Improvements in Call-bells for use on Tables, Desks, or the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Call-bells for use on Tables, Desks, or the like.
I, ALBERT F. ROCKWELL, of Bristol, County of Hartford, and State of Connecticut,
one of the 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:
My improvement relates to that class of mechanical call bells made to imitate
electric bells in sound; and my invention consists of certain appliances by means of
which the bell may be rung by pressure either upon a button at the top of the device
or upon the bell itself.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my improvement,
Figure 1 is a vertical central section, showing ordinary alarm-bell gearing, and
showing the bell attached to the main spring arbor.
Fig. 2 is a top view of the mechanism, the bell being removed and the top plate
also being removed, but indicated in dotted lines.
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification by which the bell is
attached directly to the push-rod instead of to the main spring arbor.
Referring to the letters upon the drawings, A indicates the standard; B, the main
spring coiled within the standard; C, the hollow main spring-arbor extending
upward, so as to support the bell, and D ordinary gearing and escapement, by which
the bell-hammer E is made to strike in a clattering manner upon the bell when the
mechanism is set in operation.
F indicates a spring secured to the standard at one end G, and free at the opposite
end, where it normally rests in the path of the bell-hammer, so as to prevent its
movement. This spring is provided with an opening near its centre, through which
the main spring arbor extends.
H indicates a push-rod located within a longitudinal passage in the arbor and bent
at right angles at its lower end, so as to project slightly through a vertical slot I in
the arbor and bear against the top of the spring.
K indicates a knob or button secured to the upper end of the push-rod, as shown in
Fig. 1. Instead of this, if desired, the bell itself may be secured to the upper end of
the push-rod, as shown in Fig. 3.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:
.
The bell, for example, being secured to the main spring-arbor, as shown in Fig. 1,
the main spring can be wound up by turning the bell, and the push-rod will turn
freely with the icain spring-arbor. By pressing upon the button, as shown in Fig. 1,
the push-rod will depress the free end of the spring F, so as to release the hell
hammer, which will instantly be set to striking by the force of the main spring
operating through the gearing and escapement in the usual manner.
When pressure
is released from the button, the spring F will rise into the path of the bell hammer
and cause its striking to cease. Thus it will be seen that the striking of the bell with
a clattering sound will be continued as long as pressure upon the button is continued,
and no longer.
When the bell, as in Fig. 3, is secured to the push-rod, the operation is similar.

page_text: The bell being turned to wind up, the main spring will turn the push-rod, and that
will turn the main spring-arbor. In this case downward pressure upon the bell will
cause the ringing of the bell just as the downward pressure upon the button, as shown
in Fig. 1, will cause it to ring.
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 bell and bell-striking mechanism, of the main spring-arbor
extending up through the bell and provided with a longitudinal passage, a recipro-
cating push-rod within the longitudinal passage and projecting out at one side of it
through an opening, and a spring against which the lower end of the push-rod bears
to depress the same and release the bell-striking mechanism, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 27th 1
1000