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A Klaxon is a loud electric horn used for emergency situations. It was developed in the early 20th century and is still used today in military and Hollywood films. The horn amplifies noise and can be operated by hand or connected to batteries. It should only be used in emergency situations.
A Klaxon is a type of electric horn that makes a particularly loud and piercing sound. The word Klaxon is technically a trademark, although the word is used generically to describe any kind of loud, attention-grabbing whining noise, and the Klaxon company still makes alarm mechanisms, horns, and safety devices. The classic “ahooga” emitted by a Klaxon is familiar to submarine movie viewers and early 20th-century car fans, both of whom installed Klaxons as part of their emergency systems.
A Klaxon’s design includes a horn attached to a diaphragm with a small rivet in the center that is repeatedly struck by a wheel when the Klaxon is activated. The horn amplifies and directs noise, creating a concentrated sound field that can be heard over a considerable distance, especially if the horn is large. A motor drives the apparatus and it can be operated by hand or connected to batteries. Even a small Klaxon can be quite loud, and larger models can be deafening to someone in close proximity.
The original Klaxon was developed in the early 20th century, and the design was purchased by the New Jersey-based manufacturing company Lovell-McConnell in 1908. The company also came up with the name “Klaxon,” derived from the Greek klazo, to screech, and Klaxons appeared on cars and bikes that same year. Several militaries have adopted the Klaxon for use as an evacuation alarm and general alarm, and continue to be used for this purpose. The Klaxon is also used extensively in Hollywood films, particularly when a headquarters needs to be evacuated.
On the road, the Klaxon has largely been replaced with less aggressive-sounding horns, and drivers associate the noise with venerable cars. A traditional automotive-grade Klaxon could, however, be fitted to essentially any vehicle with an electric horn system, and some drivers add Klaxons to their modern vehicles for special occasions. In the military, the Klaxon is used extensively, and many large buildings include the sound of Klaxons in their evacuation procedures, as people associate the noise with urgency.
As a general rule, any type of horn should only be sounded in an emergency situation, to avoid confusion. Whether it’s a ship, car, or bicycle, a horn should be used to get the attention of someone who doesn’t seem to be concentrating, or to indicate that you should move out of the area immediately. Using a horn for frivolous purposes detracts from its value as a safety mechanism.
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