US3180307A

US3180307A - Fire alarm

Info

Publication number: US3180307A
Application number: US276341A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul L Sullivan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-04-29
Filing date: 1963-04-29
Publication date: 1965-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-27

Description

P. L. SULLIVAN FIRE ALARM April 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1963 INVENTOR. PAUL L. SULLIVAN j Mix:

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,180,307 FIRE ALARM Paul L. Sullivan, 527 Harrison Ave., Lancastenflhio Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,341

8 Claims. (Cl. 116--104) This invention relates to fire alarm apparatus.

In general, the apparatus comprises an upright frame means that supports a bell and hammer mechanism arranged to produce a loud audiblesignal that can be heard throughout a dwelling or other building.

As another aspect of the present invention the apparatus comprises a driving means for'intermittently actuating the hammer which driving means uniquely utilizes the controlled action of a falling weight to positively effect the alarm.

As still another aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned hammer driving means is released in the event of a fire by a unique trigger mechanism that incorporates a plurality of trigger members each of which is attached to a combustible string that is extended from i the mechanism to a location in the building such that the tial energy of a falling weight. Hence, since no electrical apparatus is required, the apparatus will stiil function even though a fire causes failure of the electrical system in the home.

It is another object of the present inve'ntionto provide an apparatus of the type described that incorporates a novel trigger release and associated linkage which in the burning of any one of a plurality of combustible strings starts operation of a single alarm apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompany drawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: 7 FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a fire alarm apparatus constructed in accordance'with the present invention; 1

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

towards bell 49 and further functions to constantly urge FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial rear elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top sectional view of a trigger mechanism comprising a portion of the apparatus of the preceding figures, the section being taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and V FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view showing a latch weld mechanism comprising a portion of the apparatus of the preceding figures, the section being taken along the line 6-6 of PEG. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a fire alarm apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention that includes a frame means indicated generally at 20 that comprises spaced upright

tubular frame members

22 and 24.

The upper end of the frame means carries bearing plates Basset? Fatented Apr. 27, 1965 over sprocket 30 and a heavier weight 38 is attached to one lower end of the chain, said weight being "vertically movably mounted in tubular frame member 22.

A lighter weight 40 is attached to the lower end of chain 36.

When the apparatus is wound up to a stand-by position,

by lifting heavier weight 38 in tubular member 22, then lighter weight 40 is dropped to aposition where it rests on a stop pin 42 and the excess chain piles up above the weight as seen by the bends 44in FIG. 4.

. Referring again to FIGS. 1 through 3 a hammer member 46 is pivotally mounted to the frame at a pivot 48 and includes a follower portion 50 cyclically driven by a'cam wheel 52, the latter being keyed to a shaft 54.

A driven sprocket 56, FIGS. 3 and 6, is also keyed to shaft 54 and is connected to the previously mentioned sprocket 32 by a chain 58.

As is best seen in FIG. 6, a latch wheel 60 is also keyed to shaft 54 and normally restrained from rotation by a latch lever 64 pivotally mounted to the frame means at pivot 66, said lever including a latch portion 68 that engages one of the latch portions 70 on latch wheel 60 as will be seen from FIG. 6.

With reference to FIG. 3a centrifugal type speed governor indicated generally at 72 is driven, upon rotation of shaft 54 via

sprockets

74 and 76 and chain 73.

Governor 72 includes a plurality of radially movable friction shoes 80 that engage the inner surface of a brake housing82 upon rotation of governor-shaft 8 5. The faster shaft 84 tends to move the greater the frictional engagement between brake shoes 80 and the inner brake surface on housing 82.

As is best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 the apparatusfurther includes a trigger mechanism indicated generally at 88 i that comprises a housing 90 that contains a master lever 92 pivotted to the rear of the housing at a pivot 94. The right end of the master lever is connected to the lower end of a link 96 at a pivot 98, the upper end of the link being connected to latch lever 64 at a pivot 100.

A tension spring 102 constantly biases hammer 46 link 96 upwardlyand hence latch lever 64 into engage ment with latch wheel 60.

Such latching engagement between lever 64 and wheel 108 passes under a respective pulley 114, one of which is seen in FIG. 1, whereby the strings pull directly downwardly on the trigger members 106.

In operation, the machine is prepared for standby by extending each of the strings 108 to a different location in the building, preferably at locations where a fire is most likely to start. The end of each string is anchored as its respective location such that its respective lever 106 is maintained downwardly, as seen in FIG. 1, against the action of springs 112 whereby linkage spring 102 is free to urge link 96 upwardly whereby latch lever 64 urges the latch portion 68 into engagement with latch portion 70 on latch wheel 60.

Main sprocket 30 is next wound in a counter-clockwise direction, as is seen in FIG. 4, to lift heavier weight 38 to a topmost position in tubular frame member 22 and when this occurs the lower end of chain 36 piles up in the other tubular frame member 24 above lighter weight 40.

With this arrangement stop 42 and the accumulation of chain at 44 take part of the chain weight away from the left side of the apparatus as viewed in FIG. 4 until heavier weight 33 has descended approximately half-way downwardly. This makes the force exerted on main sprocket wheel 30 substantially constant whereby the period of oscillation of hammer 46 is also substantially constant.

Descent of weight 38 is also maintained substantially constant by the previously described centrifugal speed governor 72.

When one of the combustible strings 108 is severed by burning one of the tension springs 112 lifts its respective trigger member 106 thereby disengaging latch portion 68-70 via lever 92, link 96, and latch lever 64.

When latch portions 68-70 are released rotation of shaft 54 immediately begins whereby cam wheel 52 oscillates hammer member 46 in cyclical engagement with bell 49. a

The apparatus continues to produce hammer blow action on the bell until heavier weight 38 has reached the bottom of its path of travel in tubular frame member 22.

I claim:

1. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first free end; a second weight on said second free end; a bell mounted on said frame means; a lever pivoted on said frame means and including a hammer portion for striking said bell; a cam wheel rotatably mounted on said frame for driving said lever; cam wheel driving means connecting said cam wheel with said sprocket means; a latch wheel keyed for rotation with said cam wheel; a latch member releasably engaging asid latch wheel; a trigger member mounted to said frame means; linkage means connecting said latch member with said trigger member; and a combustible string attached to said trigger member whereby burning of said string releases said trigger member.

2. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means including two spaced upright tubular frame members; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first free end and vertically moveably disposed in one of said tubular frame members; a second weight on said second free end and vertically moveably disposed in the other of said tubular members; a bell mounted on said frame means; a lever pivoted on said frame means and including a hammer portion for striking said bell; a cam wheel rotatably mounted on said frame for driving said lever; cam wheel driving means connecting said cam wheel with said sprocket means; a latch wheel keyed for rotation with said cam wheel; a latch member releasably engaging said latch wheel; a trigger member mounted to said frame means; linkage means connecting said latch member with said trigger member; and a combustible string attached to said trigger member whereby burning of said string releases said trigger member.

3. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first lower end; a second weight on said second free end, said second weight being heavier than said first weight; stop means on said frame for restricting the downward movement of said first lighter weight and for assisting the downward movement of said second heavier weight; a

bell mounted on said frame means; a lever pivoted on said frame means and including a hammer portion for striking said bell; a cam wheel rotatably mounted on said frame for driving said lever; cam wheel driving means connecting said cam wheel with said sprocket means; a latch wheel keyed for rotation with said cam wheel; a latch member releasably engaging said latch wheel; a trigger member mounted to said frame means; linkage means connecting said latch member with said trigger member; and a combustible string attached to said trigger member whereby burning of said string releases said trigger member.

4. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means including two spaced upright tubular frame members; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first free end and vertically moveably disposed in one of said tubular frame members; a second weight on said second free end and vertically moveably disposed in the other of said tubular members, said second weight being heavier than said first weight; stop means on said frame for restricting the downward movement of said first lighter weight and for assisting the downward movement of said second heavier weight; a bell mounted on said frame means; a lever pivoted on said frame means and including a hammer portion for striking said bell; a cam wheel rotatably mounted on said frame for driving said lever; cam wheel driving means connecting said cam wheel with said sprocket means; a latch wheel keyed for rotation with said cam wheel; a latch member releasably engaging said latch wheel; a trigger member mounted to said frame means; linkage means connecting said latch member with said trigger member; and a combustible string attached to said trigger member whereby burning of said string releases said trigger member.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 that includes governor means for the speed of rotation of said cam wheel.

6. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means including two spaced upright tubular frame members; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first free end and vertically moveably disposed in one of said tubular frame members; a second weight on said second free end and vertically moveably disposed in the other of said tubular members; bell and hammer means for sounding an alarm; and driving means connecting said hammer means with said sprocket means.

7. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first lower end; a second weight on said second free end, said second weight being heavier than said first weight; stop means on said frame for restricting the downward movement of said first lighter weight and for assisting the downward movement of said second heavier weight; bell and hammer means for sounding'an alarm; and driving means connecting said hammer means with said sprocket means.

8. A fire alarm apparatus comprising, in combination frame means including two spaced upright tubular frame members; sprocket means rotatably mounted on said frame means; a chain carried on said sprocket and including first and second free ends; a first weight on said first free end and vertically moveably disposed in one of said tubular frame members; a second weight on said second free end and vertically moveably disposed in the other of said tubular members, said second weight being heavier than said first weight; stop means on said frame for restricting the downward movement of said first lighter weight and for assisting the downward movement of said second heavier weight; a bell mounted on said frame means; a lever pivoted on said frame means and including a hammer portion for striking said bell; acam'wheel ro- References Cited in the file of this patent tatably mounted on said frametor driving saidlever; UNITED STATES PATENTS cam wheel dr1v1ng means connectmg sa1d cam wheel with a said sprocket means; a latch wheel keyed for rotation 5001329 a """5 June 1893 with said cam wheel; a latch member releasably engag- 5 623747 2 1899 ing said latch wheel; a trigger member mounted to said 757,490 Nlckels P frame means; linkage means connecting said latch mem- 962,625 Couture June 1910 her with said trigger member; and a combustible string at- 1,895,957 Bowen June 1933 tached to said trigger member whereby burning of said 2,457,072 Smith 21, 1948 string releases said trigger member. 10 2,569,062 Kjeldergaard Sept. 25, 1951

Claims

1. A FIRE ALARM APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION FRAME MEANS; SPROCKET MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEANS; A CHAIN CARRIED ON SAID SPROCKET AND INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND FREE ENDS; A FIRST WEIGHT ON SAID FIRST FREE END; A SECOND FREE WEIGHT ON SAID SECOND FREE END; A BELL MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEANS; A LEVER PIVOTED ON SAID FRAME MEANS AND INCLUDING A HAMMER PORTION FOR STRIKING SAID BELL; A CAM WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR DRIVING SAID LEVER; CAM WHEEL DRIVING MEANS CONNECTING SAID CAM WHEEL WITH SAID SPROCKET MEANS; A LATCH WHEEL KEYED OF ROTATION WITH SAID CAM WHEEL; A LATCH MEMBER RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAID LATCH WHEEL; A TRIGGER MEMBER MOUNTED TO SAID FRAME MEANS; LINKAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID LATCH MEMBER WITH SAID TRIGGER MEMBER; AND A COMBUSTIBLE STRING ATTACHED TO SAID TRIGGER MEMBER WHEREBY BURNING OF SAID STRING RELEASES SAID TRIGGER MEMBER.