Improvements in Electrical Signalling or Alarm Apparatus for Domestic and other Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Electrical Signalling or Alarm Apparatus for
Domestic and other Purposes.
1, WILLIAM HENRY DINGLE, of 15, Hindon Street, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrician, do hereby declare the naturo of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention chiefly relates to a combined portable electric bell and burglar alarm,
and has for its object to provide apparatus which is very compact so that it can be
readily transported from place to place and which can be applied without difficulty.
According to my said invention 1 employ a case formed in two parts and adapted
to be readily fitted together and pulled apart.
The upper part of this case is made hollow on the undersido for the reception of a
small battery of any suitable construction, while the top side of the said upper part
carries an electric bell, the magnet and armature of which are preferably enclosed within
the said bell so as to be concealed.
The lower part of the said case is also made hollow or otherwise so constructed as to
contain an electrical conductor of considerable length with a push thereon.
When the bell is intended for use on a table within reach of the hand the battery
circuit is completed by means of a push on the top of the bell. When, however, the
bell is place.l at some distance from the hand the Hexible conductor is removed from
the lower part of the case and attached to the battery by suitable connections 50 that
the battery circuit can then be completed through the said conductor.
When the apparatus is to be used as a burglar alarm a spring contact is placed
upon the free end of the conductor which can be caused to complete the circuit in either
its open or closed position. This spring contact is adapted to be placed in a window
under or against a door, so that the movement of either of the same will complete the
contact.
The armature which I prefer to use in conjunction with the electric bell is provided
with a projection adapted to enter a recess in the pole of the field magnet, whereby the
action of the latter upon the armature is increased.

page_text: Although I have described the case as being made in two parts I wish it understood
that the case may he made in any other suitable manner provided a recess is formed for
receiving the flexible conductor. In some cases the said flexible conductor can be
dispensed with the bell being adapted to be rung by the push on the bell alone.
Dated the 30th day of April 1888.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
י
Domestic and other Purposes.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DINGLE, of 15 Hindon Street, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrician, 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 portable electric ringing apparatus adapted to serve either as
a call bell or as a burglar or fire alarm, and it comprises the novel arrangement of
parts whereby the bell can be used as a table bell or operated from a distance; or by
the rise of temperature above a normal point; a special construction of magnet whereby
the bell can be caused to ring with a comparatively weak battery and a special contact
device adapted to complete the electric current when it is compressed and break it.
when released and vice versa, all as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved ringing apparatus, and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the bell removed.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x, x, figure 2, showing the bell in position.
. Figure 4 is a sectional view of one of the coils of the magnet detached.
Figure 5 is a plan of the contact device, and
Figures 6 and 7 are longitudinal sectional views of the contact device respectively
illustrating the operation of the same when the apparatus is used as a call bell, and as
a burglar alarm.
Figures 8 and 9 are views of details.
Figures 10 and 11 are a side elevation and plan respectively of a bell having a
modified form of reel.
a is the case of the apparatus, which case is made hollow or recessed at 6 (as shown
in figures 1 and 3) and closed at the bottom by the piece c which fits upon the exterior
of the case as at c² but which may be held in place by screw threads or by any other
suitable means.

page_text: d is a battery located in the upper part of the recess b, and e is a reel which occupies
the lower portion of the said recess. The said reel is, as shown in figure 3, formed
integral with the bottom c, but it may be made separate therefrom, and it serves to
carry an electrical conductor and the contact device g. In cases where it is desirable
to carry a greater length of wire than that generally required I advantageously form.
flanges c c on the exterior of the case as shown in figures 10 and 11.
his the bell which is carried upon a stud i on the bracket j.
is the electro-magnet and is the armature. The said electro-magnet has formed
in one of its poles a slot or recess m (shown more clearly in figure 4) into which a
projection n on the armature is adapted to enter, without contact.
With this construction the sides of the slot and of the projection are in close
proximity, as indicated by dotted lines in figure 2, so that even when the battery
becomes very weak, it will energize the magnet sufficiently to attract the armaturo
owing to the close proximity of the latter thereto.
o is a set screw which is insulated from the bracket j and against which the contact
spring on the armature bears when the latter is unattracted; and o¹, figure 3, is a
connection between the said set screw and the battery.
g is a flexible contact which is fixed on the bracket j; r is a fixed contact which is
also carried by the bracket j and insulated therefrom, and s is a push which acts upon
the contact and serves to complete the circuit through the latter and the contact r
when it is depressed. The contact 7 is formed with an arm, figure 2, which is
connected by the wire 2 to one end of the coils of the electro-magnet the other end of
which is connected to the battery by the wire r³.
t, are pairs of sockets which are adapted to receive pins, u u', figure 8, on
one end of tho conductor which is double, the other end carrying the contact
device g.
The sockets are connected by wires t², t3 respectively to the arun r¹ and to the
bracket j.
v is a thermometer the column of mercury in which is connected at one end of tho
thermometer with the arm r through the medium of the wires v1, v2. A wire ³
normally out of contact with the mercury at the other end of the thermometer is in
electrical connection with the frame through a metal strip w,
the said wire extending
so far into the thermometer tube that when a predetermined temperature is reached
the mercury will make contact with the wire and so complete the circuit through
the bell.
be
The operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows, that is to say-
When the apparatus is required for use as a table-bell, or during transportation, the
conductor is wound upon the reel e which with the pins u, and the contact
device I is placed within the case as shown in figure 3. If now the push
depressed the current will flow from the battery d through the wire o¹, the screw o,
the armature spring p, the armature 1, the bracket j, the contact spring 7, and piece r,
the arm, the wire, the coils of the magnet k, and the wire 3, back to the battery,
causing the hammer 1, attached to the armature to strike the bell in a well known
manner. If, however, the bell is to be rung from a distant point the conductor is
unwound from the reel e and the pins u, u are placed in one of the pairs of
sockets t. t.
The advantage of providing more than one pair of sockets is that by the use of
two or more separate conductors, the electric circuit can be completed from the
different parts of a room to which the wires extend, for instance, to two windows and
a door so that on opening either of the same the bell will ring.
On completing the circuit through the contact device g, the current passes from the
battery through the wire ', the screw o, the spring p, the armature l, the bracketj,
the wire t, the pin u¹ in the socket ', the wire of the conductor connected to the
said pin, the contact device g, the other wire of the conductor, the pin u in the
socket t, the wires 12 and 2, the coils of the magnet k, and the wire back to
the battery.
In case of fire or when the temperature of a room or apartment reaches a

page_text: predetermined point the mercury of the thermometer makes contact with the wire 3,
the circuit being then completed through the wire o', the screw o, the armature
spring p, the armature 1, the bracket j, the strip we, the wire 3, the mercury of tho
thermometer, the wires v1, v2, the arm, the wire ², the coils of the magnet k, and
the wire, back to the battery.
The push used in connection with the double conductor may be of ordinary
construction; to enable the apparatus to be used as a burglar alarm I provido the
contact device g hereinbefore referred to, which is applicable for either call or alarm
purposes. This contact device comprises an arm 7 attached to a suitable head or
knob and connected to one wire of the conductor fand a contact piece having two
extensions g², g³. To the end of the arm gl is secured a flexible arm g carrying a
sliding tongue g adapted to make contact with one or other of the ends g², 93³, the
arms g¹ and g constituting a kind of wedge. When the apparatus is to be used as a
burglar alarm, the contact device is inserted between a door and its frame or between
two window sashes, or at any other point to be guarded, in such a manner that the
arm 9 and its tongue are held out of contact with the end g³ of the contact in the
head, as indicated by dotted lines in figure 7. In this case when the guarded door
or window is opened the contact device 9 will fall out so that the arın can spring
back to the position shown in full lines in figure 7. When the apparatus is to be
used as a call bell the tongues q is pushed along the arm g so that it will enter a
recess, in the head, as shown in full lines in figure 6, whereby the said tongue will
be. maintained out of contact with either end g³, g³.
To ring the bell the arm is pressed to the position indicated in dotted lines
in figure 6 so that the circuit will be completed through the end g².
I wish it understood that I do not limit my invention to the construction herein-
before described as it is obvious that the same can be considerably modified without
departing from the nature of the invention, for instance, the case a hereinbefore
described, may be constructed in any desirable manner provided recesses are formed
for containing the battery and reel.
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
(1) An electric bell or alarm adapted to be rung either directly by the depression
of a push or indirectly through the medium of a flexible, conductor, the said
bell or alarm being mounted upon a case provided with a recess or recesses for
containing a battery and with a reel for carrying the flexible conductor, substantially
as described.
(2) In an electric bell an electro-magnet having one of its poles slotted and
combined with an armature carrying a projection adapted to enter the said slot to
enable the bell to be worked with a feeble battery current.
(3) A contact device adapted to make electrical contact by either compression or
expansion, substantially as described.
(4) The improved contact device having the arm, the double contact surfaces, the
spring arm and the sliding tongue, substantially as described.
(5) The manufacture and use of electric bells constructed and arranged substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 23rd day of November 1888.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.