The sound generating technology that created the original Victory Siren was developed at Bell Telephone Laboratories during World War II under the leadership of Dr. Harvey Fletcher.  A prototype high-performance siren was built by Bell Labs to demonstrate the concept, it was given the nickname, Big Bertha. 

The experimental siren built by Bell Labs used an American Locomotive Co. compressor driven by a 95 HP Ford engine. A second 20 HP Wisconsin engine was used to drive the chopper rotor.

Bell never made a production model of Big Bertha.  However, on February 25, 1942, the Office of Civil Defense brought Bell and Chrysler Division together in Washington, DC.  The result would be the first of three production model air raid sirens built by Chrysler between 1942 and 1957.  The first sirens would be known as Chrysler-Bell Victory Sirens. 

On August 20, 1942, a patent application was filed with the United States Patent Office (Serial No. 455,522), titled, Siren.  The inventors were Robert C. Jones, Summit, NJ; Horace T. O'Neil, San Diego, CA; and, Edward C. Wente, Summit, NJ.  The application was assigned to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, NY.  The application made 19 claims and was accompanied by two drawing sheets that contained four figures. 

On August 1, 1944, patent number 2,354,684 was issued for the siren. 

[ Photographs of "Big Bertha" ]

[ Patent Drawings ]

[ Patent 2,354,684 ]