Improved Circuit Controller and Alarm.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec., 1391-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Circuit Controller and Alarm.
I, CLAUDE KENNEDY MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a com-
munication to me from Charles Morris Weolcott and Albert Edward Wilmot, both
of New York, in the County and State of New York, in the United States of North
America, to be as follows:-
The object of the invention is to provide means for changing the condition of an
electrical circuit consisting of a circuit controller which is operated by the effect of
moisture for signalling and other purposes; and the invention consists in a circuit
controller of conducting material which is dissolved or softened by water.
The invention consists also in the combination of a circuit controller, of con-
ducting or non-conducting material, which is dissolved, softened, or otherwise broken
down, by a small quantity of water falling on to, or coming into contact with, it,
with an automatic fire extinguisher, sprinkler, or analogous device, where there is
danger of leakage, and where it is important that the fact of the leakage should be
known at once.
In the preferred form of carrying the invention into effect, an automatic sprinkler,
such as used in fire extinguishing systems, is provided with one or more springs or
arms supporting below the sprinkler a circuit controller of the character indicated,
and in the circuit is an alarm or other electrically operated device of any suitable
character.
The material preferred for the circuit controller is pulverized sulphate of iron, pyrite
of iron, or ordinary stove blacking, moulded or formed into blocks or strips of suitable
size and shape, and having incorporated within it oxide of iron or other conducting
powder. When it is not desired or necessary to have the soluble circuit controller
of conducting material, paper or other insulating material, which will be softened
by a few drops of water, may be used.
Dated this 10th day of February 1891
CLAUDE K. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Circuit Controller and Alarm.
1, CLAUDE KENNEDY MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a coin-
munication to me by Charles Morris Woolcott and Albert Edward Wilmot both
of New York, in the County and State of New York in the United States of North
America, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying drawing and to the figures marked thereou :-
The object of the invention is to provide means for changing the condition of an
electrical circuit consisting of a circuit controller which is operated by the effect of
moisture, for signalling and other purposes; and the invention consists in a circuit
controller of conducting material which is dissolved or softened by water.
The invention consists also in the combination of a circuit controller, of con-
ducting or non-conducting material which is dissolved, softened, or otherwise broken

page_text: down by a small quantity of water falling on to or coming into contact with it.
with an automatic fire extinguisher, sprinkler or analogous device where there is
danger of leakage, and where it is important that the fact of the leakage should be
known at once.
In the preferred form of carrying the invention into effect, an automatic sprinkler,
such as used in fire extinguishing systems, is provided with one or more springs or
arms supporting below the sprinkler a circuit controller of the character indicated,
and in the circuit is an alarm or other electrically operated device of any suitable
character. The material preferred for the circuit controller is pulverized sulphate
of iron, pyrite of iron, or ordinary stove blacking, moulded or formed into blocks or
strips of suitable size and shape, and having incorporated within it oxide of iron or
other conducting powder. When it is not desired or necessary to have the soluble
circuit controller of conducting material, paper or other insulating material which
will be softened by a few drops of water may be used.
In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, the figure shows a
sprinkler such as used in the Ongley fire extinguishing system, which is adapted to
give way at a predetermined temperature and flood the space near it with water
and the improved circuit controller supported thereby.
The construction and operation of sprinklers of this character are well known and
need not be specifically described.
It sometimes happens that these and other similar sprinklers leak when there has
not been a sufficiently high temperature to cause them to operate. Said leak may
be due to an accidental blow or strain, or to corrosion of the metal from which they
are made, and it is very desirable to know of such leak immediately, so that it can
be remedied and the flooding of the building avoided. Perfect means are provided
by the present improvement for accomplishing this desired result.
In the drawing is a sprinkler, connected to a water pipe 2 in the ordinary way
and forming an outlet from the water pipe.
3, 4, are two conducting springs supported in any suitable way and terminating
adjacent to the bottom of the sprinkler.
As shown, spring 3 is mounted on an insulating block 5, and spring 4 is mounted
directly on the body of the sprinkler, although this spring may also be insulated
from the sprinkler, but this is not usually necessary owing to the electrical resistance
offered by the joints between the sprinkler and water pipe and between the sections
of pipe.
The wire 6 is connected to spring 3, and wire 7, which leads to a bell 8 or other
electrical apparatus to be operated, and a battery is connected to spring 4.
The springs preferably terminate in spring clips as shown. Between the springs,
and supported in said clips, is placed the circuit controller 9 which is of such shape,
and size as to catch any drops of water that may fall from the sprinklers.
When used in connection with closed circuit systems, which is the preferred
arrangement, this circuit controller is or may be of conducting material, and the
circuit may pass through it.
Pulverized sulphate of iron, pyrite of iron, or ordinary stove blacking, moulded or
formed into blocks or strips of proper size and shape, is found well suited for the
purpose of the present invention since a drop or two of water on such strip, so
dissolves or softens the material, that it gives way and opens the circuit.
To give sufficient conductivity black oxide of iron, or other conducting powder,
may be incorporated in the strip. In this arrangement the springs 3, 4 have a
tension away from the sprinkler, but the tension is insufficient to pull the spring clips
from the strip 9. The same material may be used in connection with an open
circuit by insulating the line from the strip 9-for example, by placing paper
between 9 and one of the spring clips which holds it, and giving the springs a tension
toward the sprinkler. Upon the giving way of 9 the circuit can then be closed by
contact being made between springs 3 and 4, or between spring 3 and the body of
the sprinkler.
The circuit controller instead of being of a conducting material, may be of

page_text: insulating material such as paper, which is sufficiently stiff to hold the circuit
terminals when dry, but readily yields when softened by water, as above described.
In certain cases it may be desirable to apply a slight force to the circuit controller
to throw it out of line when it becomes weakened by moisture. This may be done,
for example, by making the upper spring of the clip longer than the lower one, and
causing it to press down on the controller, as shown at 10, but ordinarily the weight
of the device itself would be sufficient.
The operation of this device is clear, viz. If the sprinkler gives way suddenly
in the ordinary manner, the circuit controller is broken by the weight of the
sprinkler and water, and gives an alarm, but if a slight leak occurs, so small as to
be hardly noticeable, and a drop or two falls on to, and dissolves or softens, the
circuit controller, the circuit is changed, as above described, rendering the alarm at
the office or other locality, or operating any other desired electrical device.
Evidently this circuit controller may be used in any place where danger of leakage
exists, and its utility is not confined to the application above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A circuit controller of a conducting material which is dissolved or softened by
water, in combination with circuit terminals electrically connected thereby, substan-
tially as described.
2. A circuit controller of sulphate of iron, in which is incorporated a conducting
powder, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a circuit containing an electrically operated device, of
circuit terminals and a circuit controller of a conducting material, which is dissolved
or softened by water, said circuit controller being in the circuit and normally
maintaining it closed, substantially as described.
4. The combination with an automatic sprinkler, of an electric circuit having
terminals at the sprinkler, and a circuit controller, which is dissolved or softened
by water, between the terminals, and holding then to maintain the normal condition
of the circuit, substantially as described.
5. The combination with a sprinkler, of springs mounted thereon, one being
insulated from the body of the sprinkler, and a circuit controller held below the
sprinkler by said springs, substantially as described.
6. The combination of a sprinkler with springs or arms mounted thereon, one
being insulated from the body of the sprinkler, clips at the outer end of said springs
or arms, and a circuit controller held in said clips below the sprinkler, substantially
as described.
D Danamba 10+1 1001
CLAUDE K. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.