It now appears I may have been slightly incorrect in saying Sterling never made a verticle in Rochester.
My research now indicates Merton C Armstrong ate some bad salad and designed the world's strangest combination mousetrap/siren patent #203733 in the pursuit of his quest for the perfect signaling siren.
I don't know if any of these machines were ever built, I sure never saw one, and if they were built I have serious question they had the life cycle of the famed M.