A PORTABLE ALARM APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ROBBERY BY FALSE KEYS."
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Turletti, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris,
in the Empire of France, and of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "A PORTABLE ALARM APPARATUS FOR
THE PREVENTION OF ROBBERY BY FALSE KEYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Turletti at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
August 1855.
I, LOUIS TURLETTI, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, and of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for "A PORTABLE ALARM APPARATUS
FOR THE PREVENTION OF ROBBERY BY FALSE KEYS, &c," to be as follows, that is
to say:-
This Invention consists in apparatus which will give warning to or indicate
any burglarious attempt to enter doors, windows, &c., to which it is attached,
by causing it to strike an alarum, and also light a candle by firing a per-
cussion cap.
These objects are accomplished by a cock, acted upon by a spring, as in an
ordinary gun or pistol. By pulling the cock back, a small wheel attached to
it takes into or gears with the catch of a lever. A catch, also attached to the

page_text: cock, holds the pins or stops of a toothed wheel, having a barrel fixed to it
containing a main spring, as in an ordinary watch. This wheel gears with
others which set in motion a fly, for the purpose of regulating its speed. At
the time of setting the apparatus, this spring is wound up by a key, a ratchet
wheel, & paul, and the cock prevents its unwinding. To this gearing is
fixed a hammer, which when the apparatus is in action strikes a bell.
When it is required to set the apparatus to a door, &c., a small rod or pin in
connection with the main lever is made to pass in the keyhole of the lock, so
that when a false key or other instrument is put in, it forces back the small
rod or pin, & by this means sets free the alarum & the cock, which, striking
a percussion cap fixed to a nipple provided with gunpowder, sets fire to a match
in such a position that in burning it lights a candle.
Cords are attached to the before-mentioned lever, which are to be fastened
to the doors or windows, so that when they are-pulled or destroyed by fire will
set the apparatus in action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Turletti in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
TURLETTI, of 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, and of
No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Louis Turletti, Her special license that I, the said Louis Turletti,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I; the said
Louis Turletti, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A PORTABLE ALARM
APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF ROBBERY BY FALSE KEYS," upon the condition
(amongst others). that I; the said Louis Turletti, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar.
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Turletti, hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention consists of an improved apparatus for indicating any bur-
glarious attempt to enter doors or windows to which it is applied, by causing it
to ring an alarum, and also light a candle by firing a percussion cap.
.
Figure 1 represents the interior of the apparatus, the upper plate being
taken off; Figure 2, a front view, with the upper plate fixed on; Figure 3, an
end view of the apparatus; Figure 4, a front view of the cock or hammer;
Figure 5, a front view of the lever; and Figure 6, a side view of the barrel:
In all the Figures the same letters of reference indicate similar parts.,
:
A is the piece serving to support the hammer or cock; a, two holes receiving
the hooks of the candle holder; .B, nipple, on which is placed the percussion
cap;. 6, priming channel, for transmitting the fire from the cap to the match;
6, adjusting screw, for fixing the apparatus in its proper place, as shewn in
Figure 4; C, axis of the cock or hammer D, which strikes the nipple B by
means of the spring F. The head of the hammer is hollowed out in the middle
to prevent the small pieces of percussion cap spreading about. d, range of the
spring F; d, part of the haminer, forming a catch for stopping the barrel
after the cocking; E, small pulley, through which passes the pin e; F,.spring
of the cock, bearing on the stopper G; H, barrel, provided with a main spring
similar to that of timepieces. It is provided with three large teeth h, Figures
1 and 6, which stop the movement of the spring at the catch d², and raise the
hammer L, when the teeth pass the paul k; I, toothed wheel, receiving its
motion from the barrel, and putting in motion the toothed wheel i, which
works the flier J. These three wheels are of brass and their pinions of steel.
R, catch or paul, provided underneath with a spiral spring soldered to the
small brass piece. K, forming part with the foundation plate; all these pieces
are inserted between two brass plates, which are screwed to the main plate y.
L, brass hammers, set in motion by K, and striking the bell St, Figures 2 and 3 ;
.M, lever, working on the screw N, Figures 1 and 5; m, part of the lever M,
having the form of a hook, and catching on the small wheel E; m³, hole
where the strings U are attached; o, lever, having its lower extremity passing
through the box R, which is crossed by the pin r; P, pin crossing o; Q, rod
cut in such manner as to give passage to the piece o, which egresses on the

page_text: other side of the apparatus, and is placed in the lock; S, standard, supporting
the bell, and raising it above the other parts of the apparatus; S2, bell, set' on
the standard by means of the brass screw S³, Figures 2 and 3. U,-strings for
lowering the part m³ of the lever and setting free the hammer L; V, small
pulley, to facilitate the lowering of m² when the strings U are pulled; W
spring, placed on the edge of the apparatus, and keeping constantly down the
head m of the lever M; y, lower plate of the apparatus; Z, holes through
which pass the strings; 1, match, lighted by the firing of the cap, and which
lights the candle; 2, screw for holding the match; 3 and 4, lid, closing by
means of two hooks; 5, candlestick, internally provided with a spiral spring
pushing up the candle; 6, hook, holding the candlestick against the hammer.
a, Figure 2, iron plate, covering the apparatus; b, screws, uniting together the
two plates of the apparatus; c, knobs, provided with an iron cross piece, serving
to fasten the bands by which the machine is fixed; d', steel catch or paul,
preventing the key from turning back; 7, ratchet wheel, in the interior of which
the axis of the barrel passes, and which serves to wind up the clockwork. A
key f is fixed to the axis by means of a pin. M, metallic plate, having two
arms to receive the brace passing into c, and by which the apparatus is fastened
to the door; O, band or brace, which can be lengthened or shortened by means
of a buckle p.
The apparatus can be applied, first, by introducing the rod Q, Figure 3, into
the part of the lock corresponding to the key, so that any one endeavouring to
put a key into the lock will push the rod Q, and cause the cock and barrel
to act. Secondly, by attaching to the rings the cords U, which are fixed to the
doors or windows to be protected, and also by fixing the apparatus by means
of the straps and buckles M to a door or wall. To put the apparatus in action,
the small rod Q should be introduced into the keyhole of the lock, or in a hole
purposely made, and fastened by fixing the two buckles, one above and the
other underneath the lock, taking care to draw in the buckle and to adjust the
screw be until the apparatus is properly fixed. The hammer D is then drawn
at full cock, and the spring of the barrel wound up by the key f.
. A match is placed in the holder 3, so as to correspond with the hole b, which
match is fixed by means of the screw 2. The percussion cap is then placed on
the nipple B. If other doors are required to be protected, the cords U are
fastened to the rings, care being taken to have them supported by a hook,
placed as near as possible to the opening of the door to which the cords are
firmly fixed, so that when the door is partly opened, the stretching of the cords
ring's the alarum, lights the candle, and thus gives the necessary warning.
And having, thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner

page_text: in which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein laid down; but
what I claim is, the mode of constructing portable alarm apparatus applicable
to locks, doors, and windows, for the prevention of robbery, as herein-before
described and referred to in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Turletti, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
TURLETTI. (L.S.)