US375442A - Henry b - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. B. 00X.

HOTEL SIGNAL.

No. 375,442. Patented Dec. 27, 1887.

( 0 Mddel.)

zsneets-sheet zh H. B. 00X. HOTEL SIGNAL. No. 375,442. Patented Dec. 27, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. COX, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HOTEL-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,442, dated December 27, 1887.

' Application filed May 21. 1887. sernuivo. 239,003. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', HENRY B. 00X, ofOincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hotel Signals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved signaling system and apparatus for use where there are a number of outlying stations and a central station,and where intercommunication between the two is desired. It is particularly adapted for use in hotels or large buildings where it is desirable that a guest in any room may be able to make a want known in the office, or the clerk in the office may desire to give the guest signal or signals.

The object of my invention is to so organize such a system that in ordinary usage the clerk can ring up any guest by a single movement and keep the bell in the guests room ringing until he answers the call, and to enable the clerk in case of fire or general danger to ringup. all of the guests and keep their bells continuously ringing in spite of any attempt on the part of any guest to reply, a condition which will at once indicate that there is danger.

To this end my invention consists in providing in the clerks office a circuit-closer which, when operated,will hold the circuit closed,and controlling by this a circuit operating a bell in a guests room.

My invention also consists in providing means at the guests room for releasing the clerks circuit-closer, and thus silencing the guests hell by the rupture of the controllingcircuit.

My invention also embodies special apparatus for carrying out these ends.

My invention also consists in an arrangement of circuit for accomplishing this double signaling by which only two line-wires between the office and any room are required- I In the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a rear elevation of one of the clerks circuit-closers and its retaining-magnet, showing also the electric connections of the parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the said clerkscircuitclosers andits retaining-magnet, showing also how all of the circuit-closers may be operated to sound a general alarm. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the clerks circuitfcloser board, showing one circuit-closer mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a View of the arrangement of circuits, showing the guests circuit-closer in section. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section of a guests circuitcloser.

The circuit-closer used at the central station at the clerks office, if the system be in use in a hotel, consists of a bent arm, B, pivoted in lugs G G, secured toasuitable frame, I. The lower end of the arm carries aplate-armature, A, and the upper end a metallic contactpiece, 0.

When the armature A is in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 2, the contactpiece O is in engagement with a spring, D, secured to the frame. When the armature is out of control of the magnet M,it hangs in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the upper contact-piece, 0, being out of engagement with spring D, and the lower end of the armature being held by gravity against contact A, secured to the frame.

J is a pushpin for forcing the armature away from the magnet by hand when the clerk so desires. The magnet is secured to a support, H, fastened to the frame, as shown,and has a core, preferably beveled, as shown, to take a firm hold on the armature when the latter is pushed against it. In the outer side of the frame is an aperture through whicha number carried by the armature is visible, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. A frame, K, held in suitable supports, has cross-bars N N N attached to it at different vertical heights. The function of this will presently be explained.

An organization of the kind just described is provided for each room or station, and all are mounted on a suitable frame. Only one has been shown, in order that its parts might be sufficiently enlarged for clear illustration. The cross-rods N N N are capable of a vertical thrust, controlled by an arm, K, projecting out from the under part of the frame I. When thrust upwardly, the cross-arms engage the upper part, B, of each bent arm, so that a sufiicient movement on frame Kwill bring all of the armatures against their magnetcores and close a circuit at each spring D. The armatures will then be held against the magnet, as will be presently shown.

In Fig. 4 the frame I is shown with asingle circuit extending to an outlying station or room. It will be understood that a similar circuit extends to each room or station. The contact-spring D is connected to one pole of a battery, 0, Figs. 2 and 4, and the other pole of the battery is connected with the terminal of amagnet, \V, at an outlying room or station. The lugs G G are connected with magnet M, which is connected to one contact, R, of a circuit-closer, Q, at a room or station. The contact A is connected with one post of an annunciator, P, the other post correspond ing to any room or station, being connected with said room or station by wires 18 2 3. In the annunciator I have shown only one indicator, though of course it will be understood that a similar indicator is provided for each room or station.

I will now describe the apparatus and circuit connections at the room or station.

Q is a circuit-closer. (Shown on a large scale, Fig. 5.) It is provided with an arched metallic spring, U, secured at one side to a contact-post, It, extending through the base. Two other posts, S T, pass through this base and carry contacts insulated from each other at their inner extremities. (See S T.) \Vhen the button is depressed, the spring U spreads and its left extremity moves from contact S to contact T. Contact R connects with the magnet corresponding to the station I am describing at the central office by wire 6. Post S connects with magnet IV. Post T connects with one pole of abattery, Z, at the station, the other pole being connected with the armature X of magnet V. A local circuit, 7 8910 11, containing battery Z and an electric bell, Y, is controlled by the armature X, so that when the latter is drawn to its magnet the bell will be rung. The line-wire 2 3 splits near the magnet, one branch passing to the magnet and the other to the armature, as shown in Fig. 4.

The operation of the system is as follows: Suppose the clerk wishes to call a guest in room 1. He presses the armature A, which carries No. l on its exposed facc,ba-ck against the core of the magnet. By so doing he brings contact 0 against spring D and closes a circuit from the positive pole of battery 0 through 1 2 8 4., magnet "W 5, post S, spring U, post It 6, magnet M, support G, arm B, spring 0 to negative pole of battery. This energizes both magnets M and IV. The former will hold A up, 'so as to maintain C in contact with spring 1). Magnet \V will close the local circuit at the room and ring bell Y. The bell will ring until the circuit is ruptured. The clerk can attend to other duties, the magnet M holding the circuit closed at the office. The guest can stop the ringing by pressing button V, which ruptures the circuit as the spring passes from S to T. This rupture causes both magnets to be demagnetizcd, breaking the local circuit 7 the clerk that the call has been received. The

guest, after a call from the clerk, will have to hold the push-button a moment until A closes the annunciator circnit.

It at any time the guest should have a want he desires the clerk to supply, he simply depresses button V, which will operate the annuneiator and secure the needed attention. In case of fire or danger, when a general alarm should be sounded in all the rooms, the clerk pushes up rod K, attached to frame K, forcing each of the contact-pieces 0 against its corresponding spring, D, and by means of a lug, d, the frame may be held supported in its vertical position, so that the guests bell will continue ringing, except while said guest holds the push-button depressed, for it will be observed that the rupture of the guests bell-circuit, which in the ordinary operation releases armature A, cannot do so now, as the armature is mechanically supported by the frame K. The guest will be notified, there fore, by the continuous ringing that there is danger.

The pin J is provided to enable the central operator to bring down thearmatureAiu case the guest should be out of his room andshould not answer the call within a reasonable time.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a signaling system, the combination ofa eircuitcloser at one station, a circuitbreakcr at a second station, an electric bell at the second station, circuit-connections, a batteryin eircuit,an electro-magnet in circuit, said magnet located behind the circuit-closer, and an armature carried by the circuit-closer engaging the magnet-core when the circuit is closed, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a signaling system, the combination of a circuit-closer at a central station, said circuit-closer being provided with an armature, an electromagnet, with the core of which the said armature is adapted to engage to keep the circuit-closer closed, a circuit-breaker at a distant station, circuit connections between the two, a battery in circuit, a relay-magnet in circuit at a distant station, and a local circuit containing an electric bell controlled by said relay-magnet, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a signaling system, the combination of a double-contact circuit-changer at a central IOO station normallycompletingthecircuitthrough an annunciator at this station, the free contact completing the circuit to a relay at a distant station, a double-contact circuit-changer at the distant station normally completing the circuit through the relay at this station, the free contact leading to the annunciator at the central station, a battery in the circuit, and a local circuit controlled by the relay, said local circuit containing an electric bell and battery, as setforth.

4. Ina signaling system, the combination of two stations, a'donble-contact circuit-changer and annunciator at one station, a double-contact circuit-changer, relay,and local circuit at a second station, contacts, as A D, for the first circuitchanger, battery between contact D and line connecting annunciator and relay, contact A, connecting with annunciator, armature A, carried by the first circuitchanger, magnetM, behind the armature, contacts S T on second circuit-changer, the former connected with relay and line, the latter in a branch around the relay, battery Z in said branch and front stop ofrelay-armature, and main-line connections, as specified.

5. In a circuit-closer,a bent arm pivoted, as described, and carrying on one of its ends an armature of magnetic material, a magnet having a beveled core behind the armature, circuit-connections with a generator of electricity, whereby the circuit-closer is held closed when operated, and a push-pin to force the armature from the magnet, as specified.

6. In a double-contact circuit-closer, a bent arm pivoted,as described, and carrying at one end an armature, a contact with which said an armature, a magnet for'each armature, circuit-connections of each magnet wit-h one contact, a frame carrying a series of cross-bars and adapted to have a vertical movement controlled by a projecting arm, whereby when the said arm is thrust upward the cross-bars will engage the upper portion of the bent arms and bring the armatures on their lower portions in contact with the cores of the magnets and close all the circuits simultaneously, and a locking device on said projecting arm for keeping the circuits closed irrespective of the magnets, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. A multiple circuit-closer for a central station, comprising a visible magnetic disk, each disk bearing a number corresponding to a distant station and secured to a circuit-closing arm, and a magnet in the circuit closed by said arm, said magnet placed behind the disk a sufficient distance to permit contact, whereby when a circuit is closed the magnet holds the disk and maintains the circuit in closed condition.

9. A circuit-changer consisting of an arched spring fixed at one end, a contact on which the other end normally rests, a second contact within reach of the spring when the latter spreads under pressure, and means of securing circuitconnections with the contacts.

10. A circuit-changer consisting of an arched spring fixed at one end, a contact on which the other end normally rests, a second contact within reach of the spring when the latter spreads under pressure, a button on the arch of the spring, a casing over the whole, the button projecting through the casing, and means of securing circuit-connections with the contact.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. COX.

Witnesses: CHARLES M. WERLE, M. M. LAMMOND,

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