Electrical Hose Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Electrical Hose Signalling Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM FOWLER, Dentist, residing at 18 South Tejon Street, Colorado
Springs, County of El Paso, State of Colorado, United States of America, 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 improvements in hose signalling apparatus for use in
connection with fire engine or hydrant service and may be considered an improve-
ment on my former invention bearing a similar title and shown and described in my
British Patent No. 8535%. Said Patent is specially based on the peculiar con-
struction and arrangement of the hose coupling, whereby the pressing of a button
at either end of the line (at the engine or hydrant or at the nozzle) places a bell in
the electric circuit at both ends of the line, whereby a signal is given at the
opposite end from that at which the pressed button is located, while the sounding
of the bell at the same end where the button is pressed warns the person giving the
signal that the alarm mechanism is sounded at the opposite end, since both bells lie
in the same circuit.
My improvement consists in an attachment whereby a third bell carried by any
person or located at any desired point may be placed in the circuit at any coupling-
joint of the hose, whereby the three bells are all placed in the same circuit and
simultaneously operated by pressing a button at any point.
The invention will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying
drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.
In this drawing,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the nozzle extremity of the hose, showing a single
coupling.
Fig. 2 is a face view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the coupling sections.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite coupling section.
Fig. 4 is a rear view of an insulating ring carrying contact-plates. The front
view of this ring is shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a view of the coupling section with said insulating-ring removed.
Fig. 6 shows the position of the two insulating rings and their metallic contact
parts when the coupling is established. The left half of this fig. is a section
taken on the line S-S, Fig. 5, while the opposite half is a section taken on the
line B-B, Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line C-C, Fig. 5, showing the external insulating-
ring in place.
Fig. 8 is a section taken through one half of the coupling on the line =―≈,
Fig. 5.
Fig. 9 is a section on y-y, Fig. 3.
Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view of the electrical circuit, showing the location
therein of the alarm mechanism.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the third or intermediately-located electrical
bell, illustrating the means whereby said bell is placed in the circuit at any hose-
coupling. Fig. 12 is another view of the same.
Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts or elements in the
several views. Let the numeral 10 designate a battery or other suitable source of
electricity located on the engine at the fire-hydrant or other suitable point; 12 an
electrical bell at the same end of the line; 13 another bell at the opposite or nozzle
end of the hose line; 14 a third bell intermediately located with reference to the

page_text: respective bells, which are so connected in the battery circuit that the pressing of
any one of the push-buttons rings all the bells simultaneously. -
The manner of connecting the bells in the circuit is as follows; from one pole 18
of the battery leads a wire 19 to the button 15 and thence to the button 16, where
it terminates. From button 15 leads another wire 20 to button 16 and thence to
bell 13, where it may be said to terminate. From bell 13 leads another wire 21 to
bell 12, while from said last-named bell still another wire 22 leads to the other
pole 23 of the battery. From wire 20 leads a branch wire 24 to button 17 and
thence to bell 14 from which leads another wire 25 to wire 21. From wire 19 leads
a wire 26 to button 17, where it terminates. From this arrangement of
the bells in the circuit it will be observed that by pressing any one of the
buttons 15, 16 or 17 all the bells 12, 13 and 14 are sounded in unison. If button 15
is pushed the current may be said to pass from pole 18 of the battery through
wires 19 and 20 to bell 13, and thence through wire 21 to bell 12, and through
wire 22 to the other pole of the battery, and from wire 20 through wire 24 to
bell 14, and thence through wire 25 to wire 21. If button 16 is pressed, the
current passes from pole 18 of the battery via wires 19 and 20 to bell 13, thence
through wire 21 to bell 12 and through wire 22 to pole 23 of the battery, while
from wire 19 the current passes to button 16, back through wire 20 to its junction
with wire 24, and thence through said last-named wire to bell 14, and via wire 25
to wire 21, bell 12, and wire 22 to pole 23. When button 17 is pressed the current
passes from pole 18 via wires 19, 26, 24 to bell 14, and thence via wires 25 and 21
to bell 12, and thence from wire 22 to pole 23, also from wire 19 through wire 26
to button 17 and back through wire 24 to wire 20, thence through button 16 to
bell 13, and thence to wire 21, completing the circuit through bell 12 and wire 22.
The wires 19, 20 and 21 are attached to the line of hose in any suitable manner,
being preferably concealed within the layers of the hose material and wound
spirally therearound, as shown in Fig. 1. To the adjacent extremities of any two
hose-sections are secured the metallic coupling-sections 27 and 28 adapted to be
screwed together, as shown by the correspondingly threaded parts 27* and 28*.
Within these metallic coupling-sections 27 and 28 are suitably secured the insulating
rings 29 and 30, respectively. Within suitable recesses 31 formed in the external
face of ring 30, are secured the metallic springs 32, which project sufficiently from
the bottom of the recesses to engage the metallic contact plates 33, secured to the
back of the insulating ring 34 and electrically connected with the circular metallic
contact-rings 35, 35 located on the opposite surface of ring 34 and insulated from
each other. To each spring 32 leads a circuit wire thereby forming an electrical
connection between said wires and the contact rings 35 on the external surface of
one of the coupling sections. In the opposite insulating-ring 29 are formed two
chambers 36, each provided with a metal lining 37, to which lead two of the circuit
wires on the opposite side of the coupling. In these chambers 36 are located the
spring-actuated pistons 38, provided with pins 39 and 40, which pass through
openings formed in the bottom and top of the chamber's wall. The portion of
pin 39 within the chamber is surrounded by a coil spring 41, one extremity of
which engages the bottom of the chamber and the other the piston, whereby pin 40
normally protrudes through the outer extremity of the chamber's casing. The
pins 40 are so located that when the coupling is formed these pins engage the two
metal contact-rings 35, completing the circuit through the coupling.
The third circuit wire is electrically united at the coupling by connecting its
adjacent extremities with the metallic sections 27 and 28 in any suitable manner.
As shown in the drawings, small metal brackets 45 and 46 are secured within
recesses or chambers 47 and 48, formed within the insulating-rings 29 and 30
respectively. The brackets engage the metallic contact parts 27 and 28, and the
circuit wires lead to the brackets, establishing a complete electrical communication.
The third electric bell, or that designated 14 in Fig. 10, together with the push
button 17, is connected to a suitable insulating block 50, while the wires 24 25,
and 26 lead to spring-actuated pins 51, 52 and 53, connected with a key 54,

page_text: adapted to lock upon a projection 55, which the key is recessed to receive, as
shown at 56. The key is locked in place upon projection 54, which is preferably
formed integral with one of the metallic sections 27 or 28 of the coupling. Pin 52
engages the projection when the key is locked in position, while pins 51 and 53
engage contact pins 57 and 58, located in the coupling section, but insulated there-
from. Pins 57 and 58 are connected with springs 32 by means of screws or
rivets 59 and 60. Hence by means of this arrangement such an electrical con-
nection is established that if any push button is pressed, all the bells will be
sounded, as before explained.
By means of the improved attachment shown in this application a person may
give signals with perfect accuracy at any point desired from the line of hose.
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 :-
1st: In a hose signalling apparatus, the combination of a source of electricity.
a circuit composed of three wires which are attached to the hose, a hell or other
signalling device located at each extremity of the line of hose and within the
circuit, a third bell or signalling device intermediately located and connected by
means of branch wires with the wires of the main circuit, and a push-button for
each bell or annunciator, the elements of the apparatus being so arranged and
connected that by pressing any button all the bells are simultaneously sounded,
substantially as described.
2nd: In a hose signalling apparatus the combination of a source of electricity,
a circuit the wires of which are attached to the hose, a bell or annunciator located
at each extremity of the line, electrically-arranged couplings whereby the circuit
is made or broken by uniting or disconnecting the hose sections, and a third
annunciator or signalling device intermediately located and connected by branch
wires with the wires of the main circuit, said connection being made by the use of
a key attached to one of the metallic sections of the hose couplings, and suitable
push-buttons, the whole being so arranged and connected that by pressing any one
of the buttons all the bells are sounded, substantially as described.
3rd In a hose signalling apparatus the combination of a source of electricity,
a circuit composed of three wires which are attached to the hose sections, a bell
or other signalling device located at each end of the line and within the circuit, one
wire of each length of hose extending to the metallic sections of the coupling and
the other wires to special attachments located within the coupling sections,
whereby the circuit is established by coupling the hose, and push-buttons, the
apparatus being so arranged that the pressing of any button rings both bells,
substantially as described.
4th-In a hose signalling apparatus the combination of a source of electricity,
signalling mechanism located at each extremity of the line of hose, a circuit in which
said mechanism lies, the wires of the circuit being carried by the hose, electrically
arranged couplings consisting of the metallic sections of the coupling extremities
of the hose to which the sections of one of the wires lead, and special parts located
within the hose-coupling sections to which the sections of the other wires lead,
and a third signalling device intermediately located and connected with the main
circuit by branch wires leading to a key carrying suitable contacts, one of the
metallic parts of the hose coupling being fashioned to receive this key, one of the
key-contacts engaging said coupling while the other contacts are electrically
connected with the special attachments within the section and a suitable push-button
for each bell, annunciator, or signalling device, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st dex of Denamber 1892
WILLIAM FOWLER.