US251109A - Burglar-alarm - Google Patents

Description

T. J. GLENN.

BURGLAR ALARM.

Patented Dec. 20

(Model) IV] 7 'NESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OEEiCE.

THOMAS J. GLENN, or PHILADELPHIA, PEnNsYLvAsiA.

BURGLAR-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLettersPatent H0. 251,109, dated December 20, 1881.

Application filed June I, 1881. (Model I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAsJ.GLENN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphii'i and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Door and Burglar Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of my invention. illustrated as applied to a door-frame. Fig.2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal verticalsection. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a window and shutter, showing the adaptation ot'a modification of my invention thereto, and Figs. 7 and 8 are per spective details of said modification.

My invention has relation to mechanical (as distinguished from electric) burglar-alarms, and has forits object to provide. a device which will unfailingly actuate or start an alarm .whenever adoor or window to which it is attached is opened.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully srt forth, having reference principally to the formation of a case or box which receives a ball designed and adapted to beattaehed to the en d of a draft-cord, said case having a groove, in which said ball is caused to travel when a door or window- 'is opened, and a chamber or offset, into which said ball slips or is pushed, so as to relieve the tension on its draft-cord, and thereby cause a distant alarm attached to or connected with the other end of said draft-cord to be actuated or permitted to start.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a case or box, made in two pieces or sections, A and A and having an internal groove or channel, a, which is enlarged at either end, forming ofl'sets 0r chambers a a respectively.

B is a ball adapted and designed to fit and move in said groove, and is secured to one end of a draft-cord, 0, whose other end is connected to a distant alarm of any suitable character, so that said alarm will be actuated or started, when draft is exerted on said cord. In the drawings 1 have illustrated such alarm as consisting of a gong, D, with astriker, rl, to which the cord is attached. Now, if the ball B be moved along the groove a, draft will be exerted on the cord 0, and if the tension be suddenly relaxed the striker will be quickly moved by its retracting-spring d and caused to sound an alarm on the gong. To move the ball and to permit its sudden rele se, l providea carriage or traveler, E, consistingof a bar, 6, with head (2 and depending links e e and roller a The bar 0 fits and moves in a longitudinalslot, a, in the case A, the head 0 extending up into the groove (4, while the links 0 and roller a hang pendent outside of said case. as shown.

The case A is attached to a door-frame, F,

H, in such position that when closed it rests in contact with or behind the traveler E, as

shown in Fig. 1. As thedoor opens the bracket H pushes the traveler before it, the latter moving the ball B until it reaches the offset a when it moves upinto such offset, allowing the traveler to pass it, as shown in dotted lines on the left of Fig. 3. The ball B is now. free to return, and is drawn back by the retractingspring d acting on cord (J, through channel to, its clearance of traveler E having relaxed the tension on said cord andpermitted the striker to act. ,The device resets itself automatically after being operated, the closing of the door pushing back the traveler to, its normal posi-.

tion and causing the latter to. clear itself and get its head back of. the ball by pushing. the latter up into the offset a,as shown in dotted lines on the ri ht of Fig. 3.

To providefor easy movement of the cord, it passes over anti-friction rollers 45 6 i and to allow the device to be moved out of the way during the day-time, or whennot required to be set, the case Ais hinged, as shown at Ir, on a bracket or base-plate, K. A pivoted button, L, is also provided to hold the case in the projected position it occupies when set, as shown in Fig. 1.

Owing to the peculiar slip movement of the ball, the device will unfailingly actuate or start an alarm whenever the door to which it is attached and on which it is set for operation is opened sufficiently to move the hall far enough.

tance-say an inch and a half-effecting such movement and release.

To adapt it to Windows and shutters, which latter open outwardly, the device is somewhat modified from the construction just described, which is intended for adaptation to doors opening inwardly. Such modification is shown in Figs. 6,2, and 8. v In the former figure,M represents a window-frame, N the upper sash, and O the outside shutter. In a mortise, m, on the under side of the upper cross piece, m, of the frame is fitted a plate, P, having a 1ongitndinal slot, 19, which terminates in a recess or offset, 19 Said plate has also on its upper side two lugs, 19 19 which form guides for the draft-cord O, which passes through said slot p, and is there secured to the ball B.

R represents a stirru p-shaped bar, pivoted or sustained on trunnions r rin a bracket, S, fastened on the inside of the shutter O. This bar fits in a notch cut in the upper part of the sash N, its end flange, r, impinging against the side of the ballB, the latter resting in the opening r As the shutter is opened the bar It moves the ball B along the under side of the plate P until said ball rises in the offset 19 clearing the flange r. The ball now slides back under the influence of the draft on the cord 0, and the tension of said cord being thus suddenlye released, the alarm is caused to be sounded.

I have shown the alarm as consisting of a gong; but my invention may be used with a clock-work or other alarm, the draft on the cord G serving to release a detent, and thus set such alarm going. In every case, however, a retracting-spring should be so connected with the draft-cord that when the ball moves up into the offset provided for its clearance it will be drawn back by such spring to its normal position.

To protect the draft-cord from being cut by burglars or intruders, who might open the door far enough to permit the introduction of shears or other cutting device for severing said cord, I propose arranging a metallic pipe, 0 in position above the door and leading up to the case A. The cord will pass through this pipe until it emerges at the pulley i and is thus protected against cutting.

To facilitate moving the stirrup R without requiring one to get upon the window-frame for that purpose, a cord, B, may be attached,

as shown, to the tail-piece of said stirrup. To.

adjust the stirrup the cord R is pulled after drawing down the upper sash. Then on pushing up said sash the stirrup is held in position.

In lieu of the button L, for holding the case in its projected position, a lock operated by a key, or some equivalent means for securing the case A fixedly in position when set and preventing its being turned on its hinge by burglars or intruders, may be employed, and such I intend using.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. In a device for actuating or starting an alarm by exerting draft on a cord or equivalent connection, the combination, with a plate or case, of a ball to be moved therein or thereon and an offset or chamber for receiving and releasing said ball at the limitof its movement, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with case A and ball 13, connected to the actuating-cord of a burglaralarm, the traveler E and bracket H, said parts being constructed and designed for operation substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a device for actuating or starting analarm, of the following parts, namely: a case or plate for guiding the movement of a ball, and formed with an olfset for the latter, a draft-cord passing into said case or plate, and attached to such ball at one end and connected with a retracting-spring at its other, and a traveler or pusher for moving said ball along said case or plate until it is caused to enter the offset therein, whereby draft is exerted on said cord and suddenly released, allowing the latter to be jerked by its retractingspring,-substantially as shown and described.

4. In a burglar or door alarm, the combination, with a hinged case, A, of a button or looking device for holding said casein its projected position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

THOS. J. GLENN.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. GLENN, E. D. MCLOUGHLTN.

Images