Improvements in Make and Break Contacts for Electric Bells, Fire and Burglar Alarms, and other purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Make and Break Contacts for Electric Bells, Fire
and Burglar Alarms, and other purposes.
I, ARTHUR MILLS of 62, Great Percy Street, Amwell Street, Clerkenwell, in
the County of Middlesex, Compositor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to produce a simple and reliable means of making
and breaking electrical contact dependent on the action of gravity which shall be
easily manipulated when used for operating electrical bells or calls or for the
transmission of code-signals and which shall also be effective for operating
automatically fire and burglar alarms and kindred purposes.
My invention consists mainly of four parts namely a rocker, a movable weight,
a fixed support for the movable weight and a stop or stops.
In carrying out my invention I generally make the rocker of an electrical
conductor preferably in the form of a tube, rod, or flat bar pivotted excentrically
and tending to fall in one direction. I make the movable weight of fusible metal
or other material in the form of a ball or other suitable shape with a hole through
it or with a ring or book fixed to it to take a string or strings for controlling the
action of the rocker, I support the ball by an eyelet or hole in other suitable fixed
support, and I make the stop or stops of an electrical conductor which I fix to a
support. These stops may be made in the form of a ring, pillar, pillar and spring
with bent end, spring with two. bent ends or otherwise as found convenient.
The rocker I fix in connexion with one pole and the stop or stops in connexion
with the other pole of an electric battery or other source of electricity.
When fixed for use the rocker is prevented from falling by means of the ball
against which it rests and the electric circuit is broken. Each time the rocker is
pushed away from the ball against the stop the bell rings and on the ball being
removed, the rocker falls by its own weight against the stop making electrical
connexion and sounding the alarm.
That my invention may be better understood I illustrate on the annexed sheet of
drawings three of the many possible ways of carrying it into effect.
In Fig. I. G. is the base attached to a wall or other support by two
screws, G 1. G 2. A is the pivot of the rocker connected by a wire to one pole of
the battery by means of the screw A 1, B. is a stop connected similarly to the
other pole of the battery by the screw B1 with a hole B 2, through which the
rocking bar passes.
In Fig. 11. A is the pivot, B, the perforated stop, C the rocker, D the ball,
DI a string attached to the ball D, E a cap perforated at E 1, F a knob secured
to the rocker which in this case is made of sufficient weight to ensure the pressure
necessary for efficient contact between the rocker C and the stop B on the ball D
being removed G is the base scooped out at G 3 to allow sufficient play of the
rocker when the knob F is pressed to make contact and ring the bell.
In Fig. III. A is the pivot, 1 the perforated stop C the excentrically pivotted
rocking bar, D the ball. In this case the pivot is in the centre of the base and
when used to ring a bell the knob (not shown) attached to the rocker is turned to
the right whilst on the ball D being removed the rocker falls by its own weight to
the left against the stop completing the circuit and ringing the bell.
In Fig. IV. A is the pivot in centre of base, B is a pillar stop, C is either a tube
or flat bar excentrically pivotted, D is the ball. To ring the bell, the knob (not

page_text: shown) is turned to the left, on the ball D being removed the rocker C falls to
the right.
This instrument serves for a variety of purposes. It rings a bell (Fig. II.) on
the knob being pushed, in Fig. III on the knob being turned to the right, and in
Fig. IV on the knob being turned to the left.
It automatically sounds a bell as a fire alarm on the fusion of the ball D which
for this purpose is made of a material fusible at a suitable temperature, preferably
a fusible metal. The ball on melting falls inside the cap and liberates the rocker..
With the tubular rocker or the other rockers shown slightly altered at the upper
part, a ball of smaller diameter than that of the perforation E1 in the
be maintained in position by means of a taut string and when the string is burned
the ball will fall inside the cap liberating the rocker and sounding the alarm.
cap
may
As shown in Figs. II, III, and IV, it serves as an automatic burglar alarm
when the thread or threads attached to the ball D are connected to doors or
windows, blinds, articles of furniture etc., for on the doors or windows being opened,
the blinds pushed aside, the articles of furniture being moved or the thread
connected therewith being pressed against, the ball is removed, the rocker liberated,
and the bell sounded.
The rocker may be made to fall backwards, forwards, left or right or in any
possible direction, when, in order not to disturb the ball, it is advisable to arrange
the knob to act in a sense inverse to the fall of rocker when used otherwise than
as an alarm.
In the illustrations given it is assumed that the connections are such as will cause
the bell to ring on contact being made, but it is obvious that if the bell is required
to ring on contact being broken the alterations in the instruments involve no change
of principle.
Dated this Nineteenth day of September 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Make and Break Contacts for Electric Bells, Fire
and Burglar Alarms, and other purposes.
I ARTHUR MILLS of 62 Great Percy Street Amwell Street Clerkenwell in
the County of Middlesex Engineer 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 :-
The object of this my invention is to provide a very simple and cheap but yet
extremely efficient and reliable electrical apparatus for ringing bells or sounding
gongs or whistles or the like whether as burglar or fire alarms or for other purposes
that will be capable of and ready for being operated either forcibly by hand or
automatically by the action of gravitation.
In order the more clearly to explain this my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein I have
shewn my apparatus as constructed according to two broad types of arrangement
in one of which the actuating appliance moves in a line transverse to the plane of
the base of the apparatus while in the other the actuating appliance moves in a line
parallel with the plane of such base.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one type of the apparatus with the cover thereof
removed and Figure 2 is a transverse section of the apparatus.
A suitable base of wood or other non-conducting material and preferably
circular in plan is placed and supported or suspended or held in a vertical position
or otherwise as may be arranged wheresoever desired whether against a wall or
elsewhere and on. and over the face of this base A is or can most conveniently be,
fitted and secured a cover B preferably perhaps of metal and of a proper size and

page_text: of a corresponding shape in plan. On the face of the base A and near the lower
edge thereof is fitted a suitable conducting bracket D whereon is mounted one end
of a conducting rocker E in such wise that this rocker E can oscillate on its
pivot F in the bracket D in a line transverse to the plane of the base A. On the
face also of the base A and in a proper corresponding position near the
upper edge thereof is fitted another conducting bracket H the projecting
part whereof loosely surrounds the rocker E or is otherwise so constructed and
arranged as to form and provide two contact posts K and K the desired distance
apart wherewith in its oscillatory movement the rocker E can come in contact.
To the rocker E it may be about the middle of its length and at right angles
therewith or projecting therefrom is fitted an arm L which passes through a slot BI
made therefor in the face of the cover B and this arm L is of such a weight or is
so weighted as normally to keep the rocker E inclined outwardly away from the
base A and resting against the outer contact post K¹. In the upper side of the
cover B is made an aperture of the proper size wherein can rest and whereby can
be carried a weight it may perhaps preferably be in the shape of a ball or sphere M
in such position that its lowest part can engage the upper end of the rocker E and
maintain such rocker E against its weighted arm L midway between or not touching
either of the contact posts K and K and to this ball M may be attached a string
or wire or other similar appliance M. A battery or other source of electricity is
connected with the bracket D through and by an insulated wire N and with the
bracket H through and by an insulated wire N¹.
Therefore when all the parts of this apparatus are in the positions shewn in
Figure 2 the circuit obviously is open but the rocker E can be pushed in and
inclined inwardly by hand against its weighted arm L through and by means of
this arm L or otherwise until it touches the inner contact post K and then the
circuit is closed and a current of electricity can pass therethrough or again the
ball M can be removed from or can leave the position shewn when the weighted
arm L will incline the rocker E outwardly until it touches the outer contact
post K and then also the circuit is closed and a current of electricity can pass
therethrough.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of another type of the apparatus with the cover
thereof removed and Figure 4 is a transverse section of the apparatus.
On the face of a similar base A and inside a similar cover B and preferably
about the centre of such base A is fitted a suitable conducting pivot P whereon is
mounted a conducting rocker R in such wise that this rocker R can move and
revolve on such pivot P in a line parallel with the plane of the base A and this
rocker R is so formed or fitted that the one limb R₁ thereof is much heavier than
the other limb R2 thereof and this heavier limb R' is so arranged and balanced
that normally the rocker R has a tendency to move or revolve in one direction only
as for example in Figure 3 where the limb R obviously must have a tendency to
fall towards the left. On the face also of the base A below the pivot P and in
the proper corresponding position it may be near the lower edge thereof is fitted a
suitable conducting plate T wherefrom project two contact posts V and V₁ the
desired distance apart and between which the lighter limb R2 of the rocker R
is held and retained whereby plainly the rocker R can only oscillate on its pivot P
and cannot revolve thereon and with these contact posts V and V' in such
oscillatory movement of the rocker R this limb R thereof can come in contact.
To the rocker R and perhaps preferably to the heavier limb R¹ thereof is or may
most conveniently be fitted an handle W which can pass through a slot B' made
therefor in the face of the cover B. In the upper side of the cover B similarly is
made an aperture of the proper size wherein similarly can rest and whereby can be
carried a weight it may perhaps preferably be in the shape of a ball or sphere M
in such position that its lowest part can engage a lug or projection R³ on or other
suitably formed part of the upper end of the rocker R and maintain such rocker R
against its normal tendency to fall hereinbefore mentioned with its lighter limb R2
midway between or not touching either of the contact posts V and V' and to this

page_text: ball M similarly may be attached a string or wire or other similar appliance M².
A battery or other source of electricity likewise is connected with the pivot P
through and by an insulated wire N and with the plate T through and by an
insulated wire N¹.
Therefore when all the parts of this apparatus are in the positions shewn in
Figure 3 the circuit obviously is open but the rocker R can be moved by hand
against its normal tendency to fall through and by means of the handle Wor
otherwise until the limb R2 thereof touches the contact post V and then the circuit
is closed and a current of electricity can pass therethrough or again the ball M can
be removed from or can leave the position shewn when the normal tendency of the
limb R' of the rocker R to fall will cause the limb R2 thereof to touch the contact
post Vand then also the circuit is closed and a current of electricity can pass
therethrough.
In the circuit hereinbefore mentioned or that is to say in one of the insulated
wires or conductors N and N¹ is enclosed and inserted the desired bell or gong or
whistle or the like which can be rung or sounded or otherwise operated or acted on
in any convenient manner and by any suitable and usual or other appliances and
devices when and it may be while and so long as this circuit is closed and a current of
electricity passes therethrough or it may be two or more bells or gongs or whistles
or the like can similarly be enclosed and inserted in the circuit.
To remove the ball M from or to cause the same to leave the position shewn in
the drawing wherein it maintains as is herein before described the rocker E or R
midway between or not touching either of the contact posts K and K' or V and Vi
many and various appliances and devices and arrangements may be employed
and used.
For example the string or wire or other similar appliance herein before mentioned
may be led to and connected with a window sash or a shutter or a blind or a
curtain or a door or an article of furniture or elsewhere in such wise that any
movement of the same or even any contact with or disturbance of the string or the
like will immediately dislodge the ball or two or more strings or the like similarly
led to and connected with different articles or in different places or otherwise may
similarly be provided with the same ball for the same purpose and with the same
consequences and in this case the aperture in the cover herein before described
wherein the ball rests and whereby it is carried would be made of such a size and
shape and would be so proportioned to and with the ball that this ball can and will
very easily and readily be dislodged therefrom.
The apparatus according to this arrangement will evidently be very suitable and
proper for use as a burglar alarm.
Again the string or wire or other similar appliance hereinbefore mentioned may
be made of some highly inflammable material in which case the ball would be
suspended thereby in its desired and necessary position hereinbefore described and
obviously the cover would not be absolutely needed and could be dispensed with
and when the ball is released or dropped by the burning and destruction of the
string or the like it might fall away entirely from this apparatus or might either
fall down inside or roll down outside the cover thereof if any and in either case
when a cover is provided in manner as is hereinbefore described this cover and the
aperture therein and all parts of the apparatus would be of such sizes and shapes
and would be so arranged as to allow and facilitate this performance by the ball.
Again the ball hereinbefore described may be made of some easily fusible
material in which case the string or wire or other similar appliance would not be
needed and could be dispensed with and this ball would be arranged to fall down
through its supporting aperture in the cover when it had sufficiently melted and
decreased in size.
The apparatus according to either of these arrangements will evidently be very
suitable and proper for use as a fire alarm.
Again the base herein before described may be agitated or rocked or inclined
to dislodge the ball in which case this base would be supported or suspended

page_text: or held in such suitable and ordinary or other manner as to allow the required
agitation or rocking or inclination and this effect could be produced in a
similar manner by a string or wire or other like appliance or by two or more strings
or the like which would be connected to the base in the proper position or positions
thereon and would be arranged and used and would be actuated or destroyed in and
by one of the methods and circumstances hereinbefore described for the same
purpose and with the same consequences.
The apparatus according to this arrangement will evidently be very suitable
and proper for use either as a burglar or a fire alarm or it may be as both a burglar
and a fire alarm.
I have thus described and I have shewn in the accompanying drawing two
extremely convenient and efficient shapes and methods and styles of construction
and arrangement and fitment of my apparatus and of the several parts thereof but
I would have it clearly understood as indeed is sufficiently obvious that I do in no
wise limit myself exactly and precisely thereto for this my apparatus and each and
all of the several parts thereof may be constructed of such shapes and may be
arranged according to such methods and may be fitted in such styles as may
be appropriate or expedient or desirable in each particular and separate case.
For example the edges or ends of the slot hereinbefore described in the face of
the cover wherethrough the arm or the handle on the rocker passes may constitute
and be the required contact posts instead of the contact posts on the bracket or
plate hereinbefore described in which case obviously the cover must be of a suitable
conducting material and the insulated wire would be connected therewith instead of
with the bracket or plate and the slot would be formed of such a size and shape that
in its oscillatory movement the rocker would cause the arm or the handle to touch
these edges whether the top and bottom edges as in the type of apparatus shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 or the side edges as in the type of apparatus shewn in Figures 3
and 4 and thus perform the saine functions and produce the same consequences as
are hereinbefore described.
Again the rocker hereinbefore described may be hollow and tubular instead of
solid and flat so that the ball could fall down inside the same and it might even be
right through this rocker or a solid rocker may have a cup or the like on its upper
end wherein the ball can rest and whereby it can be carried in manner as is
hereinbefore described or the tubular rocker itself being made of the proper
diameter may constitute and act as a cup or the like for the same purpose and in
each of these cases the aperture hereinbefore described in the cover if any would
be made of such a size and shape as to allow and facilitate the desired action while
the upper end or edge of the rocker or of the cup or the like thereupon would be
so formed that when the rocker is moved by hand as is hereinbefore described the
ball will not necessarily be dislodged.
Again the rocker hereinbefore described when in its ordinary position shewn in
the drawing wherein the circuit is open may be somewhat inclined either backwards
or forwards or to the right or to the left or may be further thus inclined instead of
being vertical or nearly so whereby this rocker would the more certainly and
immediately when released be operated by the action of gravitation and the ball
could and preferably would be correspondingly on one side of the middle or central
vertical line of the apparatus whereby this ball would the more easily and readily
be dislodged and all this is eminently desirable and advantageous.
Again the weight herein before described may be of any convenient shape instead
of that of a ball or sphere the aperture in the cover and the rocker and the upper
end or edge thereof being formed accordingly and correspondingly and further the
weight can be supported in its required position hereinbefore described by and on
or from any separate and suitable fixed or other bracket or such like ordinary
apparatus in which case also the cover hereinbefore described would not be needed
and could be dispensed with and the weight would be dislodged as is necessary
from this bracket or suchlike apparatus in and by and according to one of the
methods herein before described.

page_text: Again in that type of the apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2 the bracket herein-
before described on which the rocker is pivoted may be fitted nearer to the centre
of the face of the base instead of near the lower edge thereof and the bracket
herein before described on which are the two contact posts may be fitted near the
lower edge of the face of this base instead of near the upper edge of such face and
the rocker hereinbefore described would be prolonged downwards beyond its pivot
and this the lighter and lower limb of the rocker would pass and be between the
two contact posts and in its oscillatory movement would touch the same and
thus perform the same functions aud produce the same consequences as are
hereinbefore described.
Again and also in that type of the apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2 when the
rocker is made with two limbs as is hereinbefore described the lighter and lower
limb of the rocker may be forked in which case only one contact post need be fitted
on the lower bracket and the forked limb of the rocker would be so properly formed
as to pass and be on both sides of this single contact post and in its oscillatory
movement to touch the same and thus perform the same functions and produce the
:same consequences as are hereinbefore described.
Again and also in that type of the apparatus shewn in Figures 1 and 2 the rocker
when it is made with two limbs as is hereinbefore described may be so formed and
arranged that the upper limb thereof is the lighter limb and the lower limb thereof
is the heavier limb instead of rice versú as is aforesaid in which case the weight
would engage the lighter and upper limb of the rocker and would maintain such
rocker against its heavier and lower limb in manner as is herein before described and
the contact post or the contact posts may be either above or below the pivot of this
rocker as may be desired in each particular case.
Again in that type of the apparatus shewn in Figures 3 and 4 there may also be
only one contact post on the plate herein before described instead of two contact
posts and the lighter and lower limb of the rocker would similarly be properly
forked to pass and be on both sides of this single contact post and in its oscillatory
movement to touch the same and thus perform the same functions and produce the
-same consequences as are hereinbefore described.
Again and also in that type of the apparatus shewn in Figures 3 and 4 the plate
hereinbefore described on which is or are the contact post or the contact posts may
be fitted on the face of the base above the pivot of the rocker instead of below the
same in which case the lighter and lower limb of the rocker would not be needed
and could be dispensed with while the heavier and upper limb of the rocker in its
oscillatory movement would touch this contact post or these contact posts and thus
perform the same functions and produce the same consequences as are hereinbefore
described.
Again and also in that type of the apparatus shewn in Figures 3 and 4 the rocker
when it is made with two limbs as is herein before described may be so arranged
that the weight would engage the lighter limb of the rocker instead of the heavier
limb thereof and would maintain such rocker against its heavier limb in manner as
is herein before described and this rocker may if and when desired be so maintained
even in an horizontal or nearly horizontal position but in this case it is obvious that the
weight must be supported in its required position herein before described by and on
or from a bracket or suchlike apparatus instead of by and on the cover and in each
case the contact post or the contact posts would be arranged and fitted on the face
of the base in the proper complementary position or positions to allow and cause
the rocker in its oscillatory movement to touch the same and thus perform the same
functions and produce the same consequences as are hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In an electrical apparatus for ringing bells and the like the combination with
a weighted mucker conable of ascillata Bont and annnontul with a coun

page_text: electricity of a weight to engage the rocker and maintain it against its weighted
part means for dislodging the weight and releasing the rocker and a contact post or
contact posts for the rocker also connected with the source of electricity
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and declared.
2. A bracket D fitted on a base A a rocker E pivoted on the bracket D and.
capable of oscillatory movement in a line transverse to the plane of the base A and
a weighted arm L fitted on the rocker E in combination with a bracket H also.
fitted on the base A a contact post K or contact posts K and K' on the bracket H
a weight M to engage and release the rocker E and conductors N and N¹ between
the brackets D and H and a source of electricity substantially as hereinbefore
described and set forth.
3. A pivot P fitted on a base A and a weighted rocker R mounted on the
pivot P and capable of oscillatory movement in a line parallel with the plane of the
base A in combination with a plate T also fitted on the base A a contact post V or
contact_posts V and V' on the plate T a weight M to engage and release the
rocker R and conductors N and N¹ between the pivot P and the plate T and a
source of electricity substantially as herein before described and set forth.
4. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
electrical apparatus for ringing bells and the like substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 20th day of June 1894.
HART & Co.,
186, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agents..