Improvements in Electric Annunciators.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Electric Annunciators.
I, OSCAR WIEDERHOLD Electrical Engineer of Summit, in the County of Union
and State of New Jersey, United States of America do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to electric annunciators for hotels, etc. and has mainly
for its object to ensure the retention of the "drop" or indicator in its normal
or inoperative position until the annunciator is used.
The frame of each annunciator consists of a bracket comprising a vertical
member terminating at its lower end in spindles located one at each side, the
spindles being out of the vertical plane, and extending in the direction, of the
front of the said member, and a forwardly extending horizontal member which
terminates in a cap bar arranged at right angles to the horizontal member and
provided with bent over ends to form sockets. The annunciator "drop' consists
of a plate having ears at its rear end which are pivoted on the spindles of the
bracket and an upward transverse depression forming preferably a raised inverted
V-shaped surface in one side whereof a slot is produced. At the forward end of
the annunciator "drop" a socket is formed which stands at an angle to the plate
and in the said socket the card or other tag used as an indicator is placed.
A magnet is secured to the bracket and an armature is pivoted at each end of
the cap bar between the inturned ends, each armature consisting of a shauk a
curved body portion and a finger which extends downwards and has its outer side
edge at the bottom provided with an inclined surface. Above this inclined surface
there is a slot in the finger of the armature. The body portions of the armatures
(two of which are employed for each magnet) extend around the core of the
magnets, their inclined bottom surfaces being outward and the shanks of tho
armatures extend beyond the cap bar and the armatures of each magnet are
normally drawn apart by a spring.
In order that the armatures shall not remain magnetized after they have been
attracted by the energized magnet and after the current has been cut off, a cap
of brass or like material is placed over the outer end of the magnet core or that
portion of the core which is between the armatures and the said cap is provided
with an arm extending from each side and carrying a spur at each end which
spurs serve as stops limiting the outward movement of the armatures.
When the "drop" is in its elevated position, the lower ends of the armatures
will enter the openings in the "drop" drawing the lower ends of the armatures
together by reason of the end walls of the slot in the "drop" travelling along the
inclined faces of the lower portions of the armatures and when the "drop" has
reached its predetermined upper position the walls of the slot in the "drop" will
be opposite the recesses in the armatures and the spring will then force the arma-
tures outward to their normal position and the "drop" will be held in its raised
position. When the current is applied the armatures are attracted by the magnets

page_text: and the armature of the energized magnet releases the "drop" permitting it to
fall and expose its label.
In a modification, the horizontal arm of the bracket terminates in an upwardly
extending transverse bar which is connected with a front parallel bar through the
medium of a bridge bar. The armatures are pivoted between two front bars one
at each end of the bridge bar the latter serving as a stop to prevent the armatures
from spreading outward. The armatures may be constructed in the same manner
as those heretofore described, and are held outward in this instance by a bow
spring while a pin of brass or a like metal is passed through the side of each
armature opposite the core of the magnet to which the armatures belong so as to
prevent undue magnetism of the two armatures.
Dated this 20th day of November 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I, OSCAR WIEDERHOLD, of Summit, in the County of Union and State of New
Jersey, United States of America, Electrical engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention and in want manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:---
The object of the invention is to construct an annunciator in a simple, durable
and inexpensive manner, and so that the "drop" can not be shaken loose after
it has been elevated and engaged by the armatures, it being absolutely necessary
to aply the current in the desired manner before the "drop" can be brought to
an indicating position.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings froming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is an exterior view of the annunciator
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the annunciater, the box in which the
annunciator is located being in section
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2
Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken ou the line 44 of Figure 2
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the annunciator "drop" and the bracket for
the same
Figure 6 is a detail view of a cap and stop combined, adapted to prevent the
armatures from being held by the magnets after the current has been cut off
Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the armatures.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the annunciator, in which slight modifications
are shown in the arrangement of the armatures
Figure 9 is a plan view of the modified form of the annunciator shown in
Figure 8.
In carrying out the invention the frame of each annunciator consists of a
bracket A, which comprises preferably a vertical member 10, terminating at it<
lower end in spindles 11, located one at each side, the spindles heing out of the
vertical plane of and extending in the direction of the front of the said member.
At the top of the vertical member 10 a forwardly extending horizontal member 12
is formed, which terminates in a cap bar 13, arranged at right angles to the

page_text: horizontal member and having its ends 14 bent over at the front of the bar to form
sockets, as illustrated in Figure 5. The annunciator "drop" B consists of a
late 16 having ears at its rear end, which are pivoted on the spindles or
trunuious 11, and the said plate 15 between its ends, being provided with an
upward depression extending transversely of the plate, forming preferably a raised
inverted V-shaped surface 16, in one side whereof a slot 17 is produced."
At the forward end of the annunciator "drop" a socket 18 is formed, which
stands at an angle to the plate, and in the said socket the card 19 or other tag
used as an indicator is placed.
A magnet C is secured to the vertical member 10 of the bracket below the hori-
zontal member 12, and an armature 20 is pivoted at each end of the cap bar 13
between the inturned ends 14, as illustrated in Figure 2. Each armature, as shown
in Figure 7, consists of a shank 20°, a curved body portion 20b, and a finger 20º,
which extends downward from the curved body portion, and has its outer side edge
at the bottom provided with an inclined surface 21, and above this inclined surfaco
a slot 22 is made in the finger of the armature.
The body portions of the armatures (two of which are employed for each magnet)
extend around the core of the magnets, their inclined bottom surfaces 21 being
outward, and the shanks 20" of the armatures extend beyond the cap bar 13, and
the armatures of each magnet are normally drawn apart through the medium of
a connecting spring 23.
In order that the armatures shall not remain magnetized after they have been
attracted by the energized magnet and after the current has been cut off, a cap 24
of brass or like material is placed over the outer end of the magnet core, or that
portion of the core which is between the armatures; the said cap 24, (as shown in
Figures 2 and 6) being provided with an arm extending from each side and carry-
ing a spur 25 at each end, which spurs extend at each side of the front of the
magnet, and serve as stops for limiting the outward movement of the armatures,
as particularly illustrated in Figure 4.
When the armature ston is in its elevated position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3,
the lower ends of the armatures will enter the openings 17 in the "drop," drawing
the lower ends of the armatures together by reason of the end walls of the slot
in the "drop" travelling along the inclined faces of the lower portins of the
armatures, and when the "drop" has reached its predetermined upper position
the walls of the slot in the "drop" will be opposite the recesses 22 in the
armatures, and the spring 23 will then force the armatures outward to their
normal position, and the drop" will be held in its raised position and can not be
shaken from the armatures no matter how violently the annunciator may be
agitated. When, however the current is applied, the armatures will be attracted
by the magnets, and the armature of the energized magnet will release the "drop,'
permitting it to fall and expose its label.
In Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated a slight modification of the device, in
which it will be observed that the main difference lies in the formation of the
upper portion of the bracket A for the reception of the armatures. The horizontal
arm 12 of the bracket terminates in an upwardly-extending transverse bar 26,
which is connected with a front parallel bar 27 through the medium of a bridge
bar 28. The armatures are pivoted between two front bars, one at each end of the
bridge bar, the lattor serving as a stop to prevent the armatures from spreading
outward. The armatures may be constructed in the same manner as those here-
tofore described, and are held outward in this instance by a bow spring 29, while
a pin 30 of brass or a like metal is passed through the side of each armature
opposite the core of the magnet ta which the armatures belong, so as to prevent
undue magnetism of the two armatures. In either event the "drops" may be
raised through the medium of a crank shaft 31 (shown in Figures 2 and 4) which
is operated from a knob 32 or its equivalent, located at the outside of the box 33
in which the annunciators are placed. The wiring is accomplished in the usual or
in any approved manner.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An annunciator, constructed substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In an annunciator, a magnet, a "drop,' and armatures adapted to be attracted
by the magnet, being normally held supported therefrom and adapted for locking
engagement with the said "drop," as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In an annunciator, a magnet, a "drop" having an opening therein, and an
armature located at each side of the magnet and normally held out of contact with
the same, the said arinatures being each provided with a surface adapted to enter
the opening of the "drop" and support the "drop," substantially as described.
4. In an annunciator, a magnet, an armature located at each side of the magnet,
being normally held out of contact with the same, the said armatures being pro-
vided with extensions at their free ends, and a "drop" having an opening through
normally holding the free ends of the armatures supported, and a "drop" arranged
being adapted to be supported by the extensions of the armatures, ns and far the
purpose specified.
5. In an annunciator, a magnet, armatures pivoted at one end and arranged at
each side of the magnet, being adapted to be attracted thereby, a tension device
normally holding the free ends of the armatures suported, and a drop" arranged
for locking engagement with the armatures when the latter are spread apart, the
"drop" being released from. the armatures when the magnet is energized, as and
for the purpose set forth.
G. The combination, with a magnet, and spring controlled armatures adapted to
be attracted by the magnet, being normally held supported therefrom, of a "drop"
arranged for locking engagement with the aforesaid armatures when the latter are
not influenced by the magnet, as and for the purpose specified.
7. The combination, with a magnet, spring-controlled armatures adapted to be
attracted by the magnet, being normally held supported therefrom, and a stop
limiting the outward movement of the armatures, of a "drop" arranged for lock-
ing engagement with the aforesaid armatures when the latter are not influenced
by the magnet, as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of August 1897
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
63 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Intent Agents.