Improvements in Bicycle Bells.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1898-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
Improvements in Bicycle Bells.
I, EDWARD DAYTON ROCKWELL, of Bristol, in the County of Hartford and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturei, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same 1s. to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement.-
My invention relates to bicycle-bells, and the object of my invention is to
provide a bicycle-bell with means whereby the thumb lever or push button used
for operating the mechanism may have its position with respect to the clamp
changed as may be desired to accommodate the bell to varying conditions of use
in attachment to different parts
To this end my invention consists in the device as a whole, in the combination
of parts, and in the details and then combination, as hereinafter described and
more particularly pointed out in the claims
Refering to the drawings,-
Figure is a view in side elevation of a bicycle bell embodying my invention
Figure 2 is a detail top or plan view of the same with the gong removed and
showing in dotted outline the thumb lever and paits in changed position
Figure 3 18 a detail view in cential vertical section through the base piece
and clamp with the striking mechanism and gong removed
Figure is a detail view showing the gong post, the thimble and one section
of the clamp separated
Figure is a detail end view of the parts shown in Fig 4.
In the accompanying drawings the letter denotes the clamp as a whole, the
bell base, the thumb lever and d the gong of a bicycle bell The clamp, as to
its clamping features, may be of any desned construction, a form in common
use at the present time having been selected for the purpose of illustrating
here my improvement This clamp has a clamp base through which is a
hole el In the preferred form of the invention this hole has tapering walls,
as shown in the drawings, being smaller at the end next to the bell base than
at the opposite end
A thimble is formed, as to its outer surface, to fit the hole e' at or near its
une end, and by inner end" I mean that end next to the bell base, this fit
being such as to allow free turning movement of the thimble within the hole
in the base The end wall f¹ of this thimble has an opening f2 of such shape
in cross section as to prevent a post 9 from turning theiem, the opening, in the
form shown being oblong The thimble when secured in place forms what may
be termed a hub for the bell base The post extends through the bell base
and is secured in the opening, preferably as by means of 11veting. The
opening in the bell base is made to conform to the shape of the end of the post,
and that part of the post extending through the bell base and clamp base is
reduced, as shown in the drawings This means of securing the post in position
Is the ordinary means now employed in bells of this class
A set-screw h extends through the wall of the clamp base e, its end seating
'

page_text: against the outer surface of the thimble. The end of this set-screw is preferably
tapered, such form having special advantages when used in connection with a
thimble having tapered or flaring sides in that the clamp base and bell base are
diawn tightly together as the set-screw is turned to place
The thimble and hole through the clamp-base are shown and described herei
as tapered, such forms having special advantages in that the parts are thus
secured against separation, but it is to be understood that such torms are not
necessarily essential to the invention heicin.
Bell striking mechanism of any desued form may be used in connection with
the device, mechanism employing a thumb lever, push button or like operating
means, however, having special advantages when used in connection with my
improvement
Although a set-sciew operated by a screw-duver is shown herein as a ready
means for adjusting the bell base at the same time and with the same tool as
18 employed to secure the clamp, it is to be understood that such means for
clamping the clamp base to the thimble are not essential to the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim 15;
1. In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp, a bell base, a hub on one of said
parts adapted to be located in an opening in the opposite part, means for
clamping the hub against movement in the opening, bell striking mechanism
with means for operating the same, and a gong supported in operative relation
to the bell striking mechanism
2. In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp having a clamp base with an
opening therein, a bell base having a hub adapted to be located in said opening,
means for clamping the hub against movement in the opening, bell striking
mechanism with means for operating the same, and a gong supported in operative
relation to the bell stuking mechanism
3 In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp, a bell base, a tapered hub on
one of said parts adapted to be located in a tapered opening in the opposite part,
means for clamping the hub against movement in the opening, bell striking
mechanism with means for operating the same, and a gong supported in operative
relation to the bell striking mechanism.
4. In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp having a clamp base with a
tapered opening therein, a bell base having a hub adapted to fit within said open-
ing, means for clamping the hub against movement therein, bell striking
mechanism with means for operating the same, and a gong supported in oper-
ative relation to the bell striking mechanism
5 In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp, a bell base, a tapered hub on
one of said parts adapted to be located in a tapered opening in the opposite
part, a set-screw seating against the hub, bell striking mechanism with means
for operating the same, and a gong supported in operative relation to the bell
striking mechanism
6 In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp having an opening, a bell base,
a thimble secured to the bell base and fitting the opening in the clamp, means
for clamping the thimble against movement in said opening, bell striking
mechanism with means for operating the same, and a gong supported in oper-
ative relation to the bell striking mechanism
7 In combination in a bicycle bell, a clamp having a tapered opening, a bell
base, a tapered thimble secured to the bell base and fitting the opening in the
clamp, means for clamping the thimble against movement in said opening, bell
striking mechanism with means for operating the same, and a gong supported in
operative relation to the bell striking mechanism.
8. In a bicycle bell, in combination, a clamp having an opening, a bell base,
a thimble fitting the opening in the clamp, a gong post extending through the

page_text: bell base and thimble and securing them together, means for clamping the
thimble against movement in said opening, bell striking mechanism with means
for operating the same, and a gong supported in operative relation to the bell
striking mechanism.
Dated Bristol, Conn, December 20th 1898
EDWARD DAYTON ROCKWELL.