US2029373A

US2029373A - Fire alarm box door

Info

Publication number: US2029373A
Application number: US489686A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul P Horni
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-10-18
Filing date: 1930-10-18
Publication date: 1936-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1953-02-04

Description

Feb. 4,1936. p, HORNl 2,029,373

FIRE ALARM BOX DOOR Filed Oct. 18, 1950 5 Sheeis-Sheet l I nus: cuvER -PUI.I. LEVER 5 7 1 A? %z 22 I M INVENTIOR Mflw ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1936. l p p HORN] 2,029,373

'FIRE ALARM BOX DQOR Filed Oct. 18, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet ,2

INVENTQR I Emu/72567720 ATTORNEYS Feb.4, 1936. P. P. HORN] 3 I FIRE ALARM BOX DOOR 7 Filed Oct. 18, 1950 SSheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 4, 1936.. P. P. HORNI FIRE ALARM BOX DOOR Filed Oct. 18, 1950 5 Sheets-Shet 4 INVENTOR jun/mm;

BY 7 2, g ATTORNEYS I Feb. 4,1936. P. P. HORNI 2,029,373

FIRE ALARM .BOX DOOR Filed Oct. 18,1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I INVENTOR l finfpfirm' 'ATI'ORNEY Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a fire alarm box and the like, and has particular reference to a front for a fire alarm box having a door through which the means for sounding the alarm is rendered accessible.

Certain types of fire alarm boxes used heretofore were so constructed that the only way to sound the alarm was to open a door to obtain access to a key or button, which, when actuated, sounded an alarm at the remote fire department central station or the like. These doors frequently froze shut during the winter time and could not be opened without thawing off the ice or striking the door with any available object to loosen the ice, and often the door was broken or damaged to such an extent that it had to be replaced. This nuisance of attempting to open the door frequently delayed or rendered impossible the sounding of the alarm, and constituted a serious menace to fire protection when it was intended to serve as a means for obtaining fire protection readily.

Also, doors of fire alarm boxes used heretofore occasionally became unlatched and remained open or partly open so that the moisture and dirt which'would inevitably collect in the box injured it and impaired its efliciency.

In other former types of fire alarm boxes a glass had to be broken in order to obtain access to the alarm lever, key or button, and as an object for breaking the glass was not always available, delay in sounding the alarm frequently resulted, which would not have taken place had there been some other means of access to the alarm lever or the like. In each of these two former types the excited user had to read too many instructions at once before being able to sound the alarm, with the result that he became confused and delayed the sounding of the alarm, which would not take place had he been instructed to do one operation at a time by appropriate successive directionsat the proper time.

These objections to the fire alarm boxes used heretofore are overcome by the present invention, which provides alternative means for gaining access to the alarm lever, so that if the first means does notwork for any reason, a second means remains which does work. The preferred arrangement of this invention includes a door which is normally biased to closed position but is readily opened only when it is intended to do so for access to the alarm lever. If this door should freeze shut or not be readily opened for any other reason, a frangible plate in the door permits access therethrough to the alarm lever.

'fied form of flap illustrated in Fig. '7; and

The door is preferably weighted so that its center of gravity is so placed as to normally bias the door to closed position, aided, if desirable, by a spring or latch, or both.

Furthermore, initial instructions are preferably 5 given regarding opening of the door, or if the door sticks, to break the glass. Secondary instructions regarding the manipulation of the lever are also given, but in a preferred arrangement, these secondary instructions are rendered visible 10 to the user only after he has completed either one of the first operations, 1. e., opened the door or broken the glass, so that he is not confused by too many directions at once. This advantage is obtained either by masking the glass 15 or using opaque glass so that the secondary instructions adjacent the lever only become visible after the door has been opened or the glass broken, or in the preferred arrangement, by partially supporting a pivoted fiap against the door 20 or glass or both, so that it drops downwardly when the door is opened or the glass is broken to attract the users immediate attention to the secondary instructions inscribed thereon.

In a modified arrangement, the door is so ar- 25 ranged that the mere opening thereof operates the alarm, and this is accomplished by a connection between the door and the alarm button, or lever, so that the latter is depressed or otherwise operated in the proper fashion to sound the alarm.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates a fire alarm box equipped 35 with the door of this invention which contains opaque, partially opaque, or masked glass;

Fig. 2 illustrates the same when the glass is broken to expose the lever and the secondary instructions; 40

Fig. 3 is a view of an opaque glass having instructions on the outside thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the novel door of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the novel 45 door of this invention equipped with an indicator or secondary direction flap;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged perspective views of two different forms of the indicator flap;

Fig. 8 is a section through the door of this invention, showing the position of the indicator flap after the glass has been broken;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the door of this invention showing the action of the modi- Fig. 10 is a section through the modified form of the door of this invention which is adapted to automatically operate the alarm when it is opened.

In these drawings, numeral l0 designates a fire alarm box frame fitted with the usual housing II, in which is contained the means for procuring the alarm. Pivoted on horizontal hinge pin l2 adjacent the top of the housing II] is a door IS- having rearwardly directed flanges M, which cooperate with the rim l5on frame It to form an enclosure for the lever I5, or button, key, or the like, which is connected to the alarm sounding mechanism in any well known way, so that when lever I6 is pulled downwardly the signal or alarm is operated. The side flanges Id of the door are tapered downwardly toward the center line of the hinge i2, and the upper cross bar I3 is made heavy or weighted so that the center of gravity lies in cross bar l3 below and tothe left of hinge pin l2 as seen in Fig. 4, whereby the door It is overbalanced to swing about hinge .pin [2 in a counterclockwise direction against the frame H3 so that the door is normally biased in a closed position without other aid and will not fly open in high winds or stand open.

If desired, this overbalancing action may be supplemented by a spring I8 coiled about hinge pin l2 and engaging the door i2 with one end and the rim l5 with the other end, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to urge the door I3 into closed position. This spring I8 is not essential, as the balancing of the door I3 is such as to maintain it closed at all times, but, in some cases, the spring l8 may be desired for requiring a considerably greater force to prevent any unintended opening thereof. A finger lug II at the lower edge of the door l3 aids the user in lifting it for access to lever "IS.

The front of the'door I3 is open, and normally closing this opening is a sheet of glass 89 which may be clear, translucent, opaque, partly opaque, or masked, depending upon the requirements. In Fig. 1, the glass is shown masked or partially opaque, and having an opening for exposing the lever Hi. When the glass I9 is broken, definite secondary instructions appear on the back plate 22, as shown in Fig. 2. In other arrangements, the glass may be clear so that the secondary instructions shown in Fig. 2 are'visible at all times, or the glass may be translucent and opaque, and the instructions may be inscribed on the outer surface thereof, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is preferred, however, that the user be informedof the different steps in succession, so that it will not be'necessary for him in his excitement to read a great many instructions, but on the contrary, read one set of instructions, act upon them, and then as a result of this act be given further information and instructions. In accordance with this desirable object, a flap 20, shown in detail in Fig. 6, is pivoted across the housing II on a pivot 2| mounted either on the door flanges I4 so as to move with the door, or upon the door frame or rim I5, so as not to move with the door. In the first arrangement, the flap is pivoted at one side on the door and its other side 2!] lies against the rear surface of the glass plate [9, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, and it also serves to'hold the glass l9 in place in the door 13.

Theflap 20 is shown in perspective in Fig. 6, and preferably consists of a sheet metal plate bent to an Lshape and bearing on its front surface the legend Pull lever or'the 1ike, which is not visible when the 'flap is positioned as shown in Fig. 5, even if the glass I9is transparent. Of course, if the glass is masked or opaque as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the flap 2B is not visible at all. If the door I3 is opened, and the breaking of the glass l9 has not become necessary, flap 20 remains inactive, and the user sees the instructions for operating the lever I6 011 the back plate 22 and acts accordingly. If, however, it is necessary to break the glass 9 for any reason, the flap 26 is no longer supported thereby, but drops downwardly about its pivot 2 l, as shown in Fig. 8 and in phantom in Fig. 5, to display its legend to the user who acts according to the instructions thereof, by reaching through the opening in the door formerly occupied by the glass is and operating the lever It in the manner in which he has been directed by the legend on the flap 20. The

dropping ofthe flap 2E] attracts the users attention thereto much more quickly than would a stationary legend, as the eye notes a movement atonce.

In Fig. 7 is shown amodifiedform- 2B of the flap, this flap being'ma'de longer than the flap 2d, and beingpivoted at 23across the "door frame or rim l5 as shown in Fig. 9. The flap 20' is bifurcated at 24 so as to enable it to drop around the lever it either when the door l3 is opened or when the glass i9 is broken.v By dropping around the lever l 6 asshown in phantom in Fig. 9, the legend is immediately brought to the users attention, and the lever It also, so that there is no delay orconfusion as to what to do next. This bifurcatedflap 20 may be used with a plain door 53, or one having either transparent, translucent, or masked or opaque glass, as in no case is its legend visible until the door has been opened or the glass l9 has been broken, when it immediately flashes into view to inform the user of the next operation.

In this arrangement, as well as in that of Figure 5, the

flap

20 or 24 is restored to its elevated position in engagement with the rear surface of panel [9 when thelatter is replaced in the door l3. This is accomplished by raising the'flap beyond its-normal elevated position while the panel is being replaced and then letting it fall against the rear surface of the panel in a manner readily understood.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modified arrangement wherebythe signal is given without any other action on-th'e part-of the user except the opening of the door. In this arrangement, the door is is constructed as before except that the plate t9 neednot be glassin this case as it isnotnecessary to break it, and the door'hinge is fitted with a lever25, which moves downwardly as shown in phantom when the door is elevated. 'Pivoted to the end of thislever' 25 is a push rod 26 having a button 2"! at its l'ower end which engages in a socket in lever l6, whereby the alarm is normally energized. It will be seen-that the push rod 26 is'curved to clear the-'rim'or door frame l5 in -the manner shown in phantom in Fig. '10. Accordingly, when the door i3 is lifted by the'finger lug ii, the lever 2'5'there'of pushes pushrod 2 3downwardly"tooperate the alarm lever or button 16. The push rod 2 6 may be made, disconnectable from lever l6 and plate l9- breakable so that if the door I'S'should freeze shut, the. user may break glass l9 and pull lever l6 as before, independently of the push rod connection 25.

In any of the arrangementsshown; the spring it may be-used-to force the door l3 to;-closed position or. it may be omitted asthe overbalanced door is urged to closed position. Also, in the arrangemerit shown in Fig. 10, the push rod 2% connecting the door to the lever H5 is suflicient to hold the door l3 shut in normal circumstances, but as an added precaution a clip 28, shown in Fig. 8, is pivoted on a lug 29 on the face plate or front It] of the box and is notched so as to engage the finger lug H, and has a hook 3| for engaging a tooth 38 on the door I3. Accordingly, when the clip 28 is pushed downwardly to release the finger lug E1, the pivoting movement thereof causes its hook is to push tooth 353 outwardly to initially open the door l3. The clip 28 accordingly is both a lock for holding the door shut, and an aid to start the opening thereof, and may be used on any of the arrangements shown, with or in substitution of the spring l8.

It will be seen that the downwardly tapering sides of the fire alarm box door of this invention and the proportioning of its mass cause it to be self closing by gravity, and the tapering sides also cause the front of the door to slope downwardly and rearwardly so as to be sheltered against falling mist which freezes in the winter time and prevents the door from being opened readily. The inclined door is narrow at the bottom so that when the glass is broken the frame of the door does not hinder free access to the fire alarm lever, as is the case with doors used heretofore, which had forwardly projecting flanges of considerable depth. Also, when the glass is broken in the door to obtain access to the fire alarm lever, the inclined position of the door 7 causes the glass to fall outwardly instead of inside of the flap, the opposite side of the flap being supported in suspended position against the panel with the aperture therein in registry with the handle, whereby the flap swings downwardly by' gravity over the handle about its pivot to display its indicia when released by movement of said panel.

2. In a fire alarm box, the combination of a I frame having a handle for operating an alarm mechanism, a flap bearing on one surface thereof visible indicia pertaining to the operation of the handle, a pivot on the frame near the handle for one side of the flap, and a movable panel on the frame in front of the handle normally engaging the opposite side of said flap to maintain it in suspended position whereby said indicia are substantially invisible from the front of the panel, said flap being operable to swing downwardly by gravity about its pivot to display its indicia when released by movement of said panel.

3. In a fire alarm box the combination of a frame, a door hinged thereon, a handle on the frame behind the door for operating an alarm mechanism, a flap bearing visible indicia on one surface thereof pertaining to the operationbf the handle, a pivot on the frame near the handle for one side of the flap, and a frangible transparent panel in said door normally engaging the opposite side of said flap to maintain it in suspended position whereby said indicia are substantially invisible through the panel, said flap being operable to swing downwardly by gravity about its pivot to display said indicia when released by breakage of the panel.

PAUL P. HORNI.