Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug.,
1899
We, ALEXANDER NAPE PIERMAN, of 135, Lee Avenue, Bridgeport, Fairfield
County, Connecticut, United States of America, Tool Maker, and WALTER POLK
PHILLIPS, of 649, Clinton Avenue, in said Bridgeport, Journalist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement;-
--
Our invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, easily
attached and loud sounding alarm adapted for general use, but more especially
for vehicles, as, bicycles, and our invention consists essentially in the com-
bination with a point or button carried by a resonant diaphragm of a transversely
corrugated wheel whose periphery engages the point or button.
In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which
reference characters are used to designate the several parts,
Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the application of our novel alarm to a
bicycle, the operative position being indicated by full lines and the wormal
or inoperative position being indicated by dotted lines.
Fig. 2 a section on the line in Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 a section on the line y-y in Fig. 1.
It is a matter of no consequence so far as the essence of our invention is
concerned, whether the alarm is applied to the front wheel or the rear wheel,
or the special manner in which it is applied. In the present instance we have
shown it as applied to the front wheel and as attached to the fork. A denotes
our novel alarm as a whole, B a bracket by which it is carried, and C the head,
1) the front fork, and E the front wheel of a bicycle.
As before stated, an essential feature of our novel bicycle alarm is a resonant
diaphragm 1 which may be made of metal or of any suitable material and
which carries at its center a hard point or button 2. This diaphragm is rigidly
In the present
secured in a case a which may be made in any suitable manner.
instance, we have shown the case as comprising plates 3 and 4 which clamp the
diaphragm firmly between them and are secured together by rivets 5, the open-
ing in the center of the case being of course large enough to permit ample
vibration of the diaphragm. denotes a sound opening in the case, in the
present instance in the top at the center, over which a horn 7 may be placed
when it is desired to throw the sound waves formed by the diaphragm in one
general direction. 8 denotes an opening in the case, in the present instance in
the bottom, through which the point or button 2 projects. 9 denotes ears
formed integral with, or rigidly secured to the case between which is pivoted a
wheel 10 having a roughened or transversely corrugated surface which is engaged
by the point or button and which wheel is adapted to be placed in engagement
with the bicycle wheel and receive motion therefrom. The case and the other.
parts just described are shown as carried by a lever 11 which is pivoted between
ears 12 on bracket B which is itself provided with clamps 14 by which it is

page_text: secured to the fork, it being of course apparent that the shape of the bracket
and the clamps are not of the essence of our invention but may be adapted to any
special use to which it is contemplated placing the alarm. A spring 15 of any
suitable construction is arranged to normally throw the alarm out of operative
position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. 16 denotes an operating device,
as, a cord, wire or rod, by which the alarm is thrown into operative position
against the power of the spring. This operating device may be carried to any
suitable position, as, the center of the handle bar or either of the grips.
When it is desired to sound the alarm the operator, in the present instance
the rider of the bicycle, by means of the operating device, places the roughened
wheel in engagement with the bicycle wheel. The roughened wheel receives
motion from the bicycle wheel and the corrugations of the wheel are engaged by
the point or button carried by the diaphragm, thereby imparting vibration to
the diaphragm and producing the alarm, which we find in practice will be
heard at a much greater distance than bells and other alarms commonly in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. An alarm comprising a resonant diaphragm having at its center a hard
point or button, a transversely corrugated or roughened wheel adapted to be
engaged by the said point or button to produce vibration of the diaphragm,
and a movable case in which said diaphragm is mounted and with which said
wheel is connected so as to be movable with said case when the alarm is moved
into or out of operative position.
2. An alarm comprising a resonant diaphragm having at its center a hard
point or button, a transversely corrugated wheel adapted to be engaged by
the said point or button to produce vibration of the diaphragm, a movable case
in which the diaphragm is enclosed and with which said wheel is connected so
as to be movable therewith, and means for placing the alarm in operative
position and for returning it to its normal position.
3. The combination with a case having an opening 6 for the escape of sound
and an opening 8, of a diaphragm rigidly secured within the case and having at
its center a point or button which projects through opening 8, a corrugated
wheel carried by the case and engaged by the point or button and means for
placing the said wheel in engagement with a moving object for example a
bicycle wheel, whereby vibration of the diaphragm is produced and means for
returning the parts to their normal position.
4. The combination with a case having openings 6 and 8 and a lever by
which it is carried, of a diaphragm secured within the case and carrying a point
or button extending through one of the openings, a corrugated wheel carried
by the case and engaged by the point or button, a bracket to which the lever
is pivoted and which is provided with means for attachment in place, an operating
device as a cord by which the device is placed in operative position and à spring
by which it is returned to its normal position.
5. The combination with a case having openings 6 and 8 and a lever by
which it is carried, of a diaphragm rigidly secured within the case and carrying
a point or button extending through one of the openings, a corrugated wheel
carried by the case and engaged by the point or button, a horn secured over the
other opening, a bracket to which the lever is pivoted and means for throwing
the alarm into and out of operative position.
Dated this 29th day of June 1899.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.