Google Patents

Description

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Speaking-Tube Annunciatdrs.

No. 139,818, Patentedlune10,l873.

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DAVID ROUSSEAU, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPEAKING-TUBE ANNUNCIATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,818, dated June 10, 1873; application filed October 8, 1872.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID ROUSSEAU, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Speaking-Tube Annunciators, of which the following is a specification The object of this invention is to provide a mechanical means .for operating the bell or call by blowing into the-speaking-tube, and for simultaneously indicating to the servant, or other person intended to be spoken to, from what room or place he or she is called. The invention generally consists in a combination, with a movable tag or indicating-disk at or near the terminus of the tube, which is next the person to be called, of a setting device or mechanism for replacing the tag after it has been exposed, and a spring or other power storing device operated by the tag-setting device when replacing the tag, and serving to actuate the call. The invention also consists in a peculiar arrangement and folding construction of the tag, whereby, when replaced, it is folded up within the delivery-end of the speaking-tube--that is, back of the terminus next to the person to be calledand so that when displaced by the breath of the person speaking through the tube said tag is not only dropped, but projected forward into view.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a frontview of my improved speaking-tube annunciator, and Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the indicating-end of the tube, illustrating the action of the tag.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

In the accompanying drawing, A A are speaking-tubes leading from one room or portion of a building to another. B B are mouthpieces at the opposite ends of each tube. Near the terminus of each tube, to which is afiixed the mouth-piece B, behind the latter and within an enlarged portion of the tube having an open bottom, I), is a folding or double-jointed tag, made up of leaves 0 d, the one, '0, of which is hinged below to the tube at c, and serves, when raised, to exclude noise or odor frompassing by the month B or opening 1) through the tube, while the other leaf, d, is pivoted to'the freeend of the leaf 0,

and hangs suspended in a folded condition against or in front of the leaf 0, when the latter is raised to close the tube. The leaf d is marked with a number or sign upon its outer face indicative of the room or place with which the mouth B of the tube communicates, and always has its indicatingsurface on the outside-that is, both when folded or closed within the tube and when dropped. This indicating-tag 0 cl is retained in a closed and folded condition within the tube by a weight or weighted lever, f, fast to the fulcrum e, and arranged so that it stands a little in rear of its center of gravity when the tag is closed, but readily falls forward when the speaker at the mouth B blows through the tube to displace or unfold the tag, the leaf 0 of which then drops to close the opening I), while the leaf cl having the indicating number or sign on it, not only drops, but, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 3, is projected forward into view toward the mouth B, but below it, where may be a glass -that is, immediately in front of the tag when thus exposed.

This construction of indicating-tag is an advantageous one, and might be applied to electromagnetic speaking-tube annunciators; but I do not restrict myself to such particular style of tag, as a single leaf or simple drop one might be used, if preferred.

The setting device or mechanism for returning or closing the tag after it has been exposed may be variously constructed, but the following I have found to answer every purpose: G is a hand-crank, which is retained in an elevated position by a spring, g, and on the shaft h of which is a lifter, a", that, as the crank is turned against the force of the spring in direction of the arrow as, lifts upon an arm, k, of a rock'shaft, D, which, in turning, causes another arm, l, upon said shaft to lift the weighted lever f, and so return the tag to its place within the tube, the tag folding itself as it closes. E is a secondary upper rockshaft of a swinging frame, composed in part of a horizontal rod, m, which is kept raised by a spring, a, arranged round the shaft. Attached to the rod m is a stirrup or bent rod, 0, which, as the weighted lever f is thrown down by displacing the tag, is struck and carried down by said lever, thereby bringing down the rod m. This causes a hand, g, on the rod m to release an escapement, F, of a spring or other power-storin g device, G, which sounds the bell or call H to attract the notice of the servant or person near the mouth or terminus B of the tube, simultaneously or thereabont with the exposure of the tag. 01" course, any kind of call or bell may be used, and instead of a spring power-storing device, G, one operating by a weight, or by the compression of air, or by other means, may be used. I call the device (2- a power-storer for the reason that it is automatically wound up, or its power replenished by the act of setting the tag, after exposure, back to its place. This is accomplished as follows: K is a winding-lever arranged to ascend by the action of the main spring when the escapement F is released, and provided with a stud, 1'. Loose upon the winding'shaft s of this lever is a secondary lever, L, which is connected with the shaft h of the crank O by an arm, 2, and rod 10, so that on drawing down the crank to replace the tag the lever L, bearing on the stud r, depresses the lever K and winds up the power, which is then held by the escapement F till the falling of the weighted leverf, by blowing down the tube on the tag, releases it. After the tag has been replaced the crank O is permitted to fly up or back, and with it the lever L, to put the parts in position for a succeeding operation, the red at and stirrup 0 simultaneously flying up by the action of the spring 72, thereby relieving the hand (1 from action on the escapement F, which is then locked by a spring, 3 controlling it. The

rock-shaft D and red at are extended and provided with any desired number of arms, t, and stirrups 0, according to the number of speaking-tubes used; but the one crank O and power-storing device G answer for all the tubes, and the action of such devices will be limited to only the particular tube ortubes in use at any one time, as will be evident from the foregoing description. Other connections may be made with the shaft D and E for operation in connection with a different arrangement of tubes or of their ends B.

By the term tag or drop-tag I design to include any indicating device that may be displaced by blowing through the tube, as, for instance, a numbered ball, or other movable expedient not strictly a tag in the ordinary acceptation of the word.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a drop-tag at or near the delivery-end of the speaking-tube, of a tag-setting device or mechanism for replacing the tag after it has been exposed, and a power-storing device operated by the tagsetting mechanism, and serving to actuate the call, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the crank (J, the spring 9, the litter 2', the shaft D, the arms I: l, and the weighted tag-lever f, essentially as described.

3. The combination, with the winding-lever K of the power-storing device used to sound the call, of a free lever, L, for operation by the crank O, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of an escapement, F, with the hand q of the swinging rod m, the stirrup 0, and the weighted tag-lever f, essentially as described.

5. The folding drop-tag 0 d, constructed and arranged for operation in relation with the speakingtube, substantially as specified.

D. ROUSSEAU. YVitnesses FRED. HAYNES, MICHAEL RYAN.

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