US2522615A

US2522615A - Alarm system

Info

Publication number: US2522615A
Application number: US586349A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph L Hughes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-04-03
Filing date: 1945-04-03
Publication date: 1950-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1967-09-19

Description

Sept' 19, 1950 R. L. HUGHES 2,522,615

ALARM SYSTEM Filed April 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l *A2-r @Pff/prf@ /BaeaL/s ,warn r//feM/vz f/'Pf www JMW/vrs.

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Sept' 19, 1950 R. l.. HUGHES 2,522,615

ALARM SYSTEM Filed April 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .f7-@n 4a Zgc 4a' I n ven/or 720i/v Zjfyew www* me Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE 2 .Claimsi 1 V.

This inventionirelates to automatic' valarmsys#y tems informing police :stationsfre departments;` orfother .private or public agencies keepingf'watch over the premisesofa shop or otherl establishment that kalarming conditions have f developed 'and it has particular .reference `to systems lof 'this type ini-Which messagesfareisentgby WleESS trans* missioni It is the general' object of .th .inventionfto'4 im-l prove alarm systems of the above mentioned 'type in'such fa-Way ithat 'theyfare' able 'tot work satis' factorilyand 'reliably' lin .conjunctionfwithl the existing 'facilities fof Vpolice stations. fire depart= ments` and other agenciesl Without vdisturbing* other installations? and without requiring the s. presence or installation of a special network while on r :the tether hand; a reasonable" security yexists i that thecall will .be received.`

According "to the invention. the message l'is a spoken tmessage which. is delivered repeatedly during 'agivenperiod and which'is fsentfout by'v radio bymeansA of "a transmittertwhich. is' able tof/cover a certainzlimitedr areafwhich` includes severaly stations; but not too -'many'stationsf equippedv vfor ythe receptiony `and supervision;

The transmitter is set in'towoperationJbylocal` alarm circuitsfandthetoperationi of said :alarm circuitsfalso selects one of a sere'siof automatic endless; records which: are operated r`when :the alarm.:A signal is :giveni'and which furnish* the modulation"'fo'r the transmitter `so thatthe re'- ceived waves will indicate by means of arspoken". message the vlnaturerof .the 'di'sturbance1fand its location.:

Theinvention also includesy means for stopping benetransmitted 1 and includesmeans' 'for auto maticallyresetting the entire alarm system for" aflat'eroperation:

Theinvention further comprises-'means 'for sending a spoken message Which/are controlled by the operation of 'they transmitter itself.

The invention further *comprises* meansL` for` timing the operation of 'the'tra'nsmitter 'and of the record "producing the talking in such'away that they are 'operated simultaneously."

Further features of the invention and "furthei` objects to be attained `willi'be idescribedin the@ following specification.

It :islfto' be f understood `v`that' :the invention 1re-1 sides mainly in the alarm systemgas described* and shownl in the specic'ati'oni'and drawings,4 and as claimed the descriptionlof one fmodiiicationof this system isff-not-fintendedf tofbe #limitative but-l' 55 the-:record andthe operationvof the transmitter after a sufficient 'numberof lalarm"signals have to showiby way of example how thisl systemican be carried into effect. Many changes especially with'regard to specic details mentioned may,"

therefore,' be made without departing from the essence of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1'is a diagram of the connection of an' installation producingtwo diiierent types of` Figures 2 and Bare' .diagrams showing different methods for producing the talking currents from an endless record, which may 13e-employed in the alarmfsystem according tothe invention.`

Figurel is a diagrammatic view of one typey of automatic switch thatmay `be employed iniA thelocal alarm circuits.4

Figures 4a'to 4c illlustrate different positions ofthe switch.r

Figureis aitop View on the endless steel wire arrangement on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is ak diagrammatic View of a further modification.

According to the modification shown in the diagram (Figure 1) the installation comprises two diie'rent types `ofalarm systems 'each provided Withits "ownendless record for a spoken message.l

One of 'these messages' may begior example,-a"-

message' tothe police department lto be delivered When'the .burglary alarm is loperated and the c second :message may be one for the fire department in the event that lone of theswitches'of the re alarm circuit is operated. It is, however; to be understoodthat this represents merely an example foraltypical case and that the number of messages among which the correct message has to be selected may belarger.

The` alarmis given as usual by meansof a number of .swit'ches3,N I3 or 33 connected in parallel.

In the example shown (Figure 1) the' (automatic) burglar-alarm switches I3 are controlled by. a key-v l operatedswitch 32'which, vwhen operated, permits` said switches I3 tol-be energized from 'outside of l the premiseswhile rthe pushLbutton type of emer gency policealarmiswitches 3 and also the therfinally operated nre alarm control switches 337i mayI-'be energizedff-'at alltimes whether the key switch is operated'orVI not.' The switches I3 in this diagram (Figure 1) are 'automatic're-opem ingswitchesfswhich; upon beingoperatedvby ay "burglar opening-a door or windowor some other means, close their contacts only momentarily and theniremain inanropen position until again operated-by the above described means.

The closing of onefof the switches 3, I3 or33 i f'clo'sesthe a1arm-'circuit, as well'knowni-'to-Which the group of switches belongs. Assuming, for instance, that the switches I3 belong to a, group forming part of the burglary alarm, then each of them will close the alarm circuit I (Figure l) which includes the alarm relay I2 operating a number of relay arms closing local circuits. Similarly the thermal switches 33 when operated Will close the circuit |00 of relay IUI, operating a number of local circuits. These local circuits control a transmitter 22 and a motor 42 which drives the endless speech record carrier apparatus 49 producing a talking current. The local circuits also include the coils 5D, 5| of the magnetic heads of a magnetic recorder in which the currents modulating the carrier wave of the radio transmitter are induced. They further include switch arms |39, |30@ and the contacts 49, 49a which provide means for stopping the operation of the entire alarm system, the holding circuits for the relays I2, |0| themselves, the lament circuit tubes 29, arranged in the output circuit of the transmitter and the grid circuit for the grid of tube 29 which is connected with a point of the transmitter supplying the desired grid bias for the operation of said tube.

The transmitter 22 may be of any well known type. In this special example the transmitter is supposed to operate only with one frequency. However, the transmitter is preferably adjustable to a number of different frequencies, if necessary. The transmitter should be adjustable to the broadcast wave length and moreover to the wave lengths used by police and fire departments communication systems, the latter being as-a rule short-wave communications systems,

The transmitter may be either battery operated or operated by connection with a source of electric power by means of the wall plug 30 and of the contacts 23 and it is set into operation by means of the contacts 24 which control the supply current through the relay arm |1 of the alarm relay I2. A series of contact terminals 26, 21 connects the transmitter with the circuits providing the talking currents.

A relay 23 is inserted in the place circuit of the electronic tube 29. The voltage for this circuit is supplied by the high-voltage plate current supply of the transmitter itself and is connected to the relay 28 and the electronic tube 29 through the contact terminals 36 of the transmitter 22. The relay contact arm 3| of the relay 28 controls the current supply to the motor 42.

The lament circuit of the electronic tube 29 is controlled by the contact arms I8, ||8 of the relays I2, and IBI respectively,

The apparatus 46 furnishing the talking currents consists of a magnetic record carrier using endless magnetized wires 4|, 4|a, running over a series of grooved disks 45, the number of which is so kchosen that they can accommodate the required wire length (Figure 5). Since the magnetized recording wires are endless the recorded message may be repeated over and over again for the desired number of times without any adjustments or any re-setting.

The disks 45 are driven by a pulley 43 which is itself driven by means of appropriately chosen gear wheels 44 by a motor 42. The

coils

50, 5| of the magnetic head of the recorder are arranged near the wires in which the talking currents are induced.

The pulley drives a shaft 39 carrying a worm 46 which meshes with a worm wheel 41 carrying either a cam disk or a pin 48 acting on a pivoted switch actuating arm |24. The arm |24 is under the tension of a spring |25 which draws it against a rest |26,

Against the switch actuating arm |24 which may be provided with a plate a push rod |21 bears which is connected with the two pivoted switch arms |30, |30a drawn towards the switch actuating arm by a spring |28. The switch arms |30, |30a cooperate with contacts 49 and 46a respectively. The switch arms |30 and |3911 and contacts 49, 49a are so arranged that a slight movement of the arms will not separate them from the contacts, such separation being only the result of a movement of the arms over an appreciable distance.

When the pin 48 during revolution of the Worm wheel is pushed against the switch actuating arm |24, the latter is therefore lifted from its rest |26 while the push rod |21 still rests on the push plate of the spring actuating arm for some time and the spring |28 keeps these two members in contact. This movement is however so slight that the contact arms |30 and |3011 remain in contact with the contacts 49, 49a. When the pin 48 is moved further towards the switch actuating arm |24 the switch actuating arm moves away from its rest |26 and when the pin reaches the end of the switch actuating arm |24 the latter snaps back and rst meets the push rod |21 exercising a kind of hammer like action. Thereby the two contact arms |30, |3|la are driven out of engagement with contacts 49, 49a. This opens the circuits of said contacts momentarily. They do not remain open, however, but are soon closed again by the action of spring |28. The worm gear arrangement is so adjusted that the worm wheel 4'| will complete one revolution by the time the recorded message on the endless wire has been broadcast for the desired number ci times.

It will be noted that there are as many wire systems 4|, 4Ia as there are different kinds of spoken messages to be sent over the transmitter. The connection of each system with the transmitter is controlled by the alarm circuits Ill, |09, each circuit connecting one of the coils 5U, 5| with the transmitter and thus selecting the special message to be transmitted.

It is to be understood, however, that the magnetic speech recording system (Poulsen system) is only an example and that other systems may be employed. Figures 2 and 3 show other methods which may be used. Figure 2 shows an endless strip or band 4Ic covered with a suitable surface laver or consisting of a suitable plastic material into which a record has been impressed by means of the usual cutter. The arrangement is otherwise the same which has been described with reference to Figure l. The talking currents in this case are produced in the electric pick up 60 and may be amplied in the well known type of amplier. Wires 62 and 63 are in this case connected over the relay contact with one of the contact pairs 26 or 21 of the transmitter. The rollers 45 over which the band is running are driven by means of a pulley 43 and by means of gear wheels 44 by a motor 42.

A similar arrangement is shown in Figure 3 in which an endless band 4|b is covered by an emulsion rendered more or less opaque, by exposure to light in a photographic process or by printing or by using a triangular cutter penetrating more or less deeply into an opaque layer of varying thickness. The arrangement comprises a lamp 94 sending light rays to a photoelectric cell 96 arranged in a local circuit which may contain an amplifier. y The leads 62, 63 lead- 5f: ing :from the .amplifier are thenconnectedfin AtheA same-way in'which the coil,'50-or 5I is connected with the contact. terminals 2Iiror 2'Iof the trans-f mitter 22.'

An yexamplewof` the :type of switchy that maybe used.v as anf'automatic burglar alarmfswitch I3'is shownfdiagrammatically in Figures 4, 4A, 4B and 4C. As shown in these gures when the windowy (ondoor, etc.) I `is opened by an unauthorized person entering the premises the pin 2 'on the door or window pushes the arm 3a and shaft 4 inthe direction shown bythe arrow. until thearm slips oi'ithepinl. At this moment the springv 5 pullsshaft 4`backl against the lstop 5.' When the f shaft ystrikes the stop Gth'e momentum` causes-v th'e weighted contact8ton`the'fiexible shaft' I to continue Amoving so that'it makes momentary contact with thecontact 9 whichis also on .a flexible Lshaft Illa. This lmomentaryv contact .of the switch-contacts t` and 9k is -suiicient tofenergize the alarmrelay I2Iin Figure 1 andrstarts the operati-onor the entire alarmsystem. After. the momentary contact has. ybeen*` made'the two switch contacts 8 and 9- Figure 44) again resume their normal open position. The hinged arm 3a is counterbalanced so that it will always resume its normal position shown inli'ig ure 4. This is providedbecausewhen vthewin-` dowfl is closed therpin 2.causes the yarm 3ato tip downward but 'it' passesr withoutamoving the shaft l4-ory the switchI contacts hand 9, andthe counter weights return the arm '3a `to'normal.

positionwhenvreleased by the pin moving down,"

ward.' Figure fishows only one 'creci/eral. types of automatic re-opening switches. that may rhe used inthe alarm Acircuit at ,3,1lv'iigure l.l

The line .terminal contacts `25 theitransmitter-. 22 are low voltage lcontacts energized at all times during whichthe transmitter fisyconnected,y tothe power lsupply throughcontacts 523 andfwall plug Silery througlrabattery connection if the; transmitter is .battery ,operated. Theser contacts- 25 -provide .the electric current which energizes the alarm switches 3,13, .33,the alarm'relay'coilsy` I2,r IOI,the electric motor -42 yand the lament of tube 29.,v

The temperature controlled lire alarm switches 33 shown in/Figureil :are similarin .operationtok the burglar alarm switchesI3. It willfhetnoted that rthe use .of automaticre-opening.switches I3` and-33 and the vuse of automatic 1re-:closing: switches. suchtzasthose described y,(13% ISQa) cooperating with contacts 49 and 49a (Figure ,ll make this alarm systemv entirely automatic f in operation; After each; operation; thealarmfsystem 4is again. ready tosendfanother alarm as the alarincircuit'isagain,open. Fiorinstancaif a burglar attempts to enter the premises an alarm. is ygiven leven if the 4attempt is unsuccessful. If a second vattempt is made after some time, the alarm is repeated.v It should be noted herethat thefsw'itches 13,; and ,33 are to befconsidered as annexamplev of one type thatmight zbe used.4 Their construction and varrangement does 1 not, formfpart of this invention.

Theyoperation of the arrangement is as. ltoliows:

Assuming that the relay kcircuit AIt'belongs tov the burglary-.alarmcircuit, ,while rthel circuit I 00.1. belongs-to the fire alarm circuit; then,l it wilLbe,l cleargthat if; one of; the yswitches-I3 is closed by i anA `:unauthorized persony entering the 4premises while the keyoperatedswitchfSZ.has been closed. or when one/ of the switches 3 is;closed'momenfV tarily by the owner of; theypropertyJbeingliurcfy tected. theicircuit-oi relay :I2 willzbe--closed :run-

nali ci; contacts 25.v Relay1 I2fis energizedwand I8 and' ISL'.r

operatesth'e Arelay :arms :f I4 ,'f I6, i4 I l; Arm I 6 "'.lcloses f agholding Hcircuitgfrom source 25,

over-182:1,` over .contact 20 through. lead. 19,4 switch i arm. I 30 ,contact` i 49 'f andi conductor "maf which" holdingV circuit is.paralleltofthefleadIZ and to the switchesj- I3.. A rea-.opening of."thegswitch I311or 3 which'zhas :been iclosedzor :evenv destruction'. of. VYthe same; therefredoes notft'aieot the operationv of.: theA alarmrsystem; Operation-'or the arm I 4fopensthe :circuit :of-the switches .3,1I 3 and Icauses rthefcontrol of the :relay holding circuit to.'f'bealef=t 'withfswitch acontactnarm 13m-and Contact 49.5operatedfb`y thefworm. gear .-arrange- A mentr 4l.: Armi-vl 'I operatesafswitch which -is part,

transmitter. These circuits are:connectedziwith:

of fthe `rtransmitter :andsiwhicha'closes the circuits contacts 24 of the transmitter 22 over. leadsl3- andf114fiandnare: normally opent-` untilzclosed by relay armfI 'Ib The -relay arm 'I 8 lcontrolsqthe circuit supplying current 1 to the filament :of the electronic tube 29sand alsoithe circuit tothe amotor42. The circuit/to` kmotor 42 runs `fromfthe negative yterminal v, at! 5 on the transmitterthrough lead .'I 0;*through relay :arm 1I8,l .throughilead 82 tomotor42 and back-throughlead 8I,l through relay contacts 3l to.. positive 1 terminaliat 2 5.1`

ThecpurposeA ofithe` electronic tube 29 and the relay 28 is to delay :the/operation of the y,motoriv 42 1until-the:electronic tubesfin thetransmitter y22 have vwarmed upf sufciently andthe transmitter is :actually broadcasting on 'its' carrier frequency.`

When the relay armfIB iclosesit energizes the.`

-lament gof :tube f2 9. When ,the tube 12 9 has vbecome-heateda platecurrentwill beginV toilow` and close therelaycontacts 3I by* energizing the 3 relayclosing ycoil 28. The .tube 29 vis of the same general. typetowhich .the transmitter tubesbelongiandf-,it' is so selectedthatfitsrwarming-'up time will. :be neither.y the i same rior; slightly: longer than that fof thetransrnitter tubes. The :relay 28 is thereforeoperated when the transmitted tubes are ready for, operation.y It completes the circuit to the=motor 42 andthe .motor-now. starts lto run drawing'along the pulleys 45:1withthe magnetized f wiresfbymeans of: the gearwheelsz'lIlI Vandthe pulley :43;:I The Amagnetizedwires when Apassing the :magnetic :heads: withithe coils 58 and-5l :are

engenderingthe:talking'1currents; only the cir-4 cuitof coil*5l)is closed by the armature I9, as this armature connects'contacts-ZB of transmitter 22 vleading tothe'modulatingarrangement of the transmitter-fwithithe v1fcoil5(l iby` means of leads 83,283a,n84:and 85.'

Thefztransmitterzis modulated )bythe-,talking currentsgenerated in coil llwwhich producethe required'signalxcallingfthe police station and statinglthat afburglary-signal has been operated and further statinggthe .exactlocationof the premises;

The: callis;repeatedseveral times;v The length l ofirthegperiod during which the/,call is` ssuedisr selected appropriately. Whensthe motor 42' starts togoperate it vturns not only the pulley 43 but alsoworm gear 46 andtheworm Wheel 41 on whichacam surface or pin 48 is mounted; When the-wheel 41 has been turned around for oney Further rotation ,of the` wheel.

41 causes the pin 48 to press against the s'witch actuating lever |24 and to move it outwardly away from rest |26 until it has reached the end of the lever. When further advanced the switch actuating lever snaps back and strikes against the push rod |21 which is connected with the two contact levers |30, |30a cooperating with the contacts 49, 49a. These levers under the impact of the lever |24 striking against the push rod |21 are pushed away from lever |24 against the action of their spring |28 associated with them and they will be separated from contacts 49 and 49a for a short while. The lever |24 comes to a rest against stop |28 and the two levers |30, |30@ return under the influence of their spring |28 and come into contact with the contacts 49, 49a.

The opening of the holding circuits at contacts 49 and 49a causes deenergization of the relay |2. The said relay, when deenergized falls back and the circuits controlled by the relay arms I6, 1, |8, |9 are again opened while relay arm |4 simultaneously closes its contact connected with line l5.

It will be noted that the worm gear arrangement is so adjusted that the gear wheel 41 will complete one revolution by the time the recorded message on one of the endless wires 4|, 4|a has been broadcast the desired number of times. The disconnection and return of the apparatus therefore occurs when a complete cycle of operations has been performed. Since the switch arm |30 is again in contact with contact 49 and the relay arm |4 is closed, completing circuits to the alarm switches 3 and I3, the entire alarm system is now again ready for another operation.

The push-button switches 3 are provided so that the tenant of the property can operate the alarm system in case of a robbery attempt while the tenant is on the premises.

The alarm apparatus, is usually combined with some local apparatus (not shown) giving a local alarm at the place itself or at a suitable place in the vicinity, and it is returned to its normal condition when the local alarm is stopped or the necessary counter-measures have been taken.

In the event of a fire the heat causes one of the switches 33 to close (momentarily). This closes the circuit of relay |0| through the relay contact arm I4 and switch 33.

The operation is similar to that which has already been described. The relay |0| is energized and operates all the circuits which have been described in connection with relay |2 with the exception that contact arm ||9 now closes the circuit of coil 5| and connects it with contacts 2'! of the transmitter 22 which also leads to the modulating arrangement over leads 9| and 92. The wire 4|a now furnishes the talking currents calling the re department and stating the location of the premises where the iire has broken out. The relay arm I6 closes the circuit to the switch contact 49a which contact is opened (momentarily) when the gear wheel 41 completes one revolution and pushes contact arm |30a away from it. This action stops the operation of the entire alarm system apparatus in the same way in which the opening of the contact 49 stops the operation of the system.

The modieation shown is designed for conditions in which alarm has to be given to one agency, say the police station only, Iwhich will notify other agencies such as the re department, if necessary. If independent agencies are to be notiiied the relays have to operate two transmitters or a plurality of transmitters, practically all arranged together and forming a single trans-r mitter with a plurality of frequencies. The operation of a transmitter with a plurality of frequencies may be controlled by providing as many contacts 24 as there are frequencies and by operating them separately by the contact arms I'B, I6 in the same way in which the

coils

50, 5| are operated separately.

Other modifications and changes Will be lobvious to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. An alarm system for unguarded premises having an alarm circuit with temporarily closing alarm contacts, a self-holding alarm relay provided `with relay arms and contacts, and operated by said contacts, and a holding circuit for the said relay, and further provided with a broadcast transmitter having electronic tubes and an energizing circuit, closed `and held closed by the arms and contacts of the alarm relay, when operated, and further including a source of currents, means for producing radio frequency oscillations and means for modulating the said oscillations by recorded speech currents, the latter means including an endless record carrier, means for advancing the same, and electric driving means for said advancing means, said alarm system comprising an energizing circuit for the record carrier driving means, controlled by the relay contacts of the alarm relay, simultaneously with the control of the energizing circuit of the broadcast transmitter, an electronic tube connected with said transmitter provided with a cathode and a plate, supplied with heating and plate current upon energization of the transmitter, and thus becoming operative simultaneously with the electronic transmitter tubes, a plate circuit for said tube, a control relay in said plate circuit, operated upon operation of the tube, said control relay including a relay contact controlling the energizing circuit of the electric driving means for the record advancing means, means for limiting the advance of the endless record carrier, including a pair of normally closed contacts, one of said contacts being displaceable, means for displacing said displaceable contact operated by said driving means of the endless record carrier after a predetermined advance of the said endless record carrier, said contact pair controlling the holding circuit of the alarm relay and thereby controlling the circuit of the electric driving means for the endless record carrier and the energizing circuit of the transmitter, the advance of the endless record carrier and the operation of the broadcasting radio transmitter being thus synchronized in order to obtain a predetermined number of messages during a minimum of broadcasting time.

2. An alarm system for unguarded premises having an alarm circuit with temporarily closing alarm contacts, a self-holding alarm relay, provided with relay arms and relay contacts and operated by said alarm contacts, and a holding circuit for the said relay, and further provided with a broadcast transmitter having electronic tubes, an energizing circuit, closed and held closed by the arms and tcontacts of said alarm relay, when operated, and including a source :of currents, means for producing radio frequency oscillations, and means for modulating the same by recorded speech currents, the latter means including an endless record carrier, rotating means for advancing the same, and electric driving means for said endless record carrier, driving said rotating advancing means, said alarm system comprising an energizing circuit for the record carrier driving means, controlled by the relay contacts of the alarm relay, simultaneously `with the controlling of the energizing circuit of the broadcast transmitter, an electr'onic tube connected with said transmitter, provided with a cathode and a plate and supplied `with heating and plate current upon energization of said transmitter, thus becoming operative simultaneously with the electro-nic tubes of the transmitter, a plate circuit for said tube, a control relay in said plate circuit operated upon operation of the tube, said control relay including control relay contacts controlling the energizing circuit for the electric driving means for the endless record carrier, a heating circuit for the cathode of the `aforesaid electronic tube arranged in parallel to the control relay contacts in the energizing circuit of the electric driving means for the endless record carrier, rotating pulleys driven by said driving means and advancing said endless record carrier, :and a revolution counter, including a pair of normally closed contacts separated :after a predetermined rotary movement of the said pulleys, said contacts controlling the holding circuit of the alarm relay and thereby the energizing circuits for the electric driving means of the endless record carrier and the energizing circuit of the transmitter, and de-ene-rgizing said circuits upon operation after a predetermined number of revolutions of the pulleys.

RALPH L. HUGHES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the