US636910A - Electric alarm system. - Google Patents

Description

No. 636,9lo. mannedY Nov. I4, 1399.

n. MAY.

ELECTRIC ALARM SYSTEM.

(Application led June 17, 1899.)

E(No Model.)

l NITED STATESF RICHARD R. MAY, oF sAN Josu, CALIFORNIA.

LECTRIC ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION foi-ming part of Letters Patent N. 636,910, dated November 14, 189e.

Application iiled .Tune 17,1899.

To all whom t may concern:

v Be it known that LRICHARD R. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San J ose, in the countyof Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Electric Alarm System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrically-operated alarm systems, and particularly to that class i'n which the alarm-circuits are manually closed through electromechanical circuit-closers'; and it has for its object to provide a simple and efficient system and construction in which at a suitable point may be located a source of electricity, including a plurality of circuits, one of which containsa number of alarms in multiple arc and another of which includes an electromechanical circuit-closer adapted to close the alarm-circuits when its own circuit is closed through the medium of a push-button or other manual closer.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in both views, Figure 1 shows in elevation a source of electricity, two alarmsV in a circuit with saidl course, and an electromechanical circuitcloser in a separate circuit including said source and arranged to close the circuits of the alarms. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the alarms and showing the means for closing the circuit of the circuit-closer.

Referring now to the drawings, in installing a system in accordance with my invention I arrange within a suitable inclosure or casing 5 a source of electricity, which may consist of one or more cells of battery 6, and within said casing I also arrange an electromechanical circuitcloser consisting of an electromagnet comprising a core 7, a spool 8, and a winding 9. Adjacent one end of the core 7 is pivoted a lever 10, carrying an armature 11, which is adapted to be attracted by the said electromagnet when it is energized. In order to limit the movement of the lever 10 in a direction away from said electromagnet, I arrange a stop 12 upon the adjacent wall of the casing or upon any other suitable support. Upon the upper face of the lever 10 and adjacent its outer end is an upwardly and rearwardly extending spring-contact 13,

Serial No. 720,944.. (No model.)

adapted to engage a plate 14 when the arma'- ture 11 is at the upper limit of its motion under the iniiuence of its electromagnet. The lower end of the plate 14. adjacent the contact 13 is adapted for electrical connec` tion with said contact. Pivot'ed adjacent the outer end of the lever 10 is a tumbler 15, having a recess 16 in its inner face and extending upwardly from its lower end to the line of its pivot 17. In this recess the free end of the lever IO lies at all times, the upper terminal wall 18 of said recess lying in the path of the lever 10 in its upward movement and being adapted to be engaged thereby. That portion of the tumbler above its pivot is longer than the portion below the pivot, and, furthermore, is weighted, and said upper end is adapted to be thrown from one side to the other of its center of gravity under the influence of the lever 10 in its upward movement, said tumbler being held at the limits of its movements through the medium of a keeper 19, the ends of which are secured to the adjacent portion of the casing. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, when the tumbler is in an upright position the shoulder 18 is in line with the outer end of the lever. Thus when the lever rises under the inliuence of its electromagnet said shoulder will be engaged and the tumbler will fall to the position shown in dotted lines, when the door of the recess will swing under and rise beneath the lever, and because of its weighted end will hold the lever in this position and with the contact piece 13 engaging the plate 14.

Included in the system is one or more electric bells 21, comprising each a conductive base 22, to which is secured a binding-post 23 in electrical relation to the base, and to which base is also connected and insulated therefrom a second binding-post 24, one terminal of the electromagnet 25 of the bell being connected directly with the binding-post 24. and the other terminal with a contact-spring 26 carried by the vibratory armature 27. The fixed contact-piece 28 of the make and break is in direct electrical connection with the base 22. The binding-post 23 is connected directly with one terminal 29 of the battery 6, while the binding-post 24: is in direct connection with the switch-arm 30, adapted to engage the plate 14 and complete the circuit between said IOO post and plate. Thus when the contact-piece 13 is in engagement with the plate 14 the circuit including the bells will be closed through the lever 10 and its connection with the terminal 32 of the battery G. The alarms being connected in multiple arc, they will of course be sounded simultaneously.

One terminal of the windinnf 9 of the electromagnet within the casing o is connected directly with the lever 10,througl1 the medium of which it is in circuit with the terminal 32 of the battery 6, the other terminal of said winding being connected directly with a binding-screw 40 upon a plate 41, having an upwardly and forwardly-extending spring-finger 42 projecting above a rearwardly-extending lug 43 upon the frame 22 of each of the alarms, and through the medium of which spring-finger the circuit through the winding 9 may be closed upon the base 22 of an alarm, a knob 44 upon the finger 42 being adapted for direct pressure by the operator. Thus it will be seen that upon pressure of the knob 44 to cause engagement of finger 2 with the base 22 the circuit will be completed from the terminal 32 to lever 10 through winding 9 to screw 40, to plate 41, to finger 42, to base 22, to binding-post 23,to terminal 29, energizing the electromagnct including said winding and causing the core 7 to attract the armature 11 and raise the contact 13 into engagement with the plate 14. The push-button comprising knob 44 being then raised the circuit including said electromagnet will be broken, hut the tumbler 15 having been moved into the position shown in dotted lines it will hold the contact 13 against the plate 14,and the switcharm 30 being then in engagement with the plate 14, as shown in dott-ed lines in Fig. 1, the circuit will be from terminal 32 of the battery G to lever 10, contact 13, plate 14, switch-arm 30, binding-screw 24, to the winding of the electromagnets 25, to contact-spring 26, to contact-point 28, to frame 22, to binding-screw 23 and terminal 2S), causing the operation of the alarm in the usual manner.

I have shown in the drawings the several alarms connected in multiple are and equipped with similar apparatus, and it will be of course understood that the alarms will be sounded substantially simultaneously, depending upon their individual adjustment, and will be operated with a degree of intensity depending upon the well-known conditions in a system of this nature.

It will be readily understood that I may employ any style of alarm and that the specie construction thereof may be varied as desired.

It will of course be understood that one of the alarms is placed in each room or compartment in which it is desired to sound a warning, and thus if a fire or other source of danger be discovered the operator immediately presses the knob 44 in his compartment,wl1en the circuit-closer is operated to close the circuits of the different alarms, causing a si- @cacio multaneous sounding of the latter, and which sounding will be continued until the switcharm 30 is moved to the position shown in full lines or until the tumbler 15 is moved to release the lever 10.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown a second switch-arm. 46, adapted to engage a terminal47, from which latter may lead a Wire including in its circuit an additional system of alarms comprising a common return leading to the terminal 29 of the battery G.

Various changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of the inven tion.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of electricity, of two normally-open circuits including said source of electricity and having a common return, an electric alarm located in one of said circuits and having a conductive base in its local circuit connected directly with the common return, an electromechanical circuit-closer included in the second circuit and adapted to close the circuit of the alarm, and a circuitcloser for the second circuit including a terminal adapted to engage the base of the alarm, and a tumbler adapted for movement by and to engage the electromagnetic circuit-closer to hold it in its operative position, substantially as specified.

2. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of energy, of an electromagnetic alarm, a normally-open circuit includin g said source and the alarm, an electromechanical circuit-closer for closing said circuit, in a normally-open circuit including said source of electricity, means for closing the circuit including said circuit-closer, and a tumbler adapted for movement by and to engage the electromagnetic circuit-closer to hold it in its operative position, substantially as specified.

3. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of electricity, of two normally-open electric circuits including said source and having a common return, an alarm in one of said circuits, an electromechanical circuit-closer in the second circuit adapted to close the first circuit, means for closing the second circuit, and a tumbler adapted for movement by and to engage the electromagnetic circuit-closer to hold it in its operative position, substantially as specified.

4. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of electricity, of two normally-open circuits including said source and having a common return, a plurality of electric alarms connected in multiple are in one of said circuits, and having each aconductive base in its local circuit connected directly with the common return, an electromechanical circuit-closer included in the second circuit ICO IIO

and adapted to close the circuit of the alarms, a circuit-closer for the second circuit including a terminal adapted to engage the base of each alarm, and a tumbler adapted for movement by and to engage the electromagnetic circuit-closerto hold it in its operative position, substantially as specified.

5. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of electricity, and an alarm, of an electromagnetic circuit-closer comprising an electromagnet having an armature movable under the influence thereof and adapted to close the circuit through said alarm, terminals adapted for engagement by the movement of said armature, and a tumbler in the path of the armature adapted for movement thereby to hold the armature in a position to engage the terminals.

6. In an electric alarm system, the combination with a source of electricity, and an alarm inthe circuit of said source, of an electromagnetic circuit-closer comprising terminals adapted for mutual engagement to comder the influence of the electromagnet, a tumbler having a shoulder in the path of said lever to be engaged thereby at one limit of its movement to throw it to the opposite limit-of its movement, and a projection upon the tumbler adapted to engage the lever and hold the contacts in mutual engagement, when said tumbler is in its operative position, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD R. MAY.

Witnesses:

Jos. A. LOTZ, M. H. MOORE.

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