IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE AND WATER INDICATORS AND ALARMS, AND IN ANNUNCIATORS FOR USE WITH THESE AND OTHER ALARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE
AND WATER INDICATORS AND ALARMS, AND IN ANNUNCIATORS FOR USE WITH
THESE AND OTHER ALARMS." A communication from abroad by the Auto-
matic Safety Company (incorporated under the Laws of the State of Louis-
iana), of New Orleans, in the Parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Clark at the Office'
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1878.
WILLIAM CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE AND WATER INDICATORS AND ALARMS, AND IN ANNUN-
CIATORS FOR USE WITH THESE AND OTHER ALARMS." A communication from
abroad by the Automatic Safety Company (incorporated under the Laws of the.
State of Louisiana), of New Orleans, in the Parish of Orleans, and State of
Louisiana, United States of America.
This Invention consists in a peculiar and simple arrangement of mechanism, by.
means of which the presence of fire or undue heat, or any change of temperature,
may be indicated or recorded at any distance from the point at which that change
takes place.
It also consists in a simple and effective arrangement for the almost instantaneous.
detection of the presence of water in the holds of vessels, notice of danger being.
given and recorded at any desired place.
It also further consists in a novel annunciator and alarm, which may be connected.
with either the fire or water indicator for giving an aların, and for indicating the
location of the danger.
In the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the thermoscope or fire indicator and aların.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a modification.

page_text: Figure 4 is a front view of the water indicator and alarm; Figure 5 is a rear
view of the same.
Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the tube containing the mercury.
Figure 7 is a front view of the switch annunciator alarm; Figure 8 is a rear
view of the same; Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A, Figure 1, is a vessel, which contains confined air, and is constructed of copper
or any other suitable material, and of any desirable form or shape. This vessel A
is covered with lampblack or other pulverised substance, which, like lampblack,
absorbs the radiant heat of obscure rays, thus increasing the sensitiveness of the 1
vessel, which is important for the detection of the obscure rays emanating from
spontaneous combustion or from any other cause." To this vessel is firmly secured
a vertical metal tube A', as shown. To the bottom of the tube A' is securely
attached a horizontal metal tube B, each end B' of which is bent, as clearly shown.
This tube B is filled with mercury. C, C, are tubes constructed of glass or other 1
suitable non-conducting material, which extend from the ends B, B', of the tube B
to the cross bar A³, and are located on each side of the vessel A. Immediately in
the rear of these tubes C, C¹, are secured graduated scales D, D. c, c, are needles,
which extend down into the tubes C, C¹, being adjustable by means of the
screws c, d, d, are binding posts; and d¹, d³, are electric wires, the wire d'a
connecting with the annunciator in the house, and the wire connecting with
that at the station. E is a metal rod, which is connected with the top of the
vessel A, and through this vessel connected with the mercury. e are screw threads
cut in the upper section of the rod E.
In Figure 2 the vessel G and vertical tubes C, C¹, are constructed in a different 2
shape from the vessel shown in Figure 1, and the mercury rests upon the bottom
of the vessel G. In this case the needle H extends down through the mercury to
the bottom of the vessel G to complete the connection, and the tubos C, C', which
contain the needles c, c, are located inside of the vessel, being regulated by means
similar to that shown in Figure 1.
The needle H, in Figure 2, is also adjustable for the indication or detection of
low temperature.
In such cases the apparatus can be set to work on the close circuit principle, the
end of the adjustable needle being set below the top of the mercury at the proper
height, so that when the mercury falls below that end of the needle the circuit is
broken. e' is the connecting wire between the rod E and the main binding post of
the annunciator. F is a bracket, by means of which the instrument is secured to
the wall or other portion of the room or building.
The operation is as follows:-The needles c, c, in the tubes C, C, are first
adjusted to meet any required degree of heat, and as the room or building becomes
heated from fire or other undue cause, the air in the vessel A expands, which forces
the mercury up into the tubes C, C¹, until it reaches the respective needles c, c.
The connection is thus completed with the annunciator, and the alarm given first
to the annunciator in the building and then to that at the station, as for instance,
when the needle c is adjusted to the alarm, when the heat reaches 90°, on the
mercury reaching that point the alarm will be given in the building, while the
other needle having been adjusted to a greater degree of heat, say 120°, the alarm
at the station will not be given until the mercury reaches that point.
When the tubes C, C', are made of glass the instrument can be used both as a
thermometer and a fire aların.
One advantage of the Invention is that the vessel A (Figure 1) may be placed
in the hold of a ship or boat or in a distant room, and connected by an extensible,
flexible, air-tight tube, with the tube B containing the mercury, which is connected
with the indicator.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent the water indicator and alarm. In these Figures
As is the frame, to which the different features of the mechanism are secured. In

page_text: the upper section of this frame is secured the bell A, and immediately below the
bell are the magnets B³, B³. C³, C, are the armatures, to which are secured the
clappers c³, c³. D3, D, are tubes located on each side of the frame, and in the lower
section thereof. The upper ends of these tubes aro secured to the frame by means
of the brackets d³, d, while the lower ends are connected with the tubes E³, E*,
which contain the mercury. es, e³, are needles, which pass down into the tubes D³, D*,
respectively, being adjustable by means of the screws e, e', or any other suitable
means. From the fact that these needles are adjustable- it allows their points to
be set so near to the mercury column that the slightest pressure of water upon the
air in the cylinder G will complete the connection, and cause the alarm to sound.
These needles e, e³, pass through the binding posts e, e. F³ is the switch, which
is pivoted at f³ ³, E', are the tubes, which contain the mercury, and are bent
in the form shown in Figure 6. c, c, are binding posts, which are connected with
the armatures C³, C, by means of the screws c³, c. c, c", are the binding posts of
the armatures C³, C³.
On the rear side of the frame A³, as shown in Figure 5, to each of the tubes E³,
E, is secured a tube g³. From each of the tubes g³, g³, extend flexible air-tight
tubes g, g, which are connected with cylinders G, only one of which is shown.
Theso cylinders G' are open at the bottom for the free passage of water therein,
and may be located in different compartments of the hold of the vessel. A short
distanco above their bottom they are provided with a perforated plate N³, or other
suitable device, to prevent debris or other matter from collecting in the cylinders,
and preventing their successful operation. h³, h³, are the connections between the
binding posts c, c, and the magnets B³, Bs; h, h, are the connections between
the binding posts es, es, of the adjustable needles e", e³, and the binding posts c, c²;
3,, are the connections between the binding posts c, c, of the armatures C³, C³,
and the magnets B³, B³; and k, k, are the connections between the armatures 03, 0³,
and the switch F. L³ is a button, which is connected with the binding post L* of
the battery by the band 13. m³ is a band, which is connected with the binding
post M of the battery. The mercury in the tube E' is connected with the band m
by means of the wire c, and the mercury in the tube ES is connected with the
band m³ by means of the wire e. H³, H³, are graduated scales located respectively
in the rear of the tubes. D³, D, and indicating the rise and fall of the water after the
alarm is given, and the attention of the person in charge is called to the fact that
there is water in the hold of the vessel.
The operation is as follows:-For the detection of water in any of the compart-
ments of the hold of the vessel one of the cylinders G, open at the bottom, and
connected from its interior with one of the indicators D³, D, through one of the
extensible, flexible, air-tight tubes g', 95, is placed in that compartment. As soon
as any ingress of water takes place surrounding the cylinder G, the atmospheric
air thus confined is submitted to the vertical pressure and density of that water,
no matter to what degree that may be. The air so compressed transmits that
pressure to the indicator, with which the cylinder is connected through its
extensible, flexible, air-tight tube. That pressure is received upon the surface of
the mercury contained in one of the branch tubes E, depressing it in that branch
in proportion to the amount of hydrostatic pressure in the hold, and raising it in
the opposite branch of the bended tube E to a height corresponding to the hydro-
static pressure on the air in the cylinder in the bottom of the hold.
The use of the mercury has two objects, one to record and indicate the progress
of the water, the other to close the electric circuit with the battery. The circuit
is closed by means of the adjustable needle e³.
The needle can be set at any height to give the alarm, and being adjustable can
be set so close to the mercury that the presence of almost the slightest quantity of
water in the cylinder G' will cause the mercury to rise and give the alarm. The
presence of water being detected, the ringing of the bell A* can be stopped at
will by disconnecting the switch F3 from its button L³..

page_text: Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent the annunciator, which is or may be used in con-
nection with the apparatus above described.
A³ is the front face of the annunciator, which in the present instance is enclosed
within a frame A". On the top of this frame A are suitably secured the
magnets B, B, and the bell or gong C, the clapper C of which is secured to the
armature c'. is a binding post, which is connected with the armature c' and also
by the wire c with the revolving switch D.
Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are the switch buttons, which indicate the numbers
of the rooms or buildings. These switch buttons are constructed with a slot d',
through which passes a pin d³, the bottom of said pin being connected with the
springs a secured to the rear face of the annunciator, as shown in Figure 8; the
other ends of these switch buttons bear upon the binding posts e², e²,
When the annunciator is used in connection with a burglar alarm these switch
buttons in the daytime may be partly revolved on the pin d³, as shown in dotted
lines at 2, Figure 7, and thus break the connection. And in this case the
annunciator is used with a household or general fire alarm as soon as the room or
building is designated; the switch button corresponding to the same may be partly
revolved, and thus break the connection, so that in case of an alarm in any other
room or building the switch D³ would be compelled to be turned until the switch
button corresponding to that room or building was reached before the connection
would be completed and the gong sounded again.
The free ends of the springs a are bent, as shown in Figure 9, the bent ends
passing through orifices in the face A and resting against the movable plate D®,
which is provided with ears do, do, by means of which it is hinged in suitable
bearings,d, secured to the face A. When in its normal condition the plate Do
and switch D are as represented in Figure 7, the switch D³ pressing upon tho
plate D and holding it in position.
Es, Es, represent the binding posts in the respective rooms or buildings, and are
connected with the binding posts c, e, of the annunciator by means of tho
wires es, es. E is the main binding post, which is connected with the magnets by
means of the wire cº.
The operation is as follows:-When an alarm is sounded from any cause the
electric current compels the clapper C to strike the gong or bell C³, and thus give
notice. The operator then turns the switch D, which allows the plate Do to fall,
as shown in dotted lines, Figure 9, when the bell .censes to sound, the connection
being broken. As soon as the switch D reaches the switch button corresponding
to the room or building from which the alarm was sounded the circuit is completed,
and the bell or gong sounds again, and by this means indicates the room or building
from which the alarm proceeded.
Among the advantages of this arrangement it may be mentioned that the
movable plate De dispenses with the electric coils heretofore used, the plate Do
answering the same purpose, and by this means simplifying the working arrange-
ment of the apparatus. It is designed principally to use the annunciator herein
described in connection with the thermoscope and hydroscope herein-before
described.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,―
First. In a thermoscope or fire-alarm indicator the vessel A. and tube A' con-
taining confined air, tube B containing mercury, rod E, tubes C, C', and adjustable t
needles c, c, the whole combined and arranged to operate substantially as described.
Second. In an antipneumatic water indicator the cylinder G+, air-tight tubes g³,
mercury tube E¹, wire cº, tube D³, adjustable needle ³, and screw e, in combination
with an electric alarm, substantially as described.
•
Third. In an annunciator the movable plate De hinged, as shown, in combination i
with the switch D³ and springs a7, substantially as described.

page_text: Fourth. In an annunciator the plate Do, springs a, switch D³, switch buttons 1,
2, 3, &c., posts E³, E6, e7, c³, wires es, e, c³, magnets B³, armature c³, gong C³, and
clapper C, the whole constructed and arranged to operate substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand cight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)