American Signal Corporation
Encyclopedia
American Signal Corporation is an outdoor warning siren
company in America founded in 1942.
based metal fabricating operation. After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor
, concerns surfaced that the American public should be notified in the event of air attacks. The United States Department of the Army
granted the company a contract to manufacture outdoor warning sirens and in 1942 the company began production of over 2000 sirens to be installed throughout the Pacific Theater for American troops and Air Bases. The need for these outdoor warnings increased during the following years as the Cold War raged on bringing a new threat, that of Nuclear War. In the late 1960s the company's name changed to ACA (Alerting Communications of America) and the production of new models began, to suit the needs of each individual municipality. Banshee, Screamer, Cyclone, Howler, and Allertor are just a few of the names under which these sirens were known. In the 1980s, the company produced a line of sirens known as the Penetrator series, a more substantial variant of sirens the company had previously manufactured. In 1982, the company became the first in its industry to provide a wireless digital supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA
) system called CompuLert with over 6000 installations worldwide. Over the decade, the prominent advancements the company made in its siren's designs included battery operation, high powered Voice/Sirens and indoor alerting systems. Similarly designed sirens were still manufactured, but under new names such as the Tempest series. Currently, ASC is still in operation and supplies many towns and cities in the U.S. with outdoor warning sirens, most of which are now used to warn the public of such threats as, severe weather, chemical spills and civil emergencies.
Sirens from the late 1960s until the 1980s:
Sirens in production during the 1980s until the early 1990s:
Sirens built from 1992 onward:
Alertronic line:
Others:
Civil defense siren
A civil defense siren is a mechanical or electronic device for generating sound to...
company in America founded in 1942.
History
The company began as Biersach and Niedermeyer Co. in 1873, a Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
based metal fabricating operation. After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, concerns surfaced that the American public should be notified in the event of air attacks. The United States Department of the Army
United States Department of the Army
The Department of the Army is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Army is the Federal Government agency which the United States Army is organized within, and it is led by the Secretary of the Army who has...
granted the company a contract to manufacture outdoor warning sirens and in 1942 the company began production of over 2000 sirens to be installed throughout the Pacific Theater for American troops and Air Bases. The need for these outdoor warnings increased during the following years as the Cold War raged on bringing a new threat, that of Nuclear War. In the late 1960s the company's name changed to ACA (Alerting Communications of America) and the production of new models began, to suit the needs of each individual municipality. Banshee, Screamer, Cyclone, Howler, and Allertor are just a few of the names under which these sirens were known. In the 1980s, the company produced a line of sirens known as the Penetrator series, a more substantial variant of sirens the company had previously manufactured. In 1982, the company became the first in its industry to provide a wireless digital supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA
SCADA
SCADA generally refers to industrial control systems : computer systems that monitor and control industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes, as described below:...
) system called CompuLert with over 6000 installations worldwide. Over the decade, the prominent advancements the company made in its siren's designs included battery operation, high powered Voice/Sirens and indoor alerting systems. Similarly designed sirens were still manufactured, but under new names such as the Tempest series. Currently, ASC is still in operation and supplies many towns and cities in the U.S. with outdoor warning sirens, most of which are now used to warn the public of such threats as, severe weather, chemical spills and civil emergencies.
Early Production Siren Models
Original siren from early production:- Mobil Directo (Biersach & Niedermeyer brand)
Sirens from the late 1960s until the 1980s:
- ACA Allertor 125ACA Allertor 125The ACA Allertor 125 is a discontinued electromechanical Civil defense siren made by Alerting Communicators of America. It has a distinctive design with the chopper on the bottom horn and the noise also coming out of the top horn.-History:...
- ACA Hurricane 130
- ACA Hurricane 130 (MK II)
- ACA Screamer Series. (Ranging from 2 HP to 10 HP)
- ACA Banshee 110
- ACA Banshee 115
- ACA Sentry 95
- ACA CycloneACA CycloneThe ACA Cyclone was an outdoor warning siren built by Alerting Communicators of America, in 1968. The Cyclone has more of an older design that does not match their other sirens in production.-History:...
125 - ACA CycloneACA CycloneThe ACA Cyclone was an outdoor warning siren built by Alerting Communicators of America, in 1968. The Cyclone has more of an older design that does not match their other sirens in production.-History:...
120 (This 40 HP. version lasted only a short while)
Sirens in production during the 1980s until the early 1990s:
- ACA Cyclone (A foreign 60 HP. version was built as well)
- ACA P-10
- ACA P-15
- ACA P-20
- ACA P-50
- ACA Howler
- ACA Alertronic 6000
- ACA Alertronic 4000
Sirens Made After 1990
After going bankrupt in 1992 and being sold to a new owner, the company changed its name and the name of its sirens in production.Sirens built from 1992 onward:
- RM-127
- RM-130 (The RM-130 is the predecessor of the modern T-128, and uses the same horn system while maintaining appearance similar to the Penetrator series)
- T-135 (Same as the ACA P-50)
- OM-120
- RE-1600
Current mechanical sirens
Tempest siren line is the current mechanical siren line.- ASC T-112
- ASC T-121
- ASC T-128
- ASC T-135-AC/DC
Current electronic sirens
These are their good quality electronic speaker array sirens.Alertronic line:
- AL-1000
- AL-2000
- AL-4000
- AL-8000
Others:
- E-Class PA speaker array
- iForce/Quadrant modular array