ALARM, FIRE
https://collections.galtmuseum.com/link/artifact1503
- Material Type
- Artifact
- Other Name
- HOUSE ALARM SYSTEM
- Date Range From
- 1908
- Date Range To
- 1973
- Materials
- STEEL, GLASS, BRASS
- Catalogue Number
- P19760096000
- Material Type
- Artifact
- Other Name
- HOUSE ALARM SYSTEM
- Date Range From
- 1908
- Date Range To
- 1973
- Materials
- STEEL, GLASS, BRASS
- No. Pieces
- 32
- Height
- 31.1
- Length
- 8.3
- Width
- 18.4
- Description
- .1 HOUSE ALARM BOX. ABOVE DIMENSIONS. STEEL, GLASS, BRASS. PAINTED RED. BOX IN PENTAGONAL SHAPED WITH ROUND CASEMENT IN FRONT FACE. A COG-WHEEL BRASS MECHANISM IS IN THE CASEMENT. CASEMENT FACE IS GLASS EDGED WITH COILED GOLD WIRE MOTIF. A KNOBBED BRASS LEVER IS ON MIDDLE RIGHT SIDE OF BOX. BOX FEATURES A VARIETY OF CIRCUIT WIRE CONNECTORS. BACK SIDE FEATURES 3 HOLES. BOX IS EMBOSSED AT TOP CENTRE WITH A CLENCHED FIST SYMBOL AND "GAMEWELL CO." .2 HOUSE ALARM GONG AND KEY WINDER. 84.4 CM HT. X 12.1 CM TH. X 33.0 CM WTH. X 35.6 CM DIA. BRASS, OAK WOOD. 2 PIECES. NATURAL COLOURS. CIRCULAR BRASS GONG IS MOUNTED ON OAK FRAME AND CASE. TOP OF CASE IS CONVEX WITH 6 CARVED BALLS ALONG TOP EDGE. A BRASS COG-WHEEL MECHANISM IS INSIDE CASE (ABOVE GONG) BEHIND CRACKED GLASS DOOR. KEY WINDER FITS IN KEYHOLE AT BOTTOM LEFT OF GLASS DOOR. BRASS KEY WINDER IS FLANGED. 4 WIRES AND A RING FOR HANGING PROTRUDE FROM TOP OF GONG CASE. A LABEL SCREWED ONTO DOOR STATES: "THE NORTHERN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED. .3 PUNCH REGISTER. 17.3 CM HT. X 12.7 CM WTH. X 22.9 CM LTH. BRASS, WOOD, GLASS. 7 PIECES. BASE PAINTED BLACK. REGISTER IS A KEY-WOUND BRASS COG-WHEEL MECHANISM CONTAINED IN A BRASS AND GLASS CASE. KEY WINDER IS MISSING. REGISTER IS MOUNTED ON A HOLLOW PAINTED WOOD BASE. MECHANISM OPERATES A ROLL OF PAPER TAPE MOUNTED IN A BRASS SPOKED REEL AND FEED THROUGH A PUNCH AND ALONG A GUIDE PLATE. A SMALL (3.6 CM HT. X 3.8 CM DIA.) BRASS CUT SITS BELOW PUNCH HEAD TO CATCH PIECES OF PUNCHED OUT PAPER, AS TAPE IS FED THROUGH AND PUNCHED TO RECORD FIRE CALLS. TAPE REEL DIA 12.7 CM LABEL ENGRAVED ON CASE ABOVE PUNCH HEAD READS: "HARRINGTON-SEABERG MOLINE, ILLINOIS". THE PUNCH REGISTER IS WIRED TO AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM AND OUTSIDE FIRE ALARM BOXES AT VARIOUS STREET LOCATIONS. .4 TAPE TAKE-UPS. 22.0 CM HT. X 7.2 CM WTH. X 15.0 CM LTH. BRASS, STEEL. 2 UNITS (6 PIECES). BLACK FINISH ON STEEL. SERIAL NO'S. 105662, 105793. 2 IDENTICAL UNITS, EACH CONSISTING OF A KEY-WOUND MECHANISM IN A BLACK STEEL CASE. A TAKE-UP TRIP LEVER IS MOUNTED ON THE KEY WIND POST OF EACH UNIT. A BRASS SPOKED REEL IS GEARED TO THE MECHANISM AND TRIP LEVER ON EACH UNIT, TO TAKE UP THE USED, PUNCHED TAPE COMING FROM THE PUNCH REGISTER. SPOKED REEL DIA. 12.7 CM. ENGRAVED LABELS ON CASES FEATURE CLENCHED FIST AND READ: "GAMEWELL THE GAMEWELL CO., NEWTON, MASS." AND SERIAL NUMBERS. THESE ARE COMPANION UNITS TO THE PUNCH REGISTER. .5 KEY WINDER. 0.5 CM TH. X 1.8 CM WTH. X 8.6 CM LTH. BRASS, STEEL. NATURAL COLOUR. RATCHET-STYLE SQUARE KEY FOR WINDING SPRINGS ON TAPE TAKE-UP UNITS. KEY RATCHET TENSION HAS BEEN REINFORCED WITH STEEL LEAF SPRING MOUNTED WITH BRASS WIRE AND SOLDER. .6 PACKAGE OF PAPER TAPES. 15.5 CM HT. X 11.5 CM DIA.PAPER, WOOD. 6 PIECES. 6 PAPER TAPE ROLLS TO REFILL PUNCH REGISTER ARE WOUND ON WOOD CORES AND WRAPPED IN BROWN PAPER. PACKAGE HAS BEEN OPENED. EACH ROLL IS 2.5 CM WIDE. .7 RELAY. 7.0 CM HT. X 9.4 CM WTH. X 17.7 CM LTH. SOAPSTONE, CORDAGE, BRASS, STEEL, BAKELITE, WAX. NATURAL COLOURS. RELAY IS MOUNTED ON A RECTANGULAR SOAPSTONE BASE. MOUNT HOLES ON UNDERSIDE OF BASE ARE PLUGGED WITH WAX. RELAY FEATURES BAKELITE INSULATED COILS, BRASS WIRE CONNECTORS AND FITTINGS, AND A SPARK GAP ADJUSTABLE FOR WIDTH AND TENSION (BY COIL SPRING & CORD). .8 TEST SWITCH. 4.9 CM TH. X 9.6 CM WTH. X 13.5 CM LTH. BRASS, STEEL, MASONITE, BAKELITE. BLACK FINISH ON STEEL AND MASONITE. TELEGRAPH KEY-STYLE CIRCUIT TEST SWITCH, WIRED IN-LINE AND USED TO TEST HOUSE LARM BOX CIRCUIT. KEY IS BRASS WITH BAKELITE KNOB, MOUNTED ON STEEL BASE, MASONITE BASE PLATE, BRASS MOUNTING BOLTS. .9 VOLTAGE REGULATOR SWITCH. 12.0 CM HT. X 20.5 CM DIA. BRASS, CAST IRON, STEEL, CERAMIC. 3 PIECES. BLACK PAINTED BASE. "SERIAL #172836" UNDERSIDE OF BASE. SWITCH CONSISTS OF BRASS WHEEL-STYLE HANDLE ATTACHED WITH SET SCREW, BRASS FACE PLATE, AND CERAMIC/BRASS/STEEL/IRON BASE. BASE FEATURES 3 SCREW LUGS, 2 WIRE CONNECTORS AT SIDE, TURNING STEEL CENTRE SHAFT, CERAMIC INSULATED BRASS CONTACTS ON UNDERSIDE, SERIAL NO. PLATE ON UNDERSIDE, AND ROTATING CONTACT BETWEEN BRASS CONTACTS & CENTRE SHAFT. BOTH FACE PLATE AND BASE ARE EMBOSSED WITH DIRECTIONAL ARROWS AND: "TO LOWER (AND) RAISE VOLTAGE, WARD LEONARD ELECTRIC CO., BRONXVILLE, N.Y., U.S.A.", AND: "TO RAISE RESISTANCE". .10 D.C. VOLTMETER. 10 CM HT. X 20.2 CM DIA. BRASS, GLASS. BLACK PAINTED CASE/FACE. METER FEATURES BRASS/GLASS FACE, BLACK PAINT TIM ON FACE, AND INCREMENTS FROM 0-150 INSIDE GLASS FACE. METER IS NUMBERED "15522" (INSIDE GLASS FACE). EMBOSSED ON FACE: "WAGNER ELECTRIC MFG. CO., TYPE-D., ST. LOUIS, U.S.A." THIS IS A COMPANION UNIT TO THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. .11 D.C. AMMETERMETER IS SIMILAR IS ALMOST ALL RESPECTS TO D.C. VOLTMETER DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY AND IS ALSO A COMPANION UNIT TO THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. INCREMENTS ARE 0-500 MILLI-AMPS, AND METER IS NUMBERED "15571" INSIDE GLASS FACE. .12 RECTIFIER. 13.5 CM HT. X 12.7 CM WTH. X 27.9 CM LTH. BRASS, STEEL, BAKELITE, WIRE. BLACK COLOUR. "STYLE NO. 947766-A" ON PLATE. ITEM CONSISTS OF TWIN COILS, ANOTHER COIL AND A CIRCUIT PANEL ALL MOUNTED ON STEEL CHANNEL. BASE AND INTERCONNECTED WITH INSULATED WIRES. WIRE CONNECTORS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL FURNISHINGS ARE BRASS. A STEEL SPECIFICATION PLATE IS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE TWIN COILS AND FEATURES A CLENCHED FIST SYMBOL, AND READS: "RECTOX RECTIFIER". OTHER INFORMATION INCLUDES: "A.C. VOLTS 105-115-125, D.C. VOLTS 30-45-60, .60 CYC., STYLE NO., .115 AMPS, LICENSED UNDER PATENT 1.640.335, ETC., WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MFG. CO.", ETC. .13. 15 CM TH. X 31 CM WTH. X 56 CM LTH. BRASS, STEEL, BAKELITE, RUBBER, WOOD, GLASS, WIRE WITH BRAID COVER. BLACK.UNIT CONSISTS OF SMALL VOLTAGE REGULATOR WITH WHEEL CONTROL AND 0-500 MILLI-AMP D.C. AMMETER MARKED: "TRIPLETT, MODEL 521" MOUNTED ON BOARD WITH EMBOSSED BRASS PLATE "GONGS". 4 MOUNTING BOLTS, 1 AT EACH CORNER. GONG AND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ON REVERSE SIDE.
- Subjects
- REGULATIVE & PROTECTIVE T&E
- Historical Association
- SAFETY SERVICES
- History
- SYSTEM WAS LOCATED IN OPERATOR'S OFFICE IN FIRE HALL NO. 1, BUILT 1908-09 BY SMITH BROS. & WILSON, ARCHITECT: J.A. MCDONALD. WHEN A PASSERBY PULLED THE STREET ALARM, THE BOX NO. WOULD REGISTER AS PUNCHED HOLES ON PAPER TAPE. FIRE OPERATOR CHECKED NUMBER AGAINST A BOX REGISTER & WROTE OUT NUMBER FOR FIREMEN. OPERATOR THEN PRESSED HOUSE ALARM BOX LEVER TO TRIGGER HOUSE ALARM GONG AND ALERT DUTY SHIFT FIREFIGHTER CREW TO RESPOND TO FIRE. SYSTEM OPERATED ON 100 M.A. AT 48 VOLTS. *** UPDATE JUNE 2012 *** IN JUNE 2012, THE GALT DEVELOPED A SMALL EXHIBIT TO COMMEMORATE AN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED BY THE LETHBRIDGE FIRE DEPT. MUCH OF THE EXHIBIT’S CONTENT CENTRED ON THE GALT’S COLLECTION OF FIRE ALARM BOX/SYSTEM OBJECTS. TECHNICAL DATA WAS SOURCED DIRECTLY FROM PERSONS INVOLVED WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA FIRE MUSEUM. NEW INFORMATION ON THE USE OF THE HOUSE FIRE ALARM BOX WAS PROVIDED IN JUNE 2012 BY RETIRED FIRE CHIEF LAWRENCE DZUREN. DZUREN STATED IN 2012 THAT THE BOX’S LEVER WAS PULLED EVERY TIME A FIRE CALL CAME INTO THE HALL BY PHONE. THE LEVER’S FREQUENT/DAILY USE MAY EXPLAIN WHY OPERATORS CHOSE TO REMOVE THE BOX’S HINGED DOOR - DOCUMENTED HISTORICALLY IN GALT ARCHIVAL IMAGE P19760218007. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON BOX AND SYSTEM’S RECEIVER/REGISTER, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.
- Catalogue Number
- P19760096000
- Acquisition Date
- 1976-03
- Collection
- Museum
Images
{{ server.message }}