A Pneumatic Attachment for Annunciators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Pneumatic Attachment for Annunciators.
I, RALPH ABRAHAM SCHOENBERG, Electrician, of 129 East 62nd Street,
New York City, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a pneumatic attachment for annunciators, and has for its
object to provide a means whereby the annunciators may be pneumatically reset
without jarring and subjecting the annunciator to any shock whatever, and whereby
also the annunciator may be placed upon any desired support in any locality without
nterfering with its proper manipulation. A further object of the invention is to
so construct the attachment that it may he operated from any room at any distance
from the annunciator or close thereto, as required. Another object of the invention
is to provide a means whereby, before ringing and causing a drop finger to disclose
the number of the room or floor, the operator may be assured that every drop
finger is elevated and concealed from view in front of the annunciator window.
A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment that is exceedingly
simple and economic, and capable of expeditious and convenient attachment to any
annunciator. The drop fingers carrying the indicator tablets are held raised in
their normal position by engagement with latch heads on the counterweighted
armatures of corresponding electro magnets.
The drop fingers are arranged in horizontal rows; and below each row of drop
fingers is a shaft having its ends fulcrumed in the casing of the annunciator and
below the lower row of drop fingers another shaft is placed. Both of the shafts
are preferably crank shafts, and both of the shafts are connected at or near their
central portion by a rod having at its lower end a disc. This is adapted to
normally rest upon a bellows located at the bottom of the casing. A tube is
connected with the bellows, and air is forced into the latter through the tube
through the medium of a hand bulb or the equivalent thereof. The moment that
the bulb is compressed the bellows is inflated, the disc rod elevated, and the crank
arms of both shafts are carried upwards, and if any of the drop fingers of the
annunciator are in their lowermost or display position they will be carried upwards
for an engagement with their armaturés. When the drop fingers are in their
lowermost or display position they rest upon the shaft immediately below the line
to which they belong.
In the operation of the annunciator, if a person in a room distant from the
annunciator should desire to give notice through the medium of the latter, it is
very desirable that the operator should first ascertain whether or not any of the
drop fingers are in their lowermost or display position as should any of them be in
such position and the attendant not notice the finger drop it would be difficult for
such attendant to determine from which room or floor the last call was made.
Heretofore this has been very difficult to determine, and in fact no device
heretofore employed has proved to be accurate and automatic.
By the use of the simple attachment here described this annoyance or objection
is, however, overcome, as before touching the button to make the call all that the
operator need do is to press the bulb, whereupon the shafts in the annunciator will
be actuated, and any drop fingers that may be in their lowermost position will be
thrown upwards and concealed from view. As soon as this is accomplished an
alarm can be given, and the operator may rest assured that (unless another person
has simultaneously given an alarm) no other indicator or drop finger will be
displayed.
It will be observed that when my improved attachment is employed the cord of

page_text: wire now used to reset the annunciator, and the use of which often results in injury
to the annunciator, is entirely dispensed with, and that the tube need not be very
large, and may be run alongside of the electric wires and thereby concealed.
Dated 1st September 1891.
R. A. SCHOENBERG,
By A. M. & W. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Pneumatic Attachment for Annunciators.
I RALPH ABRAHAM SCHOENBERG, Electrician, of 129 East 62nd Street
New York City, United States of America 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 to a pneumatic attachmcut for annunciators, and has for
its object to provide a means whereby the annunciator may be pneumatically reset
without jarring and subjecting the annunciator to any shock whatever, and whereby
also the annunciator may be placed upon any desired support in any locality without
interfering with its proper manipulation. A further object of the invention is to
so construct the attachment that it may be operated from any room at any distance
from the annunciator or close thereto, as required. Another object of the invention
is to provide a means whereby, before ringing and causing a drop finger to disclose
the number of the room or floor. the operator may be assured that every drop
finger is elevated and concealed from view in front of the annunciator window.
A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment that is exceedingly
simple and economic, and capable of expeditious and convenient attachment to any
annunciator.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an annunciator having the invention applied
thereto.
Figure 2 is a transverse section taken centrally through the annunciator
practically on the line 2-2 of Figure 3; and
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken practically on the line 3-3 of
Figure 2 both these figures being drawn to a larger scale.
In the annunciator illustrated the front window 10 is provided with the usual
opaque surface 11 and transparent openings 12, at which the dial face 13 of the
drop finger 14 is adapted to appear. Upon the back board of the casing of the
annunciator, the usual brackets 15, are secured, carrying magnets 16, and upon said
brackets the armatures 17, are pivoted, one member of each armature being provided
with a latch head 18; or the interior arrangement of the annunciator may be
materially different from that shown and described.
The drop fingers 14, are illustrated as pivoted at the lower ends of the
brackets, and they are provided with openings 19, through which the latch
heads 18 of the armatures extend when the fingers are carried upward to their
normal position, as shown in positive lines in the lower portion of Figure 2, and in
dotted lines in the upper portion thereof.
The drop fingers are arranged in horizontal rows; and below each upper row of
drop fingers a shaft 20, is located, having its ends fulcrumed in the casing of the
annunciator, and below the lower row of drop fingers another shaft 21, is placed.
Both of the shafts 21 and 20, are preferably crank shafts, and both are connected

page_text: at or near their central portion by a rod or bar 22, permanently and rigidly secured
to the shafts.
The rod or bar extends downward below the lower shaft 21; and is provided
at its lower end with a disc 23, or its equivalent, which is adapted to normally rest
upon a bellows 24, located at the bottom of the annunciator casing. A tube 25,
connects with the bellows, and air is forced into the latter through the tube
through the medium of a hand bulb 26, or the equivalent thereof. The moment
that the bulb 26, is compressed the bellows is inflated, the disc 23 attached to the
rod 22, is elevated by the bellows, and the crank arms of both shafts are carried
upward, and if any of the drop fingers of the annunciator are in their lowermost or
display position they will be carried upward into engagement with their armatures.
When the drop fingers are in their lowermost or display position they rest upon the
shaft immediately below the line to which they belong.
In the operation of the annunciator, if a person in a room distant from the
annunciator should desire to give notice through the medium of the latter, it is
essential that the operator should first ascertain whether or not any of the drop
fingers are in their lowermost or display position, as should any of them be in such
position and the attendant not notice the finger dropped, it would be difficult for
such attendant to determine from which room or floor the last call was made.
Heretofore this has been very difficult to determine; and in fact no device
heretofore employed has proved to be accurate and automatic.
By the use of the simple attachment hereto shown and described this annoyance
or objection is, however, overcome, as before touching the button to make the
call all that the operator need do is to press the bulb, whereupon the shafts in the
annunciator will be actuated, and any drop fingers that may be in their lowermost
position will be thrown upward and concealed from view. As soon as this is
accomplished an alarm can be given, and the operator may rest assured that (unless
another person has simultaneously given an alarm) the indicator or drop finger
belonging to his or her floor will be the only one that will be displayed.
It will be observed that when my improved attachment is employed, the cord or
wire now used to reset the annunciator, and the use of which often results in injury
thereto, is entirely dispensed with, and that the tube need not be very large, and
may be run alongside of the electric wires and thereby concealed.
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. In an annunciator, the combination, with the lifting mechanism of the drop
fingers thereof, of a bellows connected with the lifting mechanism, and an air
compressing device connected with the bellows, substantially as shown and
described.
2. In an annunciator, the combination with the lifting mechanism of the drop
fingers thereof, and a disc located beneath the lifting mechanism and connected
therewith, of a bellows located beneath the disc, said disc resting upon said bellows,
and an air compressing device connected with the bellows, as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In an annunciator, the combination, with shafts adapted to lift and display
drop fingers, and a rod connected with the shafts and having an enlargement at
its lower end, of a bellows upon which the enlargement of the rod rests, and an
air-compressing device connected with the bellows, as and for the purpose
specified.
D
R. A. SCHOENBERG,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.