US364444A - Annunciator system - Google Patents

Description

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(No Model.)

P. SEILER.

ANNUNGIATOR SYSTEM. l

Patented June 7, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. SEILER.

. ANNUNGIATOR SYSTEM.

No. 364,444. Patented June 7, 1887.

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PAUL SEILER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.-

ANNUNCIATOR SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,444, lated June 7, 1887.

Application filed Sepember 16, 11886. Serial No.213,759. (No modelli To all whom it may concern.'

following specification, claims, and drawings.

My invention relates to a system of signals adapted especially for use in hotels, large res1- dences, and similar buildings.

The principal object 1n view 1s to economize space in the office and to provide simple, effective, and superior means whereby the person in attendance at the office may return a guests call.

In order to illustrate the practical manner of carrying out the invention, and to enable others skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same, drawings are hereunto annexed and described, 1n which similar letters represent corresponding elements and in which each part referred to is designated by a single character.

Figure lis a general 'view of a portion of the system,shown mostly in diagram; and Figs. 2 and 8 show a suitable form of annunciatordrop to be employed in the system. Fig. 4 shows a modification.

The system consists of the combination of an annunciator-board, A, provided with the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Ste., in this case arranged in natural order from left to right up to 65, in live horizontal lines and thirteen columns, au nunciator drops B, located above each column, and other drops, C, at theleft of each horizontal line, floors D of any building-such as a hotel--a central ofiiee, E, including said board, said annuneiator-drops, and also a signal-bell, F, electric batteries G, and contact-keys H, other bells, I, and keys J upon each floor, and

' electric circuits,including all of said kcys,bells,

and annuneiator-drops.

Normally the circuit from any battery G passes by a wire, as K, to one of the keys J, and from there through one of the bells I, and back to the battery from which it started through one of the keys H; but when any key J-for example, that in Vroom 53-1s depressed the circuit passes from the battery through the depressiomkey, through one of the annunciators B, (shown in this instance at a,) through the bell F,through one of the annunciators C, and through the key H back to battery.

The closing of the circuit by means of the key J, as above described, causes the bell F to sound. An operator at the office thereupon actuates that particular key H which Vis connected with the bell in room 53, causing rthe current to pass through the bell I in the said room, through the key J in thatroom, andback again to battery. It is of course'understood that the key J after release resumes its original position. As soon as the bell I is operated the occupant of room 53 knows that his signal v sent any'room, respectively, on .the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth Iloors. Taken together they represent what may be called a Fsectionj so that when vthe annunciator marked a drops, one of the rooms in this section calls the oflice. The particular room of that section is indicated by one ofthe annunciators C-that is to say, the annunciators C rep` resent the different lioors or stories in a hotel or other structure. The annunciators B represent different rooms arranged above one auother in the same structure. Any one of the annunciators B may stand for four or five or more different rooms. It is only by reading the two annunciators together that one can know which of the numbers is represented. Thus, the annunciator marked a may stand for 1, 14, 27,740, or 53. If, however, the lowermost of the annunciators C drops at the same time with the annunciator marked a it indicates that room 53-has called.

There are other sections (not shown, as the construction is exactly the same) connected in order with the remainder of the annuneiatordrops B, and there are other series of keys exactly similar to H in electrical connection with the remaining batteries and with the keys J. Only one section, one series of keys H, and one battery are shown' in circuit, for the sake of preventing confusion.

Fig. 3 is a full front view of either annua ciator B or C, for they are substantially alike, and Fig. 2 is a detail View. It consists of the combination of the drop proper, L, weighted by a projection, M, and held in position by a piece, N, elastically connected with a core, O, of a solenoid, P, located in any circuit, K. When a current passes through the solenoid, the drop is released by the piece N and falls into the position indicated in dotted lines. By means ofthe string Q it may be pulled again into its normal position. The part R, connecting the drop to the piece N, is hinged in such a manner that it will turn upward but not downward. There are as many batteries G as there are iioors.

The invention is not limited to the precise construction hereinbefore described and shown, as it is evident that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The keys H may be behind the numbers on the board, so that by pushing the numbers, or rather the disks on which the numbers are recorded, the keys will operate. The said disks would be attached to the upper ends of the keys H. This construction is shown in Fig. 4. a, b, and c represent similar parts in Figs. 1 and 4, YVhen the disk R is pushed as a pushbutton,contact is broken at b and made at a. Vhen made ata, a corresponding ioorbell rings to notify the guest that the attendant is aware of a call.

Having now described niyinventicn, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

l. In a hotel annunciator and alarm system, the combination, with a series of movable annunciating disks or plates numbered to indicate different rooms, and electro-magnetically operated drops controlled by push-buttons in the different rooms for designating any one of the series of disks or plates, of a series of con tacts operated by the movements of the said disks or plates, and electromagnetic bells in the various rooms in circuit with the said disks and contacts, whereby any one of the disks :may be designated by the annunciatordrops, and whereby a return-signal can be sent by depressing the designated disk, substantially as set forth.

2. In an annuneiator system, the combination of a table or board of tigures arranged in horizontal lines and vertical columns, an an nunciator above each column and at the end of each line, a bell adjacent to said board, a series of keys or switches for each vertical column, an electrical generator for each horizontal line, said elements being in the office of a building, fioors of a building, electric bells and keys on each iioor, and electric circuits passing from said batteries through said lastnamed or floor keys normally closed upon their backstops, through said last-named or floor bells, through said first-named keys normally open, and back to said batteries, there being abraneh circuit open upon the frontstop of said floorkeys, and vpassing through the otticebell, through the annunciators, through the office keys normally closed, and iinally back to the batteries, substantially as described.

3. In a signal system, the combination ot au annunciator-board having a horizontal line of characters, such as numerals, and a vertical line of characters indicating the numbers of the several rooms of a building, a`u annunciator'drop for each vertical line or column, an annunciator ior cach horizontal line, one bat tery for every horizontal line, (there being as many horizontal lines as floors in said building.) an electric bell adjacent to said board and other similar bells, one in each room, one series of keys for each floor adjacent to said board, other keys and bells in each room, and a circuit passing from each battery and normally open through said keys, said annunciator-drops, and said bells, substantially as and for the purpose described. l

In testimony whereof I havehereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PA UL SEILER.

\Vi.tncsses:

HENRY SErHrroN, J. G. BLooMER.

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