A New or Improved Combined Bell Push and Automatic Switch for Electric Alarms.
Year: 1887

page_text: A New or Improved Combined Bell Push and Automatic Switch
for Electric Alarms.
I, HIPPOLYTE CHARLES CHOCQUEEL, of 12 Melrose Gardens, West Kensington
Park, in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Technology, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, to be as follows:
:-
This invention consists in an apparatus to be combined with a battery and a suitable
electric alarm for the purpose of sounding the said alarm in the case of various
contingencies, the apparatus being used, as a fire or burglar alarm, as an alarm for
notifying excessive rise or fall of the level of water in boilers, or as an ordinary bell
push or for any other purpose to which it may be applicable.
Through a suitable case of wood or other insulating material, is passed a rod of
metal moving freely and projecting at each end through suitable openings in the case.
This rod carries a tongue which by shifting the rod in either direction is caused to
impinge on a contact and so close a circuit which comprises a battery and an alarm
bell. The rod is so controlled by a spring that it tends to press on one of the contacts.
The rod is held back against the spring and so that its tongue is situated midway
between the contacts, by means of a cord or chain connecting one of the ends of the
said rod with the door or window or other place or article by the movement of which
it is desired to sound the alarm. Thus, should this cord be pulled, or cut or allowed
to slacken the tongue of the rod will be moved against one of the contacts and the
alarm bell will be sounded. To enable the alarm to be used as an ordinary electric
bell to be sounded when required, by pressing on a button, I so restrain the travel of
the rod that it cannot be pressed by the spring onto that contact against which it
would normally be pressed if no such restraining means were used.
It is thus held
midway between the contacts, and may be at any time pressed back against the
other contact against the spring by pressure of the finger on the outer free end of the
QJ1

page_text: rod For this purpose I may either disconnect the alarm cord above mentioned or
may attach or fix the same by suitable means. If the alarm cord is disconnected I
arrange in the case a small bolt adapted to be moved from outside the case. This bolt
may be so pressed down as to arrive before a pin fixed on the rod and so prevent its
further movement in the direction of the contact, on withdrawing the bolt and fixing
the cord as described, the apparatus is converted into an automatic alarm.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1887
HERBERT & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Combined Bell-push and Automatic Switch
for Electric Alarms.
I, HIPPOLYTE CHARLES CHOCQUEEL of 12 Melrose Gardens, West Kensington
Park, in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Technology, do hereby declare the
nature of the said 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 in an apparatus to be combined with a battery and a suitable
electric alarm for the purpose of sounding the said alarm in the case of various
contingencies, the apparatus being used as a fire or burglar aların as an alarm for
notifying excessive rise or fall of the level of water in boilers, or as an ordinary bell
push or for any other purpose to which it may be applicable.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device with
cover removed showing also its connection with the battery and signal. Fig. 2 is a
plan view of the lower side of the cover of the device.
Through a suitable case A of wood or other insulating material is passed a rod B of
metal, moving freely and projecting at each end through suitable openings a a in the
case A, said openings being edged with metal by the strip of sheet metal K passing
around the inside of the case as shown, or across the floor thereof under the rod or
otherwise for electrical contact with the rod. The said rod B carries a tongue C
which by shifting the rod in either direction is caused to impinge on one of the
contacts DD and so close a circuit which comprises a battery X and an alarm bell Z.
The rod B is so controlled by a spring E that it tends to press with the tongue C onto
the contact D'. The rod is held back against the spring and so that its tongue is
situated midway between the contacts by means of a cord or chain F connecting one
of the ends of the said rod with the door, window-sash or other place or article by the
movement of which it is desired to sound the alarm. Thus, should this cord be pulled
the tongue C will arrive on the contact D and if the cord be cut or allowed to slacken
the said tongue C of the rod will be moved by the spring against the contact D¹
and the alarm bell will in either case be sounded. To enable the alarm to be used as an
ordinary electric bell to be sounded when required by pressing on a button, I so
restrain the travel of the rod B that it cannot be pressed by the spring E on to that
contact (namely D') against which it would normally be pressed if no such restraining
means were used. It is thus held midway between the contacts and may be at any
time pressed back against the other contact D against the spring E, by pressure of
the finger on the outer free end B₁ of the rod. For this purpose
I may either
disconnect the alarm cord above mentioned or may attach or fix the same by suitable
If the alarmn cord is disconnected I arrange in the case, preferably
on the under side of the cover A', a small bolt G adapted to be moved from outside
the case.
This bolt may be so pushed in that the end G₁ arrives before pin H fixed
on the rod B and so prevents the further movement of the latter in the direction of the
means.

page_text: contact D¹, on withdrawing the bolt and fixing the cord as described, the apparatus is
converted into an automatic alarm.
The pin J extending through a slot in the bolt G limits the movement of the
latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
In electric bell pushes and alarm switches,
1. The combination of rod B having tongue C with contacts D D' and spring E,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of rod B having tongue Cand pin H, with contacts D D¹,
spring E, and bolt G substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
1007
H. C. CHOCQUEEL.
By Herbert & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, W.C.,
Agents.