Improvements in Electric Bells and Indicators.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1850
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Bells and Indicators.
I, EDWARD THOMAS FIFORD, of The Electric Bell Works, Northam Road, in the
town and county of Southampton, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect the combination of an indicator with an
electric bell in a simple and reliable manner. The indicator which I employ consists
of a pendulum, suspended in front of the bell from a stud or bracket. A small soft
iron armature is fixed on the pendulum rod opposite the pole of an electro magnet
attached to the bell frame. When a current is sent through the bell coils, it also
passes through the coil of the aforesaid electro magnet, and attracts the pendulum; as
soon as the bell stops ringing the pendulum is released and swings, indicating that the
bell has rung.
In the ordinary electric bell indicators, a number of indicators are placed in a case,
all connected to a single bell, but in my system, I place a series of bells in a case, each
provided with my improved indicator, and I make the bells of different sizes and tones,
so that if the attendant is not near the bells, he can tell which has been rung by means
of the sound.
Dated thin 1–1
T
1000
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Bells and Indicators.
I, EDWARD THOMAS FIFORD, of The Electric Bell Works, Northam Road, in the
town and county of Southampton, Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to effect the combination of an indicator with an
electric bell, in a simple and reliable manner. The indicator which I employ
consists of a pendulum, suspended in front of the bell, from a stud, bracket, or other
convenient place of attachment. A small soft iron armature is fixed on the pendulum
rod opposite the pole of an electro-magnet attached to the bell frame. When a current
is sent through the bell coils, it also passes through the coil of the aforesaid electro-
magnet and attracts the pendulum; as soon as the bell stops ringing, the pendulum is
released and swings, indicating that the bell has rung.
In the ordinary electric bell indicators, a number of indicators are placed in a case
all connected to a single bell, but in my system, I place a series of bells in a case, each
provided with my improved indicator, and I make the bells of different sizes and tones,
so that if the attendant is not near the bells, he can tell which has been rung by means
of the sound.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Fig. 1 is a front, and Fig. 2 a side elevation
of an electric bell and indicator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3
is a front elevation of a set of similar bells, and indicators arranged in a case.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
In Figs. 1 and 2, A is the framing of the bell, carrying two electro-magnets, B, B1,
for ringing the bell C in the usual manner. A' is a prolongation of the frame A, carrying
an additional electro-magnet D, and a pendulum indicator is hung from any convenient
place of attachment; which may be an extension of the bell frame, in front of the said
electro-magnet D. This indicator consists a of wire, or rod E, hung by a thin spring F,

page_text: ,
and has a small soft iron armature H attached to it, opposite the pole of the electro-
magnet D. The said electro-magnet is included in the circuit of the bell coils B B¹,
so that when the bell is rung, the armature H is attracted and the indicator drawn to
one side, but when the circuit is broken and the bell stops. ringing, the armature H is
released and the pendulum swings for some time, indicating that the hell has rung.
A disc J, or other suitable device, is attached to the end of the pendulum to make
its motion more apparent.
In Fig. 3 a set of four bells is shown enclosed in a case and each fitted with
my pendulum indicator as above described. Each of the discs J may be furnished
with a number, or otherwise marked to signify the room, or other place, to which
each bell belongs, and in addition to this the bells C, C1, C2, C3, are of different
sizes, giving different tones, so that the attendant, if not near the hell case, can
tell which bell has rung by the sound. The front of the case is closed with a
glass, or other suitable lid K, having apertures, through which the motion of the
discs Jis visible. One half of the lid is shown closed, and the remainder broken
away. The indicators may be hung from the top of the case, as shown, or from
extensions of the bell frames.
Although I have shown four bells arranged in a case, 1 may employ a greater
or less number as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with an electric bell of an additional electro-magnet D and
a pendulum indicator E, operated by the said electro-magnet, substantially as
herein set forth.
2. The combination of a series of electric bells, each fitted with additional
electro-magnets and pendulum indicators, as set forth in the preceding claim, and
having bells cf different sizes and tones, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth..
3. A combined electric bell and indicator, constructed substantially as herein
described and shown with reference to Figs. 1, and 2, of the accompanying
drawings.
4. A series of combined electric bells and indicators, constructed substantially
as herein described and shown with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this
ML 1000
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.