US1624059A - Cikctrit-contbolinxtg mechanism - Google Patents

Description

' 12 192 April 7 J. T. MILLER ET AL CIRCUIT CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 14, 1925 Inventors '19]: T 1311161 and Iifchael Hanley Maw M 'M jg Patented Apr. '12, 1927.

Ul llTED S'lA'lEd JOHN T. IVLILLER AND MICHAEL HANLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT-CONTRULLING MECHANISM.

Application filed December Our invention relates, in general, to electrical signalling systems and more particularly to electric controlling mechanisms therefor. Specifically, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved circuit controller particularly adapted for use in conjunction with lire alarm signalling systems and police signalling systems.

In such systems, call or signal boxes are usually employed for initially setting the signalling mechanism into operation. These call boxes are manually controlled and are in general operable by opening the same and grasping some form of trip member to set the signal sending apparatus therein into operation.

We propose. to provide automatic mechanism for controlling such call boxes as well for enabling them to be operated. by a suitable switch or push button located at any distance therefrom.

'lhe object of the present invention is to provide improved electrical. mechanism for operating a call box by a switch or push button at a distance therefrom.

In accordance with the general features of the present invention there is provided circuit controlling mechanism of the character disclosed in our co-pending application, Serial No. 58,958, filed September 1925, for automatically rendering the push button circuit inoperative for a predetermined period of time once the button is depressed, for setting the box signal sender into operation and for operating an auxiliary signal for a predetermined period of time. The circuit controlling mechanism is set in operation when the push button is initially depressed through the closing of the circuit by suitable solenoid mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in C011- nection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment thereof and in which the single figure is an elevation of a call box illustrating our novel electrical mechanism for automatically operating the same.

lteferring now to the drawing in detail, ll) denotes a box or casing which may be made of any suitable metallic material. and which may be of any usual construction. Since, in practice, such a box with the mechanism contained therein is referred to a call box, we shall refer to it as such in the descriptive matter to follow. This call box may be of any well known type such, for example, as that employed in lire alarm signalling systems or in police signalling systems.

While any form of signal. sending apparatus and circuit may, of course, be employed and the same constitutes per se no part of our invention, We have illustrated 1n a diagral'umatic and convenient manner, for the sake of clearness, a possible form of such apparatus and have indicated the same generally by the reference numeral 15. This signal sending apparatrrs 15 is nothing more or less than a clockwork including 5. main spring 12 mounted on a shaft 13 and attached at one end 18 thereto. The other end 12 of the spring 12 is attached to the framework 9. Associated with the shaft 13 is the usual gearing 11 as well as an escapenient mechanism 15. The framework also carries a shaft tel operatively driven by the train of gears. ldounted on the shaft lat is a circuit breaking or code wheel id of a construction well known to those versed in the signal art.

The gearing); 1.1 includes a train of gears 1, 2 and 3. The gear 1 is mounted loosely on shaft 1 The shaft has secured to it adjacent the gear 1 a ratchet wheel l which engages pawl 5. The pawl is mounted at (S on the gear 1 and is urged into engagement with the wheel +l by a spring 7. The ratchet and pawl construction cooperate to enali-le the shaft 13 to be turned in a counter clockwise direction to wind up the spring 113 without turning gear 1. However, when the shaft 1 is turned in a clockwise direction by spring 12 the gear 1 will turn there with to operate the signal sending appzn ratus 15. The gear 2 is splined to a shaft 8 suitably eurnaled in frame work 9. also mounted on shaft- 8 is a pinion 2 which meshes with and is driven by gear 1. The gear 2 meshes with and drives a pinion 3 splined to shaft 14 upon which gear 3 is mounted Thus it will be apparent that the shaft 13 is adapted to drive the code wheel id through the gears 1 and The escapcment mechanism 15 comprises a detent *l and a toothed wheel 5 both of which members may be of any conventional construction The detent i is c: 'ried by an arm (3 connecting to .lrameworl: 9. The wheel 5 is mounted upon a shaft 7 which is journulcd in frame 5). Fiplined to shaft 7' is a pinion 8' which meshes with and is driven by gear 3. The escapement is adapted to control through the gears 1, 2 and 8 the return movement of shaft 13 under the effect of spring 12.

The teeth 16 on the circuit breaking Wheel 14: are adapted to break the connection between leads 17 and 18 of a circuit 20 which is normally closed. Suitable contact spring lingers 1'7 and18 may be associated with the leads 17 and 18 many of the well known manners. The spring s17 and 18 are nor- .inally in contact but are adapted to be sepaated by a. pivotally mounted arm 90 hroruzl'i the IHBEUASOf the code -wheel 14. The circuit 20 constitutes the signal sending circuit and may include the usual instruments such as a sending key 21 and a re eiver 22 including a solenoid 23 and a gong The circuit 20 is normally closed as was previously mentioned and signals are transmitted thereover by intermittently breaking the circuit. The teeth 16 on the wheel 14: are arranged in such a manner as .20 be capable of breaking the circuit 20 a predetermined number of times to indicate the number of the call box 10. The instruments 21 and 22 may be of any Well known construction and do not constitute per se any part-of the present invention. They are illustrated, however, toshow how they may be associated with our novel circuit controlling mechanism.

Attached to an end of the shaft 13 is a ull lever or arm to one endof which pivotally connected a link member 31 pivoted at itslower end to a plunger member 32. The lower end of the plunger member 32 is disposed within the center of a solenoid 33 and in reality constitutes a core therefor. Surrounding the solenoid 83 is a metallic frame 34 which serves as a support for the solenoid and as a means for securing it to the box 1,0. Also disposed in the bore of the coil or solenoid is a stop member 35 for limiting the downward movement of the plunger 32. Upon theenergiza ticn of the coil or solenoid 33, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, the plunger 32 is drawn downwardly into the coil of wire or solenoid pulling with itthe lever arm 30 and winding up the spring 12 upon the shaft 13.

Mounted on and attached to the ipper edge of the lever 30 is a tripping spring element 37 having one end projecting from the lever 30 forming a tripping spring 38. The other end of the tripping spring element 87 is formed into a lateral extension which constitutes a tripping spring 39. Attached to the lower edge of the lever 30 is a tripping spring element having one end projecting therefrom in the same general direction as the spring 38 and constituting a spring t1 adapted to cooperate with the spring 38.

termediate the trunnions 5G and 57 The other end of the tripping spring ele ment i0 formed into a projcction constituting a tripping spring 12 adapted to cooperate with the tri iping spring 3!). The sprzngs and 1-1 are adapted to control a switch indicated generally by the reference numeral and the springs 39 and -12 are adapted to control the operation of a. switch indicated generally by the reference numeral 46. Both theswitchesetf) allt'leiii are ot the snap type andareadaptedto be setinto eitheran open or closed position by the 1 rl p ping springs associated therewith.

The switches 45 ands-Gare substantially the same in construction andwiredioth coir trolled through my novel-circuit controlling mechanism. Since both the switches 45 and 16 are substantiallyalike, it is thought that a description ofone will suliice for both. lhereforcylike i'efereucc numerals will he applied to similarparts in both-oftheru switches. It should be noted =that the switches are in different positionsas -well-as in diifercntplanes so as to enable them to be accol'nmodated by the limited amount of space aiforded in the'call box 10.

Each of the switches includes a slate basieOwhirh isfastcned to the box or casing 11). Attached to the face of the base area pair of spaced trunnions -51 and 552 each of which carries a set screw 58 and mounted onthe other end of the base '50 are a pair of eler' tric terminals 54 and Fastened to the face of the base 50 intermediate the triur nions 51 and 59 and the terminals 5L and 55 are another pair of trunnions 56 and 51'' equipped with set screws 58. Disposed inis a cam member 59wpivotally carried by the set screws 58. Thecammember 59-ronn irises a circular disk having two arcuate cutout portions 60 and (31 thepurpose of which portions will be described hereinafter. That is to say, the cam member 59 has a pair of pointed members 60 and (31 to lit into he ends of the set screws 58 permitting the am to be moved angularly. The cam or trigger member-59 has integral therewith a pr jection 63 adapted tohavc a lost motion connection with the-arm at 30 of our (ieric through the means of the springs 38 and 1-5.1. A switch member (34c extends under the cam or trigger member 59 intermediate the trunnions 56 and 5T. This member has formed on one end a pair of pointed studs. (35 and 66 which are pivotally disposed in the set screws 53, thus forminga pivoial mounting for one end of the member 64;. This member 64 may be made of brass or any other suitable material. The other end oi the member 64L carries a contact piece (18 :ulapted to bridge the terminals 54: and 55. The member 64. has formed tllOl'tUli: intcrinediat its ends an arcuate shaped proje too (if) adapted to he engaged by the prripima of the cam or trigger member 59. WVhen the projection 69 is engaged by the cut-out portion as shown in the drawing the switch member 64 will be in its open position. On the other hand when the projection 69 is contacted by the portion 61' of cam member 59 the switch member 64 will be in its closed position. The member 64 is at all times urged upwardly about its pivot by a band spring 70 disposed intermediate it and the base 50.

Normally, the spring 70 will force the member 64 upwardly causing the contact piece 68 to be disconnected from the terminals 54 and 55. Upon movement of the previously mentioned lever arm 30, as will be more apparent as the present description progresses, the lost motion connection between it and the projection 63 operates the cam or trigger 59 depressing the member 64 and compressing the spring 70. This results in the terminals 54 and 55 being bridged and the associated circuit being closed.

Connected to the terminals 54 and 55, of the switch 46, are a pair o1 auxiliary signal circuit leads 71 and 72 of an auxiliary signal circuit 73. When the terminals 54 and are bridged by the contact means 68 of the member 64, the signal will be operative.

The operation of the switch 46 is controlled by the springs 39 and 42. It should be noted that the spring 41 may be adjusted or rather moved further away or nearer to the lever arm 30 by means of a stud 74 attached to an end of the lever arm and a small nut 75 threaded thereon. That is to say, by turning the nut 75, the spring 42 may be moved to any desired position.

The springs 38 and 41 are adapted to alternately engage the projection 63 on the cam 59 of the switch 45 to either open or close the said switch. 0 have illustrated the spring 39 as being equipped with an auxiliary spring 76 integral therewith. The spring 76 is adapted to engage the projection 63. In order to adjust the position of the spring 7 6 with respect to the spring 38, we have provided a stud or screw 76 which ties the two springs 89 and 42 together. The position of the spring 76 through which the stud 7 6 passes may be varied by turning a nut 7 8 screwed onto the stud 76 intermediate its end.

Connected to the terminals 54 and oil": the switch 46 are a pair or leads 80 and 81 contact 89, closing the circuit associated therewith. The circuit 90 includes the solenoid 33. The power line leads 9i and 92 oi the circuit 90 may be connected to any suitable source of electrical power such, for example, as a 110 volt line. It is evident that when the cont- acts 88 and 89 are closed the circuit 90 will also be closed and the solenoid 33 therein will be energized.

The operation of our novel mechanism is as follows:

Upon depressing the button 84 which may be located in any position at a distance from the call box 10, the circuit 82 is closed. 'lhat is to say, for example, supposing some one in a bank or some oth r analogr'ius place dcsires to operate a call box positioned on a street corner, he merely presses a push but ton such as the one designated by the reference numeral 84. Now, inasmuch as the contacts 54 and 55 of the switch 45 are normally bridged by the contact teeth 66, current from the battery will flow through the solenoid S5 energizing the same and pulling the armature 86 downwardly. The armature in turn moves the contact 83 into engagement with the contact 69 closing the circuit 96 and energizing the coil The coil 33 through the plunger 32 and the link 31 draws tne lever arm 30 downwardly, storing up energy in the clock spring 12. it will be evident from the drawing that the escapement mechanism 15 will retard the return of the lever arm 36 to its initial position as previously mentioned. Also, in moving the pull lever 30 downwardly, the shaft 13 is caused to be turned. setting the clockwork associated therewith, as well as the signal sending apparatus, in a position ready to function. The lever 30 through the tripping spring 42 operates the cam 59 ot the switch 46 to cause the member 64 to be urged outwardly away from the slate. panel or base 50 due to the urging effect of the spring '30. This results in the contact piece 68 being moved out of engagement with the contacts 54 and opening the circuit 82 thereby renderingthe button 84 ineffective to energize the coil 8:7.

Furthermore, the lever arm 30 through the trip spring 38 operates the cam 59 by coming into engagement with the projection 63 thereof. The cam 59 of the switch 45 through the cut-out portion 61 causes the member 64 to be moved inwardly towards the panel or base 50 bringing the bridge piece 68 into contact with the terminals 54 and oi. the switch 46. This action causes the ci cuitiil to be closed and sets into operation an auxiliary signal (not shown).

Now, upon the circuit 82 being broken, the armature 86 associated with the coil immediately moves back to its former uppermost position due to the urging eliect of a spring 100. The contact 88 thereupon moves IOU "condition for operation once more.

out of engagement with the contact sprin .vided a single plunger arrangement for con- 89 breaking the circuit 90 and thus de-energluing the coil.

The lever. arm 30 is nowfree to. moveito its former position under the effect of the spring 12 in which energy: has been stored. That is to say, a downward movement of the lever wound up the spring 12 and set the clockwork mechanism. associated therewith in a condition for operation. The up ward movement of the lever arm. however, is controlled by he escapement mechanism of the clockwork. The return movement of the lever arm 30 also sets into operation the circuit breaking wheel llwhich interrupts the normally closed usual lire or police alarm circuit 20 transmitting thereover the number of the call box. In the drawing, the wheel 14 is illustrated as being equipped with three spaced notches 16. Thus it will be seen that the number of this call box might be 12. Of course, it is to be understood that although we have illustrated the circuit 20 as being normally closed it would work equally well if instead of breaking the cucuit, the wheel 1% could be arranged to close the circuit each time a notch thereof came said circuit.

As soon as the :lever arm 30 has moved a suiiicient distanceto bring the contact or trigger spring il into engagement with the projection (33 of the switch 45, the cannot) thereof is operated resulting in the member ti-iibeing moved. away from the base breaking the circuit 73 and rendering the signal asiociated therewith inoperative.

Also, upon the trigger spring 75 contacting the projection 63 of the switch 46, the cam 59 thereof reacts to force themember contact or bridge piece 68 into engagement with the terminals 54 and 55 to connect the sameand thusrender the circuit 82 in a The upward movement of the lever arm 30 may be limited by any suitablemeans such, for example, as by a stop 101 attached to the framework 9 of the clock mechanism.

It is evident from the foregoing description that by depressing the push button 84; not only is the signal sending apparatus set into operation and the auxiliary signal op- I erated, but the button circuit is broken makingit impossible to energize the coils by further depressing the push button during the time that the clock mechanism is set to. operate or in other words until the lever 30 has becn restored to its normal position. This a highly desirable feature, inasmuch as it frustrates the possibility of a person making it impossible for the lever arm 30 vto be returned by continually depressing the temporaneously operating a pair of switches and-for operating suitable alarm slgnalhng apparatus. Also, it will be seen that we have provided a very compact arrangement-.

consisting of: a minimum number of parts and having a very high degree of elliciency. Then too, our invention may be applied to .the usual police. and lire alarm call boxes -with a minimum numbeifiol" deviations front standard practice.

Moreover, through the adjusting mechm 'nism previously described, it is possible to vary the time oteliiectivcness of both the i tripping springs etinud 7 Obviously, be Ettore these springs are brought into contact withthe associated projections 6 of the snap switches and 46, a predetermined period O'litlllle is caused to elapse. This period of timemay be varied either by adjusting the cscapement mechanism of the clockwork or by turning the nuts associated with the studs 74- and 76.

The tripping springf-s, in reality, constitute lost motion connections between the arm 30 and the projections (53 of the snap switches at?) and A very slight pressure on the projection is necessary to operate the cam in either direction. The tripping springs exert just enough prcseurc upon the projection 63 to cause it to snap the switch in either direction.

The auxiliary circuit 73 may control the operation of any suitable signal whether it llGuOf the visual or audible type for signalling that the push button 8 has been dc pressed. If. for example. the push button 84 be located in a bank, the auxiliary signal may be located in the quarters of the watchman or bank policeman.

Furthermore, by opening the call box 10 and pulling down on the lever ill). the mechanism associated therewith may be operated independently of the push. button R-t. lilo--- sages may be either transmitted or received by the policeman or fireman operating the call box by means of the two instruments 22 and 21. These instruments are well known to those skilled in the alarm box art.

o claim 1. In combiimtion, an electrical switch. a first means including a pull-lever for operating said switch, an adjustable lost motion connection between said lever and said switch, a second means for moving the said pull-lever in agiven direction to actuate the switch signal sending mechanism. a third means tor slowly returning the pulldever to its initial position and for o 'ieratingthe said signal sending mechanism. said lath-r means causing said lirst means to a :tuate said switch so as to return the switch to its initial osition, and a fourth means controlled by the said switch for preventing said second means from being operateduntil the pull ill lll]

lltl

lilfi lll lever is returned to its initial position after an operation thereof.

In combination, an electrical snap switch means including a pull lever for open atinn' the said. switcln a lost motion connection between said switch and said pull lever, means inclmling; a solenoid for moving the said poll lever in a given direction to acti'late the switi'h, sigi nal sending; mechanism, means for slowly returning; the pull lever to its initial poi-iil'ion and for operating the said signal sending; mechanism in'z-ludingr a spring and an cscapement n'ieehanisln, said latter means causing said lever to actuate said switch. so as to return the switch to its initial position and means controlled by the said switch tor preventing said solenoid from being operated until the pull lever is returned to its initial position after an operation thereof.

8. In combination, an electrical switch including a plurality of terminals, a switch element for connecting said terminals and an onion 'on associated with said element adaptmmrzir ed to be actuated to open and close said switch, a pull lever, means for pulling the lever from one position to another, an ele ment carried by said lever for moving said extension in one direction during the moving oi said pull lever to cause said switch to be operated, signal sending mechanism, means including a spring); and escapcmcnt mechanism l'or slowly returning the said pull lever to its initial position and tor operating said signal sending: mechanism, a second element asociated with said lever adapted upon the return movement of said lever to actuate said extension of the switch after a predetermined period of time has elapsed to cause said switch to be operated and means controlled by said switch for controlling the operation of said pulling; means.

In Witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe our names this 10th day of December, 1925.

JOHN T. MILLER. MICHAEL HANLE Y.

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