US394784A - George f - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. F. MIL-LIKEN.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 394,784. Patented Dec. 18, l888.-

Wifineaaes, Jim/ 670607? Mrs rates PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE E. MILLIKEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO THE GAME- IVELL AUXILIARY FIRE ALARM COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,784, dated December 18, 1888.

' Application filed June 21, 1888. Serial No. 277,777- (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. MILLIKEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Electric Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric alarms or signals, and more especially to such as operate with a continuous ring brought about by the automatic magnetization and demagnetization of the signal-actuating electro-magnet. Its main object is to provide a return or re sponsive signal for any main or auxiliary municipal system. of electrical alarms or calls, whereby the due operation of the distant alarm-receiving apparatus may be caused to automatically indicate or announce itself at the sending-station, so that it shall unquestionably be known that the apparatus has fully and efficiently performed its ot'tice.

To this end it consists in the combination, with such a system, of an electro-magnet in a normally-open electric circuit, the same being provided with an armature normally retracted to a position intermediate between its extreme front and rear limits, so that when the said armature is at rest the circuit which passes through its magnet-helices, a battery, the armature itself, and through vibrating contacts at the rear limit shall remain open.

It consists, moreover, in combining such systems, when so provided, with suitable means for setting up initial vibrations in the said armature, which, rebounding, passes its point of rest, and, making contact with the circuit-closing point of its rear limit, closes the circuit of its actuating-magnet through the same, and thereupon is attracted, and continues to vibrate until the battery is exhausted or until positively stopped. The preferable way of setting the armature initially in motion is to provide that the same electromagnet shall be included also in a second circuit, which shall also be normally open, but which is provided at any pointor points with a suitable circuit-closer, which, when operated, causes the magnet to become energized and thereupon to attract its armature. \V hen the circuit is again opened, the armature will fall back beyond its normal position, and, reaching its back stop, will allow the magnet to become again energized, but this time in the first circuit, and with the result, as already stated, of setting up continuous vibration, though the starting-circuit be now maintained 5 5 op en. It is immaterial whether the same battery be, as well as the electro-magnet, common to both circuits or whether each be provided with an individual battery.

It will be seen that the invention is based upon a peculiar arrangement of mechanism, which, not new in itself, is here for the first time rendered available as a response or return signal in combination with a system of fire or other alarmsviz., that an armature forming part of an electric circuit, including its magnet, a battery, and vibrating points, and normally occupying an intermediate position or point of rest in advance of its rear stop, and thus maintaining its circuit open, 70, will, when once set in vibration, either electrically or otherwise, continue to vibrate upon its back stop, its magnet being alternately magnetized and demagnetized. The electromagnet may, when used as a return-signal, operate simply as a buzzer or the armature may, if desired, be furnished with a bell-hammer and arranged to strike a bell.

The drawing, which illustrates and forms a part of this specification, shows an electrical system of fire-alarms in which my invention is incorporated as a response-signal.

In the figure, on is the signal eleetro-magnet, (1 its armature, and B its vitalizing-battery.

The drawing shows my invention embodied in a system of auxiliary fire-alarm substantially identical with that for which Letters Patent No. 377,083-were granted to myself and H. B. Lytle, jointly, January 31, 1888. In this system the street-box of any municipal fire-alarm included in the regular firealarm circuit 5 operates the said circuit by means of a suitable break or signal wheel, a, and a contact-spring, 12, and when in operation breaks and makes the said circuit, which includes a battery, B and thus is adapted to transmit signals to the fire-station. (Not shown.) This box is controlled by an electromagnet, G, in an auxiliary alarm-sending cir- 10o cuit, T, which is led through one or more auX- iliary or local alarm-sending stations, C. At

any of these stat-ions (I have for greater clearlless here shown but one) the auxiliary circuit T maybe closed, and the magnet (J in the box then acts to trip the mechanism and to allow the rotation of the signal-wheel. The auxiliary alarnreircuit T is at all times closed on a small battery, 13, which, however, does not furnish a current sufficiently strong to energize the releasing electro-mz'ignet U in the box R. The normal route of this circuit maybe thus traced: from battery I Z by wire :L to electro-magnet ti; thence by wire 7, contact-point 8, circuit-breaking lever 9, wire 'w to switch-pivot 2/ at home station 0, switch 5, switch-button 1, and by wire 0 to the other pole of the small battery. By suitable appliances, forming no part of this invention, the continuity of this circuit can, by the aid of the small battery 1-3, he at any time tested.

The alarm-sending apparatus at station consists of a circuit-changing switch, .9, operated by a chain, rod, or cord, 2, and ring 1', or equivalent starting device. This switch connects with three buttons, 1, 2, and i, being normally, as shown, upon 1, and when the alarm is sent, which is etifected by pulling the ring 0', it passes from 1 to 3, making contact intermediately with In this system the object oi the electro-magnm' m is to serve as a return-signal, and to that end its terminal wires 1) and q are led, res 'iectively, to the switch-studs 2 and 3-3. Switch-stud i2 is likewise united by wire 3 with one pole of battery B, which is so large that when introduced into the alarm-circuit T the current flowing therein will be strong enough to energize the box-magnet ti and trip the mechanism. It must be noted that the responsive signal-magnet n2 is provided with an armature, a, mounted on a retracting and supporting spring, I), and that this armature, when at rest, occupies an intermediate position between its front and back limits of motion, so that it is not normally in contact with the back contact-spring, 71, which, by wire f, is united to switch-stud The armature a, through. its bracket 1), is also united by a wire with the pivot of switch 5-. The magnet in is, by virtue of these connections, common to two circuits-viz., the auxiliary signal-circuit and a local shunt of the sameand the closing ot the former circuit through the bz'ittery l5 and magnet, as described, followed by the opening thereof, transfers both battery and magnet to the shunt cireuit, whereby a continuous alarm maintained. after the auxiliary circuit is opened.

It should now be stated that in the operation of the auxiliary tire-alarm, it is desirable that the sender of an alarm should in allcases receive a responsive signal, whereby he may know not only that the signal has reached the box, but also that the box has been set in motion and has in turn fulfilled its functions. In the patent which Ihave hereinbefore cited such adevice is shown; but my present invention is especially well adapted for this pro:-

pose, and its funet ion is, by virtue of a change in the main auxiliary circuit, effectuated by the motion of the box mechanism to furnish the res muse-si nal which it does 1) Y actin D 7 b as a buzzer.

Incl uded in the circuit T,and inclosed with in the box R, is a switch or circuit-hreaker, S), arranged to be acted upon by the arm 11, which is fastened by a sleeve or otherwise to the axis of the signal-wheel. a. The arm 11. in passing round engages with the switch-levmf), foreing it away from its contact 8, and thus opens the circuit T, and this operation it is which actuates the responsive signal.

If an alarn'i is to be sent in from station (3, the ring 7' is pulled down. \Vhen in transit it first makes contact with stud 2, the circuit of the large battery 13 is closed on the main line through the box-stacrtin g magnet releas ingthemeehanism; but the buzzer-magnetm is not yet introduced. Continuing to pull. the ring 2' downward, contact is next made with the lowest stud, 3, when the circuit of the battery l is still closed on the main line, as he tore, but now includes also the magnet in, which in consequence attracts its armature. As the box mechanism continues to rotate, the eircuit-hreaking switch 9 is operated, ln'eaking the main circuit T. The armature oi" the buzzer-magnet now falls back; but the force of its spring carries ithackbeyond its normal position into contact with the spring 71. This short-circuits the bz'ittery B through the buzzer-magnet n: and its armature and vibrating points, and viln'ations are set up, which continue as long as the starting ring or hook is held down, maintaining the lever or switch on stud 3. The alarm-sender is almost instantly informed, therefore, that his signal is received by the respondin buzz of the magnet m and its arnntture, and may let go the rin at once.

It is obvious that my invention is especially well adapted for application to this and similar systems. I desire to point out that, though I have shown the controlling-oircuit as being of considerable length, I do not restrict myself to any special length or form.

I do not claim as my invention a device in which an eleetro-magnet in a normally-open circuit, inehuling its armature and vibrating cireuit-ln-eaker operated thereby, is also common to a second and normally-closed circuit, by which it is normally energized, so that its armature is normally attracted to its forward position and the vibratory circuit maintained inopm-ative as long the closure of the Second circuit is cmitinued, this being old in the art. On the contrary, one oi the principal advantages of my invention is, that it allows the controlling-circuit to be normally open, or, if desired for testing, to have but a small battery closed thereon, and thereby is extremely economical in maintenance, since the use of an open-oi rcuit main ljiattery, with its consequent saving in battery material, is thus made pos sible.

For the purposes of this invention it is not necessary in all cases that the circuit originally be absolutely open as a whole, the conditions being equally fulfilled if it be open so far as concerns the electro-magnet or the operating-battery.

I claim- 1. A municipal or other electric alarm system, comprising a main electric circuit, a main battery, and a response-signal magnet, both normally disconnected from the said circuit, and a key or switch adapted to be manually operated, and thereby to introduce successively the battery and magnet into the said main circuit, a normally-open shunt-circuit of the same battery, including the said magnet, and also its rmature and back stop or vibratory contacts, all at the alarm-sending station, and a clock mechanism, an electro-magnet controlling and adapted when energized to release the same, and a circuit-breaking device actuated by the said mechanism, both electro-magnet and circuit-breaking device being included in the said main circuit, all at a second or alarm-receiving station, whereby the magnet of the response-signal at the home station may be constantly energized by the battery-current in the main circuit when the signal is sent, and intermittently energized and caused to give the response-signal, by inclusion together with its armature and vibratory points in the shunt-circuit upon the automatic operation of the distant circuitbrcaker by means of the clock mechanism at the alarm-receiving station, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In an auxiliary fire-alarm-telegraph system, the combination, with a main circuit, a si gnal-transmittin g device acting to introduce a battery into the said circuit, and an electromagnet in a fire-alarm boX at a distant station, said magnet being adapted when energized to trip the mechanism of said box, of a response or return signal comprising an electro-magnet introduced into the main circuit by the act of sending the signal, a spring-armature and back contact therefor normally out of contact with one another, and a normally-open shunt-circuit of the main battery controlled by the said armature and back contact and including the said magnet, and an automatic circuit-breaker in the main circuit operated by the box mechanism when tripped, and acting to break the said main circuit through the response-magnet, whereby the armature thereof is allowed to rebound upon its back contact, and thereby to close the shunt-circuit and to give a Vibratory signal, substantially as described.

A main electric circuit, a battery and an electro-magnet normally disconnected therefrom, and an armature for the said magnet, which armature when at rest is out of contact with its back stop, a normally-open shunt or local circuit through the said armature and its back stop or contact, and adapted when closed to include also the electro-magnet and battery, a circuit-closing switch or key arranged to include the said battery and electro-magnet in the main circuit and to close the same, causing the magnet to be energized and to attract its armature, and an independent and automatic circuit-breaker to open the said main circuit for the purpose of allowing the armature to rebound beyond its point of rest and to make contact with its back stop and vibrate thereon, thus directing an intermittent or vibratory current through the shunt-circuit and electro-magnet and producin g a continuous signal, substantially hereinbefore described.

In testim ony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 16th day of June, 1888.

GEORGE F. MILLIKEN.

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