Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Sounding Whistles or other Audible Alarm or Signal Devices.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Sounding Whistles or
other Audible Alarm or Signal Devices.
1, ANDREW MATTHEW BROWN of Clunie, Meols, in the County of Chester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to apparatus for sounding whistles or other audible alarm or
signal devices by means of compressed air, and is applicable for tram-cars, fire-engines,
and more especially for those situations where steam is not readily available as an
operating agent, or where it is inconvenient or undesirable to use an ordinary mouth
whistle.
In carrying out the invention, I propose to provide a cylinder and piston, the Intter
operated by a piston rod and pivoted hand lever. One end of said piston rod is,
preferably, pivoted to a rectangular block adapted to slide (when the apparatus is
operated) backwards and forwards in a slotted cross slide in said hand lever, so that,
although the said cross slide travels in a segmental circular path, the piston rod will
travel in a straight line. The cylinder cover, through which the piston passes, is
perforated. The piston may be retained normally at one end of the cylinder by a
spiral spring, and the opposite end is connected with a whistle or horn, preferably
of any convenient construction, such, for example, as those in use on steamships or
locomotives.
k
In the case of a tram-car, the hand lever may be attached within convenient reach
of the driver, who can operate the whistle by depressing the lever, thus forcing down
the spring and driving the air to the horn or whistle and producing an audible signal
or alarm. When the lever is released, the spiral spring forces the piston back ready
for another compression, filling the cylinder with air, which it draws through the
whistle. The cylindor cover being perforated, the cylinder above the piston is relieved
of any accumulation of air.
To make the apparatus double acting so as to produce a continuous sound, a whistle
may be connected to each end of this cylinder, so that each whistlo is blown alternately,
namely, one during the forward stroke of the piston and the other during the return
stroke, the air for filling the cylinder being drawn alternately through the respective
whistles while they are inoperative. When the apparatus is constructed in this way,
the cylinder cover is made without perforations and the spiral spring can be entirely
dispensed with.
Instead of cylinder and piston, a bellows may be employed. The apparatus might
be operated by an axle or other moving part when employed in connection with a
vehicle, instead of being worked by a hand lover, in which case an air valve or cock
is used for operating the whistle or making it inoperative, or a device might be
provided for connecting the apparatus with or disconnecting it from the source of
motion.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Sounding Whistles or
other Audible Alarm or Signal Devices.
I, ANDREW MATTHEW BROWN of Clunie, Meols, in the County of Chester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manuer the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The invention relates to apparatus for sounding whistles or other audible alarm or
signal devices by means of compressed air, and is applicable for tram-cars, fire-engines,
and more especially for those situations where steam is not readily available as an
operating agent, or where it is inconvenient or undesirable to use an ordinary mouth
whistle.
In carrying out the invention, I propose to provide a cylinder and piston, the latter
operated by a piston rod and pivoted hand lover. One end of said piston rod is,
preferably, pivoted to a rectangular block adapted to slide (when the apparatus is
operated) backwards and forwards in a slotted cross slide in said hand lever, so that,
although the said cross slide travels in a segmental circular path, the piston rod will
travel in a straight line. The cylinder cover, through which the piston passes, is
perforated. The piston may be retained normally at one end of the cylinder by a
spiral spring, and the opposite end is connected with a whistle or born, preferably of
any convenient construction, such, for example, as those in use on steamships or
locomotives.
In the case of a tram-car, the hand lever may be attached within convenient reach
of the driver, who can operate the whistlo by depressing the lover, thus forcing down
the spring and driving the air to the horn or whistle and producing an audible
signal or alarm. When the lever is released, the spiral spring forces the piston back
ready for another compression, filling the cylinder with air, which it draws through
the whistle. The cylinder cover being perforated, the cylinder above the piston is
relieved of any accumulation of air.
To make the apparatus double acting so as to produce a continuous sound, a whistle
may be connected to each end of the cylinder, so that each whistle is blown alternately,
namely, one during the forward stroke of the piston and the other during the return
stroke, the air for filling the cylinder being drawn alternately through the respective
whistles while they are inoperative. When the apparatus is constructed in this way,
the cylinder cover is made without perforations and the spiral spring can be entirely
dispensed with.
Instead of cylinder and piston, a bellows may be employed. The apparatus night
be operated by an axle or other moving part when employed in connection with a
vehicle, instead of being worked by a hand lever, in which case an air valve or cock
is used for operating the whistle or making it inoperative, or a device might be
provided for connecting the apparatus with or disconnecting it from the source of
motion.
For the better understanding of the invention I have appended the accompanying
drawing which sets forth a double acting apparatus. This however can be made single
acting if desired by having a three way cock to cut off either whistle and open a free
In this, A A are two whistles or horns
passage into the atmosphere instead.
baving a reed or whistle at the bottom, and if desirable a cock B between the whistle
or reed and the cylinder. is a cylinder and D a piston therein. The cylinder Cha
preferably a flange K which can be spiked to the ground, deck or other fixed support
EE two springs each capable of being compressed until they take up only a very
small space in the cylinder but of such tension that they shall keep the piston nearl
in the centre. These springs however can be dispensed with in most cases, being
usually only valuable when there is a single whistle, in which case the single spring
must be of sufficient tension to push the piston to the end of the cylinder furthest away
from the whistle. If, however, as I prefer it, the single whistle is on the top of th

page_text: cylinder, the piston can be of sufficient weight to overcome the friction of the stuffing
box and joints. In this case no spring need be used. In this case also I may sometimes
have a valve opening inward on the top of the cylinder so as to admit air otherwise
than through the whistle, but closing whenever the air is forced up through the whistle
outward. E is a joint, F a link and G a lever connecting the piston with the
handle H; the lever is supported on pedestal I. J is a stuffing box through which
the piston rod passes.
The mode of action is as follows:-
With a double acting whistle such as shown in the drawing, the handle is simply
alternately raised and depressed, thus forcing the wind alternately out through each
whistle. In a single acting apparatus, the piston always lies, when not in use, at the
bottom of the cylinder, the handle is simply depressed to cause a whistle, then let go
and the piston allowed to fall, when it is depressed again for another whistle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for sounding whistles or other audible alarm or signal devices, a
hand air pump or bellows to which the whistle is attached directly or by means of a
short pipe substantially as described.
2. The special arrangement of piston apparatus for blowing a horn, whistle or reed.
substantially as herein described
tantially as herein described
Dated this 18th day of September 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and London, Patent Agents.