Telephone Bell?

[dirtyJohn]

I was hunting with some guys from the Illinois forum and found this. One of the guys I was hunting with "Lowbatts" said it was a telephone bell and suggested I post it to see what the rest of you thought. So whatdo you think.

 

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[dg39]

I agree it could be, but it may also be part of a door bell .
DG

 

[dkw]

I'm not an expert by any means but all of the antique telephones I've seen had a hole through the middle of the bells. The picture below shows what I mean.

 

[dkw]

This picture shows the holes better.

 

[Montana Jim]

Yea... I agree with dkw. All the old bells had holes in the middle... if this was screwed onto something and rang - it would sound dull, and not ring out, me thinks.

 

[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

Yep also! the phone bell I found from an old crank phone was green with a hole through it also! sorry

 

[Two Dogs]

I agree with the mechanical door bell theory. The one that we had was similar and actually rang quite loudly. Interesting find, 2dgs.

 

[EDDE]

nice bells

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Don't door bells also have a hole in the middle?


B

 

[dg39]

Not always.. Some types had a spring mechanism on a bottom plate and when a string or chain was pulled it released a striker against the oval shell top. (hope that makes sense.)
DG

http://www.signaturehardware.com/product3767
The one I have posted has a hole but some just screwed onto the plate as it appears the one posted did. I also think i see remains of a design on it.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Does anyone have a picture of a doorbell without a hole? I really don't think I've seen one.

How do they mount?

B

 

[dg39]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-BRASS-H...ryZ37912QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

DG

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Well, that's cool looking.

I guess it mounts by screws in the "keeper" surrounding it and holding it in.

B

 

[CoolFrayers]

If you have ever seen a stud welder, it is the same concept.
A stud (not a big tough guy, but a threaded bolt with only the threads) gets welded (in a brass doorbell soldered) onto the bell, then the heat marks are buffed out of the top. Wa'la', a totaly rounded glassy surface on top with a bolt that attaches it underneath. Some have pins with the end of one side of the pin hollow allow with a rib approx 1/8" down on the pin. The pin(s) get welded or soldered to the underneath of the bell, then the ends that are hollow go through a hole on the base. The rib is wider than the hole which goes flush against the mount; then the hollow end is flared out to secure the pin(s).


Steel Stud Welder; POW!!:

Stud and metal become one:

 

[romeo-1]

Here's one I found last week...

 

[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

DG-39 those hand operated doorbells are larger than what he is showing! I have an original from my house, the width of the bell is 3 1/4 across! I can post a pic of it if you want to see it. That bell screwed onto a threaded stud, could be out of a heavy and old rotary phone.

 

[QUICKSILVER (appletree)]

Romeo-1 that looks just like the bell I found under my old house!!! same color and size

 

[dirtyJohn]

Thanks for all your responses.

 

[NGE]

I have found these before in old ( 1920's to 1950's ) parks in my area. I remember having a bell like this on my bicycle as a kid, it was supposed to warn pedestrians to stop them from getting run over by you. You had to push on a ratcheting lever to make the bell ring, and this is how the ones I have found look like, no hole in the middle, when I find the one I have , I'll post a pic. Like many others on this site, I have a very unorganized museum in my house.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Does anyone have a picture of a doorbell without a hole? I really don't think I've seen one.

How do they mount?

B

Immaculate reproduction!

with their bells hanging out