E57: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox siren|produced=1957-1992|type=[[Omnidirectional]] [[Electromechanical]]|hp=5.3-6.7 hp (4-5 kW)|company=Multiple companies produced this siren.|voltage=220|hertz=50|current=3 ph|title=Einheitssirene 1957 (E57)|image=E57.png}}The E57 ('''E'''inheitssirene 19'''57''') is an omnidirectional vertical siren that was produced by various companies under the request of the German government from 1957 to 1992. Intended to warn the German populace of air raids from the Eastern Bloc, the E57 established itself as one of the most prominent sirens in Germany and the surrounding nations during its lifespan and can still be found across Europe and few units in USA, all got removed and replaced by another sirens like the one in Crescent, CA and Azusa, CA and both E57s were replaced by [[Federal Signal STH-10|STH-10]] and [[ASC Tempest|T-128]].
{{Infobox siren|produced=1957-1992|type=[[Omnidirectional]] [[Electromechanical]]|hp=5.3-6.7 hp (4-5 kW)|company=Multiple companies produced this siren.|voltage=220|hertz=50|current=3 ph|title=Einheitssirene 1957 (E57)|image=E57.png}}The '''Standard Siren 1957''' (German: ''Einheitssirene 1957'', abbreviated '''E57'''), also named the '''Air Protection Siren 1957''' (German: ''Luftschutzsirene 1957'', abbreviated '''L57''') is a simple medium-range omnidirectional siren. It superseded the earlier [[L52|Air Protection Siren 1952]] (German: ''Luftschutzsirene 1952'', abbreviated '''L52''') as the German "standard siren" and was produced from its introduction in 1957 until its eventual discontinuation in 1992. The E57 is, without a doubt, one of the most well-known German sirens, and it has maintained this status even more than 30 years later after its discontinuation. Thanks to its basic yet rugged design, it was widely installed throughout Germany and exported to various other nations. The E57 also served other purposes both during and after its production run, often used as an alarm to alert the fire brigade. The E57 spawned a countless number of imitators, such as the East German VEM DS977 and the Greek VILMA Motors NEVA/VILMA 55, and its design's influence can be found throughout Europe.


== History and Design ==
== History and Design ==
In 1957, the West German government commissioned several companies to produce a simple, omnidirectional siren which would serve the purpose of an air raid siren, among concerns of air raids and nuclear attacks from the Eastern Bloc. The companies involved in the production of the siren were Elektror, Helin, Lutz, Roland Sirenenbau and Siemens-Schuckert, with each designing their own version of the siren.
In the mid-1950s, the West German government, in collaboration with Elektror, Siemens, and Helin, began to draft a brand-new standard siren which would offer superior performance and longevity compared to the sirens produced at the time. This came about after the recent division of Germany and fear of an imminent attack brought about by the Eastern Bloc. This development was primarily headed by Elektror who had earlier created the L141/L52, which the new siren would take inspiration from. This project ultimately resulted in the creation of the E57, named after the German Institute for Standardization (German: ''Deutsches Institut für Normung'', abbreviated '''DIN''')'s DIN 41096 standardization order. The E57 was designed as a relatively maintenance free siren which prioritized a longer life span rather than sound output. The E57 consists of a 9-port rotor and stator, with a grille carried over from the L52 protecting debris from entering the siren. The rotor on the E57 had thicker walls than that of the L52s, slightly improving the siren's range. A flange below the stator directs the siren's sound downwards and outwards, and has a rotation arrow cast on, which displayed the correct way the rotor was supposed to spin. This arrow was also present on the L52 but was instead cast on to the motor.  


The design of E57 units vary based upon the manufacturer, but all follow the similar format of a 9-port rotor and stator driven by a 5 kW (6.7 hp) 3 phase electric motor running on 50hz power.<ref name=":0">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220922070240/http://wiki.ig-wasi.de/sirenen/elektromechanisch/e57 Wiki der Interessengemeinschaft Warndienst und Sirenen - Einheitssirene E57 (Web Archive)]</ref> The siren is protected by a large shroud made of fiberglass reinforced plastic, located on top of the stator.<ref name=":0" /> Most, if not all units came standard with the shroud, however it could be removed upon request. Because of the shroud, the siren intakes from the bottom, which is unique among most sirens. The base of the E57 is triangular, with a hole in each corner, allowing the siren to be mounted on a pole.
The E57 is powered by a 220/230/380/400 V 5 kW (6.7 hp) asynchronous 3 ph electric motor underneath the stator driving the rotor at around 2800 rpm, brought up to this speed around 2-4 seconds after activation. The motor shaft's countersink is rounded on the E57, whereas the L52's was square. The E57 lacks protective conductor connections of any kind, unlike its predecessor; this was likely a casualty of making the siren as simple as possible to produce and install. Like the L52, the E57 was designed for inexpensiveness and mass-producibility. It achieved this through several means; Its most notable feature, the large protective roof shielding the siren from the elements, is constructed out of fiberglass reinforced plastic instead of steel, contributing to a less costly siren. This also makes the siren lighter overall and prevents the roof from warping and being dented, as can be seen on many L141/L52 units. Additionally, the E57's mounting holes for the roof, located above the stator ports, sit level with the stator, as opposed to the ones of the L52 which were recessed into it. The holes drilled into the stator used for attaching the grille in place on the L141 are not present on the E57, simplifying its production further. A triangular base borrowed from the siren's predecessor, with 3 holes in each corned, allows the E57 to be bolted to a flat surface. A tripod and simple pole roof mount designs were available to purchase with the E57, and it could also be mounted to a tall steel pole. The flanges on the sides of the motor that connect it to the base of the siren were made straight on the E57, compared to the L52 where they were curved.  


As mentioned earlier, there were numerous differences between each manufacturer's version of the E57, with some having mount, shroud, or motor variations. In 1975, the E57 would be slightly improved upon, now featuring a motor housing to protect the motor from the elements.<ref name=":0" /> HÖRMANN and ABEG, while not manufacturing the sirens themselves, would retrofit older units, modifying the shrouds and bearings. Siemens-Schuckert would install a 4 kW (5.3 hp) electric motor on their units, resulting in a slower windup.<ref name=":0" /> VEM, a company based in East Germany, would also manufacture a similar siren named the [[DS977]], intended to be sold around various Eastern Bloc countries.
The E57 was officially put into production in 1960 after being finalized in 1957, with the 1st units going up sometime in 1959.


As the Cold War wound down, sales of E57 units would begin to slow. Many manufacturers discontinued their E57s in or around 1992.<ref name=":0" /> HÖRMANN would replace theirs with the [[HÖRMANN ECX|ECN]] series, as they had decided that electronic sirens were the superior option, likely taking notes from various electronic sirens on the American market at the time. As the E57's original purpose was now obsolete, many communities in and around Germany would repurpose theirs, with many now serving as fire or weather sirens across the European continent.
 
The E57 was formally discontinued in 1992 after the end of the Cold War. After Germany's civil defense division was abolished, the ownership of these sirens turned to the municipalities of which they were installed in.
 
WIP


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 13:21, 26 September 2024

Einheitssirene 1957 (E57)
Company Multiple companies produced this siren.
Produced 1957-1992
Type Omnidirectional Electromechanical
Horsepower 5.3-6.7 hp (4-5 kW)
Voltage 220 V 3 ph

The Standard Siren 1957 (German: Einheitssirene 1957, abbreviated E57), also named the Air Protection Siren 1957 (German: Luftschutzsirene 1957, abbreviated L57) is a simple medium-range omnidirectional siren. It superseded the earlier Air Protection Siren 1952 (German: Luftschutzsirene 1952, abbreviated L52) as the German "standard siren" and was produced from its introduction in 1957 until its eventual discontinuation in 1992. The E57 is, without a doubt, one of the most well-known German sirens, and it has maintained this status even more than 30 years later after its discontinuation. Thanks to its basic yet rugged design, it was widely installed throughout Germany and exported to various other nations. The E57 also served other purposes both during and after its production run, often used as an alarm to alert the fire brigade. The E57 spawned a countless number of imitators, such as the East German VEM DS977 and the Greek VILMA Motors NEVA/VILMA 55, and its design's influence can be found throughout Europe.

History and Design

In the mid-1950s, the West German government, in collaboration with Elektror, Siemens, and Helin, began to draft a brand-new standard siren which would offer superior performance and longevity compared to the sirens produced at the time. This came about after the recent division of Germany and fear of an imminent attack brought about by the Eastern Bloc. This development was primarily headed by Elektror who had earlier created the L141/L52, which the new siren would take inspiration from. This project ultimately resulted in the creation of the E57, named after the German Institute for Standardization (German: Deutsches Institut für Normung, abbreviated DIN)'s DIN 41096 standardization order. The E57 was designed as a relatively maintenance free siren which prioritized a longer life span rather than sound output. The E57 consists of a 9-port rotor and stator, with a grille carried over from the L52 protecting debris from entering the siren. The rotor on the E57 had thicker walls than that of the L52s, slightly improving the siren's range. A flange below the stator directs the siren's sound downwards and outwards, and has a rotation arrow cast on, which displayed the correct way the rotor was supposed to spin. This arrow was also present on the L52 but was instead cast on to the motor.

The E57 is powered by a 220/230/380/400 V 5 kW (6.7 hp) asynchronous 3 ph electric motor underneath the stator driving the rotor at around 2800 rpm, brought up to this speed around 2-4 seconds after activation. The motor shaft's countersink is rounded on the E57, whereas the L52's was square. The E57 lacks protective conductor connections of any kind, unlike its predecessor; this was likely a casualty of making the siren as simple as possible to produce and install. Like the L52, the E57 was designed for inexpensiveness and mass-producibility. It achieved this through several means; Its most notable feature, the large protective roof shielding the siren from the elements, is constructed out of fiberglass reinforced plastic instead of steel, contributing to a less costly siren. This also makes the siren lighter overall and prevents the roof from warping and being dented, as can be seen on many L141/L52 units. Additionally, the E57's mounting holes for the roof, located above the stator ports, sit level with the stator, as opposed to the ones of the L52 which were recessed into it. The holes drilled into the stator used for attaching the grille in place on the L141 are not present on the E57, simplifying its production further. A triangular base borrowed from the siren's predecessor, with 3 holes in each corned, allows the E57 to be bolted to a flat surface. A tripod and simple pole roof mount designs were available to purchase with the E57, and it could also be mounted to a tall steel pole. The flanges on the sides of the motor that connect it to the base of the siren were made straight on the E57, compared to the L52 where they were curved.

The E57 was officially put into production in 1960 after being finalized in 1957, with the 1st units going up sometime in 1959.


The E57 was formally discontinued in 1992 after the end of the Cold War. After Germany's civil defense division was abolished, the ownership of these sirens turned to the municipalities of which they were installed in.

WIP

References