The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-06-19
THE TINKLING BELLS.
THE IMPORTANT DETAILS IN THEIR
CONSTRUCTION.

S0tN0
How the Metal Is Prepared and Poured.
To Polish Up the He'll for the DIg Front
DOor-Death of the Old Time Cow Dell
Being Tolled.
The use of small bells for so many differ
ent purposes has caused great increase in
the number of establishments devoted exclu-
sively TO their manufacture In these facto-
ries are employed hundreds of skilled work
men, with complete and modernized ma
chinery. Thousands of dollars are annually
expended experimenting and otherwise
advancing the art of improving the tone for
the use and pleasure of mankind
The bell of today is great Improvement
upon that made centuries ago. Even then,
crude as was its manufacture, it served well
itspurposes, for in its past history it is found
playing an important part in religious wor-
ship, in social joys and sorrows and historic
events.
The development has been slow; in form
there has been but little change, yet in manu-.
facture, toneand appliances great improves
ment has been made.
Old fashioned bells were made by hand,
and were fashioned out of brass, pewter, sill
yer or gold The art of casting was then
unknown. In these latter days the mode of
manufacture is completely changed. Bells
are no longer wrought out by hand, but are
cast IN molds. .
NOT SO SIMPLE AS IT LOOKS
In times past it took one man several days,
and perhaps weeks, to make bell. With
the facilities of the present hundreds are
made in one day, saving much timo and
labor.
To meet tho increasing demand for small
bells in various forms, large plants have been
built, which give employment to hundreds of
men and women. 1t Is said that the greater
portion Of these hands have been born into
and brought up In the business, a very help
full circumstance, Us both tho eye and ear
must be trained and attuned to readily detect
any flaw and to note the correct tone.
As simple as bell appears to one who care-
lossly looks at it, much care must be exercised
In its construction. A careless workman is
not allowed in bell factory. The success Of
the bell, from the reverberating furnace to
the polishing room, depends upon tho careful
attention given it by each of tho operators
through whose hands it passes
Every hell manufacturer, whether he casts
large or small bells, has his own pet formula
for their composition. In making the metal,
commonly called bell metal, nearly every
factory has its reverberatory furnace, its
smelling furnaces and its molding rooms. The
usual mode of making small bells Is by casting
lot of them at time in iron boxes called
TASKS.
In a reverberatory furnace is thrown waste
brass gathered from brass manufacturers all
kindsof copper, spelter brass, tin composition,
bits of iron, chips of composition from loco
motives, engines, and washings from the
skimmings OF brass foundres, which are all
melted together This mixture produces what
Is called ingot metal. This again is melted
and filtered while hot through charcoal in a
cupola furnace. 1t is then put into pot
lined with blue clay and placed over a hot
fire, which rcfines the metal, burning out en-
tirely oil the baser portions and leaving little
but copper.
After this the molten mass Is taken from
the fire, and given percentage of tin added
making, 1t is claimed, the best known bell
matter of copper and tin ever discovered.
he9astt erns- from Which the halls &c sa=
rlotis shapes, sizes and thickness are made orc
of wood, and duplicate patterns are after
wards made of brass or soft metal Tho du-
plicates are sent to the molder, who makes
his mold In two TASKS. These contain Al
bany sand, which has previously been
"soured" by the addition Of vinegar, mo-
lasses and water. From four to sixty bells,
according to size, can be cast In each flask
When the TASKS arc all ready, and have been
placed on the bench, red hot metal is poured
into the holes ut the top from largo ladle
which had previously been resting on the
charcoal fire This having been done, the
0nu ll..r.. .A.s al.
BELLS or MANY KINDS.
The bells on coming from tho mold are
rough and unsightly. Thereire two ways of
getting rid of this roughness and producing o
polished surface. The first Is applied to the
coarser grades which include common sleigh
bells which have been made OF the poorest
materials. The usual mode is to throw about
three bushels Of these bells, of all sizes, into
slowly revolving wooden cylinder containing
good supply of scrap leather. Here they
revolve one against the other for eight hours
At the end of that time they are taken out,
smooth and bright, with high polish The
second method Is to polish the finer grades,
which includes gongs and hand bells that arc
made out of new metal exclusively, upon
lathe that makes 0 900 revolutions per minute
After they have all received their polish
they are taken to the finishing room, where
tho tongues, handles, springs, clappers, fast
enings and other contrivances are all put in
place by especially adapted machinery. In
some manufactures the bells are plated with
gold, nickel OF silver In separate room by
the usual process,
Bells are also made of steel and glass
Those made of steel do not compare favor
ably In tone with those made OF bell metal.
Yet great many are made of cast steel In
used for Office bells. Those made OF glass are