Improvements in Electrical Burglar Alarms.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1889-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Burglar Alarms.
I, ARTHUR GAUGE, of 14 Belgrave Street, Kings Cross, Middlesex, Electrician,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel construction of electric appliance to be fitted within
a centre bead or other necessary part of a window or to some portion of a door frame,
or of a shutter frame, so that when the window, door or shutter is opened beyond a
given distance, electrical contact would be made and an alarm bell or other sound
producer operated.
I describe my invention as applied to a window, having two movable sashes, one to
slido upwards and the other downwards.
To each of said sashes I affix a plate and within the centre bead I place two pronged
springy plates, the base of each having a wire in connection, one leading to a battery
and the other to a bell or other sound producer, so that when either of the window
sashes is moved beyond a given distance, the plate of that particular sash rubs against
two of the prongs and acts as a contact piece to complete circuit.
The pronged plate is made preferably from a piece of metal of T shape the two
wings being folded towards each other and the leg of the T at right angles
therewith, this part having holes for securing the piece to any insulated body by
screws or otherwise.
The two wings act as springs, their extreme ends being curved inwards, so that a
flat rounded portion of each wing presses against the sash and ensures, when either of
the sashes is moved, by rubbing action, the metal parts being kept free and clean from
dust or dirt whereby it is always certain of electrical contact being made.
The bell or sound producer can be fitted at any convenient part of a house for
disturbing the inmates."
Data L 1
1000
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Arthur Gauge.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Burglar Alarms.
I, ARTHUR GAUGE, of 14 Belgrave Street, Kings Cross, Middlesex, Electrician,
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 a novel construction of electric appliance to be fitted within
a centre bead, or other necessary part of a window, or to some portion of a door frame,
or of a shutter frame, so that when the window, door, or shutter is opened beyond a
given distance an electrical contact would be made and an alarm bell or other sound
producer operated.
I describe my invention as applied to a window having two movable sashes one to
slide upwards and the other downwards.
To each of said sashes I affix a plate and within the centre bead I place two pronged
springy plates the base of each having a wire in connection, one leading to a battery
and the other to a bell, or other sound producer, so that when either of the window
sashes is moved beyond a given distance the plate of that particular sash rubs against
two of the prongs and acts as a contact piece to complete circuit.

page_text: The pronged plate is made preferably from a piece of metal of T shape, the two
wings being folded towards each other and the leg of the T at right angles therewith,
this part having holes for securing the piece to any insulated body by screws, or
otherwise.
The two wings act as springs their extreme ends being curved inwards, so that a
flat rounded portion of each wing presses against the sash and ensures when either of
the sashes is moved by rubbing action, the metal parts being kept free and clean from
dust or dirt whereby it is always certain of electrical contact being made.
The bell, or sound producer can be fitted at any convenient part of a house for
disturbing the inmates.
My invention consists of a number of pieces of any suitable metal or alloy, as steel,
hard-rolled German silver, brass, phosphor bronze, aluminium bronze, copper, such as
Elmore's electro-deposited, burnished copper or any metal or mixture of metals
that will give the required flexibility and freedom from corrosion.
I take a piece of the metal which will be of such a thickness as will give
sufficient spring or flexibility for the purpose, and I cut out two pieces, each in the
shape of a Tas shown at A, Figure 1, and make holes in it in the position there
shown. I then bend it at the dotted lines into the shape B, C, Figure 1.
Where
the two holes are shown side by side is the base of the piece, and the hole at the end
of each of the two arms has a "round-headed" metal (1 prefer copper) rivet fixed in
with the heads outward, as shown at B, C. These pieces described, or any modifica-
tions of the same will be hereinafter described as terminal pieces.
I now cut two strips of copper D, or any suitable metal or alloy about three inches
long by half an inch wide, this is the size I prefer though they may be made smaller
or larger to suit the requirements of particular cases, a hole is made near each end
and a "countersink," "chamfer," or circular depression is made at the holes, so that
when fixed or screwed into position, the screw leads may lay flush or flat with the
strip. I prefer also, though it is not an essential thing, to thin the ends of these
pieces and slightly bend them, as seen at Figure 2, so that when screwed down to
the wood of the upper or lower sash the thin sharp ends sink into the wood. But
when it is desired to make these strips act as springs so as to press on terminal
pieces, as at Figure 6, then they may be like the strips shown in Figure 3, the two
or more holes being at one end and the other end left free. I prefer the strips
described made of thin metal but of course they can be made of thick metal, and then
the wood work to which they would be fixed would be cut out and the strip laid in
flush or level and screwed down. These metal strips or any modification of them
will be hereinafter described as connecters. Fitting to Window. The two "terminal
pieces" and the one, two or more "connecters" D which in combination form my
improved electrical burglar alarm, are fitted to an ordinary double sash window in the
following manner.
One of the "beads" E, the narrow, middle one that keeps the two sashes apart is
taken out, and a piece is cut out from the underneath of it, at the point where the
bottom of the top sash, and the top of the bottom sash meet, as in diagrams,
Figures 4 and 4. The two "terminal pieces" are fixed into the groove of the
window frame, so that the arms are free to spring or move, but cannot come into
contact with each other, as shown at Figures 4, 5 and 6. Instead of fixing the
"terminal pieces" direct to the window frame, they may, if desired, be first screwed
or otherwise fixed on to pieces of ebonite, or hard dry wood and then screwed, or
otherwise fixed into the bead groove as shown at Figures 4", 5".
"
دو
One "connecter" D (or more when necessary) is fixed on to the side of each
window sash in such a position that when, say the top or upper sash is pulled down
the "connecter' D affixed must rub across the adjacent ends or rivets of the
"terminal pieces," but when, the sashes are both closed, the ". connecters are not
completing or closing the electric circuit by touching both of the "terminal pieces."
When the top sash is required to be open, say, three inches, for the purpose of
ventilating a room, then the "connecter" or connecters D on that sash will be
"

page_text: fixed about three inches and a half above the position occupied in the frame by the
"terminal pieces."
Connecting up electrically. A conducting wire F is fixed under the screw head
or any suitable place, to each "terminal piece," one wire F from one piece goes to, or
leads to a suitable battery G, or generator of electricity, and the other or second
wire A from the other piece, is connected to an electric bell I, and the bell and battery
being connected in the usual way with say, a switch J placed in any convenient part
of the circuit, it is ready for work, as shown at Figure 4. In practice, I use a
"continuous ringing bell" i.e. a bell that when once started goes independent of
burglar alarm.
In the foregoing I have described perhaps my simplest form of "terminal pieces,"
I now describe a few other shapes. The form I like best only differs slightly from
the one before described, the only difference is this, a small projecting piece with a
hole in it, is bent over, so that the hole comes opposite the inner hole in the "base,"
as shown at Figure 7. This improvement adds greatly to the strength of the whole
piece because when it is fixed in position a screw passes through it from the upper
hole to the inner hole in base.
A third form is made of wire, of steel, brass, phosphor bronze, or any suitable
metal or alloy, bent and wound into the shape shown at Figure 8. This is a very
efficient form of "terminal piece" and, when I use this I prefer to have the
"connecters" very much longer than with other forms, so as to prevent any tendency
of this wire wound "terminal piece to gradually wear a groove in the wood of
sash. I can obviate this by fixing in round headed rivets as in the other cases.
A fourth form is made in two parts (the rivets not included) a
base" and "back"
of one piece, and the arms of another piece of suitable metal, or alloy. The part
forming the arms is fitted into a narrow cut, groove, or slot in the "back" of lower
part and a metal pin or rivet fixed through to hold it in position, as shown at
Figure 9.
A fifth form is one which I think noeds no description, as Figures 10, 5 and 5
explain it. I should mention that in fixing this shape of alarm or "terminal piece"
in a window, instead of cutting a piece out of the bead as in the cases before
mentioned, I prefer to cut out a piece diagonally, or obliquely, as shown at Figure 5,
this permits of "terminal pieces" being made longer, and thus I get more
"spring."
-
The last form that I shall describe is that shown at Figure 6. This is made of a
suitable metal or alloy like the other form, and of a sufficient substance to allow the
arms (holding the round-headed rivets) being bent outward, so as to press against the
window sashes. In this form I fix the "connecters on the edge of window sashes,
instead of the side as in the others. In Figure 6 it is shown at K.
This invention has many advantages over existing systems, or arrangements of
appliances termed Burglar Alarms. The first is the position or part of sash frame,
in which I fix the "terminal pieces" and it will be understood that when the alarm is
fitted into its position nothing of it can be seen from the outside, or from the inside
of the window. This invisibility is a very important point as the invention cannot
be seen even if the window be open. The ordinary burglar alarms can sometimes be
seen when a window is closed, but invariably when open and a burglar seeing this
comes prepared with a simple means of keeping such a contact from working.
The second advantage is, the invention is a double acting alarm, it closes the electric
circuit, and rings the bell, if either sash be opened farther than they have been
arranged to open. In the old forms of alarm, a separate alarm had to be used, and
connected up for each sash.
The third advantage, is the good "rubbing contact" during the ordinary opening
and closing of the window because it keeps the contacts clean and bright and is
therefore self-cleaning. In the old forms there exists the "dotting contact" i.e. one
point "touching," not rubbing, another, so that a little dust, or the ordinary oxidization
caused by the atmosphere, or the electric spark, is sufficient to render this class of
contact unreliable.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is _
1. As my improvements in electrical burglar alarms, arranging springy terminals
within a middle bead of a sash frame and connecting pieces on or to the movable
sashes, as described with reference to the annexed drawings for the purpose set
forth.
2. The particular formation or arrangement of springy terminals shown at
Figures 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the annexed drawings and their employment in connection
with burglar alarm acting electrically, as described.
3. The arrangement of appliances by which from a rubbing action from the contact
pieces, the touching points are kept clean and always in a state for immediate action,
as and for the purposes set forth.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Arthur Gauge.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Arthur Gauge.