US1962519A - Fire and burglar alarm - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 1934. c, R H 1,962,519

FIRE AND BURGLAR ALARM Filed May 16, 1933 Fig.1

Fig-2 l INVENTOR I H F CNOJZ/Z ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES FIRE AND BURGLAR ALARM Francis 0. North, Stockton, Calif., assignor of one-third to Frank Erro and one-third to Teresa Morriones, Stockton, Calif.

Application May 16, 1933, Serial No. 671,341

Claims.

structed that as soon as even a small movement is given to the window or door a clear audible alarm will be given, which will not only notify any person in the vicinity but will also tend of itself to scare off the intruder. At the same time the alarm is easily disconnected by a person in the house so as not to interfere with the normal opening of the windows and doors for ventilating and other purposes.

The device is also constructed so that the presence of excessive heat in the immediate vicinity, as the result of an incipient fire, would cause an alarm'to be given without any opening of a window or door being necessary.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In-the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views;

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of the interior of .a sash window structure showing an alarm device applied to both sashes.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the device and its sash connection.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the main apparatus of the device taken on the line 3-3 of Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the percussion unit detached.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the removable and combustible support for the unit detached.

Fig. 6 is a face view of the support tripping member, as mounted on an upper sash.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the same.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary face view of a door and its casing, the latter being partly broken out and showing a percussion unit mounted in the casing and supported by the door.

Referring now more particularly to the char- Kcters of reference on the drawing, the numeral 1 denotesa bracket plate'adapted to be mounted on the outer edge of the inner panel 2 of a window casing. An arm 3 projects from the plate and carries a vertical double ended stem 4 on its outer end so that the bracket may be inverted 0- and used right or left hand. The stem detachably and non-turnably engages a socket 5 se cured on one side of a cylindrical open-ended holder 6, the arm being of such length and shape relative to the bracket so that the holder is dis- 5 posed away from the wall 7 a distance sufficient to clear the plane of the base board 8.

A removable closure for the lower end of the holder is provided in the form of a disc 9 of readily combustible material-such as celluloid or impreg- 7Q nated cardboard, which is provided with peripheral spaced lugs or extensions 10. These lugs engage grooved ears 11 on the bottom of the holder in such a manner as to normally support the disc by enabling the same to be withdrawn from such support We relativelysmall horizontal movementin one direction.

Normally enclosed and freely slidable in the holder and supported by the disc is the percussion unit. This comprises a holder body 13 forming 30 an enclosure chamber 14, access to which is had by means of circumferential slots 15 through eitherof which a flat percussion cap 16 may be inserted. Disposed in the chamber under the cap is a flat hammer 17 mounted on a stem 18 slid- 35 ably projecting through the ebottom of the body and having a relatively large and heavy weight 19 on its lower end.

This weight directly engages the disc -9 and through the medium of the hammer holds the cap firmly againstthe top of the chamber so that there is a slight clearance between the top of the weight and the bottom of the body. It will thus be seen that if the support provided by the'closure disc isremoved, either-by the pulling out or burn- 5 ing of the latter the percussion .unit will drop to the floor, with the weight facing down. Upon the sudden contact of the weight with the floor the cap will of course explode by being suddenly compressed between the hammer and the top of the chamber. This will give a clearly audible alarm sufficiently loud to attract the attention of anyone in the house so that such person can investigate and determine what is wrong.

The necessary movement of the closure device is had with a relatively small opening movement of the window by the following means, the ordinary sash window being used to illustrate the same. Secured to the inner faces of the sash frames 20 on the same side as the bracket are I ing door or window to the percussion buttons 21 each having a vertical diametral slot 22 in its outer face. A leaf spring 23 is detachably engaged with the slot and is of such shape relative to that of the slot that a certain resistance is necessary to cause the spring to be disengaged from said slot. A cord 24 is attached to one end of the spring, which projects outwardly from the slot at said end so that an excessive pull on the cord will cause the spring to be pulled out from the slot for the purpose which will be seen later.

This cord extends to a connection with the disc 9 on the side of its direction of movement away from the holder and is lead through an eye 25 on the bracket plate and through other guide eye pins 26 driven into the window casing in whatever positions may be necessary to cause a vertical movement of the window and the trip button to impart a horizontal movement to the cord at the disc without any binding.

A single percussion unit may thus be used in connection with both sashes, the cords from the trip members on the sashes extending to a common junction adjacent the guide eye 25, so that a movement of either sash will cause the closure disc to be pulled clear of the holder.

The movement of the cord in a disc pulling direction is limited by suitable means such as the engagement of a knot 27 or the like on the cord with the eye 25 after the disc has dropped clear of the holder. Thus with a continued opening movement of the Window a pressure will be placed on the cord and spring 23 sufiicient to cause the latter to be pulled out of the button so that the cord will not be broken. To disconnect the device so that the window may be freely opened it is only necessary to pull the spring 23 from the button by hand and let the spring and cord hang from the adjacent guide 26.

From the above description it will of course be obvious that the alarm devices may be mounted in connection with casement windows and doors, it being only a matter of properly arranging the control cord from the trip member on the swingunit on the window or door casing, which can easily be done by suitably positioning the guide eyes 26. The percussion unit being mounted on the side of the casing is in a position to be immediately afiected by the heat from the curtains if they should start to burn, and which is a common source of residence fires;

When locking up and leaving the house it is of course impossible to apply the alarm control -means to the door of final exit, since this must be opened as the last act of leaving the house. I therefore provide a diiferent arrangement for this door.- This comprises a vertical socket 228 drilled upwardly from the lower edge of the upper rail of the door casing 29 as shown in Fig. 8, said socket being of sufficient size to receive the percussion unit 13 therein so that the weight 19 will normally rest on top of the door 30. The unit is inserted and held in place by the finger as the door is finally closed until the top of the door with its closing movement engages and supports the weight.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A burglar alarm for use with a movable opening-closure comprising a vertical holder, means moimting the holder adjacent the closure at a predetermined distance above the floor, a releasable bottom for the holder, a percussion unit in the holder and supported by the bottom, said unit having means to cause an audible alarm to be given. upon contact of the unit with the floor after dropping from the holder, and means between said closure and the bottom to release the latter by movement of the closure.

2. A structure as in claim 1, in which said bottom is of readily combustible material whereby excessive heat adjacent said bottom will cause the same to be consumed and the unit to drop and give an independent of movement of the closure.

3. A burglar alarm for use with a movable opening-closure comprising a vertical holder, means mounting the holder adjacent the closure at a predetermined distance above the floor, a bottom for said holder, means mounting said bottom on the holder for horizontal sliding movement clear of the same, a percussion unit in the holder supported by the bottom and having means to cause an audible alarm to be given upon contact of the unit with the floor after dropping from the holder, and means betwee the closure and the bottom to slide the latter clear of the holder by movement of the closure.

4. A device as in claim 1, said last named means including a pull-cord, a member secured to the closure, and an element secured to the cord and engaging said member with a predetermined releasable pressure.

5. A fire alarm device comprising a cylindrical holder, means to support said holder a predetermined distance above a floor, a readily combustible bottom on said holder, and a percussion unit in the holder and supported by said bottom, said unit including means to cause an audible alarm to be given when said unit strikes the floor after dropping from the holder.

FRANCIS 0. NORTH.

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