AN IMPROVED ALARUM APPARATUS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Ticehurst and John Cheshire, both of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
ALARUM APPARATUS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Ticehurst
and John Cheshire at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th
February 1880.
FRANCIS WILLIAM TICEHURST and JOHN CHESHIRE, both of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick. "AN IMPROVED ALARUM APPARATUS."
Our Invention consists in a novel arrangement and construction of mechanismı
designed to give alarm or signal; it may be affixed across paths or ways, or
connected to doors or gates, drawers, tills, or other means of enclosure and safety,
so that the intrusion of any unauthorised people will set the alarum in action, and
be at once known.
We will now describe our Invention, thus:-A back plate arranged for screwing
or otherwise affixing to the door, or door frame, till, or other required position; this
said back plate carries a cylindrical barrel, one end of which receives a cartridge or
other detonating compound, the other end is fitted with a helical spring, the
intervening space of the said barrel, viz., between the cartridge and the spring is a
plunger having a projecting lever or handle; this, when charged or employed to its
purpose, is arranged in a traverse slot in the said barrel, the spring being compressed;
this said lever or handle projects over the entrance door, and with a slight pressure
will be released from the transverse slot, the power of the spring forcing the plunger
in contact with the cartridge, and thus the detonation or warning.
We may employ in some cases a chain and ring, so that when the back plate with
its barrel is affixed to the door case, the said ring and chain being connected to the
door and looped over the lever or handle, by the opening of the door the said lever
is released as above described.
We connect to the back plate a chain and cotter-pin, the said pin passing through
two apertures in the barrel immediately above the plunger, thus preventing an
alarm which may be caused by accident or neglect.
One of the chief features of this our said Invention, in addition to the purposes
already described, is in its application to the interior of locks or latches, the method
of actuating the lever or handle being effected by means of the return movement of
the bolt when the door has been locked, the said bolt compressing the lever and
releasing the spring, thus causing the detonation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis William Ticehurst and John Cheshire in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 4th August 1880.
FRANCIS WILLIAM TICEHURST and JOHN CHESHIRE, both of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick. "AN IMPROVED ALARUM APPARATUS."
Our Invention consists in a novel arrangement and construction of mechanism
designed to give alarm or signal; it may be affixed across paths or ways, or
connected to doors, or gates, drawers, tills, or other means of enclosure or safety,
so that the intrusion of any unauthorised people will set the alarum in action; and
be at once known.
We will describe our Invention thus:-A back plate arranged for screwing or
otherwise affixing to the door, or door-frame, till, or other required position; this
said back plate carries a cylindrical barrel, one end of which receives a cartridge or
other detonating compound, the other end is fitted with a helical spring, the
intervening space of the said barrel, viz., between the cartridge and the spring, is a
plunger having a projecting lever or handle; this, when charged or employed to its
purpose, is arranged in a transverse slot in the said barrel, the spring being com-
pressed; this said lever or handle projects over the entrance door, and with a slight
pressure will be released from the transverse slot, the power of the spring forcing
the plunger in contact with the cartridge, and thus the detonation or warning.
We may employ in some cases a chain and ring, so that when the back plate
with its barrel is affixed to the door case, the said ring and chain being connected
to the door and looped over the lever or handle, by the opening of the door the
said lever is released as above described.
We connect to the back plate a chain and cotter pin, the said pin passing through
two apertures in the barrel immediately above the plunger, thus preventing an
alarm which may be caused by accident or neglect.
One of the chief features of this our said Invention, in addition to the purposes
already described, is in its application to the interior of locks or latches, the method
of actuating the lever or handle being effected by means of the return movement of
the bolt when the door has been locked, the said bolt compressing the lever and
releasing the spring, thus causing the detonation.
But as our Invention will be best understood aided by a reference to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, we will proceed to describe the same, reference being
made to figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say).
Fig. 1 represents in front elevation our improved alarum apparatus.
Fig. 2 also in front elevation, but shewing its application to a door.
Fig. 3, a sectional view elevation of an ordinary lock with our improved alarum
arranged thereto horizontally.
Figs. 4, 5, 6, views in elevation of parts detached; Fig. 7 end view of Fig. 6.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
A is the back plate; B, the barrel; C, an helical spring; D, the plunger; E, the
lever or handle; F, the slot; G, the chain with ring G'; H, a chain with cotter
pin H passing through holes provided in B.
We will more clearly describe our Invention, first, by reference to Fig. 1, M. being
the moulding or door frame, and N the door. This alarum apparatus is permanently
secured to the door frame M by means of the screws I or other suitable means, the
plunger D is raised vertically to its highest position, the spring C compressed in
the upper portion of the barrel B, and held in position by the lever E, finding its
bearing upon the one side of B. For additional security we employ the cotter pin H³,
passing immediately beneath the plunger D; x, is the cartridge or detonating
compound arranged in the lower part of the barrel b; the ring G is now placed

page_text: upon the lever or handle E, as shewn at Fig. 2; the cotter pin His withdrawn, so
that the entry of any person or force applied to the door from without brings the
lever E to the front, and by the power of the spring C carries the rod or plunger D
upon the cartridge or detonator x, and causes the warning or alarm.
In some cases we may dispense with the chain G and ring G₁ by arranging the
apparatus as above described upon the moulding M, and reversing the lever E to
the other side, so that it will project a certain distance over the door N, so that
when the door is opened the action and warning is effected as described above,
In Fig. 3 we illustrate our Invention as applied to an ordinary lock, the bolt of
which is thrown or locked upon the said bolt J. We arrange a projecting pin or
stud K, and upon the surface or suspended lever L, with inclined end, as shewn
at L'; this said lever works upon the pin L secured to the ordinary lock plate. It
will be perceived that we arrange one part of our Invention, viz., that which carries
the cartridge or detonator, upon the moulding M, the other part with the mechanism
upon the door N to the lower portion of the lock; in the front plate is a slot or
aperture, and through this is placed the lever E, joining L'. The apparatus being
now charged any interference from without, as in forcing the bolt back, will bring
the pin K in contact with L, forcing E upon the incline L¹, and release it from its
position, thus causing the alarm, by striking the cartridge as above described. A
double purpose is effected by this plan, viz., immediately the said cartridge is
struck by the plunger D entering B the door is securely bolted thereby. At any
time when this Invention is not required to be applied to its purpose the lever E is
reversed, brought downwards.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of this our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be performed, we would observe in
conclusion that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details herein given and
shewn on the accompanying Drawings, as various modifications may be made
therein while retaining the essential features of our said Invention, but what we
claim as new, and desire to be secured to us by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of mechanism forming "An
Improved Alarum Apparatus," substantially as herein before described and shewn
in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Francis William Ticehurst and John Cheshire,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
THOMAS KENDRICK.
FRANCIS WILLIAM TICEHURST. (L.S.)
JOHN CHESHIRE.
(L.S.)