US877501A - Electric alarm attachment for clocks. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

C. GOLDSMITH. ELECTRIC ALARM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-15. 1907.

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No. 877,501.. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908. 0. GOLDSMITH.

ELECTRIC-ALARM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GOLDSMITH, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO CESARE PINELLI, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTRIC ALARM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS.

Application filed January 15 1907. Serial No. 352.472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES GOLDSMITH, a citizen of Italy, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, U. S. A., has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Alarm Attachments for Clocks, and he does hereby 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.

This invention relates to signaling devices, and has for an object to provide improved means for sounding alarms at predetermined times at various stations.

A further object of the invention is to provide means especially adapted for use in hotels and similar situations embodying a signal in each room with mechanical means of improved form operated by clock-work mechanism for sounding an alarm in either of said rooms at a time previously determined.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a clock-work operated mechanism improved means for setting a pointer to a predetermined time, and with further improved means for engaging said pointer to produce an electrical contact.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the class improved means whereby the circuit to either of the signals may be broken, and to remain broken until connection is again manually made.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the class cylinders carrying numerals indicating the hours of the day together with pointers rotatable and adjustable about the said cylinder for closing a signal circuit, and improved means for association with said cylinder for accurately positioning the pointer.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain other novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view of the rotating cylinder in side elevation with signals and signal circuits shown diagrammatically connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view of the improved cylinder and taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective, detail view of the spring contact brushes together with Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

means for manually sounding a signal, and means for breaking the circuit when it is not desired to operate said signal. Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the rotating cylinders taken on a plane coincident with line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5is a view in side elevation of a band encircling one-half of the rotating cylinders and carrying pointers. Fig. 6 is a view of the encircling semi-circle shown in Fig. 5, and seen in edge elevation. Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of means for association with the rotating cylinders for accurately positioning the pointers carried by the band shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a view in edge elevation of a fragment of the lower end of the adjusting means seen at Fig. 7, and taken along arrow 8. Fig. 9 is a view in top plan of the associated contact springs. Fig. 10 is a view of either one of the contact springs taken in side elevation.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The device forming the subject-matter of this invention comprises a frame 11 through which is journaled a shaft 12, adapted to be connected in any approved manner with an operating clock and to be rotated by the said clock once each hour, the said frame 11 being secured at any point in association with or adjacent to the clock actuating mechanism.

Within the frame 11 is ournaled a shaft 13 upon which is mounted one or more cylinders indicated as a whole at 141, and preferably spaced apart as indicated at 15 upon opposite sides of the shaft 12. The shaft 12 is pro vided with a worm 16 adjacent the shaft 13, and the shaft 13 is provided with a gear 17 rigid therewith, and intergeared with and receiving motion from the worm 16. It will be noted that the shaft 12 being connected with the clock-work mechanism and rotating once each hour, the gear 1 7 is provided with twentyfour cogs so that the gear 17 and the shaft 13 are rotated once each twenty-four hours. The cylinder or cylinders 14 being also rigidly secured to the shaft 13 are rotated therewith once in every twenty-four hours and are provided about their peripheries with circumferential furrows 18 formed dove-tailed as plainly indicated in Fig. 4, and defining between the furrows 18 columns 19, upon which are displayed 24 numerals, from 1 to 12 inclusive, and repeated, preferably employing light faced numerals to indicate the hours from 1 which the pointer is to be moved is upon the a. m. to 12 noon, and heavy faced numerals to indicate the hours from 1 p. m. to 12 midnight.

Within the furrows 18 are mounted semicircular bands 20 having flanges 21 upon opposite sides engaging within the grooves or dovetails of the furrows 18, so that the said bands are retained therein by the said flanges and the formation of the said grooves. Adjacent one end the semi-band 20 is provided with a contact pointer 22 spaced from the peripheral surface of the cylinders 14, and extending laterally over and above the column 19 to indicate any one of the figures displayed in said column, to which the said pointer may be moved. Adjacent the opposite end of the semi-band 20 is provided a pointer 23 which said pointer 23 is preferably of non-conducting material, or, as shown, is preferably spaced nearer to the periphery of the cylinders 14 than the pointer22, or is made shorter in lateral length than the pointer 22, as particularly shown at 23 in Fig. 1.

At any convenient point upon the frame 11 are rigidly secured a plurality of pairs of contact springs 24 and 25, mounted slightly spaced and insulated from each other and provided at their free ends with contact points 26 and 27, respectively, in position to be engaged and spanned by the pointer 22 when rotated to the position occupied by such contact points. The contact springs 24 and 25 are respectively provided with binding posts 28 and 29, to which are respectively connected circuit wires 30 and 31, the former of which is in circuit with a source of electrical energy, shown diagrammatically as the battery 32, and with one of the signals shown conventionally as the electric bell 33.

It will be understood that a pair of contact springs 24 and 25 and their associated bind mg posts are provided for each of the columns 9 employed upon the cylinders 14, and that the signals, as 33, are employed in like number, all of which are in circuit with the wire 30, while one of the wires 31 extend from each of the binding posts 29 to and incircuit with one of the signals 33. The semi-band 20 is also provided with struck-up resilient portions 34, which yieldingly engage the sides of the furrows 18 and prevent accidental dis placement of the band within the furrows.

When it is desired to set the device to sound an alarm at either of the signals 33 the semi-band 20, whose pointer extends laterally above the column bearing the same number as the signal to be s0unded, is moved so that the said pointer 22 indicates the hour at which the alarm is to be sounded. The pointer 22 is moved by moving the semiands 20 circumferentially about the cylinders within the groove 18 until the pointer 23 is properly positioned. If the numeral to side of the cylinder opposite the operator,

then the position of said pointer 22 is determined by the pointer 23 which occupies the same numerical position upon the opposite side of the cylinder. As an example, if the signal 6 is to be sounded at 10:30 a. m., then the pointer 22 is positioned by moving the circumferential band until the pointer 23 in dicates the middle of the space occupied by the hour of 10 m., the hour 10 a. m. being upon the back of the cylinder when the cylinder is positioned as shown in Fig. 1. If the signal 3 is to be sounded at 3:30 a. 1n. the pointer 22 is set as indicated in the column 3 in Fig. 1, intermediate the limiting lines inclosing the hour 3. When the cylinders 14 rotate so that the contact 22 spans the inter val between the contact points 26 and 27, then the signal electrically connected with the said contact points is in circuit with the source of electrical energy 32, and the signal is sounded.

To permit a manual sounding of the signal a strip 35 is mounted at any convenient point adjacent the contact springs 24 and 25, and a series of plungers 36 inserted through a portion of the frame 11 and the strip 35. The plungers 36 are referably provided at their outer ends with rnobs or heads 37 and at their inner ends with T-heads 38 roportioned to span the interval and ma e contact between the contact springs 24 and 25, and a spring 39 is provided which normally holds the T-head 38 out of such contact. When it is desired, therefore, to manually sound one of the signals, the knob 37 adj acent the numeral corresponding with the numeral of the signal to be sounded, is pushed inwardly until the T-head contacts with the contact springs 24 and 25, which completes the circuit and the signal is sounded.

When it is desired to throw the signals at either of the stations out of operation, as for instance, when one of the rooms at the hotel is vacant, or no call is left, then a plunger 40 is employed extending also through the frame 11 and strip 35 and having its inner end engage one of the said contact springs, as the spring 25. The plungers 40 are provided upon their outer ends with knobs 44 by which the said plungers may be manipulated and operate within the frame 11 or strip 35, with sufficient friction to prevent a return of the plunger under the resilient action of the spring or other means for retaining may be employed so that when one of the knobs 41 are pushed inwardly, one of the contact springs is thrown out of operative position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the contact pointer 22 in rotating does not form electrical connection between the contact points 26 and 27.

It will be noted that the pointer contact 22 may be set with a reasonable degree of accuracy by a simple reference to the lines formed transversely of the column 19 and inclosing the numerals. When, however, it is desired to set the contact pointer with absolute certainty to a fraction of an hour, an instrument, such as shown at Figs. 7 and 8, is employed provided with a plate 42 formed with a segmental scale, as at 43, employing numerals between 1 and 60 to indicate the minutes of an hour, and having spaced studs 44 at the end opposite the segment 43 pro portioned and positioned to engage within holes 45 formed in the cylinder 14 upon opposite sides of the numerals. plate 42 is fulcrumed a pointer 46 in any approved manner as by the rivet 47 and provided at its lower end with a notch 48 formed in the small segment 49 and positioned to engage over either of the pointers 22 and 23 and to move the said pointers therewith when the pointer 46 is moved angularly upon its pivot 47 to any of the numerals indicated upon the segment 43. By the employment of the device shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the pointers may be set with a very considerable. degree of nicety so that the alarm will be sounded at any predetermined minute of the twentyfour hours.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a rotating cylinder, electrical contacts adjacent the cylinder, a pointer mounted and movable circumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder, and capable of engaging the contacts, and a signal in electrical connection with the contacts.

2. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spaced electric contacts adjacent the periphery of the cylinder, diametrically disposed connected pointers carried by and circumferentially movable in unison upon the cylinder, and capable of forming connection between the contacts, and a signal in electrical connection with the contacts.

3. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, electrical contacts adjacent the cylinder, means carried by and movable circumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder and capable of connecting the contacts, a signal for electrical connection with the contacts, and means to manually connect the contacts.

4. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spaced contacts disposed adjacent the cylinder, a pointer carried and movable circumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder and capable of forming connection between the contacts, a signal in electrical connection with the contacts, and means to manually move one contact out of the path of engagement with the pointer.

5. In a device of the class described, a 1'0- tatable cylinder, spaced electrical contacts disposed adjacent the periphery of the cylin der, a pointer carried by and circumferentially Upon the adjustable upon the periphery of the cylinder, and capable of forming connection between the contacts, a signal in electrical connection with the contacts, means to make manual connection between the contacts, and'means manually operated to move one of the contacts out of the path of engagement with the connecting means.

6. In a device of the class described, a 1'0- tatable cylinder provided with a circumferential furrow, a curved band disposed within theiurrow, pointers carried by the band and disposed diametrically opposite each other, an electrical signal, and means disposed within the path of one of the pointers, whereby the circuit of the signal is closed.

7. In a device of the class described, a cylinder provided with a circumferential furrow, a curved band disposed within the furrow, pointers carried by the band and spaced apart, electrical contacts disposed adjacent the cylinder, and positioned in the path of one of the pointers, and an electrical signal in circuit with the contacts.

8. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder provided with a circumferential series of numerals, a pointer mounted and movable circumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder, and means to position the pointer relative to either one of the numerals.

9. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder provided with a series of numerals in circumferential series, a pointer mounted and circumferentially movable upon the cylinder, a plate provided with means for engagement with the cylinder, and a lever carried by the plate and arranged to engage and position the pointer.

10. In a device of the class described, a cylinder provided with spaced openings, a pointer adjustable relative to the circumference of the cylinder, a plate provided with spaced studs positioned to engage within the openings of the cylinder, a lever mounted upon the plate and provided with means for engaging the pointer, and a scale carried by the plate and adjacent to the lever.

11. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spaced springs disposed ad j acent the periphery of the cylinder, contiguous contact teeth carried by the spaced springs, a pointer carried by the cylinder and positioned to contact with the contact teeth of both springs simultaneously, and an electrical signal in circuit with the spaced springs.

12. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spaced springs mounted adjacent the cylinder, a means carried by the cylinder for engaging both springs simul taneously, a signal in electrical connection with the springs, and means to move one of the springs out of operative position.

13. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spaced andinsulated springs & 877,501

mounted adjacent the cylinder, means can i In testimony whereof he has affiXed his ried by the cylinder for engaging both plates 1 signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

and forming electrical connection, a signal CHARLES GOLDSMITH in electrical connection with the insulated plates, and a plunger engaging one of said Witnesses:

plates, and capable of moving said plate'out ISABEL M. STRONG,

of operative position. CAR-LE WHITEHEAD.

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