# Persons Majestic Siren



## jd56 (Feb 4, 2013)

So on a compulsive bid I won this siren.
I had asked the seller if it worked and was told that it mounted on the forks and is wind powered.

After receiving it today I realized that it has a spring loaded mechanism on (or above) the mount bracket.
Not sure how it is to be installed so it has not been tested. There is an acorn nut on the backside that spins the internal impeller but when spun by hand I get no noise.

So does anyone have one of these?
If so can you tell me more about it?

My compulsion to but trinkets and accessories has gotten out of hand. I almost bought the recently posted airplane fender light but, decided to step away...not because I didnt want it but, I guess a self imposed addiction intervention.

But any info on this siren would be helpful.



 




,
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


----------



## fordmike65 (Feb 4, 2013)

You gotta get them going pretty good to sound. They are usually mounted on the front forks(though I've seen them on rear stays) so that when pulled with the missing chain, the "acorn" rubs the edge of the tire, causing it to spin & make a siren sound.


----------



## Freqman1 (Feb 4, 2013)

I have one mounted on my rat Phantom. It is not wind powered but powered by the tire. You are missing the chain used to pull it against the tire to make the sound. If I get home early enough I'll try to get a pic of mine. Generally these are mounted on the front fork although I have seen them on the rear. You mount it just so the 'acorn' (my description) on top isn't touching the tire. When you pull the chain it should pull the acorn into the tire which spins the siren. It actually gets pretty loud. A word of caution concerning tires though; I would not use this on vintage tires because it tends to eat a ridge around them if they are very dry and hard. V/r Shawn


----------



## GiovanniLiCalsi (Feb 4, 2013)

Here is your siren, operating in all of its glorious sound. :^)

I have the earlier version with the spring-loaded tension clamp.
It actually rolls on top of the tire with a longer roller pin.

http://youtu.be/QAa4I1H0Ras


----------



## jpromo (Feb 4, 2013)

Here's an earlier, prewar one I have mounted on my Rollfast. The truss rods were in the way up front so I put it on back. Yours will sit at an angle and roll along the round of the tire versus mine which goes on the flat. The original type of chain is still readily available in any lengths (I got mine at home depot). It's just a standard twisted link jack chain with a ring on the end to put a slipknot through. I just bought a package of keyrings for those and they do the job just fine.

Lots of fun.. and yes, loud!


----------



## GiovanniLiCalsi (Feb 4, 2013)

Looks very similar to my siren.


----------



## jd56 (Feb 4, 2013)

GiovanniLiCalsi said:


> Here is your siren, operating in all of its glorious sound. :^)
> 
> I have the earlier version with the spring-loaded tension clamp.
> It actually rolls on top of the tire with a longer roller pin.
> ...




Thanks everybody.....it is pretty cool to hear and see it in action.
Wonder how to determine the year on mine?
When was it manufactured and how many different versions were there?
How was it packaged and does anyone have pictures of the OG box or a display of the item?
Was this an item exclusive to a certain retailer?
Anybody have the printed instructions that I can copy for my display?


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Freqman1 (Feb 4, 2013)

These were made for quite a while--I would guess 40s -70s? I have an original box around somewhere. I think someone was trying to sell just a box on Ebay. I can't remember but the instructions may have been printed on the box but I'll have to look. V/r Shawn


----------



## fordmike65 (Feb 4, 2013)

I remember some one at the Long Beach swap meet had several NOS in the box for sale.


----------



## jd56 (Feb 4, 2013)

*Did some research and...*

So I decided to let my fingers do some walking on the internet ( Google / patents) on this Persons - Majestic siren and here is the patent.

Filed on 3/1945
patented on 1/1948

Got to love the internet

http://www.google.com/patents/US243...JGZqQG6sYHwDg#v=onepage&q=welch siren&f=false


----------



## greenephantom (Feb 4, 2013)

Yeah, these things are awesome.  Don't tell anyone else.

A friend sent me the youtube vid and then I went on a buying spree.

On my neighborhood rat bike I rigged one of these to a brake lever and cable.  Just tossed a clamp-on cable stop on the spring fork to route the cable, and used a pinchnut to affix cable to siren.  The brake lever allows easy use and finger-tip modulation so you can wind it up and make it wail high and low.  These things are loud, they will make you smile.  You're lucky you got a relatively complete one, most are missing a clamp or two.  Bolt it on, hook it up, go annoy the neighbors.

Cheers, Geoff


----------



## jd56 (Feb 4, 2013)

greenephantom said:


> Yeah, these things are awesome.  Don't tell anyone else.
> 
> A friend sent me the youtube vid and then I went on a buying spree.
> 
> ...




Geoff, can you show us how to improvised the chain to brake cable?

Just bought another one and this one has the chain (still no box). I keep forgetting about these listings I have bids on that I started a while back.....I checked my ebay bids and I'm good for the moment....no more surprise commitments. I hope:eek:


----------



## wrongway (Feb 5, 2013)

Love it!! Would it be legal, though.....ah, who cares!


----------



## jd56 (Feb 5, 2013)

I hope not!!!!!
How you doing Scott?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


----------



## greenephantom (Feb 6, 2013)

Currently have it un-hooked to re-build and take the slop out of the pivot, so no pics.  Just run a brake housing to a stopping bracket someplace and then run the cable though the little notch for the chain.  Snug the cable with a pinch-bolt.  There's got to be a smoother way, but that's what I did on the fly.
Cheers, Geoff


----------

