US737965A - Time-controlled electric alarm. - Google Patents

Description

No. 737,965. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903. A. L. RONELL. TIME CONTROL-LED ELECTRIC ALARM.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 19, 1903.

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I No. 737,965. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

A. L. RONELL.

.TIME CONTROLLED ELECTRIC ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Fatented September 1, 1903.

PATENT QFFICE.

TIME-CONTROLLED ELECTRIC ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 737,965, dated September- 1, 1903.

Application filed January 19, 1903. Serial No. 139,600. (No model.)

To all whom. it Wmy concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST LEONARD Ro- NELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Humboldt, in the county of Humboldt and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Time Controlled Electric Alarm, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a time controlled electric alarm admitting of general use and of special utility in relation to schools, railway-depots, hotels, and all other institutions in which itis desirable to sound an alarm periodically.

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

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the framework and motor, together with certain electrical connections. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the face of the clock. Fig. 2 is a View somewhat similarto Fig. 2, but showing another form of the clocl face. a diagram of the wiring and other electrical connections. Fig. 4is a fragmentary section, somewhat enlarged, upon the line to x in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing one of the terminals. Fig. 5 is a section of the conducting-plate 13, taken at right angles to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 3 y in Fig. 2, somewhat similar to Fig. 4, and showing the other of the terminals. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section upon the line .2 .2 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the contact mechanism.

A frame 1, which. may be made of wood or other suitable material, is provided with a clock 2, having a minute-hand 3 and an hourhand 4, arranged to rotate over a dial 5.- Mounted circumferentially upon this dial 5 is a metallic ring 6, insulated from the dial by means of hard rubber or other appropriate insulating material '7 and provided with screw-holes 8. Round-headed screws 9 are provided for the purpose of engaging these holes, as indicated more particularly in Figs. 2 and 7. These screws may be moved from one hole to another or taken out altogether, and any number of them may be employed.

Fig. 3 is Mounted upon the hour-hand 4 is a springarm 10, connected thereto by means of the rivets 11 and provided with a beveled end 12, as indicated more particularly in Fig. '7. Mounted upon this beveled end 12 and forming an angle therewith is an insulating member 13, which prevents the member 12 from forming any contact with the metallic ring 6. The beveled end 12 is free to engage one or more of the screws 9, however, as may be seen by inspecting Fig. 7.

Abinding-screw 14 is connected with a metallic strip 13, this strip being provided with a contact 15, having, preferably, the shape of a leaf-spring, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 5. This contact is electrically connected with the sleeve 16 of the hour-hand 4. The metallic ring 6. is connected with a conducting-strip 17, whichleads'to a bindingscrew 18, this screw being connected by a bolt 19 with the other metallic parts. By the construction thus described acomplete metallic connection is formed from the binding-screw 14, constituting one terminal, through the spring-contact 15, hour-hand 4, spring arm 10, screw 9, ring 6, and strip 17 to the other terminal, 18. 'Wires 2O 21 are connected with the respective terminals 14 18, the wire 21 leading to the binding-posts 22 23 and to a magnet 24, from which a wire 25 leads to a binding-post 26, connected with a spring-contact 27, to which is attached a link 28, this link being supported by a hook 29, mounted upon one end of a lever 30, fulcrumed at 31 and provided with an armature 32. NVhen the armature 32 actuates the lever 30, the spring-contact 27 is raised slightly, as may be seen by inspecting Fig. i

A motor is provided for the purpose of energizing electric alarms located at a distance. A revoluble metallic disk 33 is provided upon its circumference with a ring 34, interrupted by a gap 35 of the shapeindicated in Fig. 3, and is integrally. mounted upon the shaft 36 and revoluble therewith. (See Fig. 8.) This shaft 36 is in metallic communication, by a frame '71 and a strip 37, with a wire 38, leading to a binding-post 39, and thence to a battery 40. Connected also with this battery is a manually-operated switch 41, which leads to a junction 42, from whence a wire 43 is connected with a bell 44, constituting the alarm proper. A wire 45 leads from the bell 44- to a binding-screw 46, connected with a springcontact 47 and with a wire 48. The wire 48 is connected with a pushbutton 49, from whence a wire 50 leads to the binding-post 39, all as indicated in Fig. 8.

Integrally mounted upon the shaft 36 is a metallic disk 51, (see Fig. 8,) in which are secured bolts 52 for the purpose of supporting a disk 53 of vulcanite or other insulating material, this disk being provided with a plurality of radially-disposed beveled contact members 54 55, these members being adjusted by means of the bolts 52 so that the ends of said members will project beyond the circumference of the vulcanite disk 53, as shown at the upper part of Fig. 8, or will not project therefrom, as shown at the lower part of said figure. By thus adjusting the radially-disposed contact members any one or more of them may be caused to periodically engage the spring contact member 47 as the shaft 36 is rotated. 80 also by adjusting these radially-disposed members with reference to the circumference of the vulcanite disk the duration of the period of contact between each of the members and the spring-contact 47 may be regulated at will, according to the amount of the beveled surface allowed to project beyond the circumference of the disk, thus governing the duration of the ringing.

Each of the radially-disposed members is provided with a slot 56 in order to effect the radial adjustments above mentioned.

In Fig. 2 the form of the clock differs slightly from that above described. Mounted upon the casing 57 is a ring 58, provided with holes 50, which are disposed at intervals representing periods of five minutes each. Mounted upon the dial-plate and concentric with the ring 58 is another ring, 60, provided with a relatively large number of holes 61, one or more of which can be engaged by the screw 2,substantiallyin the manner above described with reference to the screws 9. (Shown in 7.) Binding-screws 20 21 are by means of the metallic strips 63 64 connected with the rings 58 61, respectively, these rings being insulated from each other in the manner above described. In this form of clock the circuit is completed from the wire 20 through the binding-post 20, strip 68, ring 58, minute-hand 66, hour-hand 65, contact 62, strip 64, and binding-post 21 to the wire 21.

The holes 61 are one hundred and forty-four in number, so that, together with the ordinals of the clock, the ring will be divided into twelve subdivisions representing hours, each of these subdivisions being further divided into twelve other periods. As the circuit is only completed when the contact members 67 68, disposed upon the respective hour and minute hands,simultaneously engage the pins 62 and 59*, the alarm can only be sounded at such intervals of time as correspond with the various positions in which the respective hands pass over the contact-screws. 3y arranging the screws accordingly the alarm can be sounded for a variety of purposes. For the purpose of rotating the shaft 36 a gearwheel 60 is connected therewith, this gearwheel bein driven by a train of clockwork 70, disposed within the frame 71 and propelled by a spring 72. An escapement 7 3, provided with a pendulum 74, is provided for the purpose of regulating the speed. of the mechanism just described.

The group of mechanism, consisting of the train of gearing, the shaft 36, and the contact members 54 55, constitutes a motor for the purpose of energizing the alarm 44.

The operation of my device is as follows: Suppose it is desired to have the alarm make a single ring at five minutes before nine oclock and also a single ring at fifteen minutes past nine oclock. The radially-disposed members 54 55 are adjusted so as to miss the spring-contact 47, only one being allowed to project, as shown at the upper part of Fig. 8. A contact-screw 9 is next inserted in the particular hole 8 immediately below the one corresponding to the ordinal IX, as indicated in Fig. 2, another of the contact-screws being secured into the third hole past IX, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. If, however, the form of clock shown in Fig. 2 is employed, a contact 62 is placed in a hole 61that is, one hole removed from the ordinal IX and below the sameanother contact-screw 62 being placed in the same ring and four holes removed from the contact-screw just mentioned. In other words, it is located in the third hole above the ordinal IX. Two other screws are placed in the ring 58, one of the screws being placed adjacent to the ordinal XI, the other adjacent to the ordinal III. By this arrangement great accuracy is secured, because the electrical connection is governed partly by the movements of the minute-hand, which is of course far more accurate than the hour-hand. As the hour-hand alone is unable to complete the circuit, it is clear that the minute-hand must be in actual contact with its contactscrew before the alarm can be sounded, and notwithstanding the engagement of the hour-hand 65 with its contact-screw the circuitis completed, no matter which form of clock is used, and is as follows: battery 40, switch 41, junction 42, wire 20, through either clock, wire 21, binding-posts 22 23, magnet 24, wire 25, binding-post 26, springcontact 27, metallic disk 33, wire 38, and binding-post 39 to the battery 40. This energizes the magnet 24, causing the same to raise the hook 29, link 28, and spring-contact member 27, thus breaking the connection between this contact and the metallic disk 33. The spring-contact 27 being raised, the motor is set in motion for the reason that the spring-contact 27 normally engages the notch 35, and thereby prevents the spring 72 from propelling the train of clockwork, as will be readily seen by reference to Fig. 1. The re voluble disk having started to move so that the notch 35 is carried to the right 'and downward, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) the spring member 27 immediately descends, but does not engage the notch 35. Instead it engages the outer edge of the insulation 34, and is therefore unable to complete the circuit. The revoluble member 33 and the vulcanite disk being driven mechanically, as above described, cause the c011- tact member 54 to be brought into engagement with the spring-contact 47, thereby completin g a circuit, which is as follows: battery 40, switch 41, junction 42, wire 43, alarm 44, wire 45, binding-post 46, one contact member 54, wire 38, back to the battery 40. As the contact will be made at five minutes before nine oclock and also fifteen minutes past nine oclock, it follows that the motor will be started at different respective periods of time and will run until the revoluble disk 53 makes one complete revolution each time the circuit is energized through the hands of the clock, as above described. If desired, the several contact members 54 55 can be so adjusted that two, three, four, or five of them will successively cause the bell 44 to ring, the length of time through which the bell rings continuously being governed by the adjustment of the radially-disposed members 54 55 and the frequency of the several rings being governed by the number of beveled contacts projecting beyond the circumference of the vulcanite disk 53. The contact members 54 55 are one minute apartthat is to say, the speed of the shaft 36 and disk 53 are such that one minute elapses between the moment when'the 'members 54 55 successively pass a given point. When either type of clock is used, the periods of time may be governed both as to direction and frequency by adjusting the contact members 54 55.

By the arrangement above described almost any number and variety of rings may be sounded by the alarm mechanism. In fact, by means ofthe adjustments just described, taken in connection with the clocks, the alarm can be rearranged to sound according to any predetermined program, the accuracy of the instrument being exceedingly great.

The push-button 49 is for the purpose of ringing the alarm independently of the automatic mechanism, and the switch 41 is for the purpose of throwing the automatic mechanism out of action, thus saving the battery and preventing the noise of the alarm where the same might otherwise prove objectionable. After the revoluble shaft makes one revolution the contact member 27 fits into the notch 35, thereby conserving the motive power of the motor and preventing any undesirable sounding of the alarm.

It will be understood, of course, that the bell 44 is of the contimucus-ringing type, so that the duration of its sound may be coextensive with the duration of the completed bell-circuit.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a time-controlled electric alarm, the combination of mechanism provided with a time -controlled contact, electric mechanism connected with said contact and actuated thereby, a motor to be released by said electric mechanism, said motorbeing provided with contacts normally free to open and close periodically, electric-alarm mechanism connected with said contacts, and means controllable at will for varying the periods of time during which said contacts may remain closed.

2. In a time-controlled electric alarm, the combination of a motor, time-controllednlechanism for stopping and starting the same, electric-alarm mechanism connected with said motor, contacts connected with said motor and with said electric-alarm mechanism, and means for adjusting said contacts for the purpose of controlling the duration of time in which said contacts remain closed.

8. In a time-controlled electric alarm, the combination of a motor provided with a revoluble n1 ember,means for periodically stopping and starting said revoluble member, contact members mounted upon said revoluble member and radially disposed, said contact members being provided with beveled faces, mechanism controllable at will for adjusting said contact members toward and from the center of said revoluble member for the purpose of exposing greater or lesser portions of said beveled faces, a stationary contact member to be engaged by said beveled faces successively, and electric-alarm mechanism connected with said contacts and energized thereby.

4. In a time-controlled electric alarm, the combination of a motor provided with arevoluble member, means for periodically stoppin g and starting said motor, radially-disposed contact members mounted upon'said revoluble member, means for adjusting said contact members bodily toward and from the center of said revoluble member for the purpose of affecting the duration of contact, a stationary contact member to be'engaged by said contact members successively, and electric alarm mechanism connected with said contact members and energized thereby.

5. In a time-controlled electric alarm, the combination of a motor provided with a revoluble member, means for periodically stopping and starting said revoluble member, contact members mounted upon said revoluble member and provided with beveled faces and with slots, fastening members located within said slots and engaging said contact members, a stationary contact member to be engaged by said beveled faces successively, and electric mechanism connected With said contact memergizing said contact mechanism, said alarm bers and energized thereby. l mechanism and said electric mechanism, for

6. In a time-controlled electric alarm, the periodically stopping and starting said revo- I5 combination of a clock provided with a revoluble member. luble member, electric mechanism for period- In testimony whereof I have signed my ically stopping and starting said revoluble name to this specification in the presence of member, contact members mounted upon said two subscribing Witnesses. fevoluble member, a stationary contact mem- AUGUST LEONARD RONELL 3m to be engaged successlvely by said 0011- tacts upon said re\ *oluble member, alarm l mechanism connected with said contact members, and a single source of electricity for en- 1 Vitncsses:

XV. W. STERNS, G. L. FREMAIN.

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