A NEW AND IMPROVED LIGHT ALARM OR BURGLAR ANNUNCIATOR, OR APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM WHEN A BURGLARIOUS ATTEMPT IS MADE TO ENTER A ROOM OR DWELLING
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cyrus Curtice, of the State of Massachusetts, of the
United States of America, for the "Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED
LIGHT ALARM OR BURGLAR ANNUNCIATOR, OR APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM
WHEN A BURGLARIOUS ATTEMPT IS MADE TO ENTER A ROOM OR DWELLING: "_
A communication from Edward Brown and other foreigners.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said, Cyrus. Curtice... at. the:
. Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
June 1855.
I, CYRUS CURTICE, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "A NEW AND
IMPROVED LIGHT ALARM OR BURGLAR ANNUNCIATOR, OR APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM
WHEN A BURGLARIOUS ATTEMPT IS MADE TO ENTER A ROOM OR DWELLING," to be
as follows:-
In the following Specification and the accompanying Drawings, of which
Figure 1 denotes a front view of my improved alarm apparatus as applied to a
door frame, and to be set in operation by the opening of the door, Figure 2
is a side view of it, Figure 3 is a top view, and Figure 4 is a central, vertical,
and longitudinal section of it and its bell. In the said Drawings, A is a

page_text: metallic bracket, secured to the door frame B near the top of the door C. A
cylindrical tube D projects; downwards from the horizontal part a of the
bracket, and is provided with a slot b, extending from top to bottom of it, the
said tube being closed at its lower-end..
A cylindrical slider E is placed within the tube, and fitted to it, so as to slide
freely up and down in the same. This, slider, rests on a strong helical spring
F, which is placed in the tube. From the upper part of the slider an arın c
projects horizontally, or at right angles to it, about three quarters of an inch,
and is thence turned upwards, and terminates in or supports a friction match
tube or holder G. A friction match may be passed through the tube, and
confined by a set screw h properly adapted to the tube.
An arm or plate I is made to project laterally from the lower part of the
arm c, and so as to pass a short distance over the door and beyond its edge
when the slider is depressed: --A notch is made in the tube D, and out of one
or both sides of the slot b, as seen at i or k, and at the lowest position to
which it may be desired to depress the slider, such notch being-large enough
to receive the horizontal part of the arm c.when the slider is turned so as to
move it into the notch, such notch serving to hold the slider down. Above
the shelf or top of the bracket, and supported by it, is a small cylindrical
spirit lamp L, to whose, front side is affixed as roughened surface or piece of
sand paper M. A bell N is attached to the slider or the arm thereof by
means of a long curved spring O.
Such being the construction and arrangement of the afore-described parts,
if we lay hold of the arm or plate I, and force it downwards and turn it
laterally, so as to cause the horizontal part of the arm c to enter the notch k
next to the door, the apparatus will be set for sounding an alarm and lighting
a lamp when the door is next opened. The door on being opened; is moved
against the arm I, and thereby moves it, so as to turn the slider and move its
arm c out of the notch k, which taking place, the spring is-released and
throws or smartly forces up the slider, causing the match to rub against the
friction surface and become inflamed. As the match reaches to the level
of the wick of the lamp the flame will set fire to the wick, at the same time
the concussion or blow of the arm c against the lower side of the shelf of the,
bracket sets the bell in motion so as to ring it violently. If an extinguisher; R
is placed on the top of the lamp, the match during its upward movement may
.be carried against its; projecting bottom so as to throw it (the extinguisher) off
the wick. Thus, my apparatus not only sounds, an alarm, but lights a lamp.
on an attempt being made to open the door.
I do not claim the combination of an alarm clock with a lamp-lighting

page_text: apparatus, they being so applied; that on an alarm being sounded by the clock-
works, they shall set free the separate machinery by which the lamp and friction
match are rotated, the latter being carried against a roughened surface for the
purpose of igniting it
- In my alarm apparatus, the spring which moves the match holder not only
performs: the operation of, moving such match holder, but it elevates the bell
and its spring until the, slide: E' is brought up against the shelf a,, which, taking
place, the accumulated force on the bell causes the bell to vibrate.and sound
the alarm, therefore, claim the improvement of so-connecting the match
holder; and the bell spring o with the slide B, that the, spring F of the slide,
onsbeing set. free by the, opening of the door, shall not only elevate the match
holder, but set the bell in motion, so as to cause the alarm to be sounded by
it.in manner as specified.
>
I
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Cyrus Curtice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
October 1855:
30th
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CYRUS
CURTICE, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her 'most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent,; bearing date the Fifth day of June, A. D. 1855, in the eighteenth year
of Her reign, did; for Herself, Her, heirs and successors, give and grant, unto
me, the said Cyrus. Curtice, Her special license that I; the, said Cyrus Curtice,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,, the said
Cyrus Curtice, my executors, administrators,.,and assigns,, should at any
time, agree with, and no others; from time to time, and at all times, thereafter
during the term therein expressed; should and lawfully,, might make, use,
exercise, and, vend,,within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention, of "A NEW AND IMPROVED
LIGHT ALARM OR BURGLAR ANNUNCIATOR, OR APPARATUS TO GIVE ALARM, WHEN A
BURGLARIOUS ATTEMPT IS, MADE TO ENTER A ROOM OR DWELLING,[the same
having been communicated to me by one Edward Brown, and other foreigners;]
upon the condition. [amongst others] that I,, the said Cyrus, Curtice, by an in-
strument in writing under my hand and seal, should, particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the, said Invention, and in what manner, the same was

page_text: to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately. after the date of the
said Letters Patent:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Cyrus Curtice, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
Specification and the accompanying Drawings, letters, figures, and references
thereof
Of the said Drawings, Figure 1 denotes a front view of my improved alarm
apparatus as applied to a door frame, and to be set in operation by the opening
of the door; Figure 2 is a side view of it; Figure 3 is a top view; and
Figure 4 is a central, vertical, and longitudinal section of it and its bell.
In the said Drawings, A is a metallic bracket, secured to the door frame.B;
near the top of the door C. A cylindrical tube D projects downward from
the horizontal part a of-the-bracket,-and-is-provided with a slot b, extending
from top to bottom of it, the said tube, being closed at its lower end.
A cylindrical slider Eis placed, within the tube, and fitted to it, so as to slide
freely up and down in the same. The slider rests on a strong helical spring F,
which is placed in the tube. From the upper part of the slider an arm c
projects horizontally, or at right angles to it, about three quarters of an inch,
and is thence turned upwards, and terminates in or supports a friction match
tübe or holder G. A friction match may be placed through the tube and
confined by a set screw h properly adapted to the tube.
An arm or plate I'is made' to 'project laterally from the lower part of the
arm. c, and so as to pass a short distance over the door and beyond its edge
when the slider is depressed. A notch is made in the tube D, and out of one
or both sides of the slot b, as seen at i ork, and at the lowest position to which
we may desire to depress the slider, such notch being large enough to receive
the horizontal part of the arm c when the slider is turned, so as to move
it into the notch, such notch serving to hold the slider down. Above the
shelf or top of the bracket, and supported by it, is a small cylindrical spirit
lamp L, to whose front side is affixed a roughened surface or piece of sand
paper M. A bell N is attached to the slider or the arm thereof by means
of a long curved spring O.
Such being the construction and arrangement of the afore-described parts,
if we lay hold of the arm or plate I, and force it downwards and turn it
laterally, so as to cause the horizontal part of the arm c to enter the notch k
next to the door, the apparatus will be set for sounding an alarm and lighting
lamp when the door is next opened. The door on being opened is moved
a

page_text: against the arm I, and thereby moves it, so as to turn the slider and move its
arm c out of the notch, which taking place, the spring is released and thereby
throws or smartly forces up the slider, causing the match to rub against the
friction surface and become enflamed. As the match reaches to the level
of the wick of the lamp the flame will set fire to the wick, at the same
time the concussion or blow of the arm c against the lower side of the
shelf of the bracket sets the bell in motion so as to ring it violently. If
an extinguisher R is placed on the top of the lamp, the match during its
upward movement may be carried against its projecting bottom so as to
throw it [the extinguisher] off the wick. Thus, my apparatus not only
sounds an alarm, but lights a lamp on an attempt being made to open the
door.
I do not claim the combination of an alarm clock with a lamp-lighting
apparatus, they being so applied, that on an alarm being sounded by the clock-
work, they shall set free the separate machinery by which the lamp and friction
match are rotated, the latter being carried against a roughened surface for the
purpose of igniting it.
In my alarm apparatus, the spring which moves the match holder not only
performs the operation of moving such match holder, but it elevates the bell
and its spring until the slide E is brought up against the shelf a, which
taking place, the accumulated force on the bell causes the bell to vibrate and
sound an alarm. I therefore claim the improvement of so connecting the match
holder and the bell spring O with the slide E, that the spring F of the slide,
on being set free by the opening of the door, shall not only elevate the match
holder, but set the bell in motion, so as to cause the alarm to be sounded
by it in manner as specified.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five
CYRUS CURTICE. (L.S.)