Improvements in Audible Signalling Apparatus and in Indicators used in connection therewith.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 23rd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Audible Signalling Apparatus and in Indicators
used in connection therewith.
We, HENRY INKSON HARRIS, of 61 Ossory Road, Old Kent Road, in the
County of London, Electrician, and WILLOUGHBY HAMILTON POWER, of 20
Versailles Road, Anerley, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved construction of indicating, recording, or
signalling devices, to be used in connection with a bell or, other sounding instrument,
and actuated by electricity.
The apparatus which forms the subject of our invention may be arranged in
various ways and applied to a variety of purposes, but in order to explain the nature
of its construction, we will describe a form of the apparatus adapted to be used in
communicating from, say, the smoking room, to the bar or buffet of an hotel or
restaurant.
A bell, or gong, which may be similar to those used in ordinary electric bells, is
mounted upon a board or base, which is preferably fixed vertically in any convenient
place in the bar or buffet. A series of hammers is arranged radially around the
bell. They are hinged to the board and provided with springs, which tend to force
them outwards, but are held down by suitable catches. Each catch forms the
armature of an electro-magnet, so that on a current being sent through any magnet,
the said armature is drawn towards it, releasing the hammer, which flies up and
strikes the bell. The armature is provided with a spring, or weighted, so that
directly the circuit is broken, it leaves the magnet, and returns to the original
position.
وو
Arranged on a board, or base, in the smoking room, is a series of keys, corre-
sponding in number with the magnets and hammers around the bell, and so connected
electrically thereto, that on a key being depressed, the hammer belonging to it is
released and strikes the bell. Opposite each key is a label bearing the name of a
particular article, thus the first key may be labelled, "cigars," the second, "soda,"
the third "brandy," and so on. A corresponding label is affixed against each
hammer on the bell board. Opposite each hammer is placed a small dial, with
numbers around its margin from say 1 to 12, or other desired series; a small index
is pivotted on each dial and provided with a ratchet and pawl operated by the
armature aforesaid, so that each stroke of the armature moves the index one
division.
:-
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
If a customer orders, say, one cigar, the required key is depressed once in the
smoking room, and the attendant in the bar, hearing the bell, looks at the instrument
and sees at a glance that a cigar is ordered, because that particular hammer is released
and stands out from the board, while the index points to "1." If two, three, or
more cigars are wanted, the key is depressed two, three, or more times in succession
to move the index to the required figure on the dial, but only the first contact rings
the bell. The attendant having seen what is required, turns the hammer down
again till it is held by its armature catch, and moves the index on the dial to zero,
ready for the next signal. The indicating dials, although described as circular,
with revolving indexes, may be arranged in any other convenient way, thus for
example the figures may be placed in a straight line, the pointer sliding along them,
actuated by a rack device from the armature.
In place of a bell or gong, I may employ a sonorous tube or rod, with hammers

page_text: arranged along one or both sides of the same, and if desired two or more such
tubes or rods, or two or more bells may be placed on the same instrument.
Our improved instrument may be arranged and used to convey signals or messages
for a variety of purposes, other than the particular case described, as will be readily
understood.
It is also well adapted to take the place of the ordinary electric bell indicators
used in hotels, private houses, and other buildings for summoning an attendant to
any particular room. One of the aforesaid keys, or an ordinary "push" button
would be placed in each room, and the hammers labelled with the names of the
rooms, in this case the indicating dials or corresponding devices would not necessarily
be required, but might nevertheless be employed for conveying information to the
attendant and could be specially arranged and marked, as required for various
purposes.
Dated this 25th day of August 1890.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Audible Signalling Apparatus and in Indicators
used in connection therewith.
We, HENRY INKSON HARRIS, of 61 Ossory Road, Old Kent Road, in the
County of London, Electrician, and WILLOUGHBY HAMILTON POWER, of 20
Versailles Road, Anerley, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improved construction of indicating, recording, or
signalling devices, to be used in connection with a bell, or other audible signalling
apparatus and actuated by electricity.
The apparatus, which forms the subject of our invention, may be arranged in
various ways, and applied to a variety of purposes, but in order to explain the
nature of its construction, it will suffice to describe a form of the apparatus adapted
to be used in communicating from, say the smoking room to the bar, or buffet, of
an hotel or restaurant.
In the accompanying five sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of the bell
and indicator as fixed in the bar, or buffet.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the key-board, for communicating with the said bell and
indicator.
Fig. 3 is a section, to an enlarged scale, through one of the indicators and the
bell in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an end view, also to an enlarged scale, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of an apparatus, similar to that shewn in Fig. 1, but of
modified design.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation, partly in section, of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a diagram, shewing the method of electrical connection preferably
employed.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A. is a circular bell, or gong, which may be
imilar to those used in ordinary electric bells, mounted by means of the pillar B
upon a plate C. This plate is mounted upon short pillars D, affixed to a base E,
which is fixed vertically, or horizontally as desired, in any convenient place in the
bar or buffet.
A series of hammers F, is arranged radially around the bell A. Each hammer
is hinged to a piece H, fixed to the plate C, and provided with a wire coiled round
the pivot, which throws the hammer up causing it to strike the bell, as shewn

page_text: by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. Any other suitable form of spring, which will serve
the same purpose, inay however be employed. The hammers are held down by
catches J, which project through openings in the plate C, and are hinged at their
lower ends to the base E. Each catch forms the armature of a separate electro-
magnet K. On a current being sent through any magnet, the armature belonging
to it is drawn towards the magnet, releasing the hammer, which flies up and strikes
the bell:
Directly the circuit is broken, the armature is caused to return to its original
position by means of any suitable form of spring, such as L, or a weight may be
employed to serve the same purpose.
Arranged on a board or base M, in, say the smoking room, is a series of keys N,
corresponding in number with the magnets and hammers around the bell, and
so connected electrically thereto, that on a key being depressed, the hammer
belonging to it is released and strikes the bell. Opposite each key is a label P,
bearing the name of a particular article, thus the first key may be labelled "cigars,"
the second " soda," the third "brandy," and so on. A corresponding label P¹ is
affixed against each hammer on the bell board. Opposite each hammer is placed a
small dial Q, with numbers around its margin, from say "1" to
66 12," or other
desired series. A spring arm R, is fixed on the armature, engaging with the teeth
of a ratchet wheel S pivoted under the dial the spindle of this wheel is provided
with an index finger T, so that each stroke of the armature moves the index onc
division on the dial. A spring pawl V is provided to act as a brake on the ratchet
wheel, and prevent it over running and moving more than one division at each
movement of the arm R. At W, in Fig. 1, the dial and index are removed to
shew the ratchet and pawls, and at X, a portion of the plate C with the hammer
and index, are removed to shew the magnet.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
If a customer orders, say one cigar, the required key is depressed once in the
smoking room, and the attendant in the bar, hearing the bell, looks at the instrument
and sees at a glance that a cigar is ordered, because that particular hammer is
released and stands out from the board, while the index points to "1." If two,
three, or more cigars are wanted, the key is depressed two, three, or more times in
succession, to move the index to the required figure on the dial, but only the first
depression, or contact, rings the bell. The attendant having seen what is required,
turns the hammer down again, till it is held by its armature catch, and moves the
index on the dial round to zero, ready for the next signal.
The method of arranging the electrical connections, as shewn partly in Figs. 1,
2, 3 & 4, and diagramatically in Fig. 7, is as follows:-a is a battery connected to
the terminals bc on the indicator. The terminal is connected to the terminal d,
also on the indicator, and d is connected by a wire e with the terminal f on
the keyboard. f is connected to a metal bar Y, which forms the contact for all
the keys N. The terminal c is connected to a metal ring g on the base E of the
indicator. One end of the coil of each electro-magnet K, is connected to the said
ring, while the other ends of the coils are connected respectively to the terminals h.
Wires are led from these terminals to similar terminals i on the keyboard, each
connected with a key N. The above arrangement of connections is found convenient
in practice, but we do not necessarily confine ourselves thereto.
In the modified design, shewn in Figs. 5 & 6, in place of a circular bell or gong,
a sonorous tube or rod A¹ is employed, suspended from suitable supports j. The
hammers, magnets and indicators, are of the same construction as before described,
but are arranged in a straight line on one side of the tube A'; they can however
be placed on both sides, if required, and the tube may be hung vertically, instead
of horizontally. It is obvious that two or more tubes, rods, or bells, may be
employed in the same instrument if desired.
In place of an index finger T, a revolving disc may be used, having an aperture
large enough to exhibit one figure on the dial at a time, or the dial may be caused
to revolve against a fixed index or under a fixed aperture. Again, in place of a

page_text: No text detected.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicants.