IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARUM BELLS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Lees, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of
Lancaster, Watch Maker, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARUM
BELLS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Lees at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1882.
HENRY LEES of Ashton-under-Lyne in the County of Lancaster Watch-maker,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARUM BELLS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER
WHEELED VEHICLES."
My said Invention relates to the means employed for giving warning of the
approach or vicinity of a bicycle, tricycle or other wheeled vehicle and consists in
the first place of a bell provided with means for expeditiously throwing the clapper
or striker in and out of gear. The body of the bell is preferably of a cylindrical
form with straight sides, and at the upper part of the interior is provided or
formed with a socket or recess adapted to contain and fit the clapper. The clapper
is suspended from a chain or other means of attachment which passes down through
the centre of the socket or recess the outer end of the chain or attachment being
provided with an india-rubber ring or other suitable spring by which it is bitched
or hooked to a catch on the bell handle. The said handle lies at right angles to
the axis of the bell and is adapted to be fixed to the cross handle of a bicycle or
to any other suitable part of a vehicle so as to be easily reached by the rider
driver or person in charge. In the act of attaching the chain or equivalent appliance
by means of a hook or spring to the catch the clapper is drawn up into the cup-
like recess where it is held motionless by the elastic tension of the spring
attachment, but when the said chain and spring are released the vibration of the
vehicle causes the clapper to act on the sides of the bell so as to keep up a ceaseless
alarum which is only stopped by again attaching the chain suspender to the

page_text: catch as hereinbefore described. Various modes of attaching and releasing the
clapper suspender may be employed, for example a trigger action may be used.
According to another part of my invention an alarum bell is applied to the brake
mechanism and preferably to the brake handle of vehicles so that the application
of the brake and the sounding of the bell will take place simultaneously. The bell
is preferably placed immediately beneath the upper end of the brake lever where
it is grasped by the operator. The clapper or striker is actuated by a spindle or
pusher which passes through the centre of the handle on the brake lever and
terminates in a button which is acted upon by the thumb or finger of the operator
as he grasps the handle. Provision is thus made for simultaneously raising an 1
alarm and retarding and stopping the motion of the vehicle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Lees in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th July
8
1882.
HENRY LEES of Ashton-under-Lyne in the County of Lancaster, Watch Maker.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ALARUM BELLS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER
WHEELED VEHICLES."
My said Invention relates to the means employed for giving warning of the
approach or vicinity of a bicycle, tricycle or other wheeled vehicle and consists in
the first place of a bell provided with means for expeditiously throwing the clapper
or striker into and out of gear. The body of the bell is preferably of a cylindrical
form with straight sides, and at the upper part of the interior is provided or
formed with a socket or recess adapted to contain and fit the clapper. The clapper
is suspended from a chain or other means of attachment which passes down through
the centre of the socket or recess the outer end of the chain or attachment being
provided with an india-rubber ring or other suitable spring by means of which it
is hitched or hooked to a catch or stud on the bell handle. The said handle is
adapted to be fixed to the cross handle or steering bar of a bicycle or to any
other suitable part of a vehicle so as to be easily reached by the rider, driver or
person in charge.
Various modes of attaching and releasing the clapper suspender
may be employed for example a trigger action may be used.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached a sheet of
drawings to which I will refer in this place. Fig: 1 illustrates the formation of
my improved alarum and the application of the same to the centre of the cross-
handle or steering bar of a bicycle. Fig: 2 illustrates a modification in the form
of the bell handle or arm adapted for attachment to the round part of the cross-
handle or steering bar. In Fig: 1 the bell a is represented in section to show the
clapper and the interior of the bell. The said bell is secured to the arm b by
means of a hollow screw c. The head of this screw is recessed so as to form a cup
to receive the clapper & when it is drawn up out of action. The said clapper is
secured to one end of a short chain or other suitable means of attachment and to
the other end of this chain or attachment is secured an elastic ring e.
The arm b
is provided with a stud f upon which the ring e is looped when the ringing of
the bell is not required. In Fig: 1 the clapper is supposed to be in action but in
Fig 2 the elastic ring is looped on to the stud f whereby the clapper is drawn
into the cup in the hollow screw c the bell being then out of action. In Fig: 1
the arm b is formed to be secured by the screw or nut g which is ordinarily in the
centre of the cross-handle or steering bar of a bicycle. In Fig 2 the said arm is
formed to fit upon the round shaft of the said cross handle or steering bar and to
be secured by means of the screwed stud f. This pattern of arm is also suitable for
attachment to the brake shaft or other horizontal rod of a tricycle or other wheeled
vehicle. Figs 3, 4 and 5 which are plan views illustrate other modifications
which may be made in the forms of the arm b to enable the bell to be attached to
vertical or inclined rods or parts of vehicles. In Figs 3 and 4 the said arm is
suitably adapted for attachment to a bar of oval or flat_section as for example to
the brake lever of a tricycle or other wheeled vehicle. In Fig: 5 the said arm is
adapted to be secured to a round vertical rod as for example to the spindle of the
holding on handle of a tricycle. I do not confine myself to the precise formation
of the said arms nor to the method of attachment to the vehicles nor to the
indicated form of the bell so long as the central passage for the chain or for a cord
or equivalent appliance is retained. My provisional specification included first

page_text: •
and second parts but the second part of the same I have purposely excluded
herefrom and I therefore make no claim in respect of the same.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention
and methods of carrying the same into effect I would have it to be understood that
I claim-
First the bells and attachments substantially as and for the purposes set forth
and indicated herein before and in and by the accompanying drawings.
Secondly the bells provided with arins for attachment or parts of bicycles
or tricycles or wheeled vehicles and with central passages for the chain or
equivalent part from which the clapper is suspended substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Thirdly the straight sided bell for attachment to manumotive vehicles
substantially as described and indicated.
And lastly the bell provided with an arm for attachinent and with a clapper
which is connected by means of a chain or equivalent passing through the centre
of the attachment with an elastic ring by means of which the clapper can be drawn
into a cupped recess and thereby held out of action substantially as and for the
purpose set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Lees have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Thirteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-two.