US412971A - Fire-alarm box - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. F. MILLIKEN.

- I FIRE ALARM BOX.

, No. 412,971. Patented Oct. 15, 1889.

Witnesses" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. MILLIKEN, OF BOST N, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ALARM BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,971, dated October 15, 1889.

Application filed August '7, 1889. Serial No. 320,000. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it ntay concern.-

Be it known that 1, GEORGE F. MILLIKEN, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Fire-Alarm Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire-alarm boxes, and especially to that class having an aperture covered with a plate of glass, or of some other easily-fractured material, which is broken by the person who wishes to send an alarm, which is then done by pulling down a hook, ring, or other means, located behind and protected by the said plate, thus setting the alarmsending mechanism in operation. A door on hinges covers the face of the box, and is provided with a lock and key to secure the same, and in the door is an aperture covered by a plate of glass. hen anyperson wishes to send an alarm, the glass plate is broken, thus giving access to the hook or other means for starting the alarm-sending mechanism. To replace the glass plate or to examine the interior of the box for any purpose, it is necessary to unlock and swing the door open. By this method of opening the alarm-box from the outside by a key unauthorized persons can gain access thereto by means of false keys, &c., and are enabled to pull the hook and noiselessly send an alarm without breaking the glass, and also to maliciously damage the mechanism. It is desirable that the glass be broken, as the noise in doing so attracts attention and prevents mischievous persons from sending false alarms.

The object of my invention is to provide a keyless firealarm box which shall be selflocking, the locking mechanism being upon the inside of the box and door, and which cannot be opened from the outside, or opened at all until the glass plate covering the aperture is first broken.

My invention also contemplates a door for an alarm-box, without hinges, provided with dowels on one side, which register with and enter dowel-holes in the inner side of the door-opening, and provided on the other side with a self-locking device, so that when the door or cover is sprung into place there are no means for removing it, except after the glass plate covering the aperture (which may be either in the door or in the walls of the box) is broken, and access thus provided to reach.

in the hand and unlock the door from the inside.

By my invention an alarm-box is provided presenting a smooth exterior, without a key,- hole, with or without hinges, and inaccessible to unauthorized persons, providing more security than those having a lock and key, and without the expense attaching to a Yale or other suitable similar look, all. of which Iwill now proceed to describe, and point out in the claims.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and illustrating 'my invention, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a lire-alarm box having a door or cover without hinges. Fig. 2 is a section on line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line I) Z) of Fig. 1, looking to the left; and Fig. 4: is a partial vertical section of Fig. 1, looking to the right. Fig. 5 is a perspective interior view showing the self-locking device, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a firealarm box with its door hung on hinges and with a glass covcred aperture in the side wall of the box.

Figs. '1, 2, 8, 6i, and 5 show a fire-alarm box I divided into two COlllPfllt-lilfilltfi A and B by means of the horizontal partition 11. The upper part of the box contains the operating mechanism necessary to trip and send an alarm, which, forming no part of my invention, is not shown, excepting the pull-down ring or hook C, which is simply indicated in Fig. 1 as projecting downward into the lower compartment B. The door or cover 2 is provided with dowels 5 5 on one side thereof, which enter the dowel-holes 6 6 in the side of the door-opening. Upon the other side, projecting inwardly, is a wire 10, one end of which is attached to the door, while the other end is bent over, as shown, to engage with a flat bent spring 5, which is at tached to the inner side wall of the box. One side of the spring 5 is longer than the other, to form a convenient finger-piece 1.4. The shorter side serves as an abutment, over which the wire 10 passes and engages when the cover or door 2 is pressed inward. The lower part of the door has an aperture 3, over which, on

the inner side, is placed a plate of glass or other easily-fractured material (as thin plates of hard rubber, celluloid, &c.) 4, secured by the rabbeted studs 9 9, in the usual manner, there being a limiting-stud ,12 at the top, as shown.

WVhen any person wishes to gain access to the interior of the box to send an alarm, the plate 4 is broken, the hand inserted into the lower compartment B, and the hook O pulled down; or, if the mechanism is to be examined, the glass is also broken, and to remove the door or cover the hand is inserted and the finger 14 of the spring sis pressed against the wall of the box, thus freeing the wire 10,when the door can be taken out or removed, or if upon -hinges, as in Fig. 6, the door is swung open.

, After a plate has been broken to send an alarm the door is removed or opened, as described, and a new plate inserted, the door then being sprung in or to, locking itself in place.

I do not limit myself to the precise form of locking device shown, as any apparatus which permits the door to be self-locking, and which can be unlocked from the inside of the box only and after the-plate has been broken, may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Fig. 6 shows an alarm-box provided with an aperture 3 and glass plate 4 in the side wall of the box itself. In this case the door is solid, and is shown as upon hinges 7 7; but it is obvious that it may be arranged with dowels and removable, as shown in Fig. 1. A. similar keyless self-locking device is to be the aperture in the side wall of the alarm-box,

as being less liable to accidental breakage.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. Afire-alarm box provided with a keyless self-locking door or cover and an aperture covered with a plate of easily-fractured material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a fire-alarm box, the combination of the box with a keyless self-locking door or cover having an aperture covered with a plate of easily-fractured material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A fire-alarm box provided vs ith akeyless self-locking door or cover, the means for looking and unlocking being upon the inside of the said box and door or cover, and an aperture covered with a plate of easily-fractured material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In alire-alarm box, the combination of the box with a keyless self-locking door or cover, the means for locking and unlocking being upon the inside of the said box and door or cover, having an aperture covered with a plate of easily-fractured material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a fire-alarm box, the combination of the box with a removable keyless self-locking door being upon the inside of the said box and door or cover, and an aperture covered with a plate of easily-fractured material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 30th day of July, 1889.

GEORGE F. MILLIKEN. Witnesses:

A. P. SAWYER, W. A. SIMMONS.

or cover, the means for lockin g and unlocking

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