Electrical Hose Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1892-Accepted, 11th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Electrical Hose Signalling Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM FOWLER, a resident of Colorado Springs, County of El Paso,
State of Colorado, United States of America, Dentist, 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 an improved electrical signalling apparatus for use in
connection with the hose employed for extinguishing fires; and the object of the
invention is to provide means whereby signals may be instantly passed back and
forth between the men at the engine and those at the nozzle of the hose by
simply pressing a button suitably located at either point.
The noise and confusion almost invariably accompanying conflagrations render
the giving of verbal signals very difficult and unsatisfactory, as is well known to
all who are at all familiar with the matter, either from experience or observation.
It is believed that this difficulty is effectually overcome by the use of my present
invention, since the action of the electric current is undisturbed by the vibrations
of the atmosphere.
In practising my improved signalling system I attach a bell or enunciator to the
hose nozzle and another to the engine at a suitable point, these bells being both
located in the same circuit, which is formed by running wires from a galvanic
battery or other suitable source of electricity, preferably located on the engine,
along the hose, which forms their support, the circuit being so established with
reference to the bells or alarm mechanism that both enunciators-that is, those at
the engine and nozzle-are simultaneously sounded by pressing a button at either
point, whereby the person giving the signal is assured that the apparatus is in
working order.
The invention will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing,
in connection with the description hereinafter given.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a nozzle coupled to a section of hose, the parts being
provided with my improvement. In this view one layer of the hose is partially
broken away to illustrate the circuit wires.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the signalling mechanism.
Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged longitudinal sections of two different styles of hose
couplings, showing my attachments for completing the circuit throughout.
Fig. 5 is an end view of a washer attached to each section of the coupling.
Fig. 6 is an end view of one section of the coupling showing the contact-rings.
Fig. 7 is a similar view of the opposite section of the coupling.
Fig. 8 is an end view of the coupling section shown in Fig. 6.
however, the plate carrying the contact rings is removed.
Fig. 9 is a rear view of this plate.
In this view,
In this view are shown the contact-plates which engage the springs illustrated
in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section taken through the coupling on the lines C, C,
A, A, and B, B, Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Fig. 11 is a top view of one of the piston chambers, showing the contact pin
located in the centre thereof.
Fig. 12 is a detail view of a piston, showing the contact guide pins attached
thereto. In this case the contact pin is located to one side of the centre as shown
in Fig. 10.
Fig. 13 is an end view of the hose, showing the location of the circuit-wires
between the two layers of material forming the same.

page_text: Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view, showing the push-button contacts on an enlarged
scale.
In these views similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts or
elements of the mechanism.
Let the numerals 10 and 11 designate two sections of an ordinary hose coupling.
In Fig. 4 these sections are shown oppositely shouldered and correspondingly
threaded. In this construction the two sections are directly connected with each
other, while in Fig. 3 an intermediate nut 13 is swiveled to section 11 and forms
the connection between the sections. In this style of section a rubber gasket 12
is placed between the engaging parts of the coupling, its outer edge being received
within a circumferential recess formed in nut 13. The nozzle 14, which is suitably
attached to section 11, is provided with an electric bell 15 and push button 16.
A similar button and bell 17 and 18 are located on the engine or in proximity to
the extremity of the hose opposite from the nozzle.
A battery 19 or other suitable source of electricity is located, preferably upon
the engine. From a pole 31 of this battery leads a circuit wire 21 to contact with
a binding screw 26 of push button 17, and thence along the hose, preferably taking
a spiral course around the same, as shown in Fig. 1, and thence by means of
suitable connections through the coupling to contact 28 of push button 16, located
on the nozzle, wire 21 terminating at this point.
From the other pole 33 of the battery leads the other circuit wire 23 to binding
screw 34 of bell 18. From the other binding screw 35 of the bell 18 leads another
wire 36 to binding screw 37 of bell 15, where said wire terminates. From the
other binding screw 38 of the last named bell leads another wire 22 to contact 27
of push button 16, and thence to contact 25 of push button 17 where it terminates.
All the wires are supported by the hose and preferably take a spiral course
around the same, as shown in Fig. 1, in order to avoid subjecting them to undue
strain, as otherwise might happen if they took a direct course. Within the
coupling sections are located the cylindrical rings 41 and 42, of insulating
material, suitably secured to washers 42" 42", made fast to the coupling sections,
as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each washer 42 is provided with three apertures 43,
through which the wires 21, 22 and 36 pass after leaving the hose. After leaving
the washer 42º, located within section 10 of the coupling, these wires pass through
apertures 44, formed in insulating ring 41, and terminate at screws 45, which hold
the contact springs 46 securely in place. Each of these springs is located within a
hollow recess 47, and their free extremities normally project slightly therefrom,
so as to insure perfect contact with the metal plates 48, embedded in the engaging
surface of the insulating ring 49, provided with a collar 50 engaging ring 41
interiorly. In the outer face of ring 49 are embedded three metal contact rings 51,
52, and 53, insulated from each other, and each connected with a spring 46 by a
metallic rivet 54.
Within the opposite insulating ring 42 are formed three
cylindrical chambers 55, provided with closed metallic casings 56, in which are
located nicely fitting pistons 57, engaged by coil springs 58 surrounded by guide
rods 59, which pass through outlet apertures formed in the bottom of the chamber's
casing and continued through the ring, as shown in Fig. 10. The face of each
piston, opposite that engaged by the spring, is provided with a metallic contact
pin 60 which protrudes through an aperture formed in the top of casing 56. It
must be remembered that these pins 60, as well as the apertures through which
they pass, are so located that each pin engages a separate contact ring when the
hose is coupled. For instance, one pin engages the outer ring 51, another pin
the middle ring 52 and the third the inner-most ring 53. When the hose is
uncoupled the pins 60 are forced outward by the recoil of springs 58 so that they
engage their respective rings in the opposite section of the coupling as soon as the
sections are first placed together. Hence as the parts are screwed together
these contacts engage each other more tightly and insure perfect contact at all
times.
Each metallic casing 56 is provided with a metal arm 61, to which leads one of

page_text: the wires 21, 22 or 36, as the case may be, since said wires pass through suitable
apertures 63, formed in rings 41 and extend to arms 61, where they are secured
by screws 62, thus completing the circuit through both sections of the coupling.
Hence when button 17 is pressed the current passes from pole 31 of the battery
through wire 21, contacts 26 and 25 of the same button, wire 22, a spring 46,
plate 48, a rivet 54, a ring 51, 52 or 53, a contact pin 55, piston 57, casing 56, and
arm 61 to contact 27 of button 16, and thence through the same wire to binding
screw 38 of the bell, through the magnet to binding screw 37, and thence via
wire 36 back through the coupling in the reverse direction to binding screw 35 of
bell 18, through the magnet to the other binding screw of the bell, and thence via
wire 23 to the other pole of the battery, completing the circuit and ringing both
bells. Again when button 16 is pressed the circuit may be said to pass from
pole 31 of the battery through wire 21 to contact 26 of button 17, and thence
through the same wire 21 to and through the coupling as before, and thence through
wire 21 to contacts 28 and 27 and wire 22 to binding screw 38 of the bell 15,
thence through the magnet to binding screw 37 and thence through wire 36 back
through the coupling to bell 18 and through the magnet to wire 23 and thence
to the other pole 33 of the battery, completing the circuit and ringing both bells,
as before.
It will be observed that instead of three sets of conductors for carrying the
current through the coupling separate from the coupling itself, the metallic parts
10 and 11, or 10, 13 and 11, as the case may be, may be utilized instead of one of
the sets of separate conductors shown in the drawing. In this case one of the
contact rings 51, 52 or 53 and its corresponding connecting parts may be dispensed
with and the wires connected directly to the metallic sections 10 and 11 of the
ordinary hose coupling.
It may be well to state that the covering of the circuit wires, or the insulation,
or the wires themselves, if uninsulated, should be of different colors in order to
assist in making the proper connections at the bells, buttons, and electric source
after the wires leave the hose in which they are concealed throughout its length.
This of course is a mere matter of convenience.
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 :-
1st: In an electrical hose signalling apparatus, the combination with the alarm
mechanism, the hose-sections and the conducting wires attached thereto, of an insu-
lating ring attached to the engaging coupling extremities of the hose section, one of
these rings being provided with metallic springs 46, to which the circuit wires lead,
and the other with metal cased chambers connected with the circuit wires, and
spring actuated pistons having contact pins 60 normally projecting from the outer
surface of the ring, and an intermediate circumferential insulating plate provided
on one face with metal contact plates 48, adapted to engage springs 46 respectively,
and on the opposite face with separate contact rings respectively connected
electrically with plates 48 and pins 60 when the hose sections are coupled,
substantially as described.
2nd: In a hose signalling apparatus the combination with a source of
electricity, of enunciators and intermediate circuit wires wound spirally around
the hose, and couplings constructed with reference to completing the circuit there-
through and consisting of insulating rings 41 and 42 attached to the coupling
extremities of the hose-sections, ring 41 being provided with contact springs 46,
normally projecting beyond the plane of its outer face and connected with the
circuit wires, ring 42 being provided with metal walled chambers to which the
circuit wires lead and in which are located the spring actuated pistons having
contact pins 60 normally protruding from the face of the rings and an intermediate
circumferential insulating plate provided with metal contact plates 48 on one face,
adapted to engage springs 46 respectively, and separate contact rings secured to

page_text: the opposite face and respectively connected electrically with the springs 46 and
pins 60 when the hose sections are coupled, substantially as described.
3rd :-In a hose signalling apparatus an electrically arranged coupling consisting
of two insulating rings 41 and 42, ring 41 being provided with springs 46 normally
projecting beyond the plane of its outer face and to which the circuit wires lead,
ring 42 being provided with metal walled chambers with which the circuit wires
are connected and having spring actuated pistons located therein and provided
with contact pins normally protruding from the chambers and projecting beyond
the face of the ring, and an intermediate insulating circumferential plate having
separate metal plates 48 on one face and separate contact rings on the opposite
face, the plates 48 being respectively connected with the rings and the latter with
the pins 60 when the coupling is made, substantially as described.
4th: An electrically arranged hose coupling consisting of two insulating rings 41
and 42, ring 41 being provided with separate metallic contact rings on its outer
face to which the circuit wires lead, ring 42 being provided with metal walled
chambers connected with the circuit wires, spring actuated pistons located therein
and provided with contact pins normally extending beyond the face of the ring and
adapted to engage the opposite metal ring when the coupling is established,
substantially as described.
5th: A hose signalling apparatus consisting of a source of electricity, a circuit
consisting of wires attached to the hose, and suitable connections at the hose
couplings whereby the circuit is preserved without interfering with coupling or
uncoupling the hose sections, said connections consisting of two insulating rings 41
and 42, ring 41 being provided with separate metallic contact rings on its outer
face to which the circuit wires lead, ring 42 being provided with metal walled
chambers connected with the circuit wires, spring actuated pistons located therein
and provided with contact pins normally extending beyond the face of the ring and
adapted to engage the opposite metal ring when the coupling is established,
substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of April 1900
WILLIAM FOWLER.