Improvements in and relating to Electric Call Bells.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by PHILIP HATHAWAY, of Westfield, County of Union,
State of New Jersey, United States of America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in and relating to Electric Call Bells.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention is to provide an electric call-bell for use in houses,
offices or other places of such a character that the setting up, the use and replenishing
of the same when the source of the electricity is exhausted requires no electrical
knowledge, but can be done as readily as the hanging of a picture or any other simple
household operation.
The advantages of such an arrangement are readily understood when the cumber-
some system of wiring and the inconvenience and uncertainty of the ordinary
electric battery are taken into consideration.
I accomplish this desired result by mounting the call-bell upon suitable base, only
slightly larger in diameter than the bell itself, and hollowing out a slot in the said
base large enough to contain a small dry battery, which is connected by permanent
wiring passing through the base with the bell, and with a small portable push button
or circuit closer around the stem of which is wound a sufficient length of flexible,
double, insulated wire cable, preferably about twenty five feet, to answer all ordinary
requirements of portability.
I also contemplate making the portable push button case a little larger than is
usually the case, and hollowing out the said case longitudinally and slipping the small
dry, battery therein, in which case the battery in the slot in the bell case may be
dispensed with or may be used in addition as desired.
The bell is placed in position ready for use either by placing it on a stand or table
or hanging it on the wall by a screw eye and hook and then walking off with the
portable push button, the cable meanwhile unreeling to the desired distance, when the
push button is laid upon any convenient resting place, or hung upon a hook or
otherwise fixed as desired. Signals may be given by pushing the push button in the
ordinary way.
Sometimes I provide a spring reel on the base or on the push button for auto-
matically taking up the slack of the cable.
The most approved form of my device is shown in the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a view with the bell top removed, and showing the battery and its
connections, in dotted lines, it being understood that the same are wholly concealed in
the base of the device as constructed.
Figure 2 shows a modification in which the battery is in the push button case the
said Figure also showing the connections to the bell.
The same letters indicate similar parts in the different Figures.
A is an ordinary electric call bell with small hammer a and electro magnets b
mounted upon a base B which is preferably of wood, but may be of any non-conducting
material or of metal properly insulated.
C is a small dry battery, preferably a chloride of silver battery inserted in the slot D
cut into or formed in the base B and so covered by a plate É as to remain hidden
until the battery becomes exhausted, when the cover may be removed and another
similar battery may be substituted.
One pole of this battery is permanently connected with the binding posts c¹ of the
call bell by the wire d" and the other pole with the binding post by the wire d'.

page_text: From these binding posts the wires which form the strands of the cable d lead to the
portable push button or circuit closer G.
From what has been above stated the many uses and advantages of my call bell can
be readily understood without further explanation.
!
Having now. particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. An improved portable electric call bell which consists of an electric bell
mounted upon a suitable base, a dry battery concealed in a slot formed in said base
and permanently connected with said call bell, a push button and flexible insulated
cable permanently connecting the said push button to the said battery and to the said
bell substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Second. A combined battery and electric bell or annunciator in which the battery
is contained within the same case as the electro-magnets which operate the bell or
annunciator without any appreciable increase of the size of such case, substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
Third. A combined battery and electric bell or annunciator in which the battery
can be permanently connected with the electro-magnets and binding posts and also
when desired with the push button or other device for closing the .circuit before the
same are placed in position, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. An improved portable electric call bell, which consists of an electric bell
mounted upon a suitable base and a portable push button case containing a dry
battery concealed in a slot formed therein and a flexible insulated cable, permanently
connecting the said push button, bell and battery in an electric circuit, which is
opened and closed by the action of said push button.
Dated this 6th
1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.