Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-08
FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.
Something Definite I'm the Way
Of q Proposition-The Came
we'll Company.

Of q Proposition-The Came
we'll Company.
So much has been said, through the
papers, Ct fire alarm telegraph, that
those persons who are interested IN
such matters are perfectly familiar with
the situation up to date. 1t was Ire
quently stated that owing TO Supreme
Court decision in regard to the Rage
patent, the Union Company, OF New
York, declined to contract to furnish the
city with an alarm system, for the pres
emf Mt least. Superintendent G. ii.
Pond, who had done all OF the CORES
ponding in the case, recommended the
Gamewell Company to Mr. handlan
and arranged with it TO superintend the
placing OF an alarm here, provided
terms could be agreed upon. Mr.. fond
arrived here yesterday, ana the flr"
Committee was called to see the sys-
tenn in operation. 1t was erected
i'm the chamber OF the First Branch OF
Council and was. well worth visit
One alarm box aud ono engine house
gong were ali that were necessary ior
Illustration aud were placed on the
walls and connected with wires run
ming iroul u battery
The system Was thoroughly explain
ed by Mr.. Pond to all who presented
themselves, its simplicity being one oil
It's chief recommendations. The signal
box was No. 3 aud by pulling IN the
hook the mechanism was put On opera
tian and five blows were struck on the
gong four separate times, with sufficient
Intervals to make mistake practically
impossible. Both box aud gong were
opened and the machinery was very
simple aud easily understood, though
perhaps difficult to explain on paper,
In tie signal box is wheel upon
which are several projcctions-as many
a the number Of the box. To the axle
of the wheel one oi the wires IS attach-
ed. while the other connects with
point which projects toward and nearly
| touches the wheel. When the box Is
pulled the wheel il set in motion, and
whenever one of the projections upon 1t
passes the point mentioned above, the
circuit is closed and the current carried
10 the engine gungs With tive prolec-
tons on the wheel the circuit would he
closed and brokenliye times and there
would he blow Tor each break.
The gong il worked as follows: To
the armature OF the magnet IL lever
controlling the action Ui powerful
spring. operating the gong striker.
When the circuit is closed, the armature
is of course carried 10 the magnet, and
the lever frees the spring and the gong
is struck once. This ia repeated every
time the circuit is broken and closed,
and is perfectly automatic IN its opera
ton. Ii by any accident the ~lraShould
loo broken, or should touch the ground,
the gongS would instantly strike one,
announcing break IN the circuit and
informing the department OF the tact.
MIR. Pond illustrated this las, night.
The signal box is beautiful and &C,
curate piece OF mechanism. The vital
works are enclosed in three cases, are at
most absolutely dust proof and air tight,
| By nm ingenious device, when the key ~
inserted i'm the outer door aud the lock
| opCnrl the key stays there untilthe Chlcl
! can removeit scaCh key has separate
n timber, It can ut once bc seen IN EEe
of false alarm, by whom the box Was
opened. Inside ui the second door Of
| the box, is push button by which the
| chief can ring any code OF signals upon
all Of the bells rapidly or slowly -to
order out OF dctain any particular
engine There is also u small switch
board and gong for testing the box.
Not less beautiful il the mechanism
| of the engine gong, requiring, as 1t does,
"A minimum amount OF battery power to
| control an unlimited amount OF inc
chanical force. All of this mechanism
/ is the work Of Moses &. Crane " Co, OF
Boston, aud is Grst.class Mr. Pond,
though representing another system,
warmly cuiOgized this one, and thought
it was in many respects superior to the
Union. His proposition, briefly
stated, is as follows; IS signal
| boxes. at SO. 81 ,66O-. D engine house
gongs, mt Sl2O, 5000, and one bell striker
for the Capitol clock, $3.50, including
freight aud placing in position; total,
| 5000. Tho committee decided to wait
aud allow Mr. Pond to-day to 10 over
the ground aud make an estimate Tor
the system all complete and ready Tor
use. With this understanding It ad.
jOurned.
The reporter asked Mr.. Pond TO cx-
plain what VAS the Page patent OF which
We have heard So much. lie did SO.
Every person familiar with magnetic,
electrical machines, knows the small
spiral spring which draws the armaturc
from the magnet when the circuit is
open. This Il covered by the Page pat
ent a. are also the screws which rcgu.
late tho motion oi the armature. Both
arr OF vital necessity to the operation Of
any instrument, and hence the patent
is a valuable one, Ii is owned hy the
Western Union Telegraph Company.