US2574696A

US2574696A - Radio alarm transmitting, recording, and signaling system

Info

Publication number: US2574696A
Application number: US79323A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul E Fischler
Original assignee: JOHN NATHANSON
Current assignee: JOHN NATHANSON
Priority date: 1949-03-03
Filing date: 1949-03-03
Publication date: 1951-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-11-13

Description

1 1951 P. E. FISCHLER 2,574,696

RADIO ALARM TRANSMITTING RECORDING AND SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed March 5, 19 19 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVEN TOR. RAUL E. FISCHLER ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 13, 1951 P. E. FISCHLER 2,574,696

RADIO ALARM TRANSMITTING RECORDING AND SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Marh :5, 1 49 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 ATTORNEYS.

m mL H mm. l lm mm k W exbYnEWQ E l l I I I I I I I I l I I IJ L m u 3 M P l I I l l |lJ|1||||||. Y O B l PI I l I I l v 1 am 9: wot @whfi L r Patented Nov. 13, 1951 OFFICE RADIO ALARM TRANSMITTING, RECORD- ING, AND SIGNALING SYSTEM Paul E. Fischler, Bufialo, N. Y., assignor of onehalf to John Nathanson, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application March 3, 1949, Serial No. 79,323

This invention relates to a radio alarm transmitting, recording, and signalling system and may be used wherever such systems are necessary or desirable.

It is particularly well adapted for use as a fire alarm system, and by way of illustration, it will be described in connection with such systems, although its use is not limited thereto.

In rural or suburban areas the fire alarm systems are generally inadequate or non-existent because of the poles and wires necessary with an adequate number of pull boxes, and the cost of known systems is usually beyond the means of small communities and the maintenance of wired systems is comparatively high because of the exposed wire plant.

Most communities are dependent upon the telephone to notify the fire house in time of fire and the time lost between the discovery of a fire and the notification of the fire company and the assembling of' men and apparatus at the scene of the fire is often considerable.

The system herein described has for its object the solution of the foregoing and other problems commonly met with in connection with fire alarm systems, as by the use of the present system, the signals are transmitted from the pull boxes to the fire house in which the'receiver is located without the use of wires and the pull boxes, when operated, automatically transmit impulses and put into operation a fire alarm which will be broadcast by a siren at the fire house or wherever the receiver is located, said broadcast to be followed by a coded air horn signal by which all those within hearing can determine which pull box is operated. These signals may be repeated any number of times.

An object of the invention is to provide a transmitter pull-box having a spring motor controlled by a manually operable lever, which when released, will cause the device to automatically release a series of signal pulses automatically repeated any desired number of times. This eliminates such difliculties as occur from the use of telephone dial switches or the like, which must be correctly manipulated by the user or a wrong signal will result.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transmitter pull-box which is automatically resetting after use. 1

Another object is to provide an audio impulse recording device in which all stepper relays and selector switches are eliminated and in which the incoming signals from the pull-boxes are recorded on a tape, which in turn operates signalling devices such as a sirenv and air horn.

11 Claims. (Cl. 177-354) A further object is to provide a signalling device in which incoming signals from any number of pull boxes may be stored on the tape at one minute'intervals, the signalling mechanism being automatically maintained in operation until all stored signals have been coded by the air horn.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagram of the audio impluse coding mechanism for use at a pull-box used with the alarm system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is aside view of the door l5 of the cast aluminum housing 62 (Figure 5) showing the actuating lever l4 supported thereon.

Figure 4 is a diagram of the audio impulserecording and signalling device operated by the pull boxes shown in the preceding figures; and

Figure 5 is a diagram of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures connected to form the complete radio alarm transmitting, recording and signalling system herein described.

Audio impulse coding mechanism for radio alarm pull-box This mechanism, driven by a spring motor, is used to control the operation of a radio transmitter, modulated with a selected audible tone in the frequency spectrum between and 8,000 O. P. S. modulation occurring as a series of pulses so spaced as to indicate the number of the pull-box.

The National Board of Fire Underwriters requirements state that no box number shall be composed of more than three digits, and that these digits must be repeated four times when sounding an alarm. The coding mechanism to be described was designed, therefore, to code any box number from 2 to 999, andto repeat the digits four times.

Numbers

1, 10, 11, 20, 30, etc. are omitted as they cannot be clearly coded.

For accuracy of transmission, the pulse speed is set at three per second, with intervals of one second between digits and two seconds between groups of digits. Since 999 is the highest number to be cod-ed, 50 seconds are required to transmit this number four times.

A mounting plate In carries the spring motor [0a which is connected to shaft I I through gear Ha to drive discs l2 and I3 at 1 R. P. M. When the actuating lever l4 mounted on door I5 is depressed, the cam IE on said lever engages the hinged latch bar I! at point I8, closing the contacts I 9, 20 to energize the transmitter tube filaments hereinafter referredta...

This action also raises the opposite end of the latch bar out of slot 2| in disc l2, allowing discs 12 and I3 to rotate. The latch bar I! rides on the face of the disc l2 during rotation, thereby maintaining contacts I9, closed. The actuating lever l4 returns to its normal position by reasonmftthe pressure of spring '22.

The transmitted tube iilamentsare allowed to reach normal operating temperature during the first 10 seconds of disc rotation by reason of the cut-away portion 23 on disc l3. ..Coding.teeth-2.4 on the disc l3 are then in

positiontoactuatenontacts

25, 26 which close a circuit causing the audio oscillator to modulate thettransmrttenwith pulses designating the pull-box number all as presently described.

Upon completion of one revolution of 'discs l2, l3, the latch bar H under pressure of =spring'21 falls back into slot 2| stopping the motor. This action :alsoiopens aiilament contacts 1 I-9, .20. lFhe mechanism :ismownutomaticallyreset :for subsequent operation.

:In practice, .thie .rlisc 1:3 15.;f8blifi8it6d with teeth equally .spaced around ithe-zentire circumference .and it fis :wthenlsmilled :to remove ithose teeth not required.

Audio impulse :recor'cling and signaling device This .device;-.is designed'to operate from the output of :a suitablevreceiver:-as.shown in .E'ig. 5 to record coded audio signals from the pull-boxes shown in Figs. lito .3 inclusive, and .to employ these. recorded .signals toautomatically .operatea warning -siren followed by; air-horn signals .designating the -.number .of ,pull-box. .Reference is now made -.to Big. ,4

.Standard-type-paper tape..28,is .stored on the reel .29 .and .threadedthrtmgh guide wheels .30, 3| lover drive .disc 32, through guide wheels33, 34, and .over. .disc. 3.5.

Drive disc.;32ihas.aldiameter .of 2 inches and is geared to synchronous motor 36 to rotate in a clockwise direction .at a :speed .of 4 R..P. M. Therefore, 31.4 inches of-tape-pass over this disc per minute. Since it requires 50 seconds for the highest pull-box number, '9'99,-=to be transmitted and received, 262- incheso'f -tape will be'employed in recording these signals, 'and the remaining 5.2"in-ches is'requiredto span the distance between perforating punch '31 and-

signaling contacts

38 and 39.

Drive disc 35 also has a diameter of 2%i-nches and is eared to synchronous =motor 40 to rotate in a-clockwisedirection'at aspeed'o'f 1%R. P. thereby allowing 31.4-inches of tape to pass over this -disc in a 3 minute period. This reduced rate of tape-travel allows -seconds "for siren actuation during travelof theuncoded 5.2 inches of 'tape 'from :perforating punch .13! to signaling contacts .38 and 39. Also, the following coded tape allows contacts 38 and --39 'to close -for one second :for eachrecorded pulse, with three seconds space between digits :and six @seconds space "between groups ot-digits.

flDisc 74:! has aldiameter :of 12% and is :geared to -disc 32 to rotate in a counterclockwise :direction at a speed of 1 R. P. DiscM has-adiameter of 2 :inches and is geared to :disc .to rotate in a counterclockwise direction one revolution in three minutes.

The -reception of thenrst pulse of .a :series 101 pulses of proper audio frequency operates the tuned audio relay 43 to close its contacts. 44 -rand 44a. -This completes an A.:C.circuit:to then-erforating coil 45 andrelaiy-noillfi. 30135145 10035 in through contacts 41, 48, 49, 50. Contacts 5! and 52 also close to complete A. C. circuit to motor 36. Contacts 53 and 54 are adjusted to open after contacts 41, 48, 49 and 50 have closed, thereby opening lead to coil 46 from contact 44 of relay 43, preventing shorting of contacts 44 and fla ofrrelay 43iwhen relay 46:1ocks in. lDTiVB disc 32: starts to'rotate.causingislacktoiform in tape 28 shown by loop 55, thereby closing tape-

pressure vcontrolled contacts

56, 51 which complete an A. C. circuit to motor 40, starting rotation of drive disc .35. Subsequent-pulses continue to operate relay 43 and coil and tape 28 is coded by perforating 150001531. The speed *of rotation of disc 32 being greater :than'ithat of 35 will cause the tape to .loop at.55 as shown.

-Atthe end of aone-minute period, disc 4| will havennade. one revolution and cam 58 will open contacts 49 and to de-energize relay 46 and opemcontactsfil :and .52 to stop.motor 36. Disc 35 willcontinue to rotate until tapev becomes .taut and-opens contacts 56...and..51 tostopmotor 40.

Cam 59 on disc 42 closes siren control contacts i0 and J5 I .for first l5.seconds .of .rotation. Ibis allows the siren to reach maximum speed, and another 15-.secondsis-required for .it to coast to a stop. By this time .the perforated portionof the .tape has reachedair-horn control contacts 38. .and .39, which then.close=and .opento .audibly sound-the pull-box. number.

,Aiter afone minute period asecondalarmmay be stored, :the first. pulse repeating the operation previously .explainedand .the tape .28 will form.a:loop.55 asshown. .Asaprecaution against jamming, instructions may be ,placed on-each pull-box, advising .not-to actuate the box for one minute after thestarting-of .a siren signal warning of .a previously received alarm.

Operation of radio alarm transmitting, recording and-:signalingsystem :Having described the-construction and operation :of the pull-box audio impulse =.coding mechanism and the audio .impulseirecording :and signaling system, references-is, now made to .Fig. :5 for the purpose iof explaining .the operation of the :complete radio alarm .system.

Transmitting unit "The transmitter, audio impulse coding :mechanism generally :indicated :at 163, vibrator type platexrpowersupply -'64 :and :6 volt battery are housed in a weather proof aluminum case 62. Bower from the transmitter :is flied to:a;half-wav.e dipole antenna :66 l'byrmeans-o'f coaxial cable 161.

Access to the actuating slever I4 is had by opening a'small auxiliarydoor on thelarge door t5=zof the housing r62. When this lever is depressed as explained :in :connection .with Figs. 1 to .3 inclusive, its cam action places the impulse ceding mechanism .ingoperation. 'The'contacts 19.320 close'to complete-a circHitfrom battery-65 to ithe itube filaments, and also :to :the input of plate "QDWBILSUDDlYiBA. After a 10.:second trans- .mitter -warm-up period, the. :coding teeth-on disc l3 of the coding mechanism 63 are :in position toaclose contacts f2,5,-"Z6, thereby completing the plate circuit ofithe audio oscillator, allowing it to generate pulses of a selected audio frequency, which are employed to,:drive the modulator tube. Radio frequency power, modulated with audio pulses designating thezpull-ibox number, is .radiated :Erom the-antenna. .66.

.A-fterrepeating .the'Pull-Zhox designating signals four times, the icodingzmechanism stops, automatically opening'the battery circuit to filaments and. plate power supply, and also resetting the actuating lever for subsequentoperation.

Recording and signalling unit and appear in the output circuit as audio pulses.

If the values of L and C of tuned audio relay 43 are chosen to cause circuit resonance at the audio pulse frequency, the contacts 44 and 44a will close for each pulse received. Closing of contacts 44 and 44a completes an energizing circuit to the perforating coil 45 and relay 46. Operation of the recording and signalling unit is then as described in explanation of Fig. 4, causing the siren S to sound for 30 seconds followed by operation of the air-horn connected at AI-I to code the number of the transmitting pull-box.

While the system as shown employs the transmission and reception of amplitude modulated radio signals, it will operate equally as well with phase or frequency modulated signals.

As the construction of spring-driven motors such as that employed in the pull-box Fig. l to drive disc [2 and I3 is well known, same is not described herein in detail. This also applies to the details of construction of the crystal controlled transmitter, plate power supply, crystal controlled receiver and other component parts which are of any suitable construction.-

And, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described by way of illustration, it will be understood that many change and modifications can be made therein without however, departing from the appended claims which define the invention herein set forth.

What is claimed is:

l. A radio transmitter comprising a crystal controlled R. F. oscillator, a R. F. amplifier, an audio oscillator, a modulator adapted to modulate the R. F. amplifier with single frequency pulsed audio tones, a power supply, a spring actuated impulse coding mechanism including an actuating lever adapted to be manually moved to release said mechanism, a first contact operated by the movement of said lever for controlling the application of filament voltage to all tubes and plate voltage to the R. F. and modu lator tubes of said transmitter, a pulsing member having coding teeth forming part of said mechanism, and a second contact actuated by said teeth for controlling application of plate voltage to the audio oscillator of said transmitter causing the modulation of the R. F. carrier current with a series of audio pulses corresponding to the number and spacing of said coding teeth, said coding mechanism adapted to maintain the pulse transmission at a selected speed.

2. A radio transmitter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first contact is timed to closea predetermined time prior tothe operation of said second contact.

3. A radio transmitter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pulsing member comprises a disc having teeth extending radially from its periphery, said teeth being disposed in spaced-apart groups, each group comprising more than three teeth, the speed of the pulses produced by said pulsing member being present at 3 per second, with intervals of one second between digits and two seconds between groups of digits.

4. In a radio transmitter of the type described wherein there are instrumentalities including a transmitting tube necessary to transmit a radio frequency carrier wave modulated with pulsed audio tones of a selected frequency, a motor, a first disc, impulse mechanism including a contact adjacent said disc and adapted to be operated by the rotation thereof, a second disc, a pivoted latch bar associated with said second disc and normally restraining both said discs from rotation, a manually operable actuating lever adapted 'to engage said latch bar and move the same to release said discs for rotation by said motor and a contact actuated by said lever to control the application of filament voltage to the transmitter tubes.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second disc has a radial slot into which the free end of said latch projects.

6. In an audio impulse recording and signalling device including a radio receiver having an output circuit, a tuned audio relay connected to said output circuit for actuation by audio pulses delivered thereto via said circuit, contacts controlled by said relay, a perforating mechanism controlled by said contacts, a second relay controlled by said contacts, locking contacts on said second relay to hold same closed upon energization of said relay, first and second motors controlled by said second relay, a tape adapted to be perforated by said perforating mechanism and moved by said first motor, contacts controlled by said tape for controlling said second motor, means controlled by said second motor for producing a first audible signal, and a second audible signal controlled by contacts operated by perforations in said tape.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 including means controlled by said first motor for opening the circuit to said motor after a predetermined period.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means controlled by said second motor for producing said first audible signal includes contacts cyclically controlled by said second motor to energize said signal during a predetermined operation of said second motor.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 6 including members driven by said motors for moving said tape, said motors operating at such speeds that a loop of said tape is formed therebetween during a predetermined period of operation of said motors.

10. In a system of the class described, a manually operable pulse generator including a springoperated contact device adapted to control the transmission of audio tone modulated radio signals in a series of repetitive groups of impulses, a radio receiver adapted to receive such signals and produce corresponding groups of audio pulses, a tuned audio relay operable by said audio pulses, means controlled by said relay for moving and perforating a tape, means controlled by said tape for terminating the movement thereof, and means controlled by said tape for broadcasting audible signals corresponding to said audio pulses.

:1-1 -In: a system of the class described, *wherein there .-is a radio transmitter, 'instr-umentalities necessary -'-to modulate :the radio frequency =carrier of said transmitter with repetitive groups ofsingle frequency audio tones, a -mot0r,-a first ,5

disc, pulsing mechanism including contacts eadjacent said disc and adapted to beioperatedby the rotation thereof, a second disc, a pivoted latch-j-bar associated with said-second disc and normally restraining both said discs -f-rom-rotation,-a manually operable actuating lever'adapted to. engage said latch-bar and move the same to releasesaid discs forrotation by said motor,

and :contacts actuated by said lever and said second disc to control the application of .filainent voltage 'to the tubes of said radio transmitter.

PAUL E..FISCHLER.

@REFERENGES CITED Th'e follovving references are of "record in t'h'e file of this paten'tz I UNITED STATES PATENTS