Improvements in and relating to Electric Alarm Systems for the Protection of Buildings or for like use.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
Improvements in and relating to Electric Alarm Systems for the
Protection of Buildings or for like use.
A communication from abroad by EDWARD FRANCIS WOODMAN, of 665, Columbia
Road, Boston, County of Suffolk. State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, and HENRY ANTHONY FISKE, of 26, Rice Street, Newton Center,
County of Middlesex, Massachusetts aforesaid, Electricians.
I, ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES, of 55 and 56, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 alarm systems employed for the protection of
buildings or for like uses and particularly to those wherein the system includes a
series of thermostats located in the building or buildings equipped, whereby an
alarm is given at one or more predetermined stations when the operation of a
thermostat is effected by an abnormal temperature.
It is necessary in many localities, in order to comply with insurance regula-
tions, to provide such an alarm system with one or more outside or local circuits
which shall give an alarm when the main alarm circuit is operated, such local
circuits being preferably provided with a vibrating bell for sounding the alarm.
These local circuits should be so constructed and arranged that when a test is
made of the system not only will the condition of the main alarm circuit be
indicated, but also that of each and every local circuit forming a part of the
system.
This present invention has for its object the production of an electric alarm
system so constructed and arranged that the local circuits, if operative, will
always be in condition to automatically and separately record their operation
when an alarm is given by or through the main circuit, and if not operative to
indicate that fact, and in connection with such system a novel testing apparatus
is employed, whereby a separate and distinct test of the condition of the main
and each local circuit is made and recorded.
By the testing apparatus referred to the giving of the alarm, or its failure,
will be indicated for each local circuit, as well as the character of the alarm.
That is, with a vibrating bell in the local circuit, the proper operation of the
bell will be indicated; or its improper operation, as for instance, if but a single
stroke occurs; and the total failure of the alarm to operate will also be indicated,
so that at a glance the operation of the entire system may be noted, and faults,
if any, corrected.
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an electric alarm system embodying this
invention, with a portion of the testing apparatus in connection therewith;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the testing apparatus, mounted on a suitable base,
with the terminals for the main and local circuits, and the main and local circuit
electro-magnets;
Fig. 3 is a right hand side elevation and partial section of the testing apparatus

page_text: Fig. 4 is an inner face view of the movable insulating plate or carrier
supports the circuit controlling devices;
WILICIL
Fig. 5 is an outer face view of the insulating plate containing the fixed terminals
of the several alarm circuits, and with which the movable circuits controlling
devices cooperate;
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the recording armature of a local circuit magnet;
and
Fig. 7 is a detached view of an indicator or test card showing two tests
recorded.
Herein a series of alarm circuits are shown, four in number, which may, for
instance, extend throughout a building on the different stories, denoting the
first-story circuit, as No. 1, the second story No. 2, and so on, with three local
circuits, L1, L2, L3, but it will be apparent hereinafter that a greater of less
number of main or alarm circuits may be employed, and one or more local
circuits, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
Herein are shown normally open alarm circuits, of the "duplex" type, with,
with the thermostats t, the latter operating to close the circuit upon a predeter-
mined rise in temperature, and thereby put into action an alarm, the term
duplex" meaning that each alarm circuit comprises two circuits complete in
themselves, with the thermostats bridging or connected to the latter, so that the
severance of both wires of the alarm circuit will not disable it, as will be
explained hereinafter, and these metallic circuits are also shown as connected
with a fire alarm system, as will be described, a suitable battery B. Fig. 1, being
provided to furnish the requisite current, while each local circuit is provided
with its own battery, as B1, B2, etcetera, and a vibrating bell as 1310, B20, 13:30
An annunciator A* is connected with the system, provided with drops corre-
sponding to the several alarm circuits, and in circuit therewith as shown in
Fig. 1.
The several local circuits are coupled with or connected to the main circuit
by suitable relays R1, R2, etcetera, the relay coils being included in the main
circuit and the armatures being included in the local circuits it being supposed
that the bells in said local circuits will be installed in the houses or offices of
different persons connected with the building provided with the alarm system so
that the alarm will be given to each of such individuals and it will be observed
that the local circuits are thus always and permanently coupled with the main
or alarm circuit.
Each local circuit includes an electro magnet, as M¹, M², etcetera, which latter
are shown as grouped about the dial of the testing apparatus, the several arma-
tures in the present instance being provided each with a point or stylus, as m³,
m2, m³, Fig. 2, adjacent the face of the dial and arranged radially to the centre
thereof, for a purpose to be described.
The testing apparatus is herein shown as mounted in a suitable box or case C,
and includes essentially a fixed disc C of insulating material, suitably mounted
on the metallic frame C*; and a cooperating rotatable disc C² of insulating
material mounted adjacent and parallel to the disc C¹ upon a metal arbor 3 held
in suitable bearings on the frame and driven by a clock mechanism C³ of any
usual construction.
The disc C is shown separately in Fig. 5, having arranged upon it the
terminals a, b¹, a², b², a³, b³, etcetera, of the several individual circuits No. 1. No. 2,
etcetera, the latter being led into the casing to suitable binding posts a¹0, 10,
620, etcetera, connected respectively by wires 1, 2, 3, 4, with the terminals on the
disc C¹, as best shown in Fig. 1.
(220
These terminals are shown as located in radial lines on the said disc, and
also in arcs concentric, with its centre, and on an outer arc terminals a¹², b12 etcetera,
are provided connected by wires 10, 20, 30, etcetera, with terminals a¹3, 613, in
circuit the annunciator A* and thence by wire a to battery B.
Inside the line terminals a¹, b¹, etcetera, a series of terminals a¹5, bl³, etcetera,

page_text: are shown, which are connected to each other by wire 15, and thence by the
wire to the battery B.
A magnet M mounted on the metallic frame C of the testing apparatus is in
circuit by wire 16 with a metal ring 8 in the disc C¹ and with the metallic
arbor through the frame C* and wire 17.
The armature m of said magnet is preferably provided with a toothed wheel m
which, when the magnet is energized, is brought down upon a test card 1) of
paper or other suitable material carried on the outer face of the disk, said cards
being removable and serving as a recording dial for the testing apparatus, and
by referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the toothed wheel m" and the several
styluses m, m2, etcetera, are arranged in a line radial to the centre of the dial,
so that each can make its own record thereupon independently of the others.
Each stylus indents the dial once for each vibration of the bell included in
the corresponding local circuit, and as the disc C rotates when a test is made
the record of a properly operating local circuit will be a series of dots or indenta-
tions, while a single stroke of the bell will be recorded as a dash or continuous
mark."
Should a local circuit be out of order the corresponding stylus will make no
record whatever on the dial, thus indicating clearly that the bell did not ring.
The magnet M is brought into circuit only when making a test of the system,
and at such time the toothed wheel me will make a series of indentations on the
indicator card D.
Referring to Fig. 7, one of the indicator cards is shown separately, divided
segmentally and each space corresponding to an alarm circuit of the system;
and in the first space the result of a test for No. 1 circuit is shown, the dotted
line 50 indicating by its series of dots that the local circuit L³ was in proper
condition, its bell vibrating during the test.
The dash 51 indicates that the bell of the local circuit L¹ made but a single
vibration, the stylus m¹ remaining in contact with and tearing or continuously
indenting the dial.
The local circuit L2 failed to operate at all, no mark having been made by
its stylus m².
The dotted line 53 is intended to indicate a test indication for the alarm circuit
No. 1 of the system.
The second section of the dial shows a similar state of affairs so far as regards
local circuits L1 and L2, it being understood that this second space records the
test for alarm circuit No. 2.
The tests for alarm circuits 3 and 4 of the system herein illustrated would
be recorded in the third and fourth spaces of the dial.
Should the entire system be in proper operative position when the test is made,
cach section of the dial will show a series of dots for the alarm circuit, and as
many additional series of dots as there are local or outside circuits.
In normal condition the several circuits are in the state shown in diagram,
Fig. 1, each alarm circuit being open at each thermostat and as will be described
the terminals, as a¹, 61, of circuit No. 1 are in circuit with the battery B by
connections with the terminals a¹, als respectively.
Taking circuit No. 1, should a thermostat at the right of the dotted line 80,
Fig. 1, operate, the circuit will be completed through post 10, wire 1, termi-
nals a, 2 and wire 10 through annunciator A, wire a, battery B, wires a
and 15 to terminals a, b, thence by second wire 1 of the pair to thermostat, it
being observed that the circuit is completed through the testing apparatus, and
any other of the alarm circuits can be traced in similar manner.
Should the circuit be impaired between the dotted line 80, Fig. 1, and the
testing apparatus the alarm will still be given, for if a thermostat to the left of
said line operates the circuit can be traced, as follows:- from thermostat by
wire 100 to post a, annunciator, wire a to battery, wire to post a, and
common return wire 81 to thermostat, the testing apparatus in this instance

page_text: being excluded from the circuit, but in either case the several local circuits will
be operated through their respective relays, the line 80 serving merely to indicate
some point of the circuit at which a break may occur, and correspondingly for
any other alarm circuit of the system.
The other circuits are connected by the wires 200, 300, etcetera, with the
posts etcetera.
:
Now in order to normally connect the terminals of the several circuits with
the terminals 1, 5, 61, 615, etcetera and thereby include the battery B and
annunciator, the disc C2 is provided on its inner face with a pair of circuit
breakers or bridges for each alarm circuit of the system, it being necessary to
describe only one pair though in Fig. 4 the proper number are shown for the
four circuits herein illustrated.
The bridges are shown as bifurcated metal arms 660, 62, Fig. 4, arranged side
by side and secured to the insulating disc 02, the branches 120 and 122 of
bridge normally resting upon the terminals a, a, respectively carried by
the disc C, while the branches 124 and 126 of the other bridge rest upon the
terminals and a respectively, the dotted loops 660 and 6 on Fig. 1 diagram-
natically representing the two bridges when the system is in normal condition.
The direction of rotation of the disc C3 is indicated by arrow 75, Fig. 4, a
latch 76, Fig. 2, normally holding the disc from rotation by its engagement
with a stop 77 on said. disc, withdrawal of the latch by a suitable handle 78
releasing the disc and permitting the clock mechanism (C to effect a single
rotation of the disc.
When such test is made the pairs of bridges described will be withdrawn from
the normally engaged series of terminals and break the several alarm circuits,
and these terminals are successively closed to test each circuit by the rotation
of the disc C2 which carries upon its inner face two separated circuit closers or
changers f, f, located beyond the last pair of bridges thereupon, as clearly
shown in Fig. 4.
The circuit changer f³ is connected by a wire 19 with the metal plate f secured
to the disc and contacting with the arbor c³, so that by said arbor and the
frame C of the testing device the circuit-changer f³ is electrically connected
with the magnet M.
A contact finger f¹ mounted upon but insulated from the plate f is adapted to
wipe over and maintain continuous contact with the metallic ring 8 of the disc C',
a wire 18 connecting said finger S and the circuit changer f.
To avoid confusion in Fig. 1 the circuit changers are not shown in their
proper position relative to the apparatus, but more to show their electrical
connection with the rest of the apparatus, said circuit changers being so positioned
on the disc C that when it rotates they will successively contact with the
terminals a, b, a, b, etcetera, when the bridges are inoperative, to thereby short
circuit one alarm circuit after another through the testing apparatus, and include
the magnet M for each of such circuits.
as described the circuit
Referring to Fig. 1, let it be supposed that
changers, f³, are respectively in contact with the terminals a and b of
circuit No. 1, the latter will be completed as follows; terminal a', f, wire 18 to
ring 8, wire 16 to magnet M, wires 17, frame of testing device, arbor c³, wire 19,
circuit changer f³, terminal b₁, right hand wire 1, common return 81 and wire a
to battery B, wire a through annunciator to post a¹³, wire 100 to individual
circuit No. 1 post 610 and inside wire 1 back to terminal a¹, and the energising of
the magnet M will cause its armature to make a record on the dial D preferably
through the use of the toothed wheel m6.
At the same time the usual local circuits will have been operated through
their relays and if the bells therein have operated, properly or improperly, or if
they have failed to operate, the condition of each local circuit will be indicated on
the dial D as has been described.
What has been said of alarm circuit No. 1 is true of each of the others, the

page_text: tests thereof being made and indicated in the successive spaces on the dial as
the disc C rotates.
Should an alarm circuit be out of order the magnet M will not be energized
during its test, and no record will be made on the dial, showing instantly not
only that an alarm circuit is out of order, but also indicating which circuit
requires attention.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that the testing is automatic, the only
manual operation required being the withdrawal of the latch 76 to inaugurate
the action of the testing device.
The local circuits are always in circuit" with the several alarm circuits, thus
obviating the shunting of said local circuits into or out of operation, and
preventing the harmful results which might ensuse from the carelessness or
forgetfulness of the attendant charged with the duty of making the tests.
With the indications of the test dial it is impossible for individuals. on the
local circuit to wrongfully allege the improper operation of the local bells, as
the actual operation of the bell is clearly indicated on the test dial.
The system is shown connected with a fire alarm system of efficient character,
the transmitter T, see dotted lines Fig. 1, being connected with the main circuit
at 26, 27, and means are also provided whereby when a test is being made the
fire alarm system will be automatically cut out.
Referring to Fig. 2 the frame of the testing device has mounted upon it two
normally separated, circuit closers or pens f30, f, insulated from each other and
attached to wires 30 and 31 leading to binding posts 300, 310 in the casing C.
Wires 320, 330, lead from said posts to the transmitter connections 26 and 27
respectively, so that when the circuit closers f30, f, are brought into contact
the transmitter will be short circuited.
The pen 30 normally rests in a notch e in the edge of the insulating disc C²,
more clearly shown in Fig. 4, so that the point of the pen 31 will be separated
from 30, but when the disc begins to rotate the pen fwill be lifted to contact
with the point f, to effect the short circuiting of the fire alarm system.
When the disc has made one revolution and comes to rest the pen snaps
back into the recess and the fire alarm system is automatically brought into
circuit.
This invention is not restricted to the precise construction and arrangement
herein shown and described, as the same may be varied or rearranged without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Each electro magnet and its armature, with the recording or indicating portion
of the latter, constitutes an indicating device, as it may be turned, and it will be
manifest that the indicating device in each local circuit is responsive to a change
in any one of the main or alarm circuits, whether such change is due to the
action of a thermostat or to the operation of the testing apparatus, but the
indicating device comprising the magnet M and its armature is operative only
when brought into an alarm circuit by or through the operation of the testing
apparatus.
Accordingly in the claims, this device is hereinafter denoted as a
"test-indi-
cating device," to clearly distinguish it from the indicating device included in or
forming a part of each local circuit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In an electric alarm system employed for the protection of a building or the
like use:-.
1. A protective system comprising a main alarm circuit including one or more
devices to change said circuit under abnormal conditions, a test indicating device
therefor, one or more local circuits each having an indicating device responsive
to a change in the main circuit, and a testing apparatus adapted upon operation

page_text: to connect said test indicating device with the main circuit and through the
latter to effect the operation of the local circuit indicating device, whereby the
condition of said main and local circuits will be indicated.
2. A protective system comprising a duplex, open, main alarm circuit, a test
indicating device therefor, one or more local circuits each having an indicating
device responsive to a change in the main circuit, and a testing apparatus adapted
upon operation to connect said test indicating device with the main circuit, to be
actuated thereby, the operation of each local circuit indicating device being also
effected by or through the main circuit when a test is made."
3. A protective system comprising a plurality of duplex normally open alarm
circuits provided with thermostats to close the same upon an undue rise of
temperature, a test indicating device for said alarm circuits, one or more local
circuits each having an indicating device responsive to a change in any alarm
circuit, and a testing apparatus adapted upon operation to successively connect
said test indicating device with the several alarm circuits, to be actuated thereby,
the operation of each local circuit indicating device being also effected by or
through each alarm circuit when a test is made.
4. A protective system comprising a plurality of duplex, normally open alarm
circuits provided with thermostats to close the same upon an undue rise of
temperature, a test indicating device for said alarm circuits, one or more local
circuits each having an indicating device responsive to a change in any alarm
circuit, and a testing apparatus including a recording dial, said testing apparatus
upon its operation successively connecting the test indicating device with the
several alarm circuits, to be actuated thereby, the said device and the indicating
device of each local circuit co-operating with the dial to indicate thereupon the
condition of the alarm and local circuits when a test is made of the system.
5. A protective system comprising a main alarm circuit including one or
more devices to change said circuit under abnormal conditions, a test indicating
device therefor, one or more local circuits each having an indicating device
responsive to a change in the main circuit, and a testing apparatus including a
recording dial adjacent to which the several indicating devices are located, said
testing apparatus being adapted upon operation to connect the test-indicating
device with the main circuit, and by or through the latter to effect the operation
of the local circuit indicating device, the said indicating devices by their coopera-
tion with the dial of the testing apparatus recording separately the condition of
the several circuits comprised in the system when a test is made.
G. A protective system comprising a main alarm circuit including one or more
devices to change said circuit under abnormal conditions, a test indicating device
therefor, one or more local circuits having each an indicating device, to
automatically and separately indicate the operation of a local circuit when an
alarm is given by or. through the main circuit, and a testing apparatus adapted
upon operation to connect said test-indicating device with the main circuit, and
through the latter to also effect a test operation of each local circuit and its
indicating device, whereby the condition of the circuits comprised in the system
will be indicated.
7. A protective system comprising a main alarm circuit including one or more
devices to change said circuit under abnormal conditions, a test indicating device
therefor, including a recording member, one or more local circuits each having a
vibrating bell and an indicating device responsive to a change in the main
circuit, said indicating device including a recording member vibratable in unison
with the bell, and a testing apparatus having a rotatable dial, the operation of
said testing apparatus connecting said test-indicating device with the main circuit,
and through the latter also effecting the operation of the local circuit indicating
device, whereby the recording members of said indicating devices will denote
upon the dial the operative condition of the several circuits and the operation of
the local circuit bell when a test is made.
S. A protective system comprising a plurality of duplex, normally open alarm

page_text: circuits, a common. test-indicating device for said alarm circuits, one or more
local circuits each having an indicating device responsive to a change in any
alarm circuit, and a testing apparatus comprising a rotatable disc, actuating
means therefor, circuit closers on said disc in circuit with the test indicating
device and adapted to contact successively with the terminals of the several alarm
circuits and thereby effect a test operation of said indicating device for each
circuit, circuit-breakers on said dise, to open the alarm circuits in advance of
the movement of the circuit-closers, and a dial to cooperate with the test and
local circuit indicating device and record the condition of the several circuits in
the system.
9. A protective system comprising a plurality of duplex, normally open alarm
circuits, a common test indicating device for said alarm circuits, one or more
local circuits each having an indicating device responsive to a change in any
alarm circuit, and a testing apparatus adapted upon operation to successively
connect said test-indicating device with the several alarm circuits, to be actuated
thereby, the operation of each local circuit being also effected by or through
each alarm circuit when a test is made, a fire alarm system, and means controlled
by the testing apparatus to automatically cut out the fire alarm system during
the operation of said apparatus.
10. A protective system comprising a plurality of duplex, normally open alarm
circuits, a common test indicating device for said alarm circuits, one or more
local circuits each having an indicating device responsive to a change in any
alarm circuit, and a testing apparatus adapted upon operation to successively
connect said test indicating device with the several alarm circuits to be actuated
thereby, and to also effect the operation of each local circuit indicating device,
said testing apparatus including a rotatable disc and a recording dial about
which said several indicating devices are grouped, to produce by their coopera-
tion with the dial a separate record of the condition of each local circuit simul-
taneously with the test record of each alarm circuit.
11. A protective system comprising a plurality of duplex, normally open alarm
circuits, a common test-indicating device for said alarm circuits including a
recording member, one or more local circuits each having a vibrating bell and
an indicating device responsive to a change in any alarm circuit, each indicating
device including a recording stylus vibratable in unison with the bell, and a
testing apparatus having a rotatable disc provided with a recording dial adjacent
to which the recording members of the several indicating devices are located, a
fire alarm system, and means controlled by rotation of the disc to cut out the
fire alarm system during a test, operation of the testing apparatus connecting
said test indicating device successively with the alarm circuits to effect the
operation of its recording member, the stylus of each operative local circuit
indicating device recording upon the dial the vibrations of its corresponding bell
for each test of an alarm circuit.
Dated the 27th day of November 1899
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55, 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.