US2039975A - Door signal device - Google Patents

Description

c G. NIETO DOOR SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Dec. 31 19 F594 Q21, 5 M570.

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Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined push button controlled audible indicator and an illuminated indicator, especially adapted for use in the vestibule of a home, apartment house or similar place; and a primary object of the present invention is to provide a visual signal to indicate the absence of the occupant, said signal being controlled by a key operated lock switch, whereby said switch may be locked in operative position by the occupant when he leaves, such visual indicator being combined with an audible indicator in such a manner as to be controlled by said lock switch to cut out the visual indicator and cut in the audible indicator, whereby the latter may be made operative when the occupant is in, to be operated by the usual push button.

A further object is to combine with a device of this character, a compartment illuminated by a lamp controlled by saidzkey controlled switch, whereby said visual indicator is made visible, and also a message carried by a slide insertable in said compartment is made visible.

Other objects and advantages of the present construction will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention with portions broken away and in section to show interior parts;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section substantially upon the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail showing, in plan view, the lamp and circuit controlling, key operated switch; and

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram including therein a power transformer, a push button, a bell, a resistance, a lamp, and a key controlled switch.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a suitable casing or box preferably formed of sheet metal, the front wall of which is formed with two rectangular openings 2 and 3, the opening 2 being closed by a transparent window 4 and the opening 3 by a hinged door 5, and on this window is printed or otherwise formed, the words Not at Home or other desired data. The lower opening 3 is preferably of larger area than the opening or slot 2 and is closed by an inside transparent window or panel 4, so that by swinging the door 5, a message or other writing or printing on a card placed in a slide 1 at the back of the casing, may be read through said window. This slide is adapted to engage within horizontal channel ways 8 in the casing and is insertable endwise through a suitable slot in an end wall of the casing with an end portion thereof projecting therefrom so that it may be conveniently removed.

An arm vorchannel member 9 depends from and is formed integral at its upper end with the lower end wall of the casing, and at its lower end, this arm is formed to carry a push button casing ID in which is mounted the usual push button II, the wires leading from said button being carried up through the arm 9, into the casing I and connected to a circuit in which is included a lamp and a suitable key controlled switch. This switch comprises a suitable lock I2 secured to an end wall of the casing I near its upper end and operable by a key I3 insertable from outside into the lock, which lock has a bolt l4 adapted to be projected by said key, into contact with a contact member I5 which forms a shunt around a lamp I6 mounted on a suitable U-shaped bracket Ilia with said member insulated from said bracket by an insulator IIib but in electrical connection with said lamp, one leg of said bracket being secured to said lock casing I2 to support said bracket, contact members and lamp.

The push button I0 includes the usual spaced terminals I'I connected in the electrical circuit, to be connected when the button II] is depressed against the action of the usual spring I8, one of the wires I9 leading from one of said terminals being connected to said bracket I611 and through it to the lock I2; and the wire 20 leading from the other terminal I'I being extended and connected to one terminal of the usual door bell or buzzer 2I located at any suitable place in the house. The other terminal of the bell is connected in the usual way to the secondary of a transformer 24 connected within the power or supply circuit or lines 22 as indicated in Figure 4, there being a suitable resistance 23 connected across the leads to said bell. A wire 25 connects the secondary of the transformer to the contact member I5 and the lamp I6 is therefore in series with the push button and bell and also with the secondary of the transformer 24, the resistance 23 serving as a shunt across the bell terminals.

When the the bolt I4 of the lock I2 is retracted, the shunt around the lamp formed by said lock is broken and full current flows through the lamp, causing it to light up when the circuit is closed by depressing the button. The bell will not, however, be operated when the lamp is thus lighted, due to the resistance of the lamp and also to the resistance 23 which shunts part of the remaining current around the bell, so that not sufiicient current will flow through the bell to cause it to sound. However, when the lamp is shunted by the operation of the look by its key and the projecting of the bolt I4 into contact with the contact member l5, the bell will then ring, upon depression of the push button, as full current will then flow through the circuit past the lamp and this flow will be sufficient to ring the bell, even though it be divided by the resistance 23.

By this arrangementwhen the occupant leaves, he can, by operating the lock switch [2 by its key, which he will remove after operation, cause the lamp to light, at the same time cutting out the bell so that it will not ring, and the interior of the casing I will be illuminated to make the sign Not at Home visible through the opening 2, and if he so desires, he may leave a note upon a card placed in the slide 1, this note being also illuminated and made visible to the caller by opening the door 5. When he returns, he will again operate the lock switch by its key to project its bolt into engagaement with the contact member, thereby short circuiting the lamp and making the bell operative when the push button is pressed. Therefore when the occupant is at home, the bell will be operated in the usual manner of such bells and the other signal will be inoperative, but when he goes out, by simply throwing the key switch, he places the bell circuit in such condition that the bell will not ring while he is away, and the visual signal and any data he may wish to leave in the casing, will be made visible whenever the push button is pressed. The device is ornamental yet simple in construction and cheap to manufacture, and while it is illustrated as formed from sheet metal, obviously any suitable material or form may be employed. Other changes in the construction or arrangement of parts may also be made without depart- ';ing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a main casing having an opening, a key operated lock switch including a casing mounted within said main casing, a lamp within said main casing visible through said opening, a bracket secured to said casing of said lock switch for supporting said lamp and electrically connected to one terminal of said lamp, a contact member carried by and electrically insulated from said bracket and electrically connected to the other terminal of said lamp to be contacted by a member projected by said lock to form a shunt circuit around said lamp, a push button switch, and an audible electric signal circuit within which said contact member, lamp, bracket and push button switch are connected in series.

2. A door signal device comprising a casing, a

key operated lock including a casing mounted Within said casing and provided with a bolt to be projected by the key of the lock, a bracket supported by and in electrical connection with said lock casing, a contact member mounted upon said bracket, means for electrically insulating said member from said bracket, a lamp mounted upon said bracket, said bracket being in electrical connection with one terminal of said lamp and said contact member being in electrical connection with the other terminal of said lamp and normally in spaced relation to said bolt to be contacted thereby upon projection of said bolt, a push button switch, an audible signal, and an electric circuit within which said push button switch, audible a.

signal, bracket and contact member are connected in series, said contact member and lock together forming a' shunt circuit around said lamp when said bolt of said lock is projected into contact with said contact member.

CARL G. NIETO.

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