Improvements relating to Letter Boxes, Door Knockers, and Bells.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Letter Boxes, Door Knockers, and Bells.
We, CHARLES FREDERICK CLARK, of the firm of T. and C. Clark and
Company, of Shakespeare Foundry, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Iron Founders, and HENRY LUCAS, of 25 Saint Mark's Road, Wolverhampton,
aforesaid, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention, as it relates in part to letter boxes and in part to bells, consists in
a combination of bell mechanism with a letter-box flap (or part used for the purpose
in lieu thereof) by means of which when the flap is pushed in, in inserting a letter
or packet into the letter box, the bell is sounded and notice thereby given that
something has been inserted into the box.
A convenient application of this part of the invention consists of a vertical 'bar
carried in a suitable guide fixed to the inside of the door or other part through
which the letter slit is formed, of a projection at the back of the flap which as the
flap is pushed in lifts the vertical bar, of a bell carried on the end of a horizontal
bracket fixed to the door or other part through which the letter slit is formed, of a
hammer pivoted to and suspended from such bracket and having an arm projecting
towards the vertical bar aforesaid, and of a tumbler arm or catch pivoted to the
vertical bar in position to catch the arm of the hammer as the vertical bar is raised.
As the flap is pushed in, and the vertical bar thereby raised, the tumbler arm
raises the arm of the hammer. The tumbler arm and arm of the hammer are of
such length only that, when the vertical bar has been raised a portion of its stroke,
the tumbler arm passes out of contact with the hammer arm and allows the hammer
to fall and strike the bell; and the tumbler arm is shaped with a shoulder on its
lower side which retains it in its proper position for lifting the hammer arm, and as
the vertical bar descends from its highest point the tumbler arm is turned on its
pivot by coming in contact with the hammer arm and then passes the end of the
hammer arm, and falls when below it back into its original position ready for lifting
the hammer arm again on the next upward stroke of the bar. It is preferred to
curve the end of the vertical bar and the surface of the projection at the back of
the flap upon which the same bears, to give an easy action as the flap is pushed in;
and it is preferred also that the hammer arm shall come in contact, after being
raised a short distance by the tumbler arm, with a spring against the pressure of
which it will be further raised, and the reaction of which will cause the hammer to
strike the bell with greater force, immediately the tumbler arm passes out of contact
with the hammer arm, than would otherwise be the case.
This invention, as it relates in part to knockers and further to bells, comprises an
improvement on what is known as a "knocker bell," that is to say, a combination
of knocker and bell arranged so that when the knocker is used the bell is thereby
automatically struck. These combined knockers and bells have usually been
arranged so that the bell projects from the middle of the inside of the door at about
the level of the bottom of the knocker, which is an inconvenient position for such
a projection; and the object of this part of the invention is the adoption of means
for conveying the effect of the impact of the knocker on the end of the rod which,
in such appliances, usually passes through the door, to a bell fixed at any desired
height above such rod, or in any desired position to one side thereof, thereby
permitting the bell to be fixed at any desired height or in any desired position
sideways on the door. According to this part of the invention, a lever is pivoted
at the back of the door, one end of which is fixed to or carries the bar which passes
through the door and receives the impact of the knocker, and the other end is

page_text: immediately in front of a stem or arm, or corresponding part, which as it is pressed
in causes the hammer to strike. Such stem or arm is pressed in by one end of the
lever as the other end is moved back by the impact of the knocker.
The last described application or combination is specially useful as admitting of
a combination of letter box, knocker, and bell, which forms a further feature of this
invention according to which the knocker by means of which the bell is struck is
used as a vertical letter-box flap, or in other manner which necessitates it being
lifted to allow a letter or packet to be inserted into the letter box, and the lever by
means of which the impact of the knocker is conveyed to the bell hammer either
passes, if horizontal, immediately below the letter-box slit, or if vertical is cranked
to pass up on one side of such slit. The falling of the knocker will cause the bell
to sound.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1892.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Letter Boxes, Door Knockers, and Bells.
We, CHARLES FREDERICK CLARK, of the firm of T. and C. Clark and
Company, of Shakespeare Foundry, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Iron Founders, and HENRY LUCAS, of 25 Saint Mark's Road, Wolverhampton,
aforesaid, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention, as it relates in part to letter boxes and in part to bells, consists
in a combination of bell mechanism with a letter-box flap (or part used, for the
purpose of this part of the invention, in lieu thereof) by means of which when the
flap is pushed in, in or for the purpose of inserting a letter or packet into the letter
box, the bell is sounded and notice thereby given that something has been or is
being inserted into the box.
.
A convenient application of this part of the invention is illustrated by the
drawings on Sheet I herewith, of which
Figure 1 represents, in vertical section, a combination of parts by means of
which the inward movement of the letter box flap causes the striking of a
bell; and
Figure 2 is a section taken on line of Figure 1.
A vertical bar A is carried in a suitable guide B fixed to the inside of the door
or other part through which the letter slip is formed. The letter flap C has a
projection e formed at the back thereof, and the lower end of the vertical bar A is
cranked in at the bottom so that its extreme end d comes into position over the
projection e in order that as the flap is pushed inwards the vertical bar A will be
raised by means of the projection c. The working face e of this projection is,
preferably, formed to a curved shape, as shewn, to give an easy action as it rub's
under the end d of the bar A; and, to reduce the friction to a minimum, the end of
the bar may be fitted with an anti-friction roller, if desired. A pivoted finger or arm,
which must necessarily be pushed in in or for the purpose of inserting a letter or
packet into the letter box, may be employed, if desired, in lieu of the hinged flap C
for use in lifting the bar A. The bell D, which is shewn by broken lines so as not
to obscure other portions of the apparatus, is mounted on the end of a bracket E
which is conveniently formed with a forked inner end of which the sides ff are
fixed to the door, or other part to which the apparatus is applied, on each side,
respectively, of the guide B. The hammer F is pivoted at j to and suspended from
the bracket E, and the upper end of the hammer is formed with an arm g which
projects backwards from the pivot centre towards the vertical bar A. A tumbler
arm or catch G is pivoted at k to the vertical bar A, in position to catch the arm g
]

page_text: of the hammer as the vertical bar is raised. As the flap C is pushed in, and the
vertical bar A thereby raised, the tumbler arm raises the arm g of the hammer;
and the tumbler arm G and arm g of the hammer are, respectively, of such length
only that, when the vertical bar A has been raised a portion of its stroke, the
tumbler arm G passes up out of contact with the arm g and allows the hammer to
fall and strike the bell; and the tumbler arm G is shaped with a shoulder / on its
Jower side which bears against the front of the bar A, and the tumbler arm is thus
retained, during the upward stroke of the bar A, in proper position for lifting the
arm g of the hammer. When the flap is allowed to fall back, the bar A descends
by its own gravity, and as it does so from its highest point the tumbler arm G is
turned upwards on its pivot centre by coming in contact with the upper side of the
arm g; and the tumbler arm is of a less dimension from its pivot centre to the
point of its shoulder than from the pivot centre to its outer or forward end, and
thus when such tumbler arm is turned during the descent of the bar A it passes the
end of the arm g; and it falls, when below the arm g, into its original position
ready for lifting the arm again on the next upward stroke of the bar A. It is
preferred to fix a spring H to the bracket E with its free end over the arm g near
to the hinder or projecting end thereof and clear slightly above it when the arm g
is in its normal position, so that the arm g will come in contact, after being raised a
short distance by the tumbler arm G, with such spring against the pressure of
which it will be further raised as the bar A continues to rise, and the reaction of
which will cause the hammer to strike the bell with greater force, immediately the
tumbler arm G passes up out of contact with the arm g, than would otherwise be
the case.
This invention, as it relates in part to knockers and further to bells, comprises
an improvement on what is known as a "knocker bell," that is to say, a combination
of knocker and bell arranged so that when the knocker is used the bell is thereby
automatically struck or sounded. These combined knockers and bells have usually
been arranged so that the bell projects from the middle of the inside of the door at
about the level of the bottom of the knocker, which is frequently an inconvenient
position for such a projection; and the object of this part of the invention is the
adoption of means for conveying the effect of the impact of the knocker on the end
of the rod or pin which, in such appliances, usually passes through the door, to a
bell fixed at any desired height above such rod or pin, or in any desired position to
one side thereof, thereby permitting the bell to be fixed at any desired height or in
any desired position sideways on the door. According to this part of the invention,
a lever is pivoted at the back of the door, one end of which is against the rod
or pin which passes through the door and receives the impact of the knocker, and
the other end is in front of the stem or arm, or corresponding part, which as it is
pressed suddenly in causes the hammer to strike. Such stem or arm is pressed
suddenly in by one end of the lever as the other end is moved back by the impact
of the knocker.
The last described application or combination is specially useful as admitting of
a combination of letter box, knocker and bell, which forms a further feature of this
invention, and such a combination is illustrated by the drawings on Sheet. 2
herewith, of which
Figure 3 is a vertical section through the combination, and Figure 4 an elevation
of the parts thereof which are seen looking towards the inner face of the door (or
it may be other part) to which the combination is applied. These views serve to
illustrate, also, the combination of knocker and bell described in the last preceding
paragraph, as such combination is included in the combination of letter box,
knocker and bell illustrated by such views.
J is a knocker which, in the combination shewn, is pivoted to form a flap to the
vertical letter box slit K, though for the special purpose for which it is used in such
combination it may be employed in any manner which necessitates its being raised
for the insertion of a letter or packet through the letter slit. When the knocker
is dropped, or is struck downwards, the lower end thereof comes in contact with the
3

page_text: projecting end of a pin m which passes through the thickness of the door.
This pin is enlarged in diameter for a portion of the length of it which is between
the knocker plate n fixed to the front of the door and a back plate or frame o fixed
to the back of the door, so that while such pin can be moved the necessary distance
endways it cannot be pulled out. At the back of the door is a lever L pivoted
at p. In the arrangement shewn this lever is vertical, as the bell M (which
is shewn by broken lines only, for convenience of illustration) is placed above the
letter box; but, if it is desired to place the bell at one side of the letter box the
lever may be carried horizontally, or in an inclined direction, across the door; an
important feature of this part of the invention being the facility it affords of placing
the bell clear of the letter box notwithstanding the utilization of the letter flap
as the knocker which is used in striking the bell. The letter box itself is omitted
for convenience of illustration, as the position of the slit K will indicate the
position of the box. The end 7 of the lever L is immediately opposite the inner
end of the pin m, and the lever is normally pressed by means of a spring N, so that
its end y presses against the inner end of the pin m, and forces the outer end thereof
to project a short distance beyond the face of the plate n and to hold out the lower
end of the knocker J slightly away from such plate. The upper end of the
lever 1. comes immediately in front of a stem (or arm, or corresponding part) which
as it is pressed in suddenly causes the hammer to strike. Such stem (or arm,
or corresponding part) is pressed in suddenly by the upper end of the lever
as the other end is moved back by the impact of the knocker operating through
the pin m. A convenient method of utilizing the movement of the upper
or outer end of the lever L to cause the hammer to strike consists, as shewn, of a
stem or pins which is guided through the end of the bell bracket O, and of which
the inner end is immediately in front of a downward arm pivoted at u, from the
lower end of which arm & the hammer shaft v projects in a curved direction. The
upper or outer end of the lever L is curved out to pass around the lower side of the
bell, and terminates just opposite to the outer end of the stem s, and thus the stem is
struck inwards by the movement of the upper or outer end of the lever L as the
lower or inner end of such lever is struck in by the impact of the knocker
transmitted through the pin m, and this impact is imparted to the arm t and
consequently to the hammer which strikes the bell and then falls back again.
When a vertical lever L is used, in combination with a door knocker which passes
in front of a letter slit and of which the impact is transmitted to a bell through
the medium of a pin passing through the door or other part to which the knocker
is applied in position vertically underneath the letter slit, such lever is cranked
out, as shewn by Figure 4, so as to pass first along a portion of the bottom of
the slit and then up the side thereof, and thus be clear of letters or packets which
are pushed through the slit. The letter slit may be horizontal, in which case the
knocker may simply pass down across the middle of it, or there may be a flap hinged
to open outwardly and to act as the knocker by striking the end of the pin m as it
falls or is struck down.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the application of the invention in the case of a knocker
bell used in combination with a letter box slit, but it will be obvious that the
method of imparting the impact of the knocker to the bell hammer through the
medium of a pivoted lever may be employed also when the knocker is not used for
a letter box, whereby in such case also the bell may be placed at any height up
the door, or in any position towards or near the side thereof, as may be desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination, with a letter box flap or other part which must be moved in
or before inserting a letter or packet through the letter slit, of a bell, and of
mechanism through the medium of which such movement of the flap or other part
is made to strike or sound the bell, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. The means whereby the insertion of a letter or packet through a letter slit is
indicated by the sounding of a bell, substantially as described and shewn by the
drawings on Sheet 1 herewith.
3. In apparatus in which a bell is sounded on the movement of a letter flap or
other part which must be moved in or before inserting a letter or packet through
a letter slit, the combination of a bar carrying a catch or short arm which engages,.
as such bar is moved by the flap or other part, with an arm through the medium of
which the hammer is raised for striking, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus in which a bell is sounded on the movement of a letter flap or
other part which must be moved in or before inserting a letter or packet through
a letter slit, the combination of a vertical bar carrying a pivoted tumbler or catch,
with an arm through the medium of which the hammer is raised for striking,
substantially as described.
5. A knocker bell in which the impact of the knocker is imparted to the
hammer through the medium of a pivoted lever, substantially as described, for the
purpose set forth.
6. A knocker adapted also as a letter flap (or a letter flap used also as a knocker,
as described), or otherwise used so that it must be raised for the insertion of a letter
or packet through the letter slit, in combination with means whereby the impact
of the knocker is utilised in striking or sounding a bell, substantially as described.
7. A combined knocker (or letter flap used also as a knocker, as described)
and bell, of which the knocker passes in front of a letter slit, and of which the
impact is transmitted to the bell through the medium of a pin passing through
the door or other part to which the knocker is applied, in position vertically
underneath the letter slit, and of a pivoted lever which is shaped to pass partially
along the underside of the letter slit and up the side thereof, substantially as
described, for the purpose set forth.
8. The combination of parts or apparatus including a knocker and bell, of which
the knocker is adapted also as a letter flap (or in which the knocker may be other-
wise used so that it must be raised for the insertion of a letter or packet through
the letter slit), operating substantially as described and shewn by the drawings on
Sheet 2 herewith; and also the modification thereof, substantially as described, in
which the letter slit may be horizontal with the knocker crossing it or with an.
outwardly opening flap which may be used as a knocker to strike the pin m.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1892.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.