IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING (AUTOMATICALLY) SIGNALS AND ALARUM SOUNDS IN DWELLING-HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS IN CASES OF FIRE OR OTHER CAUSES."
Year: 1882

page_text: 56
LETTERS PATENT to Charles Birch Crisp, of 22, Manchester Street, Gray's
Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of IMPROVED
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING (AUTOMATICALLY) SIGNALS AND
ALARUM SOUNDS IN DWELLING-HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS IN CASES OF
FIRE OR OTHER CAUSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Birch Crisp at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th January 1882.
CHARLES BIRCH CRISP of 22 Manchester Street Gray's Inn Road in the County
of Middlesex. IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING (AUTO-
MATICALLY) SIGNALS AND ALARUM SOUNDS IN DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER
BUILDINGS IN CASES OF FIRE OR OTHER CAUSES.
The object of this Invention is to produce signals and sound alarums in dwelling
houses and other buildings by the destruction, the severance or the releasing of a
cord of a sensitive character so that an upper vessel may fall within a lower one and
force the contained air through a whistle and at the same time to uncover and
turn on a gas or other flame, this being in proximity with a bull's eye or lens fitted
in a prominent part of a wall within view of persons who may be passing or
brought there through the noise of an alarum bell, the catch or hammer of which
is also set free by the descent of the upper vessel which is of sufficient weight or
may be weighted according to the degree of desired descent of it.
To carry my Invention into practice I provide an open ended vessel and I
arrange its mouth within that of a lower vessel which it just fits or is packed for
that purpose. The upper vessel is in connection with and is suspended by a cord
of any sensitive material, such as gutta percha which can be easily severed or
stretched under the action of heat to free the upper vessel so that it may fall.
D...A

page_text: within the lower one. The cord which can be led or carried to any part of a house
or building is also connected to a catch or bell appliance which also becomes
released to produce loud audible sounds of alarm.
The upper vessel is provided with an arm or lever and as it descends a screen is
turned away from the face of a gas or other flame, so that the light may shine
through a lens fitted in a part of the front or other wall of the house and thus
indicate the exact position from whence the sound signals came.
I purpose also
to fit the lower vessel with a valve opening inwards to enable it to be charged
with air when the upper vessel is raised to set it, the outlet of the lower vessel
terminating in a spout or nozzle in which a loud sounding and shrill whistle is
fitted, this projecting from within a second opening in the wall, the nozzle may
however be led from the same hole as that from which the light shines.
By my Invention the inhabitants of a neighbourhood or a district could be
instantly and simultaneously disturbed and assistance rendered at a very early stage
of an outbreak of fire or in the event of the house being attacked by burglars.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Birch Crisp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th July 1882.
CHARLES BIRCH CRISP of 22 Manchester Street Gray's Inn Road in the County
of Middlesex. IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING (AUTO-
MATICALLY) SIGNALS AND ALARUM SOUNDS IN DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER
BUILDINGS IN CASES OF FIRE OR OTHER CAUSES.
The object of this Invention is to produce signals and sound alarums in dwelling
houses and other buildings by the destruction the severance or the releasing of a
cord of a sensitive character so that an upper vessel may fall within a lower one or
a reservoir be compressed and force the contained air through a whistle and at the
same time to uncover and turn on a gas or other flame this being in proximity
with a bull's-eye-lens fitted in a prominent part of a wall within view of persons
who may be passing or brought there through the noise of a whistle. At the same
time the inmates are aroused by an alarum bell, the catch or hammer of which is
also set free by the descent of the upper vessel which is of sufficient weight or may
be weighted according to the degree of descent desired.
To carry my Invention into practice I provide an open ended vessel and I
arrange its mouth (inverted) within that of a lower vessel which it just fits and t
the inside of which a blower or bellows is fastened the other end being fixed to the
bottom of the lower vessel.
The upper vessel is in connection with and is suspended by a chain or cord, or
partly by a chain and cord of any sensitive material such as gutta-percha which
will easily sever under the action of heat to free the upper vessel so that it
may fall within the lower one. A cord or wire which can be led or carried to any
part of a house or building is also connected to a catch appliance which by slight
pressure releases the upper vessel and the whole is instantly set in motion.
The upper vessel descending a screen is turned away from the face of a gas or
other flame so that the light may shine through a lens fitted in the upper or any
part of a building to denote the exact position from whence the sound signals come.
The gas tap by means of a supply tap or "bye pass" is regulated so that when the
apparatus is not in motion only a small glimmer of gas is kept burning. I purpose
also to fit the lower vessel with a valve opening inwards to enable the blower or
bellows to be charged with air when the upper vessel is raised. A loud sounding and
shrill whistle is fitted to the lower part of the blower or bellows and this projects
into a second opening in the wall.
By my Invention the inhabitants of a neighbourhood or a district could be
instantly and simultaneously disturbed and assistance rendered at a very early
stage of an outbreak of fire or in the event of the house being attacked by
burglars.
The manner of carrying my Invention into practice will be understood by the
annexed Drawings. Figure 1, shows the apparatus, fixed in a room, say, of a
dwelling house. A is a vessel fixed to the floor B. This vessel has within it
another vessel C in an inverted position and touching the inside of A as to be air
tight, or nearly so, as not to interfere with its descent. D is a whistle forming the
terminal of a branch pipe E, the whistle being in the aperture F of the wall G so
that the noise of it may escape freely from the outer side. H is a box containing
a click or catch which holds the vessel C suspended by the cord I through the
intervention of the slip plate J above which is a bell K within range of the slip
plate J so that it is struck violently to produce the necessary hubbub and noise

page_text: within the building. The box H also contains a barrel which can be rotated when
a paul or other appliance is released to enable the cord L by the suspended weight
M to run out. N is a gas branch, the burner of which is protected by the shield P
the cock being on sufficiently only for a small flame or glimmer. The shield has a
lever Q for connection by the cord I with the vessel Cand when the cord is released,
which happens by the end slipping off from the slip plate J, the shield falls to one
side to uncover the flame and to open the gas cock to its fullest extent so that the
light may shine with brilliancy to the outside of the wall G through the lens T
which is fitted in an aperture Ŭ formed therein.
R is a pull cord by which the vessel C can be raised to set it at the desired
height for the adjustment of the ends of the cord I to the slip plate J and gas
tap Q; the vessel being then held suspended by the cord I preferably of gutta-
percha or other material which will yield or stretch under the action of heat.
Figure 2 shows the apparatus of collapsible or bellows form moving in a guide
frame A. S is the aperture by which the air is drawn into the vessel, said aperture
being closed by a back action valve.
In some cases the cord R, which may also be of gutta-percha or like material, is
held at its end T' by a catch U₁ which can be readily detached to release the
vessel C and also the cord I at the same instant to sound the alarm and to
light up.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
The apparatus described with reference to Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings as
and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly I claim :-The modification of apparatus described with reference to
Figure 2 of the annexed Drawings for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Birch Crisp have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Tenth day of July in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
ALDEAN
ATDATY ADTOD
CHARLES BIRCHI
(L.S.)