Improvements in and connected with Electric Annunciators.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 27th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Electric Annunciators.
I, EDMUND RAYNSFORD WILDER, of 669 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn in the
County of Kings and State of New York, United States of America, Electrician,
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:-
This invention relates to electric annunciator systems specially adapted for
hotels and apartment houses. Its object is to provide in a simple form, a system
by means of which the occupant of a room or apartment may signal to the offices and
indicate what he wants.
In general, the invention consists of the combination of a transmitter, a receiver,
and an annunciator, so constructed and operated that any want out of a number of
different wants or calls may be transmitted and received at the office after the
attention of the clerk or operator has been attracted.
The details of the invention will now be described with reference to the accom-
panying drawing, in which
Fig. 1 represents a face view of the transmitter, showing portions immediately
back of the dial plate in dotted lines;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the transmitter ;
Fig. 3 is a section of the transmitter taken on line x, x of Fig. 2 ;
Fig. 4 is a face view of the receiver;
Fig. 5 is a similar view of the receiver, the front of the casing, the dial plate and
the index being removed; and
Fig. 6 is a diagram of the entire system, showing the annunciator at the office,
several transmitters, and the receiver, conventionally.
66
The transmitter is inclosed within a cylindrical case A mounted upon a circular
base A¹ and having a dial A2 upon which is pasted or otherwise attached a circular
sheet of paper having printed upon it around its edge a series of points, and adjacent
to each point a want, such for instance as "ice water," "boot-black," " cocktail,"
porter," etc. The dial is stationary. Centrally mounted in the box is a shaft a
carrying a pinion a' forming the last wheel of a train, the first wheel of which is a².
A coiled spring a³ on the shaft with the wheel a² is adapted to be wound up and
when freed to rotate the wheels of the train and the shaft a. An escape wheel a*
and a weighted pallet a is also provided to regulate the movement of the train.
To the shaft carrying the spring a³, is rigidly secured a hand-lever a provided with
a handle a' which projects outside of the cylindrical case and is adapted to move in
said slot in said case through an angle of about 90°. The normal position of this
handle is shown in Fig. 3 in full lines and the extent of its movement is shown by
the dotted lines. When the handle is moved downward, the spring is wound up,
while the wheels remain stationary, and on the return movement of the handle,
which is effected by the power of the spring, the wheels rotate and turn the shaft a
one complete revolution. The lever a carries a pin a which engages with a spring
arm 6 at the lower end of its movement and forces said spring arm into contact with
another spring arm b¹. Arm 6 carries a shoulder lug b². c is a shaft mounted
oosely in bearings formed in a post c¹.
The shaft carries an arm c² which extends into close proximity to the arm b.
The spring c³ which is wound about the post c' bears at one end against the arm c²
nd tends to force it to the left. When the handle a is in its normal position, the
rm 6 bears against the end of arm ², but as soon as the handle a has moved the
rm b against the arm b', the lever c² is forced over on to the shoulder of the lug b²,
nd thus locks the arm 6 in contact with the arm b. The outer end of the shaft c

page_text: carries a lever c which is parallel to the dial and immediately behind it. At the
extremity of this lever there is a pin pointing inward. The central shaft a
carries a large wheel d, the periphery of which is regularly notched as shown in
Fig. 1, and upon this periphery the toe of a metallic spring e bears. One of the
teeth of this wheel is made with a broad surface, as shown at d', and when the parts
are in their normal positions the spring e is resting upon this tooth, and when in
such position is held in contact with a second spring e'. When the toe of the
spring e is in one of the notches in the periphery of the wheel, the connection
between the two springs is broken. The springs are mounted upon a block of
insulating material e², properly supported. Wheel d is provided with a hole d².
Upon the base of the apparatus directly back of the wheel d is mounted an electro-
magnet whose armature f¹ is pivoted at f2. The outer face of the free end of the
armature carries a pin f3 which is adapted to enter the hole d² in wheel d. The
opposite or tail end of the armature is connected with a spiral spring f' and winding
screw f³ by means of which the amount of pull necessary to be exerted by the
magnet may be regulated. The outer end of the shaft a carries a sleeve or cap a
to which is rigidly secured an index a10 in front of the dial and a finger all back of
the dial and in the same plane with pin c in the end of the lever e. The sleeve
fits friction-tight upon the shaft so that it will be carried around with the shaft,
but the fit is sufficiently loose that the end of the sleeve or cap may be grasped in
the fingers and twisted independent of the shaft for the purpose of setting the index
at any point on the dial. The electric conductors connected with this box lead to
the posts and n, respectively, thence from post p through the electro-magnet f, to
spring arm, to arm b, to spring e, to spring e', and to the post n. When the box is
in its normal condition the circuit is broken between the arms and b and closed
between the springs e and e¹.
D
I now refer to the receiving apparatus illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The apparatus
is inclosed in a casing G, the upper part of which is cylindrical and the lower part
rectangular, as shown. In the center of the cylindrical part is mounted a shaft g,
upon which is secured a wheel g¹ whose periphery is provided with the same
number of notches as the wheel d in the transmitter. This wheel carries a lug g²
which bears against a dog g³, when the parts are in their normal position, the index,
hereinafter described, being at zero. A spring bears upon the periphery of the
wheel g¹ and acts as a brake. A metallic pin g' projects from the face of the wheel
and a spring contact arm i attached to the frame normally rests upon the end of
this pin. represents a verge pivoted to the frame at ji and embracing a portion
of the periphery of wheel g¹. Its dogs work in the notches of said wheel and with
each vibration of the verge on its pivot the wheel is turned the space of one notch.
is an electro-magnet whose armature ¹ is fastened to the verge, as shown. The
magnet acts upon one end of the armature, and a coiled spring ² acts upon the
other end of the armature in opposition to the magnet. P is a rod mounted in
suitable bearings and surrounded at its upper end by a coiled spring p¹ which tends
to lift the rod. The rod carries two pins på embracing the dog g³. It also carries
a lug p located just above and in line with the armature . The lower end of the
rod projects through the casing and is provided with a ring or handle p* by means
of which it may be pulled downward. The front of the cylindrical portion of the
case is covered by a dial of the transmitter before described and located in a similar
position. The shaft y extends through the dial and carries an index and a small
wheel or nut by means of which the shaft may be rotated by hand.
Referring now to Fig. 6, o represents an annunciator frame fitted with drops q,
an electro-magnet q' operating the same, there being one drop for each room or
point where a transmitter is located. These drops are shown conventionally,
but it will be understood that they may be of any preferred construction.
,, represent keys or circuit changers, each having a front and a back stop and
normally resting in contact with their back stops. 10, 11, and 12 represent the
transmitters in three different rooms of a hotel; their corresponding annunciator
drops are shown in frame o. Wires 8,
s', and 2 connect the transmitters with the

page_text: respective keys r and from these keys the circuit leads normally through the
annunciator drops, thence out by wire t, to post t¹ on the receiver, thence to shaft g
of the receiver, to wheel g' of said shaft, pin gʻ, arm i, wire t³, post t³, and finally
through battery B and wire to the transmitters. When a key r is closed the
circuit through the annunciator drop is broken and a new circuit completed through
battery By, to post 15, wire to magnet k, wire, wire t, and back to the transmitter
through battery B, as before described, thus throwing batteries B and B into
series on the same circuit.
The operation of the system is as follows: The normal condition of all the parts
is shown in the drawing. If the occupant of room 12 wishes to send in a call for
ice water, he proceeds to the transmitter in his room and turns the index a¹º until
it points to "ice water," he then pulls the hand lever down to the full extent of its
movement and lets go. This puts the springs b, b¹ into contact and the arm c² falls
into the shoulder of lug and locks the two contacts together. This completes
the following circuit: Spring 1, wire 2, magnet f, wire 3, post p, wire s, key r,
back stop of key, annunciator drop, wire t, post t¹, shaft g, wheel g', pin g', arm i,
wire t², battery Bx, wire t* post n on the transmitter, spring e¹, spring e, wire 4, and
spring b. Battery B* then causes the annunciator to drop, but it is not sufficiently
strong to make magnet f in the transmitter pull down its armature. The clerk in
the office knows that a call has been sent in from room 12 and in order to find out
what is wanted, he goes to the receiver and pulls down the rod P'; this removes
the dog g³ from the stop g² and turns the wheel g¹ the space of one notch by reason
of the movement which is imparted to the armature by the rod. This breaks the
circuit between the spring i and pin 9. He then closes the key corresponding to
the annunciator drop 12 and thereby throws the battery By into circuit with
battery B and the electro-magnet k of the receiver. This additional battery is
sufficient to release the transmitter by causing magnet f to pull down its armature
thereby removing the pin from hole d². The spring which has been wound up by
the movement of the lever then turns the train of wheels causing the central shaft
with the index to make one complete revolution. We will assume that the want of
"ice water" is marked upon the dial of the transmitter, a distance of twenty-five
notches or teeth from the broad tooth d¹. The same word appears on the dial of
the receiver at the position to which its index would be moved when the circuit
has been successively closed and opened twenty-five times. Now as soon as the
index of the transmitter has rotated until the circuit has been opened or closed
twenty-five times by the springs e, e¹, the trip a¹¹ strikes the arm c¹ and releases the
contacts b, thus opening the circuit permanently and stopping the index of the
receiver at the word ice water. The index of the transmitter meanwhile finishes
its revolution and stops with the tooth d¹ under spring e and with the arm a at its
highest point. After the call is uoted the clerk turns the index back to the position
of zero to be ready for another call.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In an electric signalling system, the combination of a transmitter, a receiver,
an annunciator, a generator and circuit normally including the transmitter and
annunciator only, a make and break switch in said circuit, a second generator and
circuit including the transmitter and receiver only, and a switching apparatus
adapted to cut out the annunciator and put the transmitter and receiver into
current with both generators, substantially as described.
2. A transmitting apparatus consisting of a motor train and winding arm therefor,
a signalling circuit completed by pulling said arm, a signal setting device moved a
prescribed distance by the motor after being set, and a circuit breaker operated by
the signal setting device during said prescribed movement, a receiving apparatus
consisting of an electro-magnetic motor in the signalling circuit and an index
moved by said motor, all in combination with the annunciator in the signalling

page_text: circuit, a manually operated make and break switch in the annunciator circuit,
and a second manually operated switch for simultaneously cutting the annunciator
out of circuit with the transmitter, and putting the receiver into circuit therewith,
and two electric generators located respectively in the circuits of the receiver and
annunciator, said switches when operated adapted to put both generators into
circuit with the receiver and transmitter.
3. In a signalling system, the combination of a transmitter having a signal
sending train and detent therefor, with a receiving instrument having a motor and
detent therefor, means for manually releasing the detent of the motor, a manually
operated switch, a battery and connections whereby the switch may be operated to
throw increased battery onto the circuit for the purpose of releasing the detent of
the transmitter train, as set forth.
4. In a transmitter, the combination of a motor train, a lever for winding the
same, a circuit closer operated by said lever, a lock for said circuit closer, an index
or signal setting device carrying a trip and making a complete rotation at each
movement and a signalling circuit, the said trip being adapted to remove the lock
from the circuit closer when the signal has been sent in during the rotation of the
index, substantially as described.
5. The combination with the winding train of a transmitter, of a winding lever
for the same, the circuit closer b, b, locking arm c³, spring e³ moving the locking
arm in one direction, lever c¹ connected with arm c², a signal setting device moved
by the train and a trip a" carried thereby, the trip adapted to strike the lever c
and move the locking arm c² against the power of the spring, for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Anril 1893
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.