US380778A - Municipal telegraph apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) y

J. C. WILSON.

MUNICIPAL TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

No. 380,778. Patented Apr. 10. 1888.

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N PUERS. Phaw-LnIwgmplmr4 Washngmn. D. C.

NTE TATES JOHN C. WILSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MUNICI- PAL SIGNAL COMPANY, OE PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

MUNICIPAL TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,778, dated April l0, 1888.

Application filed June 29, 1856. Serial No. 206,571. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. WILsoN, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Municipal Telegraph Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a municipal telegraph apparatus by which communication is established between a main station or policeofiice and various out-stations or signalboxes on the streets, so that citizens can transmit calls for aid to the police-station, and the attendant at the police-station can communicate with the policemen on the streets.

In various other patents and applications I have shown and described apparatus of this character containing a multiple-signal-transmitting apparatus at each of the boxes or outstations, accessible only when the box is open, by which officers may send special signals indicating the number of the box and also what is wanted there, and the boxes also have one signal, which may be called the citizens signal,77 and is operated from the outside of the box,when the box-door is closed, by a suitable key, such keys being distributed to responsible citizens. The boxes also contain a patrol-signal,which was intended to be operated by the policeman at statedintervals while going his rounds merely to indicate his presence at the box and show that he was properly attending to his duty, and as these patrolsignals do not require any action to be taken at the main office,while the citizens call and special want-signals do require immediate attention, means were provided vby which the patrol-signals, although sent over the same circuit,were received on a different receivinginstrument from the other signals that required immediate action.

In some cases it is found to be undesirable to make use of the patrohsignals, as such signals occupy the line a considerable portion of the time and make a great volume of signals to be recorded at the main ofce.

The object of the present invention is to dispense with the patrol-signals, thus also enabling the independent receivinglinstrument -proceed to the main office or to communicate therewith by telephone,when means are provided for telephonie communication between the boxes and the main oflice,which is gener- 6o ally the case.

The invention consists, essentially, in providing the boxes with indicatingsignals that can be controlled in the central entice, and the operation of which preferably can be perceived from the outside of the box, so that the policeman on coming to the box can tell at once and without opening the box whether anything is wanted of him, and if not he can continue his round without having to open 7o the box and transmit a signal, as would be required under the former system.

The indicating-signals are preferably visual and may consist of a small target or disk con# trolled by an electro-magnet, so that it may be brought when required into line with a sightopening in the box, which opening should be covered by glass for the protection of the apparatus in the box. In order that the signal may be readily distinguished at night, it is 8o provided with a background of phosphorescent material which the disk will partially obscure when the signal is set to summon the officer and which will be unobscured when nothing is required of the officer.

rlhe invention also consists n the means employed for operating the indicating-signal without interfering with the operation of the circuit for transmitting other signals and in Various novel combinations of instrumentalities 9c used in carrying out the operation of the system. The employment of an indicating-signal of this character at the box enables the circuit to be used only for the transmission of such signals to the main office as require immediate 95 action, or for telephonie communication between the boxes and the main office, it being understood that when the signal is displayed the officer shall open the box and transmit a signal to the main oflice that indicates that he 10o is at the telephone, so that he may receive any instructionsthat may be required; and this ap paratus also serves equally as a check to the policeman,as he knowsthata signal may at any time be waiting for him, which signal will require a response from him showing the box he is at, so that he cannot neglect to visit the boxes without danger tha-tsuch neglect would be discovered, and if there isreason to suppose that an officer neglects to visit the boxes or remains at one box instead of going to all within his beatthe signals will be set by the attendant at the main 'office at short intervals, and if the ofiicer fails to respond or responds twice from the sam-e station he can be called to account for his neglect.

Figure l is a front view of a signal box provided with a signaling-instrument embodying` this invention, being shown with the boxdoor open; Fig. 2, a sectional detail showing the sight-opening through which the signal is seen and the phosphorescent background for the signal, and Fig. '3 a diagram showing the circuit and various instruments therein at one of the boxes and at the main office.

The box a and multiple-signal apparatus therein controlled by the pointer a', and operated by the pull a2 when the box-door is open, or by a key inserted in the key-hole a when the box-door is closed, may be of any suitable or usual construction, several different mechanical devices for this purpose having been shown in various patents granted to me. The said signal-transmitting apparatus includes the usual brake-wheel, b, (see Fig. 2,) notched to produce a number-signal representing the number and indicating the locality of the box, as in the well-known fire-alarm and district-telegraph system, and a number of additional wheels, b, one only of which is shown,

and any desired one of which may be placed in circuit according to the position of the pointer a', to transmit an additional special signal, consisting of a combination of dots and dashes, such as used in the Morse telegraph system to indicate special wants,some of which are indicated on the dial on inner plate, a", of the box in Fig. l. A number of said boxes a are placed on each circuit or main line, as indicated in Fig. 3, and connected with suitable receiving apparatus in the main office or police-station, such apparatus being shown as comprising a relay, r, of usual construction, controlling a local circuit,including a register, i", by which the signals received from the boxes are recorded on a slip of paper in the usual manner.

In order that the attendant at the main office may find out at any time whether 01' not an officer is properly attending to his duty byvisiting the different boxes on his beat, or may direct said officer to report at the main oflice or place himself in telephonic communication therewith, if it is desired to give said officer some special instruction without requiring the officer to open the box and transmit a patrol or on-dutyl signal each time that he arrives at the box, the boxes are, in accordance with the present invention, provided with an indicating or summoning signal which can preferably be perceived from the outside of the box, being shown in this instance as a visual signal or target, 0, connected with the armature c of an actuating electro-magnet, d, normally included in the circuit at each box. The said target c is movable by the attract-ion and release of the armature c into position to be seen through an opening, e, in the door of the box and a corresponding opening, e', in the internal-plate at, that protects the mechanism of the box when the door is open, and when the armature c is in another position the target c is moved away from the said openings c e and concealed behind the door and plate a4 of the box, as shown in Fig. 1, where apart of said plate is represented as broken away.

The openings e e should be provided with glassff (see Fig. 2) or other transparent material, which will protect the box from vthe weather, while permitting the signal to be seen froml the outside of the box.

In order that the target or indicator signal c may be clearly distinguished at night if the face of the box is not brightly illuminated, a background, g, having a surface of phosphorescent material, such as the well-known luminous paints, may be used, and the target c is preferably of smaller diameter than the opening in the box and the luminous surface at the rear of the said target, so that the latter will not wholly conceal the luminous surface but will be strongly outlined upon it, the said target being dark or ofsome contrasting color, so as also to show clearly in the day-time. As shown in this instance, the magnets (l and their armatures are so constructed and adjusted that the normal current used for transmitting signals over the line does not energize the said magnets sufficiently to canse them to attract their armatures and move the targets c into view, and when it is desired that the signals, 'should be displayed the attendant at the central office increases the strength of the current on the line either by throwing in an additional battery or by cutting out resistance that is normally included in the circuit.

The signal-box is also shown as containing a telephone, T, which normally hangs in a re cess made to receive it in the inner plate, a, of the box, and it operates by its weight a switch, t, that cuts it out ofcireuit when hung up out of use, and which may be arranged to short-circuit the coils of the magnet d when the telephone is removed from its support. The box also contains a polarized audible-signal instrument, S, provided with a shunt con taining a circuit-closer operated by the door of the box, as described in my former patents, so that the said instrument is shunted while the box-door is closed, and is throwninto circuit when the box-dooris opened, and may be used to receive signals from the main office, or as an answer-back signal to indicate that a message transmitted from the box has been IIO properly received at the main office, the said signal-instrument being operated bya reversal of the current without opening the circuit.

The arrangement and mode of operation of the parts at the box and central station may be best understood by referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The poles of the main battery B are connected bywires 2 3 with the contact-pieces i i of a pole-changing instrument, P, of usual construction, shown in this instance as operated by hand, and operating to reverse the connection of theterminals 2 3 of the battery with the terminals 4 5 of the main line, which continues from the terminals l through the different boxes, as indicated, in each of which the line entering at one side-is connected with the contact-springs 7c 7c', co-operating with the break-wheels b b', which are themselves connected by wire 7 with one terminal of the magnet d, the other terminal of which is connected by wire 8 with one terminal of the magnet of the signal S, the other terminal of which is connected by wire 9 with one terminal of the telephone, the other terminal of which is connected with wire 10leading to the next station beyond, and the wire l0, entering the central office from the last station, passes through the relay i' to the terminals 5 of the mainline, cooperating with the polechanger. Normally, when the boxis closed, the magnet ofthe signal S is shuntcd by a branch, l2, containing a circuit-closer, m, operated by a projection, m, engaged by the door of the box, and the telephone is shunted by a branch, 13 14, including a circuit-closer that is retained closed by the weight of the telephone T on its movable supporting-hook t.

The magnet d is also provided vwith a circuit, l5 16, also controlled by the supportinghook t of the telephone, and so arranged as to be opened, retaining the magnet d in circuit when the telephone is on its hook, but to be closed and short-circuit the said magnet when the weight of the telephone is removed from the hook.

Normally, when the attendant at the main oice does not care to communicate with an officer on the street, the current on the main line is too small to energize the magnet d sufficiently to move the target c into view through the opening e of the door, and the policeman, on coming to a box, merely passes on to the next box without opening any of the boxes unless he himself desires to communicate with the main olhce. If, however, the attendant at the main office wishes to communicate with an officer on his beat or to find out whether or not an officer is visiting. the boxes regularly, each at the proper time, he throws an increased current onthe line, which energizes the magnets d sufficiently to cause them to move the targets c into view behind the openings e in all the boxes, and the oflicer, on arriving at any box,will see the signal and know that the attendant at the main office wishes to of a switch, o, that closes a branch, 1S 19, of 75 low resistance around the said resistance R, thereby increasing the strength of the current in the main circuit and in the magnets d,- and, in order to prevent the increase of current ,from producing any effect on the relay r, or

requiring a change or adjustment of said relay, the switch o preferably has connected with it a second switch, o,which closes a branch, 20, around the relay, the said branch containing resistance R, adjusted to cause the amount of the increased current passing through the relay r when the switches o o are closed to be equal to the entire current passing through the said relay when the switches o'oareopen and resistance R is in the main circuit.

The connected switches o o constitute a circuit-controlling device for operating the indicating-signals at the boxes, and thc said signals may either be so adjusted that the weak current will not retain the signal in view, in which case the connected switches o o will remain closed as long as it is-desired to display the signal and the signals can be concealed by opening the said switches at any time, or the adjustment of the magnets d and their armatures may be such that while the weak current will not attract the armatures from their retracted position the said weak current will be sufficient to retain the armatures atfor an instant if the attendant wished to re move the signals after having set them. Vith this latter adjustment, in which the Weak current is sufficient to hold but not to move up the armatures of the magnets d, it would be preferable to increase the current for the purpose of setting the indicating-signals by momentarily adding a sufficient number of cells of battery instead of by cutting out the resistance R, which would in such case be omitted, as well as the shunt 2O and resistance R around the relay r.

After a signal summoning to the telephone or any other signal has been received at the main office, the fact may be made known at the box by means of the signal S and polechanger P, which latter can be moved a few times to reverse the polarity of the current, andthus operate the signal S, without, however, opening the circuit or in any Way inter- IOO IIS

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fering with the operation of the relay r and other signaltransmitting apparatus, should it happen to be operated at the same time.

I claim- 1. In a police-signal system, the combination, substantially as described, of severalsubstations, each containing a signal-transmitting apparatus, means for operatingit, a visual indicator, and an actuating electromagnet therefor, with a main station and an electric circuit which includes the several substations and the main station, said main station containing asignal-reeeiving instrument and a controlling switch or key, operation of which effects the movement of the visual indicators at all .the

sub-stations simultaneously.

2. The main office and signal-box, having a sight-opening and a single electric wire connecting them, and transmitting apparatus in the said signal-box and corresponding receiving apparatus at the main office, combined with a visual indicating-signal in the box adapted to move into and out from view at the sight-opening to be observed by a passing ofli cer, and actuating electro-magnet therefor included in the single wire connecting the box and main office, and independent means located at the main office, which may be operated at will to move the visual indicating-signal into and out from View at the sight-opening in the box, substantially as described.

3. In a police-signal system, the combination, substantially as described, of several substations, each containing a signal-transmitting apparatus, means for operating it, a visual indicator and an actuating electromagnet therefor, and a polarized receiving-instrument, S,shunt 12, and circuit closer m, with a main station and an electric circuit which includes the several sub-stations and the main station, said main station containing a signal-receiving instrument and a controlling switch or key, operation of which effects the movement of the visual indicators at all the sub stations simultaneously, and a pole-changing key for operating the polarized receiving-instruments.

4. A signal-box and signaltransmitting devices therein, and a main office and signal-receiving instruments therein.and a circuit eonnecting the said box and office, the signal-box being provided with a sight-opening, and a luminous surface behind said opening, combined with a visual indicating-signal in the box and means to operate the same from the main office, the said indicating-signal having a target movable into and out from View through the sight-opening at the front of the luminous surface, substantially as described.

5. A main office and signalbox,and circuit connecting them, and signal transmitting and receiving instruments in the said box and main office, the said receiving-instruments including a relay in the main circuit, combined with an indicating-signal in the box, and actuating electro-magnet therefor operated by changes in current strength without opening the circuit, and a circuit-controlling device at the main office, by means of which the strength of the current is changed, and a shunt around the receiving-relay controlled by the said circuit-controlling device, whereby the current in the relay is maintained constant during the changes in the strength of the current in the main line, substantially as described.

6. A municipal telegraph apparatus comprising the following elements: a signal-box containing signal-transmitting apparatus and a polarized signal-instrument', and an indicating-signal instrument having a neutral actuating-magnet, and a main office and circuit connecting the same with the signal-box and a receiving-relay at the main offiee,and a polechanger which reverses the current without opening the circuit, and a circuitcontrolling device by which the current strength is changed to operate the indicating-signal at the box, substantially as described.

7. In a municipal telegraph apparatus, a signal-box and the following instrumentalities therein, viz: signal-transmitting devices, and indicating signal and actuating electro-magnet therefor, and a shunt of low resistance around said magnet,and a telephone and shunt of low resistance around the same, and a movable telephone-support controlling the said shunts, closing that of the telephone when the latter is on the support and closing that of the indicating-signal magnet when the telephone is off the support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN C. WILSON.

Witnesses:

BERNIoE J. Novias, F. L. EMERY.

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