Improvements in or applicable to Electric Time Alarum Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1896-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Electric Time Alarum Apparatus.
I, HENRY CHARLES BIRD, of 92, Crouch Hill, Hornsey, in the County of
London, Egg Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present application for Letters Patent has reference to an electric bell
attachment applicable for use with an alarum clock of any usual pattern. The
ordinary alarum clocks at present in use are arranged to ring for only a very
limited period of time, as soon as the pressure of the spring of the ringing
mechanism is exhausted the sound of the alarum stops and heavy sleepers are liable
not to be roused by the same. The invention which I have devised is intended to
obviate this drawback and consists essentially in a mechanisin which serves to
combine the action of an alarum clock with that of an electric bell which will ring
until the circuit is broken and consequently cannot fail to arouse the attention of
the sleeper.
The method I at present prefer to adopt for carrying my invention into practice
is as follows:-
I affix to a piece of board or other suitable support two parallel wires and at one
side of these a small block or support of any kind which stands higher than the
wires. Opposite the said block I secure a steel pin or bar, such for instance as
an ordinary bodkin having attached to its eye a hook which can be engaged in a
ring attached to the alarum, or similar moving part of an alarum clock.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
When the hammer or other moving part of the alarum is agitated the ring and
hook are jerked, and the bodkin which is supported in an inclined position by the
block and one of the wires of the electric bell is shaken down and falls across the
other wire of the electric bell, thus closing the circuit, the electric bell in connection
therewith will immediately commence ringing, and will continue to ring until the
sleeper is awakened and breaks the connection. The bell of the alarum clock may
be muffled or removed as its sound is not required. It is obvious that any alarum
clock may be utilised for the purpose of causing the electric bell to ring whether
in the same room as the electric mechanism or at a distance therefrom, or one
clock may be arranged to actuate any desired number of electric alarums.
I have in the foregoing description briefly set forth the best method at present
known to me of carrying my invention into effect, but I do not limit myself to the
precise details described as my invention may obviously be carried out in various
modifications.
D1101 1
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or applicable to Electric Time Alarum Apparatus.
I HENRY CHARLES BIRD, of 92, Crouch Hill, Hornsey, in the County of
London, Egg Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The present application for Letters Patent has reference to an electric bell
attachment applicable for use with an alarum clock of any usual pattern. The
ordinary alarum clocks at present in use are arranged to ring for only a very
limited period of time, as soon as the pressure of the spring of the ringing
mechanism is exhausted the sound of the alarum stops and heavy sleepers are liable
no to be roused by the same. The invention which I have devised is intended to
obviate this drawback and consists essentially in a mechanism which serves to
combine the action of an alarum clock with that of an electric bell which will ring
until the circuit is broken and consequently cannot fail to arouse the attention of
the sleeper.
In order more clearly to set forth my invention I will now proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 represents an alarum clock connected to a signal board of my
invention.
Figure 2 shows an alternative form of the signal board, and
Figure 3 shows a further alternative construction in which the signal board is
duplicated and may be applied for completing the circuit of an electric light
apparatus as well as an electric bell as will hereinafter be described.
The alarum clock A with projecting hammer bar a is connected by means of a
wire or string to a metal bar c hinged at one end to a support d screwed or
otherwise secured to the base block B. The other end of the bar c is supported on
a block D of any material, preferably of wood. When the apparatus is out of use
the bar c is advantageously secured upon D by means of the removable pin e or
other equivalent device. In the form of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 3
the bar c is in direct electrical connection with a battery, not shown in the drawing,
or other source of current. In the modification shown in Figure 2 the bar c is
unconnected with the source of current and the wires ƒ and g respectively form the
ends of the electric circuit. As long therefore as the bar c remains supported by
the block D the electric circuit is interrupted and no current passes, as soon as the
hammer bar a of the alarum jerks the connecting line b the bar c is thrown down
across the wire for the wires f and g respectively thus completing the circuit and
causing the electric bell attached thereto to sound and to continue ringing until the
circuit is again broken.
Referring to the modification shown in Figure 3 the apparatus is duplicated, and
one part is connected with a bell circuit and the other with an incandescent lamp
circuit. The block D is dispensed with in each case and the bars cc are maintained
out of circuit with the bars if by means of threads or wires 61 61 supported loosely
on the pin E. As soon as the line bis jerked off the pin E by the alarum clock
fall down
as already described, the lines b' 6' are jerked off with it and the bars c
making contact with the bars ff and the bell commences to ring and the
incandescent lamp is put into operation.
It is obvious that my invention may be carried out in various modifications as
regards the details of the mechanism, in addition to those which I have herein
described, and the whole mechanism may be enclosed in a casing or box and
conveniently form a pedestal for the clock, which may be enclosed in such a
The alarum may
manner as to prevent any noise from it being heard in the room.
also be placed at any desired distance from the electrical waking and lighting

page_text: device or a single alarum clock may be adapted to actuate a number of independent
bell circuits and lighting circuits.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. An adjustable controlling device for an electric circuit consisting essentially
of a bar or wire loosely supported out of contact with the terminal wires of the
said circuit adapted to be operated by a flexible connection to an alarum clock or
the like in such a manner that at a given time the bar will be thrown down upon
the said wires thereby closing the circuit.
2. The modification of the invention in which the moveable bar itself forms one
of the terminals of the circuit, which is closed by its falling upon the other
terminal, substantially as described and shown in Figures 1 and 3.
3. The combination of parts forming the improved electric alarum apparatus
substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
Deted thin and dow of L... 1906
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.