Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1887
Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1888
A communication from abroad by ARTHUR BENEDICT HARFORD, of East Saginau,
Saginau County, Michigan, United States of America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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 :-
This invention consists of the devices and appliances hereinafter described, and
more particularly specified in the claims.
In the drawings.
Figure 1, is a diagrammatic view illustrating the said invention.
Figure 2 is a separate view, partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating
the simultaneous alarm apparatus.
Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating the individual call mechanism.
Figure 4 is a separate view of the clock pointer with its spring contact.
It is the purpose of this invention to produce a system for use in hotels and in
other similar places, wherein each room is provided with a signal bell, said bell
connected with a switch board at the office and with a clock, the construction being
such that any room or rooms may, by proper connection at the switch board, be
signalled by the clock at any appointed time. Also in providing the switch board
with a series of keys, whereby a person at the office may signal any room by hand,
regardless of the clock.
Also in the provision at the switch board of a simultaneous signalling apparatus
whereby all the rooms may be simultaneously signalled in case of fire.
In carrying out the invention, A represents a series of bells, which are presumed
to be located in as many different rooms of a hotel or other structure.

page_text: Of
B, is a switch-board consisting of vertical strips 6 and horizontal strips b¹, each bell
being connected with a vertical strip corresponding with the number of its room.
the horizontal strips there are as many as there are contact points upon the dial of
the clock, thus if the clock were a twelve hour clock, with contact points for every
half hour, there would be twenty-four contact points on the clock and twenty four
horizontal strips b¹ on the switch board. If the clock were a twenty four hour clock
with contact points for every half hour there would be forty-eight horizontal strips
on the switch board.
C. is the clock, D is a battery arranged preferably in groups of two or more cells,
each group corresponding with a limited number of rooms, so as not to throw too
strong a current through any single bell.
The operation of this part of the device will now be understood. If the occupant
of room one desires to be roused at five o'clock, it is only necessary to put a
connecting pin through the vertical strip corresponding with that room into the
horizontal strip corresponding with five o'clock, as indicated by the figures at the left
hand of the switch board. When the hour hand of the clock reaches five o'clock it
will connect with the corresponding contact point, thus closing the circuit through
the horizontal strip corresponding with. five o'clock, thence through the connecting
pin and the vertical strip corresponding with room one, thence through the bell in
room one and the battery, back to the clock, and so with any other room.
Now in order that the hotel clerk may at any time ring a guest at will, regardless
of the clock, push buttons or keys E are provided upon the switch board, one for each
room.
This key in its normal position, as shown in Figure 3, is insulated from the room
strip b, but all the said keys are connected with a common conducting strip E' and
thence by a conductor e with the battery. By pressing upon a key, contact is made
with the corresponding room strip. He thus completes the circuit up through the
room strip, thence to the bell in the room, thence through the battery and back
through the key, the same being accomplished without any grounding and without
any interposition of the clock. In this way the apparatus is made in a measure
independent of the clock, so that should the clock be out of order in any way, the
apparatus is under the immediate control of the clerk at the switch-board.
So also he may signal the occupant of any room at any time, between the periods
when he might be signalled by the clock.
F is a lever governing a bar F1, whereby the said bar is slid back and forth at will.
f, represents inclined strips or springs connected with each vertical room strip of
the switch board, the bar F' has corresponding inclined faces or ratchets f¹.
Now in case of fire or in any similar emergency the clerk may shift this bar F¹ to
the left, and so bring it into contact with each one of the room strips. The bar Fl
being in metallic contact with the conductor, the result is that each room strip is
connected into circuit, which leads therefrom to its corresponding bell, thence
through the battery and back through the conductor and bar F¹ to the room strips,
and so all the bells are rung simultaneously.
The inclined strips and inclined faces upon the bar F¹ enable the bar to make
a sliding spring contact with each of the room strips. This ensures a reliable electrical
connection.
3 is a suitable spring or friction, which prevents accidental shifting of the lever F.
The contact points on a clock dial may be engaged directly by the hour hand of the
clock, but it is generally preferred, as shown in Figure 4, to provide the pointer with
a projecting spring c, which will sweep over the contact points and effect a more
certain connection therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. A signalling apparatus for hotels, etcetera consisting of the combination with a
series of electric bells located in the respective rooms, of a clock provided, with

page_text: contact points and a switch board provided with corresponding contact strips, each
passing contiguous to strips corresponding with each room, and means for connecting
said time strips and room strips at will, said bells, time strips, room strips, and clock
connected into circuit with a battery, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination with a battery circuit of a clock provided with contacts
adapted to connect with a pointer or hand, a switch board provided with a series of
metallic strips, one for each said clock contact, and with a series of strips, crossing the
latter, one for each room, said latter strips connected by said circuit with bells in
the corresponding rooms, and thence back to the battery, and means for connecting
any said room strips with a strip corresponding with any said clock contact, the
construction being such, that having made the said connection on the switch board,
the clock will complete the circuit at the appointed time, substantially as described.
3. In a hotel signalling apparatus, the combination of circuits embracing the room
bells, battery, clock and switch board of separate push buttons or keys on the switch
board adapted to engage the corresponding room strips, whereby any room may be
signalled at will independent of the clock, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
4. In a hotel signalling apparatus the combination with circuits embracing the
room bells, battery, clock and switch board of a simultaneous signalling apparatus
connected with said switch board, and adapted to engage all said room strips, whereby
said room may be simultaneously signalled independent of the clock, substantially as
described.
5. The combination with the battery, the bells, the clock and the switch-board of
buttons or keys E, one for each room strip, connected with a common conductor e,
whereby the clerk may at will, by pressing the key, complete the circuit through the
room strip, its bell, the battery and conductor e independent of the clock, substantially
as described.
6. The combination with the battery, the clock, the room bells and the switch-
board of the simultaneons signalling apparatus Fi, and conductor, whereby the
clerk may, by shifting the lever, simultaneously complete a circuit through each
room, its bell, the battery and the conductor independent of the clock, substantially
as described.
7. The simultaneous signalling apparatus, consisting of the combination with the
room strips, of spring strips and bar F with corresponding inclined faces f¹,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1887.