| has abstract
| - The firm S. H. Couch, often known as simply Couch, was a Quincy, Massachusetts, manufacturing company founded circa 1901 in Boston after the dissolution of Whitman & Couch, a partnership, and a second entity known as Couch & Seeley. S. H. Couch launched during and participated in the turn of the century Independent Telephone Movement which ensued after the expiration of the foundational Bell telephone patents in 1894. The company specialized in electrical devices including telephones, intercoms, and fire alarm systems. S. H. Couch had offices in Boston and in Chicago by 1907. S. H. Couch was re-organized and became a subsidiary of Couch Associates some time between 1926 and 1941. Couch Associates apparently was a financial holding company that served the founder, his spouse, and his adopted brother William Couch. According to an undated letter written by Mr. Samuel Couch, the assets of the original S. H. Couch company consisted of plant, machinery, inventories, cash in banks and on hand, accounts and notes receivables, and securities such as stocks and bonds of other companies. Mr. Couch noted the plant, machinery and tools, patents, and inventories were sold to the new S. H. Couch company for $240,000.00. Three individuals, Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Morrison, all attached to the new company, were to issue $210,000.00 of 6% preferred stock and $30,000.00 of common stock back to Couch Associates, Inc. The remaining assets of the old S. H. Couch were retained by Couch Associates. According to Mr. Couch's estate tax filings, he held preferred and common stock shares in Couch Associates to his death in 1954. Information on file in the United States Patent and Trademark Office sketches a quick history of the S. H. Couch company. Those records indicate the trademark "Couch" was first used in November 1903, but was registered only in 1948. In 1969, the trademark was transferred to ESB Corporation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Another transfer of the trademark, to a relocated S. H. Couch, now in Michigan, took place in 1978. The trademark and the associated transfers can be viewed here. Couch was well known for its fire alarm control units including the FABC-series and the advanced Fire-Voice high rise detection and evacuation signaling system, apartment building intercom/telephone systems, and Nurse Call intercom systems. The later history of S. H. Couch should be considered in light of developments across the American Fire Alarm and Signal industry generally, and modernization efforts in the Boston area in particular. A quick overview of this industry is available through several sources including the National Fire Protection Association's Guide to Fire Alarm and Signaling System Installation. Section I of the Pocket Guide notes the very first public fire alarm reporting system in the world, the Boston Fire Alarm Telegraph, went into service in April 1852. The Guide also highlights key transitions that affected the fire alarm industry such as smoke detectors beginning in 1960, visible signaling in the 1980s, and adoption of microprocessor and software technology. A more detailed look at the evolution of Boston's public fire alarm system, from 1859 to 1973, can be seen here courtesy of the Boston Sparks Association. Eventually, a fire alarm industry consolidation phase took place. Couch closed in 1985. Advanced Signal Corp., of Randolph, Massachusetts, purchased the remaining inventory and continued to support the line of products until 2003. Based on advertising and six other sources, there was a related corporate entity known as Couch Ordnance, Inc., located at 3 Arlington Street, North Quincy, MA, by 1958. In 1959, Couch Ordnance purchased a two story and basement building at 36 River Street, Dorchester, MA. One 1965 trade publication focused on leading American ultraminiature electronic component parts manufacturers cited Couch Ordnance and products in an annual review. Couch Ordnance advertising in 1966 indicated it was a subsidiary of S. H. Couch. S.H. Couch held Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code number 05587 issued by the Defense Logistics Agency in October, 1974. The CAGE code was active while the firm was in Michigan. Earlier, as a division of ESB, S. H. Couch held CAGE Code number 14740. (en)
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