AnnunciatorIn 1833, the first U.S. patent for an annunciator was issued to Seth Fuller of Boston, Mass. In 1829, this design was installed in the Tremont House, Boston, Mass., and placed in service when the 170-room hotel opened. It was known as "hanging bells" for its 140 bells, each in a glass-enclosed box, mounted in a space 57 ft long, 6 ft high and 1 ft deep. A small hammer striker provided an audible warning sound and vibrated a card giving the room number. The hotel's innovations included the installation of eight bathrooms and toilets in the basement. Each of two cisterns in the hotel attic contained three hogsheads of rainwater. One supplied the baths, and the other supplied other outlets, including running cold water in the laundry and kitchen. |
