US540529A

US540529A - Electrically-controlled speaking-tube

Info

Publication number: US540529A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1912-06-04

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' (No Model.)

G. s. WILLIAMSON. BLEGTRICALLY GONTROLLED SPEAKING TUBE.

'Na 540,529. Patented June 4, 1895.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. S. WILLIAMSON. ELEGTRIGALLY GONTRQLLBD SPEAKING TUBE.

No. 540,529. Patented June 4371895 f '2W/94, s

A w/TNESSES: /NVE/vro/ UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

GEORGE s'. WILLIAMSON, OE MoKEEsPO'RT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRlCALLY-CONTROLLED SKP'E'AKING-TUBE SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,529, dated June 4, 1895. Application ned rebmry 1s, :1895. serial No. 538,747. (No man.)

speaking tube, designed for use in dwellings,

stores, hotels, ctc., and arranged to permit of conveniently connecting any two roomswithA each other,l either with or without the intervention of a central office; also permitting the cent-ral oflice when called to quickly sound an ala-rm in each room in case of danger of tire or other causes.

The invention consists of a whistleinclosed in a casing having a speaking tube inlet and a mouth piece, a valve for controlling the con-y nection between the lnouth piece and whistle, and an electric circuit provided with electromagnets and having an armature lever controlled from the whistle. 1

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter. and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofI this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement arranged'with a central ofice, the building being in section. Fig. 2 is a like view of the improvement arranged without a central office. Fig. 3 is a face view of the signal-box.

. Fig. 4 is a sectional front View of the same,

and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

As illustrated in Fig. l, a main speaking tube A extends through the several lioors B', B2, B2, B4, B5 of a building B, and on the lower end of the said main speaking tube A, is arranged awhistle and mouth-piece C of any approved construction. From each of the floors B2, B2, B4, B5, leads a branch tube D, connecting with a signal box E provided on its face with a mouth-piece F opening into a chamber E' formed in the box, as is plainly illustrated in Figs. 4: and 5. In this chamber E' is arranged a valve seat G, normally closed by a valve G', to disconnect the chamber E' from the chamber E2, into which opens the branch tube D. The valve stem G2 of the valve G', extends through the base of the box lE, and is provided at its Outer end with a suitable handle `G3 adapted to be taken hold ofv :a whistle H of usual construction, vleading into a chamber E3 likewise formed in the box E alongside the chambers E' and E2, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4. In this chamber E2 are arranged a pair of magnets I, and an armature lever J, fulcrumed at J' within the box E, andA carrying at its free end a ball J2 l normally closing the inner aperture H' of the whistle H. A spring J3 serves to hold the lever J normally out of contact with the magnets I.

Now it will be seen that when a blast of air passes into the chamber E2 either from the .tube D or froml the mouth-piece F at the time the valve G' is open, then the air will pass into the whistle H and sound the same provided the armature lever was previously attracted by its magnets I.

The magnets I are connected with wires K and K', of which the wire K is connected with the main tube A, while the wire K' leads to a switch board L, preferably arranged in the lower door B' at the central office. The several wires K', from the several floors B' to B5, terminate atl the switch board L in contact points K2, K2, K4, K5 respectively. A switch leverKis adapted to connect with any of the contact points K2, K3, K4, K5, and the said lever is connected by a push button and wire K7 with one pole of a battery N, connected at its other pole by a wire K8 with the main tube A, so that the latter serves as a'conduct or for the several wires K. Now, when a party, say on the fourth floor B4, of a building, desires to call a party on the second floor B2, then he first pulls the lever G3 at his signal -box E and IOO blows into the `mouthpiece F, so Athat the y whistle C is sounded in the central office on the first Hoor. Theattendant of the central office is then informed that this party desires to connect with the second door, and consequently `the attendant moves the switch lever K6 to the contact point K2. As soon as the switch lever KG is moved onto the contact point K2, then the electro-magnets I on the second lioor attract their lever J so that the whistle l-I in the iirst signal box E is free, and consequently the party on the fourth iioor, on blowing into the mouth-piece F, sounds the whistle H in the signal box of the second floor B2. The two parties, the one on` the fourth floor and the one on the second door, are in communication with each other through the main tube A and the branch tubes D leading from their signal boxes.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the central oilice is dispensed with, and on each fioor B', B2, B3, B", B5 are arranged switches L', L2, L3, L4, L5 respectively, all alike in construction and similar to the switch L previously described. A Wire K9 connects the several switch levers with each other and with the Wire K7 leading to the battery N, so that a party on any of the iioors, by moving the switch lever to the desired contact point of another ioor, can call up the party thereon, so as to establish communication between the two floors. In this instance the wire Ks is dispensed with, and wire K leads from the lower signal box E to the battery N. It is understood that this calling up of one party by another, is similar to the one described above in reference to a party on one of the floors calling up the central oflice.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A speaking tube, comprising awhistle inclosed in a casing and adapted to be sounded from a mouth-piece and a main speaking tube, a valve for controlling the connection between the mouth-piece and Whistle, and an electric circuit provided with electro -magnets and having an armature lever for normally closing the said whistle, substantially as shown and described.

2. A speaking tube provided with a signal box having a connection with a main tube and a mouth piece, a whistle arranged in the said box, a spring pressed valve for controlling the connection between the mouth piece and whistle, and a lever normally engaging the whistle and closing the same, substantially as shown and described.

3. A speaking tube, provided with a signal box comprising a casing divided into chambers, of which one is connected with the main speaking tube, andthe second is provided with a mouth-piece, a valve for controlling the connection between the said first and second chambers, a whistle arranged between the first and third chambers, and a lever arranged in the third chamber for normally closing the said whistle, substantially as shown and described.

4. A speaking tube, provided with a signal box comprising a casing divided into chambers, of which one is connected with the main speaking tube, and the second is provided with a mouth-piece, a valve for controlling the connection between the said irst and second chambers, a whistle arranged between the first and third chambers, a lever arranged in the third chamber for normally closing the said whistle, and an electric circuit provided with electromagnets in the third chamber, and adapted to attract the said lever, substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE S. WILLIAMSON.

Witnesses:

S. O. LoWRY, C. S. Lownn.