An Improved Apparatus for use in Indicating Fires and Accidents, and for Stopping Engines in Mills and other Buildings.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
An Improved Apparatus for use in Indicating Fires and Accidents,
and for Stopping Engines in Mills and other Buildings.
I, SAMUEL HELME, of 69, Rishton Lane, Great Lever, near Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Fire Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved fire or other indicator and alarm applicable
to mills, warehouses, and other buildings, and consists in means whereby an engine
can be stopped in case of fire or accident, at the same time indicating in which
room the same has happened.
This I effect by fixing in suitable bearings an upright shaft or tube extending
from one room to another, and fitted with levers and handles. In case the floors
through which the upright shaft or tube passes are fire-proof suitable stuffing
boxes or their equivalents are employed to make a tight joint. In close proximity
to the said upright shaft or tube is fixed in each room an angular or other index
numbered or lettered according to the number or name of the rooms the said shaft
or tube passes through. On each index is mounted a finger or fingers attached to
a sliding weight in a circular, semi-circular, or other casing behind the said index
or otherwise. The sliding weight belonging to each index is attached to the levers
on the upright shaft or tube by means of cords, chains, or other equivalents guided
by mechanical means. The cords, chains, or other equivalents are provided with
means of adjustment to set the indicating fingers to a nicety. From levers on the
upright shaft or tube are suspended in each room a bell, or other apparatus to
operate a gong when the said shaft or tube is reciprocated by the operating
handles. The bells or gongs are provided to call attention to the indicator. The
operating handles can be constructed on the swivel principle so as to allow of
being turned out of the way when not in use. If desired perforated or other
quadrants can be employed in connection with the operating handles to fix the
same and lock the index fingers on the index in each room to show where the fire
or accident has happened. In connection with this apparatus other signals and
alarms may be employed secured to the pillars or ceilings in each bay or other-
wise, the same being connected by wires or their equivalents to allow of the same
being operated by the person nearest where the accident or fire has occurred to
call the attention of the person near the main indicator described above. In
adapting the indicator apparatus to stop a steam engine in case of accident or fire
it is connected by levers, rods, chains, or other equivalents to the trigger-lever or
other apparatus employed for lifting the valve-gear out of action, the whole being
carried by mechanical means. The upright shaft or tube can be placed in a
window recess or other place.
Dated the 17th Annil 1900.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for use in Indicating Fires and Accidents,
and for Stopping Engines in Mills and other Buildings.
I, SAMUEL HELME, of 69, Rishton Lane, Great Lever, near Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Fire Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
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 an improved fire or other indicator and alarm applicable
to mills, warehouses, and other buildings, and consists in means whereby an engine
Prin adl

page_text: can be stopped in case of fire or accident, at the same time indicating in which
room the same has happened. This I effect by fixing in suitable bearings an
upright shaft or tube extending from one room to another, and fitted with levers
and handles. In case the floors through which the upright shaft or tube passes
are fire-proof suitable stuffing boxes or their equivalents are employed to make a
tight joint. In close proximity to the said upright shaft or tube is fixed in each
room an angular or other index numbered or lettered according to the number or
name of the rooms the said shaft or tube passes through. On each index is mounted
a finger or fingers attached to a sliding weight in a circular, semi-circular, or other
casing behind the said index or otherwise. The sliding weight belonging to each
index is attached to the levers on the upright shaft or tube by means of cords,
chains, or other equivalents guided by mechanical means. The cords, chains, or
other equivalents are provided with means of adjustment to set the indicating
fingers to a nicety. From levers on the upright shaft or tube are suspended in
each room a bell, or other apparatus to operate a gong when the said shaft or tube
is reciprocated by the operating handles. The bells or gongs are provided to
call attention to the indicator. The operating handles can be constructed on the
swivel principle so as to allow of being turned out of the way when not in use.
If desired perforated or other quadrants can be employed in connection with the
operating handles to fix the same and lock the index fingers on the index in each
room to show where the fire or accident has happened. In connection with this
apparatus other signals and alarms may be employed. secured to the pillars or
ceilings in each bay or otherwise, the same being connected by wires or their
equivalents to allow of the same being operated by the person nearest where the
accident or fire has occurred to call the attention of the person near the main
indicator described above. In adapting the indicator apparatus to stop a steam
engine in case of accident or fire it is connected by levers, rods, chains, or other
equivalents to the trigger-lever or other apparatus employed for lifting the valve-
gear out of action, the whole being carried by mechanical means. The upright
shaft or tube can be placed in a window recess or other place.
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of a mill, warehouse, or other building fitted
with my improved apparatus for indicating fires and accidents, and for stopping the
engine.
Fig. 2 is a part sectional elevation of a mill, warehouse, or other building fitted
with another modification of my improved apparatus.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged part front elevation of my improved apparatus with circular
dials or tell-tales as shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of same.
Fig. 5 is a plan of fixings and their adjuncts for carrying and operating the
dials and gongs.
Fig. 6 is a plan of operating swivel handles, fixings, and stops.
Fig. 7 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus with angular indexes or
tell-tales as shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 is a part plan of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a transverse section through angular index or tell-tale in Fig. 7.
Figs. 10 and 11 are front views of spur pinions and their locking arrangements
for operating the gongs.
Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus for operating the
trigger-lever or other apparatus employed for lifting the valve-gear of the engine
out of action.
Fig. 13 is a front view of Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 12 with the weighted lever released and
operating on the trigger-lever or its equivalent to stop the engine in case of
accident or fire.
Fig. 15 is a sectional plan through line A¹ B' in Fig. 14, and
Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation wherein the weighted lever is arrested by a pin.
In all the figures the same letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: The upright shaft or tube A extends from one room to another and is supported
in the footstep B and fixings C and H. The fixings C and H are made to fit or
slide in the fixings D, and are secured by the bolts E. The fixings D are provided
with the slots F to allow of adjustment according to variations in the walls to which
they are secured by the bolts G. To facilitate fixing the fixings C and H are
provided with the slots I, which are covered by the plates J; the latter being
secured thereto by the bolts or set screws K. In case the floors L of mills, ware-
houses, and other buildings, through which the upright shaft or tube A passes,
are fire-proof they are fitted with the stuffing-boxes M as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
To the fixings C are secured the dials or tell-tales N by the arms or fixings O
and bolts P. The dials or tell-tales N are numbered or lettered according to the
number or name of the rooms the shaft or tube A passes through. Each dial or
tell-tale N is provided with the finger Q secured to the shaft R.; the latter being
supported in the bearings S attached to the fixings C. The fixings C are
provided with the radial slots T to allow of the bearings S being adjusted to the
angles necessary for setting the dials or tell-tales N in the most suitable or con-
venient positions to be seen. On the ends of the shafts R are fixed the bevel
pinions U gearing into the bevel wheel W mounted on the upright shaft or tube A.
In lieu of the dials or tell-tales N and the gearing for operating the same I
employ the angular indexes V secured to the wall or other places by the bolts Y
in close proximity to the upright shaft or tube A. The angular indexes are
numbered or lettered according to the number or name of the rooms the shaft or
tube A passes through. On each angular index V is mounted the finger or fingers Q
attached to the sliding weight Z. The latter operates up and down in the casing a
behind the angular index V as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. To the sliding weight Z
carrying the finger or fingers Q is secured the cord, chain, or other equivalent b,
which passes over the pulley to the lever d on the upright shaft or tube A. The
pulley c is mounted on the pin or centre e in the fixing secured to the wall by
the bolts g; and the pulley c is sufficiently wide to allow of the radius effected by
the movements of the lever d when operated from one side to the other. In each
room or place the upright shaft or tube A is fitted with the handle to operate
the same to move the fingers Q on the dials or tell-tales N or the angular
indexes V. The handles are made in halves and pivoted together by the centre
as shown to allow of the outer part being turned up and out of the way when not
required as shown in Fig. 7, and down into the stops i to lock the handle h,
that has been operated, in position in its respective room. The stops
mounted on the fixings H by the bolts j, the latter passing through the
radial slot k to allow of adjustment to set the indicating fingers Q to a nicety. The
stops are set in their respective positions on the fixings H; one being for
indicating accident and the rest for fire. To the upper fixings D are secured the
arms m in which are mounted the pins or centres n and o, being secured by the
nuts p. On the centre n is mounted the spur pinion gearing into the spur
pinion on the centre o. To the spur pinion is attached the barrel s round which
is wound or twined the cord t; the outer end of the latter being provided with the
weight u. The barrels is fitted with the beater w to operate or ring the gong v.
when rotated. When my improved apparatus is set ready for action the cord tis
wound round the barrel s, and the weight u is in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 7,
being held by the spur wheels 9 and being locked by the projections & on the
plate y being inserted between the teeth as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The plates y
are fitted with the eyelets 2, to which are attached the cords, chains, or wires a¹
and b'; the former being connected to the upright shaft or tube A, and the latter
are carried over the pulleys c¹ to any convenient part or parts of the mill, ware-
house, or other building. The outer ends of the cords, chains, or wires are
provided with the handles or rings d¹ to operate the same and lift the plates y so as
to release the projections & from the teeth of the spur pinions q and r. The cords,
chains, or wires 61 can be secured to the pillars or ceilings and carried in any
convenient manner or direction by pulleys and levers according to the positions the
go
are

page_text: handles d' are required. Each cord, chain, or wire b' is fitted with the bell f', to
allow of the same being rung by the person nearest to where a fire takes place or
an accident happens, to call the attention of the person near the main indicator
described above. To enable 'the person nearest to the main indicator to understand
when a fire has taken place the handle or ring d' is plucked twice or otherwise as
arranged, whereas in case of accident the bell will be rung continually until the
main indicator is operated sufficiently to stop the engine. The plates y can be
"lifted by means of the cords, chains, or wires 6 and the handles d' to set the gong v
ringing in the room where fire or accident has taken place. The stopping of the
engine is effected by carrying one of the cords, chains, or wires b' to the engine
house as shown in Fig. 1. The end of the cord, chain, or wire is provided with
the ring disposed over the end of the lever k pivoted to the framework l, fixed
on the valve-box, cylinder, or other convenient part of the engine, by the pin or
centre. To the framework is pivoted the weighted lever slightly out of
centre so as to allow of the latter standing against the toe-end m' of the lever k' as
shown in Fig. 12. Immediately the upright shaft or tube A of the main indicator,
or the cords, chains, or wires are operated the latter descends in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Fig. 12 and depresses the lever k¹, thus causing the
toe-end m' to assume the position shown in Fig. 14, which pushes the weighted
lever over the centre line of its fulcrum and causes it to fall of its own gravity
onto the trigger-lever o' or its equivalent, and lifts the cut-off lever pl out of gear,
by which steam is prevented entering the cylinder thus stopping the engine. To
enable the engineer to understand the cause of the stoppage the framework is
fitted with the index t¹ correspondingly marked or indexed with the main indicator
in the mill, warehouse, or other building. This is effected by the finger v' attached
to the cord, chain, or wire b', which slides up and down in the recess w¹ in the
index as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. To ensure the cords, chains, or wires b¹ being
kept at an uniform tension the weights are provided. The cord, chain, or wire b¹
is also attached to the pulley on the upright shaft or tube A to allow of the
engine being stopped when the shaft or tube A is operated by any of the handles h.
Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation of an arrangement wherein the weighted lever j
pivoted on the pin is held up by the pin y2 mounted in the stuffing-box 12. The
pin y2 is attached to the cord, chain, or wire b. When the cord, chain, or wire b³ is
operated in the direction indicated by the arrow the pin y2 is withdrawn from the
hole in the weight on the end of the lever ', by which the latter falls of its own
gravity onto the trigger-lever o' or its equivalent and lifts the cut-off lever p¹ out of
gear as before described.
This apparatus operates in the following manner :- -When the apparatus is set
ready for use the whole of the index fingers Q are opposite the blank spaces on the
dials or indexes as shown in the drawings. When the apparatus is in this normal
position all the handles are in the position shown in Fig. 7. In case a fire takes
place in any of the rooms the person who sees it first or who is nearest to one of the
handles plucks or pulls twice, or otherwise as previously described, at the same
and lifts the plate y and its projections a clear of the teeth of the spur pinions g
and. Instantly the latter are released the weight u begins to descend, as shown
in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and causes the barrel s and beater w to be rotated, the
latter operating on the gong v. The ringing of the gong causes the person nearest
to it to operate the handle h and rotate the upright shaft or tube A until the
finger is opposite to the number on the dial or index corresponding with the
number of the room it is operated from, which operation will set the gongs ringing
in each room to draw the attention of the occupants, and set the fingers on each
dial or index to inform them what room the fire has taken place in. In case the
fire takes place near the upright shaft or tube A of course the apparatus will be
operated direct without the aid of the handles and their connections. In this
case the plates y will be lifted by the cords, chains, or wires a' coupled to the
upright shaft or tube A.
In case of accident the apparatus is operated in precisely the same manner with

page_text: the exception that the fingers Q will be placed opposite the letter A on the dials or
indexes by rotating the shaft or tube by the handle h, after which the latter is
turned down and locked into the stop i, provided for the purpose, to prevent the
fingers Qbeing turned back from any other part. By operating the handle h and
rotating the shaft or tube A. the cord, chain, or wire which extends to the engine
house will release the weighted lever and operate on the trigger-lever o' as before
described to bring the engine to a standstill.
Having thus stated the nature of my invention and described the mode of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details or configuration of the parts I have shown and described,
which are obviously capable of considerable variation without departing from the
principles of my invention, but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by
Letters Patent is :-
1. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of apparatus and
means for signalling and operating the same to signal and indicate in each room
simultaneously when and where a fire or accident has taken place, substantially
as described.
2. The construction, combination, and arrangements of parts forming my
improved apparatus and the means for signalling and operating the same to signal
and indicate in each room simultaneously when and where a fire or accident has
taken place, and for stopping the engine and indicating the cause and place in the
engine house, substantially as described.
3. In combination with the upright shaft or tube A. and other parts forming my
improved indicating apparatus the use of the hinged handles and the stops i,
applied and operating, substantially as described.
4. The use of the plates y with the projections a in combination with the spur
pinions q and r, for the purpose specified, substantially as described.
5. Releasing a lever to operate the trigger-lever of the cut-off of a steam
engine by means of fire or accident signalling apparatus, substantially as
described.
6. The use of apparatus for releasing a lever to operate the trigger-lever of
the cut-off of a steam engine by means of fire or accident signalling apparatus,
substantially as described.
Dated the 16th January 1891.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.