US1776729A - Device for operating bells by means of door knobs - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 23, 1930.- s. HOFFMAN 1,776,729

DEVICE FOR. OPERATING BELLS BY MEANS OF DOOR KNOBS Filed Aug. 7, 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES SIMON HOFFMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING BELLS BY MEANS OF DOOR KNOBS Application filed August 7, 1929. Serial No. 384,154.

This invention relates to annunciators, and more particularly to a signal, as for instance a bell, actuated or caused'to operate by means of a door knob, handle, latch or the like ordinarily used for opening a door or other enclosure so that the act of unlatching the door will be accompanied by an announcement or signal, audible or otherwise.

A prime object of the invention is to equip a dooror the like witha ringing annunciator operated by a door knob or the like.

A further object is to enable a door-knob or the like to operate'a bell or the like when the door knob is turned in either direction. Astillfurther object is to equip a door with a bell ringing annunciator device operated by the door knob connecting spindle, the device being attachable to practically any standard type of door.

Inaccordance with the above, the dool knob connecting spindle may be equipped with an actuator member non-rotatably mounted thereon, this member having a pair of rods pivotally mounted thereon; and these rods may be adapted to engage the operating plunger of a bell or the like, the bell being mounted on the door, adjacent to the knob, whereby rotation of the spindle will depress one of the rods and'hence operate the bell.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafterspecifically pointed out, or will become apparent," as the specification proceeds.

WVith the above indicated objects m'v ew, the invention resides in certain novel con structions and combinations and arrange' merit of parts, clearly described in the following specification and fully illustrated in the .accompanying drawings, which latter show embodiments of the invention as at present preferred.

In said drawings: V

Figure 1s a front elevation of the device partly broken away, as the device appears in use upon a door. y I

' Figure *2 is a vertical sectional view through the device as shown in Figure 1. Figures isaperspective view of'the actiiator member.

In the drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a door 10 which may be, of any standard or conventional construction. This door is equipped with a latch 11 adaptedjto be operated by rotationof the spindle 12 by means of one of the knobs 13 in 'a well known manner, the spindle in this instance being square in cross-section.

The bell operating device illustrated hereinincludes an elongated sheet metal back plate 14 adapted to be secured to the face of the door, preferably on the inside, by means of screws 15 or thelike this plate 14 having an aperture 16 through which the spindle 12 may extend.

The back plate 14 is preferably formed to provide a housing portion 17 adjacent its lower end and a suitable bell 18, having an operating lever 19 mounted on the plate14, within the housing 17, as for instance by being riveted to the back plate 14. The bell 18 may be spring operated, or on other conventional type. The operating lever 19 preferably has an enlarged end portion or step 21. positioned in alignment with the door knob spindle 12. The housing 17 may be provided witha front opening of any desired shape for purposes of ornamentation as well as to expose the bell 18.

Upon the spindle 12 I mount the actuator member 22, this actuator member in the present instance consisting of a relatively flat plate, such as a washer or the like,ha'ving a squared central aperture, 20 toreceive the: squared spindle 12 in non-rotatable re-. lationship.

At opposite sides of the actuator member 22 I provide a pair of elongated operating rods 23 and 24 respectively, theupp'er ends of these rods being preferably pivotally mounted in holes 25 and 26 provided intlie actuator member 22. The rods 23 and 24 are preferably flat, like the actuator member 22; and the lower ends of the rods are provided with feet 27 and 28 respectively, adapted to normally rest upon the enlarged portion 21 of the bell operating lever 19. The plate 14 may be cut away as indicated at 29 to provide a suitable guiding means for the rods 23 and 24 as they move freely up or down.

I adapted to be placed over the. back plate l1 he escutcheon. or key hole'plate 30 is? to enclose and practically conceal the back plate let, the key hole plate 30 being secured in place by the screws 15 which maycntcnd through the back plate 14 and into the door. The upper part of the bell housing 1? may have an opening 32 to receive the lower end of the front plate 80.

As will be clear from the drawing, rotation of the door knob in one direction or the other will depress one of the rods 23 or thus also depressing the bell lever 19 and hence causing ringing of the bell by means of the latters internal mechanism, which latter forms no part of the present invention, however, since the bell may be of conventi on al form.

Thus, the act of opening or unlatching the door willproduce a warning signal Or alarm for the occupant of the premises, and, will also serve as a protection by surprising any intruder seeking unauthorized entrance to the premises. The visitor furnishes the power to operate the bell while opening the door, thus rendering it unnecessary to use electric batteries or independently manipn lated bells or alarm devices.

The device as described herein is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to attach to any standard type of door knob, and operates positively and with great facility. r

The hereinbefore described construction admits of considerable modification without departing from the invention; therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangements shown and described, which are aforesaid, byway of illustration merely. In other words, the scope of protection contemplated is to be taken solely from the appended claims, interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

What I claim is: p

1. The combination with a door or the like having an uulatching device, of an alarm device, and means actuated by said unlatching device to operate said alarmdevice,lsaid means including. an actuator member associated With said unlatching device, a bell mounted adjacent to said unlatching device and means including a rod operative between said actuator member and said bell, whereby movement of said unlatching device operates said bell.

2. The combination with a door latch or the like, of an alarm device, and means actuated by movement of said door latch to operate said alarm, said means including an actuator member associated with said door latch, an alarm bell mounted on said door, an elongated rod secured to said actuator member, one end of said rod engaging said bell for ringing said bell during operation of said door latch.

3. The combination with a door or the like having opening means including a door knob and a spindle for said knob, of an alarm device, and means actuated by movement of said s aindle to o aerate said alarm device said means including an actuator member mounted on said spindle, an elongated rod mounted on said actuator member, one end of said rod engaging said alarm device to operate the latter during rotation of said spindle.

4-. The combination with a door or the like having opening means including a door knob and a spindle for said knob, of an alarm device, and .me as actuated by movement of said knob and spindle to operate said alarm device, said means including aback plate secured to the face of the door, said back plate having an opening for said spindle, said spindle angular in cross section, an actuator member mounted on said spindle, a bell mounted on said back plate, an operating lever on said bell, connecting means pivotally secured to said actuator member, said connecting means engaging said bell operating lever, to operate the latter during rotation of said spindle.

5. The combination with a doorv or the like having opening means including a door knob and a spindle for said knob, of an alarm device, and means actuated by movement of said knob and spindle to operate said alarm device, said means including a back plate secured to the face of the door, said spindle being angular in cross section, an actuator member positioned on said spindle, said actuator member comprising a flat disk, a bell mounted on said back plate, an operating lever on said'bell, a pair of elongated rods pivotally secured to said actuator member, the lowerends of said rods having portions en gaging said bell operating lever to operate said lever during movement of said door knob, and a key plate positioned over said back plate to enclose said rods and actuator member, said key plate including guiding means for said rods.

6. The combination with a door or the like having opening means including a door knob and a spindle for said knob, of an alarm device, and means actuated by movement of said knob and spindle to operate said alarm, said means including a plate secured to the face of the door, said plate having an opening for said spindle, an actuator member non-rotatably mounted relative to said spindle, said actuator member comprising a fiat disk, an alarm bell mounted on said plate, an operating lever on said bell, a pair of downwardly extending elongated rods pivotally mounted at opposite sides ofsaid actuatormember, the lower ends of said rods engaging said bell operating 1ever, to operate said bell when said spindle is rotated.

7 Thecombination with a door or the like having opening means including a door knob and a spindle for said knob, of an alarm device, and means actuated by movement of said knob and spindle to operate said alarm device, said means including a back plate se- 7 tending elongated rods pivotally mounted at opposite sides of said actuator member, the lower ends of said rods having enlarged portions engaging said bell operating lever, a

key plate positioned over said back plate to enclose said rods and actuator member, said key plate including guiding means for said rods.

8. An alarm actuating device for doors comprising in combination with a door havsite directions; and a bell, said bell including an operating lever, which latter is provided with a horizontal step and aligned with saidspindle; a disc mounted on said spindle and turnable with said spindle, said disc having horizontally aligned spaced apertures therein, said apertures being further apart than the opposed ends of said step, and a pair of inclined rods terminally pivotally mounted in said apertures and terminally engaging the opposite ends of said step, whereby on turning said spindle in either direction oneof said rods is efiectlve to urge said lever for operating said bell.

SIMON HOFFMAN.

mg a spindle, said spindle turnable in oppo-

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