An Improved Means of Effecting Electrical Communication through the Medium of a Clock or similar Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1892--Accepted, 1st Mar., 1893.
TROYISIONAL DIMOLTIVATION.
An Improved Means of Effecting Electrical Communication through
the Medium of a Clock or similar Apparatus.
1, WILLIAM HUNTER MILLER, of 15 Torwood Street, Torquay, in the County
f Devon, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
ollows:-
My invention relates to the employment of an ordinary clock, or other similar
pparatus, to close electrical circuits in combination with a specially arranged index
board, or dial, so that signals or communications may be given by the clock, in the
nanner bercinafter described.
Upon the face of an ordinary clock, I arrange a series of electrical contacts, in
a circle underneath the hour hand, so that the said hand closes an electrical circuit
each time it passes over a contact. Any desired number of contacts may be placed
in the circle, but it may be assumed for the present purpose that there are four to
each hour, so that the hour hand will close a circuit every quarter of an hour.
These contacts may be arranged in any suitable manner, thus they may consist of
two pieces connected by a piece on the hour hand at the time of passing over
them, or of a single piece, the current in the latter case passing through the hand.
The index board aforesaid, has a dial similar to a clock face, but divided into
hours and quarters only. Opposite each division is a hook, or suitable terminal,
and these terminals are each connected respectively, with the corresponding contact
piece on the clock face.
It may now be supposed that there is a series of rooms, or other places, each of
which is provided with an electric bell, which it is desired to ring at certain
specified times.
Underneath the dial on the index board, I place a set of terminals, each numbered
or named to correspond with one of the rooms, or places aforesaid, and connected
by a wire with the bell in its particular room, or place. Each of these terminals is
provided with a flexible wire, which can be attached to any one of the hooks, or
terminals aforesaid on the dial. Also any two or more terminals can be connected,
by this means, to any one hook on the dial. In this way the bell in each room or,
place can be set to ring at a different time, or all the bells at one time, or different
sets of bells at different times as desired.
As one instance of the practical application of the invention, the rooms may be
the bedrooms of an hotel, and it will be seen that the apparatus forms a convenient
means of calling the inmates at the particular times desired in the morning.
If preferred, the hour hand of the clock, instead of closing, may be caused to
break an electrical circuit each time it passes over a contact.
Although the apparatus is described as in connection with electric bells, any
other form of electrical signalling device, or devices may be used in place of, or in
addition to such bells.
Dated this 1st day of March 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means of Effecting Electrical Communication through
the Medium of a Clock or similar Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM HUNTER MILLER of Beaufort Ville, Avenue Road, Torquay, in
the County of Devon, formerly of 15 Torwood Street, Torquay, aforesaid,
Gentleman, 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 the employment of an ordinary clock, or similar
apparatus, to close electrical circuits, in combination with a specially arranged
index board or dial, so that signals or communications may be given by the clock
in the manner hereinafter described.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, which form part of this
Specification,
Fig. 1. is a front elevation of an apparatus, having a clock and a single index
dial, constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2. is an elevation of the contact arrangements behind the clock face in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. is a diagram shewing the arrangement of the electrical connections.
Fig. 4. is a front elevation of an apparatus having a clock and three index dials,
constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 5. is a front elevation of an apparatus having a clock and a modified
arrangement of index board and dial, constructed in accordance with my invention.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the face of a clock of any suitable
construction, divided into hours and minutes in the usual manner.
Behind the said face, as shewn in Fig. 2, is a plate B of wood, vulcanite, or other
suitable insulating material, the arbors of the minute and hour wheels passing
through an opening in its centre.
A series of small metallic bars or wires C are arranged in a circle upon the said
plate around the said opening, there being one such bar for every quarter of an
hour, and a metal arin D is affixed to the arbor E of the hour hand, carrying at its
outer end a small metal roller or wheel F. The arm D is of such length that the
wheel F rolls over and so makes contact at each quarter of an hour with one of the
bars C, as the arbor E revolves.
Below the clock face A is a dial H having a circle of contact studs J, these studs
correspond in number and position with the contact bars C, there being one for each
quarter of an hour, as shewn, and each stud is electrically connected by means of
an insulated wire (not shewn in the drawing) with its corresponding contact bar C.
Pivoted in the centre of the dial H is a switch K, which can be brought over any
one of the studs .J.
The said switch is connected to the line wire by a switch L.
In the diagram Fig. 3 shewing the electrical connections, E is the hour hand
arbor of the clock connected to the line M through the medium of the clock frame.
D is the arm on the said arbor and F the roller, C is any one of the contact bars
behind the clock face connected to any one of the studs J by a wire N. K is the
rotating switch, L the line switch, P the battery and Q a bell or other signalling
instrument.
To illustrate one of the uses of the invention, it may be supposed that the
apparatus shewn in Fig. 1. is placed in the office of an hotel and that the bell Q is
in a bedroom, the occupant of which desires to be called at say 7 o'clock. To effect
this it is only necessary to place the end of the switch Kupon the stud numbered 7
on the dial H and close the line switch L. As soon as the hour hand of the clock

page_text: reaches 7 the roller F makes contact with the bar in connection with the 7 o'clock
stud on the dial H, and the circuit is completed, the bell Q ringing for a few
minutes while the roller is passing over the bar. The time during which the ringing
lasts will obviously depend on the width of the said bars, but a switch may be
provided in the bedroom to stop the ringing if desired.
In Fig. 4. a similar apparatus is shewn to that above described, but with three
index dials H controlling bells or instruments in three different rooms or places,
and it is manifest that the number of such index dials, may be increased to any
extent required. Each dial is connected to the contact bars behind the clock face,
as before explained for the single dial,
In the modification shewn in Fig. 5. the contact bars C are placed on the clock
face and the hour hand makes contact, with them directly, or through the medium of
a small roller carried upon it.
The arrangement of these contact bars, shewn in Fig. 1. is however employed by
preference. His an index dial having a circle of quarter hour hooks or loops J',
each in connection with one of the contact bars C. No rotating switch Kis
employed in this case, but below the dial is a series of terminals R, each in
connection with a bell or instrument in some particular room or place. To each such
terminal R a flexible insulated wire S is attached having a loop or hook at the end
to engage with any one of the hooks or loops J. Now if the occupant of room 1
is to be called at 6 o'clock, the wire from No. 1 terminal is hung on the No. 6 loop,
and so on for each room and if two or more rooms are to be called at the same time,
the wires from their various terminals are hung on the same hook.
In place of hooks and loops on the dial Hand wires S, any other convenient
device may be employed for effecting the requisite connection.
It is not necessary that the clock and index board should be combined in the same
instrument, as shewn in the various examples in the drawings, as they may be
independent and placed separately in any convenient places, the contact pieces in
each being connected by wires in the manner described.
In place of the arm D or hour hand of the clock closing an electric circuit_to
operate an instrument, it may if preferred, be arranged to break a circuit to effect
the same end.
The division of the contacts into quarter hours is merely given as an example, as
the said contacts may be placed at any times desired, and in many cases it will not
be necessary to have a complete circle of contacts but only to arrange for part of
the hours shewn on the clock.
The contacts C instead of being placed behind or on the clock face and operated
directly by the hour arbor, may be put in any other convenient position and the
contact making arm driven through suitable gearing from the clock.
It is manifest that an apparatus of this description may be used for many other
purposes than the one mentioned of calling the occupants of hotel bedrooms at the
particular times required in the morning, thus for example it can be used in private
houses for calling servants, in hospitals for calling nurses or other officials, in
factories for giving notice of meal times &c. in the various departments and in case
of fire in an hotel or other large building, all the occupants can be simultaneously
aroused by switching all the bells to any one time and moving the hour hand of the
clock to make contact at that time.
If desired my invention may be controlled by the minute hand of a clock, when
frequent signals have to be sent during each hour.
Any form of electrical signalling device or devices may be operated by means of
my invention in place of or in addition to electrical bells.
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. In an apparatus for conveying electrical signals or communications, a series of
contacts operated by a clock or similar apparatus, in combination with one or more

page_text: index dials, each having a similar series of contacts, electrically connected with the
said contacts operated by the clock, substantially as described."
2. In an apparatus for conveying electrical signals or communications, a series of
contacts operated by a clock or similar apparatus, in combination with one or more
index dials each having a similar series of contacts electrically connected with the
said contacts operated by the clock, and a switch on each dial to place any one of
said contacts to line, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for conveying electrical signals or communications, the
combination consisting of a series of contacts operated by a clock or similar
apparatus, one or more electrical circuits each including said clock contacts and a
signalling instrument, an index dial in each said circuit having a series of contacts,
each said dial contacts severally connected with said clock contacts, and a switch
on each dial placing any one of its contacts to line, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
4. In an apparatus for conveying electrical signals or communications, the
combination consisting of a series of contacts operated by a clock or similar
apparatus, an index dial having a similar series of contacts electrically connected
with the said clock contacts, one or more circuits each including a signalling
instrument, and means for connecting said circuits with said dial contacts,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 28th day of December 1892.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S. W., Agent for the Applicant.