US3139855A - Bells - Google Patents

Description

J. KUNZ July 7, 1964 BELLS Filed Jan. l5, 1963 United States Patent O 3,139,855 BELLS Jacob G. Kunz, deceased, late of Collegeville, Pa., by

Montgomery County Bank and Trust Company, Norristown, Pa., and Bertha L. Kunz, executors, Collegeville, Pa., assignors to Schulmerich Electronics, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 252,273 6 Claims. (Cl. 116-471) This invention relates to handbells useful in manually playing music by groups of players.

Such music normally is played by handbells of sizes that produce different notes when swung. A chorus is usually made up of a group of persons each having different sized bells. Each player swings a bell so as to actuate it, the bells being swung selectively as the music being played requires.

A handbell generally includes a handle in the form of a loop of leather or similar material that is attached to a tang integral with the bell. A cast bell after being machined to a selected contour still will not be uniform around the circumference so that it is desirable to turn the clapper relative to the bell to eliminate wow as much as possible. It is, therefore, necessary to provide means for causing the clapper to strike the bell at a predetermined location about its periphery.

It is also necessary that handbells be tuned properly and that a suitable means be provided for ensuring the rapid removal of the striker or clapper from the bell side after striking it. If it is not removed quickly enough, the tone will be dampened. On the other hand, if the means for ensuring rapid removal of the clapper from the bell side is too strong, then the musician would be required to swing the bell very fast or hard to cause the clapper to strike the bell.

In prior devices, solid springs have been used which are not readily adjustable and no means was provided for adjusting the relation between the handle and clapper and the bell.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a handbell arrangement wherein the relative positions of clapper, handle and bell can be adjusted easily so as to produce proper notes and minimum wow when struck.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable restraining means for the clapper in order to vary the action between the clapper and bell.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clapper or striker arranged and constructed to produce different tone intensities as the bell is swung or actuated.

In one aspect of the invention, a handbell may include a bell portion having a tang integral with it and concentric to the periphery thereof. A handle in the form of a loop of leather or other material may be rigidly fastened to a block having a central passage therethrough along the longitudinal axis of the handle loop.

In another aspect of the invention, a clapper shaft may be mounted on a pivot pin within the bell for oscillatory motion. The pivot pin may be mounted between two arms of a member that is rigidly held in adjusted position by a bolt extending through the handle block, the bell tang and threadedly into the pivot supporting member. This construction provides means for causing the clapper to strike the bell at a predetermined point about its periphery.

In still another aspect of the invention, a clapper may be attached to the free end of the clapper shaft, and it may be in the form of a disk having a peripheral groove therein, within the latter of which maybe a resilient band such as an O-ring or the like.

In still another aspect of the invention, the disk may be provided with a recess at a location on its periphery 3,139,855 Patented July 7, 1964 ICC within which may be located a yieldable element between the O-ring and disk sothat a soft tone will be produced when that portion of the clapper hits the bell.

In a still further aspect of the invention, the pivot supporting member may be bifurcated, and its legs may extend down along and between which the clapper shaft oscillates when the bell is swung. Transversely aligned, longitudinally spaced grooves may be provided along the legs for the reception of a resilient band or the like. By locating the band in different grooves, different actions between the clapper and bell are produced. y

The above, other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following specifi'- cation and accompanying drawing which is merely exemplary.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a handbell to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along y line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the results of an adjustable feature of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an end view of a clapper embodying certain features of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a handbell including a campaniform member or bell 10 of usual construction and including a tang 11 integrally cast with the body of the bell 10. The tang includes a passage 12 therethrough adapted to receive a bolt 13 that extends through a handle block 14. A flexible, non-metallic disk 15 may be mounted on the bell 10 and may include a central aperture that receives the tang 11. A washer 16 may be located between the disk 1S and block 14, the construction insulating the bell 10 from the handle block 14. The inner end of the bolt 13 is threaded into a member 17 located in line with the tang 11 and held inside the bell 10.

A handle 18, of generally loop formation, may be riveted or otherwise securely fastened to the handle block 14, for example, by means of rivets 19. The handle 18 may be made of leather or other suitable flexible material.

The member 17 may be bifurcated to provide spaced parallel legs 20 and 21, between which may be a pivot pin 22 to which is fixed a clapper or striker shaft 23. The free end of shaft 23 may iixedly support a clapper or striker in the form of a disk 24 having a peripheral groove 25. A resilient ring 26 may be mounted in the groove 25, and it may be an O-ring or other suitable resilient annular member.

From the foregoing it is evident that by loosening bolt 13, the handle 18, bifurcated member 17 and striker shaft 23 may be adjusted angularly relative to each other. One advantage of this adjustable construction is depicted in FIG. 3 wherein it is shown that the striker can be adjusted to strike the bell 10 at any predetermined point about its periphery to compensate for imperfect bell construction and to reduce to a minimum the wow.

In order to provide a readily adjustable means for ensuring the proper retraction of the clapper from the bell when the handbell is swung, the legs 20, 21 of the bifurcated member 17 extend a substantial distance along shaft 23 and are provided with transversely aligned, longitudinally spaced grooves 27. Resilient means 28 is adapted to be held in one of these grooves in each leg, thereby pro viding a resilient impediment to the oscillation of the shaft 23. In the embodiment disclosed, only one such resilient means is shown although more than one may be used if desired. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the resilient means need not be located in transversely aligned grooves 27 but may be employed as shown in dot and dash linesin FIG. `l. The resilient means 28 may be made of rubber and in the form of an O-ring or other suitable resilient band form.

`Referring to FIG. 5,` the peripheral groove 25 may be provided with a V-,groove or notch 29 within which a yieldable member 30 may be held by the O-ring l26. The yieldable member 30 may be a short section of hollow `plastic or'rubber tubing or some suitable equivalent thereof. This V-groove 29 may be located on the clapper`24gat apoint where it strikes the bell 1th as the handbell is swung. Accordingly, a soft tone will be produced when this point of the clapper strikes the bell, and a harder tone will be produced when the diametrically opposite point of clapper 24-hits the bell 1li).

Although the various features of the improved handbell havebeen shown and described in detail to fully disclose two embodiments of the invention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such details and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a handbell, the combination including a bell; a clapper having a shaft pivotally mounted within said bell; clapper restraining support means mounted within said bell and located along said clapper shaft, said support yhaving transversely aligned,'longitudinally spaced notches therealong; and flexible band restraining means carried on said restraining support means within selected of said notches and located around said clapper shaft When the latter is in its vertical at rest position, said shaft being restrained to different degrees by said band restraining means as said shaft is oscillated toward the walls of said bell depending upon the notches in which said flexible band means is located.

2. In a handbell, the combination including a bell; a

clapper having a shaft pivotally mountable within a support in said bell; rotatable mounting means for pivotally mounting said shaft within said bell so that said shaft can swing in a predetermined path, said support having 'transversely aligned, longitudinally spaced notches on either side of said shaft and flexible band means around said walls within selected of said notches; and means for ilxably positioning said Vrotatable mounting means after the desired path of swing of said clapper and shaft has been predetermined.

3. In a handbell, the combination including a bell; a

`tang integral with said bell; a handle rotatably connected to `said tang, whereby said handle can be adjusted angu- Vlarly relative to said tang; a clapper having a shaft pivotl ferent degrees by said band restraining means as said shaft is oscillated toward the walls of said bell depending upon the notches in which said flexible band means is located.

4. In a handbell, the combination including a bell; a clapper having a shaft pivotally mounted within said bell, said clapper comprising agrooved disk with notch therein; a yieldable member within said notch; a bell contacting ring surrounding said clapper, within said groove and holding siad yieldable member Within said notch; clapper restraining support means mounted within said bell and located adjacent said clapper and extending along said clapper shaft, said support means having transversely aligned, longitudinallyrspaced notches therealong; and flexible band restraining means carried on said restraining support means and located withinselected of said notches and around said clappershaft when the latter is in its vertical at rest position, said shaft being restrained to different degrees by saidV band restraining means as said shaft is oscillated toward the walls of said bell depending upon the notches in which said flexible band means is located.` j

5. In a handbell, a bell having an integral tang;bolt means extending through said tang along the longitudinal axis of said bell; a handle on the outside of said bell and a bifurcatedclapper shaft support on the inside of said bell, both held in fixed position relative to said bell and tang by saidbolt means, whereby said clapper shaft support can be angularly adjusted relative to said bell, said bifurcated support having transversely aligned longitudi nally spaced notches thereon; a clapper shaft pivotally mounted on said clapper shaft support; a clapper attached to said clapper shaft; `and clapper shaft restraining means on said bifurcated clapper shaft supporting means.

r6. In a handbell, atbell having an integral tang; a han- -dle on the outside of said bell and a clapper shaft support or the inside of said bell; meansfor adjustably holding said handle and support in fixed position relative to said bell, whereby said clappershaft support can be angularly adjusted relative to said bell; a clapper shaft pivotally mounted on said clapper shaft support; a clapper attached to said clapper shaft, said clapper including a notch in its periphery; a yieldable element AWithin `said notch; a band "per shaft restraining means inthe form of a resilient band on said integral means and located within selected of said notches.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 116,241 Volger June 20, 1871 139,147 Harrison May 20, 1873 2,472,382 Miller June 7, 1949 2,549,157 Auth et al Apr. 17, 1951 3,033,440 McEvoy June l2. 1962 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTIQN Patent No0 3l39855 Jacob Kunz deoeasedl by Montgomery County Bank and Trust Company and Bertha Lo Kunzv executors It is hereby certified 'that error' appears in the above numbered paten?J requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

July 7U 19641` Column 4V line 7 after "with" insert m a g line l0Q for "siad" read said line 37v for "'oW read on ma,

Signed and sealed this 24th day of November 1964LI (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDIEIR EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents Patent No 3 13(9855 July 7u 1964 gomery County Bank and ha L., Kunz executors or appears in the above numbered pate said Letters Patent should read as Jacob KunzI deceased by Mont Trust Company and Bert It is hereby certified that err ent requiring correction and that th corrected below.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of November 1964@ (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims (1)

1. IN A HANDBELL, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING A BELL; A CLAPPER HAVING A SHAFT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BELL; CLAPPER RESTRAINING SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BELL AND LOCATED ALONG SAID CLAPPER SHAFT, SAID SUPPORT HAVING TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED NOTCHES THEREALONG; AND FLEXIBLE BAND RESTRAINING MEANS CARRIED ON SAID RESTRAINING SUPPORT MEANS WITHIN SELECTED OF SAID NOTCHES AND LOCATED AROUND SAID CLAPPER SHAFT WHEN THE LATTER IS IN ITS VERTICAL AT REST POSITION, SAID SHAFT BEING RESTRAINED TO DIFFERENT DEGREES BY SAID BAND RESTRAINING MEANS AS SAID SHAFT IS OSCILLATED TOWARD THE WALLS OF SAID BELL DEPENDING UPON THE NOTCHES IN WHICH SAID FLEXIBLE BAND MEANS IS LOCATED.

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