US361020A - Telegraphic alarm-signal - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 sheets sheet 1. S. E. MOSHER.

TELEGRAPHIG ALARM SIGNAL.

No. 361,020. Patented Apr. 12, 1887.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. MOSHER.

TELEGRAPHIU ALARM SIGNAL. V

No. 361,020. ,1), Patented. Apr. 12, 1887.

' C1 555? S T O f (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. s. E. M QS HER.

' TELEGRAPHIG ALARM SIGNAL.

Patented Apr. '12, 1887.

IgyJO,

llul

mi bmeoac-aj .OFFICE.

'- a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Ohilli TELEGRAPHIC ALARM-SIGNAL SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent so. 361,020, dated ApritlZ, 1887. Application filed March 6,1884. SerialNo. 12mm. (No model.)

To alt whom it mayooncerm Be it known thatI, SAMUEL EARL Mosn'nn,

cothe, Ohio, have invented new and useful vImprovements in Telegraphic Alarm-Signals, of winch the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of telegraphy, and is designed to enable the operator at a ter- -minalor central station to call' or arouse an operator at any one of. a number of connected stations in a given line to the exclusionof the linesit is necessary to signal to'all stations, and'all operators must be on the alert in order 15.

others. For example, on ordinary telegraphthat the selected one may distinguish his call. Moreover, from the peculiar nature oftelegraphservice it is necessary to employa night j as well as a day force atall principal stations, whlclrof course entails. great. expense, while service.

of things is especially felt in railway service,

the less important ones are deprived of night The inconvenience of this condition where the running of trains both night and day ismanaged by the aidot the telegraph,

and'wherc the absence of an operator at a criticatj'uncturc is often a serious detriment. .These'mconveniences my invention seeks to remedy, audit does so by providing, in addition to the ordinary instrumentalities of teleg" raphy, a system and apparatus whereby an alarm. may be sounded at any one of a number of 'connected stations in a given line without sounding at any other. *It may be further 1 premised thatthe invention may baemployed in an emergency. 1

in ordinary day. service as a dist-inguishingcall merely and at night as a waking-alarm, thus enabling'a single operator to remain practic a1'ly onconstant duty both night and day without loss of sleep except' when specially'called The exact nature of "my invention" ll be more clearly understood from the subj ined descriptionand the accompanyingdrawings illustrating a preferredvform of mechanism in which the invention isembodied. v i. In the drawings, Figure 1 exhibits the alarm and its actuating apparatus in a side elevation;

' Fig. 2, a cross-section of the revolving arma- .ture, showing the relation oflthe insulatedjarid no ninsulated spacesand of the contact-points,

hereinafter described; Fig.3, a side elevation,

its armatn re stations, a portion of the drawings.

partly sectional of the revolving maguetand Fig. 4, a plan view, inan isometric plane, of the surface of the revolving armature,showing the relative" positions of the contact-spaces and the pathtraversed by the contact-points when the armature is released; Fig. 5, a front. elevation of the sending apparatus used at the terminal station;

Fig. 6, an end elevation of the same; and Figs,

7, 8,'and 9, elevations and plan of modified forms of sending and receiving apparatus em-. I

bodying the sameprincjples. Fig. 10 is a diagram representing the linecircuits of two stationsand the main sendingstatiouwith con: nected apparatus.

In the drawings accompanying and illustratin'g my invention, 1 have shown a formof apparatus to be provided at each of the connected which is in constant and synchronous operation with similar apparatus at theother stations, and so arranged that a tripping or set-off device may be brought into operative connection therewith by a peculiar manipulation of the line-current, for the purpose of actuating an'alarm to awakcn or call the attention of the operator. q I

A in the drawings designates an alarmgong provided with any suitable mechanism for its automatic operation. It may be, for example, an ordinary clock-work or spring-driven alarm-gong provided with a catch controlled by a tripping-finger.

B designates an ordinarysounder,employed in connection with the. sending and receivingkey at a telegraph-station; or, 'for'the purposes of this invention, may be a relay-instra ment of any kind in the working line. p

G designatesthe apparatus for-actuating the alarm, and is constructed and operated asfollows:

In its preferred form, as illustrated in the drawings, it consists of a rotating-electro magnet, c, mounted upon insulated pivots bb,

and normally and synchronously rotated with the other similar apparatus at the various sta tions of the line by suitable clock-work,-which I have not thought necessary to be shownin magnet is connected bythe ordinary brush? contact, l,wi th one of the poles of a local batte'ry, I), and at the other by a'fsi nilar contact,

At one end the helix of the i lar wash cured to the tions, as hereinafter a bifurcated switch-bar,l ,atv mounted upon but insulated from the pivotal axis b, the amatnre being preferably constructed of metal, and forming a conductor, as hereinafter described, and arranged to be drawn into operative contact for the purpose of rotation with the rotating magnet c. For the latter purpose, the armature E is provided one end with an annular recess surrounding a core or hub, a, approximatingthe magnet in diameter in order to accommodate the brush-contacte and preserve the electrical connectlon at all times during-the rotation and lateral movement of the armature. The parts are so proportioned and arranged as the armature is attracted toward the magnet it is brought into contact with a ring or annuer, of rubber" or other material, an, seend of the magnet-spool, and by frictional contact rotated in unison therewith against the force of acoiled'sprin ,8, arranged at the opposite end of'the armature, by which it is returned to its normal position of rest when released. I

The cylindrical surface of the armature E is divided into insulated and non-insulated porjdescribed, operative in connection wit tached to and operated by the armature of the sounder or relay B, and carrying a Wire 0011'- nectlon with the remaining pole of; the local' battery D. The switch-bar F terminates in two spring prongs, ff,arranged,respectively, above and below the armature E, so that 1n the ver-' ripheral planes with reference to the paths draws traversed by the contactpoints of the arms ff.

t is more convenient to arrange them in evident two such planes, allowing a separate path for each. The precise nature of the arrangement a state or will be clearly understood by reference to the 4, showing the peripheralsury diagram, Fig. face of the armature'in an isometric plane. The arms f f are arranged in corresponding planes with the spaces, and it will be obvious that in order to maintaina continuous rotation of the armature E the conducting or non-insulated spaces must be so arranged that when with a cylindrical armature, E, loosely conducting-space, the circuit from thelocal battery D is closed, the current passing through the armature E and .by conductor d magnet c, E, which by frictional contact is rotated with the magnet 15. The release of the key throws the prong f into contact with the peripheral surface of the a'i'mature E, and if the given arrangement of conducting-spaces corresponds with the makes and breaks 7 of thekey, the

alternations of contact of the prongs .ff

so long as this condition remains the rotation of thearmature E is contin gram, g designates the metallic or non-insulated portions of the surface, faced with insulating material. The length of .the spaces 9 is determined by the prearranged alternations of broken and closed circuit of the main-line current, measured with reference to the rotative speed of the armature E'in seconds of time, constituting the combination or signal derstood 'th'atthe rotation of-the armatnres at thevarions stations is uniform in speed, and such as to produce a given travel of the sur- 1 face of points f in a given time. It will now'be readily understood that-if thew main-line the remainder being current is not manipulatedto of the cylindrical armatureE, and, striking a 7 7 conductor 6 into and through the coil of the rotating electro-magnet c, and back to battery. The electrothus charged, attracts the armature for the given station, it being un the armature relatively to contactcorrespond with the arrangement of spaces 9 at the givenstation,

will not maintain an unbroken local circuit. with the battery D but thecircuitwill be broken after a short interval of time, and

consequently the armature E will be released and returned by its springto its original po-' sition. This position is movement suificient to actuate the trip pfwill not take place, except when the local circuit" the movement of the arms is closed continuously, and althonghthe-trip p on a circuit which is not called may approach nearly to position to start its call, yet, as the instant it is released the spring not only the armature away 'from the magnet but moves it back to its starting-point, it is that only the proper signallwill be position for immediate use, minal spacey of the primary series is extended laterally the lateral movement of the armature, sothat In order to maintain the apparatus in the ter no at its be inning end to accommodate Q- 50 ordinary sliding-brush The modifications exhibited in Figs. 7, 8,: and 9 involve. no departu-re in any essential lines a; m y yin the drawings, Fig. 4.. Having shown the means and method of ohtaining a continuous rotation of the armature, it remains to explain its purpose. In Fig. 1 the armature is shown in itsnormal' position of rest, in which a tripping-pimp, projecting from the end of thearmature; E, rests. above to the trippingarm of thealarm mechanism.

It will be obvious that a completerotation of the armature will bring the pin beneath and lift the arm,which operation releases the restrainingcatch and allows the spring'driven I 5 mechanism to operate, and thus sets oflthe alarm. The contact-spaces areso arranged. that at that point the contact-points f run off.

upon the insulated portion of the armature surface, and the armature, as already expl'ained, flies back to its original position.

In Fig. 5 is shown a side elevationj of an -apparatus embodying the same principles, designed to operate as a sender at the terminal I station. In this a metallic roll, E, is eni- 2-5 pl'oyed having an insulated surface, excepting eertainportions,arranged as contact-spaces in separate peripheral planes'and correspond ing, respectively, with the several armatures at the receiving-stations, excepting that in this. case each set of contact-spaces is brought into one plane instead of two. The roll E is in continuous rotation synchronously with the several revolving magnets at thevarious stations, and consequently with the armatures 5 when the latter are broughtinto play. Above the roll is arranged a contact-finger, q, adjust- .able laterally upon a cross-bar, r, forming a conductor, so as to form asliding contact with the roll at any of the several planes of the o contact-spaces. Theapparatus is placed in a loop of the main line, provided with a suitable j switch, 8', so that upon adj usting the finger tothe proper contact-spaces the main line enr- 1 rent is'brpken .in proper alternations toaetuate the desired signal at the designated receiving-station upon turning the switch directing the line-current into the roll Eatvone'side and the crossbar and finger. q upon the'ot'her, the line-contactwith the'roll being made with the principle from the foregoing. In the appar'atus shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the sounder B carriestwoconducting-arms,f f, correspond inginarrangement and function with those before described, ff",) but operating inconneetion with a-flat disk, E, mounted on avertieal shaft, 7, restin'gin a fixed socket below andjournaled above in-an arm, k, pivoted to *movehorizontally under the influence often, 5 eleetro-magnet,G. The shaft hfcarriesaspnr 1 wheel, i,.wh icliby the movement of the shaft-. jaterallyis carriedl'into'and out-of'erigageg 5-5 :ment with an intermeshing gear of the operanus clock-work. Connection jet-madev be- "tween the armsf ff and the lo'eal-battery'p,

unimpeded, the contact-points in suehcase'. traversing the paths indicated by the dotted the other pole of the battery being connected with the magnet-coilO and thence w th the shaft h.

The margin 7 vidcd'into insulated and non-insulated spaces,. arranged upon the principle already descrlbed, the spaces being alternated upon the; upper andlower' surfacesto operate in connectlon with'the arms f" I arranged upon the shaft to-return it to its normal position of rest when released, a suitable mate position, and a tripping-pin',p, uponthe disk, to engage the 1ever it of the alarm mechanism, substantially as before described.

For the sen be'plaeed upon suitable rotating mechanism in proper; relation with a .contact-armconstituting part of a loop in the main line, which can beswitehed in at the willof the operator. I prefer, however, to arrange an eleetro-ruagnet, 0', beneath the ordinary sendingrkey t, the magnet being in local circuit with a battery, D, and the disk E, the latter be1 ng one of a number,as before stated, which can be substituted upon tating mechanism,

or i k and thus automatically conkey. a

It will also be ing the spaces as arranged for the given armature, a given alarm can ing, hammer a. is made to constitute a-switeh in the main line, so as to break contact at each sendingoperaton- [Igclaim and desire to secure by Letters 'lEatent---'- I '1. In; combination with .a series of alarm mechanisms at the various station's, each conprovided with, I driving mechanism constantly andsynchrobut brought into coaction with normally-inert,

by a local-battery 611- the driving mechanism makes and break s in the; main line, stantially asset forth. .1

ratus and amelayflarmature employed, asa contact-switch in the local circuit, a set-0ft device or apparatus consisting, of ,a. rotatable conductor'providedw tha vdeliiinsulations arranged in per ,condu'ctorbeing the armature a surface of the disk 11 is diding-station a dupliea'taef each of the disks is provided, any one of which can trol the line-current by actuatingthe ordinary coact with'the contact-switch, saidrotatable of'a eonstantly rotating e1ectro-"-magnet,,and brought nter A spiral spring, '8", is

stop,vl, being provided to determine its ulti-- 7 n connection with the roobvious that, knowing the 7 time oceu 'iied"by the contact-arms 1n traversbe actuated by the ordinary manipulation of the keyby the send: 7 ing-operator, and that if the arm of the StI'lkmovement, as shown in Fig. '1, notice that the alarm is sounded may thus be returned to the sisting,.'essentiallyifi of, first, an alarm-gong striking mechan sm; second, 7 r15 nously in operation; third, seteflT mechanism.

cuit selectively-eontrolledifr'om the mainoffice a by a prearranged succession and duration {if no 2. In combination with. Ithe alarm a'ppa I nite system of "surface 'insulations and nonipheral paths to 1 temporary rotative eonneetleniwith said mags; not by manipulations of the'hnaeurrent r orresubstantially, r

spondir'ig with said system of conducting-surfaces of the conductor, substantially as set forth.

8. The alarnractuating apparatus consisting, substantially, ofa rotating electro-magnet, c, its-rotatable armature E, and the relay-armature Fall in local circuit-in combination with the main line and the alarm-gong, operat ing as set forth.

4. The rotating clecl'ro-magnet c, mounted upon axial pivots, and provided with brushcontacts d c, in combination with a cylindrical armature, E, constructed as described, pr0- vided with a retraetile spring, 5, and trip ping-pin p, and arranged in local circuit with a battery, D, and vibrating switch F, as a means of setting off alarm mechanism,substant-ially as and for the purpose set forth.

- 5. In combination with alarm apparatus arranged at the receiving-stations of a telegraph- 1ine,and adapted to be actuated by definite predetermined manipulations of the line-current, an automatically-rotated cylinder, E,provided with surface insulations and non-insulations arranged in separate peripheral planes corresponding with said predetermined manipulations, and with a sliding contact-finger, q, ad- I justable to any one of said planes, the whole arranged in a loop of themain line for the purpose of actuating any one of the alarm mech anisms exclusively, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL EARL MOSl-IER. \Vitnesscs:

L. W. HOSEA,

C. SHAIPELL.

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