Improvements in Electric Signalling Systems, such as Fire Alarms, Telephones and Telegraphs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Electric Signalling Systems, such as Fire Alarms,
Telephones and Telegraphs.
We, JOHN LAURENCE WALKER, Electrician, and GEORGE BROSNOHAN WALKER,
Electrician, both residing at 214, Alcaniz, Pensacola, in the County of Escambia
and State of Florida, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to telephones for use on any closed electric circuit either
separate from or in combination with a fire alarm or telephone signal system,
or in telegraph or telephone system or systems using a continuous electric current
or closed electric circuit.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved portable or stationary
telephone, and suitable appliances whereby a person having access to any wire
over which a continuous electric current passes, and provided with suitable
appliances, may send in a call, signal or alarm, or communicate with a person at
the central or main station, or with any person provided with like appliances at
a point, or any number of points along said line or circuit or lines or circuits
connected therewith.
In the practice of our invention, we provide a telephone and telephone signal
apparatus which is adapted to be used in connection with the main battery and
circuit of any electric fire alarm system for both signal and talking purposes.
The transmitter used in our telephone is of the granular carbon form, and the
receiver of the watch case pattern, and of the single pole type, which when used
in connection with any fire alarm system, will not interfere with the registering
of the indicator if an alarm should be turned in from any point while, the
apparatus which we employ along the main circuit is in use.
Any suitable battery for operating an electric fire alarm system may be
employed, also an indicator of usual construction. These parts being similar to
those in all electric fire alarm systems.
A number of poles are also used on one of which is one of our signal boxes,
and the battery, the indicator and the box, any desired number of which may be
employed throughout the circuit of the alarm system, are placed in electrical
connection by the main wire or conductor, and a return wire or conductor by
which a complete circuit is formed.
Arranged adjacent to the indicator within the station are two contact springs
which are secured to the walls of the station by means of a plate with which
they are connected. Each of these springs is provided with a binding post with
which the main conductor is connected by means of suitable branches.
These springs are carried outwardly from the wall, and brought together at
their central point and again separated.
Our telephone is suspended from the wall of the station below the indicator.

page_text: The telephone consists of a tubular casing with which the transmitter is con-
nected at one end, and the opposite end of which is open and adapted to retain the
receiver. This receiver while being detachable from the casing of the transmitter
is connected with said transmitter by the usual wires or conductors. Said casing
is provided with a diaphragm or partition plate through which pass screws or
bolts with which the wires or conductors connect, and corresponding wires or
conductors connect with the said screws or bolts, and with the separate parts of
the transmitter in the usual manner.
Connected with one of the wires or conductors are two wires which pass through
the side of the casing, and are connected with a circuit making and breaking
plug.
The telephone in the boxes and the telephone at the main station are of the
same construction, but the plug which is connected with the telephone in the
boxes differs in construction from the plug which is connected with the telephone
in the main station.
The plug at the main station is designed to make or close the circuit through
the telephone without breaking the main circuit, whereby the adjacent indicator
will not be affected, while the plug is designed to break the circuit before closing
it, so that the indicator at the station will be operated when the box telephone
is used.
The plug is provided with a handle through which the wire passes, and consists
of a central core having a wedge shaped head of non-conducting material, the
body portion of the plug being provided with metal end and side plates with
which the wires connect.
The plug, which is adapted to close the circuit through the telephone, without
breaking the circuit to the indicator is composed of a handle to which the plug
proper is secured, consists of a central portion which is wedge shaped in form at
its outer end, and which is provided with metal side strips or plates. Passing
through the handle and connecting with said side strips or plates are two wires
which connect with the telephone or with the receiver, and the transmitter
thereof, as herein before described, with reference to its plug.
It will be understood that by inserting this plug between the springs in the
box, the circuit will be completed through the telephone, and through the main
circuit of the signal system, and when this plug is first inserted, the circuit of
which said springs in said box form a part, will be broken by the separation of
said springs, and the alarm connected with the indicator will be operated.
This operation is accomplished by the wedge shaped head of said plug, but
when said head passes between the central portions of said spring in said box,
the circuit will again be completed, and any desired communication may be held
between the policeman or the party at the said box, and those in charge of the
main station.
In order for the person in charge of the main station to communicate with the
policeman at said box, the plug must be inserted between the springs at the
station. It will also be understood that when said plugs are connected as
described, with said springs, at said box, and at said station, the telephone at the
box and at the station may be used in the usual manner without interfering
with the main circuit of the signal system.
With the improved telephone and other appliances herein described, it will be
apparent that a person or persons provided therewith, and having access to the
main wires or conductors of an electric signal system, fire alarm system, telephone
or telegraphic system may send in a call, signal or alarm, or communicate with
a person at the central or main station, or with any person provided with a like
telephone and appliances at any point or points throughout the system.
It will thus be seen that we accomplish the object of our invention by means of
an apparatus which is simple in construction and operation, and which is also
comparatively inexpensive.
It will also be understood that any desired number of the poles and of the

page_text: boxes may be employed, said boxes being located wherever desired throughout the
circuit of the signal system.
Dated this 11th day of Sontember 1897
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Electric Signalling Systems, such as Fire Alarms,
Telephones and Telegraphs.
We, JOHN LAURENCE WALKER and GEORGE BROSNOILAN WALKER, citizens of
the United States of America, residing at l'ensacola, in the County of Escambia
and State of Florida, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to telephones for use on any closed electric circuit either
separate from or in combination with an electric fire alarm or telegraph signal
system or any telegraph or telephone system or systems using a continuous electric
current or a closed electric circuit; and the object of the invention is to provide
an improved portable or stationary telephone and suitable appliances whereby a
person having access to any wire over which a continuous electric current passes
and provided with suitable appliances may send in a call, signal, or alarm, or
communicate with a person at the central or main station, or with any person
provided with like appliances at a point or any number of points along said line
or circuit, or lines or circuits connected therewith.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the
accompanying drawings form a part, in which
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a fire alarm station, showing also the main
circuit connected therewith and showing also our improvement; Figure 2, a view
of a plug which forms a part of the apparatus of the main station; Figure 3, a
plan view of a spring-contact device which also forms a part of the apparatus
at the main station; Figure 4 a front view thereof; Figure 5, a sectional view
of the telephone which we employ, showing the parts disconnected; and Figure 6
a transverse section of a signal-box, any desired number of which may be employed
along the line of the main fire-alarm system.
In the drawings forming part of this specification the separate parts of our
improvement are designated by the same letters of reference throughout the
several views, and in the practice of our invention we provide a telephone and
telephone-signal apparatus which is adapted to be used in connection with the
main battery and circuit of any electric fire-alarm system for both signalling
and talking purposes.
The transmitter used in our telephone is of the granular carbon form and the
receiver of the watch-case pattern and of the single-pole type, which when used
in connection with any fire-alarm system will not interfere with the registering
of the indicator if an alarm should be turned in from any point while the apparatus
which we employ along the main circuit is in use.
In Figure 1 we have shown at A any suitable battery for operating an electric
fire-alarm system, also the usual indicator a, these parts being similar to those
used in all electric fire-alarm systems; and we have also shown in said figure a
number of poles a³, on one of which is one of our signal-boxes D, and the

page_text: battery, the indicator a, and the box D, any desired number of which may be
employed throughout the circuit of the alarm system, are placed in electrical
connection by a main wire or conductor d, and a return wire or conductor d by
which a complete circuit is formed.
Arranged adjacent to the indicator a within the station are two contact-springs F,
which are secured to the walls of the station by a plate f, with which they are
connected, and each of these springs is provided with a binding post f, which
is best shown in Figure 3, and with which the main. conductor is connected
by means of branches d. These springs are carried outwardly from the wall
and brought together at their central portions, as shown at f³, and again separated,
as shown at f, and we have also shown suspended from the wall of the station
below the indicator a our telephone B.
The telephone B is shown in sectional detail in Figure 5, and consists of a
tubular casing b with which the transmitter 63 is connected at one end, and the
opposite end of which is open and adapted to receive the receiver b³.
The receiver 3 while being detachable from the casing b of the transmitter
is connected with said transmitter by the usual wires or conductors 6+, and said
casing b being provided with a diaphragm or partition plate 65 through which
pass screws or bolts 66, with which the wires or conductors 64 connect, and corre-
sponding wires or conductors b connect with the screws or bolts 66 and with the
separate parts of the transmitter in the usual manner, and connected with one of
the wires or conductors are two wires 68, which pass through the side of the
casing and are connected with a circuit making and breaking plug C.
The boxes D, any desired number of which may be employed, are also provided
with contact springs. F, similar to these hereinbefore described, which are also
connected with a plate f and which are also brought together at the middle,
as shown at f³ and separated at their outer ends, as shown at f4, and the main wire
or conductor d is connected with said contact springs by branches d, this con-
nection being made in the same manner as the similar connection at the station.
One of the telephones B is also employed in each of the boxes D) and is adapted
to be suspended from the side thereof, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, and the tele-
phone B in the box or boxes D is provided with a circuit making and breaking
plug K.
The telephone B in the boxes D) and the telephone B at the main station are
of the same construction, but the plug K which is connected with the telephone
in the box 1), differs in construction from the plug C, which is connected with the
telephone at the main station.
The plug C is designed to make or close the circuit through the telephone without
breaking the main circuit, whereby the adjacent indicator will not be affected,
while the plug K is designed to break the circuit before closing it, so that the
indicator at the station will be operated when the box-telephone is used.
The plug K is provided with a handle k, through which the wires 63 pass, and
the plug. K consists of a central core having a wedge shaped-head k³, of non-
conducting material, while the body portion of the plug is provided with metal-end
side plates, with which the wires 8 connect, as clearly shown in Figure 5,
and the plug C, which is adapted to close the circuit through the telephone without
breaking the circuit to the indicator, is composed of a handle C, to which the plug
proper is secured, said plug consisting of a central portion C3 which is wedge-
shaped in form at its outer end and which is provided with metal side strips
or plates C, and passing through the handle and connecting with said side strips
or plates C are two wires C³, which connect with the telephone or with the receiver
and the transmitter thereof, as hereinbefore described with reference to the plug K.
It will be understood that by inserting the plug K between the springs F in the
box D the circuit will be completed through the telephone and through the main
circuit of the signal system, and when this plug is first inserted, the circuit, of
which the springs F in the box D form a part, will be broken by the separation
of said springs and the alarm connected with the indicator a will be operated,

page_text: this operation being accomplished by the wedge-shaped head of the plug K;
but when said head passes between the central portions of said spring. in the box 1)
the circuit will be again completed and any desired communication may be held
between the policeman or the party at the box D and those in charge of the main
station.
In order for the person in charge of the main station to communicate with the
policeman at the box D, the plug C must be inserted between the springs at the
station, and it will also be understood that when the plugs C and K are connected,
as described, with the springs F at the box D and at the station, the telephones B
at the box and at the station may be used in the usual manner without interfering
with the main circuit or the signal system.
With the improved telephone and other appliances herein described it will be
apparent that a person or persons provided therewith and having access to the
main wires or conductors of an electric signal system, fire alarm system, telephone
or telegraphic system may send in a call, signal or alarm, or communicate with
a person at the central or main station or with any person provided with a like
telephone and appliances at any point or points throughout the system, and it
will thus be seen that we accomplish the object of our invention by means of an
apparatus which is simple in construction and operation, and which is also com-
paratively inexpensive, and it will be understood that any desired number of
the poles and of the boxes 1 may be employed, said boxes D being located
wherever desired throughout the circuit of the signal system.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:-
In a continuous circuit system the combination of the main station and sub
or signal stations, of an alarm at the main station located in the continuous circuit,
a telephone at the main station having means for bringing it into the continuous.
circuit without a break therein, a telephone located at the sub-station normally
out of the continuous circuit and means for bringing it into the
continuous circuit and at the same time signalling at the main station,
consisting of a pair of spring-arms in contact with each other and located in the
continuous circuit, and a plug connected with the telephone formed with a wedge-
shaped non-conducting head which is adapted to part the springs to break the
circuit and thereby signal at the main station, and with a metal contact point
for again closing the circuit and bringing the telephone into the continuous circuit,
substantially as shown and described.
00 1
1800