Improvements in Alarm Bells for Cycles and other Vehicles."
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Alarm Bells for Cycles and other Vehicles."
We, RICHARD LINS, Manufacturer of 13, Seydelstrasse, and WILHELM MAASKE,
Mechanic, of 31, Schwedterstrasse, both in Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
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:
This invention relates to alarm or signal bells for cycles and other vehicles, and its
object is to provide a bell or bells which can at the will of the rider or driver be put
into gear with the wheel or wheels of the vehicle and actuated automatically.
This invention consists in mounting bells upon a pivotted framework attached to
any suitable portion of the vehicle, the said framework having a spindle carrying the
clappers, this spindle has at its extremity a friction wheel which is put into gear by
the swivelling of the framework against the action of a spring, thus actuating the
bell or bells when desired.
The methods of carrying this invention into effect are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings as follows,-
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side elevation and plan of the arrangement with
double bells.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively side elevation and plan of the arrangement with a
single bell.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modification of the clapper mechanism.
The double bell arrangement as shown on Figure 1 and 2 of the drawings consists
of a framework g pivotted at r to a strap h which is attached by clamps to the frame-
work of the vehicle. The double bells B, B¹, are fixed upon a spindle S at the outer
extremity of the framework g which is suitably forked (as shown in the plan) to
embrace the bells and also to provide a space in which the clappers d, d, work. A
spindle Z is mounted a little to the rear of the bell upon the framework g, and
carries at its outer extremity a friction wheel A arranged in the same plane as one of
the vehicle wheels, while upon this spindle Z a lever c is keyed carrying swinging
clappers pivotted about the centres c², c¹ of the levers. Upon the pin about which
the framework gswivels a springm is coiled whose opposing extremities grip respectively
the framework g and the bracket h, and this spring m is so coiled that its torsion in
a normal condition keeps the friction wheel A off the vehicle wheel.
The operation of the hereinbefore described mechanism is as follows.-
In a normal position the friction wheel A is clear of the vehicle wheel, but when it
is desired to give the alarm the cord h¹ or other suitable connecting mechanism is
operated by the rider or driver and this swings the framework g down until the
friction wheel comes into contact with the road wheels. The rotation of the friction
wheel is preferably in the direction shown by the arrow and this rotation causes the
pendulum clappers d, d, to swing out and strike the bells B B¹ and thus giving the
alarm.
The modification shown in Figure 3 and 4 consists in arranging the alarm with a
single bell B upon a spindle S and instead of arranging a torsion spring upon the
pivotting spindle 7 of the framework g, a spring m is attached to the end of the

page_text: frame work (as clearly shown in Figure 3) and is also attached to the bottom of
the bracket h, so that when the bell is put into operation by the pulling of the frame-
work in an outward direction the spring m' is put into tension. The other
operations of this modification are the same as of that hereinbefore described, similar
letters denoting similar parts.
An additional feature of this invention is the provision of a small weight 6 at one
portion of the circumference of the friction wheel A, and in such a position relative
to the clappers that when the bell is out of operation this weight puts the friction
wheel in the position shown in the drawings and therefore causes the clappers to
stand clear or free from the bell.
An alternative arrangement for placing the clappers d d upon a lever c is shown
in Figure 5 where a disc is employed keyed upon the spindle Z so that any.numbers
of clappers may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is,
1. In alarm bells for cycles and other vehicles, the provision of a bell or bells upon
a pivotted framework, in combination with a spindle carrying the clappers also
placed upon the framework and having at its end a friction wheel which can be
moved against the driving wheels of the vehicle; as a means for automatically
operating the bell when the framework is rotated a sufficient distance to bring the
friction wheel into gear.
2. The alarm bells for cycles and other vehicles herein before described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
3. The alarm bells for cycles and other vehicles herein before described with
reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.
Dated this 8th. day of October 1897.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.