US914172A - Electric alarm. - Google Patents

Description

T. NORPOTH.

ELECTRIC ALARM APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1908. 914,172. Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

W1C fig ATTORNEY.

' T. NORPOTH.

ELEGTRIG ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12,1908.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

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INVENTOR. v 77710:! Norjralfi BY ATTORNEY.

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THEODOR NORPOTI-I, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC .ALARIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented March 2, 1909.

Application filed June 12, 1908. Serial No. 438,186.

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnnonon Nonrorn, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Alarms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being rad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in electric alarms; and it consists in the novel details of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a general plan of my invention, the operating cords therefrom leading to two independent Window screens; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in plan of the supplemental energizing coil and its armature serving to close the circuit of a sec ondary annunciator located in a part of the house removed some distance from the primary annuneiator; 3 is an end elevation of Fig. Fig. l is a vertical section on line ll of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 is a top plan of the primary annunciator casing with lid swung open showing the primary annunciator, its battery and energizing coil, and setting mechanism; Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side elevation thereof with. parts broken away and with lid. closed; 8 is an enlarged plan of the p arts of the setting mechanism, shown in central position; Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section on the line 99 of Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 is a sectional detail on the line 101O of Fig. 8.

The present invention is an improvement on the electric alarm covered by my U. S. Patent 880,691, dated March 3, 1908, and while contemplating the several advantages and objects therein set forth it possesses fea tures of construction which make it possible not only to detect the intrusion of a burglar at different points or places on the premises, but which permit the sounding of an alarm in apartments removed from the room in which the casing or box containing the operating even should the casing be removed by the lnn'glar from the room.

The advantages of the present improvement will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention which is as follows Referring to the drawings, 0, represents a box or vasing having a top lid L hinged parts is set, and to continue such sounding thereto as shown, the casing serving to house the operating parts of the primary annunciator as shown (Fig. 5). Located in the casing is a frame F at one end of which are mounted a series (two in the present case) of rotatable disks or members 1, 1, having each a peripheral groove 2, for the winding of a cord or wire a, the cords passing freely in opposite directions through holes in the side walls of the casing, the projecting portions of the cords being provided with limiting rings 1) to prevent the same from being accidentally retracted fully into the casing under the action of the winding s rings 3, 3 by which the disks are contro led. The cord extensions beyond the rings 1) are provided with terminal hooks in by which they may be secured to the wire screens S of a screen door or window, through which the burglar must pass to gain access to the apartment or room.

In the particulars thus far described the present invention does not materially differ from my patent, except in the provision of the multiplicity of winding disks 1, 1. in the present instance I have illustrated the driving spring 3 for the disk as having one end coupled to the disk-shaft, and the opposite end to the disk (Fig. 6) although any other arrangement will serve the purpose, so long as the disk will automatically wind the cord when the projecting end is released or severed.

Located within the casing O is a drybattery B (or preferably two with opposite poles connected by wire r) and anelectric well or primary annunciator A, the bell portion being on the outside of the lid, the hammer d leading from the energizing coil E mounted 011 the inside of the lid, through an opening 0 of the lid as shown (Fig. 5). One wire w leads from the battery to the energizing coil E, another wire w leading from the battery to one of the terminals or poles e of the circuit, the second ole or terminal 6 having a return wire w leading back to the coil E, the same as in my patent above referred to. In the event the terminals or poles e, e (no mally separated to keep the circuit broken) are brought together, the circuit will be closed and the bell will ring.

The mechanism for closing the circuit referred to may be described as follows Mounted pivotally on top of the frame and oscillating about a common pivot 'p are a series of superposed (two in the present case) resilient members 4, 4 respectively, the top member 4 overlapping a suitable distance the bottom member 4, so that the outer ends of the respective members come directly opposite the serrated peripheries of the disks 1, 1. As shown (Fig. 7) the members 4, 4 have their outer ends bent up wardly, the same terminating in projections or fingers 5, 5, which are adapted to engage the serrated peripheries of the disks 1,' 1,

when said resilient bent ends of the members 4, 4 are set for operation. The rear rounded ends of the members 4, 4 terminate between and engage the inner edge of the adjacent arms of the circuit-closing levers 6, 6, pivoted in parallelism on top of the frame F, the rear ends of the levers terminating in wedge-shaped heads 7, 7, these heads serving to force the pole e into con tact with pole c with a given oscillation of either lever 6, and thus close the circuit and sound an alarm. When the members 4, 4 are set for operation, they occupy a central position, the levers 6, 6 being at the same time forced into parallelism, the wedges 7 just clearing their respective electrodes 6, e.

The setting of the members 4, 4 is accomplished by the following mechanism Mounted forward of the axis of oscillation of the members 4, 4, in lugs or bearings 8, 8, is a rock-frame or yoke 9 in the shape of a shallow U, one of the terminals of'which terminates in a right-angularly deflected arm 10 by means of which the yoke may be rocked about its axis in such manner that the yoke may be oscillated to the vertical position shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, or may be lowered or folded rearwardly against the frame F as shown by dotted position in Fig. 8. Reciprocating in eyelets 11, on top of the frame F is a U-shapedlocking or setting frame 12 the terminals of the arms of which are loosely looped over the rock-frame 9, the base of the frame 12 passing behind the front upwardly deflected terminals 6 of the circuit-closing levers 6. When the yoke 9 is rocked down against the frame F, the locking frame 12 is pushed rearwardly (dotted position Fig. 8) so as to clear the up-turned ends 6 of the levers 6, thus leaving the latter to oscillate with any deflection on the part of the members 4, 4 resulting from any rotation of the disks 1 to which the cords a are attached. This freedom is accorded the levers 6 when the yoke 9 has been swung down so as to permit the resilient ends of the members 4, 4 to engage with the serrated peripheries of the disks 1. When the yoke is rocked upwardly, it forces the spring ends of the members 4, 4 out of engagement with the disks 1, at the same time drawing the frame 12 forward which forward movement permits reengagement of the base of the frame (12) with the terminals 6, thus resetting them into parallelism and at the same time causing the members 4, 4 to resume a position arallel to the axis of the frame F and to tie levers 6, 6. The parts being thus reset, the frame 12 may then be shoved rearward to releasing position, the fingers 5 again allowed to rengage with the disks 1, when upon the slightest rotation of the disks owing to a disturbance of either cord (1, the members 4, 4 are deflected sufficiently to oscillate one or the other of the levers 6 to cause its wedge end 7 to force the poles e, 6 into contact, when an alarm will be immediately sounded by the bell A.

In practice it becomes desirable to control the yoke 9 from the outside of the casing O, and to accomplish this I make the following provision :Mounted in the lid L is a spindle 13 the outer end of which isprovided with an operating handleor crank-arm 14, limited by a pin 15 in one direction, and by a in 16 in the opposite direction, the words n and Off being marked opposite the respective pins (Fig. 1). To the inner end of the spindle is secured a curved slotted arm 18. of a shape on the order of a presser-foot on a sewing machine, and through the slot 8 of this arm the arm 10 of the yoke 9 is free to pass. When the crank 14 is turned to on position, it means that the foot 18 has been swung to such a position as to have rocked the arm 10 in proper direction to release the frame 12 from the contact levers 6 soar, to allow the latter to close the circuit with any disturbance of the tension cords a; when swung to off position it means that the frame 12 has been shoved forward to lock the parts against disturbance, this corresponding to setting position in which the parts are allowed to remain when the device is not in use during the day. Of course when at night the parts are again turned on the slightest disturbance of any cord a will set off the alarm.

The foregoin description is directed to those features 0 the present invention which are instrumental in setting off the primary annunciator or alarm A which is carried by the casing or box C in the room in which the box hasbeen placed; but in some cases it becomes desirable to sound an alarm in a distant room or apartment, and this I accomplish by the following mechanism, special reference being had to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10. Leading out of the rear of the casing C from one pole of the battery B is a wire m, another wire m leading from pole c, the wiresbeing led through the house or apartment to the energizing coil E of a secondary annunciator A placed in a sleeping room or other remote part of the house, saidannunciator being operated from a local battery B. Under ordinary circumstances the circuit of the local battery B is open, and is only closed when the gap between the contact posts 19, 19, in the circuit of the battery B is closed. The closing of this gap is accomplished by the bevel end of the oscillating armature 2O hinged in front of the energizing coil E. This gap when closed completes the circuit, thus ener izing the tertiary coil E of the annunciator A and sounding an alarm. The energizing of the coil E is accomplished under the following circumstances. Leading from the pole c to which the wire w is connected is wire it which leads to a contact arm 21 overhanging the frame F, and occupying a position directly beneath a contact angle-bracket 22 serving as a binding post for the wire a which runs back and connects to pole e from which leads the wire m out of the casing C. Now, the sliding frame 12 is provided with a finger 23 (Fig. 10) which for the extreme positions of the frame (the on or off position) oc cupies a position on one side the other of the contact linger 21 (Fig. 8). if we assume that the alarm is set for the night to the on position, and a burglar sets oil the alarm A, his first impulse will be to'shift the frame 12 to off position (in wh'ch shifting the members 6 are brought :into position of parallelism with the axis of the frame F and the contact between the poles e, c is broken), but in this movement of the frame 12 to off position, during which the circuit operating the annunciator A is broken, the finger 23 will force the contact arm 21 into contact with the contact-bracket 22, closing the circuit leading to the coil Fl, energizing the latter, which thus draws the armature 20 into position to cause the free bevel end thereof to be wedged between the contact posts 19, 19, whereupon the circuit of the secondary battery 13 will close and energize the tertiary coil E and sound the secondary annunciator A identified with it. Gnce the armature 20 is wedged in between the posts 19, 19 it will remain there, and nothing the burglar can do downstairs will avail him in stopping the ringing of the bell A, because the latter is operated from the local battery B to which the burglar has not access. The occupant of the room in which is located the bell A can of course break the local circuit by swinging the pivoted armature 20 out of its position between the posts 19, 19. This he may accomplish by a specially contrived locking latch 2 1 made of wire, and mounted in bearings formed in the bracket 25 and the base 26 of the coil E, the latch having an operating handle or crank 27 as shown. By turning the latch in proper direction, the armature 20 may be disengaged from be tween the binding posts, and locked in such disengaged position until such time as occasion may arise to release the same for a subsequent setting of the alarm. lf the occupant is not using the up-stairs room, and no occasion arises to have the alarm sound there, he simply locks the armature 20 against the energizing action of the coil E. Of course as the frame 12 is being set for the night, the finger 23 as it sweeps under the arm 21 will force the parts 21, 22 into contact, but during the setting movement of the parts the armature 20 is held locked, and is only released when the occupant of the up-stairs room is ready to retire. Once released, the armature will respond to any shifting of the frame 12 by the bur lar downstairs, as in such shifting the coil l? at once becomes energized and the alarm A is sounded. The letters u, to represent the wires of the local battery 3'.

Such features as are illustrated but not referred to, are well known and covered by my previous patent.

The operation being already covered by the description, and being substantially the same as in my previous patent, no occasion arises to review it here.

6f course while in the patented device there was present but a single disk wherewith to disturb the member 4, the present machine has two disks, thus multiplying the chances of detecting the intruder.

The members or bars 4, 4 are in effect the same as a single bar having a series of'fingers 5, 5, of the proper length to effect engagement with the disks 1. Of course by making two bars they can be made more resilient or springy than could a single or composite bar.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an electric alarm, a casing, an electric circuit having normally separated electrodes, an annunciator in the path of the circuit, a rotatable member, an oscillating bar pivoted between its ends, one arm of said bar being resilient and adapted to normally bear against the rotatable member, a rocking yoke disposed transversely to the axis of rotation of the rotatable member, and adapted to disengage the bar from the rotatable member upon the rocking of the yoke in one direction, a reciprocating frame coupled loosely to the yoke, a pair of independently pivoted circuit-closing levers engaging the adjacent end of the oscillating bar and adapted to be independently actuated thereby upon deflection thereof with any rotation of the rotatable member, the circuit-closing levers having formations adapted upon deflection of the oscillating bar to be forced against one of the electrodes and force the latter into contact with its opposite electrode, and means independent of the yoke for rock ing the latter from a point outside of the casing, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric alarm, a normally open electric circuit, a primary annunciator in the path thereof, a rotatable member, an oscillating bar pivoted intermediate its ends and having one arm engaging said member and adapted to be deflected by the latter upon rotation of the member in either direction, circuit-closing devices actuated by the deilection of the bar, a second normally open electric circuit, a secondary annunciator in the path thereof, and means in movable vrelation to the pivot bar for effecting a closing of the second circuit in the act of opening the first circuit whereby the second annunciator may respond, substantially as set forth.

' 3. In an electric alarm, a normally open electric circuit, a primary annunciator in the path thereof, a rotatable member, an oscillating bar pivoted intermediate its ends and having one arm engaging said member and adapted to be deflected thereby upon rotation of the member, circuit-closing devices actuated by the deflection of the bar, a sec ond normally open electric circuit, a secondary annunciator in the path thereof, a reciprocating setting frame, a rock-yoke for disengaging the pivotedvbar from the rotatable member and simultaneously advancing the setting frame, and means on the frame for effecting the closing of the second circuit during the reciprocations of the setting frame and thereby sounding the annunciator identified with said second circuit, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electric alarm, a normally open circuit, a primary annunciator therefor, a movable framefor effecting the opening of said circuit, a supplementalelectric circuit having an energizing coil in the path thereof, a movable armature in conjunction with said coil, a normally open electric circuit, a second annunciator in the path thereof, means operating in conjunction with the movable frame for closing the supplemental circuit upon a movement of the frame in proper direction and thereby energizing the armature coil, and means on the armature for closing the gap in the last circuit and sounding the annunciator identified therewith, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. V

THEODOR NORPOTH. Witnesses EMIL STAREK, FANNIE E. WEBER.

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