The Evolution of the Car Police Siren
We all have seen or mostly heard a car police siren but rarely do we consider the history of the siren or how it works. This article will reveal the inner workings of a police car siren, explore the electric, mechanical and the pneumatic tube siren while at the same time bringing to the fore the history of the car police siren.
A car police siren is a major component of a police vehicle and are usually paired with either LED or strobe lights. These sirens are used to warn motorist to give way or to pull over. They are usually loud and are very effective in conveying the intended message to the motorists. Police car lights are easy to ignore especially if one is distracted, but the siren is sure to get the attention of any person who is not hearing impaired. There are two main types of car police siren, which are the electric siren and the mechanical siren.
The electric car police siren is the most commonly used siren. Its workings are simply a speaker connected to a power source. The sound of the siren is simply turned on and off from the interior of the car, as the switch for the siren works independently from that of the lights. These mechanical sirens are programmed to make the same sound that was originally made by the mechanical siren.
The mechanical car police siren which was traditionally used, is however more complicated in terms of how it works. The mechanical siren consists of an electric motor that is connected to a fan at the bottom of the siren. On the outside of the fan are two alternating rows of holes found on a metal drum, which is attached to this fan. At the top of the siren is an air intake in the shape of a cone. When the mechanical siren is turned on, the motor turns the fan that is attached to it. This in turn causes the air intake cone to suck in air, which is then forced out of the metal drum by the rotating fan. This action causes the metal to vibrate strongly and quickly. It is this vibration that creates the sound of the siren. The alternating rows of holes on the side of the drum causes the alternating sound that we hear.
However, the origin of the car police siren can be traced back to a siren developed in the 19th century that consist a pneumatic tube and two disks. A pneumatic tube is essentially a system in which a cylinder is propelled through a network of tubes by either a partial vacuum or through compressed air. As one of the disks rotates, and the other one is stationary, air from the pneumatic tube produces a sound due to the interference in airflow. This kind of car police siren was however too cumbersome and heavy and new sirens had to be developed that were lighter and more effective.
A car police siren has come a long way and is now the trademark of the police department. Police vehicles can now effectively warn motorist of impending danger or compel them to pull over. The car police siren has proved to be invaluable. The effectiveness of the siren however depends on the motorist. Motorists should heed to police car sirens and exhibit behavior that is expected from them in the particular situation.
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