US247411A - Electric burglar-alar - Google Patents

Description

H. C. ROOME. ELECTRIC BURGLAR ALARM.'

No. 247,411. Patented Sept. 201881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

HENRY C. ROOME, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY ELECTRIC BURG LAR-ALARIVI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,411, dated September 20, 1881.

Application led November 14, 1579. l

the resistance of the line or circuit wire, are dei fective, in that alarms are liable to be sounded at the o'ice where watch is kept through the electrical action of the natural elements by the momentary contact ot' another wire or conductor swaying, for instance, in a storm, or even by induction through adjacent wires. At the oce such an accident causes the giving of an alarm just as though there had been a change in the resistance within the house, building, or other structure to be guarded, occasioned by the opening and instantaneous closing of a window or door, and frequently much useless trouble is in this way entailed.

The principal object of my invention is to afford a means whereby alarms occasioned by momentary changes in the condition of the circuit, accidentally or in any other way, outside the structure to be guarded may be distinguished from alarms given at or within the structure, even wherethe latter are caused by the opening ot' a door or window which is instantly closed again. To this end I combine with the circuit in the structure to be guarded a mechanism which, when the line or circuit is short-circuited at or within the structure,

will hold or maintain it short-circuited, preferably leaving` it, however, free to be released at the office.

Another object of the vinvention is to afford provision for communicating with theinmates of a structure to be guarded from the office, notwithstanding the use ot' the mechanism em-v ployed to hold or maintain the circuit short-Y circuited, as aforesaid. u

The invention therefore further consists in the combination, with an electric circuit and an electro-magnet comprised in mechanism for holding or maintaining the circuit short-circuited, of a battery of sufficient force to enable the electro-magnet to attract an armature to eiiect and maintain the short-circuiting, an

other battery of greater force for causing the electro-magnet to attract another armature for eti'ecting the operation of an indicator or bell in the structure to be guarded, and means for bringing either battery into communication with the electric circuit at will to attain the desired end.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partly sectional side view of a mechanism to be arranged in accordance with my invention in a structure to he guarded for holding or maintaining the line or circuit communicating with theI same short-circuited when short-circuited at or in the said structure; and Fig. 2 is a plan or top View of said mechanism and a diagram of the circuit, including in the structure to be guarded a resistance-coil or similar device therein and a window, with which the circuit communicates.

Similar letters oi reference designate correspondings parts in both figures.

. A designates the line-wire, which enters the structure to be guarded and establishes communication between it and the office where watch is kept. Itis connected to a bindingscrew, a, extending from the base-piece B of the mechanism, for maintaining the circuit short-circuited when short-circuited by the opening ot' a window or door in the structure to be guarded. From the binding-screwathe wire extends to a circuit-breaker, consisting ot a metallic Hap-spring or elastic strip, C, se- 'cured at or near one 'end to the base-piece, and

provided with a thumb-piece or button, b, whereby it may be manipulated. This circuit breaker is combined with a keeper, D, consisting of au arm, of metal or other conducting material, projecting over the circuit-breaker,

' so that the latter will, when in its normal po- '.sition, maintain a contact with it. This keeper may be pivotcd to the base-piece B, so that it can be swung aside, out of contact with the circuit-breaker, when desirable to retain the circuit broken l'or any length of time without holding the circuit-breaker depressed.

From the keeper D a wire, E, extends to electro-magnets F, whence a wire, G, extends to a binding-screw, c, on the base-board B. From this bindingscrew c a wire, H, extends to a resistance-coil, I, whence another Wire, J,

IOO

extends to a binding-screw, d, and there connects with a wire, K, leading to the ground L.

Branch wires II J are shown as extending from the wires H and J to a window, W, in the structure to be guarded, and the sash or sashes of this windowis or are to be provided with a device or devices whereby, when either is opened, the ends ofthe branch wires El J will be electrically connected, whereupon the electric current will be short -circuited through them, leaving or cutting out the resistancecoil I.

M designates a vibratory armature, arranged in proximity to one end ot' t-he electro-magnets and pivoted to a supporting-bracket, M', so that it can be attracted by the magnets into contact with them, or, when released, may swing away from them.

Extending from the armature M, in this instance above the same, is an arm, N, of conducting material-such as metal-which, when the armature is attracted to the electromagnets F, comes in contact with an arm, O, of

conducting material, extending from a post, I),

of conducting material, erected on the basepiece B.

A wire,Q, extends from the armature M to the wire G, and is fastened, as here shown, in the binding-screw c; and another wire, It, extends from the post P to the binding-screw d, connecting there with the ground-wire II.

When the windows and doors ofthe structure to be guarded are closed properly the electric current will enter on theline-wire A, pass through the circuit-breaker C, keeper D, and wire E to the electro-magnets F. From thence itpasses along wire Gr to wire H, thence through the resistance-coil I to the wire J, thence to the wire K, and through the latter to the ground L. Then any momentary change in the resistance ot' the circuit outside the structure will cause only a momentary alarm to be given at the office with which the line-wire A communicates.

If, however, one of the doors or windowsfor instance, the window V--be opened, the electric circuit will be short-circuited through the branch wires H J', and the resistance-coil I will be short-circuited out.

The electromagnets must be so constructed, and the armature M and the armature S, presently to be described, so adjusted in respect to their distance from the electro-magnets and the strength of the spring whereby they are returned to their normal position, that when the current is flowing through the resistancecoil wi th its norm al battery-power neither armature will be attracted, but that when the resistance-coil is short-circuited out the armature M alone will be attracted.

Whenever the electric circuit is short-circuited through the branch wires H J and the armature M attracted to the electro-magnets, the electric eurrentwill be short-circuited again, this time through the wire Gr to the wire Q, from the latter to the arm N, thence to the arm O, thence through the post P and wire It to the wireK, and to the ground. vIn consequence of the latter short-circuiting the electro-magnels will hold the armature M to them, even if 7o the opened door or window be instantly closed again, because the electric current will take the easiest course, and an alarm will continue to be given until the existing short circuit is broken by the operator at the ofce opening the line or otherwise, and the release of the armature M eii'ected, whereupon the circuit may be reinstated through the resistancecoil, and the mechanism in the structure to be guarded will be in condition for further use. I employ in connection with this mechanism a lightningarrester, or arrange the circuit-Wires in the structure to be guarded so that they will serve the purpose ot' a lightning-arrester and cause the lightning to pass to the ground without reaching said mechanism. A suitable instrumentcapable of giving momentary orlong-continued alarms at the otlice is there connected with the line-wire A. Such instrument may be adapted to give visual or audible alarms, or both. It may consist of a galvanometer, and the needle of such galvanometer may be made to close a local circuit, to effect the ringing ot' a bell or other audible alarm.

The short alarm given through a momentary change in the resistance ot' the electric circuit from any accidental or other cause outside the structure to be guarded, and the long-continued alarm given through a change in the resistance occasioned at or in the said structure from short-circuiting out the resistancecoil, may be easily distinguished from each other; hence the difiiculty heretofore experienced from the failure to distinguish at the oflice between alarms from such causes and sources is obvi ated.

Although not essential in connection with the above-described improvements, I have shown combined therewith an armature, S, actuated by the electro-magnetsF and carrying a hammer, T, operating a bell,U, and conveying to inmates of the structure to be guarded some preconcerted message from the operator, or notifying them that their attention to the operator is desired. This armature S, as before intimated, is so adjusted in respect to its distance and the force of the spring, whereby it is returned to its normal position, that an electric current ot' suiiicient force to cause the electro-magnets to -attract the armature M will produce no effect on the armature S. I therefore provide a battery of greater force for use when the bell U is to be operated. The ordinary battery communicates with the branch wire A and the more powerful battery with the branch wire Z, and a switch, Y, connected with the line-wire A, and capable of connecting it with either ofthe branch wires A and Z, enables either battery to actuate the elec tromagnets F. This combination ofthe electro-magnets F and the two armatures M and S is of advan tage when the more powerful battery IOO is connected with the circuit, for the said battery can draw up the armature M, thereby short-circuit out the resistance-coil I, and then draw up the armature S. In this way the armature S can be operated with a much less powerful battery than if the battery had to work against the impediment of the resistance-coil.

On the top of the bell U, I have also shown an arm or pointer, V, and extending from the arm N an indicator, X, which, by being in contact with or close proximity to the pointer V, or by being swung away therefrom, will indicate Whether the doors and windows of the structure to be guarded are all closed, by showing whether the electric circuit is not shortcircuited Within the structure or the contrary. When the electric circuit has been short-circuited before locking up the structure to be guarded for the night the circuit-breaker O may be employed to release the armature M, to reinstate the circuit through the structure and resistance-coil I, and Where the building is to be left after being locked the circuitbreaker may be utilized to signal to the operator at the office Where the watch is kept to reinstate the circuit through the structure by opening the line-wire, after the opening and closing of the door of said structure, to permit the exit of the inmates of the structure.

It will have been understood from the foregoing description that the mechanism for maintaining the circuit short-circuited when it is shortcircuited in the structure to be guarded by the opening of a window or door there, and the resistance-coil, are located in the structure to be guarded.

What l claim as my invention, and desire I to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit in a structure to be guarded, of a mechanism located at said structure, and which, when the line or circuit is short-circuited at or within the structure, will hold or maintain it short-circuited, even after the cause of the alarm is removed.

2. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit in a structure to be guarded, ot` an electro-magnet and arms located at said structure and brought into contact by an armature of said magnet on a change of resistance in the circuit within the said structure, and serving thereby to short-circuit the said circuit and hold it short-circuited, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit in a structure to be guarded, of a resistance-coil, an electro-magnet, and arms located at said structure, and the arms brought into Contact by an armature of the magnet on a change in the resistance in the circuit Within the said structure, and serving to short-circuit said circuit and hold or maintain it short-circuited, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4C. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit in a structure to bel guarded, of an electro-magnet, arms located at said structure and brought into contact by an armature of the magnet on a change of resistance in the circuit within the said structure, serving thereby to short-circuit the circuit and maintain it short-circuited, and a circuit-breaker, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with an electric burglar-- alarm circuit in a structure to be guarded, ot' an electro-magnet, arms located at said structure and brought into contact by an armature of the magnet on a change of resistance in the circuit within the said structure, serving thereby to short-circuit the circuit and maintain it short-circuited, and a circuit-breaker having a keeper pivoted to its support, so that it may be swung away from said circuit-breaker, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit in a structure to be guarded, of an electro-magnet, arms located at said structure and brought into contact by an armature of the magnet on a change of resistance in the circuitwithin the said structure, and serving to short-circuit the circuit and maintain it short-circuited, and an indicator located at said structure for showing whether or not the circuit is short-circuited, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

7. The combination of the line-wire A, circuit breaker and keeper U I), wire E, electromagnets F, wire G, wires H H', resistance-coil I, wires J J', Window W, wire K, armature M, arms N 0, post P, and wire It, connecting with wire K.

8. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit for a structure to be guarded, of

an electro-magnet comprised in mechanism for short-circuitin g and holdingor maintaining the said circuit short-circuited on a change of resistance within the structure to be guarded, of a battery sufficient in force to enable the electro-magnet to attract an armature and effect and maintain the short-circuitin g, another battery ot' greater force for causing the electromagnet to attract another armature to effect the operation of a bell or indicator in the structure to be guarded, and means for bringing either battery into communication with the electric circuit at will.

9. The combination, with an electric burglaralarm circuit in a structure to be guarded, of an electro-magnet, arms brought into contact by an armature of the magnet, and serving to short-circuit the circuit within the said structure and maintain it short-circuited, and an electric bell operated by the electro-magnet for sounding an alarm in the said structure.

- HENRY O. ROOME.

Witnesses:

EDWIN H. BROWN, CHANDLER HALL.

IOO

IIO

IZO

Images