IMPROVEMENTS IN WARNING OR SIGNALLING PROVISIONAL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Diggins of Auckland Road in the County of
Middlesex and Adolph Glück of Southwold Road, Upper Clapton in the
same County for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WARNING OR SIGNALLING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Diggins and Adolph
Glück at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August
1882.
HENRY DIGGINS of Auckland Road in the County of Middlesex and ADOLPH
GLÜCK of Southwold Road Upper Clapton in the same County "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WARNING OR SIGNALLING APPARATUS FOR THE PROTECTION OF PROPERTY, AND
OTHER PURPOSES
"
The object of this invention is to convey a rapid indication to watchmen and
others in the case of premises being entered by thieves, or fire smouldering in any
unseen part of the building. This we effect by fixing one or more lamps or
bullseyes in such a position, preferably external to the house, as will bring them
under the notice of the watchman, police, or others, the said lamps or lights being
each enclosed in a strong iron case fitted with a disc or screen of coloured glass,
preferably red, which will be caused by the movements of the thieves, operating
suitable mechanism, to come in front of the lamp or light and change its colour,
thereby alarming the people outside the building while giving no indication to the
burglar that it has done so. The coloured glass screen, or its equivalent, may be kept
up by a simple lever catch, or equivalent device; an electro magnet in connection with
a simple battery serving to release the catch or detent when the electrical contact
is made by the intruder opening a door or window, or it may be removing a coat
from a peg. The heat of a smouldering fire also may be caused in various well
known ways to make the electrical contact and release the detent.
The coloured part thus displayed should take a distinctive form to avoid all

page_text: chance of clashing with the permanent coloured lights shown by doctors, and
others.
To this end we propose to adopt as a convenient alarm signal, a triangle of
crimson glass, with or without suitable words such as "Police "
"
or Help"
inscribed upon it.
For external use the coloured signal lamp may be combined with an alarum to
draw attention to the change, but for internal use, as in jewellers shops protected
by iron bars, it is not proposed to use this combination, as it would indicate to the
burglar or intruder that his presence was detected, and possibly assist his escape.
The coloured screen of glass may be brought in front of the light by pneumatic
agency, or by wires and levers suitably arranged, but we prefer to employ
electricity.
When a pneumatic connection is used the wind may be also caused to blow a
whistle, or start an alarum, fitted in or combined with the lamp and coloured
screen.
The uses to which this detector lamp may be put are numerous, and will readily
suggest themselves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Diggins and Adolph Glück in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd February 1883.
"
HENRY DIGGINS of Auckland Road in the County of Middlesex and ADOLPH
IMPROVEMENTS
GLÜCK of Southwold Road Upper Clapton in the same County
IN WARNING OR SIGNALLING APPARATUS FOR THE PROTECTION OF PROPERTY AND
OTHER PURPOSES
"
The object of this Invention is to convey a rapid visible indication to watchmen
and others in the case of premises being entered by thieves, or fire smouldering in
any unseen part of the building.
This we effect by fixing one or more lamps or bullseyes in such a position
preferably external to the house as will bring them under the notice of the
watchman, police or others, the said lamps or lights being each enclosed in a strong
iron case fitted with a disc or screen of colored glass preferably red, which will be
caused by the movements of the thieves operating suitable mechanism to come in
front of the lamp or light and change its colour, thereby alarming the people
outside the building while giving no indication to the burglar that it has done so.
The colored glass screen or its equivalent may be kept up by a simple lever
catch, or equivalent device; an electro magnet in connection with a simple battery
serving to release the catch or detent when the electrical contact is made by the
intruder opening a door or a window, or it may be removing a coat from a peg.
The heat of a smouldering fire also may be caused in various well known ways to
make the electrical contact and release the detent.
The colored part thus displayed should take a distinctive form to avoid all
chance of clashing with the permanent colored lights shewn by doctors and others.
To this end we propose to adopt as a convenient alarm signal a triangle of
crimson glass with or without suitable words such as " Police or "Help" inscribed
upon it.
"
For external use the colored signal lamp may be combined with an alarum to
draw attention to the change of color but for internal use as in jewellers shops
protected by iron bars it is not proposed to use this combination as it would
audibly indicate to the burglar or intruder that his presence was detected and
possibly assist his escape.
The colored screen of glass may be brought in front of the light by pneumatic
agency or by wires and levers suitably arranged, but we prefer to employ
electricity.
When a pneumatic connection is used the air pressure may be also caused to
blow a whistle, or start an alarum fitted in or combined with the lamp and colored.
screen.
The uses to which this detector lamp may be put are numerous and will readily
suggest themselves.
Our invention will be easily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawing in which Fig: 1 is a front view of the interior of a bulls eye lantern fitted
with a colored disc or screen of glass and means for causing it to drop or move in
front of the lens, the door of the lantern being removed; and Fig: 2 is a sectional
side view of the interior arrangement of the lantern, one of the sides being
removed.
In these figures A is the lantern case of any suitable kind but preferably made
of iron like a small safe, and having a door fitted with a lock and key to prevent
tampering with the inside mechanism.

page_text: B is the bulls eye lens through which pass the rays of light from a small jet of
gas or other illuminant within the lantern.-For the sake of clearness the gas or
other burner is omitted from the drawing.
C is a disc or it may be a screen of colored glass preferably red-This disc or
screen of colored glass C is pivotted at c to cross bars c¹, or to the sides of the
lantern itself. D is a bent lever pivotted at d to a stud axle or pin d' projecting
from the side wall of the lantern. Its short end d² is formed to underlie and
support the rim of the pivotted glass disc or screen C when the latter is set ready
for use.
The long arm d³ of the lever D is in contact with the armature of an electro
magnet E, round the coils of which currents of electricity are caused to pass by the
wires FG, when the circuit is closed in the manner to be presently described.—So
soon as the current excites the magnet E, its armature e will be forcibly attracted
pushing back the lever arm d³ and withdrawing the short lever arm d² from
beneath the upraised colored disc or screen C, and allowing it to fall into the
dotted position of Fig: 1 between the light and the lens; a spring C₁ serving to
receive and quickly steady the screen C without shock.-The lens or glass front of
the lantern may be of any convenient shape and size and we do not restrict
ourselves to the use of a screen of any particular colour or size so long as it is
distinctive and calculated to attract attention when it comes between the flame and
the lens or glass face of the lamp or lantern.
The lens and coloured glass screen may be duplicated if desired as shewn in
dotted lines to the right of Fig: 2, and the electro magnet and its connections are
preferably enclosed in a casing to preserve them from the action of heat and
dust &c. This casing is not shown in the drawing to avoid confusion.
We also reserve to ourselves the right to inscribe on the glass suitable words
such as "Fire" "Thieves or "Help." We preferably propose to use a crimson
colored glass screen or disc and an aperture of triangular form as a distinctive
device which will prevent the light being mistaken for a Doctor's light.—The
contact between the line wires from the battery or other source of electricity to
the electro-magnet may be established in any well known manner, but at
Figures 3 and 4 we have shown in front and side views a convenient form of
contact arrangement or circuit closer.-To this construction of contact closer we
however make no claim.
It is intended to be fitted to the jambs or frames of doors windows and
cupboards &c and it will be normally held out of action by the pressure of the
closed door or window.
It consists of a metal plate K countersunk in the door jamb or window frame
having a bole k about midway of its length and a metallic spring k mounted on
an insulating block secured to the back of the plate K.
L is a ball of glass or other insulating substance of a size too large to pass
through the hole k but small enough to partially project through it when no
pressure bears against its face-Under these conditions the metal spring
able to make contact with the point and the circuit will be established between
F and G.
will be
When the door or window is shut however the ball or its equivalent L of. non-
conducting substance will be pressed inwards, and will remove the spring ¹ from
the contact point and no current will consequently pass until the door or
window be again opened.
It will be obvious that this or a similar circuit make-and-break arrangement,
may be adapted to the treads of staircases and in other places, and the electro
magnet E be thereby excited and the red alarm screen be brought before the light.
A suitable hand switch may be used to break the connection during the day
to prevent the legitimate opening of doors and windows from
unnecessarily actuating the alarm screen.
time so as
A compound metal plate formed of two sheets of metal of different expanding
and contracting qualities, soldered together, may also be caused to establish contact

page_text: and excite the electro-magnet in the case of a fire smouldering and the temperature
of the room or building rising to a certain point, in the manner now well known.
A pneumatic lever may also be caused to release the colored screen on pressure
of air being transmitted from any desired point as will be well understood.
Having now described the nature of our Invention of "Improvements in warning
or signalling apparatus for the protection of property and other purposes," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect we wish it to be understood
that We claim :-
First Indicating by a visible signal the entrance or presence of intruders
within a room or any other part of a structure, or the opening of doors and windows
by such intruders to persons outside the said room or structure, in the manner and
for the purpose above set forth.
Secondly The means described with reference to the Drawing for automatically
causing a transparent coloured alarm disc or screen to be brought in front of the
light in a lamp or lantern situate outside the room or structure on the opening of
doors or windows or the moving of furniture or other articles within the said
room or premises by thieves or other persons.
Thirdly The combination with a lamp or lantern, a movable alarm screen or
screens of colored glass or equivalent transparent material and means for
automatically operating and displaying the said alarm screen, of an electrical
circuit closer, such as that described with reference to Figures 3 and 4, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
Fourthly The combination with a movable colored alarm screen and a lamp or
lantern situate outside a house or structure, of means arranged within said house
or structure for mechanically or pneumatically operating and displaying such alarm
screen on the opening of doors or the moving of furniture or goods, thereby enabling
watchmen or other persons outside the house to be made aware without noise of
the presence of intruders, or it may be of fire within the house or structure
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Diggins have hereunto set my hand
and seal the Twentieth day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
■ DIGGINS (L.S.)
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