Evening star., 1935-10-15

the proper steps taken to rectify the
condition. Thus Is the property
owner safeguarded against that most
costly of all failures, the sprinkler
that didn't sprinkle!
Perhaps you are most interested in
knowing about the numerous small
electric boxes-called watchman sta
tions-located on the different floors
Of the building. They are part Of .
special service which is responsible
for protection from fire and burglary.
These stations are the watchman's s
contact with outside aid. Situated
at strategic points, the watchman has
to make q complete tour of the prem
ises on prescribed schedule, in or
der to ring in from each box at the
proper time. And since the record
ing is done with patented key which
fits the boxes In their correct order,
no deviation from the set schedule
can be made without the central sta
tion's knowledge. To this supervis-
ing agency the watchman's normal
signal means AIS we'll" His silence
is accepted as q call for aid assS is
investigated Immediately by special
patrol forces, equipped to meet any
emergency
Can Call for Help.
OF course. the watchman can sum-
mon aid actively, as well as passively.
Manual fire alarm boxes, conveniently
located on his various tours, can be
Yt0ad 70 fkA ArA a,
directly to the premises. BY means
of special call devices he is able to
summon immediate assistance in
other emergencies. II attacked by
burglars, he can call for help without
their knowledge. If i'll or disabled, he
will have prompt assistance.
Many other ingenious methods
have been devised, and burglars and
hold-up men unwittingly summon the
police. In banks and mercantile es-
Establishments there are scores of trick
locks, floor traps. foot rails. money
drawers, safe combinations, ETC., with
connections direct to the central sta
ton. Under duress the teller or the
merchant may unlock the gate, open
the drawer or spin the combination
exactly as directed by the bandit. But
in the same action-and without dan
ger to himself-he Is sending a silent
signal for help which goes through the
central station to police headquar-
ters and summons radio cars and
armed patrols.
In the field Of burglary protection,
one Of the most ingenious modern de-
velopments is an alarm system oper-
ating on the principle of sound
detection. Installed inside a bank or
storage vault, sensitive devices pick up
any noise which spells an attack on
the premises. Thus, the thud of q
hammer, the hum of a drill or the
snarl Of torch is converted into an
automatic alarm and transmitted
through the central station to police
headquarters.
A similar type Of service protects
mercantile and other business estab-
lishments.
Jewelry Shops Guarded.
In your favorite fur or jewelry shop
windows and doors are equipped with
trigger contacts so that they cannot
be raised or lowered without giving
an alarm. Wooden grill-work on the
walls-and on the doors and win
dows-means much to the peace of
mind to the proprietor. When he
closes his shop he is secure in the
knowledge that should one Of these
little wooden frames be disturbed a
signal will reach the central station.
Each little wooden rod, making up
the grid, has a very fine wire running
through its core. When that wire il