Electric Alarm Clocks with Advertising Spaces.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
Electric Alarm Clocks with Advertising Spaces.
I, SAMUEL SIDNey Bromhead of 97 Newgate Street London, in the County
of London, Patent Agent (communication from Franklin Beuner of Minneapolis,
County of Hennepin, Minnesota, U.S.A.) 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 :-
My invention relates to that class of devices used in hotels for registering the
hour at which a guest desires to be called and for giving notice thereof when said
hour has arrived, and the object of my invention is to provide an electric alarm
clock of a simple, cheap, and durable construction in combination with ready means
for registering the time and guest room number, and further to provide in connection
therewith means for advertising.
This invention consists in general, in an electrical alarm clock or guest call
signal comprising a suitable frame whereon are two series of numbers, one for the
numbers of the rooms and the other for hours and quarter-hours, in combination
with checks or tags bearing corresponding numbers of the rooms to be placed over
the hour numbers or pins, and a clock, the hour-hand of which bears a contact
spring forming one terminal of an electric circuit and adapted to engage pins
movable into or out of the path of said contact and forming the other terminal of
the other said electric circuit. And further an electro-magnetic bell included in
said circuit. My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an alarm apparatus embodying my invention, the
advertising cards being removed from one side thereof to show the battery within
the casing.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the clock, portions thereof being broken away
clearly show construction of the electrical parts.
Fig. 4 is sectional view of the clock face on the line y-y of Fig. 3.
In the drawings, 2 represents a suitable frame having secured in its face in any
suitable manner a clock 3 which may be of any ordinary construction. The hour
hand 5 of this clock is provided with the brush and circuit closer 7. Arranged in
front of the clock face 8 at any suitable distance therefrom, is a ring 11 that
surrounds the clock dial. This ring is provided with a series of holes preferably
one for each quarter hour space on the clock dial, and in these holes are located
the pins 13. A second ring 15 is preferably arranged in front of the ring 11 in
such position as to prevent the pins 13 from being drawn entirely out of the ring 11.
The pins 13, when they stand with their heads against the ring 15, are entirely out
of the path of the hour-hand and its circuit closer 7. When these pins are pushed
inward they are brought into the path of the movement of the circuit closer 7, so
that said circuit closer comes in contact with each one of said pins that is in this
position. By means of a wire 17, a battery 19 and binding post 21, the ring 11
and pins 13 are brought into a partial electric circuit. The clock frame is also
connected to a wire 23 which is connected to a suitable bell 25 from which a wire 27
extends to the other pole of the battery 19. Thus when the circuit closer 7 on
the hour-hand touches any one of said pins 13 a circuit would be closed, the bell 25
will be rung, and this will continue until said circuit closer passes said pins. The
lower part of the front board or frame is utilized for the checks 20, bearing the
several numbers of the rooms, and hung upon numbered pins or pegs 21. The
middle panel bears the bell 25 at the top, and beneath it the twelve horizontal

page_text: rows of numbered pins 23. The pins are numbered from top to bottom from 1 to 12
for the hours of the day, and opposite each are three other pins for the three
quarters of each hour, the same being numbered 15, 30, and 45 respectively. The
sides and top of the frame are adapted to receive the advertising cards 24, the
revenue from the advertisement placed therein going to maintain the expenses of
the apparatus.
The operation and use of my device may be outlined as follows: Upon the
request of a guest to be called at a certain hour, say at half past 8, the clerk will
open the face of the clock and push in the pin midway between 8 and 9 on the
clock dial, and will then take from the lower part of the frame the check bearing
the number of the guest's room, and place the same upon the 8.30 pin on the
middle panel of the frame. At half past 8 the hour-hand of the clock will have
revolved so as to carry the contact finger into engagement with the contact pin,
thereby closing the circuit through the battery and causing the bell to ring. The
attention of the clerk is thus called to the apparatus and noticing the time on the
clock he will immediately glance noticing the room-number check previously placed
thereon, will immediately send a call to the room designated.
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 :-
An electrical alarm advertising clock consisting of a combination of the following
parts, namely; A frame furnished with spaces for advertisements, on which frame
are an electro-magnetic bell, and two series of numbers, one of which denotes the
time and the other the rooms of the guests, and also a series of movable checks or
tags also denoting the rooms and bearing corresponding numbers; and also a
battery within or behind said frame, and a clock in front, the hour hand of which
carrys a contact spring forming one terminal of an electric circuit, and adapted to
engage movable pins forming the other terminal, as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 11th day of May 1894.
S. S. BROMHEAD.