AN IMPROVED INDICATOR FOR ELECTRIC BELLS AND A NEW BATTERY MANIPULATOR COMBINED FOR RINGING ELECTRIC BELLS AND OTHER SIGNALS
Year: 1865

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Walker Moseley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 22nd September 1865, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN that I, WALKER MOSELEY, of 17 & 18, King Street, Covent Garden,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED INDICATOR FOR ELECTRIC BELLS AND A NEW BATTERY
MANIPULATOR COMBINED FOR RINGING ELECTRIC BELLS AND OTHER SIGNALS," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to means for indicating to the eye by the presentation
of a plate bearing a number, or other device, or word, simultaneously with
the sounding of an electric bell or other alarm or call; and also to improved
construction and arrangement of a galvanic battery and manipulator used in
There are means.
connection therewith for producing the required motions.
in use at the present time for producing similar results, but the indicator is
a separate instrument, and requires additional magnetic power; 'they are also
rather liable to become deranged, whereas attain equally serviceable results
without any extra magnetic power, and I do so by means so simple and
effective that its action is certain and durable.

page_text: The arrangement of battery and manipulator at present in use is such
that there is constant wear and tear going on in the battery while the bell
and indicator are at rest, and the wires used to convey the current from the
battery to the manipulator, and thence to the bell and indicator, and back to
the battery, are apt to be so affected by the least dampness in the house walls
that the action in the battery is accelerated; and at the same time the
positive wire is dissolved in proportion wherever there is a coincidence of a
flaw in the insulation, and dampness in or on the surface of the wall. By
my arrangement of the battery and manipulator I avoid these evils by making
use of a battery that will serve as the manipulator also. I attain this by
witholding the poles of the battery above the surface of the exciting liquid
by means of a spring, so that by pressing down the poles into the liquid the
current is produced, and the bell or signal, or both, is or are at once put in
action, and on withdrawing the pressure the poles are raised by the spring or
other automatic motion.
The accompanying Drawings form part of this Specification.
Figure 1 is a side view representing the electro-magnet and accompanying
devices for receiving signals by electricity, and also the bell, the number plate,
and the parts which cause the same to operate; Figure 2 is a front elevation
of the same; in this view the number plate is exposed to sight, the hammer
is elevated, and all the parts are in their usual position after a signal has been
made; Figure 3 is a plan view of the same parts, the parts B and E showing
how the number plate B is held up by the hammer E; Figure 4 is a front
view corresponding to Figure 2, except that the cover is fixed over the
magnetic coil, &c. The hammer is in the act of striking the bell, and has
thereby liberated the number plate, which is consequently dropping down so as
to be exposed to view. The dotted lines show the number plate in the act
of being raised up by pulling the lever C so as to place it in its normal
position ready to receive another signal. Figure 6 is a vertical section of the
battery across the line S, S, of Figure 8, showing the devices for putting it
in action, and also interrupting its action immediately the act is accomplished.
The dotted lines represent the parts with the manipulator depressed by the
operator. Figure 7 is a side view partly in section across the line T, T,
Figure 8; Figure 8 is a plan showing the glass vessel, the carbon and zine
poles, and porous cell.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all
the Figures.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my Invention, I will
proceed to describe it by the aid of the Drawings and of the letters of reference
marked thereon.

page_text: A is the bell; F, the soft iron electro-magnet; G, the armature; E, the
hammer; H, HI, the two metal terminals or connecting pieces; H¹, H, the
positive and the negative wires; I and H the two ends of the inagnetic
coils connected to the terminals H; J is the foundation piece of wood to
which all these parts are attached. All these parts are constructed and
arranged in the ordinary manner to produce a rapid vibratory motion of the
hammer E whenever the galvanic current is sent through the wires from any
suitable battery. This portion of the apparatus is in common use, and known
as the French trembling bell, and therefore requires no minute description.
B is a plate of metal having the form represented and adapted to turn on
the pin K. The arm L is bent forward and adapted to rest on the spherical
hammer E, as represented in Figure 8, letters B, E. The plate B is thereby
supported in such a position as to bo nearly or entirely concealed behind the
bell A until the hammer E is inpelled by the force of the magnetic action
to move forward and strike the bell. The moment the movement has com-
menced the arm L ceases to be supported, and the plate B falls into the
position shown in Figures 1 and 2, thereby exibiting the number or other
device inscribed thereon, while the hammer vibrates and elicits sound from
the bell so long as the current is passing through the wires. C is a lever
moving on the fixed centre M, and supported in the position shown by the
force of a spring D; the projecting arm is adapted to act on the edge of the
number plate B, and turn it round on the centre N whenever the cord O is
pulled down. P is a stop which prevents the lever from being depressed to
too great an extent, and also supports the lower end of the double-ended
spring D. So soon as the number plate B has been properly elevated so
that its arm L has passed the hammer E, it is supported thereon, and the
lever C being liberated, it is raised by the force of the spring D to its original
position, when the apparatus is attached to bells in a series of, say, ten or
more different numbers or signs; several bells may be placed one above the
other, so that all the levers C may be attached to one cord, and all the levers in
the same vertical line may be acted on at the same time by pulling one cord.
The following is a description of the battery and manipulator combined :-
L is a glass vessel containing the exciting liquid; L' is a porous cell mounted
therein; N is a cover for the vessel L; N' and N are ordinary screw connec-
tions or terminals, to which are attached the wires B' and B, both of which
lead to the apparatus before described so as to produce the current and circuit,
thereby ringing the bell and displaying the signal whenever the battery is, put
in action. O and P. are respectively the positive and negative poles of the
battery. I prefer to make the negative pole of carbon and the positive pole

page_text: of zinc, but other convenient materials may be employed with their ordinary
exciting liquid. The liquid 1 prefer is a solution of 4 oz. of persulphate of
mercury to a pint of water, but the kind of excitant used, and the strength
of the same, will depend on the use for which it is required, according to the.
rules at present commonly in practice. .Q' and Q are light metal springs
connecting the two poles with their respective terminals N¹ and N. R is a:
piece of vulcanite or other non-conductor, by which the two poles are:
suspended. The two poles O and P and the two lower ends of their connec-:
tions Q and Q, with the suspender R, are adapted to move vertically, within
the vessel L. The weight of the whole is suspended to the rod S, which
slides within the cylindrical casing W on the cover N, and is forced upwards
by means of the spiral spring T. The spiral spring T is encircled by the
short tube U, which is fixed to the knob U on the top of the rod S, and.
adapted to be conveniently depressed and liberated at will by the land.
When the manipulator U is pressed down to a sufficient extent, as indicated by
the dotted lines, Figure 6, the two poles O and P become immersed in the
exciting liquid M, when the battery commences to act. When the manipulator
U is liberated by the removal of the hand, the spiral spring T elevates it to.its.
original position, compelling the battery to cease its action by the lifting of the:
poles out of the solution. The position of the double connecting pieces Q'
and Qwhen the manipulator is depressed as indicated by the dotted lines,
Figure 7. I provide vulcanite points O¹ and P' at the lower edges of the
poles O and P, which serve to lead down the small quantity of liquid which
adheres to them on their rising above the surface.
The manner of fixing the battery manipulator against a wall is indicated by
the dotted lines, Figure 7. In the previous attempts to employ a galvanic.
current for striking bells in houses, the imperfect insulation has allowed a
slight continuance of the current, and consequently destruction of the posi-
tive pole when not in use. Such an effect is of little consequonce in
batteries which are much used, like those employed in telegraphing, but
in this branch of the arts, where the use of the current is very brief and at
long intervals, the destruction of the material from this source is very
serious, the wear of the battery being in proportion to the length of time
from each reinstatement more than the amount of use to which it is subjected.
My Invention prevents this. By lifting the poles out of the solution M, I
am enabled to use with economy negative plates which would be rapidly
deteriorated if kept continually immersed. I propose to use plates of
carbon for the negative pole and zinc for the positive pole. I can arrange the
parts so as to produce. the same effect by fixing the plates O, P, and their

page_text: connection firmly to the wall, and raising and lowering the vessel L with the
solution M with the action of the hand. I prefer, however, the arrangement
represented. The fact that plates O and P rise and sink together relatively
to the solution M, and moving in direct vertical lines as indicated, allows of
their being made in such bulk as to cover a large proportion of the surface of
the solution; this allows a small depression of the manipulator U to effect the
complete immersion and removal of the poles O and P, because the great bulk
of the parts immersed and removed will cause a great change of level in the
surface of the liquid. By mounting the number plate or visible signal B on
the pivot K, which is nearly under the centre of gravity of the plate when in
its elevated position, I insure that the force with which the arm L presses
upon the hammer E shall be very slight even if the weight of the piece B be
considerable. When the hammer E moves to strike the bell A, the weight
depending on the arm L does not retard the action of the striker in the least,
but as the arm L moves by the rotation of the plate B on its axis it urges
forward the hammer E, and this rather increases than diminishes the activity
of the vibratory motion of the hammer E, thereby assisting the magnet to
attract the armature to which the hammer is attached.
Having now fully described my Invention, what I claim as new therein, and
desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:-
Firstly, I claim the automatic separation of the poles O and P, or either,
from the solution M, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein
specified.
Secondly, I claim causing the hammer to suspend and liberate the number
plate or visible signal B, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein specified.
Thirdly, I claim the within described arrangement of the axis of the visible
signal B, so that the centre of gravity of the latter is nearly over the former
while in its clevated position, for the purposes herein specified.
Fourthly, I claim the combination of one or more adjusting levers C with
the visible signal B, substantially for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walker Moseley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
WALKER MOSELEY. (Ls.)