US418778A - District-telegraph alarm-box - Google Patents

Description

'- (-No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

' .0. G. ARMSTRONG.

DISTRICT TELBGRAPH ALARM BOX.

` Patented Jan. 7,1890.

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(No Model.) 2 sheetsheet 2l '0. G. ARMSTRONG. DISTRICT TELEGRAPH ALARM BOX.

N0.'4"18,778. Patented Jan. 7,1890.

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CHARLES G. ARMSTRONG, OF ENGLEWOOD, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HIMSELF, AND GEORGE A. HARMOUNT, OF

" CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DISTRICT-TELEGRAPH ALARM-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,778, dated January 7, 189.

Application filed March 14, 1889. Serial No. 303,345. (No model.)

fact that in all of those boxes in extensive use a single indicator-hand is oscillated to polnt to one of a number of wants printed in consecutive order around the center of oscilf lation of said hand and-within reach thereof. In the excitement generally attendant on'lthe use of the boxes, especially by persons not expert in their use, the hand is'turned to indicate the wrong want. I avoid all the difliculties by a well-appointed district-telegraph box which is simple in construction and easily operated and understood, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure l is a front View of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same with case removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof with the case removed. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken'onl line w .'r, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a plan of thejdevices for actuating the return-'signaling devices.

`Referring to the drawings, A- represents the board upon which my improved boxis mountwire b leads to and forms a contact with the insulated screw b', passing through the metal frame B. From this screw b adivided shuntcircuit is provided, vwhich will be more fully referred to hereinafter. Placed and screwed in front of said frame B, about an inch and a half removed therefrom and concentric therewitli,'is a gutta-percha circular plate C, and journ'aled in a cent-ral opening in this plate and in the center of frame B is a spindle c, which has a commutator-wheel D on its u outer.` end. On the periphery of this wheel.

D I make notches for breaking the circuit and ringing off both the number of the box and the number `indicating the particular want desired. To establish vthe current through this com'mutator-wheel I provide la brush d, which just grazes the 'periphery of said Wheel and does not touch when the notches pass under it. This brush is secured to a suitable arm d', which is connected to a suitable screw e passing through said plate, and one of the shunt-wires e connects said screw with the screw b', as shown. Thus the current would pass from the positive post a (when unbroken) to screw b', to screw e, through the brush to the commutator-wheel, through the spindle of said wheel to the metal frame B, and off through the negative WlIG. vided with a suitable number of notches or recesses :o to register the number of the box and a series of notches or recesses y to register the wants. The latter series of notches correspond in number to the number of wants registered by said box.

Supposing there were ten wants, and that Now the periphery of the wheel is propolice required vten notches, tire five notches, and niessengei" one notch, to call the brush, I provide the push-bars E E E,

which reciprocate in suit-able openings in frame B and plate C, at right angles thereto, and which extend outward through the case F of the box. On the outer ends of the bars E are push-buttons f, which have suitably impressed on their outer surfaces the particular want, by pushing on which the operator can signal to the central station.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown but three of these push-bars, and the buttons on their outer ends are marked, respectively, Messenger l, Fire 5, ant Police l0. These bars are kept pushed out to the outward limit of their reciprocation by coilsprings F surrounding them, having their inner ends resting against frame B and their outer ends pushing outward against a guttapercha collar g, secured to said bars at a point between frame B and plate C. The circumference of these collars is covered with a brass shell, the outer circumferential edges of which project beyond the adjacent edges of the collar. Then these barsEare pushed outward to the outer limit of their movement, the edges of the brass covering of collars g bear outward against plates l, 2, and 3 of a shunt-circuit secured to the inner surface of plate C and establish a circuit from screw e, through wire 71 to plate l, to the metal covering of the collar g of the push-bar entitled Messen ger, through plate 2,through the metal covering of the push-bar indicated by the word Fire, through plate 3, through the collar of the push-bar indicated by the word Police, and, finally, through a short plate -l and a wire connection o from said plate direct to frame B or to the metal framework of the clock mechanism which actuates the commutator-wheel and connects plate C t0 frame B, as will hereinafter be more fully referred to. IVhen one of the push-bars is pushed and held inward at the limit of its inward movement, the collar g thereof is removed frein the circuit-plates l and 2, or 2 and 3, or 3 and l, as the ease may be, and opens the circuit, and thus directs the full force of the current from screw c through the brush. To hold these push-bars inward until the necessary number of recesses of the commutator-wheel have passed under the brush, I provide the leaf-spring catches 7c 7c 7c, which are suitably secured to the plate C, near the edge thereof, en a radial line with the bar they are used in connection with. They extend inward in a radial direction past said bars on a plane in front of the commutator-wheel and terminate at points within the circumference of said wheel. The bars have notches m in the surface adjacent to said spring-catches 7u, with the inner shoulder abrupt and at such points that when they are pushed inward to the limit of their inner movement the spring-catches k snap into said notches and hold the bars inward. To release the bar and permit its return toits normal position, there projects from the outer surfaces of the commutator a lug or finger G at such a distance from the center of said commutator that as it revolves it strikes the free end of the spring-catches and pushes them out of the notches m and leaves the push -bar free to return to its original position.

Now,the recesses in the periphery of the commutator-wheel are so placed with reference to finger G that when it strikes against the catch k of the push-bar indicated by the word Messenger one recess of the series y will have passed underthe brush. \Vhen it strikes against the catch 7c ofthe next pushbar, indicated bythe word Fire, five recesses will have passed under the brush, and when it strikes against the catch of push-bar indicated by the word Police ten recesses shall have passed under the brush. 'lhus there will be recorded one ring, tive rings, or ten rings at the central station, according to the push-bar pressed upon.

It is obvious that as many of the push-bars may be used as there are wants to be signaled for. They are arranged around the periphery of the commutator-wheel at such a distance and in such relation to the brush that the latter will cause the proper number of breaks in the circuit to take place as to register, by sound or other signal, the exact want which it is desired the particular pushbar under consideration to call.

The clock mechanism H, heretofore alluded to, is the same, or substantially the same, as that used in the several district alarm-telegraph boxes now in use, and I de not consider it necessary for the purposes of my invention to describe it further than to say that it is wound up every time it is desired to use my improved box by'an oscillating lever I, and that it actuates the commutatorwheel just sufficient to complete one revolution.\

It is oftentimes the case that users of telegraph boxes, either through carelessness or undue excitement, call for the wrong want. New in all the telegraph-boxes in current use, after the wrong call is once made, it is diiicult to be rectified. The only recourse the blunderer has is to make asecond call for the right want, thus registering two wants and receiving personal answers that it would h'ave been better to dispense with. I avoid this dieulty by simply revolving the pushbars on their axes. This action releases the bars from the hold of catches 7c, permits their return t0 their normal position, and prevents any call at the central station. Of course the wrongfully-depressed push-bar must be revolved before the recesses of series y begin to pass under the brush; otherwise a wrong signal would be recorded in either event.

A perfect system of district-telegraph alarm should have a central ring-off or some suitable signal whereby the user could know beyond doubt that his call had been received at the central station. I have accomplished this in a very simple manner, and at the same time overcome a great objection which heretofore has always existed to the district-alarm system. I refer to the confusion which ensues at the central station when two or more patrons use the system at the same time. Under such circumstances it is impossible for IOO the central operator to understand the signals, and a second and third signal even is sometimes necessary before he can comprehend.

My improvement consists of a helix or electro-magnet J, which is made by winding the wire between the metal frame B and the negative post aor the w-ire h, between the positive post a and insulated screw b', around the iron core. This electro-magnet is so locatedthatan armature lo', supported on the end of a projecting arm k2 from a transverse spindle K, is magnetized when there is a current through the electro-magnet. The spindle is journaled so as to be free to oscillate in suitable bearings in the board A and case F of the box, and has a coil-spring M surrounding its inner end, oneend of which is secured tov said spindle and the other to the board whose function is to oscillate the spindle, so as to swing the armature k away from the magnet J when" the current therethrough is broken. "When the circuit through said magnet is 11e-established, it attracts the armature in front ot it and cscillates spindle K.

On the outer end of spindle K, which projects through the case F', there is a hand N, which, being fast to the spindle, oscillates therewith. Now whenever there is a break in the circuit the spring M causes the spindle to oscillate, so that the hand N points to the word Open, and whenever the circuit is established the magnet attracts the armature and causes said spindle to oscillate, so that the hand points to the word Closed.

Every time a recess in the commutatorwheel, either of a series w or y, passes under the brush the hand N makes a quick oscillation. Thus when a patron goes to his box and notices the hand N oscillating he will know that somebody else is using the line and that hevis not to use it until it stops. After the patron has used the box the central operator breaks the circuit for about a half-minute, (more or le ss,),thus oscillating all the hands N ot every box of the system to indicate open,

and holding it there for a short space of time.

The operation of my box is, it is believed, sutciently described to dispense with fur- Y ther amplication.

l. In a district-telegraph signal-box, the combination, with a revoluble commutatorwheell D, having a series of recesses in its periphery, of a brush Zand the Wires of a divided circuit, one of said wires being connected to the vbrush and the other of said wires consisting of several separate sections and suitable circuit-closers connecting said sections, which are normally disconnected from the commntator-wheel,but are engaged by the same in the course of its rotation.

2. The combination`,in a district-telegraph signal-box, with a revoluble commutatorwheel D, having a series of recesses in its periphery for signaling, of a brush d, the wires of a divided circuit, one of said wires being connected to said brush and the other ,forming a shunt, and a push-bar E, connecting the sections of said shunt, which is normally disconnected from the commutatorwheel, but is engaged by the same during its revolution, said engagement taking place b efore or immediately after the recesses of said wheel have all passed beneath said brush.

3. The combination,in a district-telegraph signal-box, with a revoluble commutatorwheel D, having a series of recesses in its periphery for signaling, of a brush d, the wires of a divided circuit, one of which connects to said brush 'and the other of which forms a shunt-circuit, the reciprocating pushbars Efor opening and closing said shuntcircuit, having notches m in their outer ends, catches 7c, and fingers G, projecting from said commutator-wheel, as set forth.

4. The combination, in adistrict-telegraph signal'- box, with a revoluble commutatory Wheel D, having a series of recesses in its periphery for signaling, of a brush ci, the Awires of a divided circuit, one of which connects to said brush and the other of which forms a shunt-circuit, the reciprocating pushbars E, for opening and closing said shuntcircuit, coil-springs surrounding their inner ends, notches m in them near their outer ends, catches k, entering said notches when the said bars are pushed inward, and lingers G, project-ing from said commutator-Wheel, and when said wheel revolves pushing said cat-ches out of said notches, as set forth.

5. The combination, in a district-telegraph signal-box, with a revoluble commutatorwheel D, having a series of recesses in its periphery for signaling, of a brush d, a divided circuit, one of the wires of which connects with the brush and the other of which forms a shunt-circuit consisting of independent plates which are arranged in segmental alignment on insulated material, and reciprocating push-bars E, moving at right angles bet-Ween the ends of said plates, and when at the limit-of their movement in one direction closing said shunt-circuit, and when moved in the opposite direction opening the same.y

CHARLES G. ARMSTRONG.

Vitnesses:

JAMES E. ARMSTRONG, t FRANK D. THoMAsoN.

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