Year: 1887

page_text: I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patent Agents, of 67, Strand,
London, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to electrical burglar-alarms, and has for its object the protec-
tion of a structure or window to be guarded by means of a curtain or fabric, to which
the mechanism for actuating the alarmn is connected.
The invention consists in applying a curtain or textile fabric, provided with devices
hereinafter to be described, to the point or place which it is desired to protect.
Figure 1 shows a face view of my invention applied to a window. Fig. 2 shows a
cross-section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 show detail views of the means for completing
the circuit.
In the drawings like letters of reference represent like parts in the several figures.
The letter Frepresents the window-frame, upon which are mounted suitable
brackets, bb, for supporting a curtain, C, which is mounted upon rollers rr, placed in
front of window, w. The lower window-roller, r, is secured in position by means of
plates pp, which are provided with enlarged heads e h. The plates pp arc inserted in
slots in the window-frame F, made for this purpose, and then rotated ninety degrees,
so as to bring the opening in the plates in line with the roller. These rollers r r are
provided with pulleys p" at regular intervals.
The curtain may be secured in position by any other suitable means.

page_text: At each side of the window I mount rollers or pulleys. The right-hand one is
mounted upon a spindle, s, which carries a hammer, h, constituting one terminal of the
circuit. These spindles are mounted upon metal plates which are secured to the
window-frame F, and are provided with slots s³, for a purpose which will be hereinafter
adverted to. The plate mp at the right carries an arm, upon which journals the other
end of the spindle s.
The frame is suitably recessed to receive the hammer and spindle, as shown in
Fig. 4.
The curtain being secured in position, as shown in Fig. 1, a cord, c, is fastened to
the roller, through a hole, o, and is passed alternately over every other pulley p', as
shown, until the last one is reached, when the cord is returned to its starting position
by passing over the alternating pulleys that were left previously, thus causing the
cords to interlace, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. These cords may be placed between
two curtains, or a curtain consisting of two parts, so as to be hidden from view; or
they may he placed upon the face of the curtain itself. It of course makes no
difference how many laces or pulleys I use, and I do not wish to confine myself to
any number.
The plate p, which co-operates with the hammer h, forms the other terminal of the
alarm-circuit. The hammer or circuit-closer h, instead of being operated by gravity,
may be any suitable spring-actuated circuit-closer, which is held away from its contact
by the friction of the cord, as in the previous case.
20 10.
I will now describe another device which I use in combination with the devices
spoken of above. This consists of a supporting-piece s, upon which is mounted a two-
part wire frame-work, w w, having tongues tt, which overhang or overlap the parts
The support S is made of wood, and is notched at the end so as to embrace the left-hand
spindles, and is provided with a hook, ', at one end, and a hooked arm, ha, at the other
end, which engage with the slots s' in the metal plate mp, before referred to. These
are for the purpose of securing the support in position, and this is done by slipping the
hooks into the enlarged parts of the slot and then sliding the support S to the right, as
shown in Fig. 1.
One portion of the wire-work, w, is connected to one terminal of the battery through
the alarm-bell a b, by way of the metallic connection of the plate mp and an arm, a,
which will be spoken of hereinafter, and which connects with the frame w.
The other
portion of the wire-work, wc, is connected by means of a wire, e, with the other terminal
of the battery at a point d. Mounted on the same spindle with the hammer h is an
arm, a, (Fig. 1) provided with a curved arm, ca, having an hook or eye at each end.
The lowermost one engages an extension of the wire-work, w, and holds the arm a in
a raised position.
The letters sc represent a raised metal plate upon the window-frame, which is also
connected with the other terminal of the battery at the point d. This, when the arm a
is in contact with it, forms a short circuit and rings the alarm. The two portions of the
wire-work w w³, are insulated from each other by means of the wooden support S, and
normally stand out of contact with each other, as shown in the cross-section in Fig. 2.
This frame-work w w¹ may be made of any ornamental design.
I do not confine myself to any specific form of wire-work, as any suitable form or
shape may be used, as desired. The wire-work also, instead of being mounted upon a
support which is secured to the window-frame F, may be secured directly to the
curtain itself. The fabric or curtain and the devices described need not necessarily
be placed before a window and secured to the window-frame, but may be placed
at any point where it is desired to protect or guard a structure. The several parts
of my apparatus are all insulated from one another by the wood of the window-
frame and the support S, and therefore need no other insulation.
Having now set forth the construction of my apparatus, I will proceed to explain
how it is operated. First of all, the curtain is secured in position by means of the
plate p. The support S, carrying the wire-work, is now placed in position over
the curtain. The arm a is placed on the spindle to the right and made to engage the

page_text: extension of the wire-work w by means of the curved arm ca, and thus hold the arm a out
of contact with the raised portion of the plate s c. The pulleys are then placed
upon the spindles s, and the cord c is passed over these pulleys, the end being
inserted through a hole, m, and tightly drawn, and then wound about a fastening-
piece, k, so as to keep all the interlacing cords taut. The drawing of the cord taut
by means of the friction on the pulley raises the hammer h from the plate p,
and thus leaves the apparatus in its position for operation. On an attempt by any one
to sever any one of the cords, the friction on the pulley will be destroyed, and
the hammer will gravitate to the plate p, and thus complete the circuit and give
an alarm. Should, however, any person, without resorting to any of the above
measures, discover the mechanism upon the curtain and attempt to remove the same,
either by sliding the support S to the left or cutting through it and the wire-work
at any place, this will throw the curved arm ca out of engagement with the extension
of the wire-work as shown in Fig. 1, and cause the arm a connected therewith to
gravitate to and contact with the raised portion of the plate s e, and thus ring an
alarm, as before.
I may use the curtain with the continuous cord traversing the same without the
wire-work or with it, as desired. On the other hand, I may use the wire-work w
without the continuous cord. So, too, the wire-work w w can be used without the
arma and the short circuit, as desired; but I prefer the combination shown in
Fig. 1.
I do not limit myself to the specific form of apparatus shown, but reserve the right
to make such changes in practice as fall within the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
1. An electrical burglar-alarm consisting of a curtain or fabric having a continuous
non-conductive cord subjected to tension traversing it, a battery, electrical
connections, and an alarm held from operation by the tension of said cord."
2. In an electrical burglar-alarm, a curtain or fabric having a continuous cord
traversing it, a spindle carrying a hammer or circuit-completer mounted thereupon,
and a contact normally separated by the friction of said cord upon the spindle of
said hammer, a battery, an alarm, and suitable electrical connections for sending an.
alarm when said fabric is tampered with.
3. In an electrical burglar-alarm, a curtain or fabric having a continuous cord
traversing it and passing over pulleys in the rollers upon which the curtain is
mounted, and provided with means, substantially such as described, for holding the
curtain in position, a spindle carrying a hammer or circuit-completer mounted there-
upon, and a contact normally separated by the friction of said cord upon the spindle
of said hammer, a battery, an alarm, and suitable electrical connections for sending
an alarm when said fabric is tampered with.
4. In an electrical burglar-alarm, a curtain or fabric provided with means, sub-
stantially such as described, for holding it in position, a continuous cord traversing it
and passing over pulleys mounted in the rollers to which the curtain is secured,
a pulley at each side thereof over which the said cord passes, a device on one of
said curtain-rollers for fastening and holding the cord taut, and a spindle carrying a
hammer or circuit-completer upon which is mounted one of the latter pulleys, a contact
for said hammer, from which it is separated by the friction of said cord, and a suitable
electrical alarm apparatus connected therewith for giving an alarm when the aforesaid
devices are disturbed.
5. A curtain or fabric having a continuous cord traversing it and a hammer or
circuit-completer mounted at one side thereof, over which support said cord is passed
for frictionally separating said hammer and a contact therefor, forming the terminals
of the alarm-circuit, in combination with a two-part wire frame-work forming
additional terminals of the alarm circuit resting upon said curtain, whereby an alarm
will be sounded either by cutting the said cord or by pressing upon the curtain.

page_text: 6. A curtain or fabric having a continuous cord traversing it and a hammer or
circuit-completer mounted at one side thereof, over which support said cord is passed
for frictionally separating said hammer and a contact therefor, forming the terminals
of the alarm-circuit, in combination with a support carrying a two-part frame-work
forming additional terminals of the alarm-circuit resting upon said curtain, and an arm
extending from the spindle upon which said hammer is mounted and normally
held from completing a short circuit by an extension of said wire frame-work, whereby
an alarm will be sounded either by cutting the said cord or by pressing upon the
the curtain, or by severing the support for said wire-work.
7. In an electrical burglar-alarm, a curtain or fabric and a support fastened to the
structure to be guarded and carrying a two-part conducting frame-work, of wire or
other suitable conducting material, forming the terminals of a circuit and resting upon
said curtain or fabric, a battery, an alarm, and suitable connections with said terminals
for giving an alarm when pressure is applied to said curtain.
8. An electrical burglar-alarm consisting of a two-part wire spring frame-work
forming the terminals of a circuit which are normally out of contact, a curtain or
fabric upon which it rests, suitable electrical connections for said terminals, and a
battery and an alarm, whereby a signal will be given by pressure upon the curtain.
9. In an electrical burglar-alarm, a curtain or fabric and a support fastened to the
structure to be guarded and carrying a two-part conducting frame-work, of wire or
other suitable conducting material, forming the terminals of a circuit and resting upon
said curtain or fabric, a battery, an alarm, and suitable connections with said terminals
for giving an alarm when pressure is applied to said curtain, tending to establish a
short circuit and send an alarm, an extension of said frame-work for preventing the
same and holding the arm away from its contact, whereby a signal will also he sent
when the aforesaid support is disturbed, as set forth.
REGINALD HADDAN.
By Herbert & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.