Improvements in Electrical Indicators.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by RICHARD VARLEY, of Passaic, New Jersey,
U.S.A., Electrician.]
Improvements in Electrical Indicators.
WOODHOUSE AND RAWSON UNITED LIMITED of 88 Queen Victoria Street,
London, E.C. in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineers and Contractors,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The object of this invention is to effect a cheap, simple and reliable method for
automatically calling the attention of persons to matters which require attention at
any prearranged time or times.
To carry this into effect, we make use of a number of electrical circuits, in which
is included a bell and battery common to all the different circuits, these circuits are
broken at two separate points; at one of these points the wires are connected to
two metal pins, suitably fixed with regard to one another, but not touching, over
these may be slipped a metal ring by which the two pins are put into electrical
connection, or again the ring may be of any suitable non-conducting material and
the pins so arranged that on slipping the rings over the contact pins, electrical
contact is made by means of the movement of one of the pins. To the said ring
may be attached a card or other suitable attachment on which is pointed out the
nature of the matter requiring attention. The two ends of the conductor at the
other point at which the circuit is broken are attached to a circular disc, having a
number of metal stops arranged in two concentric circles, round which two metal
contact pieces traverse the said metal stops, being driven by clockwork attached to
an ordinary clock.
A clock making a revolution once in twenty four hours may be used or a suitable
switch may be operated by the clock every twelve hours so as to allow of an
ordinary twelve hour clock mechanism being used, while the instrument is equally
applicable to night time or day time.
The different electrical circuits are so arranged in conjunction with the clock,
that if a ring electrically connects or is pushed over any two of the pins it is known
at what time the circuit will be completed by the movement of the clock and the
bell rung thereby. In this way attention will be attracted at the prearranged time
by the ringing of the bell, which can be arranged to continue any given length of
time or until the ring is removed.
The pins and contacts may be disposed upon a suitable dial or face which may
be divided in such a way as to allow the hours of the night to be easily distin-
guished from those of the day and to allow the hours and their subdivisions to be
readily observed.
Dated this 13th day of June 1892.
WOODHOUSE & RAWSON UNITED, LIMITED,
A. F. Foley, Secretary.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Indicators.
We, WOODHOUSE AND RAWSON UNITED LIMITED of 88 Queen Victoria
Street, London E.C. in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineers and
Contractors, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
[Price 8d.1

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to effect a cheap simple and reliable method for
automatically calling the attention of persons to matters which require attention at
any prearranged time or times.
To carry this invention into effect, we make use of a system of pins set in pairs
not in electrical connection upon a check board and a time mechanism, so that
during twelve hours one half of the check board will be in the electric circuit and
during the next twelve hours the other half, carried out by the use of an automatic
two way switch.
In order more readily to understand our invention reference is made to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. I is a general plan of the arrangement showing a time mechanism A with
two concentric rings of studs B and C with a check board divided in half, one
half E representing day and in connection with the ring B and the other half F
representing night in connection with ring C. Each of the rings B and C consist
in this case of 48 studs, viz. a stud for every fifteen minutes during day and night
mounted upon a base of insulating material, and on each side of the check board is
arranged 48 pairs of pins for the same purpose, one pin of each pair is connected
by a wire to a stud on one of the rows B or C, every other pin on one half being
connected to a common wire which leads to one of the contacts of an automatic two
way switch and every pin of the other half to a wire connected to the other contact
of the automatic two way switch. The common way of the automatic two way
switch is connected to the framework of a time mechanism through an electric bell
and battery. On the arbor carrying the hour hand is mounted a circuit closing
arm D which presses upon and makes contact with the studs B and C in rotation
as it moves round. It will be understood that if one or more of any one pair of
pins are joined together electrically, by means of a metal ring or washer being
sprung over them, when the circuit closing arm touches any stud on B or C corre-
sponding to that holding the washer, an electric circuit will be completed and the
bell rung.
In order that this arrangement may be quite clearly understood, we will trace a
single circuit, so arranged as to ring the bell at six o'clock. Starting from the
common terminal of the switch G the circuit passes through the bell H and
battery J to the circuit closing arm D thence to the stud K in the row of studs B
away to the pin L which is connected to the pin M by the washer N, shown in full
in Fig. IV and thence to the terminal P of the switch G, thus completing the
circuit, and ringing the bell until the washer is removed or the circuit closing arm
passes off the stud K as the clock mechanism moves it forward.
For the sake of clearness and to save confusion, wiring is only shown for that
period between five and six o'clock inclusive, either day or night, and it is to be
understood that there is a wire from each stud leading to the proper pin of the check
holder in either section of the check board.
Fig. II represents in detail the automatic switch. This switch receives a move-
ment every twelve hours by the pawl S and the spring R such pawl S being upon
a lever that is moved gradually by the cam T on the arbor of the hour hand,
so as to take up one tooth upon the ratchet wheel U, and when the end of the cam
passes clear from the lever Q and the spring R gives motion to the lever Q and
by the pawl S turns the rotary switch V and this switch has circuit closing
teeth XXX" etc. which make contact alternately with the contact strips Y and Z,
Y corresponding to the terminal P of the switch G in Fig. I and thus with the
check board, portion E, and Z with the other terminal of the switch G and thus
with the check board portion F, each contact lasting twelve hours.
Fig. III shows in detail a pair of the pins as M and L shown on the check
board. N being a check shown in position.
It will be understood that the operation of this device is as follows. The

page_text: bell H is rung when the circuit closing arm D is in contact with a stud in either
of the circular range of studs B and C from which the circuit connections have
been closed by the presence of a check or checks and these checks are to be
removed by the attendant, who will then attend to the matters indicated on the
checks.
It will be readily understood that by pivotting one of the pins which hold the
checks, it is possible to make an electrical connection at the back of the board on
which they are mounted, in which case the check would be inserted between the
pins and may be of a non-conducting material and so avoid any chance of a bad
contact through corrosion or liquidation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
I. An electric call apparatus substantially as described in reference to the
accompanying drawings.
II. The combination of a time mechanism, electric bell and battery with check
holders and removable contact making checks, substantially as described.
III. The combination in an electric call of a time mechanism and circuit closer
acting every twelve hours with a check board and circuit connections with an
electric bell and battery, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
IV. The combination in an electric call of a circuit closer acting once in every
twelve hours a switch for changing the circuit connections a spring and pawl for
moving the switch progressively and a cam rotated each twelve hours and acting
upon the pawl to give motion to the same and to cause the movement of the switch
substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1893.
WOODHOUSE & RAWSON UNITED, LIMITED,
F. Lever-Summers, Assistant Secretary.