Year: 1898

page_text: I, FRED WILL BILL, Costumier, of Percy Street, Hanley, in the County of
Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention consists in an improved device or appliance for giving an alarm
in the case of fire or burglary, the said device or appliance being specially adapted
for being placed almost in any position either upon a shelf, a wall, a ceiling, or
any place or part of, or within, a building.
The said device consists essentially of a number of explosion tubes, preferably
arranged upon a portable carrier, fitted with touch holes and fuses suitably
arranged and protected so as to simultaneously or singly, fire the explosion tubes
or small cannons either by the ignition.of the fuse through a flame or by a high
temperature.
In one form of this invention the device is built up of a circular carrier block
of wood or other suitable material of about six or seven inches in diameter, within
The explo-
the upper face of which is let four explosion tubes or small cannon.
sion tubes or small cannon form one rigid part of a cruciform shape, the centre
parts of which are preferably solid, and they may be either cast or built up of
wrought tube as may be desired. The explosion tubes lie within grooves in the
A ring-fuse is arranged
carrier block and each is provided with a touch hole.
to connect the touch-holes of each tube, and from this ring fuse and radiating
from the centre of the carrier are a number of straight-line fuses of any suitable
materal, the outer ends of which protrude from the carrier block and are pro-
tected by damp-proof caps, the latter in their turn being protected from damage
by small open wire-work covers. The straight-line fuses are preferably let into
the carrier block and run at the side of the explosion tubes, and these and also the
ring-fuse are protected from damp and moisture.
It is preferably arranged that the terminals of the straight line fuses, which
are the only portions of the fuses visible, shall ignite at a temperature of say
140 degrees. The explosion tubes are fully charged with gun powder, and wads
are rammed in their mouths so that a loud report will be given by them on their
being fired, thereby giving a signal, and they may be all fired together or one
after the other as previously described.
As a modification the straight-line fuses may extend from the device to different
parts of the building, and this would dispense with the use of numbers of alarms.
In the case of burglars, electrical wires may be carried from a door, or a
window, or the like, to the device so as to cause a sparking and ignite the fuse.
L
01at dov of January 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for Applicant.

page_text: carrier block, as their ends d³ protrude from the said block for contact with any
flame or high temperature, but the said ends are protected from damp and moisture
by damp proof caps and from damage by small open wire work covers d. The
explosion tubes and the major portion of the fuses are closed up from view or
interference by a cover or lid e, also preferably composed of wood, the same being
fixed to the carrier block by simple wood screws, so that only the outer ends d³
of the straight line fuses are visible, and these it is preferably arranged shall
ignite at a temperature of 120° or by contact with flame."
The explosion tubes are fully charged with gunpowder, and wads are rammed in
their mouths so that a loud report will be given by them on being fired, which will
give the necessary signal or alarm.
It will be obvious that by the aid of the ring fuse the alarm device can be
recognised from any other fire-arm that may have been discharged, as the
explosion tubes are only successively fired thereby, and a pause is given between
each firing.
If necessary the outer terminations of the straight line fuses may extend from
the alarm appliance to different parts of a building, and this would dispense with
the use of a number of appliances.
•
The appliance in the case of burglars would be operated by an electrical spark-
ing device which would be sufficient to ignite the fuse, and to accomplish this
it would be only necessary to carry to the said fuse electrical wires which are put
in circuit with the opening of a door, window, or the like.
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:
First. A fire and burglar alarm consisting essentially of a carrier block forming
a mounting to the principal parts, a number of explosion tubes or small cannon
arranged to be carried within or upon the said block, and which are provided with
touch holes, and a ring fuse, having straight line branch fuses, which is adapted
to connect the touch holes of the respective cannons and to extend beyond the
boundary of the carrier block to form ignition tips, substantially as set forth.
Second. In combination in a fire and burglar alarm, a carrier block, the one
face of which is formed with channels and sinkings, and which is closed by a
cover or lid, a number of small explosion tubes or cannon adapted to lie within
the said channels or sinkings in the said carrier block so that their open ends are
outward, and an ignition fuse comprehending a ring part and radiating branches,
the former part of which is adapted to surround and connect the touch holes of
the cannon, and the latter parts of which are adapted to protrude from the
boundary of the carrier block and to communicate ignition therefrom to the ring
fuse, substantially as set forth.
Third. In a fire or burglar alarm, the combination with a number of radially
arranged explosion tubes or small cannon of a ring fuse connecting their touch
holes in common and having ignition terminals, substantially as described and
set forth.
y of April 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.