IMPROVEMENTS IN CALL BELLS, DOOR BELLS, AND OTHER BELLS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Bennett, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CALL
BELLS, DOOR BELLS, AND OTHER BELLS."
Sealed the 30th November 1877, and dated the 22nd June 1877.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Bennett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd June 1877..
ALFRED BENNETT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN CALL BELLS, DOOR BELLS, AND OTHER BELLS."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein-after described.
of the parts of the striking. mechanism of call bells, door bells, and other bells,
whereby a repeating action is obtained in the bell, that is, the bell is struck several
times in succession when it is operated upon by the hand, or by a lever or other
actuating mechanism.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a call bell. I support the bell upon
the upper end of a tube, the lower end of the said tube being connected to the foot
or stand of the bell. Around this supporting tube a second tube is situated, the
said second tube being capable of rotation upon the first-named tube. The ends of
second or outer tube work against collars fixed on the internal tube supporting the
bell. In the second or outer tube a helical or screw-like slot is made, the said slot
resembling a very quick threaded screw. On the said outer tube and near the upper
end thereof a horizontal arm is fixed, having at its outer end a swivelled or jointed
hammer or clapper. I will herein-after called this second or outer helically-slotted
tube the hammer tube. Within the central supporting tube is a push rod, having
upon its upper end and external to the bell a head or knob as usual, the return or
upward motion of the said push rod being effected by a coiled spring. On the said
push rod is a pin or stud which engages in the helical slot in the hammer tube.
I use, in combination with the striking mechanism described, two projections or
lugs, situated at opposite points on the inside of the hell and near the bottom edge
thereof.

page_text: When the push rod is pressed down by the hand or finger, the pin or stud on it,
by working in the helical slot in the hammer tube, gives rotation to the said hammer
tube, and the swivelled or jointed hammer on the said tube is thereby made to
strike three or more times the lugs or projections on the inside of the bell, and on
the push rod making its return or upward motion, by the action of its spring the
hammer tube is made to rotate in the opposite direction, and the hammer is again
made to strike several times the lugs or projections on the inside of the bell. The
repeating action of the bell is thus effected both on the advance or descending
motion of the push rod and on its return or ascending motion.
In applying the repeating striking mechanism of the call bell herein-before
described to door bells and other bells, I make such changes in details only as are
necessary to fit the bell for the particular purpose for which it is to be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
\TION
by the said Alfred Bennett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
December 1877.
ALFRED BENNETT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CALL BELLS, DOOR BELLS, AND OTHER BELLS."
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangements herein-after described
of the parts of the striking mechanism of call bells, door bells, and other bells,
whereby a repeating action is obtained in the bell, that is, the bell is struck several
times in succession when it is operated upon by the hand, or by a lever or other
actuating mechanism.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a call bell. I support the bell upon
the upper end of a tube, the lower end of the said tube being connected to the foot
or stand of the bell. Around the supporting tube a second tube is situated, the
'said second tube being capable of rotation upon the first-named tube. The ends of
the second or outer tube work against collars fixed on the internal tube supporting
the bell, or against a collar on the tube and the foot of the bell. In the second or
outer a helical or screw-like slot is made, the said slot resembling a very quick
threaded screw. On the said outer tube and near the upper end thereof a horizontal
.arm is fixed, having at its outer end a swivelled or jointed hammer or clapper. I
will herein-after call this second or outer helically slotted tube the hammer tube.
Within the central supporting tube is a push rod, having upon its upper end and
'external to the bell a head or knob, as usual, the return or upward motion of the
said push rod being effected by a coiled spring. On the said push rod is a pin or
stud which engages in a helical slot in the hammer tube.
. 1
I use, in combination with the striking mechanism described; two projections or
lugs situated at opposite points on the inside of the bell and near the bottom edge
thereof.
When the push rod is pressed down by the hand or finger the pin or stud on it,
by working in the helical slot in the hammer tube gives rotation to the said hammer
tube, and the swivelled or jointed hammer on the said tube is thereby made to
'strike three or more times the lugs or projections on the inside of the bell, and on
•

page_text: the push rod making its return or upward motion by the action of its spring the
haminer tube is made to rotate in the opposite direction, and the hammer is again
made to strike several times the lugs or projections on the inside of the bell. The
repeating action of the bell is thus effected both on the advance or descending
motion of the push rod and on its return or ascending motion.
In applying the repeating striking mechanism of the call bell, herein-before
described, to door bells and other bells, I make such changes in detail only as are
necessary to fit the bell for the particular purpose for which it is to be used.
I will now describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner
in which my Invention may be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent elevations, partly in section, of a call bell constructed
according to my Invention, the parts of the bell being represented in their normal
positions in Figure 1, and with the push rod in its lowest position in Figure 2.
Figures 3 and 4 represent vertical sections of the bell, the section, Figure 4, being
taken in a plane at right angles to that in which the section, Figure 3, is taken.
Figure 5 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of the same, taken on the line a, b,
Figure 3, looking towards the bell.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
c is the bell supported upon the inner tube d, the lower end of which tube dis
screwed, the screwed end taking into the foot or stand e3 of the bell, as best seen in
Figures 3 and 4. In the said inner tube d, a push rod e works the said push rod,
having a head or knob e on its upper end. The said push rod is supported upon,
and its return or upward motion effected by the coiled spring f (see Figure 4).
Near the bottom of the said push rod e is a pin or stud g, which works in the
longitudinal or straight slot h, in the inner fixed tube d. By means of the said slot
the push rod e, although capable of a rectilinear sliding inotion, is incapable of
rotating in the said tube d. Around the supporting fixed tube d is a second or
hammer tube i, the said hammer tube being capable of freely rotating upon the said
fixed tube d. The upper end of the hammer tube i works against the collar k on
the inner fixed tube d, and the lower end of the said hammer tube works in a seat
2 made in the summit of the foot or stand e³. In the hammer or outer tube i a
helical or screw-like slot m is made. In this helical or screw-like slot m the pin or
stud g on the push rod e engages. On the hammer tube i, and near the top thereof
a horizontal arm n is fixed, having at its outer end a swivelled or jointed hammer
or clapper p. At the inside, and near the bottom edge of the bell c, two projections
or lugs q, q, situated at opposite points, are made for the hammer to strike
against.
The action of the striking mechanism is as follows:-When the push rod e is
pressed down by the hand or finger acting on the lead e², the pin or stud g travels
in the longitudinal slot in the inner fixed tube d, and also in the helical or screw-
like slot m in the hammer or outer tube i. As the push rod e makes its descending
or forward motion the pin or study on it working in the helical slot m in the
haminer tube i, gives rotation to the said hammer tube, and the swivelled or jointed
hammer p carried by it is thereby made to strike several times in succession the
lugs or projections q, q, on the inside of the bell. On removing the pressure from
the head of the push rod e, the said push rod makes its back or upward motion by
the action of its spring f. The haminer tube i is thereby made to rotate in the
opposite direction, and the swivelled or jointed hammer p is again made to strike
several times in succession the lugs or projections q, q, on the inside of the bell. The
bell is thus made to have a repeating action both in the advance or descending
motion of the push rod, and also in its return or ascending motion. The manner
in which the swivelled or jointed hammer p, carried by the rotating tube i, turns on
its joint to pass the lugs or projections q, q, inside the bell, is indicated in dotted lines
in Figure 5.
The swivelled or jointed hammer of the striking mechanism of the call bell repre-
sented, is arranged to strike each of the lugs or projections q, q, twice, both in the
descending and ascending motions of the push rod e; but by altoring the pitch of

page_text: the helical groove or slot m, in the hammer tube i, the hammer 2 may be made to
strike each lug 7 more than twice, both in the descending and ascending motions of
the push rod e. Or a greater number of blows on the bell than described may be
given by increasing the number of lugs or projections q, q.
Figure 6 represents in section the repeating action of the call bell, already
described, applied to a double bell, the two bells being of different sizes. In this
arrangement a lug or projection 72, s, is made near the edge of each of the two bells
7, 8, and the swivelled or jointed hammer p has the form represented; that is, its
striking end is of different lengths in its upper and lower parts, marked respectively
22, 23, which parts of the jointed hammer, on the rotation of the arm n, respectively
strike the lugs or projections 2, 82. Instead of one lug on each of the bells r and s,
two or more lugs may be used on each bell. The action of the repeating parts of
the double bell, Figure 6, is the same as corresponding parts of the single bell, and
the same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
The arrangement described for giving rotation to the swivelled or jointed hammer
may be modified in the following manner:-
-In place of a long rotating tube i, with
a helical or screw-like slot in it for carrying the hammer, as described and repre-
sented, a screw nut, having a rotatory motion only, and working in bearings on the
inner supporting tube, may be used. In this case the sliding push rod c has at its
bottom a quick threaded screw, which works in a corresponding screw thread made
in the nut described, to which the jointed hammer is fixed. By the descending and
ascending rectilinear motions of the push rod, rotatory motions in opposite directions
are given to the screw or hollow nut and to the hammer carried by the said nut,
and the said hammer is made to strike in succession the lugs on the bell in the
manner described with respect to the call bells represented in the Drawings.
Figure 7 represents in front elevation, and Figure 8 in side clevation, partly in
section, a door, house, or other like bell, to which repeating mechanism constructed
according to my Invention is applied. Figure 9 represents details of parts of the
same, as herein-after described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 7, 8, and 9.
a is the bell supported on the pillar b, in the usual way; c, c, are the lugs or
projections on the bell for the jointed hammer d to strike against. The arm c, to
which the jointed hammer g is connected, is fixed to the short tube or collar f
capable of rotating freely on the bell pillar b. This tube or collar f carries a pinion
g, which gears with the teeth of the semicircular wheel or toothed sector h. By
means of the said toothed wheel or sector / gearing with the pinion g, a rotatory
motion may be given to the tube or collar fand to the jointed hammer d carried by
it, and the said haminer & be made to strike several times in succession the lugs or
projections c, c, on the inside of the bell a, as described with respect to the call bell.
The half toothed wheel or sector his worked by the pulling of the wire attached to
the arm, which wire may either be acted upon by a bell pull or by the motion of
a door.
The said arm i is jointed to the crank on the axis of the half wheel or
sector. When several bells are arranged side by side, each bell may be provided
with a pendulum l, connected to the crank , for indicating which bell has been
used.
The return motions of the several parts of the bell are effected by the coiled
spring m around the bell pillar b. One end of the coiled spring m is fixed to the
rotating hammer arm e, and the other end to the adjustable collar n, fitted on a
square or angular part p of the pillar b, as best seen in the separate views, Figure 9.
When the pinion and collar f, g, are rotated by the operation of the half wheel or
sector, the spring m is coiled upon the pillar b, and it is by the uncoiling of the
spring, when the bell arm i has come to the end of its advance stroke, that the
return motions of the jointed hammer d, e, collar f, pinion g; wheel h, and arm i are
effected. By changing the position of the collar n with respect to the square or
angular part 2 of the bell pillar b on which it is fixed, the coiled spring m may be
tightened or coiled more or less on the said pillar, and any required amount of
tension given to it. The required power for working the bell may thus be adjusted

page_text: with great nicety. The adjustable collar n is secured in its place by the fixing of
the bell a by the screw nut q.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention of
improvements in cail bells, door bells, and other bells,-
First. The construction and arrangements of the parts of call bells, herein-before
described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, both inclusive, of the accompanying
Drawings, whereby a repeating action is obtained in the bell; that is to say,
supporting the arm carrying the swivelled or jointed hammer upon a tube capable
of rotating freely upon a fixed tube in a vertical and rectilinear slot, in which fixed
tube a pin or stud on the push rod works, the said rotatory or hammer tube being
provided with a helical or screw-like slot, in which helical slot the pin or stud on
the push rod travels and gives rotation to the said tube and to the hammer carried
by it on the descending and ascending motions of the push rod, the parts of the
striking mechanism described being used in combination with two or more projections
on the inside of the bell or bells for the hammer to strike against, substantially as
described and illustrated. Also the modification described, in which a screw and
screw nut are used in place of the helically-slotted tube and the pin or stud on the
push rod working in the said helically-slotted tube.
Secondly. The construction and arrangement of the parts of door, house, and other
bells, herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 7,8, and 9 of the accompanying
Drawings, whereby a repeating action is obtained in the bell; that is to say, the
construction and combination of the rotating collar carrying the swivelled or jointed
hammer, the said collar working upon the bell pillar and having the back or return
motion given to it in the manner described, the said hammer collar being used in
combination with projections on the inside of the bell for the hammer to strike
against, substantially as described and illustrated; also the combination of parts for
working the rotating collar carrying the hammer, as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Bennett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
ALFRED BENNETT. (L.S.)