AN IMPROVED MAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR RINGING BELLS, OPERATING TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER SIGNALS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Geminiano Zanni, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex,
Medical Electrician, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MAGNETIC APPARATUS
FOR RINGING BELLS, OPERATING TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER SIGNALS, AND FOR
SIMILAR PURPOSES."
ealed the 10th May 1878, and dated the 13th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Geminiano Zanni at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1877.
GEMINIANO ZANNI, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex, Medical Electrician.
"AN IMPROVED MAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR RINGING BELLS, OPERATING TELEGRAPHIC
AND OTHER SIGNALS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the apparatus described in my former
Specification, and for which Letters Patent were granted to me the 13th October,
A.D. 1871, No. 2721, and is designed to render the said apparatus more simple in
construction, more effective in operation, and less costly to manufacture than hereto-
fore.
In carrying into practice my said former Invention, the magnets were constructed
of circular form, but it has been found in practice that a magnet so constructed is
comparatively costly to manufacture. The metal can be made into other forms at
a much lower cost for the purposes of this Invention, and it is moreover much more
difficult to magnetize a ring of iron than to magnetize the metal when in straight
bars or other shapes.
I therefore propose to employ; in combination with the other parts of my said
former Invention, a magnet of the ordinary horse-shoe form (or nearly so) instead
of the circular magnet described in my said former Specification.
A magnet constructed according to my present Invention may be either simple
or compound, that is to say, it may be of one single piece of metal, or built up of
two or more plates. I place a revolving armature or coil within the arms of the

page_text: said magnet, close to the open end thereof, and cut away on each side a portion of
the magnet in such a manner that the said armature or coil may partly fit within
the curved spaces so formed, or instead of cutting out the magnet I may provide two
pieces of soft iron, and attach them to the two poles of the magnet, and the coil will
rotate between them, a semicircular piece being cut away from each of the two
said pieces of iron. The said revolving armature will have its bearings in the frame
or case of the apparatus. The other parts of the apparatus will be substantially
the same as described in my said former Specification, and will vary only so far as
may be necessary in consequence of substituting the magnet of horse-shoe form for
the circular one as heretofore used. The necessary and consequent variations will
be readily understood by persons accustomed to mechanism of this class, and need
not be described.
By my present Invention I am enabled to produce a magnetic apparatus at mode-
rate cost, by means of which a magneto-electric current may be simply and conve-
niently generated and transmitted for ringing a vibrating single stroke, or other
similar bell, or for giving telegraphic signals. The said apparatus is also applicable in
connection with a vibrating or other suitable bell for automatically giving the alarm
in case of fire, burglars, or the like.
"
I am aware that magnets of this form have been previously used in connection
with revolving armatures or coils for producing a magneto-electric current, but in
the apparatus hitherto used two or more coils have been necessary, and the current
is always intermittent, whilst with my improved apparatus I may use only one coil
(or more than one if desired) and the current is continuous.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Geminiano Zanni in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
May 1878.
GEMINIANO ZANNI, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex, Medical Elec-
trician. "AN IMPROVED MAGNETIC APPARATUS FOR RINGING BELLS, OPERATING
TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER SIGNALS, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the apparatus described in the Speci-
fication of my former Letters Patent, bearing date the 13th day of October, A.D.
1871, No. 2721, and is designed to simplify the construction and cheapen the manu-
facture of the said apparatus, and render the same more effective in operation than
heretofore.
In the apparatus described and shewn in the said former Specification, and as
heretofore constructed, the magnets were circular or ring-shaped, but it has been
found in practice that a circular magnet is comparatively costly to manufacture,
that is to say, the metal used in the construction of the magnet can be made into
other forms at a much lower cost than into a circular form for the purposes of this
Invention; and, moreover, the difficulty of magnetizing a ring of iron is much
greater than that of magnetizing the metal in straight or other bars.
I therefore by my present Invention modify and improve the said apparatus by
using in combination with the other parts of the same a magnet of the ordinary
horse-shoe form (or approximately so) instead of the circular or ring-shaped magnet
described in my said former Specification.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in which,-
Figure 1 shews a front view partly in section; and Figure 2, an end view partly
in section of magneto-electric bell apparatus, constructed and arranged in accordance
with my present Invention, and suitable for standing on a bracket, shelf, or table,
and by which a constant current of electricity may be produced, and transmitted
to ring a vibrating electric bell situated in any part of the building or elsewhere.
In these Figures a is a single or permanent compound magnet, and b is the
revolving armature; c is an insulated disc or cylinder fixed on the spindle of the
armature; d, d, are springs resting on the disc c for making and breaking the con-
tact; e, e, are terminals.
The axis b¹ of the armature is supported in the plates 62, and upon the axis 6¹ is
fixed the pinion f, which gears with the friction wheel g fixed on the axis h, also
supported in the plates 63. The said pinion is formed of two metal discs f¹, f³,
with bevelled peripheries. The disc f³ is screwed or otherwise fixed adjustably on
the shaft or axis b₁, and the disc f2 is loose on the said shaft. The disc f2 is pressed
against the bevelled periphery of the wheel g by an india-rubber washer f³ Or I
may use a metal spring instead of this india-rubber washer. This frictional gearing
may be used instead of toothed wheel gearing in any of the forms or modifications
of my said apparatus herein-after described.
On the shaft h of the friction wheel or pulley g, and outside the case or box of
the said apparatus, is fixed a handle h' for turning or rotating the armature b to
produce or generate the magnetic current.
Figure 3 is a front elevation showing another form of apparatus, to which my said
Invention is applied, the cover of the said apparatus being removed to permit the
interior of the same to be seen.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the said apparatus.
In these Figures I have shewn a toothed pinion f* fixed on the axis or shaft b' of
the armature b; this pinion f* is geared with the wheel g* fixed on the shaft or
axis h. This shaft or axis h has on it a ratchet wheel i, and a spring pawl or driver i¹
mounted on the lever or crank j takes into this ratchet wheel. The said lever is
fitted loosely on the shaft h, so that it turns freely thereon. When this lover or
handle is turned in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, its pawl i', acting on the

page_text: said ratchet wheel, imparts rotation to the axis 6' and armature or coil b. By this
rotation a constant or continuous magnetic current is produced and transmitted
from the magnet a to the bell, whose hammer will continue to vibrate until the
rotation of the said apparatus is discontinued; j' is a spring which returns the
crank to its normal position when the same is released.
Figure 5 shews another arrangement of gearing for transmitting the movement
from the handle h¹ to the armature b placed between the ends of a horse-shoe
magnet a, as above described. k is a large wheel fixed on the axis h, and geared
with the pinion on the axis ', the latter has also fixed on it the wheel m, which
gears with the pinion f* It will be seen that with this arrangement of gearing by
a slow movement of the handle h¹ the armature b will be turned very rapidly.
In Figure 6 I have shewn a sectional view of a magneto-electric bell apparatus,
in which a horse-shoe magnet is combined with the other parts of the mechanism,
according to my present Invention; j* is a bell-pull or rod provided with a knob or
button to facilitate its manipulation. This bell-pull is provided with teeth j², and
serves as a rack to gear with the pinion h³, formed on or affixed to the wheel k,
which runs loosely on the shaft or axis h. The said wheel k carries a spring pawl
or driver, which takes into the ratchet wheel i fixed on the said shaft. The
wheel gears with the pinion 7, fixed on the axis or shaft ', which also has on it
the wheel m; this wheel gears with the pinion f* on the shaft or spindle of the
armature or coil b.
By pulling the rod j* this gearing will be operated to turn the said armature,
whose rotation generates the magnetic current and sends the same to the bell, as
above described. When released the rod or pull j* is returned to its normal position
by the spring, or by other suitable means.
In some cases it is desirable to connect this magneto-electric apparatus with a
door or window in such a manner that the said apparatus will be caused to give a
signal or alarm by the opening of the said door or window, or otherwise. This
apparatus is shewn in Figure 7, which is a horizontal sectional view of the same,
shewing the top or undivided end of the horse-shoe magnet in combination with the
other parts of the mechanism; * is a pulley which, with the ratchet wheel i, is
mounted upon a sleeve or tubular shaft with a capability of free rotation thereon
in one direction; g* is a toothed wheel, which is provided with a spring pawl or
other driver that engages with the said ratchet wheel and receives motion there-
from. A cord or string is wound upon the pulley *, as shewn at h³, one end of the
said cord being attached to the door or window, and the other end being provided
with a weight or other means for pulling the same. The connection with the said
door or window is such that when the same is opened or the end of the cord attached
thereto is slackened or released therefrom, the descent of the said weight or the
strain on the cord produced by other suitable means will set the apparatus in
motion, and the rotating armature will cause the generation of the magnetic current,
and its transmission to the bell or other signal, which may be arranged in any
suitable or convenient position for giving an alarm in case of an attempt to open
the door or window by burglars or other persons. And this apparatus, fitted with
the horse-shoe magnet, may be utilized for giving alarm in case of fire by the aid of
a mercurial column or otherwise, as described in the said former Specification.
Figure 8 is a sectional side elevation; and Figure 9 a sectional plan shewing my
apparatus adapted for this last-named purpose; 8 is a spring barrel, which gives
motion by means of the wheel 8¹ to the pinion ³ on the axis h, which is geared in
connection with and imparts motion to the rotating armature b, by means similar to
those shown in Figure 5; n is a stop wheel; f* is a pinion for driving the same; n¹
is a pin on the said wheel; o is an arm or pin on the end of a lever o¹; o² is a cord
or string, which is to be connected with a door, window, or other part of a house.
This apparatus operates as and for the purposes described in my said former Speci-
fication, but is provided with a horse-shoe magnet a, in combination with the other
parts of its mechanism, according to my present Invention.
The magnets used for the purpose of my present Invention may be either simple

page_text: or compound, that is to say, they may each be of one single piece of metal, or built
up of two or more plates. I place the revolving armature or coil b within the arms
of the said magnet, close to the open end thereof, and cut away on each side a
portion of the magnet, as shewn at a', in such a manner that the said armature or
coil may partly fit within the curved spaces so formed; or instead of cutting out the
magnet I may provide two pieces of soft iron and attach them to the two poles of
the magnet, and the coil will rotate between them, a semicircular piece being cut
away from each of the two said pieces of iron. The said revolving armature has its
bearings in the frame or case of the apparatus, and the other parts of the said
apparatus are substantially the same as described in my said former Specification,
their construction and arrangement varying only so far as may be necessary in con-
sequence of the substitution of the magnet of horse-shoe or similar form for the
circular one heretofore used.
I am aware that magnets of this form have been previously used in connection
with revolving armatures or coils for producing a magneto-electric current, but in
the apparatus hitherto employed two or more coils have been necessary, and the
current is intermittent, whilst my improved apparatus works with only one coil
and the current produced thereby is continuous.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim the improvements in the above-described
apparatus, consisting in the adaptation in or to the same of the "horse-shoe," or
similarly shaped magnet, in such a manner that the same will work with only one
coil, and will produce and transmit a continuous current as above set forth and for
the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Geminiano Zanni, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
GEMINIANO ZANNI. (L.S.)