US1938712A - Control device for bell ringing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1933. s MERRlLL 1,938,712

CONTROL DEVICE FOR BELL RINGING MECHANISM Filed July 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l .illllllllllllllllllllll l wk Qeewrflau A TTORNE Yv Dec. 12, l933.- s. B. MERRILL CONTROL DEVICE FOR BELL RINGlNG MECHANISM Filed July 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHH| II "N m ll 11W "EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 CONTROL DEVICE FOR BELL RINGING MECHANISM Sidney B. Merrill, Cincinnati, Ohio Application July 26, 1926. Serial No. 124,921

Claims.

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It is the object of my invention to provide, in combination with a member of a bell ringing mechanism which goes through a cycle of movement during the operation of the bell, for an electrical controlsystem, by which an operator can actuate the bell in a desired manner.

Chuch bells require for various religious occasions, different cycles of operation. For some occasions the bells are rung, which is the specific sense to which I refer, as compared with tolling, means that the striker of the bell alternately strikes first one side of the bell, and then the other, without pausing with the striker against the walls of the bell. The tolling of a bell as distinguished from the ringing means-the striking of the striker once against the wall of the bell, followed by a definite pause, While in ringing a bell, there is no greater interval between peals than is required for the actuating mechanism to oscillate from one end of its stroke to the other. As noted in the tolling of a bell, there is a perceptible interval between strokes. In

actuating the bell so as to play the Angelus, a

combination of several ringing operations and pauses is required- In mechanically operated bell ringing or tolling mechanism, it is of great importance for the prevention of undue strain on the mechanism, that the bell is stopped at, or as near as practical to the nearest instant rest point of the bell in its period of swing. If a bell were to be electrically controlled by some means which might get'out of time with the operation of the bell, and the power were turned off and the brake set while the bell was between the two instant rest points of oscillation ofthe bell, then the operating mechanismwould be put to more or less of a strain, possibly to such an extent that the gears would be stripped and the assembly torn from its base, which, in a bell tower high above the ground, might cause a disastrous accident. I 7

It is further of great importance that the ,bell be stopped in such'positions that the clapper will not continue in motion or rebound from the bell spring against the walls of the bell and so spoil the regular rhythm of the strokes.

It is my object, therefore, to incorporate in combination with selective electrical switch, means of shutting off the power for actuating the bell; for a control switch or switches in series or in parallel, operatively connected and adapted to be tripped by a physical part moving in timed relation with the bell, so that operation is not inhibited until the bell has reached such a position in its stroke, that there will not be a tendency for the clapper to rebound or continue in motion, and so that the bell will be stopped at or as near as practical to its instant rest point in is period of oscillation.

The specific type of mechanism with which the mechanism herein described was particularly designed, is disclosed in the patent to Louis H. Blood, No. 1,626,464, dated.November 9, 1926. This bell ringing mechanism consists of a bell having a suspended clapper therein with the bell mounted in a trunnioned yoke, with a peripheral rope engaging wheel or pulley connected with the trunnions so as to cause the bell torock from one side to the other, and so carry its walls into engagement with the clapper. It should be understood, however, that my invention has other application for use in connection with other types of hell ringing apparatus. 89

. Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated a preferred type of bell ringing mechamsm:-

Figure l is a side elevation showing the bell ringing mechanism. Figure la is asmall scale assembly view of the mechanism andthe bell.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1. V Figure 3 is a plan view of a preferred type of regulating mechanism for timing the operation of the bell ringing mechanism. 1

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the timing mechanism illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a wiring diagram showing the elec trical system.

Generally indicated at 1 in Figures 1 and 2, is'shown the cable which engages .the driving pulley of the bell yoke (not shown). The cable is driven in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction by a driving. pulley 2, which is journalled in theframe or standards 3, which supports the bell ringing mechanism. The pulley 2 has a pinion 4 operatively connected therewith, which is engaged by a sliding rack member 5, on a slide member 10, which is reciprocated by a crank rod 6, which is eccentrically connected to a toothed gear '7. The toothed gear '7 is part of a chain of gears which is preferably directly connected with a driving pinion 8 on an electric motor 9, which provides the power to operate the ringing mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 5, which is a diagram of the motor 9 and its controlling electrical connections, the source of current connects through the three wires 11, 11 and 12 under control of the triple bar switch 13 at upper left of the figure. It willbe'understood that lines 11 and 11 will be at the extremes of potential, while line 12 has an intermediate potential; although my invention is not limited to such particular system of current supply.

Lines 11, 11' and 12 lead to the motor 9 at the lower right of the diagram, through a switch box 14 in which switches 15 are cut into the wires 11 and 11 and are adapted to be closed by energization of a magnet 16, and to open automatically upon deenergization of said magnet, which has one end of its coil connected to wire 11 and the other end of its coil connected to a wire 11a. running to one terminal of aswitch 17, which is shown as being closed, for continuousringing.

Two like switches 18 and 19, shown as being open, are for tolling and ringing of the Angelus, respectively, in connection with apparatus to be described.

The opposite terminal of switch 17 is connected by a wire 1211 with the wire 12. The wire 20 leads from the wire 12a to one terminal of the upper positive stop switch 22; and a wire 21 leads to one terminal of the lower positive stop switch 2241. These switches 22 and 22a are shown in Fig.1 mounted on brackets on the supporting frame 3; and the slide member 10, before described, is shown as havingbrackets 23 at its top and bottom to strike one or the other switch 22 or 22a and open it, accordingly as the slide member 10 is at the top or bottom of its stroke; the normal position of the switch being a closed one unless so struck. The opposite terminals of the two switches 22 and 22a are connected by a wire 21a, as seen in Fig. 5.

A braking drum turns with the motor 9, and a braking band 24 is adapted to grip the drum under pressure of the weight 25 unless the weight 25 is lifted by energization of a magnet 24a having its terminals connected to the wires 11 and 12 by wires 11c and 121), respectively.

The tolling and Angelus ringing devices may be understood from the illustration of the latter device in Figs. 3 and 4; and they are diagrammatically shown in Fig. 5. The tolling disk 26 is rotated by a motor 27 through worm gearing after the manner illustrated for the Angelus ringing device of Figs. 3 and 4, so that the disk 26rotates relatively slowly. This tolling disk 26 has in its periphery a series of notches 26a spaced at intervals corresponding to the intervals at which a stroke on the bell is to be made in tolling. A switch 28 that is adapted to snap closed, in circuit completing position, has a projection within the-path of a series of pins 29 in the side of the tolling disk 26, in such manner that a passing pin 29 will pull the switch 28 open, and then, upon suflicient passage, allow the switch to snap shut again. A similar switch 29a has a shoe 29c riding on the notched periphery of the disk 25 and adapted to open the switch 29a when riding on the peripheral surfaces 29d between the disk notches 26a, but to allow the switch to close when dropping into any one of these notches 26a. Both switches 28 and 29a have respective terminals connected by a wire 18a with one terminal of the toll starting switch 18, the other terminal of which is connected by wire 18b with the other terminal of the switch 28, and, by a wire 180 with the motor 27 that rotates the tolling disk 26. The common connection 18a, of the two switches 28 and 29a is connected to the wire 12a by a Wire 1811. The other terminal of the switch 29a connects by a wire 2% with a wire 1111 leading from the Wire The arrangement of the parts and wiring of the Angelus ringing device is the same as that of the tolling device just described, excepting the detailed formation and provision of the Angelus ringing disk 30, as will be described. Thisdisk 30 is driven by the motor 31. There are the two switches 32 and 33, the first actuated by a single pin 34 instead of by several pins as the switch 28 of the tolling device; and the shoe 33a, of the switch 33 rides on lesser raised parts 331) and greater recessed parts 330 of the disk 30, with several raised parts 33b in close succession and then a much greater interval of recessed part 33d. Wire 1911. connects terminals of both switches 32 and 33 with one terminal of switch 19, the other terminal of which is connected with the other terminal of switch 32 by wire 197), which also connects to one terminal of the motor 31 by a wire 190. The other terminal of the other switch 33 connects to the wire 11d leading to the wire 11a.

The opposite terminals of both motors 2'7 and 30 are connected to a wire 112) leading from the Wire 11.

With the switch 1'7 closed the circuit will be through wire 11, coil of magnet 16, closing switches 15, through switch 17, and wire 12a to wire 12; also, by closing of switches 15, there will be a circuit from wire 11 through left switch 15 to one outer terminal of bell ringing motor 9, through this motor, starting ringing of bell, through wire 11 and right switch 15. Also there will be, dependent upon the closing of switch 17, a circuit through wire 12, wire 12b, coil of magnet 24a, wire 11c and right switch 15, releasing the brake 24 so that the motor 9 may turn and ring the bell. There also will be established a shunt circuit from wire 11a through wire 21, lowerpositive stop switch 22a, wire 21a, upper positive stop switch 22, and wire 20, and wire 12a to wire 12 if these switches both are closed. It will be seen that the one which is open, the upper switch 22 in Fig. 1 under pressure of slide bracket 23, will close as soon as the bracket 23 leaves it, as after the start of the downward stroke of the slide member 10 to effect the first swing of the bell. As long as the starting switch 17 is left closed, this closure of this shunt circuit is of no consequence; but when it is desired to stop the ringing of the bell and the switch 17 is opened, the next positive stop or limit switch 22 or 22a that is struck by a bracket 23 of the slide member 10 will thus be opened; and as this shunt connection remained the only means of completion of circuit through bell ringing motor 9 after starting switch 1'7 was opened, the opening of the switch 22 or 22a breaks the circuit through the motor 9, which may thus be stopped suddenly by the brake 24, allowed to act because the circuit through magnet 24a also is opened. The opening of these circuits is due to the deenergization of the magnet 16, allowing the switches 15 to open: they having been kept closed by the closure of switches 22 and 2211 after opening of switch 17. The result is that the mechanism will be stopped at a certain definite stage of operation, when the slide member 10 isfarthest down or farthest up, with the bell accordingly at instant rest point. b

Tolling in the specific sense I refer to is one stroke of the bell at a time with an appreciable interval between strokes. The notches 26a in the tolling disk 26 are made shallow and of such a size that the roller will go in and out quickly so there will be no possibility of more than one stroke of the bell while the roller is in the notch Operation of thetoller is started by closing switch 18, which starts the motor 27, which rotates tolling disk 26. At the start the roller is on a high part of the disk 26, as soon as a notch 26a is rotated under the roller, the switch 29a is closed, and coil 16 is energized, which closes the circuit and starts the bell motor, the brake magnet being energized, releases the brake. The bell motor works the mechanism, and the bell starts to oscillate, but there is only one swing of the bell and one stroke of the clapper, because before the bell has completed one stroke, the notch 26a has rotated away from and pushed the roller out on the periphery, and switch 29a is opened which causes the bell to stop as predetermined at one of its instant rest points, as soon as the arm 23 opens one of the limit switches. The coil 16 having been deenergized, the bell motor stops andthe brake 24 is applied. This is repeated at whatever interval it takes the tolling disk 26 to rotate the detents under the roller. To stop tolling the switch 18 is opened, which will stop the motor 27 as soon as stop pin 29 tripsthe switch 28, leaving the roller on the tolling disk on the high part between detents and the switch'29a open.

The limit switches 22 will effect thestopping of the bell and the operating of the brake, when using the tolling disk and switch29a similarly, as when using the continuous ringing switch 17.

It will further be apparent that I have provided a positive system whichwill always stop the swing of the bell at an instant rest point. The shunt circuitwhichkeeps the current supplied to the bell motorruntil the bell mechanism has reached substantially the end of an oscillating stroke prevents the bell stopping, for example, at the center of its swing. The dangers to which reference has been made in the fifth paragraph of this specification arethus avoided.

The operation of the switch 19 and the, An-

gelus control detent 30 is difierent from the continuous ringing and tolling control inasmuch as the switch 19 may be closed for only an interval, and the detent wheel will control the further operation. A motor 31 is rotated with the closing of the switch 19 and the motor moves the detent wheel 30, which, after a brief interval, carries the stop pin 34 past the trip and allows the switch 32 to close. The switch 33 is normally open and is closed when a follower 33a drops oil a raised portion 33b onto an indent surface 330. As there is only one stop pin on the Angelus detent wheel, the motor 31 will not be out out until a complete revolution. In the illustration, the Angelus control detent will cause the bell to pass through the following cycle:- three rings, pause, three rings, pause, three rings, pause, and then continuous ringing during the remainder of the cycle until the stop pin 34 abuts the stop switch 32, leaving the roller on a high spot on detent wheel 30 which the switch 33 therefore open.

Other variations in detent wheels can be used to ring other series of peals; While I; have shownthe switches 17, 18, and 19 as manually operable, Icontemplate the incorporation of the desired number of switches to be eitherelectrically operated or operated by some suitable timing device. Such modifications will not be discussed herein, as they form no part of my invention, which is essentially in providing a primary switch control and secondary independent means of stopping the bell at desired positions in its swing, so as to have the strain on the bell ringing mechanism at a minimum, and to add greatly to the tone of the peals of the bell.

While I prefer to use a bell which swings, and which has a suspended clapper, it is also within the scope of my. invention to actuate a clapper which swings within a bell by a similar arrangement.

Should the electric, power be cut off by accident or otherwise, in a way not normally provided for, the brake 24 would'be immediately set,

and, if the bell were not at or nearthe point of instant rest, the bell ringing mechanism would be under a more or less dangerous strain.

In order to control the operation to prevent such a contingency, I have provided a member to block the braking of the bell member. I have shown this diagrammatically in Figure 5. A pivoted arm 35 is mounted so that-it will normally be pulled by a spring 36 into position to hold up the brake weight 25. An electromagnet 3'7 is arranged to normally pull the arm 35 out of engaging position with the weight, but should the current suddenly he cut oif .in the feed lines 11 and 12, the spring 36 will pull the arm 35 into brake blocking position, and the bell will be free to swing to a natural position of rest against the friction of the bell operating mechanism. 7 q

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is: A 1. In combination with an oscillatory mounted bell, operating mechanism including an 'electrical motor and a circuit for the motor, a con-,

troller switch in said circuit for permitting said motor to oscillate said bell when said circuit is closed, means cooperating with said operating mechanism for braking the, movement of the bell so as to stop the bell at either ofits instant I;

means, a second circuit in shunt with said i switch means including normally closed switches, means whereby the last named switches are opened by said bell-sounding means at the ends of its reciprocating movement, and magnetically operated switch means in series with the first said switch means and said first and second circuits for closing the motor circuit when energized.

3. In combination with a swinging bell, motive means, means connecting said motive means to 1::

said bell for causing the motive means to swing means moving said element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of said bell, and controlling means actuated by said element to interrupt the energy supply and cause said means to set said brake, only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swing of said bell.

4. In combination with a swinging bell, motive means, means connecting said motive means to said bell for causing the motive means to swing said bell between instant'rest points, a source of energy supply for said motive means, distinct controlling means actuatable to interrupt the energy supply to said motive means, one of said controlling means being adapted for actuation to interrupt said energy supply according to a desired program of ringing of the bell, an element, and means moving said element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of the bell, actuating the other controlling means to interrupt the energy supply only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swing of. said bell.

5. In combination with a swinging bell, motive means, means connecting said motive means to said bell for causing the motive means to swing said bell between instant rest points, a source of energy supply for said motive means, distinct controlling means actuatable to interrupt the energy supply, one of said controlling means having an automatically recurrent sequence of operations to interrupt the energy supply according to a desired program of ringing of the bell, an element, and means moving said element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of said bell, actuating the other controlling means to interrupt the energy supply only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swing of said bell.

6. In combination with a swinging bell, an electric motor, means whereby rotation of said motor in only one direction causes said bell to swing alternately in opposite directions between instant rest points, a source of current supply for said motor, an element, and means moving said element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of said bell, and switch means controlling said current supply, actuated by said element to interrupt said current supply only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swing of said bell.

7. In combination with a swinging bell, an electric motor, means connecting said motor and .bell whereby said motor swings said bell between instant rest points, a brake to retard movement of the bell and motor, means to set the brake, a magnet to release the brake when energized and hold the brake released as long as energized, a source of current supply, an element, means moving said element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of the bell, and switch means for connecting the motor and the magnet with said source, said switch means being actuated by said element to disconnect said motor and magnet from said source near opposite ends of the swing of the bell.

8. In combination with a swinging bell, an electric motor, means connecting said motor and bell whereby said motor swings said bell between instant rest points, a source of current supply for said motor, switch means in circuit with said motor and said source, controlling supply of current to the motor according to a desired program of ringing of the bell, an element, means moving said element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of the bell, and switch means in shunt circuit with the first mentioned switch means, actuated by said element to momentarily open the shunt circuit near opposite ends of the swing of the bell.

9. In combination with a swinging bell, power means, means connecting said power means to said bell for causing said power means to swing said bell between instant rest points, and controlling means including a device supplying energy to the power means intermittently according to a desired program of ringing of the bell, and a device acting in unison with swinging of the bell to supply energy to the power means with interruptions of supply only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swing of the bell.

10. In combination with a swinging bell, power means, means connecting said power means to said bell for causing said power means to swing the bell between instant rest points, and controlling means including a 'device supplyingenergy to the power means intermittently according to a desired program of ringing of the bell, and a device acting in unison with swinging of the bell to supply energy to the power means with interruptions of supply only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swing of the bell, and a brake applied to retard the swinging of the bell during said interruptions of energy supply.

SIDNEY B. MERRILL.

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