Improvements in Door-bell Mechanism.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door-bell Mechanism.
I, ALBERT F. ROCKWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in
the County of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, United States of America,
Mechanic, 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 improvements is to provide for winding up the main spring of a
door bell by the operation of opening the door, and at the same time provide for
closing the door by a spring connected with the door casing at one end and with a
main spring winding lever at the other end.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my improvements with the bell
applied on the door-frame immediately over the door; but of course the bell might
be located in any desired position, as is usual, proper bell-wires and bell-cranks of
ordinary character being employed to connect the door with the bell.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of suitable door-hell mechanism of
ordinary character. adapted to be wound up by the movement of the lever upon
a pivot. In this figure the cap-plate is removed, so as to show the main spring
and gears.
Fig. 2 is another plan view of the mechanism, the main spring and gears being
removed, so as to show only the lower plate lever and pawl-and-ratchet imechanism
secured to the base.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing a door with my improvements applied, the
door being closed.
Fig. 4 is another perspective view, showing a portion of the door with my
improvements applied, the door being opened to illustrate the action of the springs,
one of which serves to wind up the main spring and the other to close the door.
Fig. 5 is a view of the top plate of the bell-ringing movement detached.
Referring to the letters upon the drawings, A indicates a base for supporting the
hell-ringing mechanism. This mechanism is of ordinary character, consisting of a
main spring B, secured to an arbor C, gearing, an escapement mechanism, and bell-
hammer 1.
a indicates the bottom plate, and b, Fig. 5, the top plate of the works.
E indicates a lever pivoted at F, and provided with a stop to engage normally
with the escapement mechanism and prevent its operation by the main spring. The
bell-hammer is arranged so that when the lever E is turned on its pivot it will
disengage the escapement mechanism and allow the hammer to strike the bell with a
clattering sound, as usual.
None of the mechanism thus far described is claimed to be novel in this case,
and any other suitable bell-ringing mechanism might be used with my present
improvements.
Hindicates a lever loosely secured to the main-spring arbor, and carrying the
spring-pawl I. This lover and pawl are adapted to turn the ratchet-wheel, which is
also secured to the main-spring arbor in a direction for winding up the main spring,
as is usual.
K indicates another spring-pawl, adapted to hold the ratchet-wheel after it is turned
for winding up the main spring.
O, is a coiled spring connected with the free end of the lever, H, and with a wire, P,
secured to any suitable fastening, Q, attached to the door, so that whenever the door
is opened the tendency will be to pull on the end of the lever, H, in a direction for
winding the main spring. When the main spring becomes fully wound, then the
spring, O, will yield without moving the lever, and its recoil will close the door.
D21

page_text: R, is another coiled spring, which should be of less strength than the spring, O, and
it is secured at one end to the lever, H, and at the other fastened to the door-frame
or to any other object to hold it. The office of this spring is to draw back the lever
after it has been turned on its pivot to wind the main spring. In doing this, this
spring also aids in closing the door by its recoil. S, in Figure 3, indicates a push-
button connected with the push-rod, T, and with bell-crank levers and wires, U, V,
for ringing the bell.
By means of the described mechanical devices I not only provide for automatically
winding up the main spring of a door-bell ringing mechanism whenever it is
unwound by the operation of opening the door, but I also provide that when the
main spring is fully wound the opening of the door will not be obstructed, and
furthermore I am enabled to restore the lever, H, to its position for commencing
winding by spring action and for closing the door, both when the lever, H, is
moved by recoil of a spring and when it remains in the position for beginning
winding after the main spring has been fully wound.
My improvements are adapted to be applied in all the various situations usual
in the construction of door-hells for buildings in which it may be desired to locate
the bell in various positions and at various distances from a door.
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 :-
The combination with a door, of a door-bell mechanism provided with a lever for
winding up the main spring of the door-bell mechanism, and two springs O, and R,
each connected to the lever, and a pull-wire P, connected to the door, whereby the
opening of the door will wind the main spring, and its closing will be caused by the
recoil of the springs, all the parts being arranged and operating substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 8th day of Avrouet A T 1800
D
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.