Improvements in or relating to Electrical Indicating Apparatus for use in Hotels, Restaurants, Workshops, and for analogous purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov
1807
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1898 - Accepted, 15th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1898 - Accepted, 15th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Indicating Apparatus
for use in Hotels, Restaurants, Workshops, and for analogous
purposes.
A communication from HENRI MOUTARDIER, of Sauveterre-la-Lémance, Elec-
trician, and LOUIS BOUDET, of Fumel (Lot and Garonne), Pharmaceutical
Chemist, both in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows: :-
This invention relates to an apparatus whose object is to simplify the service in
hotels, restaurants, clubs workshops and for analogous purposes. The apparatus con-
sists chiefly,
1. Of a receiver provided with two dials, one of which is divided
into a number of compartments in which are arranged interchangeable plates made of
any desired material and inscribed with names of articles &c. which may be asked
for; the other dial has a series of numerals and serves to indicate the number
of articles desired. The receiver is provided also with an annunciator having
numerals corresponding to the rooms to be attended, and with a call-bell.
2) Of transmitters provided with a double dial over which two hands move
and which is provided with the same indications as the two dials of the
receiver. The transmitters are provided, like the receiver, with a call-bell. In
order to avoid the use of a number of wires the different parts of the apparatus
are combined so that the transmission of current from different parts of the
transmitter to different parts of the receiver is effected by means of only two
wires. This result is attained by providing each transmitter and receiver with
a local battery, the negative pole of which is connected to earth, or for the sake
of greater convenience, to a gas or water-pipe leading to the ground, so that
the current returns through earth.
Working the Apparatus.-The person at the transmitter having seen that both
the hands of the dial are at the zero, presses the call-knob. The current passing
through the receiver causes a shutter of the annunciator to fall and to reveal
the number of the room, of the person making the signal and at the same time
closes the circuit of the bell. The attendant at the receiver connects the latter
with the room indicated by the annunciator and in his turn rings the bell.
The person at the transmitting instrument can then place the hands of the dial
opposite the articles he requires and the attendant has simply to read on the dials
of the receiver the indications transmitted.
Transmitter. The transmitter consists of a dial secured to the cover of a box
or casing enclosing all the parts of the transmitter. On this dial move two
hands. The one hand is secured on the spindle the second hand being secured
to a sleeve freely turning on said spindle. On the sleeve is also mounted a
toothed wheel and a plate secured to each other. A second toothed wheel is
mounted on the spindle and is thus moved with the first hand. The two toothed
[Price 8d.]

page_text: wheels actuate two pinions loose on a fixed pin and to which pinions are secured
ratchet wheels. The rotation of the number of teeth of the sets of wheels is
such that when the hands pass one division of the dial the ratchet wheels move to
the extent of two teeth. These ratchet wheels are made in two halves one being
of metal and the other of ebonite or other material that is a non-conductor of
electricity. The two halves are secured one on the other in such way that the
blades alternately press against metallic and ebonite teeth so as always to have
a contact followed by an interruption of the current. These metal blades are
secured to any convenient support from which they are insulated by an ebonite
plate, if necessary.
The movable plate on the sleeve has a notch arranged in such position that
the end of a lever engages with it at the moment when the second hand is opposite
the zero of the dial. The lever is pivoted about a pin and operates another lever
provided at the end with a pin which engages one of the contact blades, at the
moment when the end of the lever engages with the notch.
The parts described are mounted on a metal plate made in two parts insulated
in such a manner that the current cannot pass directly from one to the other.
One portion of the plate has a pin with which engages under the pressure of the
call-knob a metal plate mounted on the side of the casing and having a portion
cut and bent to form a spring so as to press constantly against a pin secured
to the other portion of the plate.
The transmitter is provided with an ordinary electric bell.
Receiver. The receiver consists of two principal parts, the annunciators and
the escapement mechanism operating the hands of the dials.
The annunciators are very simple and are constituted by an electro-magnet
capable of attracting an iron bar or plate. This attraction disengages a shutter
which falls and reveals the number of the transmitter and by pressing on a knob
connects the receiver with a call bell.
The
The receiver is provided with two dials of similar construction. The hand
of each dial is operated by a lever escapement working as follows: The cur-
rent from the transmitter is supplied to an electro-magnet which attracts_an
escapement lever, the stroke of which is limited by two adjustable screws.
lever slides over the teeth of the escapement wheel made in two parts. The two
wheels forming this escapement wheel have the same number of teeth and are
placed together in such manner that the teeth of one are arranged in the inter-
vals between the teeth of the other so that when the lever releases one wheel
in order to engage with the other wheel the spindle of the two wheels to which
spindle the hand of the dial is secured will turn to an extent equal to the dis-
tance from a tooth of one wheel to the next tooth of the other wheel, .c., for
each reciprocating movement of the lever the escapement wheel advances to
the extent of one tooth.
When no current passes through the electro-magnet the lever is always held
in a certain position by means of a spring secured to a support insulated from
the apparatus. The escapement wheel is actuated as in ordinary clocks by
means of a spring drum transmitting its motion to the escapement wheel by
means of toothed wheels.
In order that the indications of the receiver shall correspond to those of the
transmitter it is necessary to place the hands of the dials at zero before using
the receiver. This is effected for both the dials at once by operating a bar.
This bar operates by means of an angle piece a stud or finger secured to a bell-
crank lever. The latter has a second finger which acts on the escapement lever
and raises it until it releases the escapement wheel which is then free to rotate.
A finger is secured to this wheel so that it engages with the escapement lever
when the hand of the dial is placed on zero.
In order to enable the escapement
lever to be raised the stop must be capable of moving with it. For this purpose
this stop is secured to a spring blade secured to a support. This blade moves
at the same time as the escapement lever and returns the latter into its original

page_text: position as soon as the action of the bar has ceased. The bell-crank lever is
also returned to its position of rest by a spring secured to the apparatus.
In order to better understand the "working of the apparatus and the path of
the current, we will follow the operations in the order indicated for the working
of the apparatus.
1). Having seen that the two hands of the dial are turned to zero, the person
at the transmitter presses the call-knob. The current coming from the positive
pole of the battery to the terminal enters through the plate of the transinitter:
under the pressure of the call-knob the plate on the side of the casing engages
with the pin the current passes from one plate to the other and then through
the bent portion of the second plate and pin into the portion of the divided plate
already described, from there through the lever spindle, lever pin contact blade
and wire it passes to the terminal of the transmitter. From the terminal the
current goes to the electro-magnet through a wire and copper-plate; after hav-
ing passed through the electro-magnet the current passes to the plate of the
dial of the receiver and thence to the terminal corresponding to the negative
pole of the battery.
When the current passes through the annunciator electro-magnet its iron plate
is attracted the shutter is disengaged and falls on the contact knob thus closing
the circuit from the positive pole of the battery through the terminal and wire
to the shutter and thence through the knob to the wire Connected with the bell.
The current returns through a wire to the plate corresponding to the negative
pole of the battery.
2. The attendant at the receiver called up by the ringing of the bell con
nects the receiver with the transmitting instrument, the number of which is.
given by the annunciator, by means of a plug or jack. This plug consists of a
copper tube in which is arranged a metal-rod insulated from the tube by an
ebonite cylinder, the tube and the rod are each connected to wire. The plug
is placed into a hole in the copper plate on the casing. When the connection
is made the attendant presses on the call-knob of the receiver. The current
coming from the positive pole of the battery to the terminal passes along a
wire and arrives at a metallic contact plate. When the knob is pressed it
presses a spring copper blade in contact with the contact plate the current passes
to the blade through its wire to the rod of the plug from there through a spring
blade and wire it reaches the terminal of the transmitter. From here it follows
the inverted path of the preceding current going from the transmitter until it
reaches the plate on the side of the casing. There a wire is brought in contact
with the latter plate, and through which wire the current reaches the bell.
From the bell the current passes through a wire to a terminal connected to earth.
3). The bell of the transmitter having rung, the person there turns the hand
on the sleeve until it comes opposite the article required. The current from the
terminal arrives, through one portion of the divided plate and metallic parts
mounted on it, to the ratchet wheel. When in turning the hand a metallic
tooth of the wheel comes in contact with the blade, the current goes through
said blade and, as before through the terminal from which it goes through a
wire into the terminal of the receiver. A wire carries the current to the blade
in contact with the rod of the plug. Through the latter rod its wire, blade and
the wire which is in contact with said blade, the current reaches the electro-
magnet of the dial corresponding to that on which the hand fixed on the spindle
moves.
4). When in turning this hand a metallic tooth of its corresponding ratchet
wheel comes in contact with its corresponding blade, the current passes to the
terminal of the receiver. From this terminal the current goes through a wire
into a copper-plate in contact with the tube of the plug and through this tube
and the wire into the electro-magnet of the second dial of the receiver.
The circuit from a transmitter to the receiver requires only two wires. This
result is attained by providing each transmitter with a separate battery, each

page_text: of the latter having its negative pole connected to earth and by the combina-
tion of the parts of the receiver and transmitters.
The preceding descripion deals only with the case of a receiver with two trans-
mitters, but this is only by way of example as the receiver may be provided
with three or more dials, the number of hands on the dial of the transmitter
being correspondingly increased.
Dated this 15th day of November 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Indicating Apparatus
for use in Hotels, Restaurants, Workshops, and for analogous
purposes.
A communication from HENRI MOUTARDIER, of Sauveterre-la-Lémance, Elec-
trician, and LOUIS BOUDET, of Fumel (Lot and Garonne), Pharmaceutical
Chemist, both in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement;-
This invention relates to an apparatus whose object is to simplify the service in
hotel, restaurants, clubs workshops and for analogous purposes. The apparatus con-
sists chiefly, (1) of a receiver provided with two dials, one of which is divided
into a number of compartments in which are arranged interchangeable plates made of
any desired material and inscribed with names of articles etc., which may be asked
for the other dial has a series of numerals and serves to indicate the number
of articles desired. The receiver is provided also with an annunciator having
numerals corresponding to the rooms to be attended, and with a call-bell.
(2) Of transmitters provided with a double dial over which two hands move
and which is provided with the same indications as the two dials of the
receiver. The transmitters are provided, like the receiver, with a call-bell. In
order to avoid the use of a number of wires, the different parts of the apparatus
are combined so that the transmission of current from different parts of the
transmitter to different parts of the receiver is effected by means of only two
wires. This result is attained by providing each transmitter and receiver with
a local battery, the negative pole of which is connected to earth or, for the sake
of greater convenience to a gas or water-pipe leading to the ground, so that
the current returns through earth.
Working the Apparatus. The person at the transmitter having seen that both
the hands of the dial are at the zero, presses the call-knob. The current passing
through the receiver causes a shutter of the annunciator to fall and to reveal
the number of the room of the person making the signal and at the same time
closes the circuit of the bell. The attendant at the receiver connects the latter
with the room indicated by the annunciator and in his turn rings the bell.
The person at the transmitting instrument can then place the hands of the dial
opposite the article he requires and the attendant has simply to read on the dials
of the receiver the indications transmitted.

page_text: is a pran of the mechanism of the transmitter
Fig. 2 being a side elevation.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the ratchet wheel, L.
Fig. 4 a diagrammatic perspective view of the transmitter showing the path
taken by the electric currents."
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the escapement mechanism operating the hands on
the dial of the receiver
Fig. 6 being a sectional elevation of the same.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of an annunciator.
Fig. 8 a front elevation of a portion of the receiver.
Fig. 9 a view of the device enabling the current for the bell to be sent from
the receiver to the transmitter.
Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of wires and the
path of the currents in the apparatus.
Transmitter. The transmitter consists of a dial A secured to the cover of a
box or casing B enclosing all the parts of the transmitter. On this dial move
two hands CC. The hand C is secured on the spindle D the hand C being
secured to a sleeve D₁ freely turning on said spindle. On the sleeve I' is also
mounted a toothed wheel E and a plate F secured to each other. A second
toothed wheel G is mounted on the spindle D and is thus moved with the
hand C. The two toothed wheels E and G actuate two pinions H H' loose on a
fixed pin K and to which pinions are secured ratchet wheels L L. The relation
of the number of teeth of the wheels G H and E H is such that when the
hands C C pass one division of the dial, the ratchet wheels L L' move to the
extent of two teeth. These ratchet wheels are made in two halves (Fig. 3),
one M being of metal and the other M¹ of ebonite or any other material that
is a non-conductor of electricity. The two halves M M are secured one on the
other in such way that the blades N N¹ (Figs. 1 and 2) alternately press
against metallic and ebonite teeth so as always to have a contact followed by an
interruption of the current. These metal blades N N¹ are secured to any con-
venient support as O from which they are insulated by an ebonite plate P if
necessary.
The movable plate F on the sleeve D has a notch Q arranged in such position
that the end of a lever R engages with it at the moment when the hand C¹ is
opposite the zero of the dial. The lever R is pivoted about a pin S and operates
a lever T provided at the end with a pin U which engages the blades N at the
moment when the end of the lever R under the influence of a spring V engages
with the notch Q.
The parts described are mounted on a metal plate X X¹ made in two parts
insulated in such manner that the current cannot pass directly from one to the
other. One portion X of the plate has a pin X with which engages, under
the pressure of the call-knob Y (Fig. 4) a metal plate Z mounted on the side
of the casing B and having a portion (Fig. 4) cut and bent to form a spring
so as to press constantly against a pin X secured to the other portion X' of the
plate.
The transmitter is provided with an ordinary electric bell shown in Fig. 4
by its electro magnets E² and E³.
Receiver. The receiver consists of two principal parts the annunciators and
the escapement-mechanism operating the hands of the dials.
The annunciators are very simple and their working will be easily understood
by examining Figs. 7 and 8. They are constituted by an electro magnet a capable
of attracting an iron bar or plate b. This attraction disengages a shutter c which
falls and reveals the number of the transmitter and by pressing on a knob d
connects the receiver with a call bell n¹ (Fig. 10).
The receiver is provided with two dials of similar construction and which are
shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The hand of each dial is operated by a lever escape-

page_text: ment working as follows:-The current from the transmitter is supplied to an
electro-magnet e which attracts an escapement lever f the stroke of which is
limited by two adjustable screws 9 and h. The lever f slides over the teeth of
the escapement, wheel jj made in two parts. The two wheels jjl have the same
number of teeth and are placed together in such manner that the teeth of one
are arranged in the intervals between the teeth of the other so that when the
lever f releases the wheel j in order to engage with the other wheel the
spindle of the two wheels to which spindle the hand of the dial is secured will
turn to an extent equal to the distance from a tooth of the wheel to the next
tooth of the wheel ji.e, for each reciprocating movement of the lever f the es-
capement wheel advances to the extent of one tooth.
When no current passes through the electro magnet e the lever f is always held
in position shown in Fig. 6 by means of a spring i secured to a support insu-
lated from the plate r of the apparatus by an ebonite plate. The escapement
wheel is actuated as in ordinary clocks by means of a spring drum k transmitting
its-motion to the escapement wheel by means of toothed wheels.
In order that the indications of the receiver shall correspond to those of the
transmitter it is necessary to place the hands of the dials at zero before using
the receiver. This is effected for both the dials at once by operating a bar (Fig. 5).
This bar operates by means of an angle piece 3 a stud or finger secured
to a bell crank lever n. The latter has a second finger n which acts on the
escapement lever f and raises it until it releases the wheel j which is then free
to rotate. A finger pis secured to this wheel so that it engages with the lever f
when the hand of the dial is placed on zero. In order to enable the lever f to be
raised the stop.g must be capable of moving with it. For this purpose this stop
is secured to a spring blade m secured to a support m³. This blade m moves
at the same time as the lever f and returns the latter into its original position
as soon as the action on the bar has ceased. The bell crank lever is also
returned to its position of rest by a spring q secured to the plate r of the
apparatus.
In order to better understand the working of the apparatus and the path of
the current, we will follow the operations in the order indicated for the work-
ing of the apparatus.
1. Having seen that the two hands of the dial are turned to zero the person
at the transmitter presses the call knob Y (Fig. 4). The current coming from
the positive pole of the battery a¹ to the terminal enters through the plate X
of the transmitter: under the pressure of the call knob the plate Z engages with
the pin X3 the current passes from the plate X to the plate Z and then through
the bent portion of said plate and pin X2 into the portion X of the plate,
from there, through the lever spindle S lever T pin U blade N and wire dit
arrives to the terminal from this terminal the current passes to the terminal g
of the transmitter through the wire fi (Fig. 10). From this terminal g¹ the
current goes to the electro magnet a through the wire hand the copper plate kl
(Figs. 7 and 10); after having passed through the electro-magnet a the current
passes to the plate r of the dial of the receiver and thence to the terminal
corresponding to the negative pole of the battery a².
When the current passes through the annunciator electro-magnet a, its iron
plate 6 is attracted, the shutter c is disengaged, and falls on the contact knob d,
thus closing the circuit from the positive pole of the battery a², through the
terminal and wire s¹, to the shutter c, and thence through the knob d to the
wire m¹ connected with the bell, indicated by its electro magnets n'. The current
returns through the wire m² to the plate corresponding to the negative pole
of the battery a².
2. The attendant at the receiver, called up by the ringing of the bell connects
the receiver with the transmitting instrument, the number of which is given
by the annunciator by means of a plug or jacks (Fig. 7). This plug consists
of a copper tube t in which is arranged a metal rod u insulated from the tube

page_text: by an ebonite cylinder the tube t and the rod u are each connected to a
wire 2. The plug is placed into a hole in the copper plate * on the casing.
When the connection is made the attendant presses on the call-knob gl of the
receiver. The current coming from the positive pole of the battery a² to the
terminal through the wire 1 passes along the wire s and arrives at the metallic
contact plate (Fig. 9). When the knob gl is pressed it presses a spring
copper blade u¹ in contact with the contact plate ¹, the current passes to the
blade through its wire to the rod of the plug s¹, from there through the
spring blade and the wire h¹ it reaches the terminal g¹.
From here it follows the inverted path of the preceding current going from
the transmitter, until it reaches the plate Z (Fig. 4); i.e., through the wire f¹,
to the terminal e¹, wire ¹, blade N¹, pin U, lever T, spindle S and the portion X¹ of
the plate, pin X2 and part Z¹ of plate Z. This part Z¹ forms a spring for en-
suring a continuous contact between Z and X and X¹ even when the knob Y
is not pressed, so that it is not necessary for the operator to continue to press
on the call push until he has received the reply call from the attendant at the
receiver. A wire is brought in contact with the plate Z, through which wire
the current reaches the bell represented by its electro-magnets E2 E³. From the
bell the current passes through a wire y¹ to a terminal 62 connected to earth.
3. The bell of the transmitter having rung the person there turns the hand C¹
until it comes opposite the article required. The current from the terminal 61
passes through the plate X and metallic parts mounted on it, to the ratchet
wheel L. When, in turning the hand CT a metallic tooth of the wheel L¹ comes
in contact with the blade Ni the current goes through said blade and as before
through the terminal e¹ from which it goes through a wire f¹ into the terminal g¹.
A wire h¹ carries the current to the blade in contact with the rod u of the
plugs. Through the latter rod its wire blade u¹ and the wire 2 which is in
contact with said blade, the current reaches the electro-magnet e of the dial
corresponding to that on which the hand C₁ moves.
4. When in turning the hand C a metallic tooth of its ratchet wheel L comes
in contact with the blade N the current passes through the wire terminal e
and wire to the terminal 2 of the receiver. From this terminal the current
goes through a wire 2 into a copper-plate & in contact with the tube t of the
plug, and through this tube and the wire into the electro magnet of the second
dial of the receiver.
As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 10 the circuit from a transmitter to the
receiver requires only two wires f¹ f. This result is attained by providing each
transmitter with a separate battery each of the latter having its negative pole
connected to earthy and by the combination of the parts of the receiver and trans-
mitters.
The preceding description deals only with the case of a receiver with two trans-
mitters, but this is only by way of example as the receiver may be provided
with three or more dials, the number of hands on the dial of the transmitter
being correspondingly increased.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. Indicating apparatus for use in hotels restaurants workshops and for
analogous purpose consisting of a receiver adapted to be connected with a number
of transmitters said receiving apparatus being a combination of annunciators
and call bells giving results analogous to those attained in telephone offices, and
of a telegraphic system with several dials transmitting the indications from
each transmitter to the receiver substantially as described.
2. In apparatus of the character described a combination of wires enabling
only two wires to be used for each transmitter passing from the terminals of the
transmitter to those of the receiver for transmitting the current to the annun-

page_text: ciator call bells and electro-magnets of the dials of the receiver said result being
attained by providing each transmitter and the receiver with a separate battery
and connecting for the return of the current the negative poles of the batteries
to earth and by the combination of the parts of the transmitters and of the
receiver such as herein before described whereby it is possible to interrupt or close
the different circuits according to the operations to be performed substantially
as described.
3. In apparatus of the character described means for bringing the hands of
the dials of the receiver to zero comprising a bar operating for each dial a bell
crank lever which raises the escapement lever and causes it to release the teeth
of the escapement wheel and strike against a finger secured to said wheel the
position of said finger being such that the escapement lever strikes at the moment
when the hand of the dial is opposite the zero of the latter, the bell crank lever
and the bar being returned to their original position by a spring secured to
the apparatus and engaging with the end of the bell crank lever substantially
as described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete elec-
trical indicating apparatus substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
101 1
1000