Improvements in Bells, for use on Bicycles, Doors, and various. other places.
Year: 1892

page_text: The decision of the Chief Examiner, acting on behalf of the Comptroller, of the
21st day of March 1895 allowed, under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act,
1883; an Amendment of this Specification.
Date of Application, 29th. Mar., 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1882
Is a
top plan view of my bell with the gong removed, showing the
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Bells, for use on Bicycles, Doors, and various.
other places.
EDWARD DAYTON ROCKWELL, a Citizen of the United States, residing at
Bristol, County of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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 produce a bicycle bell that is compact, simple,
strong, durable, and reliable, and a bell by which a sound, resembling that of an
electric bell, but of increased purity of tone, may be produced.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure is a top plan view of my bell with the gong removed, showing' the
spring in the contracted position.
Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the spring extended.
Figure 3 is a similar view, with parts of the mechanism removed.
Figure 4 is a central vertical section of my bell complete.
Figure 5 is a view of the inside of the gong detached.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of my bell."
Figure 7 is a view of the striker-head, with the strikers shown in cross section.
Figure 8 is a similar view, showing a modification of the means of securing the
strikers noiselessly to the striker head; in which a spring is employed around their.
pivot pins to press them down and keep them from rattling.
Figure 9 is a central vertical section of a modification of my bell mechanism
as applicable to a door, and shows the bell and knob escutcheon set in place
as in use.
Figure 10 is a top plan view of the bell mechanism of the same modification with
the gong and striker arm removed.
Referring to the first eight figures of the drawings, 1 indicates the base plate of
my bell, which may be provided with screw-threaded standards 2, and a split
collar 3, through which, by means of the nuts +, it may be secured to the handle
bar of a bicycle. The edges of this base plate are rounded so as to give the base.
a dish shape, and to impart beauty and symmetry to the bell, but its bottom
part is flat.
5 indicates a top plate that is carried upon the base plate by means of studs 6
which may be riveted to the base plate and to the top plate. The base plate and
top plate constitute the frame of the bell mechanism.
To one side, between the base plate and the top plate, is pivoted a lever 7 that
carries on one end a segmental gear 8, and on the other end a handle 9 that
projects outwardly through a slot 10 in the side of the base plate. 11 indicates a
07

page_text: lug projecting inwardly from the base plate, to which is secured at one end a
tensile spring that is fastened at the other end to the lever 7. 12 indicates a recess
in the plate to allow free movement of the spring.
The movement of the lever may be limited by suitable means, as for instance the
studs that connect the top-plate to the base plate. Upon the side of the base
plate, opposite the handle 9, is pivoted an arbor 13 that carries between the
base plate and the top plate a pinion 14, and on the outside of the top plate
a gear 15.
16 indicates a central stud that is screw-threaded on its end and is provided next
the top plate with a smooth bearing for the revolving striker-bar 17 that is adapted
to receive rotary motion from the gear 15 through the pinion 18 with which it
meshes. The form of the striker-bar is immaterial, a revoluble head adapted to
carry strikers being the essential characteristic.
Upon opposite ends of the striker bar are provided pins 19 that carry loosely
pivoted strikers 20, which are preferably of such shape as to be thrown by
centrifugal force against the side of a gong, and be whirled upon their pivots after
each stroke, so as to present each time a new striking face. In a bicycle bell,
especially, it is a desideratum to have the mechanism noiseless, so that the tone of
the bell may be pure and clear. For that reason I provide noiseless washers 21
between the working parts, which otherwise would produce a rattling sound.
These washers may be made of rubber, leather, fibre, or any suitable material.
Around the pivot pins of the strikers I provide a noiseless bearing piece 22, for
instance a section of rubber tubing, or the like, so that the strikers are absolutely
noiseless. In this manner I dispense with all disagreeable rattle or discordant
sound in the mechanism for operating the bell. Upon the screw-threaded end of
the stud 16, above a metallic washer 21, I screw the gong 24, which serves also to
hold the revolving striker-bar in place. This gong is preferably provided on one
side with a lug 25, against which the strikers impinge when the striker-bar is revolved,
producing thereby a clear musical tone. By this means also I am able to make the
gong large enough to be for all time out of reach of the strikers, even after their
pivotal apertures have become-as they will in use-enlarged by friction, and
thereby avoid liability of their touching the gong at more than one place and
interfering with its sounding properly.
The following explanation, in conjunction with the foregoing description, will
serve to explain the operation of my device.
Hand pressure upon the handle 9 will operate the lever 7, and through the train
of gearing impart several revolutious to the striker-bar. When the handle is
released the spring will retract the lever to its first position and cause the
striker-bar to revolve in the opposite direction. The revolution of the striker-
bar will thus produce two distinct sets of sounds, each resembling the ringing of
an electric bell.
The above described mechanism may be readily adapted to be used upon a
flat surface, as a door for instance, as illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the
drawings.
i
Referring to those figures, 26 indicates a section of a door, to the inside of
which may be fastened by screws 27 a base-plate 28 that carries on the arbor 29
in suitable bearings, a little to one side of its center, a main gear or cog wheel 30.
31 indicates an internal frame plate or top plate that is fastened securely to the
studs 32 projecting from the base plate. The base plate and frame plate so united
constitute as aforesaid the frame of the bell. The plate 31 is provided with one
bearing for the arbor 29. The outer end of the arbor 29 is provided with a square
opening 33, adapted to receive the squared shank of a knob 34 that is revolubly
secured within an escutcheon 25 by pins 36. The escutcheon may be secured by
screws in the ordinary way to the outside of the door, and the knob be thus,
held in fixed operative relations with the arbor, so that a turn in either direction of
the knob may cause the wheel 30 to revolve. But any other suitable means for
rotating the wheel '30 may be employed.

page_text: In the center of the base-plate, upon top of the frame plate, is fixed the
cylindrical stud 16 that carries, as above described, the revolving striker-bar 17
upon a pinion 18 fastened thereto. The striker-bar also carries strikers 26, as
above described. The pinion 18 is geared to the cog-wheel 30 by any suitable
gear, such for instance as the large gear 15, and pinion 14 borne respectively above
and below the frame plate by a common arbor 13 carried by suitable bearings in
the base plate and frame plate. The gong 21 is screwed upon the end of the
stud 16, as above described, and holds the parts in position.
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 a base plate and top plate secured thereto, of a
segmental gear and lever and pinion between the base-plate-and the top-plate,
a revoluble striker bar operatively connected with said pinion by a gearing-above
the top plate, whereby compact bell mechanism is secured, substantially as set
forth.
21. In a bell the combination with a striker, its pivot pin and supporting part, of
noiseless washers above and below the striker, and a noiseless bearing piece around
the pivot pin, substantially as set forth.
4. 2. In bell mechanism, the combination with a frame and gong, and lug upon the
gong, of a centrally pivoted pinion loosely mounted on a central post on the frame
and having au arm upon one side, strikers upon the arm, and mechanism comprising
a segmental gear lever and a train of wheels for communicating motion to it through
the pinion, substantially as set forth.
u
3. The combination with a base-plate, a revoluble striker-bar, spring-actuated
in one direction, a lever operatively connected therewith and adapted to rotate
the striker-bar in opposition to the force of the spring, and n gong, the said lever
actuating a train of wheels enclosed between the gong and base plate, for imparting
revolving motion to the centrally mounted striker, said lever being segmental, and having.
a toothed segment, pivoted at one side of the central pillar, the segment being upon
the opposite side for actuating the train of multiplying wheels, substantially as set.
forth.
Dated this 26th day of February 1892.
EDWARD DAYTON ROCKWELL.