New to the collection is my Emdeko 115-A device, manufactured by Casady Engineering Associates. This vintage alarm is a cross between a smoke detector and a fire bell. The cover is wound up to set the alarm (like winding up an alarm clock); then, when the enclosed thermostat reaches a certain temperature, the motor starts ringing the bell until the wind-up mechanisms inside reset on their own. The rectangular metal piece on the left can be pushed down to sound the alarm, also. I like this device because for a collector, they can sound it off without the need of wiring it up or inserting batteries.
According to the seller I acquired this device from, it originally came from a school. My best guess is that it was used in a small schoolhouse room. I’ve never seen this device in person before. On a more interesting note, the same seller had National Time bells for sale (models P806 and P810F), but they were in poor cosmetic shape when the seller salvaged them from a demolished bank building.
You have anything else coming up that you plan to share?
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I haven’t bought any other devices since my last post. I don’t have an eBay profile at the moment, and really, I’m not in any sort of rush to expand my collection. I feel that as time goes on, and I go out to browse more antique shops; flea markets; and the like in the future; I’ll gradually buy more devices.
This my Cerberus Pyrotronics HSD-24 horn/strobe, the first of two horn/strobes new to my collection. This device is more famously known as the Wheelock 7002T-24, and it has been rebranded by other companies such as Honeywell and National Time. According to a couple of marks on the back, this device was manufactured on April 4, 1992, and it uses an opaque strobe (pre-ADA regulations). Unlike most horn/strobes, this device (along with other members of the 7002-series of horn/strobes) consists of the horn and strobe wired together, which causes the horn to “skip” and change its pitch every time the strobe flashes while the horn is sounding.
Here is my Wheelock AS-24MCW horn/strobe. This is a newer version of this particular device; an older version uses a vertically-mounted strobe. The device has the option to sound in temporal (aka code-3).
My Simplex 4255-1 thermodetector is the latest detector-related device I have to add in my collection. Working similarly to a heat detector, it triggers the alarm system when the heat inside of a room being affected by fire reaches a certain temperature. This device is also branded under the Chemtronics label.
The last device I have to share for now is my Evered & Co. “Wilkinson” motor bell. It operates similarly to my Emdeko 115-A motor bell, except that there is a fusible alloy that melts after the heat inside a room being affected by fire reaches a certain temperature. When the alloy melts, it triggers the bell to ring and rotates the gong until the device resets itself.
Those are actually some really nice additions that you got you your collection! i have to admit I do wonder what the 7002 as labeled as by other companies.
First up is my Notifier BG-1 pull station. Unfortunately, the condition in which I bought it was without a key and some of the internal components. Unlike other pull stations, the Notifier BG-1 only requires the user to pull down on a little opening behind the top of the device. I believe this is an older version of the BNG-1, and it led to other pull stations in the BG-series over the years.
Next, I have my Federal Signal 500 Vibratone bell, also known by the model name A-6. These bells are still in production today, according to Federal Signal’s website. I’ve tested the bell already, and it is definitely loud. Once I research how, I plan on posting sound clips of this bell and some of my other devices to the forums.
Now here’s something that’s sure to attract attention! This is my Falcon Dynamics “Pyro-Sentinel” FD-36CD fire alarm air horn. This kind of alarm would most likely have been used in an industrialized setting, such as a factory, where loud machinery would make it hard to hear a regular alarm. It uses pressurized liquid to sound the horn, but I believe it can also be attached to an air hose to provide enough air supply to sound the horn also. Generally, the liquid inside must be heated to a certain temperature for the horn to sound.
I also have a new Emdeko device! This is my Model 106 heat detector, which looks like it is battery-operated, but also sounds when it detects a minimum temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m guessing either a mechanical horn or a piezo is inside the enclosed casing. There’s also a push button for testing purposes.
This is my first “unknown” device, in terms of a manufacturer or model. It’s a bell with an 8" brass gong, and a previous owner mounted it onto a wooden plank. I disassembled it slightly to show the inside of the housing. If anybody knows any identifying information about this bell, please let me know!
Last, but not least, is something truly spectacular, and what may be as close as I get to an alarm control panel for the time being. It is a National Time control panel manufactured specifically for fire drill purposes. A paper card with instructions is located inside the plastic cubby. I’m guessing this may have been part of a larger control panel in the past. Like my Notifier BG-1, it did not come with a key, sadly.
My first Simplex products have entered the collection! This is my Simplex 2099-9754 pull station, which I bought “new used” with its original packaging, breaker rod, manual, mounting screws, and keys!
The Simplex t-bar is one of the most recognizable fire alarm devices in both the professional and casual fields, with production dating as far back as the 1960s, with few cosmetic changes. This is also my first device to come with a key.
According to the manual, this pull station was manufactured circa 1991. Although it was kept outside, its good cosmetic condition was likely due to staying in a box most of the time.
I inserted the breaker rod that came with the device as a demonstration of how it would break if the t-bar was pulled down. Since it was the only rod, I chose to keep it intact.
Last up is my Simplex 4903-9168 speaker/strobe! There are multiple versions of the Simplex 4903-series available, including versions with electromechanical horns, white-colored units, and ceiling-mount units.
This green asterisk on the strobe lens indicates that the strobe intensity is rated for 15 candela. It pulses at a rate of 60 flashes per minute. Different candela rates are available, with different shapes and colors to represent them.
This is my “Canton Son Inc.” residential smoke alarm, model number unknown. It strikes me a little bit as to how small the packaging is (no larger than a deck of cards), and the alarm’s design is one of the strangest I’ve ever seen.
It looks like a cross between a rotary phone dial, a lighter, and a novelty tin. To break things down, the ‘rotary phone dial’ is actually a piezo to project the sound through. The ‘lighter’ components are actually used to test the alarm to ensure it’s in working condition (it runs on a C battery). Lastly, the ‘novelty tin’ appearance has a metal piece on the back to wall-mount the device as well as a tab on the side to open up the device.
The alarm comes with all its original packaging. According to the instruction manual, the device can be tested by pushing up on the metal bar at the bottom. In normal operation, the alarm will sound if the temperature inside the room reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is my “Alarm-Guard Model 280” burglar alarm, which is designed for residential applications. The company and model number are all guesses. It comes with a detachable metal chain and hook that is meant to attach onto a door or window. It runs on two AA batteries, and it most likely sounds the piezo by sensing motion. One unique thing about this device is that the piezo’s tone quality can be adjusted due to the possible risk of the sound mechanisms loosening. It also comes packaged with screws.
I have a new Vanguard detector/bell combo in my collection! This is the Vanguard V-50 heat detector, manufactured by Interstate Engineering Company, and billed as a thermosonic detector. It measures about 8" in diameter. Like similar detectors in my collection, the gong casing is manually adjusted, but this particular model uses a ‘power key’ (which wasn’t included nor was the manual). Once the front sensor detects heat at a high-enough temperature, the motor mechanisms are triggered and the gong casing unwinds itself until it is reset to its original position. There’s also a unique hook shown in the second photo used as a mounting bracket.
I’ve recently acquired two vintage devices for the collection, including my first burglar alarm!
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This is my “Canton Son Inc.” residential smoke alarm, model number unknown. It strikes me a little bit as to how small the packaging is (no larger than a deck of cards), and the alarm’s design is one of the strangest I’ve ever seen.
[snip]
It looks like a cross between a rotary phone dial, a lighter, and a novelty tin. To break things down, the ‘rotary phone dial’ is actually a piezo to project the sound through. The ‘lighter’ components are actually used to test the alarm to ensure it’s in working condition (it runs on a C battery). Lastly, the ‘novelty tin’ appearance has a metal piece on the back to wall-mount the device as well as a tab on the side to open up the device.
[snip]
The alarm comes with all its original packaging. According to the instruction manual, the device can be tested by pushing up on the metal bar at the bottom. In normal operation, the alarm will sound if the temperature inside the room reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
[snip]
This is my “Alarm-Guard Model 280” burglar alarm, which is designed for residential applications. The company and model number are all guesses. It comes with a detachable metal chain and hook that is meant to attach onto a door or window. It runs on two AA batteries, and it most likely sounds the piezo by sensing motion. One unique thing about this device is that the piezo’s tone quality can be adjusted due to the possible risk of the sound mechanisms loosening. It also comes packaged with screws.
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The first device sure looks simple, it looks like it’s just a simple bimetallic strip, which would bend and close the contact when heated up.
As for the chain alarm, I’ve seen a very similar contraption, except it used a small 12V mechanical siren in lieu of an electronic buzzer, nothing too complex as well. I’ve never seen another one like that.
Unlike several of my collection pieces, this bell, cosmetically, is almost like-new out of the packaging. It still has its original plastic covering and cardboard insert, but it doesn’t come with any instructions. Also, because of the gong’s reflective base material, I purposely took shots where I wanted to minimize my body appearances as much as possible.
Olson Electronics is no longer in business, but the company itself was widely known for being a electronic component distributor, and their products frequently pop up for sale online. According to a 1974 catalog PDF I found, they also distributed burglar/security bells and speakers similar to the one I have. In fact, I discovered that my “Chain Alarm” I bought several months ago was distributed by them.
Here’s something a little different for a change. Over the past several weeks, my family and I worked together to create this homemade alarm demonstration board! It has a wire that plugs into the wall along with two actuator buttons to control both the Federal Signal Vibratone horn and Ademco bell. Sadly, during the hookups, it was discovered that the National Time horn, Edwards single-stroke bell, and possibly the Edwards vibrating bell had all shorted out and wouldn’t sound. Also, the Wheelock AS has a broken horn, but the strobe on it works. I probably could get the Norelco smoke detector with a fresh battery.
I intend to hang this board up on one of my bedroom walls for show, but it was heavy by itself getting it into my house. As far as testing the working devices go, I live in a condo community with attached units, so it would not be wise for me to set them off, as both of them are incredibly loud, so much so that I needed hearing protection before I set them off. I may swap out some devices and wire up other ones in the future as I gain time and resources to do so.
