US882250A - Fire-alarm box. - Google Patents

Fire-alarm box. Download PDF

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US882250A
US882250A US9601002A US1902096010A US882250A US 882250 A US882250 A US 882250A US 9601002 A US9601002 A US 9601002A US 1902096010 A US1902096010 A US 1902096010A US 882250 A US882250 A US 882250A
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brush
signal
disk
wheel
alarm
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US9601002A
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Maynard W Hamblin
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American District Telegraph Co
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American District Telegraph Co
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    • GPHYSICS
    • G08SIGNALLING
    • G08BSIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
    • G08B25/00Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
    • G08B25/12Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure

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  • My invention has relation to improvements in fire alarm boxes of the class designed to be placed in buildings, or inother convenient locations, and from which the alarm is sent to a main receiving station.
  • My invention comprises a box adapted to be used both as an alarm box and as a watchmans signal box, comprisingr contact mechanism operated by a normally wound spring, said contact mechanism arran ed to be wound still further when o erate as a Watchmans signaling device anc then to unwind to the normal condition of spring tension, transmittingT the watchmans signal as. it does so; said contact mechanism further comprising a detent device arranged, whenoperated, to cause said contact mechanism to unwind below the normal s ring tension, transmitting an alarm signa
  • the saine contact mechanism and circuits being used for both signals, the mechanism of the box and the circuit is being tested constantly .by
  • t is one of the important objects of my invention to provides. construction whereby such conflict of signals is made impossible, and hence no matter if an alarm is turned in from a plurality of boxes at the same time, but a single alarm is received at the receiving station.
  • a further object contemplated, therefbre, by 'my invention is the provision cfa construction whereby Whensuch ailuretorewind occurs, the janitor, or other attendant of the building, on his regular inspection@ can by a casual examination of the bex at once detect the omission to rewindand thereby enabled to notifyvthe company, and have such omission rectified.
  • the invention counsists of the devices and parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafterset forth.
  • ⁇ Figure 1 a front view of my improved iiie alarm box.
  • Fig. 2 is a section through the outer casing, with interior parts broken away.
  • Fig. 4 is a front view .with the outer and inner casings removed, and showing the electrical connections diagrammatioally.
  • Fig. 5 is a detail View of the signal Wheel with a pair ot its brushes.
  • Fig G is a detail of the. Watchmaiis key.
  • Fig. .7 is a de taii i supporting medium. The front of this casing 1s provided with a Ihinged lid or cover l0,
  • Fig. 8 is a diagramof the connections of the system.
  • the numeral 9 indicates the outer casing,'provided with the usual back piece adapted to be secured to the and the lower portion of said hinged lid or cover is provided with an opening 1 1 which is closed by means' of some transparent mateing having the diametrically opposite slots 17, 17 extending therefrom.
  • an ordinary clock mechanism 19 which gears up from a windlng shaft 20.
  • This 'shaft projects through the outer side of the inner casing and terminates directly back of the opening 1 6.
  • This projecting end of the shaft is intersected by an varm 2 1, said .arm having one end projectlng inwardly at an angle, as indicated by. the numeral 22.
  • a collar 23 Between this intersecting arm and the outer side of the inner casing is loosely mounted on the shaft 20 a collar 23. Extending from this collar'in one direction isla lug 24, and
  • a pin 27 which in is adapted to" act as a stop' against whic the disk26 strikes when the arm 25 is turned in one direction, the vsaid pin stopping the'disk at a point Where 'said disk theA opening 15.
  • On the' inner end is visible ,through of the shaft 20 ⁇ is va wheel lportionbeing indicatedby the numerals 29 30 respectively, see Figbf This reduced peripheral portion at, oneLe'nd'. yis notched, as indicated b y the numeral 31, the said notch being bounded by the shoulderv 3D and byanother shoulder t2.v
  • a dog 33 ⁇ is adapted to act in conjunction with this Wheel,
  • the upper solid 4 within the outer casing is an interior cas# handle 38, for convenience in operating the lever.
  • coiled spring 39 has its outer end connected to the lever and its inner end connected to-a fixed part, such es th side of the inner casing, said spring serving to normally hold the inner projection 40 of the dog 33 in enga ement pwithv the shoulder 32 ofthe whee 28, as shown in Fig. 7. It' will vbe noticed that the engaging side of the r0- jection' 40 of the dog is a straightv sur ace,
  • Mounted clockrnechanism is a disk or signal wheel 50.
  • a portior of the peripheryof this disk is provi ed with a series of projectin teeth, with luntoothed portions of the'perip eryleft beof .teethform vfour indentations'or recesses, the second set five indentations or recesses,
  • durin senese Wire 1o connects said binding post 5l to a brush 52, which is mounted on an insulating block within the inner casing and is adapted to bear '.With its free end upon the signal wheel 50, so as to make and break its contact therewith as' the signal wheel turns and brings its several series of teeth into engagement with said brush.
  • a Wire c connects a binding post-53 on; the frame of the clock-work mechani'sin with a binding post 54 mounted on the instituting block vwith the binding post 5i, and to said binding post 54 is also connected a Wire d extending to the following signal box.
  • a brush 55 ismounted on another insulating block lwithin the inner casing and is adapted to have its free end normally extend into the notch 47 of the disk 46, out of engagement with said disk, but in position to be engaged by the disk when said disk is turned 0' the sending in of tlre alarm. .On the completion of the alarm,
  • a wire e which extends from the receiving station to all of the boxes in common, isconne'cted at each box to the brush 55by means of a Wire f, connecting said 'brush toY a binding post 56 on another insulating block within the outer cas-ing, and a wire g connectingsaid binding post 56 with the wire ⁇ e.
  • a simil-'ar brush 57 Alongside of the brush 52, and secured to the' same insulating block therewith, is ⁇ a simil-'ar brush 57, also adapt-ed to engaffe with the' signal' wheel 50, and the ends of tthetwo brushes 52 and 57 are in alinement, so as to make and break contact with the ⁇ teeth of the si al wheel sirrnrltaneonsly.
  • the signal w 'jeel 50 provided with a recess or depression in the path of the brush 57 on the part of said signal Wheel corresponding to the longest blank or untoothed portion of the periphery thereof, so that when 'thc'.signal wheel,50 ⁇ is in its normal position with the brush52 bearing on said blank portieri thereof, the brush 57 Wil-l be prevented from contacting with the signal wheel by reason of the said-recess being opposite thereto.
  • A' wire h connects the brush 5-7 with a bind-ing ost 58 mounted on the same insulating b ock with the' binding post 56, and a wire 'i connects said binding post'58 with the'Gro-und.
  • a lug 59 Projecting from the periphery oft-lidv signal Wheel 50, on the inner edge thereof, ont o the path of bearing of both of the brushes 52 and 57, is a lug 59, which is adapted *o en age with the arc' sha ed end of a brush 60, W ich is mountedon t ef insulating block with the brush 55 and is connected by means of a wire jwith the brush 52.
  • the position Aof the lug 5,9 and the end of the Contact portion of brush 60. are such that the engagement between them takcspl'ace only during the time when the brenne-2T is troon the longest blank or untoothed portion of thesignal wheel 50,
  • the contacting end of said brush 52 should no-t itself make engagement-with the signal disk 50. Since the engagement between the lug 59 and the brush 60 1s only between the signals, during the time that the brush 52 is bearing on the longest unnotched ⁇ portion of the signal wheel, and such engagement is broken by the lug 59 passing ofi of the brush 60 before the brush 52 reaches the first notch of the signal Wheel, the breaking ot the circuit for the si nal by means of brush 52 entering ground connection in the Wire w of the'iirst signal box and a switch S connecting' the wire e with either the ground direct, or to the ground by way of an auxiliary battery B and an auxiliary relay R. Normally the switch S is in the' position to connect the wire e direct with the ground, as shown.
  • the brush 57 of the signal box operated, by engaging the teeth ,of the signal wheel .50 simultaneously with the engagement made therewith bythe brush' 52, completes the circuit through its ground con'- nection, and thus avoids the including ot the ,resistance of 'the return wire e in said circuit,
  • the disk 46 does not make connectlon from engagement wlth the button thereof which 4is connected directly to the ground,
  • the sign would, under such conditions, have its cur-y rent from the battery B as before, and coinplete thecircuit throu h the ground G in wire d thereof, and woud give itsv signals to the relay R as before.
  • the si nal box on the right side of said figure, wou d ythen receive I its current from the battery B', through thewire e and the wire of said signal bein, and as the connection between the signalfwheel 50 and the brush 52 thereof is closedthecir cuit is completed by way of the ground ⁇ G.
  • lllhen such bon is operated' "L ignals prodnced b r malte and br-ea' etween the signal wheel 5l) and the will he read upon the relay R..
  • This turning of the key has the effect of increasing the tensionon the spring of the clock-work, and when thekey is released said clock-work starts its motion, 'giving a single complete rotation to the signal wheel 50, which is sufficient to cause the alarm 454 to be sent in once to the receivingstation.
  • This turning oi the shaft 20 is in a direction to cause the inwardly Vextending projection 22 ot the arm 21 to be turns away from the projecting lu '24 of the collar 23, and hence the 0 l@ sign not disturbed,
  • the shaft gust de ⁇ scribed the wheel28 does not prevent suchy turning, inasmuch as said wheei 'cerrhitted to turn the ice from 32 to 115 'the shoulder 2 the proieetion l0 of the dog 33 ridingin the slot 3l, and this distance of rotation ci the wheel 28 is suicient to permit the alarm to be sent in once, and one sending in of the alarm constitutes the watchmans signal.
  • The-wheel E28-in this case is turned in a direction the reverse to that shown by arrow in Fig. 7 and then vrecedes to its former position during the sending of the alarm:
  • l'Vhat I claim as my invention is 1'.
  • a main electrical circuit a plurality of signaling instrumenta. within the main circuit, a short or shunt cir, cuit for each signaling instrument, a toothed wheel for each signaling instrument and With- 11'0 in the. main circuit, a make and break-brush for each signaling instrument and within the main circuit, and adapted to act on thctoothed periphery ot' each wheel and thereby make and break said main circuit, a rotatable disk in the shunt or short circuit of each instrument, a makelalnd break contact brush in each instrument and normally out of contact with the rotatable disk, a connection betweenv the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk and 120 adapted when operated 'to a certain extent to cause the toothed wheel to rotate a limited.' distance and cause the make and break brush relating thereto to a'ct on thetoothed eriph-i ery of the wheel and thereby make and) break??
  • the ros tatable disk at the same time being rotated only to such limited extent as ⁇ to leave the free end of the make and break brush relating thereto in its normal position out of con- ;'tact with said disk,whereby a signal is sent from thev instrument which is operated and through the main circuit, and means for operating the connection .between the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk in such manner as to cause said wheel and the disk to rotate to a greater extent, said increased rotation of,
  • each signaling instrument said disk provided With a notch in its periphery, a make 'and break contact brush within each instrument and having its Jfree end normally in the notch of the disk, whereby electrical contact between the two is broken, a connection between the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk and adapted when operated to a certain extent tocause the toothed Wheel to rotate a limited, distance and thereby bring the make and break brush 'relating thereto into and out of engagement with the teeth of said wheel and thereby make and' break the current through the main circuit, .the rotatable disk at the same time being rotated only to such limited extent as to leave the tree end ofthe make and break brush relating thereto inthe notch of lthe disk, whereby a signal is transmitted from the instrument from which the signal is sent through the main circuil and means'or operating the connection between the
  • break device being normally broken, a connection between the two i make and break devices and adapted when operated to a certain extent to causethe make and break ofthe main 'circuitvto make and break said circuit, but allow the short circuit to remain brokenZ whereby a signal is l transmitted from the signaling instrument from which the signal is sent through the main circuit, and'means for o erating the connection betweenthe two ma e'and break devices in such manner as to cause the lmain circuit make'and break of anysignaling instrument of the series to be operated an augmented number ofy times, fwhereby, an ⁇ .increased numberof signals are sent,l andv to'v also cause the make' and break of the short' i vcircuit to be closed, ⁇ whereby the currentis completed through said v,short circuit, the short circuiting, furthermore, when a plural-- ity of instruments jareoperated at the same time, causing theshort circuit of one of the instruments which is operated, and which is nearest to areceiving station,
  • the combination with transmitting means comprising current-varying devices, s ring-op'- erated driving means therefor inciuding -a spring normally'under tension but including meansV permitting increase of spring tension but adapted to arrest operation of such driving means upon returnot the spring' to normal tension, and winding means forv said spring, of a lcase inclosing said transmitting means but having an opening opposite said winding means adapted to permit the inser-v tion therethrough of' an instrument to engage and operate said 4winding meansand donut-releasing means invloszrd within said i' @use and compilsmg am operating membm' adapted for mmuml opelzwtmx, said casing' cmnprsng L mugiblu memhw; mn'mrsliy revclltng afi-wss to said Opvmtmg uwmlwr Ent adapted when

Description

No. 882,250. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. M. W. HAMBLIN.
PIRE ALARM BOX.
-APPLIGATION HLBD H1B. 27, 1902.
2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.
No. 882,250. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.
M. W. HAMBLIN.
PIRE ALARM BOX.
APPLICATION Hmm maar/,1902.
2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.
UNITED sTATns PATENT onirica.
' MYNARD W. .H MBLIN, OF MILWAUKE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR AMERICAN DISTICT TELEGR'APH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.
FIRE-ALARM BOX.
Specification of Letters Patent.
patented Meren 1.7, reos.
Application led Febniary 27; 1902. Serial No. 96,010.
-companying drawings, which are a part of this speciiication.
My invention has relation to improvements in fire alarm boxes of the class designed to be placed in buildings, or inother convenient locations, and from which the alarm is sent to a main receiving station.
My invention comprises a box adapted to be used both as an alarm box and as a watchmans signal box, comprisingr contact mechanism operated by a normally wound spring, said contact mechanism arran ed to be wound still further when o erate as a Watchmans signaling device anc then to unwind to the normal condition of spring tension, transmittingT the watchmans signal as. it does so; said contact mechanism further comprising a detent device arranged, whenoperated, to cause said contact mechanism to unwind below the normal s ring tension, transmitting an alarm signa The saine contact mechanism and circuits being used for both signals, the mechanism of the box and the circuit is being tested constantly .by
the sending in at frequent and regular intervals of watchmens signals, so that in case a` box gets out of order this is known almost immediately, instead of being revealed only when occasion arises for transmitting an alarm.
Other features of my invention will be pointed out hereafter.
In the above class of iire alarm boxes, it frequently occurs, where alplurality of such boxes are laced in the same building, or in locations c ose to each other, that the saine Aalarm is sent into the receiving station` simultaneously, or practicallyso, and conse uently there is a coniiict ol signals.
t is one of the important objects of my invention to provides. construction whereby such conflict of signals is made impossible, and hence no matter if an alarm is turned in from a plurality of boxes at the same time, but a single alarm is received at the receiving station.
In the above class of boxes, in order `to turn in a fire alarm, it isiiecessary that a oflass.
, glass covering in the iront. ofthe box broken, and after the -re alarm isturned in it is the custom of the com any controlling the system to have an em oyeeproceed to the box and rewind the same ready forkans other alarm, and to also replaceithe broken Through careessness ,of employees-it as frequently occurred that therebasvbeeri a failure to rewind the boxes.v
A further object contemplated, therefbre, by 'my invention is the provision cfa construction whereby Whensuch ailuretorewind occurs, the janitor, or other attendant of the building, on his regular inspection@ can by a casual examination of the bex at once detect the omission to rewindand thereby enabled to notifyvthe company, and have such omission rectified.
Again, it is customary in this classof .fire alarm boxes for the janitor. 6r watchman-to make regular rounds of the building, and send in signals at regular intervals to the receivin oi'cein orc er to advise said officev that t ie boxes Vare in working order.. QI course if the receiving oi'iice does not receivethese regular signals, it is then known ,that eitherthe Watchman is not attending to his duty, or else he is prevented from turning iii an alarm b reason of the failure of the eniployee of t e company controlling the sysltem to rewind the ox after a fire alarm had been turned in therefrom.
.In this connection my invention contem* plates as a further object the provision ofra lconstruction whereby, if the employee of the' companyfails to rewind the box after a fire alarml has been sent therefrom, the Watchman is prevented from inserting his key, and hence sending the usual and regular signal to the receiving oiice.
l/Vith the above primary, and other incidental, objects in view, the invention counsists of the devices and parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafterset forth.
In theaccompanying drawings, `Figure 1 a front view of my improved iiie alarm box. Fig. 2 is a section through the outer casing, with interior parts broken away. Fig. 3 -is a iront view with the front of the casing fremoved. Fig. 4 is a front view .with the outer and inner casings removed, and showing the electrical connections diagrammatioally. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the signal Wheel with a pair ot its brushes. Fig G is a detail of the. Watchmaiis key. Fig. .7 is a de taii i supporting medium. The front of this casing 1s provided with a Ihinged lid or cover l0,
dog and the wheel in .conjunction with which it operates, and Fig. 8 is a diagramof the connections of the system.
. Referring to the drawings, the numeral 9 indicates the outer casing,'provided with the usual back piece adapted to be secured to the and the lower portion of said hinged lid or cover is provided with an opening 1 1 which is closed by means' of some transparent mateing having the diametrically opposite slots 17, 17 extending therefrom.
ing 18, and contained Within this interior casing isv an ordinary clock mechanism 19 which gears up from a windlng shaft 20.
This 'shaft projects through the outer side of the inner casing and terminates directly back of the opening 1 6. This projecting end of the shaft is intersected by an varm 2 1, said .arm having one end projectlng inwardly at an angle, as indicated by. the numeral 22. Between this intersecting arm and the outer side of the inner casing is loosely mounted on the shaft 20 a collar 23. Extending from this collar'in one direction isla lug 24, and
extending from' the collar in the opposite directionis an angularly bent arrn25, said arm belngprovided at itsextremity. with a disk or plate 26 having the designation O K or 28 havin a portion ofits periphery cut away, the' shou ders at the endv of the cut-awayV other suitable designation, thereon. This plate or diskwhen the arm 25 is under one "adjustment is directly back of the o ening- 1'5, so that the desi nation on the p ate o'r disk is visible ythrong 'the opening as clearly,
' i tween. each set of teeth, In the accompanying illustration ofthe invention, the first set' shoWIrinFigfl. A
Proiecting outwardly from the outer side of the inner. casing is a pin 27, which in is adapted to" act as a stop' against whic the disk26 strikes when the arm 25 is turned in one direction, the vsaid pin stopping the'disk at a point Where 'said disk theA opening 15. On the' inner end ,is visible ,through of the shaft 20`is va wheel lportionbeing indicatedby the numerals 29 30 respectively, see Figbf This reduced peripheral portion at, oneLe'nd'. yis notched, as indicated b y the numeral 31, the said notch being bounded by the shoulderv 3D and byanother shoulder t2.v A dog 33 `is adapted to act in conjunction with this Wheel,
The upper solid 4 Within the outer casing is an interior cas# handle 38, for convenience in operating the lever. coiled spring 39 has its outer end connected to the lever and its inner end connected to-a fixed part, such es th side of the inner casing, said spring serving to normally hold the inner projection 40 of the dog 33 in enga ement pwithv the shoulder 32 ofthe whee 28, as shown in Fig. 7. It' will vbe noticed that the engaging side of the r0- jection' 40 of the dog is a straightv sur ace,
while the opposite side of said projection 1s' Extending -from the outr side of the hinged lid or cover 10 of .the outer casing or boxisa stop projection 41,`the function of which will be hereinafter described.
For operatin 'the shaft 2 0 I employ a special form ofl ey which is shown in detail in' Fig. 6.VA tion 42,l and 'atubular portion 43 exten ing This key consists of a crank or-` from thecrank portion, said tubular portion provided with the diametrically oopositely projecting lstuds 44, 44. l The end ge of the "tubular portion 'at diametrically opposite points, and at` ight angles to the studs 44,44, is rovidedwith slots 45.
tro-usted upm, he shaft 2o within the inner casing is asrnall wheel orA disk 46, said disk being provided at one pointof its peri h- `ery with a notch 47, and having anot er portion of its'periphery cut away to form a straight s rface'48. 7
Mounted clockrnechanism isa disk or signal wheel 50. A portior of the peripheryof this disk is provi ed with a series of projectin teeth, with luntoothed portions of the'perip eryleft beof .teethform vfour indentations'or recesses, the second set five indentations or recesses,
and the third set four indentations orrecesses.
-upon a rotatable shaft .49 of the As 4virili be hereinafter explained' this Causes y i the alarm 454 t0 be sent into the receiying l station, the untoothed portions of the perlph'- ery between'each set of teeth causing a slight interval of time to elapse between the 4, 5 and ylof the alarm, as is usual in this class of devices. f
Referring to the electrical connections showy in Fig.; 4, the letter a indicates a wire sulating block wit the outer casing.l IA
lmi
-by the clock-Work, durin senese Wire 1o connects said binding post 5l to a brush 52, which is mounted on an insulating block within the inner casing and is adapted to bear '.With its free end upon the signal wheel 50, so as to make and break its contact therewith as' the signal wheel turns and brings its several series of teeth into engagement with said brush. A Wire c connects a binding post-53 on; the frame of the clock-work mechani'sin with a binding post 54 mounted on the instituting block vwith the binding post 5i, and to said binding post 54 is also connected a Wire d extending to the following signal box. A brush 55 ismounted on another insulating block lwithin the inner casing and is adapted to have its free end normally extend into the notch 47 of the disk 46, out of engagement with said disk, but in position to be engaged by the disk when said disk is turned 0' the sending in of tlre alarm. .On the completion of the alarm,
' the end of the brush 5'5 breaks its contact with the disk 46 by reason of the attened surface 48 ofthe disk being brought next thereto. A wire e, which extends from the receiving station to all of the boxes in common, isconne'cted at each box to the brush 55by means of a Wire f, connecting said 'brush toY a binding post 56 on another insulating block within the outer cas-ing, and a wire g connectingsaid binding post 56 with the wire` e.
Alongside of the brush 52, and secured to the' same insulating block therewith, is` a simil-'ar brush 57, also adapt-ed to engaffe with the' signal' wheel 50, and the ends of tthetwo brushes 52 and 57 are in alinement, so as to make and break contact with the `teeth of the si al wheel sirrnrltaneonsly. The signal w 'jeel 50 provided with a recess or depression in the path of the brush 57 on the part of said signal Wheel corresponding to the longest blank or untoothed portion of the periphery thereof, so that when 'thc'.signal wheel,50` is in its normal position with the brush52 bearing on said blank portieri thereof, the brush 57 Wil-l be prevented from contacting with the signal wheel by reason of the said-recess being opposite thereto. A' wire h connects the brush 5-7 with a bind-ing ost 58 mounted on the same insulating b ock with the' binding post 56, and a wire 'i connects said binding post'58 with the'Gro-und.
Projecting from the periphery oft-lidv signal Wheel 50, on the inner edge thereof, ont o the path of bearing of both of the brushes 52 and 57, is a lug 59, which is adapted *o en age with the arc' sha ed end of a brush 60, W ich is mountedon t ef insulating block with the brush 55 and is connected by means of a wire jwith the brush 52. The position Aof the lug 5,9 and the end of the Contact portion of brush 60. are such that the engagement between them takcspl'ace only during the time when the brenne-2T is troon the longest blank or untoothed portion of thesignal wheel 50,
and this is for the purpose of assuring a connection between said brush 52 and the signal wheel 50 when the signal wheel 50 is in its normal position of rest, even though, through accident, or by weer, or for any other reason,
the contacting end of said brush 52 should no-t itself make engagement-with the signal disk 50. Since the engagement between the lug 59 and the brush 60 1s only between the signals, during the time that the brush 52 is bearing on the longest unnotched` portion of the signal wheel, and such engagement is broken by the lug 59 passing ofi of the brush 60 before the brush 52 reaches the first notch of the signal Wheel, the breaking ot the circuit for the si nal by means of brush 52 entering ground connection in the Wire w of the'iirst signal box and a switch S connecting' the wire e with either the ground direct, or to the ground by way of an auxiliary battery B and an auxiliary relay R. Normally the switch S is in the' position to connect the wire e direct with the ground, as shown.
It will be understood' that though brot two signal boxes are representedl in the system as shownin the diagram, any number may be employed and their connections are the same as those here shown, the only exceptionbeing that in the last signal box` the wire e, is connected to the wired thereof to complete a loop, in which all of the signal boxes in series constitute` one leg and the wire e cbnstitutes the other leg. In the normal condition ofthe system, when no box is being operated', current starting from the grounded battery' B at the receiving station passes through the relay R tothe wire a of the first signal box, over the wire i) thereof to the brush 52 and then from the signal Wheel 50 in contactwith said brush, throu h the metallic frame to the wire cand from tigre i'irst signal box to the second by way of Wire d. The current passes in the same manner through this second box and the succeeding boxes until the iinal signal box is reached, where the wire d thereof con'- nects with the wire e, and the current returns by way of said wire e to thereceivingstation and over switch S to the ground. No intermediate ground has been'made by the brushes being opposite the recesses thereof, and theA circuit is made through the compiete system,
since lnone of the brushes 55 of the signalV bones are in enofagenient with the disks 46.
When any one of the signal boxes is operated, the disk 46 thereof is turned ,by the clock-work into engagement with its brush 55 and continues such engagement throughout the operation of the box. This serves to short circuit the system beyond the box being operated, the wire e bein thus directly connected with the wire d lea ing from said box to the next succeeding box, and consequently theoperation oi any ofthe signal boxes in the short circnited portion of the A system, cannot in any manner ailectthe signal bein 'given to the relay R at the receiving station y the operation of the signal box v "considered, When the `box operated has finished sending its signal,the short circuit of the remainder of the system, by means of the brnsh'connection 55 with the disk 46, is reV moved by' the ilat portion 48 of said disk breaking the engagement between the disk and the brush 55, so that the system is again restored to its original condition, and any of the signal boxes may be operated, except the one which has just been operated, and this f the brush 52tailing to make contact with the requires re-winding to restore it to its normal condition. Furthermore, the brush 57 ofthe signal box operated, by engaging the teeth ,of the signal wheel .50 simultaneously with the engagement made therewith bythe brush' 52, completes the circuit through its ground con'- nection, and thus avoids the including ot the ,resistance of 'the return wire e in said circuit,
and so assures e strong operation ot' the relay R atthe receiving station. When the signal wheel 5() is at "rest, the contact'inade by the lug 59 with the brush 60", which is in connection with brush 52 by means of wire j, pre
vents a break in the system, in the event of signal wheel 50.
During the sending of the watchlnans s ignal, the disk 46 does not make connectlon from engagement wlth the button thereof which 4is connected directly to the ground,
the ground then -inanifesting itself by the failure of the relay R to respond to the breaking of the circuit by the switch S. Itis then the duty of the operator to throw the switch S u on the other button thereof, so as to inclu ethe battery B and relay R', and the oliiding all of theteni is again in working condition.
The sign would, under such conditions, have its cur-y rent from the battery B as before, and coinplete thecircuit throu h the ground G in wire d thereof, and woud give itsv signals to the relay R as before. The si nal box on the right side of said figure, wou d ythen receive I its current from the battery B', through thewire e and the wire of said signal bein, and as the connection between the signalfwheel 50 and the brush 52 thereof is closedthecir cuit is completed by way of the ground` G. lllhen such bon is operated' "L ignals prodnced b r malte and br-ea' etween the signal wheel 5l) and the will he read upon the relay R.. ln the opera tion or the invention as thus far explained, in order to enable watchman or janitor of the building to send in sig hals at given times to the receiving cnice, all that is necessary for hini to dois to insert the tubular 'portion 43 of the key shown 6 into the opening lo, taking care that 'the projections 4d, de oi said key register with the slots 17,17 and the handle 4-2 projects towards the right. The notches 45 ot the tubularpo'rtion of the key will then register with and engage the arm 2l which intersects. the shaft 20. The key is now turned to the limit permitted by contact of the handle-42 of said key with the projection 41 from the outer casing. This turning of the key has the effect of increasing the tensionon the spring of the clock-work, and when thekey is released said clock-work starts its motion, 'giving a single complete rotation to the signal wheel 50, which is sufficient to cause the alarm 454 to be sent in once to the receivingstation. This turning oi the shaft 20 is in a direction to cause the inwardly Vextending projection 22 ot the arm 21 to be turns away from the projecting lu '24 of the collar 23, and hence the 0 l@ sign not disturbed,
or in other words is not brought out ot View. lo
but is lett visible through the opening Under the turning o: the shaft gust de `scribed the wheel28 does not prevent suchy turning, inasmuch as said wheei 'cerrhitted to turn the ice from 32 to 115 'the shoulder 2 the proieetion l0 of the dog 33 ridingin the slot 3l, and this distance of rotation ci the wheel 28 is suicient to permit the alarm to be sent in once, and one sending in of the alarm constitutes the watchmans signal. .The-wheel E28-in this case is turned in a direction the reverse to that shown by arrow in Fig. 7 and then vrecedes to its former position during the sending of the alarm:
, Now, if it is desired to turn in'an alarm of 125 lire, theY glass cover 12 is broken, andthe handle bar 38 grasped and thelever 36 thereby pulled downwardly aginst. the action of the coiled spring 39.` T 's will release the projection 40 ofthe dog 33 from the shoulder 13o fais scanso' 32 ofwheel 28, and said projection will, upon the release ofthe lever, ride arund on the reducedA ortion of the periphery of the v wheel 28 tot ey extent limited by contact of ggsaidA` projection with the shoulder 29. i Of course in both the actions described the turnving-'of theshaft 20 sets the clockmechanism in operation, and this causes the wheel 50 to rotate. In the first described operation,
lioythat is, sending inof the watchmans signal,
-thesaidwheel 50'rotates once, so that the brush 521is 'caused to make and break with thea rejectingv teeth of said wheel but once, and.. ence but one alarm is turned in, while ist., inthelast describedl operation. of sending in a iralarmfthe distance vof rotation o? the Wheel28 from the shoulder' 32 to the shoul- 'der 29- causes the disk- 5() to rotate a plurality oftimes, preferably eight, and conse uently the-alarm is sounded eight times, an therebyA differentiated from the watchmans call, and-the Areceiving oiice vis therebyA advised v thatan alarm of iire is being sounded. It is A llgihrmore to'be stated that in turning in 25mn `alarm ofre the shaft 20V is rotated 1n a direction to cause the inwardly extendin projection-22 of the arm 21- to contact wit g theelu `v24 offthe ring 23, and hence the arm 25ist ereby turned in a direction to throw 3y the O K signout of register with the opening '15, and out'of view back of the solid portion of the hinged cover v,After an alarm. of vtire is turned y in from any box it is the duty of the employee of the compan' controlling the system to go to said box-an rewind the clock mechanism, and puta new.'v lass in the opening 11. In. the operationn rewinding the O K sign is neceseerily-bron ht back to original icsition in registerwit and visible through t e o ening If, now, the employee should ail to erformlhisdut ,his neglect will be readily veied byl t e watchman in lmaking his rounds, inasmuch as by simply 'lancing at the-box the said watchman would discover that'the O K sign was not visible, and hence under such conditions it would be his duty to at once inform the company. In case, however, the watchman fails to observe that the'OK sign is not visible, andl attemptsl to send in his usual signal to the receiving oilice,
he is prevented from doing this in view of the fact 'that it is impossible Afor him to engage his key with the arm 21 of the shaft 20, it only being possible to make such enga enient when the' intersecting arm 21 is in t e, 'position illustrated in the drawings, or, in other words, when said arm intersects the o ning 16 in a plane at right angles to the s ots 17, 17 of said opening, and the arm 21 is'only 'in such position when the clock mechanisrn is properly wound up. It will be obyious that itis possible for the slots 45 of the watchmans key to engage the arm 21 only when said arm is in the position shown. vln
this `manner, an additional Y. check l is proL vided not only-against the likelihoodzof the.' box remaining unwound for any consider-4 able period of time but also a ainst the` watchman fail-ing to notice that t is condi 70 tion exists, inasmuch `as under such circunib stances the watchman is preventedfr'orn sending in 'his usual signals, and hence the` receivingoilice fromA its failure to receive* such signals is at once informedthat thebox-l is not in working order.
l'Vhat I claim as my invention is 1'. The combination of a main circuitgla plus i rality of signaling instruments within-.theimain circuit, ashunt or short 'circuit foreach 80 signaling instrument, a .make and brealadea: vice for each signalingy instrument and within, the main circuit, lmeans for cperatinghsaidi make and break in order to transmit asignala` through the main circuit from the instru-lv ment which isoperated, a make and :breaks device in each shunt circuit, said make and:y break device being normali broken,- abone nection between the two ma e and break deL-b vices, and adapted when operated to acer-'90.v; tain extent to cause the make and breaknof` the main circuit to make-and breaksaid cirf` cuit, Vbut allow` theV short circuit to remain: broken, whereby aksignal is transmitted from.v the signaling instrument from which the sig- 9,5 nal is sent through the main circuit, andv means for operating the connection between the two make and break devices in such manal ner as to cause' the make and'break ofthe main circuit to be operated an augmented number of times, whereby an increased number of signals are transmitted thereby, and to also cause the make and break of the. short circuit to be closed, whereby the current is completed through said short circuit,I
The combination of a main electrical circuit, a plurality of signaling instrumenta. within the main circuit, a short or shunt cir, cuit for each signaling instrument, a toothed wheel for each signaling instrument and With- 11'0 in the. main circuit, a make and break-brush for each signaling instrument and within the main circuit, and adapted to act on thctoothed periphery ot' each wheel and thereby make and break said main circuit, a rotatable disk in the shunt or short circuit of each instrument, a makelalnd break contact brush in each instrument and normally out of contact with the rotatable disk, a connection betweenv the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk and 120 adapted when operated 'to a certain extent to cause the toothed wheel to rotate a limited.' distance and cause the make and break brush relating thereto to a'ct on thetoothed eriph-i ery of the wheel and thereby make and) break?? the current through the main circuit, the ros tatable disk at the same time being rotated only to such limited extent as` to leave the free end of the make and break brush relating thereto in its normal position out of con- ;'tact with said disk,whereby a signal is sent from thev instrument which is operated and through the main circuit, and means for operating the connection .between the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk in such manner as to cause said wheel and the disk to rotate to a greater extent, said increased rotation of,
the toothed wheel causing an increased number of signals to be sent, and said increased rotation of the disk causing said disk to contact with the make and break brush relating thereto, whereby the current is completed from the instrument which is operated through the short circuit..v
3. The combination of a main circuit, a plurality of signaling instruments within said main circuit, a short or shunt circuit for each signaling instrument, a toothed wheel foreach signaling instrument, and within the main circuit, a make and break brush for each signaling instrument and within, the main Y,
circuit, and adapted to act on the toothed periphery of each wheel, and thereby make and break the main circuit, a rotatable disk .in each signaling instrument, said disk provided With a notch in its periphery, a make 'and break contact brush within each instrument and having its Jfree end normally in the notch of the disk, whereby electrical contact between the two is broken, a connection between the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk and adapted when operated to a certain extent tocause the toothed Wheel to rotate a limited, distance and thereby bring the make and break brush 'relating thereto into and out of engagement with the teeth of said wheel and thereby make and' break the current through the main circuit, .the rotatable disk at the same time being rotated only to such limited extent as to leave the tree end ofthe make and break brush relating thereto inthe notch of lthe disk, whereby a signal is transmitted from the instrument from which the signal is sent through the main circuil and means'or operating the connection between the toothed wheel and the rotatable disk so as to cause said toothed wheel and the disk to rotate to a greater extent, said increased rota tion oi" the disk causing the unnotched portion of the disk to be brought into contact with the brush relating thereto, whereby the current is completed from the instrument 'fromvwliich the signal is sent through the short circuit, and said 'increasedl rotation of the toothed wheel causing an increased number of signals to ,be sent from the instrument ssaesc from the instrument which is operated, a make and break device in each shunt circuit, said make and. break device being normally broken, a connection between the two i make and break devices and adapted when operated to a certain extent to causethe make and break ofthe main 'circuitvto make and break said circuit, but allow the short circuit to remain brokenZ whereby a signal is l transmitted from the signaling instrument from which the signal is sent through the main circuit, and'means for o erating the connection betweenthe two ma e'and break devices in such manner as to cause the lmain circuit make'and break of anysignaling instrument of the series to be operated an augmented number ofy times, fwhereby, an `.increased numberof signals are sent,l andv to'v also cause the make' and break of the short' i vcircuit to be closed,` whereby the currentis completed through said v,short circuit, the short circuiting, furthermore, when a plural-- ity of instruments jareoperated at the same time, causing theshort circuit of one of the instruments which is operated, and which is nearest to areceiving station, to deprive the other operated instruments f current, and
hence permitting only'tlie signal from said4 instrument tobe reeeivedwat the receiving station.
5. In alarm transmitting-apparatus, the
combination with transmitting means com# prising current-varying devices', spring-operated drivin means therefor including a 'spring normal y under tension, detent means normally holding the spring under tension but including means permitting increase of spring tension butv adapted' to arrest opera-A tion of such driving means upon return of the spring to normal tension, and winding means tor said spring, of a case inclosing said transmittingmeans but liavingan opening opposite said winding means adapted to ermit sisthe insertion therethrough. of an instru-v ment to engage and operate said windi means, and detent-releasing means inclose within said case and comprising an operati member adapted for manualioperation, saii casing comprisingineans normally reventing access to said operating mem er but adapted to be operated to permit such access.
6. In ali-rm-traiisinitting apparatus, the combination with transmitting means comprising current-varying devices, s ring-op'- erated driving means therefor inciuding -a spring normally'under tension but including meansV permitting increase of spring tension but adapted to arrest operation of such driving means upon returnot the spring' to normal tension, and winding means forv said spring, of a lcase inclosing said transmitting means but having an opening opposite said winding means adapted to permit the inser-v tion therethrough of' an instrument to engage and operate said 4winding meansand donut-releasing means invloszrd within said i' @use and compilsmg am operating membm' adapted for mmuml opelzwtmx, said casing' cmnprsng L mugiblu memhw; mn'mrsliy revclltng afi-wss to said Opvmtmg uwmlwr Ent adapted when broken to pormi?, such access.
in prvsmnfc of two witnesses.
h1 tcstlmony whereof, I affix my signature,
MAYNARI) W. 1 IMBLIN.
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