US1264671A - Signal-box. - Google Patents

Description

1; F. MEHREN.

SIGNAL BOX. APPLICATION FILED DEC-14. 1914.

now 4 r s m m w ,wz D .m a P J. F. MEHREN.

SIGNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 14' I9I4.

Patented Apr. 30,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Y r I iii JACOB r. MEI-KEEN, or onI'cAeo, ILLIuoIs.

SIGNAL-Box.

Leeann.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. so, Isis.

Application filed December 14, 1914. SeriaI No. 877,101.

To all "whom it may concern:

' Be it known that l, kllioon F. Min-innit, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the co mty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Signal-Boxes, of which the followin g is a specification.

My invention rel ates to an improvement in the class of signal boxes, or signal stations as they are also termed, which are comi'nonly installed in places readily accessible to the public to enable fire and police alarms to be sent in, and it relates more particularly to the improvement of such signal boxes which are equipped with local alarm-sounding or warning devices; The primary purpose of the last-named equipment, which is auto matic in its operation, is to attract the attention of passers-by, or of others in the neighborhood of the lDOX or station, to the end of leading to the observation of persons turning in alarms and enabling their apprehension if the alarms are found to be false and prompted by mischief or malice. In the present instance, this warning alarm may be of any suitable type of noise-producing apparatus and provided in or on the signal box or at any nearby or more or less distantplace, where it may be heard when set offby actually swinging open the outer door of the boX to gain access to the: signalsending mechanism for starting it.

Tl'ieprijni-ary object of my improvement is, while tending to deter misuse of the signal boX in the mani ierstated, to facilitate sending alarms by the general public by omitting all features tending to obstruct or mislead those who are inexperienced in operating such boxes, besides dispensing with locks and keys, or other securing devices, and glass requiring to be smashed for gaining access to the mechanism for operating it, thereby avoiding confusion and-possibly disastrous delay in sen ding alarm signals.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, with a part of the outer hinged door broken away, to dis close certain details, of a signalbox equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same with the outer door open and shown broken; Fig. 3 is a view partly in section'on line 3, Fig.1 aindienlarged, and partly diagrammatic in its showing of the local warning mechanism in a local-battery circuit operatively combined with the alarm sending or transmitting mechanism included in the mam-line-circuit; Fig L is a similar View but showing both the alarm-sending mechanism and the local warning meoha nism in the main-line-circuit, and Fig. 5 a diagram showing a modification of the circuits of Fig, 3. l

The box 7, or outer case, of the shape illus trated or of other suitable shape, is provided with an outer hinged door 8' carrying a knob 9, or handle, on the outer end of a shaft 10 journaled in the door and canying' on its inner end a latch 11 to engage with alipl2, or keeper, formed at a slot 13 in the sunken door-stop l3 about the open face of the case. A spring 14; on the: inner face ofthe; door tends to hold the latch in its keeper to secure the door, in closed position. As is usual in boxes of the present kind, an inner case 15 is secured and housed in theoutercase and is also provided with a lunged door 16, closed against access by the public to the mechanism in the inner case, involv ing the alarm-transmitting mechanism and may be, also, as intended in the present in stance, the local warning mechanism, though the latter may be outside of or at a distance from the box without departure from my in vention. lnthe doorlo, near its left hand lower corner, is shown a hole 16, to admit, for the purpose hereinafter explained, a pin 17 projecting from the inner face of the outer door. The alarmtransmitting mechanism is preferably that in common use in fire-alarm signalaboxes and is too well known to require detailedillustration and description herein. It comprises the usual toothed signal-wheel 18 on a suitably journaled shaft 19 carrying loosely a pinion, indicated at 20, rotatable in one direction by a pawland ratchet device (not shown). The door 16 contains an arc-shaped slot 21, through which projects a handle 22 on the end of a crank-arm 23 extending at the inner side of the door from a rock-shaft 2%. An arm 25 extends fromthis shaft and terminatesin a segmental rack 26 meshing with the pinion 20, thearm turning in one direction against the resistance of a spring 27 coiledabout the shaft and having one end fastened at 27 and its other end to the arm, which is retracted by the recoil of the spring.

In the inner casing is supportedan electric switch 28, of the preterred construction illustrated, laving as its parts a base 29 I I of insulating material (hard rubber) carrying contact members and 31, and ametal loop-forming bar 32 from which spring contact- fingers 30 and 31" extend and converge toward their forward ends to opposite sides of a spring-retracted plunger-rod 33 reciprocably confined in the loop and provided on its outer end with a knob 34 to be engaged by the pin 17 At 35 is represented an electric-bell apparatus as the preferred djevicewfor the local warning signal, this apparatus being of the ordinary make-andbreak type, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The electromagnet or" this apparatus is included in the circuit of a local battery, indicated at 35 this circuit having one side of the battery connected with the contact-member 30 and the other, through the hell, with the contact-member3l. The main-line circuit-36 has one wire connected at 37 wlth a spring-retracted pivotal contact-finger 38 supported to make and break the circuit 36 at a contact-member 39 therein by the vibrating action, against its curved insulated end, of the toothed wheel 18. the local-battery circuit has two branches connected with it at 40, one branch leading directly to the contact-member 30 and the other branch being connected at 41 with the strip 32; and this branch contains a spring contact-finger 4'2 and a contact-member 43 crossed by the contact-finger, which is held-out of contact with the member 43,

against a stop 44, by the rack 26, normally bearing at its insulated end against the finger. r r 4 7 To operate the-local alarm the knob 9 is turned to unlatch the door 8, pulling open of which Withdraws the pin 17 and permits the plunger 33 to' be retracted by its spring until stopped by thehead 34 striking the door 16. This withdrawal of the plunger frees the finger 30 to permit it to snap tery-circuit is thus closed and the bell sounds the local alarm, thereby attracting the attention of passers-by, or of those in the neighborhood, and affording opportunity for apprehension of the operator if his act proves to be mischievous. If, how- 'ever, the operation is bone fide and the alarm-signal is to be sent, the person, seeing the handle 22, pulls it downwardly. This withdrawsthe rack 26 from the finger 42,

thereby closing the local-battery circuit also at 43. Upon releasing the handle thus pulled down, the spring 27 returns the rack to its normal position, in reaching which it rauses rotation of the toothed wheel 20 to One side of vibrate the arm 38 and make and break the main-line circuit at 39 for sending the alarm-signal over the line. In the return of the rack it encounters the finger 42 and separates it from the terminal 43. In the meantime, the outer door being open, the local-battery circuit remains closed, both at 30 and 43, and the warning signal continues. If, while the alarm-signal is working, the outer door 8 is shut to cause the pin 17 to push the plunger 33 inwardly, it will break the local-battery circuit at 30, but the bell will continue to ring until it is also broken at 43 by the rack, 1n gaining its normal position, forcing the finger 42 away.

As will be seen on inspection of Fig. 4, which shows the circuit and mechanism in normal condition, as in Fig. 3, the bell 35 is not in a local-battery circuit but is in the maindine-circuit. In this condition, the current, which is always on the main line, passes through the switch-device 2S and fingers 42 and 38, to the return-side of the line at 39, thus through a shunt around the bell. T'Vhen, however, on pulling open the outer door, the shunt-circult is broken at 30 by resultant retraction of the plunger 33, and afterward at 44 by pulling down the operating handle the main-line current flows through the bell and sounds it; and

it continues to ring while the rack is working the alarm-mechanism. The bell shown in this instance differs from that represented in Fig. 3 in being not of the makeand-break type, but of the type in which the electromagnet is cut, by the vibrations of the clapper-armature, alternately in and out of circuit.

In cases where it is desired to open the inner door 16, as for example, when the fire marshal wishes to communicate with the central, ollice (for which purpose the inner case is always equipped with telegraphic apparatus, though none is shown in the drawings), he would be disturbed by the noise of the local alarm if that were to continue. However, on opening the inner door,

the plunger, in the arrangements illustrated both in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 4, is retracted by its spring far enough to permit, in the one instance, the finger 31" to separate from the contact-member 31, and in the other instance, the finger 31 to spring against the contact-member 31, thereby cutting out the bell in each instance. That is to say, with regard to the showing in Fig. 3, the local.- battery circuit is broken at 31, and with regard to the showing in Fig. 4, a shunt is thrown around the bell by the closure at 31.

The inner door 16 is intended to remain closed to the public, but may nevertheless be opened without difliculty, not being ordinarily locked but merely latched, so that any one having authority may readily gain access to the mechanism in the inner case by opening both doors. As has already been explained with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, however, opening of the inner door while the alarm-signal is operating, stops the ringing of the bell 35. A mischievous person becoming aware of that might desire to use the knowledge to avoid attracting much if any attention after operating the alarm-signal to send in a false alarm; To prevent this, the circuits may be'arra'nged as illustrated in Fig. 5 to include a local-battery circuit, as in Fig. 3. In this arrangement, on opening the outer door to permit"retraction"of the plunger, the local-battery circuit closed by the finger 30 at 30, and on pulling down the rack, the finger inane closes it at 43. On opening the inner door 16,11owever, the resultant further retraction of the plunger will permit the finger 31 to open the localbattery circuit at 31, but it will remain closed at 43 until opened by the return of the rack to normal position and thus, in the meantime, cause the ringing ofthe bell to continue. An inspectonwho opens the inner doorto gain access to the interior of the box for testing the alarm-mechanism may avoid being disturbed by the continued sounding of the local alarm by depressing a key 4.5,

shown to be rovided in Fi awa from a contact-member 4a "in the branch of the local-battery circuit containing the finger 42, thereby opening that branch and cutting out the'bell.

While my invention is shown and described as being embodied in electrical mechanism, it is not intended to be limited thereto since the principles, thereof are susceptible of mechanical embodiment; nor do I intend by illustrating specific or preferred details for disclosing my invention, to be limited thereto, since these may, without departure therefrom, be variously modified.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a signal-box of the character described, a case providedwith a door, leveroperated signal transmitting mechanism supported in said case and accessible by opening said door, automatic local-sounding mechanism, and means; controlled by said signal-transmitting mechanism for releasing into operation said sounding mechanism upon operating said lever to start the action of said signal-transmitting mechanism.

2. In a signal-boX of the character de scribed, a case provided with a door, signaltransmitting mechanism supported in said case and accessible by opening said door, automatic local-sounding mechanism, means releasing into operation said sounding mechanism by opening said door, and means continuing said operation of the sounding mechanism on starting into actionsaid signaltransmitting mechanism and while the latter is in action after closing said door.

3. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case provided with a door, an nner case provided wlth a door, signaltransmitting mechanism supported in the inner case, automatic local-sounding mechanism, and means releasing into operation said sounding mechanism on opening the outer door and arresting such operation on opening the inner door. 7 a

i. In a signal-box of the character de scribed, a case provided with a door, an electric main-line circuit, lever-operated signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit supported in said case" and accessible by open ng said door, a local electriccircuit,

electric sounding apparatus and a gei'lerator in said local circuit, and an automatic switch cooperating with said signal-transmitting mechanism to open said local circuit while an automatic switch cooperating with said doorto; close said local circuit on opening said door, and an automatic switch cooperating with said signal-transmitting mechanism to continue the closed condition of said local circuit upon starting into action said transmitting mechanisnr and while thelat ter is inaction after closing said door.

6. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case provided with a door, an inner case provided with a door, an electric' main-line circuit, signal-t 'ansmitting mechanism in said circuit supportedin the inner case, a local electric circuit, electric sounding apparatus and a generator in said local circuit, and an automatic switch cooperating with the outer door to close said local circuit by opening said outer door and with the inner door to open said local circuit by opening said inner door. 3

7. In a. signal-box of the character described, an outer case provided with a door, an inner case, an electric main-line circuit, signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the inner case and having an operating handle accessible by opening said door, said mechanism including a spring-retracted segmental rack and apinion, a local electric circuit opened by movement of said rack in one direction and closed by movement thereof in the opposite direction, electric sounding apparatus including a switch in said local circuit, and a projection on said door cooperating with the switch to open thereat said local circuit in tion in opening the door.

the closed condition of the door and there close the same by withdrawing the projecn8. Int-a signal-box of the character described, an outer case provided with a door, an inner case, an electric main-line circuit, signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the inner'ca'se and having an operating handle accessible by opening said door, said mechanism including a spring-retracted segmental rack and apinion, a two-branch local electric circuit includinga circuit opening and closing finger in one branch operated by said rack, electric sounding apparatus including a switch in the other branch of said local circuit, and a projection on said door cooperating with the switch to open at the latter said local circuit in the closed condition of the door and there close the same by withdrawing the projection by opening the door. 7

9. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case provided with a door, an inner case, an electric main-line circuit, signal-transmitting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the inner case and hav 111g an operating handle accessible by open scribed, an outer case provided with a door,

an inner case provided with a door, an electrlc IIlEtlIkllllG' circult, signal transrnlttmg mechanism in said circuit, supported in the inner case and having an operating handle projecting through the inner door to be accessible on opening the outer door. a twobranch local electric circuit including a circuit opening and closing finger in one branch operated by said signal-transniitting mechanism, electric sounding apparatus in the other branch of the local circuit, including a Switch provided with a spring-retracted plunger, and a pin on the outer door projecting, in. the closed condition of the latter, through the inner door against the adjacent end of said plunger, tor the purpose set forth.

11. In a signal-box of the character described, an outer case and an inner case each provided with a door, an electric mainline circuit, signal-transmi(ting mechanism in said circuit, supported in the inner case and having an operating handle projecting through the inner door to be accessible on opening the outer door, a two-branch local electric circuit including a circuit opening and closing finger in one branch operated by working said signal-transmi(ting mechanism, electric sounding apparatus in the other branch of the local-circuit, a switch in said last-named branch comprising a base, a pair of COlllJilCtdllQlllbBlS, a plunger-guiding block having extending from it across said members a pair of relatively longer and shorter contact fingers converging toward their inner ends, and a spring-pressed plunger reciprocably supported on said block to extend between said converging fingers, and a pin on the outer door projecting, in the closed condition of the latter, through the inner door against the adjacent end of said plunger, for the purpose set forth.

' JACOB F. MEHREN.

In the presence of:

NELLIE B. DEARBORN, F. M. Ronnmn.

Miles of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

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