Year: 1888

page_text: I, WILLARD HENRY CUTTING of the City of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,
one of the United States of North America, Druggist, 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, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved call system, showing part of the face
board broken away:
Figure 2 is a rear view.
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 3. 3. of figure 4.
Figure 4 is a similar view taken on line 4, 4, figure 3.
Figure 5 is a similar view taken on line 5. 5. figure 6.
Figure 6 is a similar view taken on line 6. 6. figure 5.
Figure 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 7. 7, figure 2, and Figure 8 is a similar
view taken on line 8, 8, figure 2.
Figures 9 and 10 are detail views.
My invention relates to an improved electric call device intended more particularly
for use in livery stables and like places, but which may be used for other purposes;
and my invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and
pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a board or plate which has a number of
perforations, 2, to receive the stems 3 of buttons 4. I have shown the buttons
arranged in an upper and lower series. They are marked on their faces with numerals
indicating the hours and the fractions thereof, the top row of the upper series pre-
ferably having the numerals running from six o'clock in the evening to five o'clock
in the morning, and the top row of the lower series preferably running from six o'clock
in the morning to five o'clock in the evening. The lower rows of each series are
divided up into quarter, half and three quarter hours.

page_text: Secured to the back of the board 1, behind each row of buttons, is a strip 5, and
behind these strips is a back board 5, to which are secured arms 6 and springs 7.
Secured to each arm is a wire S, these wires passing through the board 5 and con-
necting with pins 9, arranged in a number of vertical series in a ring 10 of insulation
secured to the board, (see Figures 2, 7 and 8). The ring is secured to the board as
shown at 11. As already stated, the arms 6 and springs 7 are located behind the
buttons, and, when either button is forced from the position shown in figure 4 to that
shown in figure 6, the spring. is forced down on the arm to close the electric circuit
between the wires S and the buttons. The stems of the buttons are provided with
projections 12, which pass through slots or enlargements 13 of the holes 2, and when
they are through, the buttons may be turned to move the projections away from the
slots, and the buttons will then be held in their inner position, as shown in figure 6,
until they are turned back to bring the projections in line with the slots. When any
one button is thus forced in, the electric circuit is closed between the wires 8 and the
stems of the buttons, and it passes through the latter to the metallic strips 5 on the
back of the board 1, against which the projections 12 bear, and thus the current is
allowed to pass from the wires S to the strips 5, that connect with the battery 16
through a plate 47 and a wire 48, all of the strips 5 connecting with the plate 47.
17 represents a hand or arm, which is made to revolve once in twenty four hours
by means of suitable clock mechanism. It carries on its outer end 18, brushes 19
that bear against the inner ends of the pins 9 as the hand turns; and each pin being
provided with a wire 8 communicating with the buttons by means of the arms 6 and
springs 7, it will be seen that when any button is pressed in, a current of electricity
will be caused to pass through the hand 17, to which is connected a wire 20, made
fast to the hammer 21 of an electric bell 22. The hammer is provided with an
armature 24, that acts in conjunction with a magnet 23, and to the magnet is connected
a wire 25, which is connected at its other end to the battery 16. This completes the
circuit, so that each time a button is pushed in, an alarm will be given when the
hand comes in contact with the pin of that button.
Thus, if, in a livery stable for instance, a conveyance should be ordered in the
evening for 8.15 in the morning, the button (30), figure 1, would be forced in at the
time the order is given. The aların would not ring until the contact brush of
the hand 17 came against the pin 9 of this button, when the alarm would be sounded,
which would be at 8.15 as stated. So it would be with any other hour desired, all that
is required to be done being to push in the proper button.
In figures 9 and 10 I have shown a tablet 50, adapted to be hooked over any one of
the buttons, and upon this may be inscribed a notice to the party in attendance.
Such tablets may also be used where miore than one call is given for the same hour,
thus indicating to the man in attendance that two orders are to be filled, and
directing his attention to his order book if the instructions are not on the tablet as
stated.
As shown in figure 10 of the drawings any number of tablets may be arranged
over a button by making the fingers on the stems of said tablets increasing in size,
so that they may fit one over another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what I
claim is
1. The combination of the hand provided with a contact brush, alarm having
electrical connections with the hand and with a suitable supply, a number of series of
pins against which the contact brush bears, and push buttons interposed in a connection
between the pins and the supply, as set forth.
2. The combination of the hand, alarm, electrical connection between said hand
and alarm and between the alarm and battery, a ring or cylinder in which are arranged
longitudinal series of pins, push buttons interposed in the connection between the pins
and the battery, and a contact brush on the hand adapted to bear on each of the

page_text: pins in the series by means of a series of projections on the brush, substantially as
described.
3. In a call system substantially as herein shown and described the combination of
the buttons and removeable tablets having bent fingers on their stems for fitting over
the buttons, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
1000
WILLARD H. CUTTING.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.