Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1895 — RINGING A FIRE ALARM. [ARTICLE]

RINGING A FIRE ALARM.

Apparatus in Use in the New York Fire Department. Let us look at the various instruments for receiving the alarm. They are not many, and are very interesting. I shall describe them without using any technicalities, for the very good reason that I don’t know anything about them technically, but can explain them only as they were explained to me bj r a fireman. First, at the lower right-hand side, on a black walnut base-board, is placed the instrument officially called the “combination,” and by the firemen termed the “joker.” Why “joker” I do not know; but it is probably called the “combination” because it combines both the bell for receiving the alarm, and the “trip” or device for mechanically releasing the horses, which I shall describe further on. This is the first bell to ring the alarm, or humber of the station whence the alarm is sent; but before it rings there is a slight “click” heard in the Morse instrument placed above it; this might be called a “warning bell,” and by the ordinary listener would not be noticed at all; but to the quick ear of the man on watch and the equally well trained ears of the horse, there needs no second stroke to tell them that an alarm witl follow. This “click” is caused by the opening of the electric circuit in which the station is situated. Beside the combination bell, or “joker,” there is a small weight that slides up and down a brass rod. It is held in place at the top by a catch connected with the hammer of the bell; and as the hammer draws back to make the first stoke of the alarm, it releases the weight, and the weight slides down the rod. Being attached by a little chain to a lever projecting from the side of a clock hanging be* side it, the weight, ns it falls, pulls this lever down and stops the clock, thus showing at what instant the alarm was received. At the bottom of the rod there is u very large lever set with a triggerlime catch, and connected with certain mechanism underneath the floor with the stalls of the horses. The same falling weight strikes the trigger also, and releases the lever, and the lever in turn releases the horses. Above the combination is placed a Morse instrument, sounder, and key, and beside it a telephone, to communicate with headquarters or with other companies, and also a few frames containing a list of stations that particular company goes to, on receiving the first, second, or third alarm.

. At the other side, nearly' over the desk, is placed the big gong, twelve or fifteen inches in diameter, and very loud sounding. This begins to strike about when the smaller one gets through; and should the man on watch have failed to count the number of the station on the “ joker ” he will have no difficulty in getting the number from the big gong, for it strikes slowly,—that is, slowly in comparison with the “joker,” which rings the number out very fast. The large gong is very loud, and can be heard a block away. The company receives four rounds on the small bell and two on the big bell; or more correctly speaking, the number of the station is rung four times on the “ joker” and twice on the big gong. But, it is rarely that the firemen have to wait to get the signal from the latter, for before the small bell has rattled off its four rounds the engine has rolled out of the house and they are on the way to the fire.— [St. Nicholas.