US2233783A - Messenger call box - Google Patents

Description

March 4, 1941. w. KIMMICH ETAL MES SENGER CALL BOX Filed May 22 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM KIMMICH AND HERMAN SCHNOOR gm ATTORNEY March 4, 1941. w. KlMMlCH ETAL MESSENGER CALL BOX 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22 nlllillllfllfllll/Illftl INVENTOR WILLIAM KIMMICH AND HERMAN scmuooa BY M ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES MESSENGER CALL BOX William Kimmich, Flushing,

Schnoor, New York,

and Herman N. Y., assignors to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application May 22,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and novel messenger call box or signal transmitter of the code wheel type employed to calla messenger from a central telegraph operating office to that of a client.

An object of this invention is to simplify and improve messenger call boxes, also to reduce the manufacturing costs of the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a substantial and reliable messenger call box which is capable of continuous use with a minimum amount of servicing.

This invention is an improvement over the invention of P. J. Barnes application Ser. No. 69,470, filed March 18, 1936, the principal driving mechanism being substantially the same, except for the location of the spring tension member and its application being that of rotation instead of straight elongation. Also, the general assembly of the component parts is located within a circular casing.

A feature of this invention is the general efiicient arrangement of the apparatus within a suitable container to provide a neat appearing device which has located on the front portion thereof a legend of courtesy appearing only when the apparatus is actuated and a call made to the central office.

The call box of this invention is briefly a selfcontained hand-wound clockwork mechanism which transmits electrical impulses from a code wheel. The clockwork mechanism consists of a spring-driven compound gear train which is retarded by a centrifugal governor. The code wheel is fastened to one of the gear shafts and arranged to open and close contact elements.

This invention will be more completely understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved call box;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the call box with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Figs. 1 and 2, the section being taken on line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the section being taken on line 44 of Fig. 3; while Fig. 5 is a detail of a modification in the ratchet w .eel arrangement.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the entire device is completely enclosed by a metallic cover I, which is mounted upon an insulating base member 2. The compound gear train is mounted between and/or upon a lower plate 3 and an upper plate 4. Plates 3 and 4 are held 1936, Serial No. 81,176

apart from each other by spacers 5, E and 7. Two of these spacers, namely and 6, serve also the dual purpose of acting as stop members. Insulating base 2 is fastened to plate 3 by a plurality of flat head screws 3'. A windup arm 8 fashioned out to be representative of a flash of lightning is fastened to a shaft 9 and keyed on by means of a square end portion I3. A sector gear H is secured to shaft 9 by any suitable means, such as a pin or screw i2. Energy to operate the gear train mechanism is provided by a helical windup spring l3. This: spring surrounds a sleeve member M, which is free to rotate on the keying or code wheel shaft l5. Secured to sleeve I4 is a small spur ear it and a single tooth ratchet cam I! both of which are also free to rotate on shaft l5. Through the medium of a spring pawl 19 engaging the step on the single tooth ratchet cam H, a spur gear i8 is driven when spring I3 is wound up and knob 8 is released. One end of spring I3 is fastened around spacer 1 and the other end is firmly secured to sleeve 14. Securely fastened to code wheel shaft I5 is the spur gear I?! which has provided thereon one end of the ratchet spring or pawl It, the latter being secured to gear I 8 by angle 23 and rivets A pinion 2| has secured thereto a second spur gear 22, which engages and drives a second pinion 23. On this pinion there is located the governor mechanism which comprises a shaft 24, weight 25, spring 26 and washer 2?. Friction is obtained by weight engaging the inner periphery of the governor brake drum 28, brake drum 23 being secured to the underside of the upper plate 4 by rivets 29. Plates 3 and 4 are secured to spacers 5, 6 and l by means of a plurality of screws 30. Upon the upper portion of plate 4 there is provided a pair of contact springs 3| and 32 having contact points 33 and 34. Contact springs 3| and 32 are insulatedly secured to plate 4 by means of a block 35, insulating spacer 35, bushings 31 and screws 38, electrical Contact being made to the springs by soldering at the extended portion 3! and 32 to a pair of leads 40. Leads til are brought through an aperture 42 in upper plate 4 and lower plate 3, and are carried out through a groove not shown in the lower portion of the insulating base 2. The cover I is cut away for leads at a point 42'. The contact spring assembly is fastened to the upper plate 4 by two screws 33. A code wheel 43 is securely keyed to shaft l5 by means of a key 44 and locked in firm position thereon by a washer 45 and set screw 45. The lower and upper plates 3 and 4 respectively are provided with apertures 46, 41 and 48 located approximately 120 apart, through which a screw driver can pass for fastening the call box to a wall by any suitable screws, not shown. The operating knob 8 is relatively long and narrow and is shaped to represent a lightning flash. Directly below knob 38 in its inoperative position there is located a legend of courtesy 49, such as Thank you shown dotted on the cover I of Fig. 1. Cover I is secured to base 2 by means of a plurality of screws 50. Also, knob 8 is secured to shaft 9 by means of screw 5|.

The modified ratchet wheel arrangement shown in Fig. 5 comprises a pawl 60, made preferably of cold rolled steel or any other suitable hard metal. A spring 6| bears against the back of pawl 60 and is secured to gear l8 by angle 20 and rivets 20'. This modification is desirable when call boxes are subjected to frequent use, as it prevents destruction of spring l9.

The operation 'of the call box is as follows: When the knob B is turned in a clockwise direction it in turn moves the quadrant H in a clockwise direction until it is brought to a stop at spacer 5. The helical tension spring 13 is thereby wound around sleeve l4 one complete turn and in so doing, ratchet I! is also moved one turn until the single tooth engages spring pawl l9. Now, if knob 8 is released, the energy stored up in spring i3 will cause ratchet l1 through the medium of spring pawl I9 to rotate spur gear lBin a clockwise direction which also rotates pinion 2| and spur gear 22 in an anti-clockwise direction. The second pinion 23, to which the governor is fastened, rotates in a clockwise direction, the speed being controlled by member 25 expanding due to centrifugal force against the inner portion of brake drum member 28, the centrifugal force exerting pressure in the form of friction against member 28 and the train of gears will then rotate with a substantial uniform motion. The gear ratio is such that for each windup or motion of knob 8, one revolution is obtained on the keying wheel shaft Hi. The cam action caused by the teeth-like code members on the outer periphery of code wheel 43 closes the normally opened contacts 33 and 34 on the contact springs 3| and 32 which are connected to a recording instrument through a source of electrical supply, thus transmitting to the central operating office the code impulses thereby transmitted.

While only one form of call box is hereby described, it is distinctly understood that this invention is not to be limited to the one shown, but is capable of other modifications and should only be limited by such limitations as are clearly im-' shaft common to said motor and ratchet Wheel, a

spindle supporting said hollow shaft, a pawl-sup porting member fixed to said spindle, a resilient pawl mounted on said member and engageable with said ratchet Wheel, said code wheel being mounted on said spindle in fixed relation to said pawl, speed governor mechanism geared to said pawl supporting member, and means. for winding said spring motor in such manner that its associated ratchet wheel makes'one complete revolution and said pawl rides once over the single tooth, thereafter to be driven in the reverse direction by the ratchetwheel as the spring motor unwinds, the last said means having a. winding handle pivotally supported outside the cover of said box and geared to the shaft of said spring motor.

2. A code signal call boxcomprising a housing,

code impulsing means mounted within said housing, said means including a pair of keying contacts and a keying cam the peripheral profile of which is arranged to actuate one of saidcontacts thereby to transmit. a predetermined code combination, driving mechanism for said cam, said mechanism having resilient means for storing driving power, two coaxially rotatable spindles, a single-toothed ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on one of said spindles and driven by said resilient power .storage means, a pawl-carrier having a resilient pawl mounted thereon in position to en-, gage with the periphery of said ratchet wheel, said pawl carrier and said keying cam being both fixedly mounted on the other of said spindles, speed-governor mechanism geared to said pawlcarrier, and manipulatable means geared to said power storage means and extending outwardly of said housing for storing in said storage means the power necessary to operate said code impulsing means.

WILLIAM KIMMICEH. HERMAN SCHNOOR.

Images