US723199A - Alarm telegraph system. - Google Patents

Description

No. 723,199 PATENTED MAR. 17,1903. A. GOLDST-EIN.

ALARM TELEGRAPH SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1900.

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U ITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ALBERT GOLDSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL FRANK, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ALA'RM'TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,199, dated March 17, 1903.

Application filedApril 21, 1900.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT GOLDSTEIN, a citizen of the United'States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm Telegraph Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvementin alarm telegraph systems wherein a number of pri- IO mary alarm -transmitting circuits are connected through relays with a secondary alarmtransmitting circuit which transmitsalarms from all the primary circuits. Such a system is especially applicable where it is practicable to utilize the wires of a telephone-exchange system for the transmission of alarm-signals. The primary circuits in the system as disclosed are normally open grounded circuits, which are branches from a common battery, though they might be supplied from separate batteries, and the alarm-signals are given by successive momentary closures on the primary circuits,-which indicate distinctive numbers.

In such a system as defined above more than a momentary closure of any one of the primary circuits, such as would result from the accidental grounding of the wire, would prevent the transmission of an alarm-signal 39 from any other primary circit, and the entire system would be disabled while the ground remainedon the wire. 1

The object of this invention is to prevent the disablement of any one primary circuit 3 5 from interfering with the normal transmission of alarm-signals by the other primary circuits. This is effected by a slow-acting cutout switch operating in conjunction with the relay in each primary circuit. This switch 40 by reason of itsslow action is not operated by the normal momentary currents which are employed in sending alarms; but the abnormal operation of the relay by the presence of a current of longer duration, such as 5 a continuous ground, causes the switch to operate and cuts off the control of the secondary alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay, so that this secondary circuit will be in a condition to receive signals from any of the primary circuits. I

In the accompanying drawing, which forms Serial No. 13,798. (No model.)

a part of this specification, the figure shows the invention in the form of slow-actingmercury cut-out switches attached to the relayarmaturesin an alarm telegraph system which is applied to a common-battery telephoneexchauge system.

The system, as shown in the diagram, is a combined telephone-exchange and alarm system in which the telephone-lines are utilized for the transmission of alarm-signals from various points within a territory covered by the telephone-exchange system to an alarm receiving headquarters by means, of suitable local transmitting apparatus and repeating apparatus connected to the telephone-lines, but so constructed that they willnot interfere with the telephone signaling or talking currents or the sets of the local telephone apparatus at the various points. The leads of the telephone-subscribers circuits which come together in a telephone-exchange are used for the two distinct and independent classes of service of telephoning between telephone subscribers and transmitting signals to an alarm-receiving headquarters. This second service is by way of distinction termed an alarm service. The sets of apparatus at various points from which signals can be sent are termed sets of local alarm-transmitting 8o apparatus, and the apparatus at the point to which the signals are sent. is termed the alarm-receiving apparatus. These terms, however, are not intended to limit the claims to systems in which the signals are distinctly alarm-signals, since the system is equally applicable to the transmission of signals for any purpose.

In the system as illustrated the telephonesubscribers sets 1, of which but one is shown, are connected to a common-battery telephoneexchange by the battery-leads 2 and grounded leads 3, which form the telephone-subscribers circuitsand connect the subscribers sets with the open-terminal spring-jacks 4 and the 5 grounded common battery 5. The batteryleads are connected through line-signal relays 6 to the live terminal of the common battery, and the grounded leads are connected to the grounded terminal of the common battery. top The line-signal relays close circuits through line-signal lamps 7. In front of the springjacks for each circuit are test-rings 8, which are connected through an exchange-cut-ofi relay 9 to the grounded terminal of the common battery. The insertion of the'usnal exchange cord-circuitplug in the jack of a tele= phone-subscribers circuit connects the testring with the live terminal of the battery, and the cut-off relay shifts the connections of the grounded lead of the telephone-subscribers circuit to ground through a repeating-coil in the cord-circuit and shifts the connections of the battery-lead of the telephone-subscribers circuit in the batterythrough an other repeating-coil in the cord-circuit, as described in United States Patent No. 647,588, dated April The alarm system and the manner in which the telephone-circuits are utilized for the transmission of alarm-signals will now be described.

At convenient points within the territory covered by the exchange are sets of local alarm-transmitting apparatus, each consisting either of a signaling-wheel and mechanism for operating it man nally or otherwise or a telegraph-key 11. Each of these is connected to the battery-lead of any telephonesu'bscribers circuit which may be conveniently nearand effects connection between with the coils balanced in the two leads.

one coil only of the relay, and it will attract its armature. As, for instance, suppose a signal be sent in by key 11 or wheel 10 the circuit will be as follows: from ground to wire 2, one coil of relay 12, wire 2, line-relay 6, wires 2, battery 5, and ground. Each relay12controls contacts 13, which arein multiple in an alarm-transmitting circuit which includes wire 14, relay 18, part of wire 3, battery 5, and part of wire 2. The closure of the contact at any relay 12 therefore closes this alarm-transmitting circuit. In series with each relay-contact is a contact 15 of a slow-acting mercury cut-out switch 16, which is mounted on the relay-armature. This switch consists of two bulbs connected by a small tube and partly filled with mercury. The contact-wires are fused into the top of one of the bulbs. The bulbs are so mounted on the armature that when the armature is away from the relay-magnet the mercury will touch the ends of the contact-wires; but if the armature is drawn up and held for a sufiicient length of time the mercury will flow slowly from the bulb containing the contacts into the other bulb and the contacts will be opened. Between the closure of the alarm-transmitting circuit at the relay-contact and the opening of this circuit by the mercury cut-out switch there is suflicient time to send an impulse such as is requisite in sending a signal. In event of any current coming ontoa line 2, which would operate its alarm-repeating relay, and remaining on this mercury cut-out switch will operate and open that branch of the alarm transmitting circuit which is through the relay-contact, so that signals received on other alarm-repeating relays 12 can be repeated on this alarm-transmitting circuit. The purpose of the cut-out switch is therefore to prevent the complete disabling of the entire alarm system through the individual disabling by the continuous grounding of or the presence of aforeign current in the live lead of any one of the telephone-circuits which is utilized for transmitting alarmsignals.

In the system shown the primary circuits are normally open circuits. The continued closure of any one causes the operation of its slow-acting switch; but the cut-out switch is equally applicable in connection with a system made up of normally closed primary circuits, in which case it would merely be necessary to substitute relays with contacts on the other sides of the armatures. In this case the cessation of current in one of the primary circuits would cause an abnormal operation of the relay and the operation of the cut-out switch. In the system shown the secondary circuit under immediate control of the relays is also a normally open circuit. The contacts controlled by the relays are in multiple in this circuit and a cut-out switch is in series with each circuit; but the cut-out switch is equally applicable in connection with a system wherein the secondary circuit is a normally closed circuit, in which case it would be necessary to put the relay-contacts in series and arrange the cut-out switches so that on operating they will bridge these contacts.

The alarm-transmitting circuit 14 operates the relay 18. This relay controls the closed circuit 19, which extends to the alarm-headquarters, and operates a relay 20, which controls the'local circuit of the alarm-receiving apparatus 21.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of a series of primary circuits,a local alarm-transmitting apparatus connected to each circuit, a relay in each circuit, a secondary alarm-transmitting circuit at the exchange which is controlled by any of the relays, a source of electricity, a slowacting cut-out switch operating in conjunction with each relay to cut off the control of the secondary alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay whenever there is more than the too - operated from the alarm-transmitting circuit,

substantially as described. 2. The combination of a series of primary circuits, alocal alarm-transmitting apparatus connected to each circuit, a relay in each circuit, a secondary alarm-transmitting circuit at the exchange which is controlled by any of the relays, a source of electricity, a slowacting cut-out switch operating in conjunction with each relay to cut off the control of the secondary alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay whenever there is more-than the normal momentary operation of the relay, and automatically restoring the control of the-relay upon the cessation of the trouble causing the abnormal operation of the relay, and an alarm-receiving apparatus which is tejzs operated from the alarm-transmitting circuit, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a series of primary circuits, a local alarm-transmitting apparatus connected to each circuit, a relay in each ciremit, a secondary alarm-transmitting circuit at the exchange which is controlled by any of the relays, a source of electricity, a slow-acting mercury cut-out switch operating in conjunction with each relay to cut off the control of the secondary alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay whenever there is more than the normal momentary operation of the relay,

1 and automatically restoring the control of the relay upon the cessation of the trouble causing the abnormal operation of the relay, and an alarm-receiving apparatus which is operated from the alarm-transmittingcircuit, substantially as described."

4, The combination of sets of telephone apparatus, a telephone-exchange, telephonecircuits connecting the sets of telephone apparatus with the-telephone-exchange, a local alarm-transmitting apparatus connected to one of the leads of each telephone-circuit, a relay in each telephone circuit, the relays being at the exchange and responsive to cur' rents controlled by the sets of local alarmtransmitting apparatus and not to the telephone signaling and talking currents, an alarm-transmitting circuitat the exchange whichis controlled by any of the relays, a slow-acting cut-out switch operating in conjunction with each relay to .cut 0% the control of the alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay whenever there is more than the normal. momentary operation of the relay, and an alarm-receiving apparatus which is operatedfrom the alarm-transmitting circuit,

substantially as described.

5. The combination of sets of telephone apparatus, a telephone exchange, telephonecircuits connecting the sets of telephone apj paratus with the telephone-exchange, alocal alarm-transmitting apparatus connected to one of the leads of eachtelephone-circuit, a relay in each telephone-circuit, the relays being at the exchange and responsive to our- "abnormal operation of the relay, and an alarm-receiving apparatus which is operated from the alarm-transmitting circuit, substantially'as described.

6. The combination of sets of telephone apparatus, a telephone -exchange, telephonecircuits connecting the sets of telephone apparatus with the telephone-exchange, a local alarm transmitting apparatus connected to one of the leads of each telephone-circuit, a relay in each telephone-circuit, the relays being at the exchange and responsive to currents controlled by the sets of local alarmtransmitting apparatus and not to the telephone signaling and talking currents, an alarm-transmitting circuit'at the exchange which is controlled by any of the relays, a slow-acting mercury cut-out switch operating in conjunction with each relay to cut ofi the control of the alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay whenever there is more than the normal momentary operation of the relay, and an alarm-receiving apparatus which is operated from the alarm-transmittin g circuit, substantially as described.

7. The combination of sets of telephone apparatus, a telephone-exchange, telephonecircuits connecting the sets of telephone apparatus with the telephone-exchange, a local alarm-transmitting apparatus connected to one of the leads of each telephone-circuit, a

relay in each telephone-circuit, the relays being at the exchange and responsive to currents controlled by the setsof local alarmtransmitting apparatus and not to the telephone signaling and talking currents, an alarmtransmitting circuit at the exchange which is controlled by any of the relays, a slow-acting mercury cut-out switch operated by the armature of each relay to cut off the control of the alarm-transmitting circuit by the relay whenever there is more than the normal momentary operation ofthe relay, and automatically restoring the control of the relay upon the cessation of the trouble causing the abnormal operation of the relay, and an alarm-receiving apparatus which is operated from the alarm-transmitting circuit, substantially as described. a

Signed by me in New York city, borough of Manhattan, on the 14th day of April, 1900.

. ALBERT GOLDSTEIN. Witnesses: i

THOMAS EWING, J r., SAMUEL W. BALCH.

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