Franz?
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Tue Apr 29, 2008 12:34 am

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.

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500AT
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Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:00 am

Got any images of what they looked like?

Sincerely yours,

Ron W.

"When your siren's a failin', chances are it's a Whelen."

Franz?
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Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:44 am

The drawings and all the information is at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2030733.pdf

You may need to sign up at freepatents to see them.

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT responsible if yougo crosseyed reading the information on the patent.

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500AT
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Sun May 04, 2008 1:04 am

The siren in this illustration looks very similar to the vertical siren that the Dundee Twp. Fire Dept, purchased in the mid 1930s. All of the controls were made by Sterling, and the siren sounded just like a 16 port "H" or "M" series. siren. The only differences between the patent design, and actual siren, is that the entire motor, rotor/stator were all enclosed from the elements from the top to bottom, just like a Federal Model 5/7 series. Likewise, the area where the sound vents were located were open, and had heavy-duty screens to prevent any foreign objects from flying into the siren.

The Dundee Sterling Siren was supplemented by a Federal Model 500AT, and then eventually supplanted by the latter. When the fire dept. removed the Sterling from their roof in 1973, it was in excellent working condition, but was moved across the street and stored, in the Township garage for over 25 years until disposed of. :x

Sincerely yours,

Ron W.

"When your siren's a failin', chances are it's a Whelen."

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JasonC
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Mon May 12, 2008 2:08 am

Image

There is a 5hp variant about 20 miles east of me on the Yanceyville, NC city hall. One of the many Sterlings in NC.

Franz?
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Mon May 12, 2008 2:57 am

Jason stop holding out.

That pic is the first I have ever seen of the machine and the pattern timer offered for sale.

Any chance you can get up close and personal with the one near you? I'd love to know if they manufactured it to patent, specificly employing the moveable clipper for code sounding.

The pic in the cut sheet shows the machine in a standard configuration, not a code configuration.

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Daniel
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Mon May 12, 2008 5:01 am

I KNEW IT! These things had to be Sterlings.
Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi.

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JasonC
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Mon May 12, 2008 5:11 am

It's on eBay, go find it! :wink:

Franz?
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Mon May 12, 2008 7:28 am

Hey Jason, did you ever hear anything about being kind to the elderly?

That picture is definitely providing a lot of information, and it would provide a hell of a lot more if I could read the price list.

The one thing it definitely proves is Sterling was offering the machine with a DC motor to accompdate parts of the US where DC was the available electric power. I have a hunch some early M and H machines may have left the factory with DC motors as well, but I can't prove it. Interestingly, until 1955 the factory was in an area of Rochester served by DC rather than AC current.

Can anybody blow up the price list portion of the pic sufficiently to make it readable?

Robert Gift
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Mon May 12, 2008 7:35 am

Franz? wrote:...Can anybody blow up the price list portion of the pic sufficiently to make it readable?
Fascinating about the DC powered areas and also 50 Hz areas of the east. (Thought when Tesla won the power wars that everything went to 60 Hz.)
Using the 100% magnifying glass icon at the lower right of my screen, I magnified it.
Everything is bigger but the photo was out of focus so can't make out much.

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