US726944A - Multiple-signal transmitter. - Google Patents

Description

I N0. 726,944. PATENTED MAY 5, 190's G. E. KING.- MULTIPLE SIGNAL TRANSMITTER.

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APPLIOATION FILED APR. 25, 19 00.

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No. 726,944. Patented May 5, 1903.

GEORGE E. KING, OF NEWTON HIGHLAND S, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

-MULTlP LE-SlGN'AL TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 726,944, dated May 5, 1 903. Application filed April 25, 1900. Serial No. 14,308. (No model.)

To a, whom it may concern: notches cut in the wheel and arranged in any Be it known that I, GEORGE E. KING,of 1O predetermined manner. The multiple-signal Columbus Place, Newton Highlands, county transmitter of this typet'. e., which has the of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, capability of transmitting a number of dif- 5 have invented an Improvement in Multiple ferent signals in conjunction with a box- Signal Transmitters, of which the following number signalis especially adapted for podescription, in connection with the accompalice signaling purposes, and for this purpose nying drawings,isa specification, like characsignal impulsesof both long and shortduraters on the drawings representing like parts. tion will be employed. IO This invention relates to multiple-signal A pointer is preferably employed for opertransmitters, and has for its object to imating the controlling device and a dial proprove and simplify the construction of the videdoverwhich said pointer moves. Means same in many particulars, whereby but one are preferably provided for holding or resignal-wheel and one circuit-operating detaining the pointer in its several dilferent po- I5 vice will be required for the transmission of sit-ions, and means are also preferably proanumber of different signals. vided for positively locking the pointer in In accordance with this invention the sigwhatever position it may be setand retained nal-wheel is formed or provided with a while the transmitter is operating, and, furstepped signaling-surface, and the circuit-opthermore, means are also preferably provided 2o erating device is disposed to be operated by for automatically restoring the pointer to its the stepped signaling-surface of said signalnormal position adapted to be operated when wheel, and ,a controlling device is provided the locking device hasdisengaged the pointer. for varying the position ,of said circuit-oper- Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the mulating device relative to the signal-wheel, tiple-signaltransmitterembodying myinven- 25 whereby its cooperation with said stepped tion. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the mulsignaling-surface may be varied for the transtiple signal transmittershown in Fig. 1. Fig. mission ofthe different signals. 'Tlie stepped 3 is a plan View of the multiple-signal transsignaling-surface is preferably arranged on mitter shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is'a dothe signal-wheel in such manner that the tail of the restoring device for the pointer- 30 steps thereof will occupy difierent distances shaft, to be referred to. Figs. 5 to 13, inclufrom the axis of the wheel, and in' such event sive, are details showing the signal-wheel, the the circuit-operating device will be held by circuit-operating device, and the controlling 'the controlling device at different distances device for said circuit-operating device in from the axis of said signal-wheel'to cooper-- different relative positions, to-be referred to; 35 ate with said stepped signaling-surface for and Fig. 14 .is a diagram of the number of the transmission of the diiferent signals. signals which can be transmitted by the mul- The multiple-signal transmitter. which is tiple-signal transmitter herein shown. herein shown for the sake of illustrating this The signal-wheel a, herein shown in black invention not only has the capability of as being composed of insulating material, is 0 4o transmitting several different signals, but adapted to be rotated by any suitable train, also transmits the same in conjunction with and said wheel is herein shown as secured to a box-number signal, although so far as my a shaft (2., bearing a pinion (1 which is eninvention is concerned it is not limited to a gaged bya toothed gea1'ct ,seci1red'to a sleeve multiple-signal transmitter havingsuch capaor hub a mounted loosely upona shaft (1 5 5 bilities. and said toothed wheel a carries a pawl a,

The multiple signal transmitter herein which engages a ratchet-toothed wheel a seshown has its signal-wheel formed or procured to said shaft a A winding-arm his vided with a stepped signaling-surface for a secured to said shaft a by means of which number of different signals and also with a said shaft is turned in one direction a par- I00 0 signaling-surface for a box-number signal, tial revolution independently of the toothed which latter may be merely a number of wheel a and a maiuspring b is connected to said shaft of, which serves to restore it and atsuch time rotate the toothed wheel a A toothed gear 0 is secured to the shaft 0/,which engages a pinion a, secured to a shaft 0 (see dotted lines, Fig. 3,) bearing an escape-wheel 0 with which cooperates a suitable pallet 0 secured to a shaft 0 carrying a fan 0". This train when operated is designed to impart to the signal-wheel a one complete revolution, yet in lieu of the train herein shown any other suitable form or construction of train or equivalent motor mechanism may be employed. The train is herein shown as supported by the face-plates (Z d.

The signal-wheel as herein shown is formed or provided with a signaling-surface for a boxnumber signal, and for simplicity a number of notches will be cut in the wheel-as, for instance, there may be a group e of three notches and a group a of two notches, and in such case the box-number signal will be 32. The signaling-surface for the box-number signal is cut in the edge of the wheel concentric to its axis. The signal-wheel a is also formed or provided with a signaling-surface for a number of different signals in addition to thebox-numbersignal,and,ashereinshown, said signaling-surface is formed by cutting or otherwise providing the wheel with a number of successive steps, as e e 6 e and said steps are disposed at different distances from the axis of the signal-wheel Ct, as shown in Fig. 2, and they are also each herein shown concentric to the axis of the wheel. Such a signaling-surface is herein called a stepped signaling-surface. The several steps may be made of the same or of diderent lengths, as desired, and by referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that three of said steps, as e e e, are made of substantially the same length, and one step, as e is made quite long, yet so far as my invention is concerned it is immaterial whether the several steps are made long or short. The signal-wheel a is thus provided with two signaling-surfaces-one for the different additional signals and one for the boxnumber signal-and consequently any one of the different additional signals may be transmitted in conjunction with the boxnumber signal; but the essential feature of my invention will be comprehended even if said boxnumber signaling-surface should be eliminated.

The circuit-operating device consists of, two independent contact-pens ff, adapted to engage and disengage each other to make and break the circuit, and one of said contactpens, as f, is rigidly secured to a block f of insulating material, which is pivoted at f to one of the face-plates of the frame, said block thereby serving as a pivoted support for said contact-pen f, and. the other contact-pen, as f, is pivoted at)" to said. pivoted block or support f and said pivoted contact-penf is held pressed into engagement with the contact-pen f by means of a spring f which is attached at one end to an arm or projection f on said contact-pen f and at the opposite end to a fixed insulated point. The contact-pens each have acontact-point f disposed intermediate its length, and said contact-points are arranged on the adjacent faces of said pens, so as to engage each other. One of the circuit-wires, as 2, is connected to one of said contact-pens, as to f, and the other circuitwire, as 3, is connected to the other contactpen, as to f. The contact-pen f has a projection 9 intermediate its length which engages or cooperates with the signal-wheel a, and the contact-pen f has a projection g, also intermediate its length, which likewise engages or cooperates with said signal-wheel a, and said projections g and g are disposed one in advance of the other, as shown, so that first one and then the other will drop onto the stepped portions or into the notches of the signal-wheel as said signal-wheel revolves. The spring f in addition to holding the contact-pen f in engagement with the contactpen f exerts its action upon the pivoted block or support f and thereby presses said pens into engagement with the signal-wheel. If no means were provided for otherwise controlling the position of said circuit-operating device or if the means provided for this purpose, as will be described, were thrown out of operative connection withsaid circuit-operating device, as shown in Fig. 13, then the operation of the parts as thus far described will be as follows: As the signal-wheel a revolves, first the projection g will drop onto the first step 6 and the contact-penf will thereby be moved away from the contact-pen f, as shown in broken; but before said projection g passes from said step e and drops onto the second step c the other projection g will also drop onto said first step e as shown in Fig. 6, and the contact-pen fwill thus be brought into engagement with the contact-penf and the circuit closed. As the second, third, and fourth steps e e, and e pass beneath the projections g and g the above-described operation will be repeated. Then the box-number signal-notches will arrive in position to cooperate with the projections g g of the contact-pens; but, as herein shown, said notches are diiferently shaped from the steps 6 to e, and as a consequence the action is somewhat different. As the first notch of the box-number signal-notches passes beneath the projections 9 and g, first the projection g falls into said notch, and the contact-penfmoves away from the'contact-pen f and opens the circuit;

then the projection'g falls into said notch just' as the projection g is passing out of the notch, and the contact-penf moves into contact with the contact-penfand closes the circuit, as represented in Fig. 10; then the projection 9 passes out of said notch and in doing so moves the contact-pen f outward and also moves the contact-pen f outward with it, maintaining the continuity of the circuit; then said projection g falls into the second notch, but owing to Fig. 5, and the circuit will be the narrow tooth between said first and second notches the projection g at the same time falls back into the first notch, as shown in Fig. 11, so that the continuity of the circuit is still maintained; then .the projection 9 passes out of the first notch preparatory to falling into the second notch while the projection g is moving along in said second notch, and the contact-pen f is thereby moved outward or away from the contact-pen f and the circuit opened, as shown in Fig. 12; then the projection g passes out of the second notch preparatory to falling into the third notch before the projection 9 falls into said second notch, thereby moving the'conta'ct-penfoutward, closing the circuit; then the projection g falls into the third notch, and at such time the, projection g falls into the second notch and the continuity of the circuit is still maintained substantially as illustrated in Fig. 11, and on each succeeding notch the same operation is repeated. Thus one signal will be transmitted, which in diagram would be represented by four dots, followed by the box-number 32, as shown in Fig. 14:.

In order that a number of different signals may be transmitted by employing but one signal-Wheel a and one circuit-operating device ff, a controlling device is provided for controlling the position of the contact-pens ff relative to the signal-wheel, said cont-rol ling device being constructed and arranged to hold said contact-pens in different positions relative to the signal-wheel, so that they may engage or cooperate with one or more of the different steps 6 to e and also thereafter engage the box-number signal-notches, and

by means of a controlling device adapted to accomplish this result the box-numbersignal will be transmitted in conjunction with any other signal that the transmitter may be set to transmit. shown as having the capabilities'above mentioned consists of a cam 71, of insulating material, secured to a shaft h, having its bear-.

ings in the frame (I d, and having attached to it a pointer W, by means of which it may be turned at will, and .the contact-pens ff are suitably extended and provided at their extremities with projections Q; i, which engage said cam h, and said projectionsc' 01 are disposed one in advance of the other, like the projections 9.9, and the cam h is designed to cooperate with either or both of said projections and also be move'dso as not to cooperate with either one ofsaid projections. As the cam h is turned by. the pointer h? itwill passbeneath the projections iand t" and in'its different positions will obstruct the movement of the contact-pens more or less in a direction toward the signalwheel (1, except that in one position it will be out of cooperative engagement with both of .said contact-pens. In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the pointer occupies its extreme position to the right and the cam it occupies a remote position from the projections 2' 'i',

The controlling .device herein.

third step e the projection 11f will'strike upon the earn it and the contact-pen f will be held by said cam from further movement toward the signal-wheel, and consequently the circuit will be held open, yet the contact-pen is free to follow the irregularities of the signalwheel. The circuit will be thus held open until the projection g engages the raised portion e of the signal-wheel and the contactpen f thereby moved into contact with the contact-pen f','and this occurs just previous to the first notch of the boX-numbersignalingsurface arriving in position to pass beneath the projections g g. signal-notches pass beneath the projections g g the contact-pens will be operated, as heretofore described, to breakand make the circuit. Thus a signal comprising two dots and a dash followed by the box-number is transmitted. By turning the pointer, toward the left a predetermined distance the transmitter will be set for thetransmission of a different signal, and when the pointer isthus turned As the box-number the cam h will be moved into 'the position shown by dotted liues, Fig. 5, and with the parts in this position if the't'ransmitter is operated the previous operation will be repeated as the first step 6 passes beneath" the projections g g; but when the second st'ep' e passes beneath said projections g g both projections v1 and t" will'strike the cam h andwill be held by said cam and the circuit held open. Thus it will be seen that by turning the cam'h into a number of different posi-" tions provided for it the contact-pens will be held in different positions relative tothe signal-wheel and a number of different signals will be transmitted, and, as "herein shown,

seven different positions are provide'd. i

In Fig. 14 a diagram is shown of seven different signals which the transmitter herein illustratedis capable of transmitting. The p'ointer-shaft-h, bearing the cam h, is

supported in its bearings in such manner as:

to be movable endwise or longitudinally for a short distance, and it hasprojecting laterally from it one or more projectionsh ,'which move over but continuously en'gagea toothed ring hflstationaril'y secured to one of the faceplatesas d, for instance-the teeth of said ring it being made V-shaped or triangular, so that said projections may move'over the ring easily and whenlresti ng in any'of the notches of said ring 71. will hold the shaft' from being too easilyrotated. The teeth of the ring it are disposed to hold the shaft h,

withits cam h, in the several different positions required for the transmission of the different signals. A spring 71 is mounted upon and connected to said shaft h, which tends to throw said shaft forward and hold it with its projections h in firm engagement with the toothed ring. A restoring-spring j is also provided for said shaft h, (see Fig. 4,) which is attached at one end to the post j and at the opposite end to aflexible band 5', which is attached to a block j secured to said shaft h, and said restoring-spring j is made strong enough to draw up the block 7' and turn a shaft h whenever said shaft is permitted to turn. When the shaft It is pressed inward by the finger or by closing the door of the box against it, the projections It will be disengaged from the toothed ring h", and the shaft will at such times be permitted to turn, and the restoring-spring j will at such time be free to act and restore the shaft. When the shaft h is restored, its pointer and cam will occupy the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A locking device is also provided for locking the pointer-shaft h positively in whatever position it may be set while the signal is being transmitted, and, as herein shown, said locking device consists of an arm is, mounted loosely upon the shaft a having a detent at its outer extremity which engages any one of a number of notches cut or formed in a disk It, secured to the pointer-shaft h, and said detent-arm is is normally held out of engagement with said disk by a projection 15 secured to the winding-shaft a as shown in Fig. 1, and when occupying this position the pointer-shaft is free to be turned; but

whenever the Winding-arm. is operated the projection will be removed from the arm is, and said arm will at once be drawn into engagement with the toothed disk 70' and held by means of a spring 70 which is connected to it, and when in such engaging position the pointer-shaft will be locked. The detent-arm will remain in looking engagement with the disk 70 until the winding-arm resumes its normal position, when the projection 10 strikes said detent-arm 7c and disengages it from the toothed disk is.

m represents a stop-pin for the pointershaft,which is struck by the toothed disk when said shaft resumes its normal position.

The means herein described for locking the pointer and for restoring it automatically is not herein claimed, as the same forms the subject-matter of another application filed by me, Serial No. 134,757.

I claim 1. In a multiple-signal transmitter, a signal-wheel having a stepped signaling-surface, the steps of which are disposed at different distances from the axis of the wheel, a circuit-operating device cooperating therewith, movable relatively thereto, toward and from said axis, a controlling device for holding said circuit-operating device in difierent positions relative to said signal-wheel, and means for operating said controlling device, substantially'as described.

2. In a multiple-signal transmitter, a signal-wheel having a stepped signaling-surface, the steps of which are disposed at different distances from the axis of the wheel, a circuit-operating device cooperating therewith, a pivoted support for said circuit-operating device, whereby it is movable toward and from the axis of the signal-wheel, a pointer, and means operated by it for holding said circuit-operating device in difierent relative positions to the signal-wheel, whereby its codperation with the stepped signalingsurface of said wheel is varied, substantially as described.

3. In a multiple-signal transmitter, a signal-wheel having a stepped signaling-surface, the steps of which are disposed at different distances from the axis of the wheel, a circuit-operating device cooperating therewith movable toward and from the axis of the signal-wheel, a cam for holding said circuitoperating device in different relative positions to the signal-wheel, whereby its cooperation with the stepped signaling-surface of said wheel is varied and means for moving said cam, substantially asdescribed.

4:. In a multiple-signal transmitter, a signal-wheel having a stepped signaling-surface, the steps of which are disposed at different distances from the axis of the wheel, a circuit-operating device movable toward and from the axis of the signal-wheel, which is operated by said signal-wheel and which comprises a pair of independently-movable contact-pens, bearing cooperating contacts, normally in engagement with each other, a controlling device for holding said circuitoperating device in different positions relative to the signal-wheel, whereby its codperation with the stepped signaling-surface of said wheel is varied, and means for operating said controlling device, substantially as described.

5. In a multiple-signal transmitter, a signal-wheel having a stepped signaling-surface for a number of signals, the steps of which are disposed at different distances from the axis of the wheel, a circuit-operating device operated by said signal-wheel comprising two independently-movable contact-pens, a controlling device for varying the position of said circuit-operating device relative to the signal-wheel and means for operating it, substantially as described.

6. In a multiple-signal transmitter, a signal-wheel having a stepped signaling-sur face for a number of signals, a circuit-operating device cooperating with said signalwheel comprising a pair of independentlymovable contact-pens f, f each having a projection adapted to engage said signal-wheel, said projections being disposed one in adl Vance of the other, a controlling device for name to this specification in the presence of varying the position of said circuit-operating two subscribing witnesses.

device relative to the signal-wheel consisting of a movable cam and projections on the aforesaid contact-pens), f disposed onein GEORGE KING 5 advance of the other adaptedto cooperate vWitnesses:

with said cam, substantially as described. B; J. N OYES,

In testimony whereof I have-signed my 7 JENNIE-L. HUTOHINSON.

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