Improvements in Appliances for Actuating Alarms.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24 h Dec., 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1802
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Actuating Alarms.
I HENRY SMITH of 5 Queens Place Pulteney Road Bath in the County
of Somerset, Miller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in an improvement of appliances for actuating alarms and
in the application of alarms to fluted rolls, for alarming the millers attention when
the feed of grain is accidentally off the rolls, and the rolls are being injured by
running empty. It is also in part applicable to alarm individuals of the presence
of fire and burglars, and consists essentially of a steel bar provided with a surface
of sheet steel to form a feed tray for the grain to fall on, in its descent from the
feed roll into the fluted rolls. A metal lever is attached and capable of being
adjusted by a set screw to any desired position on the steel bar. The ordinary
mechanism of a block alarm is fixed to the inside of a metal tube with its hammer
for striking the bell projecting through a slot in the tube, the bell is fixed on the
outside of the tube, a lead ball is inserted into the tube, the tube is sealed at both
ends with a metal cover and attached to, and capable of being adjusted on the
lever attached to the steel bar, the lead ball resting in the end of the tube nearest
the steel bar, thereby balancing the feed tray in the desired position with the
weight of grain moving or falling on the feed tray. It is also capable of being
un-balanced by reason of the grain being off the feed tray and by the lead ball
instantly moving to the opposite end of the tube to that at which it is deposited
when the grain is on the feed tray, thereby weighing the tube down below a
horizontal position causing the lead ball to move in the tube with sufficient force
against the holdfast of the alarm as to liberate it and allow the spring to instantly
actuate the mechanism and ring the alarm bell. The alarm is wound up by a key
in the usual way and re-set ready for use.
As a means of effecting an alarm by electricity a metal tube and lever is fixed,
as above described, to a steel bar, and as a substitute for the lead ball the tube is
partly filled with mercury a circuit wire is sealed into the tube, attached to and
forming a connection with an electric battery and by reason of the grain being
off the feed tray causing the mercury instantly to flow on to the circuit wire in the
opposite end of the tube a connection is thereby made with an electric battery
causing its bell to ring.
The above described appliances are attached to the roll encasement by means of
fixing a metal bracket on each end, on the outside of the roll encasement.
Each bracket is provided with a pointed set-screw to form a pivotted bearing to
engage in the concave centre made in each end of the steel bar, the feed tray is
thereby supported in a longitudinal position and parallel with and between the
feed roll and the fluted rolls.
Each end of the steel bar projects through a hole made in the roll encasement to
admit the combined metal lever and tube which is fixed to one end of the steel bar
and operates on the outside of the roll encasement, the feed tray on the inside of
the roll encasement.
When the invention is used as an alarm for indicating the presence of fire and
burglars, a portable frame is made provided with pivotted bearings for supporting
the above described steel bar and appliances in a balanced condition by means of
placing a lead weight on the feed tray as a substitute for grain, a length of cotton
cord is fastened to the lead weight, the cord being stretched across a room in
several directions and fastened to a cash box, and in the event of any burglar
venturing across the room he would come in contact with the cord and break it-the

page_text: lead weight would immediately fall off the feed tray unbalancing the appliances
and instantly causing the alarm bell to ring. The same result is produced when
the cord is severed by fire.
Dated this nord 1
HENRY SMITH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Actuating Alarms.
I, HENRY SMITH, of No. 5, Queens Place, Pulteney Road, Bath, in the County
of Somerset, Miller 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 improved appliances for automatically actuating alarm
bells whenever it is desirable to notify to any persons that something has occurred
which requires immediate rectification.
These improved appliances may be used in connection with alarms of various
kinds and for a variety of purposes, of which special reference will be made to, and
a description given of a burglars' alarm, a fire alarm, and an alarm for indicating
when what should be a continuous flow of material, has been stopped by any
unexpected cause, and mischief would result if the mechanism should continue in
operation after the supply of material had ceased.
This invention consists essentially of appliances whereby the automatic action
attached to alarms may be rendered absolutely reliable, and at the same time the
movable weights, which are an important element in the invention, may be used as
weights or counterweights for accurately adjusting the alarms, so that when the
tension on the case holding the alarm is increased or decreased in any perceptible
degree, the bell is set ringing, and for whatever purpose the alarm is used,
immediate notice will be given of the occurrence of whatever contingency has been
provided against.
The object of my invention is to provide these new or improved appliances for
actuating burglars' or fire alarms, and then to connect these improved alarms to
trays, drips, floats, or similar contrivances, which are inserted in mills for grinding
or treating corn and material of a like kind, and where serious damage would be
done to the machinery if it continued in operation after the supply of material to
be treated had stopped.
In providing for the automatic action of weights on levers and the like, it is
customary to fix the weight in some suitable position, by which it will only exert
its full force when the lever is in or near a horizontal position, but as this is some-
what uncertain in its operation, I prefer to use a movable weight, which will
increase or decrease its strain on the centre by the weight automatically changing
its position; the most suitable means for employing this movable weight is a
cylinder in which a metal ball or a glass tube partly filled with mercury may be
placed, and it is obvious that if a cylinder containing the ball or mercury as
described be set slightly out of the horizontal position, the ball or mercury will
roll or flow to one end of the cylinder, and by the appliances hereafter to be
described, this cylinder can be so accurately adjusted on a centre or centres that
the least increase or decrease of the tension will reverse the sloping or diagonál
position of the cylinder, and the movable weight will at once pass to the other end,
thereby greatly increasing its power and causing it to operate with absolute
certainty on any mechanical contrivance at that end of the cylinder. These
cylinders have an adjusting attachment by which the weight is made to balance
the alarm, and also any tray, grid, or float with the material passing over them, in
such a manner that the material falling in a continuous stream on the tray will
keep the alarm set, but when from any cause the supply ceases, the tray will rise,
and the decrease of tension on the centre will reverse the direction of the cylinder,

page_text: and the movable weight will roll or flow to the other end, and operate on the
actuating mechanism of the alarm.
The bell of the alarm may be actuated either by clockwork or by electricity, as
may be found most convenient; in the former case a cylinder is provided of
sufficient size and length to contain a ball, which will roll freely from one end to
the other, or a glass tube partly filled with mercury, which will flow from one end
of the tube to the other and produce a similar effect to that produced by the
rolling ball, for clockwork alarms, I prefer the metal ball, as being more simple in
its application; one end of the cylinder is fastened with a screw cap, and the other
end fitted into another cylinder, preferably of a larger size, which contains the
ordinary clockwork mechanism, such as is used in alarum clocks, the alarm bell
being fixed on the outside of the cylinder, and the hammer coining through a slot
to operate on the bell; a spring connected with a detent which holds the escape-
ment wheel is carried to the junction of the two cylinders, and in such a position
that when the bell rolls towards the junction, it will press against or rest on the
spring, and liberate the detent, thereby actuating the alarm, which will continue
to ring until the position of the cylinder is reversed, or the clockwork has run
down. When the alarm is actuated by electricity, the wires are insulated and
sealed into one end of the metal tube, so that when the metal ball rolls against
them, the circuit will be complete and the bell ring, or if the tube of mercury be
used, the wires are passed through two holes at one end of the glass tube and
sealed, and then the flow of the mercury around the wires will complete the circuit
and ring the bell: In this case, one bell may be used for any number of cylinders,
an indicator being employed to show from which cylinder the alarm is given. The
cylinders being constructed as described, to use them for burglars' alarms, it is
only necessary to place a small weight on one end of the cylinder, the weight
having a piece of thread attached, the other end of the string being fastened to a
door, window, safe, or other article, and then when the string is strained ever so
lightly by the opening of a door or by a person touching it, the weight will fall
from the cylinder and the bell ring; for use as a fire alarm, a piece of string
is tied to a small weight, and by this the weight suspended to the cylinder,
the other end being fastened across the room; as soon as the fire reaches the
string, it will be severed, and the weight fall from the cylinder, and actuate
the alarm.
My new or improved alarms are specially adapted for use in connection with
mills and other machinery where a continuous supply of the material to be treated
is of great importance, and a stoppage of this supply would cause considerable
damage to the machinery; the following description of appliances refers more
particularly to roller mills for grinding flour and the like, but it will be very easy
to make such modifications as will enable them to be used for other purposes of a
kindred nature: For roller mills, I find that trays, accurately adjusted and
balanced, may be so placed that the weight of the falling grain or grain products
will keep them at any desired angle, and these trays being attached to the alarms
by cord or other means, directly the supply ceases, the trays will rise, and the
tension being removed, the cylinders will change their position, and the ball roll
towards the alarm and ring the bell; I therefore provide any suitable number of
trays, and fit them into the interior of the mill, parallel to the rolls, one edge of
each tray is attached to a spindle, and the ends of the spindle made to rest on
pivotted bearings, by which it is specially sensitive to any increase or decrease in
the weight of the material passing over the tray; the alarm cylinder is either
adjusted directly on the end of the spindle, which projects through one end of the
mill, or a cord is connected from the opposite edge of the tray over pulleys or
eyelets to an alarm fixed on the outside at any convenient distance from the tray
or mill; the spindles either serve as centres on which the tray is balanced or
adjusted, or short slotted levers are attached to the ends of the spindles, and
pointed screws with lock nuts inserted in the slots, forming auxiliary centres on
which the trays are balanced and adjusted, so that the falling material passing over

page_text: the trays keeps the alarms set: When the cylinder is attached direct to the
spindle, I provide pointed screws with lock nuts which engage in countersunk
centres at each end of the spindle, one of the screws works direct in the end of the
mill frame, and the other works in a cramp fixed outside the frame, so that the
cylinder may be attached outside the mill and near the end of the spindle, and
the pointed screws fitting into the countersunk bearing, will keep the spindle in
place and support the tray; the bar on which the cylinder is mounted is adjustable
on the spindle, and the tray is approximately balanced to support the falling
material and fixed on the spindle by a screw at the end of the bar; the adjustment
is made with greater nicety by a screw collar attached to the other end of the bar,
which allows the cylinder with the movable weight to be moved any distance, so as
to accurately balance the tray when the material is passing over it; this method of
adjusting the trays is more particularly adapted to those which are fitted under the
feed rolls; for those placed under the fluted or cutting rolls, and require to be
longer and wider, it will be more convenient to suspend them by the auxiliary
centres fitted in the slotted levers, as the pointed screws can be fixed by the lock
nuts in any part of the slots, and the necessary allowance made for the weight of
material that will fall on the trays, and from the inner edge of the trays a com-
munication is made by a cord to the alarm fitted anywhere outside the mill, and by
pointed screws in a bracket engaging in pivotted bearings on the sides of the
cylinder, the alarm may be so accurately adjusted that it will strain the cord and
complete the setting of the trays. In either case, as soon as the supply of material
ceases to flow over the tray, the decrease of weight causes the tray to rise, and by
the direct action of the spindle, or by the cord passing from the tray, the alarm
will be actuated.
Instead of the trays being connected to alarms on the outside of the mill in
either of the ways described, a bell may be attached to the tray which would be
rung by coming in contact with the roll or with any projection placed in the
interior of the mill for that purpose; or the trays may be made of tempered steel,
so that directly they came in collision with the rolls they would give a shrill,
screeching sound that may be sufficient to call the miller's attention, but by either
of these methods there is a risk of injury to the rolls and the trays. It is evident
that a tray may be placed under each roll, but in actual working, it will be found
that if the material continues to fall on the tray under the fluted rolls, the supply
is still coming past the feed roll, and therefore one tray for each set of rolls will
probably be sufficient.
To enable my invention to be more readily understood, reference is made to the
accompanying drawings, in which similar letters indicate similar parts in all the
figures:—
Fig. 1 is a view of a clockwork alarm suspended on a stand or bracket, set ready
for ringing directly the tension on the cord at the end of the cylinder is reduced or
removed;
Fig. 2 is a side view of the bracket in which the cylinder is placed, showing the
appliances for adjusting the cylinder in the pivotted bearings;
Fig. 3 is a section of the cylinder, showing the clockwork appliance for operating
the alarm, a spring button placed ready to receive the ball when the position of
the cylinder is reversed;
Fig. 4 is a view, partly sectional, of a cylinder attached to a metal bar by a
screw collar, the bar being adjusted on the end of a spindle to which a tray is
suspended;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged section, showing the tray on the spindle, and the spindle
held in position by pointed screws engaging in countersunk bearings at each end of
the spindle, a cramp being placed outside the frame to allow the cylinder to be put
outside and at the same time to be at the end of the spindle ;
Fig. 6 is a section showing the method of suspending the trays on the auxiliary
centres fixed in slotted levers attached to the spindle;
Fig. 7 is a general transverse view of the interior of a double roll mill with trays

page_text: suspended under the feed and cutting rolls, with the alarm cylinders on the outside
of the frame, and
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal view of the same.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the cylinder containing a metal ball a, B is the other
end of the cylinder, in which the clockwork D is placed; over this is the bell C,
actuated by the hammer c, d is a spring button connected to the detent of the
clockwork, ready to release the escapement when the ball a rolls against the button,
E is a stand or bracket in which the cylinder is adjusted by the pointed screws F
working in grooved countersunk plates G, t is a cord suspended over a pin at the
end of the cylinder, by which the alarm is set, either by being attached to a weight,
or to trays as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8; In Fig. 4 H is a cylinder containing a
glass tube I, partially filled with mercury i, the cylinder is attached by a screw
collar L to a bar K and fitted on the end of a spindle M, and adjusted to the
required position on the spindle by a set screw m, by which the tray P which is
fitted on the spindle may be adjusted at the proper angle for the falling material
to keep the alarm set: In the bar K, a second tube partly filled with mercury is
placed, and at one end of the tube a couple of wires are inserted and sealed, and
when the cylinder falls, the mercury will flow around the wires and complete the
electrical circuit by which the bell will be rung: In Figs. 5 and 6, which are
enlarged views of the trays and the manner of suspending them, M is a spindle
with a countersunk bearing at each end, in which pointed screws or bolts N
working at the end of the frame and in a cramp O are tightened and keep the
spindle and tray in position; R is a spindle to which slotted levers S are attached,
and in these levers auxiliary centres N are fixed by lock nuts, so that the tray T
can be balanced at any required angle by setting the pointed screws in the slots;
the tray T is connected by a cord t over pulleys and through eyelets to the alarm
on the outside of the frame, and directly the tray rises, the cord will be loosened,
and the tension be removed from the end of the cylinder A, and this will cause the
ball to roll to the other end of the cylinder and actuate the alarm. In Figs. 7
and 8 the ordinary working parts of a double roll mill are shown, with the trays
fitted under the feed rolls and fluted rolls, and their connections to the alarmıs, all
as shown in detail in the separate figures already described.
The various parts of my improved alarms and their connections with the interior
of roll mills being provided as described, they are set in operation in the following
manner For the clockwork alarm, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the cylinder is
adjusted by the pointed screws F engaging in the grooved centre bearings G,
and the alarm set by placing a small weight at the end of the cylinder, or by
a continuous tension on the cord as shown, then directly the weight or tension
is removed, the end B of the cylinder will descend, causing the other end to
rise, when the ball will immediately roll to the other end against the button d
and actuate the alarm, the clockwork having been previously wound up by the
key d; The cylinder shown in Fig. 4 slides backwards and forwards in a screw
collar attached to the bar K, which is put over a circular spindle M and adjusted
by the set screw m and the collar L, so that the mercury in the tube I will
be nearest the spindle as shown, and the alarm is set, and then by the removal of any
weight placed on the set screw m or any tension from the centre M, such as would
be caused by the material ceasing to flow over the tray P, the tray would rise and
the position of the cylinder be reversed, the mercury flowing to the other end of
the tube, causing the cylinder to fall in a very decided manner, and the mercury
in the small tube to complete the electrical current and ring the bell; in like
manner, with the clockwork alarm and the tray T shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the
flowing material passing over the tray keeps it in the required sloping direction,
and the cord t being held firmly strained by the weight of the tray and material,
the alarm is kept set, and by the decrease of the strain on the cord the cylinder
will change its position and the ball roll towards the other end and actuate the
alarm; but according to either of the methods described, the trays can be so
adjusted on their centres, either fixed or auxiliary, and the screw collar or the

page_text: pivotted bearings holding the cylinders can be set with still greater nicety, that
the combination of the tray, cylinder, and appliances for regulating the tension will
keep the alarm set, ready for giving the necessary notice when the supply of
material is stopped.
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 construction of a cylindrical alarm containing a movable weight and the
ordinary mechanism of a clockwork alarm, with a button or other spring catch,
against which the movable weight falls and liberates the catch of the alarm,
causing the bell to ring, as herein set forth and more particularly shown in Fig. 3
of the accompanying drawings.
2. The construction of a portable stand or bracket for holding an alarm cylinder
as described, by providing screw pointed bearings to engage in grooved counter-
sunk recesses attached to the sides of the cylinder for the purpose of adjusting and
setting the alarms ready for being actuated as herein. set forth and shown in Figs. 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The construction of metal trays and similar appliances attached to spindles
and suspended by pointed screws in or near the ends of the frames of roller mills,
which engage in countersunk bearings in the ends of the spindles ; and then placing
a cylindrical alarm containing a movable weight at the end of the spindle and
adjusting it to form a counterpoise to the tray when the material is passing over
it, which keeps the alarm set, so that when the supply of material ceases or is
sensibly diminished, the tray will rise and cause the alarm bell to ring, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein described and shown in Fig. 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. The construction of metal trays with slotted lever bars in which auxiliary
centres are so adjusted and fixed that they engage in bearings in the ends of roller
mill frames, balancing the trays when the material is passing over them in such a
manner as to tighten the cord t and hold the alarm cylinder in a set position, and
when the supply ceases the tray will rise and the cord be slackened liberating the
alarm cylinder and causing the alarm bell to ring, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and set forth in the accompanying drawings.
5. The construction of metal trays and balancing them on fixed or auxiliary
centres engaging in bearings in the ends of the mill, in such a manner that
when the ground products cease to fall on or flow over the trays, the trays will rise
and come in contact with the rolls in motion, producing a screeching noise, and
giving an alarm without the aid of the bell alarms herein described.
6. The construction of alarms with improved and reliable means for actuating
them, and then connecting them with trays or similar appliances over which any
material to be treated will pass and keep the alarms set, ready for ringing the bell
directly the supply of material has ceased, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described, and set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1891.
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2, John Street, Bristol, Applicant's Agent.