IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC SIGNALLING OR CALL APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CONRAD EDWARD ZIMDARS, of 327 Gray's Inn Road, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my. invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC SIGNALLING OR CALL APPARATUS" to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to simplify the construction and to increase the
durability and the efficiency of action of pneumatic signalling or call apparatus.
It relates, Firstly, to improvements in the manipulator or actuating device
consisting in a hollow rubber ball, forming an air-holder, by compressing which
air is forced along pipes or tubes to the receiver or signalling apparatus. The
object of this part of my invention is to facilitate the connection and disconnection
of the pipes or tubes with the air-holder. For this purpose the back of the ball
has a boss or projection in the side of which is a hole communicating with the
air-space of the holder. The air-holder is contained in a box or receptacle with an
open front, and the back of this box or receptacle has a slot formed in it extending
from the edge to its centre, where it terminates in a hole through which projects
the boss on the back of the air-holder, so that one end of the tube for conveying
the air can be brought inside the box, and by slightly bending such tube it can be
readily inserted in the hole of the boss. The open front of the box or receptacle is
then covered by a plate in which a push piece is arranged to compress the
air-holder in the usual manner.
My invention further relates to various improvements in the general construction
of the receiver or signalling apparatus.
The first improvement in the receiver consists in substituting for the board
hitherto employed a metallic plate, upon which the whole of the parts forming the
receiver or signalling apparatus are mounted. The advantages of using a metallic
plate are: 1st It enables the bellows (by inflating which the call or signal is
actuated) to be mounted so as to facilitate their connection by an air-tight joint
with the tubos which convey the air from the manipulator; and 2nd It increases
the stability of the receiver as it is not liable to warp or split, and is more durable
than wood or other material.
The mode of connecting the air conveying tubes to the bellows is the same as
that by which their opposite ends are connected to the air-holder of the manipulator,
that is to say, a boss or projection on the back of the bellows is caused to project

page_text: through a hole in the metal plate, and the end of the tube is then inserted into a
hole formed in the side of the boss or projection and communicating with the air-
space of the bellows. The boss or projection is of india rubber or other elastic
material so as to grip the end of the pipe or tube and form an air-tight connection.
The movement obtained by inflating the bellows is by suitable means caused to
effect the ringing of a bell or to actuate any other suitable form of signal, and
also (if desired) at the same time cause suitable tablets or other indicators to be
exposed, for the purpose of showing from what particular part of a building or
other placo the signal has been operated.
My improvements in the means employed for effecting these objects are as
follows:-
The movement of each bellows when inflated is transmitted to a lever which
serves the double purpose of actuating the bell or signal, and also of exposing the
tablet or other indicator. For this purpose one end of a lever forms a flat plate
which rests on the front of the bellows, and through a hole in this plate passes a
projection formed on the bellows, so that by passing a pin through such projection
the lever is secured to the bellows. The levers are all mounted on one rod formed
with a feather running longitudinally from end to end, but having parts cut away
at intervals corresponding to the distances apart of the bellows, and each lover is
mounted to turn on the rod at one of the parts where the feather is cut away.
The bearing surfaces of the levers are not as wide as the plates resting on the
bellows, and the feather on the rod being above these plates, the latter will when
lifted by the inflation of the bellows cause the rod to turn. The levers extend
beyond the rod, and these ends serve as supports or stops to the respective tablets
or indicators connected with each manipulator.
:
The tablets or indicators are carried by a rod similar to that carrying the levers,
that is having a feather with parts cut away at intervals where the tablets are
mounted to turn, the bearing surfaces being less than the width of the tablets,
so that the feather will by bearing against the tablets raise them if the rod is
turned. The tablets are arranged in such a position that when raised to their
unexposed position they will rest upon the retaining stops formed by one end of
the levors. When any bellows is inflated the lever connected with it will be
moved.so that it will no longer support the indicating tablet, which will con-
sequently fall and bo exposed to view. To return the exposed tablet to its hidden
position after a signal or call has been given, a partial rotation is given to the rod
carrying the tablets by any suitable means, and the lever which caused the tablet
to be released having returned to its normal position on account of the collapse of
the bellows, its end forming the stop will then again be in the path of the tablet,
which being lifted by the feather on the rod carrying it, will force such stop back
until it clears the top end, when such end will again resume its position and
support the tablet in the hidden position.
By connecting one end of the levers to the bellows as herein before describod,
those levers which are not actuated are retained in position so that their opposite
ends are not moved from the position in which they support the tablets, only the
lever in connection with the bellows which has been inflated being moved so as
to release the corresponding tablet, the connection of the levers to the bellows
offering such a resistance to the movement of the other levers as to overcome the
friction of the rod turning in the bearing surfaces of these levers.
ค
The movement obtained by the inflation of the bellows is by suitable means
transmitted to the hammer for striking the bell, or to any other suitable signal,
This in the case of its being desired to cause a bell to be repeatedly sounded by once
actuating the manipulator, is preferably accomplished in the ordinary manner, by
causing such movement to actuate a lever connected to a quadrant, the teeth of
which quadrant gear with a pinion whose shaft carries an escapement wheel
actuating an escapement pallet or anchor, to which the hammer or clapper of the
bell is secured,
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page_text: When this arrangement is employed I provide improved means for allowing the
return of the quadrant after the end of its forward movement in actuating the
bell. For this purpose the quadrant is mounted on a pivot secured to an arm
capable of a partial rotary movement, the bar for actunting said quadrant being
connected to such arm. The opposite end of the quadrant to that on which the
teeth are formed preferably extends beyond the point at which it is pivotted to
the arm, and surrounds the axle on which the latter turns, the hole through
which such axle passes being larger than the axle, so as to allow of a limited
movement of the quadrant on its pivot. The edge of the quadrant is formed
with a slot, which a pin secured to the arm enters, and guides the quadrant in
its movement on its pivot, whereby the forward movement of the arm causes the
teeth of the quadrant to be lifted into gear with the pinion on the escapement
wheel axle, and so actuate the bell, whereas the moment the arm begins to move
back in consequence of the bar actuating it dropping when the bollows collapso, the
quadrant will turn on its pivot and so disengage its teeth from the pinion, and
allow the quadrant to return with the arm to the normal position ready for again
actuating the bell. In some cases the slot and pin alone may serve to limit the
movement of the quadrant on its pivot.
The rod carrying the levers, and also that carrying the tablets or other indicators,
are preferably weighted so as to ensure their instantaneous return to their normal
positions after they have been turned, in the one case for the purpose of actuating
the bell or other signal and releasing the tablet, and in the other for raising any
tablet which has been exposed, back to the hidden position.

page_text: Improvements in Pneumatic Signalling or Call Apparatus.
I, CONRAD EDWARD ZIMDARS, of 327 Gray's Inn Road, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC SIGNALLING OR CALL APPARATUS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
The object of my invention is to simplify the construction and to increase the
durability and the efficiency of action of pneumatic signalling or call apparatus.
It relates, firstly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, to
improvements in the manipulator or actuating device consisting in a hollow rubber
ball A, forming an air-holder, by compressing which air is forced along pipes or
tubes B to the receiver or signalling apparatus. The object of this part of my
invention is to facilitate the connection and disconnection of the pipes or tubes B
with the air-holder A. For this purpose the back of the ball A has an elastic boss
or projection C in the side of which is a hole D communicating with the air-space
of the holder. The air-holder is contained in a box or receptacle E with an open
front, and the back of this box or receptacle has a slot E¹ formed in it extending
from the edge to its centre, where it terminates in a hole through which projects
the boss C on the back of the air-holder A, so that one end of the tube B for
conveying the air can be brought inside the box E, and by slightly bending such
tube it can be readily inserted in the hole D of the boss C. The open front of the
box or receptacle E is then covered by a plate F in which a push piece C is
arranged to compress the air-holder in the usual manner.
My invention further relates to various improvements in the general construction
of the receiver or signalling apparatus, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings, Fig. 3 being a front elevation of the improved signalling
apparatus, and Fig. 4.a transverse section of same. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.
The first improvement in the receiver consists in substituting for the board
hitherto employed a metallic plate H, upon which the whole of the parts forming
the receiver or signalling apparatus are mounted. The advantages of using a
metallic plate are:-)
:-1st It enables the bellows I (by inflating which the call or
signal is actuated) to be mounted so as to facilitate their connection by an air-tight
joint with the tubes B which convey the air from the manipulator; and 2nd It
increases the stability of the receiver as it is not liable to warp or split, and is more
durable than wood or other material,
The mode of connecting the air-conveying tubes B to the bellows I, is the same
as that by which their opposite ends are connected to the air-holder A of the
manipulator, that is to say, a boss or projection J on the back of the bellows is
caused to project through a hole in the metal plate H, and the end of the tube is
then inserted into a hole in the side of the boss or projection and communicating
with the air-space of the bellows L. The boss or projection J is of india-rubber or
other elastic material so as to grip the end of the pipe or tube B and form an
air-tight connection,

page_text: The movement obtained by inflating any one of the bellows I is by suitable
means caused to effect the ringing of a bell K or to actuate any other suitable form
of signal, and also (if desired) at the same time causo suitable tablets L or other
indicators to be exposed, for the purpose of showing from what particular part of
a building or other place the signal has been operated.
My improvements in the means employed for effecting these objects are as
follows:-
The movement of each bellows I when inflated is transmitted to a lever M which
serves the double purpose of actuating the bell or signal, and also of exposing the
tablet or other indicator. For this purpose one end of each of the levers forms a
flat plate N which rests on the front of one of the bellows I, and through a hole in
this plate passes a projection O formed on the bellows, so that by passing a pin P
through such projection the lever is secured to the bellows. The levers are all
mounted on one rod Q formed with a feather Q' running longitudinally from end
to end, but having parts Q2 cut away at intervals corresponding to the distances
apart of the bellows I, and each lever M is mounted to turn on the rod Q at one of
the parts where the feather is cut away. The bearing surfaces of the levers M are
not as wide as the plates N resting on the bellows, and the feather Q1 on the rod Q
being above these plates, the latter will when lifted by the inflation of the
bellows I cause the rod Q to turn. The levers M extend beyond the rod, and these
ends R serve as supports or stops to the respective tablets or indicators L connected
with each manipulator.
The tablets or indicators L are carried by a rod S similar to that carrying the
levers M, that is, having a feather S¹ with parts cut away at intervals where the
tablets L are mounted to turn, the bearing surfaces being less than the width of
the tablets, so that the feather St will by bearing against the tablets raise them if
the rod is turned. The tablets L are arranged in such a position that when raised
to their unexposed position they will rest upon the retaining stops formed by the
end R of the levers M. When any bellows is inflated the lever ✓ connected with
it will be moved so that its end R will no longer support the indicating tablet L,
which will consequently fall and be exposed to view. To return the exposed tablet
to its hidden position after a signal or call has been given, a partial rotation is
given to the rod S carrying the tablets, by any suitable means, and the lever M
which caused the tablet to be released having returned to its normal position on
account of the collapse of the bellows, its end R forming the stop will then again
be in the path of the tablet, which being lifted by the feather S¹ on the rod S
carrying it, will force such stop back until it clears the top end, when such end
will again resume its position and support the tablet in the hidden position.
In order to actuate the rod S for the purpose of raising an exposed tablet, a push
rod a may be employed, and when raised a pin b thereon coming in contact with
a pin c on the rod S, will cause the latter to turn. By connecting one end of the
levers M to the bellows I as hereinbefore described, those levers which are not
actuated are retained in position so that their opposite ends are not moved from
the position in which they support the tablets, only the lever in connection with
the bellows which has been inflated being moved so as to release the corresponding
tablet, the connection of the levers M to the bellows offering such a resistance to
the movement of the other levers as to overcome the friction of the rod Q turning
in the bearing surfaces of these levers.
The movement obtained by the inflation of the bellows is by suitable means
transmitted to the hammer T for striking the bell K, or to any other suitable
signal. This in the case of it being desired to cause a bell to be repeatedly
sounded by once actuating the manipulator, is preferably accomplished in the
ordinary manner by causing such movement to actuate a lever U connected to a
quadrant V, the teeth of which quadrant gear with a pinion W, whose shaft W
carries an escapement wheel ✗ actuating an escapement pallet or anchor Y, to
which the hammer or clapper T of the bell K is secured.

page_text: 7th The combination of shaft Q with feather QL, and levers M pivoted on such
shaft at points opposite the bellows I where the feather is cut away, the arms N
of levers M being wide enough to engage the underside of said feather when the
levers are actuated by the inflation of the bellows I, and so cause the shaft Q to
rotate, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.
8th The tablets L mounted on shaft S having a feather S', which when the shaft
is turned raises the tablets to the hidden position by coming in contact with the
rear or underside thereof, substantially as described and shown.
9th The toothed quadrant V pivoted on arm Z eccentrically to the axis on which
the latter is mounted, in such a manner as to have a limited movement on said
arm, for the purpose of causing it to engage with the pinion W during its upward
movement, and to be disengaged therefrom so as to permit. it to return to its
normal position, substantially as described and shown.