IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRICITY FOR COM- MUNICATING OR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS AND ALARMS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Herbert and James Calvert Fowler,
both of Riverhall Street, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRICITY FOR COM-
MUNICATING OR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS AND ALARMS
"
Sealed the 26th October 1869, and dated the 20th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Herbert and
James Calvert Fowler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 20th May 1869.
We, THOMAS HERBERT and JAMES CALVERT FOWLER, both of River-
hall Street, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELEC-
TRICITY FOR COMMUNICATING OR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS AND ALARMS," to be as
follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements on an Invention for
which Provisional Protection was granted to Messieurs Watson and
Horwood, dated April 6th, 1865, No. 975.

page_text: In carrying out the aforesaid Invention contact pieces were employed
consisting of an external and an internal tube and an insulated metal disc
or washer; the outer tubo was driven to the desired depth tightly into
a hole formed for it, and the metal diso or washer was fixed over it,
the insulation being obtained by leaving a space between the outer end
of the external tube and the metal washer or disc.
Now the present Invention relates to means for more effectually
insulating the contact pieces from each other, and thereby preventing
the possibility of a false signal being given, whilst increased facility is
afforded for fixing and removing the apparatus. For this purpose we
first form a hole in the desired position large enough to admit of the
outer tubular contact piece being readily pushed in without hammering,
such tubular contact piece is provided with lugs or projections on the
outer end thereof to ensure its being kept in proper position, and we
insulate it from the metal washer or disc by means of a disc of india-
rubber or other suitable material interposed between the two.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Herbert and James Calvert Fowler in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, THOMAS
HERBERT and JAMES CALVERT FOWLER, both of Riverhall Street, in the
County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenticth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Thomas Herbert and James Calvert Fowler,
Her special licence that we, the said Thomas Herbert and James
Calvert Fowler, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Thomas Herbert and James Calvert Fowler,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRICITY FOR COMMUNICATING
OB TRANSMITTING SIGNALS AND ALARMS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Thomas Herbert and James Calvert Fowler,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and 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 we, the said Thomas Herbert and James
Calvert Fowler, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:-
The Invention has for its object improvements on an Invention for
which Provisional Protection was granted to Messieurs Watson and
Horwood, dated April 6th, 1865, No. 975.
In carrying out the aforesaid Invention contact pieces were employed
consisting of an external and internal tube and an insulated metal
disc or washer; the outer tube was driven to the desired depth tightly
into a hole formed for it, and the metal disc or washer was fixed over
it, the insulation being obtained by leaving a space between the outer
end of the external tube and the metal washer or disc.
Now the present Invention relates to means for more effectually
insulating the contact pioces from each other, and thereby preventing the
possibility of a false signal being given, whilst increased facility is afforded
for fixing and removing the apparatus. For this purpose we first form
a hole in the desired position large enough to admit of the outer tubular
contact piece being readily pushed in without hammering, such tubular
contact piece is provided with lugs or projections on the outer end
thereof to ensure its being kept in proper position, and we insulate
it from the metal washer or disc by means of a disc of india-rubber or
other suitable material interposed between the two.

page_text: And in order that our Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.
Figure 1 is a section through the contact pieces having our improve-
ments applied thereto, and Figure 2 is an end view thereof.
We would here remark that our Invention applies to conductors for
that class of apparatus by which signals or alarms are given from
one part of a building to another part thereof, or from one place to
another, on any of the doors or windows being opened, whether by
burglars or others, and as the apparatus is now well known we do not
consider it necessary to give any description thereof.
We will therefore at once proceed to describe our improvements in
the contact pieces, by which we perfectly insulate the parts and prevent
the possibility of any false signals being communicated thereby. We
first form a hole in the desired position for fixing the contact pieces
large enough to admit of the outer tubular contact piece a being readily
pushed in without the necessity for hammering, as heretofore, such
contact piece a being provided with lugs or projections a' on the outer
end thereof to ensure its being kept in its proper position in the hole.
Over these lugs a' we place a washer or disc of india-rubber or other
suitable insulating material d to insulate the contact piece « from the
metal washer contact piece b, which is screwed in position as is well
understood. The contact piece a is in mettalic contact with one pole
of the battery, and the contact piece is in contact with the other
pole. The moveable portion of the contact piece b is acted upon by
a spring c, as heretofore, to press it into contact with the contact piece a
when not otherwise acted upon. By these means the contact pieces a
and b are effectually insulated from each other, thereby preventing the
possibility of false signals being communicated thereby.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
mode in which we carry the same into effect, we would have it under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein

page_text: shown and described, as such may be varied without departing from the
peculiar character of our Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Herbert and James
Calvert Fowler, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this
Eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
THOMAS HERBERT.
(L.S.)
Witness,
FRED. HARRIS,
JAMES CALVERT FOWLER. (L.S.)
35, Southampton Buildings,
London.