Delayed signal watchman's tour supervisory system

• US 4,024,527 A
• Filed: 06/27/1975
• Issued: 05/17/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank W. Houghton
• Original Assignee: Frank W. Houghton
• Inventors: Houghton, Frank W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wannisky, William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/591,169
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 340/306, 340/305, 340/309.1, 340/309.4, 58/152 B, 346/144, 317/139, 200/33 B, 200/38 B, 307/115, 307/141, 307/141.8
• US Class Current: 340/306
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman

Abstract

A plurality of watch stations are installed in protected premises that must be tripped in proper sequence once each hour and embodies means whereby when the watchman comes on duty and starts his rounds of duty, a signal will be transmitted to the central station and when he has completed the rounds of stations a second signal will be transmitted to the central station indicating that all is well. In the event the proper sequence of operation of the watchman'"'"'s stations is broken, an alarm will be indicated in the central station. Thus the central station receives only two signals regardless of the number of stations on the watchman'"'"'s route unless there is something wrong with the watchman and he is in need of help. The present system is designed to prevent tampering with the system, to prevent the system being turned off prior to the end of the watchman'"'"'s tour of duty, and to permit the watchman to signal for outside help from anyone of the stations on his tour.

The signalling system further includes a timer controlled visible signal ignited when the watchman comes on the job and turns on the system and which visible signal is turned on after the watchman has operated the last signal box in the system to indicate the interval of time until the watchman must start his tour of the signal boxes, together with an audible signal controlled by the timer which is energized in the event the watchman does not start his tour of the signal boxes when the visible signal is extinguished.

Claims

1. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system including a plurality of spaced watchman'"'"'s stations each embodying a switch, a plurality of relays each connected to be operated by the operation of one of said switches, contacts on said relays for connecting the switches in the watchman'"'"'s stations in sequence, a switch connected to a power source for supplying energizing power to the watchman'"'"'s stations and relays means connected to said energizing switch and a monitoring station whereby upon initial operation of the energizing switch a signal in the monitoring station will be energized to indicate that the watchman is at his post, a visible signal connected to said power controlling switch and energized when the power controlling switch is turned on, timing means connected in the circuit to said visible signal to control each time period of energization of the visible signal to indicate to the watchman that he has a limited time period before operating the first of said signalling stations, an audible signal connected on the circuit to said visible signal, and means actuated by said timing means to energize said audible signal in the event the watchman has not operated the first of the series of signalling stations at such time, means operated by said timing means and connected in the control circuit to deenergize said audible means upon the operation of the first of said watchman'"'"'s stations.

2. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said relays are connected to the switches and interconnected to each other so that said watchman'"'"'s signalling switch at the stations must, in normal procedures, be operated in a prescribed sequence, said relays interconnected so that when any watchman'"'"'s station'"'"'s switch is operated out of sequence a signal will be transmitted to the monitoring station.

3. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said timing means is constructed to energize said visible signal when the watchman has properly actuated all of the watchman'"'"'s signalling stations in the series to indicate a rest period for the watchman and whereby when the proper time of the rest period has expired the timing means will deenergize the visible signal to indicate to the watchman that it is time to start his tour for actuating the watchman'"'"'s signalling stations.

4. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switches at the watchman'"'"'s stations are double-pole switches with one of the poles of each switch connected to its relay to operate the system in its normal sequence, said relays and the second or opposite pole of the switch being interconnected and connected to the monitoring station through proper contacts and circuits, so that when the switch at any one of the watchman'"'"'s stations is operated in the opposite direction to its normal operation a signal will be sent to the monitoring station that the watchman is in need of help.

5. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system including a plurality of spaced watchman'"'"'s signal indicating stations, each of said stations including a switch, a relay connected to said switch and to said central monitoring station, a series of cams each controlling operation of the relays, independent means operated by each cam when the watchman'"'"'s station'"'"'s switches are operated in proper sequence to disconnect each relay with the monitoring station, no signals will be transmitted to the monitoring station, in the event the stations are operated out of sequence said cams will operate the relay of the station operated out of sequence to connect the relay to the central station and transmit an alarm signal to the central monitoring station.

6. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system as claimed in claim 5, including a switch to be operated by the watchman to energize the system when he reports for duty, a visible signal energized upon the closing of said switch, a timer mechanism for controlling the energization of the visible signal whereby it will be energized for a predetermined length of time to allow the watchman to perform such duties as required before starting upon the tour of the watchman'"'"'s signalling stations and to indicate to the watchman that when the visible signal is deenergized he must start upon his tour of the watchman'"'"'s signalling stations.

7. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system as claimed in claim 6, including an audible signalling means in circuit with said timer and said watchman'"'"'s signalling stations, a switch connecting said timer and audible signalling means for control of energizing of the audible signalling means by the timer, whereby in the event the watchman does not operate the first of the signalling stations in the series the audible means will be energized to notify the watchman of his delinquency in starting his tour of the watchman'"'"'s signalling stations.

8. A delayed signal watchman'"'"'s tour supervisory system as claimed in claim 5, including a timer mechanism associated with said cams and their relay operating mechanism to operate the cams and their associated mechanism in timing with a prescribed sequence for operation of the watchman'"'"'s signalling stations by the watchman.