Combined Fire or other Alarm and Telephone Telegraph.
Year: 1889

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1889-Accepted, 15th June, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Combined Fire or other Alarm and Telephone Telegraph.
We, GEORGE C. HALE, chief of fire department, ALBERT BARRETT, Electrician,
and JOSEPH ZENTNER, Electrician, all rosiding at Kansas City, in the county of
Jackson, and State of Missouri, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for COMBINED FIRE OR OTHER ALARM AND TELEPHONE
TELEGRAPH, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to a system of fire-alarm and telephone telegraph; and it
consists of the combination of devices and novel construction and arrangement of
parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Our invention contemplates a novel system of fire-alarm and telephone telegraph
by which an alarm of fire can be quickly and correctly turned into fire department
headquarters from any one of a series of telephono subscribers' stations without
interrupting or employing the usual lines to exchange or central office.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a diagram of our invention, and
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the device for throwing the subscribers'
telephone apparatus into the fire-alarm circuit and simultaneously cutting said tele-
phone apparatus out of the exchange-circuit.
Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding
parts in all the figures.
A designates the ordinary fire-alarm circuit, and B B₁ the wires of the exchange
circuit leading to a central-office. C designates a series of subscribers' telephone
apparatus which are normally included in the exchange circuits B and are adapted to
be cut-out of said circuit and thrown into the fire-alarm circuit A in the manner
presently described, for quickly sending an alarm of fire to fire department head-
quarters, represented at D.
The
Each telephone apparatus C is thrown into the fire-alarm circuit by a switch E,
shown in detail in figure 2 of the drawings. The switch is pivoted at one end, as
ate, to a suitable support, and a spring e¹ serves to pull the free end of the
switch against a contact e with which is connected the exchange line B.
switch is further connected to the telephone apparatus C by a wire c, and said
apparatus C has a ground connection c¹. it will be noticed that each telephono
apparatus is normally included in the exchange circuit B by reason of the switch
being connected with said apparatus and the spring e¹ holding the switch against
the contact with which the wires of the exchange circuit are connected, whereby
the subscriber can communicate with the exchange or central office without dis-
turbing or affecting the fire-alarm circuit.
On the opposite side of the switch E is another contact f, which is connected
in circuit with a magnet F which is in turn connected with the fire-alarm circuit A
by a wire f. This magnet is arranged in such juxtaposition to the switch E on
the same side thereof as the contact f, so as to hold said switch against the
contact when the magnet is energized by a current from a battery which is in-
cluded in the fire-alarm circuit, the switch thus serving as an armature to the

page_text: magnet. In the particular form of switch herein shown and described as an embodi-
ment of our invention for cutting the telephone apparatus out of one circuit and
throwing it into another, we have provided an operating lever G which is pivoted
on one side of the switch, and when said lever is operated to overcome the tension
of the retracting spring e¹ the switch is moved away from the contact of the
exchange circuit to the contact f of the fire-alarm circuit; and we have also
provided a registering device H by which each alarm turned in from any one
subscribers' station is automatically recorded. In figure 2 of the drawings, this
register H is shown as a toothed wheel having a series of numerals on its
exposed faco, and a feeding pawl pivotally connected to the switch E and
arranged to successively engage the toeth of the numbered wheel to feed the latter
one step or notch each time an alarm is sent to the fire department headquarters
from one of the subscribers' stations. By the use of the registering mechanism
the subscribers' station from which a falso alarm of fire has been sent to head-
quarters D can be readily ascertained from among a large number of said stations
on a single circuit A, as well as the number of alarms turned in from each station.
The telephone apparatus by which the attendant at fire department headquarters
can communicate orally with any one of the outlying subscribers' stations on the
circuit A, is represented by the letters II': and it is normally cut off said fire-
alarm circuit by a switch J which normally rests on one of two contacts ; j' arranged
in such close juxtaposition that the switch must make connection with one contact
before leaving the other. An annunciator K and a magnet L are also included in the
fire-alarm circuit at headquarters D, the armature of the magnet being included in
a local circuit M having an audible alarm mechanism M' and a local battery for
energizing the local circuit when the armature of the magnet L is attracted by
the latter.
N is a primary battery for energizing the fire-alarm circuit, which battery is located
at fire department headquarters and included in a shunt circuit P. A key O is also
included in this shunt circuit, by depressing which the attendant at headquarters
can close said circuit P and shunt the current from the primary battery around said
circuit and thus demagnetize the magnet F, which allows the spring e¹ to draw the
switch E away from the contact and against the contact e³, thereby cutting the
telephone apparatus out of the alarm circuit and again interposing it in the exchange
circuit.
The operation of our invention is as follows:
When one of the subscribers from an outlying station U on the circuit A desires
to turn in an alarm to fire department headquarters, it is only necessary to depress
the lever G and thus forco the switch from the contact e² to the contact ƒ thereby
cutting the telephone apparatus out of the exchange circuit. As the switch closes
against the contact f, the circuit between the subscribers' station and headquarters is
closed and a current from the primary battery N traverses the fire-alarm circuit and
energizes the magnet F to hold the switch or armature E in contact therewith. This
current also passes through the switch J, the contact j and the magnet L, thus
energizing the latter and attracting the armature 1 thereof to close the local circuit M
and sound an audible alarm to notify the attendant that a person at one of the
subscribers' stations on the circuit A desires to communicate with him. The
attendant turns the switch J from the contact to the contact j¹, which thus diverts
the current from the primary battery through the telephone apparatus II', and
releases the annunciator K and the magnet L, the armature of which is released and
opens the local circuit to stop the audible alarm mechanism. The attendant can now
communicate with the person at the subscribers' station, who notifies the operator at
headquarters of the exact location of the fire, after which the attendant releases the
subscribers' telephone apparatus from the circuit A by simply depressing the key O
to shunt the current from the primary battery around the shunt circuit and thus
demagnetize the magnet F and release the switch which is automatically thrown
from the contact to the contact e³ and thereby thrown into the exchange circuit by
the retracting spring e¹.

page_text: Of course, it will be understood that two or more circuits A may run into fire
department headquarters, each of which has an annuncintor and a switch corresponding
to the switch J and the two contacts jj therefor, the primary battery N and the local
aların circuit serving for all the circuits leading to headquarters.
Our invention obviates the loss of time and annoyance of the method of com-
municating with fire department headquarters at present in vogue, where the person
at the subscribers' station is compelled to wait until the operator at central office
answers his call and then transmit the message through the operator to beadquarters
who is liable to make an error in transmitting the message and may take some time if
the lines are in use; as the subscriber can at once directly communicate with head-
quarters and give the operator there the exact location and nature of the fire. No
separate key or other implement is required to turn in an alarm, the number of
stations is increased from which direct communication with headquarters can be had
to advise the department of the existence of the fire and as the switch E is released
from the contact by operating the key O at headquarters D. it is obvious that
a subscriber cannot disconnect his telephone apparatus from the fire-alarm circuit,
which enables the operator to hold the subscriber until he ascertains all necessary
information.
To further accomplish this latter end, which is in some respects important, we
contemplate inclosing the switch and magnet in a suitable case or box to which
access can not be readily had.
Should the fire-alarm circuit become disarranged or get out of order, the subscriber
still remains in communication with central office by which an alarm can be sent in
according to the old method.
It is evident that our system can be used for transmitting a call or alarm to police
headquarters instead of to fire department headquarters, and we do not therefore
confine ourselves to the use of our system in any particular relation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion ani in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a combined system of alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination with
the independent fire-alarm and exchange circuits, and a subscribers' telephone
apparatus, of a switch normally holding said telephono apparatus in circuit with the
exchange or central office and adapted to throw said apparatus in the alarm
circuit, said switch having return connections to telephone central office and
fire department headquarters, and contacts connecting, respectively, with the
exchange circuit and the fire-alarm circuit, whereby the subscriber can communicate
directly with fire department headquarters substantially as described.
2. In a combined system of alarin and telephone telegraph, the combination, with
the independent alarm and exchange circuits and a telephone apparatus normally
included in the exchange circuit, of a switch for cutting said telephone apparatus out
of the exchange circuit and throwing it into the alarm circuit, said switch having
return connections to telephone central office and fire department headquarters, and
contacts connecting, respectively, with the exchange circuit and the fire-alarm circuit,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a combined system of alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination, with
the independent alarm and exchange circuits, of a series of telephonic apparatus
normally included in the exchange circuits, and a like series of manual switches each
having an independent connection with the aların circuit and adapted to interpose at
will any of the telephone apparatuses into the alarm circuit, each of said manual
switches having return connections to telephone central office and fire department
headquarters, and contacts connecting, respectively, with the exchange circuit and fire-
alarni circuit, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a combined system of fire-alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination,
with the exchange circuit, a normally charged alarm circuit, and an outlying telephone
apparatus, of a switch connected with said outlying telephone apparatus and normally

page_text: included in the exchange circuit, a magnet F also included in the alarm circuit, and
independent telephone apparatus located at fire department headquarters and normally
excluded from the alarm circuit, and a primary battery for energizing the alarm circuit
and the magnet therein when the switch and the outlying telephone apparatus have
been interposed in the alarm circuit, and thereby retain said switch and telephone
apparatus in said alarm circuit until the current from said battery has been
diverted from the alarm circuit by a suitable key, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
5. In a combined system of alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination with
the alarm circuit, an exchange circuit and an outlying telephone apparatus, of a switch
for cutting said outlying telephone apparatus out of the exchange circuit and simul-
taneously interposing said ontlying apparatus in the alarm circuit, another telephone
apparatus at fire department headquarters and normally excluded from the alarmn
circuit, a magnet L included in the alarm circuit, a local circuit having an audiblo
alarm mechanism, and the armature of the magnet I, and a switch J for cutting the
local circuit out of the alarm circuit and interposing the telephone apparatus at fire
department headquarters in said aların circuit, substantially as described.
6. In a combined system of alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination, with an
exchange circuit and an outlying telephone apparatus normally included therein, of an
alarm circuit including a separate telephone apparatus, a switch for cutting said outlying
telephone apparatus out of the exchange circuit and interposing the outlying telephone
apparatus in the alarm circuit, said switch having return connections to telephone
central office and fire department headquarters, and contacts connecting respectively
with the exchange circuit and fire-alarm circuit, substantially as described.
7. In a combined system of alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination with
an exchange circuit and an outlying telephone apparatus, of an alarm circuit having
a separate telephone apparatus included therein, a switch for interposing the outlying
telephone apparatus in the alarm circuit, a magnet included in the alarm circuit for
holding the switch in the latter circuit when said magnet is energized, and a key
included in a shunt circuit for shunting the current from a battery of the alarm
circuit and demagnetizing the magnet to release the switch, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
8. In a combined system of fire-alarm and telephone telegraph, the combination
with an exchange circuit and an outlying telephone apparatus, of an alarm circuit
having a separate telephone apparatus included therein, a manual switch for inter-
posing the outlying telephone apparatus in the alarm circuit, and registering
mechani-in operated by the switch for recording each call from the outlying station to
headquarters, substantially as and for the purpose described.
T
1000
GEORGE C. HALE.
ALBERT BARRETT.
JOSEPH ZENTNER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.