Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for Police Service and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd April, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug.. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus for Police Service
and the like.
I, ROBERT DUNBAR RADCLIFFE, of No. 132 West 58th Street, New York City,
New York, United States of America, Attorney and Electrician, 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 :-
My invention relates particularly to electrical signalling apparatus of the type known
as district or messenger calls, and it has for its object the simplification, or arrange-
ment of parts whereby two or more types or kinds of individual wants may be signalled
from a single box and single wheel cylinder or transmitter.
I accomplish this object by the use of the apparatus hereinafter described. My
invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, which
represent my preferred form of apparatus equally applicable to any call box used in
existing messenger or district call systems.
Figure 1 is a plan view of a district call box of well known type 'with my
improvement attached.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of a call box showing my improved signal wheel and
attachments thereto in elevation.
A is an enclosing metallic box sustaining on its interior the usual gear train and
frame B.
a is the actuating lever for winding the spring which impels the train of gear;
and c is the shaft which bears the signal transmitting wheel or disc D, in this instance
my improved transmitter having a series of insulating segments el c² radially
disposed in five groups of three each, as shown in figure 1, the segments c² being
shorter than c' and c³ shorter than c².
d is a metallic shaft journalled in the signal box A at its opposite ends, and carrying
a metallic arm located beneath the surface of the box, but adapted to contact
electrically with the lateral face of the signal disc or wheel D in different radial lines,
as clearly shown in dotted and full lines Figure 1.
E is an insulated handle fixedly connected to the shaft d on the outside of box A,
and provided with a lug e adapted to be held in a depressed position in any one of the
notches 66' or 6², according to the want indicated opposite thereto; as, "Messenger,"
"Police," or "Fire"
; see Figure 1.
When held in these varied positions the free contacting ends of the arm d' rest upon
the signal disc or wheel D, and assumes the various positions' indicated. The mode of
operation is as follows.
Suppose the arm E set for "Messenger," as indicated in Figure 1. The arm a is
then pulled down and the train of gear causes the signal wheel or disc D to rotate in
the usual manner, as indicated by the arrow. The circuit being, as is usual in such
boxes, from the arm d' through the wheel or disc D to line each time one of the
radial insulating segments passes under said arm said circuit is broken, thereby
causing five breaks for one revolution of said disc.
If the call "Police" is wanted, the arm E is set with the lug e in notch b¹, and
the free end of arm d' is now placed in the path of the two sets c³ of radial segments,
and each revolution of said disc or wheel gives five double breaks.
In like manner each revolution of the disc or wheel D, when arm E is set for
"Fire," gives five triple breaks.
With this arrangement, therefore, I am enabled to give any number of individual
signals for a single revolution of the signal wheel or disc, thereby very materially
decreasing the time required for transmitting various individual signals in existing
forms of signal boxes, the general arrangement, prior to my invention, being such that

page_text: individual signals from a single box were had by giving to the signal wheel an
additional revolution or fraction thereof for each separate type of signal.
It is obvious that the arrangement of parts for accomplishing the results herein
disclosed may be widely varied and still come within the scope of my invention; as
for instance, the segments c¹, c² and e³ may be on the edge rather than the lateral face
of the signal disc or wheel, in fact I prefer to place them so, but any preferred order,
number or arrangement of such segments may be adapted, and still come within the
scope of my claims.
By graduating the width and spaces between the various insulated segments at
different radial lines the constant signal number of the wheel can be expressed and
transmitted in any character of the entire Morse alphabet by enlarging the wheel so as
to make a sufficient number of radial lines available.
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 I
claim is :-
First. A signal transmitter, consisting of a wheel, cylinder or disc, carrying circuit
breakers arranged in sets, one for each signal, in combination with a movable contact
maker adapted to contact with any set of circuits breakers at the will of the operator,
substantially as described.
Second., A signal transmitter, consisting of a rotary part having circuit breaking
segments of varying length and arranged in sets, in combination with a movable
contact arm adapted to contact with any one of the said sets at the will of the operator,
substantially as described.
Third. A signal transmitter, consisting of a rotary part carrying two or more groups
of circuit breakers, each group having a different length and all combined, so that the
first group represents one signal; the first and second a second signal; the first
second and third a third signal, &c. substantially as described.
Fourth. A signal transinitter, consisting of a movable part carrying two or more
groups of circuit interrupters, in combination with a contacting arm adapted to
make contact with any group of said circuit interrupters, substantially as described.
Fifth. In a signal transmitter, the combination of two or more sets of radially
disposed circuit interrupters, c¹³, of different length arranged on a rotary disc or
wheel, in combination with a pivoted electrical contacting arm d¹ and a manipulating
arm E, substantially as described.
Sixth. In a signal transmitter, a rotary signal disc D, having radially disposed
circuit interrupters, c¹ c³ ³ of varying length; a swinging contacting arm d' a
manipulating arm E, with a locking lug e, and notches b b 6, corresponding to
various wants, substantially as shown and described.
n
11000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.