AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GIVING ALARM IN CASE OF FIRE OR BURGLARY
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James McNeice, of Donegore, nr. Belfast, in the County
of Antrim, Ireland, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
GIVING ALARM IN CASE OF FIRE OR BURGLARY."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James MoNeice at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1880.
JAMES MCNEICE, of Donegore, nr. Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland.
AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GIVING ALARM IN CASE OF FIRE OR
BURGLARY."
This Invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus which may be easily
put in communication with all the rooms or parts of a house or other building in
such a manner that should a fire occur a whistle and a bell will be automatically
sounded, and will continue to sound for a certain time, so as to give an alarm; and,
further, the apparatus may also be connected as required with the various doors and
windows of the house or other building, so that the opening of any one of the said
doors or windows will release the apparatus, and cause the whistle and bell to
sound, the apparatus thus serving as a burglar alarm.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a chamber of a spherical or other suitable
shape provided with a stop cock having a screw nozzle on which a condensing
pump may be screwed to allow of filling the chamber with compressed air. When
the chamber has been filled with compressed air the stop cock is turned, and will be
kept closed by means of a snap catch. The condenser is removed and a suitable
whistle screwed in its place. A clock spring and gearing are provided to operate a
hammer for striking a bell, which bell when fitted in its place forms a cover for the
mechanism. A check wire connects the hammer of the bell with the handle of the
stop cock. To a ring on a coil spring I attach a cord, such cord having been
rendered inflammable by any suitable known means, such as by having been dipped
in a solution of saltpetre and afterwards dried; the said cord is then extended
through the building (with side cords or guys as may be required). The herein-
before described snap catch is also connected to the said ring by means of a slack
cord. The plug of the stop cock is provided with a spiral spring for automatically
opening the same when released from the snap catch.

page_text: By this construction it will be understood that if a fire should occur the herein-
before described inflammable cord would be burnt, thereby releasing the coil spring,
which in recoiling would tighten the slack cord, and thereby withdraw the snap
catch from the stop cock, which would then be opened by its spring so as to cause
the whistle to be blown by the escape of the compressed air from the chamber, and
the opening of the stop cock also releases the hammer of the bell, which is then set
in motion by the clock spring and gearing so as to ring the bell. A regulator and
snail wheel are provided to allow the cock to open gradually as the air in the
chamber decreases.
If a cord or cords be connected to the said snap catch, and be connected to the
windows and doors of a house, the opening of any one of the said doors or
windows will operate the alarm, so that the apparatus thus serves as a burglar
alarm.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James McNeice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
November 1880.
JAMES MCNEICE, of Donegore, near Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland.
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GIVING ALARM IN CASE OF FIRE OR
BURGLARY."
This Invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus which may be easily
put in communication with all the rooms or parts of a house or other building in
such manner that should a fire occur a whistle and a bell will be automatically
sounded, and will continue to sound for a certain time, so as to give an alarm ; and,
further, the apparatus may also be connected as required with the various doors and
windows of the house or other building, so that the opening of any one of the said
doors or windows will release the apparatus, and cause the whistle and bell to
sound, the apparatus thus serving as a burglar alarm.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a chamber of a spherical or other suitable
shape provided with a stop cock having a screw nozzle on which a condensing
pump may be screwed to allow of filling the chamber with compressed air. When
the chamber has been filled with compressed air the stop cock is turned, and will
be kept closed by means of a snap catch. The condenser is removed and a suitable
whistle screwed in its place. A clock spring and gearing are provided to operate a
hammer for striking a bell, which bell when fitted in its place forms a cover for the
mechanism. A check wire connects the hammer of the bell with the handle of the
stop cock.
To a ring on a coil spring I attach a cord, such cord having been
rendered inflammable by any suitable known means, such as by having been dipped
in a solution of saltpetre and afterwards dried; the said cord is then extended
through the building, and with side cords or guys as may be required. The herein-
before described snap catch is also connected to the said ring by means of a slack
cord. The plug of the stop cock is provided with a spiral spring for automatically
opening the same when released from the suap catch.
A regulator and snail wheel are provided to allow the cock to open gradually as
the air in the chamber decreases.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan of my
improved fire and burglar alarm, the bell or cover and whistle being removed in
order to better shew its construction; Figures 2 and 3, side views of the same; and
Figure 4, a view on a smaller scale of the complete apparatus. Similar letters in all
the Figures represent similar parts.
a is the spherical chamber, but which may be of other suitable shape; b is the
stop cock with a screw nozzle c, on which the condensing pump of ordinary con-
struction may be screwed to allow of filling the chamber a with compressed air; d is
the snap catch for keeping the stop cock b closed; e is the spiral spring on the plug f
of the stop cock b for automatically opening the same when released from the snap
catch d; g, Figure 4, is the whistle screwed on the nozzle c of the stop cock when
the condensing pump has been removed; h, h, h, h, shew an ordinary clock spring and
alarum gearing or mechanism operating the hammer i of the bell j, such bell forming,
as shewn in Figure 4, a cover for the mechanism; or I may employ the well known
pin wheel and hammer arrangement and fan wheel to regulate the movement; a¹ is
the check wire, one end of which is fixed to the axle 6' of the bell hammer i, the
other end hooking in the handle of the stop cock b; k is the coil spring fixed round
the base of the mechanism underneath the bell, and provided with a ring 1; m is
the inflammable cord attached to the ring l, and extending through the building

page_text: as required; n is the slack cord connecting the said ring with the snap catch d'
o is the regulator on the end of the plug of the stop cock b; and p is the snail
wheel.
By this construction it will be understood that if a fire should occur the inflam-
mable cord m would be burnt, and the coil spring would be thereby released,
which spring in recoiling would tighten the slack cord n, and thereby withdraw the
snap catch & from the stop cock b, which would then be opened by its spring e so
as to cause the whistle g to be blown by the escape of the compressed air from the
chamber a, and the opening of the stop cock also causes the hammer i of the bell j
to be set in motion by the clock spring and alarum gearing or mechanism by
unhooking the check wire a¹ from the handle of the stop cock b. The opening of
the cock also brings the regulator o on the snail wheel p, and allows the cock b to
open gradually as the air in the chamber a decreases.
If a cord g (or cords) be connected to the snap catch d and to the windows and
doors of a house the opening of any one of the said doors or windows will with-
draw the snap catch a from the 'cock b, and thus operate the alarm in a similar
manner to that herein before described, so that the apparatus thus serves as a
burglary alarm also.
For a cheap alarm for private houses and the like I may dispense with the pump
and chamber and employ the bell or gong, as described; or I may attach the
apparatus to an engine or other steam apparatus.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the best means
with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down
and shewn in the Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the
peculiar character of my Invention; but what I claim is,-
Firstly. The construction and employment of the improved apparatus for giving
alarm in case of fire or burglary, arranged and operating substantially in the
manner herein before described and represented in the accompanying Drawing, or
any mere modification thereof.
Secondly. In a fire and burglary alarm apparatus I claim the employment of
the self acting stop cock, arranged and operating substantially in the manner and
for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James McNeice, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JAMES MONEICE. (L.S.)