AN IMPROVED ELECTRIC BURGLAR OR FIRE ALARM AND SIGNAL CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick James Harrison of Notting Hill in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of AN IMPROVED ELECTRIC BURGLAR
OR FIRE ALARM AND SIGNAL CONNECTED THEREWITH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick James Harrison
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1883.
FREDERICK JAMES HARRISON of Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex
"AN IMPROVED ELECTRIC BURGLAR OR FIRE ALARM AND SIGNAL CONNECTED
THEREWITH"
This Invention relates to an electric alarm and signal to indicate the entrance
of Burglars into buildings or other places and to indicate the house building or
place where an attempt at burglary has or is being made or it may be employed as
hereafter described as a Fire alarm According to this Invention in an apparatus
of suitable construction I fit a portfire charged with a material giving when
ignited a very powerful penetrating light capable of illuminating a large area
(magnesium for example) such portfire being ignited by means of an electric fuse
as bereinafter described or the same may be ignited by percussion as also hereinafter
described. To the said apparatus I also attach one or more detonators or exploders
capable of giving a loud report or series of reports the same being contained in
waterproof cases or compartments the detonator or detonators communicate with
the portfire by means of a fuse or fuses in such a way that the same may be
detonated either all together or at fixed intervals
I then cause contacts to be fitted to all doors and windows or other places
requiring protection in the Buildings or other place to be protected similar to well
known Burglar alarm contacts I then attach the same by means of insulated
wires to a Battery or Batteries having the above named apparatus in circuit so
that when the circuit is completed by the opening of a door or window for example
the electric fuse shall ignite the portfire which latter explodes the detonator or
detonators by means of the fuse or fuses herein before described. Thus alarming
and powerfully illuminating the neighbourhood simultaneously. For Country
m...

page_text: houses or isolated buildings in addition to the portfires and detonators I employ
a rocket or rockets which may be ignited simultaneously or at any desired interval
or intervals so as to give warning over a very extended area When the portfiro
is ignited by percussion I employ an electro magnet which attracts an armature
in connection with a weight or hammer so arranged as to be released and strike
a detonator inserted in the portfire upon the electric circuit being completed as
aforesaid
Where the above apparatus is used as a fire alarm I propose to employ switches
or contacts fitted in any convenient spot or spots to enable the inhabitants to
actuate the alarm as above described in this case it will be necessary to employ a
different coloured fire (red by preference)

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
"
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Frederick James Harrison
in the Patent Office on the 6th May 1884.
FREDERICK JAMES HARRISON of Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex
AN IMPROVED ELECTRIC BURGLAR OR FIRE ALARM AND SIGNAL CONNECTED
THEREWITH.
This invention relates to an electric alarm and signal to indicate the entrance of
Burglars into buildings or other places and to indicate the house building or place
where an attempt at burglary has or is being made or it may be employed as
hereafter described as a Fire alarm.
According to this Invention in an apparatus of suitable construction I fit a
portfire charged with a material giving when ignited a very powerful penetrating
light capable of illuminating a large area (magnesium for example) such port-fire
being ignited by means of an electric fuse as heroinafter described or the same
may be ignited by percussion as also hereinafter described. To the said apparatus
I also attach one or more detonators or exploders capable of giving a loud report
or series of reports the same being contained in waterproof cases or compartments
the detonator or detonators communicate with the port fire by means of a fuse or
fuses in such a way that the same may be detonated either all together or at fixed
intervals.
I then cause contacts to be fitted to all doors and windows or other places
requiring protection in the building or other places to be protected similar to well
known Burglar alarm contacts I then attach the same by means of insulated wires
to a Battery or Batteries having the above named apparatus in circuit so that when
the circuit is completed by the opening of a door or window for example the electric
fuse shall ignite the portfire which latter explodes the detonator or detonators by
means of the fuse or fuses hereinbefore described. Thus alarming and powerfully
illuminating the neighbourhood simultaneously. For Country houses or isolated
buildings in addition to the portfires and detonators I employ a rocket or rockets
which may be ignited simultaneously or at any desired interval or intervals so as
to give warning over a very extended area. When the port fire is ignited by
percussion I employ an electro-magnet which attracts an armature in connection
with a weight or hammer so arranged as to be released and strike a detonator
inserted in the portfire upon the electric circuit being completed as aforesaid.
When the above apparatus is used as a fire-alarm I propose to employ switches
or contacts fitted in any convenient spot or spots to enable the inhabitants to
actuate the alarm as above described in this case it will be necessary to employ a
different coloured fire (red by preference)
And in order to explain my said Invention more fully I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

page_text: to support the portfire when the tube a drops as shown at fig 2 and heroafter
described. shews a pin fixed to each side of the tube to prevent its falling entirely
out of the ring f as hereafter stated. i shews the leads from the electric fuse to
the battery. The fuse is placed at top or nearly so of the portfire and communi-
cates with a detonator or detonators or if a less report is required simply with
a little powder confined preferably at the top of the portfire b. The leads are also
in connection with contacts fitted to the doors windows or other parts of the
building in the same way as those employed for ordinary burglar alarms with
bells. The action is as follows:-Upon a door or window (for example) being
opened the contacts will act in the ordinary way completing the electric circuit
thereby causing the fuse to fire the powder or detonator or detonators blow off
the cap and light the portfire thereby heating the tube a which being soldered to
the ring o will melt the solder and the tube will drop down and be held on the
lower ring by means of the pins / thus leaving the portfire to burn freely and
give a brilliant light it being kept up by means of the wire holder g.
If this alarm is to be employed as a fire alarm the contacts would be in such
position that the inmates of the building could actuate them and the portfire
could be made to burn red so as to distinguish it from a burglar alarm. It will be.
seen that by these means in either case a report or reports is or are given to call
attention and at the same time the neighbourhood is lighted up so as to indicato
the spot. Although I have described and shewn the alarm as fired by means of
an electric fuse as being preferable it might be done by percussion by means of an
electro-magnet attracting an armature in connection with a weight or hammer so
arranged as to be released and strike a detonator or cap upon the electric circuit
being completed.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention and the
means whereby the same may be carried into practical effect I would remark in
conclusion that I do not wish to confine myself to the particular construction of
apparatus described and shewn but what I claim as my Invention and desire to
secure by the horeinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
Firstly. The combination of a portfire or port fires with a detonator or
detonators or confined powder fired by electricity substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Secondly. My improved electric burglar or fire alarm and signal connected
therewith substantially as described and shewn.
In Witness whereof I tho said Frederick James Harrison have hereunto set
my hand and seal this sixth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four
T. J. HAKKISUN (L.S.)