Improvements in Electric Alarms for Cars.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Alarms for Cars.
I, ALEXANDER NATHAN, residing at No. 375 8th Avenue, New York, in the County
of New York, and State of New York, United States of America, Salesman, 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:-
-
This invention relates to electric alarms for trolley and other tramway cars, and
the object thereof, is to provide an improved device of this class which is simple
in construction and operation, and which is perfectly adapted to accomplish the
result for which it is intended, while being also comparatively inexpensive.
In the following specification, I have shown and described my improvement as
applied to an electric or trolley car, and the invention is fully disclosed in the
following specification, of which the 'accompanying drawing forms a part, in
which:-
:-
Fig. 1, is a plan view of the apparatus which I employ and,
Fig. 2, a sectional side view thereof.
In the drawing forming part of this specification the separate parts of my
improvements are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the
views, and in said drawing, I have shown at 5, the tubular or cylindrical casing
in which the mechanism for turning on and off the current which operates the
car or for stopping and starting the motor is mounted, and I have also shown in
Fig. 2, the vertical shaft 6, by which said mechanism is operated, said mechanism
being not shown; and in practice of my invention, I pivotally connect with the
upper end of said shafts as shown at 7, a lever 8, which is provided at its outer end
with a handle 9, and on the lower side thereof, with a downwardly directed arm 10,
and secured to the shaft 6, is a spring 11, which bears on the lower side of said
lever and is adapted to hold it in a horizontal position.
I have also shown at 13, a disk or plate which is mounted on the shaft G, and
which is insulated therefrom by a tubular insulation 14, and the disk or plate 13,
is supported above the top of the tubular or cylindrical casing 5, by springs 15,
which are shown as secured to the top of said cylindrical or tubular casing but
which may be secured to the underside of said disk or plate.
The disk or plate 13, and the tubular insulating sleeve 14, thereof, are free to
move up and down on the shaft 6, and connected with the lower end of the said
tubular insulating sleeve 14, is a disk or plate 16, which is secured thereto, by
screws, pins or bolts 17, or in any desired manner, and said disk or plate 16, is
also free to move vertically with the disk or plate 13, and the tubular insulating
sleeve 14.
Mounted on the shaft 6, adjacent to the disk or plate 16, is a similar disk or
plate 18, which is also insulated from said shaft by an insulating sleeve 19, and
said disk or plate 18, is rigidly connected with said shaft by a screw 20, which
passes through the sleeve 19.

page_text: In the normal position of the parts above described, the disk or plate 16, and the
disk or plate 18, are but slightly separated, and by depressing the outer end of
the lever 8, the arm 10, will be brought in contact with the disk or plate 13, and
the latter will be forced downwardly, and carry with it the disk or plate 16, and
said disk or plate 16, will be forced into connection with the disk or plate 18, and it
will be understood that the lever 8, is also used for manipulating the shaft 6,
for the purpose of operating the motor as hereinbefore described, this operation
being accomplished by simply turning said lever and said shaft 6.
I have also shown at 21, an electric alarm bell which is adapted to be connected
with the car at any desired point; preferably beneath the platform, and extending
from this alarm bell, and connecting with the disks or plates 17, and 18, are wires
or conductors 22, and in the circuit thus formed is placed a battery 23, and said
battery may be located at any desired point; or in place thereof, I may use the
current which operates the car in which event said battery will not be required.
The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the following statement
thereof.
The disks or plates 13, and 16, are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2,
by means of the springs 15, and whenever it is desired to operate the alarm bell,
the outer end of the lever 9, is depressed against the operation of the spring 11,
and the arm, 10, is forced into connection with the disk or plate 17,, and said disk
or plate together with the tubular insulating sleeve 14, and the disk or plate 16 is
forced downwardly until the alarm strikes the disk or plate 18, and this operation
closes the circuit and operates the alarm and when pressure on the lever 8, is
removed the disk or plate 18, will at once be thrown upwardly into the position
shown in Fig. 2, and the circuit in which the alarm is placed will be closed.
This device is simple in construction and operation, and is perfectly adapted
to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it will be understood, that
the tubular casing or cylinder 5, is connected with the dash board of the car, a
part of which is shown at 24, in the usual manner, and it will be apparent that
changes in, and modifications of the construction herein described may be made
without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.
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. The herein described electric alarm for cars, said alarm consisting of a
vertical shaft, a spring supported lever pivotally connected with the upper end
thereof, and provided with a downwardly directed arm, a vertically movable disk
or plate mounted on said shaft below said lever, a disk or plate mounted below
said vertically movable disk or plate, and connected and vertically movable there-
with, a disk or plate rigidly secured to said shaft below said last-named disk or
plate, and an alarm bell in electrical connection with said last-named disks or
plates, substantially as shown and described.
2. An electric alarm for electric cars, consisting of a lever pivotally connected
with the upper end of the shaft by which the motor of the car is operated said
lever being spring supported, and provided with a downwardly directed arm, a
spring supported plate mounted on said shaft below said lever, and insulated from
said shaft by a sleeve, a disk or plate connected with said sleeve and vertically
movable therewith, and with said spring supported disk or plate, a disk or plate
mounted on said shaft, and secured thereto, and insulated therefrom below said
last-named disk or plate, and an electric bell in circuit with said last-named disks
or plates, substantially as shown and described.
3. An electric alarm for cars, consisting of a vertical shaft, a spring supported
disk or plate mounted thereon, and insulated therefrom by means of a sleeve a
disk or plate connected with the lower end of said sleeve, another disk or plate
mounted on said shaft below said last-named disk or plate and insulated from said

page_text: shaft, and an electric bell in circuit with said last-named disks or plates,
substantially as shown and described.
Hated this 20th day of Tul. 1907
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.