Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the firm of Fell and Wilding, of No. 1 Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention a communication to me from abroad by Alfred Buckingham of 46 Rue
de Terre Neuve Brussels, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to alarms for indicating the approach of burglars, or other
persons, entering a room unexpectedly through the door, and is designed to provide
a device of extreme portability such as can be readily carried about the person, for
use in hotels and elsewhere; and which, at the same time, shall give an alarm
of sufficient loudness to awaken the soundest sleeper, and possibly to frighten the
intruding person.
This device cousists of a small frame, such as can be readily carried in the
pocket, and which is provided with claws or projecting points, so that when placed
upon the carpet or floor, it will not readily slide thereon. Upon this frame is fitted
a powerful spring, set so as to produce revolution around a vertical pivot.
Revolving round the said pivot and attached to the further end of the spring is a
metal arm or hammer, provided with a small spring clip, in which is conveniently
placed a detonating cap or the hammer might be provided with a point to strike
a detonating cap upon the stop.
The tension of the spring serves to bring the end or point of this metal hammer
against a projecting metal check or stop, attached to the base or frame.
Under the said frame or base is provided a sliding tongue, spring pressed, so as
to stand normally out at its extreme limit. The point of the tongue rests upon
the carpet or floor, and terminates in a fine edge, so that it will readily enter under
any door. The tongue is further provided with a vertical nose or check, a short
distance beyond the point of the tongue. Upon this sliding tongue is provided
a catch or detent, projecting upwards through a suitable slot in the base or frame,
which serves to act as a trigger to the spring pressed cap hammer.
The action of my device is as follows:-
The spring pressed cap hammer is drawn back against the action of its spring,
and held in place by the trigger attached to the under tongue. A detonating cap

page_text: is placed under the spring clip on the face of the hammer, or upon the metal stop,
and the apparatus is ready for use.
It is placed upon the floor within the room, so that the point of the projecting
tongue enters under the lower edge of the door. Should the latter now be opened
by any intruder, the apparatus, owing to its claws, cannot slide back, and the
projecting tongue is pressed by the opening of the door backwards into the base,
against the spring resistance. The cap hammer is thus released, and is driven by
the action of its spring with such force upon the metal stop of the base, as loudly
to explode the cap, thus giving ample alarm to awake the soundest sleeper.
At the same time the apparatus wedges itself firmly under the edge of the door
and prevents it from being opened to any extent.
Danamhon 1985

page_text: An Improved Burglar or other Alarm.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the firm of Fell and Wilding, of No. 1 Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, a communication to me from abroad by Alfred Buckingham, of 46 Rue
de Terre Neuve, Brussels, 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 alarms for indicating the approach of burglars or other
persons entering a room unexpectedly through the door, and is designed to provide
a device of extreme portability, such as can be readily carried about the person, for
use in hotels and elsewhere, and which at the same time shall give an alarm of
sufficient loudness to awaken the soundest sleeper, and possibly to frighten the
intruding person.
In order that this invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed reference being
had to the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to similar parts
throughout the drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my device.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of my alarm placed under a door and discharged by the
same.
Figure 4 is a plan of the same.
This device consists of a small frame A such as can be readily carried in the
pocket, and which is provided with claws or projecting pins a, so that when placed
upon the carpet or floor it will not readily slide thereon. Upon this frame A is
fitted a powerful spring B, set so as to produce revolution around a vertical pivot b.
Revolving round the said pivot and attached to the further end of the spring B is
a metal arm or hammer C, provided with a small spring clip D, between which and
the hammer head is conveniently placed a detonating cap E. Or the hammer may
be provided with a point to strike a detonating cap upon the stop F. The tension
of the spring B serves to bring the end or point of this metal hammer against
a projecting metal check or stop F. attached to or forming part of the base or
frame A.
Under the said frame or base is provided a sliding tongue G spring pressed by
the spring g so as to stand normally out at its extreme limit. The point of the
tongue rests upon
the carpet or floor, and terminates in a fine edge so that it will
readily enter under any door. The tongue G is further provided with a vertical
nose or check H a short distance beyond the point of the tongue.
Upon this sliding tongue is provided a catch or detent K, projecting upwards
through a suitable slot in the base or frame A, which serves to act as a trigger to
the spring-pressed cap hammer C, when the same is set ready for action.
The action of my device is as follows:-
The spring pressed cap hammer C is drawn back against the action of its spring,
and held in place by the trigger K attached to the under tongue G, as shown in
plan figure 2. The detonating cap E is placed under the spring clip on the face of
the hammer or upon the metal stop F and the apparatus is ready for use,

page_text: It is placed upon the floor within the room, so that the point of the projecting
tongue enters under the lower edge of the door as in figures 3 and 4. Should the
door now be opened by any intruder the apparatus owing to its claws cannot slide
back and the projecting tongue is pressed by the opening of the door backwards
into the base against the spring resistance. The cap hammer is thus released and
is driven by the action of its spring with such force upon the metal stop of the
base as readily to explode the cap, thus giving ample alarm to awaken the soundest
sleeper.
At the same time the apparatus wedges itself. firmly under the edge of the door
and prevents it from being opened to any extent.
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 :-
•
1st. The construction of a burglar or other alarm in which a detonating cap is
exploded by the opening of the door substantially as described.
2nd. In such a burglar or other alarm the combination of a sliding tongue,
pressed back by the opening of the door, with a spring hammer to which it acts
as a trigger or detent, releasing the spring hammer on the opening of the door, and
thus causing the explosion of a detonating cap, substantially as described.
3rd. In such a burglar or other alarm the construction of such a sliding tongue
with a wedge nose and check piece so as to permit it to enter under the door and
to receive a backward motion from the door, and finally to wedge the door in
position so as to prevent it opening further, substantially as described.
4th. In such a burglar or other alarm, the construction of the spring hammer
operated by a coiled spring around a fixed pivot, and provided with a spring clip
on its face in which to place a detonating cap, substantially as described.
Dated this 21ot day of Santambar 1886