Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Breaking Electrical Circuits in Connection with Call or Alarm Boxes and Recording the same Automatically on Dials.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Breaking Electrical
Circuits in Connection with Call or Alarm Boxes and Recording
the same Automatically on Dials.
I, FREDERICK THOMAS SCHMIDT, of Hustlergate, Bradford, in the County of York,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the apparatus described in my
specification No. 498087, and has for its object, the provision of means by which tho
district from whence an alarm has been sent is indicated at the central station by dial
pointers operated either separately or in combination with a dial piercing needle;
the apparatus being controlled in such a manner that, the tens and units comprising
the number of the call box or district, are denoted by separate pointers on the same
or different dials, and by the perforations of a needle in a revolving dial.
I accomplish my object in the following manner :-I divide the periphery of the
disc or wheel secured on the "click wheel shaft" of the call box, into two or more
parts, each part having projecting pins corresponding to the number of the box, and
an arm extending from the shaft some distance beyond the periphery on one side of
the disc.
At the central station I fix an apparatus somewhat similar in construction, but
provided with a disc having its periphery divided into two or more parts; the distance
from the periphery of each part or division to the centre varying, by which irregu-
larity, the electric current is diverted from one local magnet to another.
When a signal is sent from an alarm box, the electric current sets in motion the
apparatus at the central station, where it is fixed and connected to two local magnets,
by which the respective dial pointers are operated, either separately or in combination
with a magnet for actuating a needle, by which a revolving disc controlled by an
ordinary time clock is pierced in a manner so that, the time or hour, and number of
the district from whence the signal has been sent, is indicated thereon, in addition to
the number being given by the respective pointers; one of which denotes the tens,
and the other the units of the district call box number.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Breaking Electrical
Circuits in Connection with Call or Alarm Boxes and Recording
the same Automatically on Dials.
I, FREDERICK THOMAS SCHMIDT, of Hustlergate, Bradford, in the County of York,
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 certain improvements in the apparatus described in my
specification No. 498087, and has for its object, the provision of means by which the
district from whence an alarm has been sent' is indicated at the central station by dial
pointers; operated either separately or in combination with a dial piercing needle ;
the apparatus being controlled in such a manner that, the tens and units comprising
the number of the call box, or district, are denoted by separate pointers on the same
or different dials; and by the perforations of a needle in a revolving dial: and consists
in arranging the circumference of the disc of my improved apparatus fixed at the
central station with two diameters, by which the electric current is diverted from one
local magnet to another; the armature of each magnet being in connection with
mechanism for operating the respective pointers on the face of a dial, by which the
number of the box, and thereby the district from whence the signal has been sent is
indicated.
In addition to the indications made by the pointers, the following apparatus may be
worked either separately or in combination with the pointers, by which the district
may be indicated by causing a needle to pierce a rotating paper dial, divided into
minutes; the needle being operated by a suspended sliding magnet, which when
liberated by the electric current, the same causes the needle to pierce the dial in such
manner, that the time and district is known from whence the signal has been sent.
In describing my invention in detail, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1, represents a view of a wheel or disc fitted on the "click
wheel shaft" of my apparatus fixed at a district station, and fully described by specifi-
cation No. 498087; Fig. 2, represents such portions of my alarm box as are required
to explain my improvements; Fig. 3, is an elevation of two local magnets and
mechanism for operating the pointers on the face of a dial, which is represented by
Fig. 4, and drawn to a reduced scale; Fig. 5, a front view of a revolving dial of
paper and Fig. 6, and 7, views of the magnet and mechanism for piercing the
said dial.
The periphery of the wheel or disc A, secured on the "click wheel shaft" of the
call box fixed at a district station, is divided into two divisions, each having a number
of projections, B denoting the tens, and B', the units of the number of the call box;
the wheel or disc being held and liberated in the manner described in the before-
named specification.

page_text: At the central station, I fix an apparatus somewhat similar to those at the distant
stations, but fitted with a wheel or disc of different construction; the periphery
instead of being cylindrical with projections thereon, is divided into two parts C,
and C; the distance from the centre of the shaft to C, being more than the radius
to C; by which means, the current is diverted from one local magnet to the other in
the following manner.
The periphery of the disc A, is as before mentioned provided with a number of
projections B, and B₁; and for illustration of my system, I have shown one series
at B as having two, and the other at B¹, with five projecting; representing number
twenty five alarm box or district.
When a signal is sent from a district alarm box, the pair of magnets D attract the
armature E, fulcrumed at E', causing the opposite end of the armature to press
against and move the catch spring F, a sufficient distance, so as to liberate the wheel
or disc arm D', and thereby allow the disc to make one revolution in the direction
indicated by the arrow. An ordinary relay placed in the main circuit, and when
the signal is sent from the district station, the relay armature is attracted; thereby
putting in circuit the local magnets H, and H', and mechanism at the central station,
for operating the pointers on the face of the dial in the following manner.
When the apparatus is set for operation, the portion C of the periphery of the local
disc, is in contact with the armature G, raising the same into circuit with the
terminal G, and local magnet H, thereby allowing the current to pass through and
attract the armature J, fulcrumed at K, to the said magnet. Whenever a district
box apparatus is put in operation the circuit in the relay is broken, the armaturo J
is operated in the direction of the arrow, which operates the catch arm J³ in gear
with a tooth of the ratchet wheel L, thus causing the same to turn on its axis such a
distance that, the pointer P on the same axis is moved from zero to the figure 1 on
the dial.
When the armature at the district alarm box is in circuit, the armature in the relay
is attracted to its original position; thereby releasing the armature J, which is moved
back to the position shown, by the spiral spring S, ready for repeating the operation;
and when the armature at the district alarm box is raised, the relay armature is
released thus allowing the electric current to operate the armature J, ratchet wheel L,
and the pointer P, to the figure 2 on the dial, thereby indicating twenty.
The disc at the district station continues to revolve and maintain the circuit, the
disc in the local apparatus revolving also; but before the first of the next series of
projections B raises the armature, the local disc will have revolved so far as to allow
the armature G, to come in contact with the lower terminal G2 which is connected to
the other local magnet H', when the operation is repeated on the other armature J³,
by which the pointer P¹ is moved on the units side, the distance from figure to figure
each time the circuit is completed; thus indicating on the dial, the number of the
district alarm box from whence the call has been sent.
In order to perforate the revolving paper dial N which performs one revolution
every hour, and is operated in any convenient manner by an ordinary time clock; I
mount behind the said paper dial N, a pair of magnets Q which are in circuit with
the local or relay battries, and suspended by a cord attached to the drum R, geared to
a train of wheels similar to those of the striking part of an ordinary time clock; the
magnets being held stationary in the position shown ready for operation, by the
needle T engaging with a small catch at T', from which it is liberated on the circuit
being completed that the magnets Qattract the armature U.
When the circuit is completed, and the needle T operated by the magnets Qas
described, the paper dial N is perforated, each time the circuit is completed; and by
the magnets sliding down the guide plates V, some distance is travelled during the
time the circuit is broken, thus the perforations are made some distance from each
other; and by the relative distances between them, the number of the district alarm
box from whence the signal has been sent, is indicated on the paper dial in one or two
divisions, by which the time the alarm was sent is also known.

page_text: 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 what I
claim is:
1. In an alarm box in which is mounted a disc or equivalent for moving an armature
from one electrical circuit to another for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination of a magnet with an armature and disc having a periphery of
two diameters for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination of the magnets H and H', with the 'armature and ratchet
wheels L, and pointers P, and PT, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
set forth.
4. The combination of sliding magnets Q, with a needle T and revolving paper
dial N for the purpose set forth.
1000
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.