US802266A

US802266A - Fire alarm or signal.

Info

Publication number: US802266A
Application number: US23710604A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Chase
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-12-16
Filing date: 1904-12-16
Publication date: 1905-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1922-10-17

Description

No. 802,266. PATENTBDOGTJN, 1905.

J. A. CHASE. v

FIRE ALARM 0R SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.I6, 1904 v Q Momma JOHN A. CHASE, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FIRE ALARM OR SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed December 16,1904. Serial No. 237,106.

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. OHAsE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver, State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Fire Alarms or Signals; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-alarm or signaling devices; and it consists of an apparatus adapted to be mounted in any room or apartment and provided with a movable part normally held in a predetermined condition by means of a combustible device which when the temperature of the room reaches a certain degree is burned, whereby the movable device is released and acts to close an electrical circuit in which an alarm or signal device of any kind is located, the said alarm or signal being at any desired distance from the circuit-closing apparatus. I prefer to employ a strip of ordinary flexible but combustible material provided with a coating of some highlycombustible substance adapted to ignite at a less degree of temperature than the flexible strip to which it is applied. By reason of this coating any suitable material may be employed for holding the circuit-closing device normally inactive, and at the same time the said strip may be ignited at the desired temperature or when the temperature of the room has reached a point resulting from a fire in the vicinity or a dangerous degree of heat.

In the specific construction shown the device consists of a suitable frame upon-which is mounted a vertically-movable tube, with which are connected small weights having a tendency to move the tube to a position to close an electrical circuit, the said tube being normally held out of the circuit-closing position by a strip of flexible material which passes above the tube and is freely movable in a loop at the top thereof, said strip being preferably coated with highly-combustible material, as aforesaid. As soon as this strip is burned in two on either side of the movable tube the latter will move upwardly to close the circuit, the flexible device slipping readily through the loop of the tube in case the said device is not burned through on both sides of the tube.

Having briefly outlined my improved con struction, together with the function it is intended to perform, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved device with the plate or board to which it is attached, together with the casing of the push-button, shown in section. Fig. 2 is a section taken through the center of the device with the parts in the same position as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the flexible strip employed, the combustible coating being indicated thereon. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuit.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a suitable frame whose body portion is Ushaped,but

provided with a central post 6, upon which is slidably mounted the tube 7, having a loop 8 at its upper extremity, through which a flexible device 9 passes, the extremities of said device being secured to the opposite sides of the frame by set-screws 10. By means of these screws the device 9 is held taut, whereby the tube 7 is kept at its lowest position. Connected with the lower portion of this tube 7 on opposite sides are chains 12 or other suitable flexible devices, preferably composed of non-combustible material. These chains pass over pulleys 13, suitably mounted on the frame. As shown in the drawings, the pulleys are journaled on spindles 14, supported by laterally-projecting lugs 15, mounted on the outer arms of the body of the frame. The pulleys are arranged to turn freely on the spindles. At the extremities of the chains 12 remote from those attached to the tube are attached weights 16 of sufficient size to cause the tube 7 to move quickly upwardly as soon as the device 9 is severed or burned in two on either side of the loop. Located directly above the loop 8, which is provided with a metal top 8, is a push-button 17, adapted to be acted on by the top 8 of the loop, whereby the

contacts

18 and 19 in the electrical circuit are brought together, thus closing the circuit through the I 10 instrumentality of

electrical conductors

20 and 21. It is evident that instead of employing the push-button 17 the part 8 may act directly to bring the two

contacts

18 and 19 together, whereby the circuit is closed, though the push-button construction is probably preferable, since it presents a neat, linished appearance. In the construction shown the part 8? need notbe of metal or other material adapted to form a good electrical conductor. It is evident, however, that if this part is of metal it may be employed to close a circuit by bridging the space between two contacts respectively connected with the circuit-wires.

In the drawings the flexible strip 9 is provided with a coating 22 on both sides thereof and on both sides of the post 6. This coating is indicated in Fig. 4 by the parallel black lines. The uncoated parts of the flexible de vice are shown white, being the central portion, where the device passes through the loop and the extremities.

In Fig. 4 the electrical source is indicated by the numeral 23, while a belt 24 and lamp 25 are shown in the circuit, illustrating the alarm or signal devices. It is evident that any suitable form of signaling device may be employed. In Fig. 5 the dotted lines indicate the position of the circuitcloser 7 when the tape or other flexible device 9 is burned in two, allowing the loop of the part 7 to move upwardly in response to the weights 16.

The U-shaped frame is connected with a plate 26, composed of any suitable material, as wood, by means of inclined arms 27, located at each end of the frame. These arms are connected on opposite sides of the outer portions of the main frame. The push-button casing is attached to the part 26, and the latter is secured in place on the ceiling of the room or any other suitable location, whereby it is well exposed in case of fire. As shown in the drawings, the central portion of the plate 26 is provided with an opening, which is covered by the push-button casing 26. lWithin this casing are concealed the

contacts

18 and 19, while the circuit-

wires

20 and 21. pass through grooves formed in the plate 26.

It is evident that the invention is not limited to the specific form of construction illus trated, except so far as the claims hereinafter presented contain limitations.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved device will be readily understood. It is evident that this may be used as a private alarm or signal whereby the occupants of a building are notilied of the presence of lire in the vicinity of the alarm device, or the wires from this de vice may extend to a fire-alarm station of the city, town, or locality in which the building is located, so that when a fire occurs the alarm may be sounded at any desired dis tance from the scene of the lire.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a fire alarm or signal device, the combination with a suitable frame, of a tubular circuit-closer having a tendency to assume the circuit closing position, a post upon which the circuit-closer is slidably mounted and a combustible device normally preventing the circuit-closer from assuming the said position.

2. The combination with a suitable frame, having a post, atubular circuitcloser slidably mounted thereon, a flexible combustible device normally engaging the circuit-closer to prevent the latter from assuming the circuitclosing position, the flexible device being provided with a highly-combustible coating for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a suitable frame, having a post, a tubular circuit-closer vertically movable thereon and provided at its upper extremity with a loop, a combustible tape passing loosely through said loop and having its extremities attached to the frame whereby the circuit-closer is normally held from assuming the circuit-closing position, and means connected with the circuit-closer and having a tendency to cause it to assume the circuit-closing position as soon as it is released by the tape.

4. The combination of a suitable frame, having a vertical post, a circuit-closing de vice slidably mounted thereon, means connected with the said device for causing it when unresisted to assume the circuit-closing position, and a combustible device engaging the circuit closer and normally preventing it from assuming the circuit-closing position.

5. The combination with a suitable frame having a post mounted thereon, a tubular circuit-closer movably mounted on the post and having a loop at one extremity, means connected with the circuit-closer and having a tendency to cause it to assume the circuitclosing position, and a combustible tape passing through said loop and having its extremities secured to the frame whereby the tape normally prevents the circuit-closer from as suming the circuit-closing position.

6. The combination with a suitable frame, of a tubular circuit-closer, a post upon which the circuit closer is slidably mounted, a weight connected with the circuit-closer and normally having a tendency to cause it to assume the circuit-closing position, and a com bustible tape normally acting on the circuitcloser to resist the action of the weight.

7. The combination with a suitable frame, of a post centrally located on the frame, a tubular device slidably mounted on the post, means connected with the tubular device and having a tendency to actuate the same, and a ,tape normally engaging the tubular device to prevent its movement, the tape be l vice and having its extremities secured to the mg held taut by securing its extremities to frame whereby it normally prevents a movethe frame, substantially as described. ment of the tube in response to the action of 8. The combination with a suitable frame the weights. [5 5 provided with a post centrally located there- In testimony whereof I affix my sign ature on, a tlbe oplen at one end and slidably in presence of two Witnesses. mounte 011 t e 0st, its u er extremity i v having a loop, wights conn egted with the JOHN CHASE tube normally having a tendency to actuate Witnesses:

10 the same, and a combustible flexible device DENA NELSON,

passing through the loop of the tubular de- 1 A. J. OBRIEN.