US2870296A - Automatic fire alarm - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1959 .1. F. HEAL 2,870,296

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM Filed Nov. 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MA BUZZER L16 SWI SWIT H SW! H Jesse E Heal INVENTOR.

Jan. 20, 1959 J. F. HEAL 2,870,295

AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM File d Nov. 4, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig-3 Jesse E Hea/ 62. INVEN TOR.

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AUTOMAT F R AL Jesse F.'Heal, :Cotfeyville, Kans, Application November 4, 1957, Serial No. 694,f1 62 7 Claims. (CL 200 440) This invention relates to .an autornatic fire alarm and more particularly to novel .actuation devices adaptedf to be used infconjunction with audible and 'visualf signal meansfas 'well as a supply circuit controlled by suitable switches whereby ahorne or the premises of other types ofbuildings may bereadilyand easily protectedagainst fire.

The concept of this invention features the use of a novel actuation device for automatically actuating the visual and audible signal devices, or the like with the actuation devices-being responsive to the presence of heat and being located remote from the signalling device or mounted Within a casing on which the signalling devices are secured.

Another object ofthepresent invention resides in the provision of anactuation device for. an automatic fire alarm that is simple in construction, which employs the use h ellowsfor actuating a contact block carrying contacts fengageable with contact strips carriedbyslides whichIno-rmally are urged. into engagement, with-the contact block to complete. operative electrical circuits t me source of electrical power to audible and visual signal devices.

Still furtherobjects and features of this invention residelin the provision of an automatic fire alarm that is simple in construction; inexpensive to manufacture, sub st antially foolproof in operation, yet which may be arranged so as to be portable from one location to another as desired.

'. Thescptogether with the various ancillary objects and features at the inventionvwhic h' will become apparcnt' as the following description proceeds, are attained by this al iomatic fire alarm, a preferred ernbOdimentof which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by

way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an automatic firealarm constructed in accordance with 'the concepts of th Pres nt i v o Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention;

Fignre iis a .vertical sectional view as taken along the plane ofline 3 -3 of Figure 2 illustrating in particular e ann r moun in a d loca o of e a t a device whichis located within the casing;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view as taken along h Pl nep l ne b F gur Figure 5."is" an enlarged sectional detail view as taken alon'g the planeof lines fi in Figure lillustr'ating in particular the I constrnction of one of the actuation devices;

Figuredis a horizontal sectional vievvas taken along the plane of line 6 6 of Figure iliustrating in particular the c ons't'ruction of 'the guides .and slides mounted n-.. i

Figure 7 is asectional .detailyiew as taken along the planeof line 7 7 in. Figure 5-.illustrating'the relative position of the contact strips and the contacts on the c ta i ki n v v Figure 8 is'a perspectiveview of the contact block.

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With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the automatic fire alarm comprising the present invention. This fire alarm includes a casing 12 of any suitable design which may be provided with top 14, bottom 16, front 18, back 20, and sides 22 and 24. The front and bottom may be hinged as at '26 to the back 20 and a latch 28 provided with means 30 forenabling a lock to be used for locking the device to hold the casing in a closed position. Handles as at 32 and 34 may be provided for the casing 12. The casing is provided with an opening 36 in the bottom thereof and may be mounted on legs as at 38 as desired. Mounted on the casing and secured to the top is an audible alarm in the form of a buzzer or bell as indicated at 42 as well as an electric lamp socket 44 in which an electric lamp 46 may be positioned. A transformer 43 is mounted in the casing 12 and a cable 50 having a plug 52 is connected to the transformer for connection to a suitable source of electrical current. Mounted on the front 18 of the casing 12 are switches 56, 58 and 60 in the form of toggle switch, the switch 56 controlling flow of electrical power to the transformer '48, the switch 58 controlling the circuit to-the buzzer 42, While the switch 60 controls the circuit to the lamp 4 6. Circuits will be completed to the signal devices 42 and 46 should the actuating device as indicated at 62 mounted in the casing 12 in alignment withthe opening 36 be actuated and r, in a circuit closed position. The actuation device 62 is mounted in place by a suitable bracket 66 and held in position by fasteners as at 68. Conductors from the transformers 48 are connected to the actuation device 62 before. they areconnected to the buzzer 42 whereby the actuation device 62 controls an operative electrical circuit through the transformer 48 to the buzzer 42. The circuit to lamp 46 is directly controlled by actuation of device 62 through leads 190 and 192 or 1 96 and 198.

In addition to the actuation device 62 other actuation devices of similar construction are provided and the only difference between the actuation device 62 and the actuation device 90 is that in lieu of thebracket 66 which secures theactuation device in the casing 12, there is provided a bracket 92 for supporting the actuationdevice 90 in a position remote from the casing 12. It is to be understood that any number of the actuation devices 90 may be employed and that these devices are connected in parallel circuits between the source of electrical power such as the transformer 48 and the signal devices 42 and 46 so that upon operation of any of the actuation devices 90 or the actuation device 62, the signal devices 42 and 46 will be excited.

The actuation device 62 as well as the actuation devices are therefore of similar construction which can be best seen in Figure 5 wherein the actuation device 90 is shown in detail. Referring now more particularly to Figures 5 through 8, it will be seen that the actuation device 90 includes a housing 92 of substantially cylindrical shape having cylindrical side walls 94, a top '96 anda perforated bottom 98 having an-internally threaded boss 100 in which a threaded adjustment member 102 is engaged having a handle 104 outwardly of the housing 92 wherebythe adjustment member 102 maybe readily rotated. The rotation of the adjusting member .102 will cause the adjusting member to advance or-retract carrying the convex surface cap forming an engaging member 106 towards away from the perforated bottom 98 and thereby raising or lowering the bellows H98 which the engaging member 106 engages. The bellows 108 are pivotally connected as at 110 to a contact block 112. This contact block whose construction can be best seen in Figures 7 and 8 is formed of an insulative material and has secured thereto pairs of contacts 114, 116, 118, and 12%.

The contacts 114 and 116 are centered as at 122 as are the contacts 118 and 12% which are synchronized at 124. The contacts 114, 116, 118 and 120 are arcuate in shape and are resilient and are adapted to be engaged by contact strips 130, 132, 134, and 136. The contact strips and 132 are embedded in an insulative plastic slide 138 while the contact strips 134 and 136 are embedded in slide 140 of similar construction to the slide 138. The slides 138 and 14-0 slide within the grooves 146 and 143 formed in guides 150 and 152 which guides are con structed from an insulative plastic material and which are suspended from the top 96 by means of tie rods as at and 162 which tie rods pass through a spacer guide 164 having an aperture 166 therethrough through which the contact block 112 may pass with spaces of a tubular construction as indicated at 168, 170, 172, and 174 being disposed about the tie rods 160 and 162 respectively. The contact strips are normally urged into engagement with the contact block 112 by means of coil springs and 182 which seat within recesses 184 and 186 in the slides 140 and 138 respectively and urge the slides 140 and 138 toward the block 112 along the grooves 146 and 148, the springs also engaging the cylindrical walls 94 of the housing 91). The contact strips have terminals whereby when conductors 190 and 192 are connected to an operative electrical circuit, when the contact strips 130 and 132 engage the contacts 114 and 116 respectively an operative electrical circuit may be completed. Likewise, conductors 196 and 198 are provided for completing other operative electrical circuits.

In order to test the device, there is provided a lever 200 which is pivoted as at 202 on a fulcrum within the housing 90 and which is attached as at 204 to the connection between the bellows 108 and the contact block 112. A spring 208 is terminally connected as at 211 to the lever and to one of the tie rods 160 as at 212 whereby the lever 200 is normally urged into a lowered position and normally urging the bellows 1198 into engagement with the contact surface 106. However, should the lever 200 be depressed, it will raise the contact block so that the contacts mounted thereon engage the contact strips. In addition, a further test device is provided which includes rod 220 which is threadedly engaged in the contact block 112 as at 222 and which extends through an aperture 224 in the upper insulative plate 226 attached to the top of the housing. A stop 228 is carried by the rod 220 which terminates in an eye 230 which provides an enlarged stopping surface for limiting the position of the rod 220 and of the contact block 112 while also providing means whereby the rod 200 may be grasped more easily to raise the contact block 112.

In operation, the handle 1% is rotated until bellows 1138 is set for operation at a specific temperature. The heat passing through the apertures 98 into the housing 90 will cause the bellows 168 to expand raising the contact block 112 and causing a bridging of the contact strips whereby operative electrical circuits to the signal devices such as the audible and visual signals are completed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the princi les of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in a fire alarm an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bellows in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said contact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an adjusting member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said bellows to position said bellows, a pair of spaced guide blocks in said housing, slides slidably engaged in said guide blocks, said slides carrying said contact strips.

2. For use in a fire alarm, an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bellows in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said contact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an adjusting member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said bellows to position said bellows, a pair of spaced guide blocks in said housing, slides slidably engaged in said guide blocks, said slides carrying said contact strips, springs engaging said slides and said housing urging said slides towards said contact block.

3. For use in a fire alarm, an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bel lows in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said contact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an adjusting member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said bellows to position said bellows, a pair of spaced guide blocks in said housing, slides slidably engaged in said guide blocks, said slides carrying said contact strips, said contact block, said guide blocks and slides being formed of an electrically insulative material, said contact strips being embedded in said slides.

4. For use in a fire alarm, an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bellOWs in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said contact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an adjusting member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said bellows to position said bellows, a pair of spaced guide blocks in said housing, slides slidably engaged in said guide blocks, said slides carrying said contact strips, said contact block, said guide blocks and slides being formed of an electrically insulative material, said contact strips being embedded in said slides, springs engaging said slides and said housing urging said slides toward said contact block.

5. For use in a fire alarm, an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bellows in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said contact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an adjusting member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said bellows to position said bellows, a rod secured to said contact block extending upwardly therefrom and outwardly through said casing, and stop means on said rod for limiting the position of said contact block.

6. For use in a fire alarm, an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bellows in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said con tact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an ad justing member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said bellows to position said bellows, a lever extending outwardly of said housing and having an end connected to said contact block, spring means in said housing normally urging said contact block to a lowered position, and a fulcrum for said lever in said housing.

7. For use in a fire alarm, an actuation device automatically responsive to the presence of heat comprising a housing, a contact block having contacts thereon, a bellows in said housing pivotally connected to said contact block, contact strips mounted in said housing, said contact strips being engageable by said contacts, and an adjusting member threadedly engaged in said housing engaging said'bellows to position said bellows, a pair of spaced guide blocks in said housing, slides slidably engaged in said guide blocks, said slides carrying said contact strips, said contact block, said guide blocks and slides being formed of an electrically insulative material, said contact strips being embedded in said slides, springs engaging said slides and said housing urging said slides towards said contact block, a rod secured to said contact block extending upwardly therefrom and outwardly through said casing, and stop means on said rod for limiting the position of said contact block, a lever extending outwardly of said housing and having an end connected to said contact block, spring means in said housing normally urging said contact block to a lowered position, and a fulcrum for said lever in said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,277 Cid June 24, 1941 2,406,443 Stein Aug. 27, 1946 2,658,968 Janos Nov. 10, 1953 2,755,361 Hertan July 17, 1956

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