Improvements in Automatic Electro-mechanical Circuit Closers for Alarm and Signalling Systems.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Electro-mechanical Circuit Closers
for Alarm and Signalling Systems.
We, CHARLES WESLEY PRICE (Electrician), of 42, North 9th Street, Newark, in
the County of Essex, and State of New Jersey, United States of America, and
JOHN DUNCKLEE GOULD (Broker), of 399, Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:
This invention relates to devices for automatically closing an electric circuit to
sound an alarm at the central office, indicating danger from any source, such for
instance as signalling the existence of a fire in a building, or the presence of a
burglar and a main object is to provide a device in which the signal transmitted
over the main wires to the central office will be several times repeated; and
further to provide a simple means whereby the circuit closer will be automatically
stopped.
We will describe a circuit closer embodying our invention, and then point out
the novel features in the appended claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the views.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an electric alarm system embodying our
invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the automatic circuit closer embodied in the
invention, and showing the casing thereof in section;
Figure 3 is a plan view, with the casing in section;
Figure 4 is an end elevation with the casing in section;
Figure 5 is a plan view showing a modification; and
Figure 6 is a plan view of a conducting cable which may with advantage be
used in connection with the circuit closer.
The circuit closer comprises a motor, here shown as spring-actuated; that is,
mounted in a suitable frame 1 is a main shaft 2, adapted at one end to receive a
winding key, and upon this shaft 2 is mounted a coiled spring 3, having one end
attached to the frame, and the other end of course attached to the shaft. Mounted
on the shaft 2 is a rear wheel 4, meshing with a pinion 5 on a screw shaft 6. On
the screw shaft 6 is a gear wheel 7, meshing with a pinion 8, on the shaft of which
is a gear wheel 9 meshing with a pinion 10 on the shaft 11 supporting a gear
wheel 12, which engages with a pinion 13 on a fan shaft 14, having bearings in
the frame and upon which is mounted a controlling fan 15.
Mounted on an extension of the screw shaft 6 is a circuit controlling disk com-
prising a metal portion 16, having notches formed in its periphery, and preferably
mounted upon a disk 17 of insulating material and having a diameter equal to
that of the metal portion. Bearing upon the periphery of the circuit closer and

page_text: also upon the periphery of the insulating disk 17, is a contact brush 18, secured to
the frame 1, but insulated therefrom.
Mounted to rock on the frame 1 is an armature lever 19, having a vertically dis-
posed portion and a horizontally disposed portion. On the horizontally disposed
portion is an armature 20, co-acting with an electro-magnet 21 mounted on the
hase 22 to which the frame 1 is also secured. The vertically disposed portion of
the armature lever 19 is designed, when in a normal position, to provide a stop
or holder for the motor. As here shown, it is arranged to engage with a pin 23
on the extension of the fan shaft 14.
As a means for automatically stopping the motor after a certain number of
rotations of the circuit controller shall have been made, we employ a lever 24
fulcrumed on a stud 25, which is mounted to swing on the frame 1. The lower
end of the lever 24 is provided with a pin 26, which engages between the threads
of the screw shaft 6i. This lever 24 also has a laterally-extended pin 27 (Figure 4)
designed to engage with a pin 28 projecting from a collar at the inner end of the
screw shaft. The lever 24 is held yieldingly against the screw shaft by means of
a spring 29 attached at one end to said lever and at the other end to the frame I,
and it may be here stated that the armature is held normally in open position by
means of a spring 30, connected at one end to the frame 1 and at the other end to
the armature lever 19.
A resetting lever 31, extends from the upper end of the lever 24 longitudinally
over the frame 1, and as here shown, through the casing. Extended downwardly
from this resetting lever 31 is an arm 32, designed to engage with an inclined
lug on the free end of a spring plate 3-4 supported on the frame 1. Projected
from this spring plate 34 is a pin 35, designed to engage against the rear side of
the vertically disposed portion of the armature lever 19, to hold the same out of
the line of movement of the pin 23 on the fan shaft 14. This engagement of course
will take place when the armature is attracted by the electro-magnet; that is, the
spring plate will spring forward.
The brush 18 has a wire connection 36 with a binding post 37, and the frame I
has a wire connection 38 with a binding post 39, and to these binding posts 87
and 39 the main circuit wires are designed to be connected. The electro-
magnet 21 has wire connections 40 and 41 with the binding posts 42 and 43, which
are designed for connection with the local alarm circuit wires.
We will now describe the device in connection with an alarm system, referring
particularly to Figure 1, which shows main line wires 44 and 45, providing com-
munication between a local telephone 46 and a central office telephone 47. At
the central office section of the main line is an alarm, here shown as a bell 48.
the electro-magnets of which are located in an auxiliary circuit 49, controlling a
battery 50. One end of this auxiliary circuit 49 communicates with a pivotted
armature lever 1, and the other end of said wire is connected to a contact point 52.
designed to be engaged by the armature lever to close the circuit, when the said
armature lever is actuated or attracted by the electro-magnet 53 located in a shunt
from the main wires 44 and 45. The armature 54 on the lever 51 is held normally
out of engagement with the electro-magnet 53 by means of a spring 55.
Before proceeding further in the description of the system illustrated in Figure I,
it may be well to describe a conducting cable which we preferably employ in the
local circuit, for closing said circuit in case of fire, or by short circuiting by means
of cutting, or attempting to cut the wires. This cable is illustrated in Figure 6
of the drawings, and in itself does not constitute any part of our present invention.
Referring to Figure 6, the cable consists of a core 56 of fusible material, such for
instance as lead, and for the purpose of additional conductivity, this core may have
a copper or similar wire 57 extending longitudinally through it. An insulating
material 58 surrounds the core 56, and spirally wound around this insulating
material is a series of conductors 59, 60 and 61, the several conductors being insu-
lated from one another by means of a cord 62.
In Figure 1, we have shown three circuit controllers in connection with the main

page_text: wires 44 and 45, and these circuit controllers will be arranged to transmit different
messages or alarms to the central office. For instance, the first circuit controller 63
will have its controlling disk 17 arranged to make and break connections which
indicate Number 23," as shown in Figure 2. The next circuit controller 64 may
be arranged to indicate Number 24," and the next circuit controller 65 to indicate
Number 25." The circuit controllers 63 and 64 have their electro-magnets 21
in connection with the conductors of the cable illustrated in Figure 6, that is, the
controller 63 has connection with the fusible core 56 and with the spirally wound
conductor 59, and the controller 64 has connection with the conductors 60 and 61,
therefore two circuits are comprised in this cable, and each circuit is provided with
a battery 66, 67.
The binding posts 37 and 39 of the controller 63 are connected by wires 68 and 69
with the main wire 44, and a battery is comprised in these connecting wires. The
binding posts 37 and 39 of the controller 64 are connected by wires 70 and 71 to
the main wire 44, and a battery is comprised in these connecting wires.
The cable having connection with the controllers 63 and 64 is designed to be
extended around a building in any desired manner, and should a fire occur, the
heat will fuse the core 56 and connect it with the wire 59, thus closing the circuit
to energize the electro-magnet 21, to release the controller. Should a person
attempt to cut the wire or cable, the knife or other instrument employed for the
purpose will close the circuit between the wires 60 and 61, thus causing the con-
troller G4 to operate and sound an alarm at the central office.
With the arrangement just described it is obvious that an alarm transmitted by
short circuiting the conductors of the cable may serve two purposes, one to indicate
the presence of a fire, and the other to indicate the possible presence of an
incendiary, who may attempt to cut the wire to prevent the operation of the fire
alarm.
The controller 65 has its electro-magnets 21 in connection with wires 72 and 78,
which may be distributed about a building in the usual manner for sending in
an alarm indicating the attempted entrance of a burglar: that is, the wires may
be extended around windows and doors having circuit closing mechanism that will
be closed by the opening of the windows or doors. This circuit will include a
battery 74. From the binding posts 37 and 39 of the controller 65, wires 75 and 76
extend to connections with the wire 45, and these connections may be provided with
a suitable battery. It is to be understood, however, that the batteries of the
several connecting wires may be omitted, as the batteries or other source of elec-
tricity of the main wires will be sufficient.
In the drawings, we have shown the circuit controller as arranged for a normally
closed circuit, but it is obvious that by changing the circuit-making and breaking
arrangement of the disk 17, the device may be employed in a normally open circuit.
In operation, should the circuit through the electro-magnets 21 be closed by
any means, the armature 20 would be drawn downward, and move the vertically
disposed member of the armature lever 19 out of the line of movement of the pin 28,
and then the motor will be free to operate and rotate the circuit closer comprising
the disk 17. This disk by rotating a considerable number of times, will cause the
alarm to be repeated at the central office. As the disk rotates, the screw shaft (
will cause the lever 24 to move along the same until it reaches its inner end, when
the pin 26 will come into line with the pin 28, and cause the motor to stop.
The lever 21 may be reset to its normal position at the end of the screw shaft
nearest the controlling disk, by pushing downward on the shifting lever 31 and
releasing the pin 26 from the screw threads. The spring 29 will then draw the
lever back to its normal position. This downward movement of the shifting
lever 31 will cause the part 32 to engage with the beveled lug 33 on the spring
plate 34, to force said spring plate rearward, and move the pin 35 out of engage-
ment with the armature lever 19: the spring 30 will then rock said lever to its
normal position, to engage the pin 23.
The modification of the controller shown in Figure 5, in its essential features, is

page_text: like the controller first described; the main object of this controller however, is
to provide a single machine by means of which two or more danger local circuits
may be controlled. On the screw shaft 6 are circuit controlling disks 77 and 78.
Each disk consists of metal, and has blocks of insulating material secured in its
periphery. Bearing upon the controlling disk 77 is a brush 79, and bearing upon
the disk 78 is a similar brush 80. These brushes are secured to a block of insulat-
ing material attached to the frame 1.
Mounted to rock on a stud 81 extended outward from the frame is an armature
lever 80, having an armature 83 co-acting with an electro-magnet 84. This arma-
ture lever 82 has a vertically disposed portion 85 normally engaging with a trip 86
mounted to rock on a stud 87 extended outward from the frame 1. The trip 86
is held in yielding engagement with the armature lever by means of a spring coiled
around the stud and having one end attached thereto and the other end to the
trip. Mounted to rock on the stud 81 is another armature lever 88, co-acting with
the electro-magnet 89 and having an upwardly extended portion normally engag-
ing with a spring-pressed trip 90 mounted to rock on the stud 87. The hori-
zontally disposed portion of the armature lever 88 is normally in closed connection
with a wire 91 extended through the base of the instrument and engaging with a
binding post 92.
Pivoted to the frame 1 is a stop arm 93 designed to be engaged at its upper end
by a pin 94 on the extended end of the fan shaft 14, and thus provide a stop for
the motor. From the stop arm 93 a finger 95 extends laterally and is designed
to be engaged by the upwardly extended portions of the armature levers 82 and 88.
The means for automatically stopping the motor for this instrument is similar
to the means heretofore described; that is, as far as the worm, lever and pin
mechanism is employed. There are other features however, co-acting with the
trips, as will hereinafter appear. The armature 83 is held normally in an open
position by means of a spring 96 connected at one end to the frame 1 and at the
other end to the upwardly disposed portion of the armature lever. The electro-
magnet 84 will be in a normally open circuit, but the electro-magnet 89 will be
in a normally closed circuit, as will be hereinafter described. When the electro-
magnet 89 is de-energized, the armature lever SS will be drawn out of its con-
nection with the wire 91 by means of a spring 97 attached at one end to the
upwardly disposed portion of the lever 88, and at the other end to a contact post 98,
having a contact designed to be engaged by the armature lever 82.
From the lever 25, a rod 99 extends over the machine, and to the end of his
rod 99 is attached a trip arm 100, which extends over and is designed to be engaged
by the rear ends of the trip levers S6 and 90. From the brush 80 a wire 101
extends to a connection with the binding post 92, which is engaged with the main
line wire comprised in the telephone or similar circuit, and from the brush 79, a
wire 102 extends to a connection with a binding post 103 with which the other
main wire of the circuit connects. The binding post 103 has a wire connection 104
with the contact carrying post 98. The electro-magnet 84 has its terminals in
connection with binding posts 105 and 106 with which the local fire alarm wires
engage. The electro-magnet 89 has its terminals in connection with binding
posts 107 and 108 with which local burglar alarm wires are engaged,
These
several local wires may conveniently be formed in a single cable, such as illustrated
in Figure 6.
When the machine is in its normal position, with the armature lever 82 in
contact with the post 98, a telephone circuit will be in connection through the
binding post 92, the wire 91, the armature lever 88, the armature lever 82, the
post 98, the wire 104, and the contact post 103.
The cable containing the local conductors will be distributed about a building
as heretofore described, and should a fire occur, the conductors connecting with
the binding posts 105 and 106 will be fused together, thus energizing or closing
a circuit through the electro-magnet 84. When thus energized, the electro-magnet
will draw the armature lever 82 downward, and the vertical portion of this

page_text: armature lever by engaging with the finger 95, will move the holding arm 93 out of
the line of movement of the pin 94, and therefore the motor will operate. The
metallic or main circuit is then operated by the motor as follows: starting from
the main line binding post 92, the circuit will be through the connections with the
armature lever 88, through the motor to the disk 77, and through the brush 79
back to the binding post 104. This of course will cause the circuit controlling
disk 77 to rotate and make and break the connections to sound an alarm at the
central station. Should the cable be cut by a burglar or other person, the wires
connecting with the binding posts 107 and 108 will of course be separated, and
this will open the circuit through the electro-magnet 89, allowing the armature
lever 88 to move upward under the influence of the spring 97, and the upwardly
extended portion of this armature lever by engaging the finger 95, will move the
stop arm 93 out of the line of movement of the pin 94 as before described, and
thus allow the motor to operate. The metallic or main circuit is then operated by
the motor as follows: starting at the main circuit binding post 103, thence to the
armature lever 82 through the motor to the brush 80, and thence to the main line
binding post 92. After the alarm shall have been several times repeated, and the
motor stopped, the lever 25 may be returned to its normal position in the manner
heretofore described.
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 electro-mechanical controller for an electric circuit, comprising a motor,
a main circuit controller operated by said motor, an electro-magnet comprised in
a local circuit for releasing the motor, and means operated by the motor, for
stopping said motor after a predetermined number of rotations of the main circuit
controller shall have been made, substantially as specified.
2. An electro-mechanical controller for an electric circuit, comprising a motor,
a circuit-making and breaking disk operated by the motor, for controlling the
main circuit, an electro-magnet comprised in a local circuit, and an armature lever
actuated by said electro-magnet, for releasing the motor, substantially as specified.
3. An electro-mechanical controller for an electric circuit, comprising a motor,
a screw shaft operated by said motor, a circuit-making and breaking disk for a
main circuit ou said screw shaft, a pivoted lever movable by said screw shaft
and adapted to stop the motor after a certain number of rotations of the circuit
controlling disk shall have been made, an electro-magnet in a local circuit, an
armature lever operated by said electro-magnet for releasing the motor, a spring
plate for locking the armature lever, and a lever serving to move the spring plate
out of engagement with the armature lever and also serving to return the stop
lever to its normal position, substantially as specified.
4. An electro-mechanical controller for an electric circuit, comprising a spring-
driven motor, a screw shaft operated by said motor, a main circuit making, and
breaking disk on said screw shaft, a pivoted lever having a pin engaging between
the threads of said screw shaft, a pin extended laterally from said lever, a pin
extended from the screw shaft at its end opposite that upon which the disk is
mounted, and adapted to engage with the pin on the lever, a shifting lever extended
from the first named lever, an electro-magnet comprised in a local circuit, an
armature lever operated by said electro-magnet, for releasing the motor, a spring
plate for holding said armature lever in its inoperative position, and an arm on
the shifting lever for moving said spring plate out of engagement with the arma-
ture lever, substantially as specified.
5. A circuit closer for an electric alarm system, comprising a motor, an electro-
magnet having connection with a local alarm circuit for releasing said motor, a
circuit-making and breaking disk for the main circuit, operated by said motor,
and means for stopping the operation of said controller after a signal shall have

page_text: been repeated a desired number of times at the central office, substantially as
specified.
6. In a burglar and fire alarm system, a cable comprising a number of con-
ductors forming a local circuit in a building, a series of circuit closers for trans-
mitting different signals, each having independent connection with main wires
leading to a central station, and each having connection with the conductors of
the local circuit cable, whereby the controllers may be singly released to operate
upon short circuiting the local circuit by cutting or fusing, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.