Suiter Swantz IP takes a look back at past inventions and inventors with our Patent of the Day.
On this day in 1893, Charles M. Burgess was granted U.S. Patent No. 502,612 for a DOOR-BELL.
An excerpt from the patent states:
Be it known that I, Charles M. Burgess, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the country of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Bells, of which the following is a specification.
My invention relates to improvements in door bells; and the objects of my improvement are simplicity and economy in construction and general efficiency in operation.
While I have described my device as a door bell, it is evident that the same mechanism may be employed in a portable call bell without any material modification.
By my improvements I cheaply produce an efficient door bell which will give a series of strokes in rapid succession, and which may be sounded as long as the operator may desire. By providing the sliding hammer with only one head for sounding the bell, I am enabled to speed up the hammer shaft so as to give an efficient blow and at the same time allow a sufficient interval between the strokes to give a clear ring to the bell, which would not be the case if the hammer revolved at the same speed and made two strokes of the bell at each revolution.
I am aware that prior patents show a revolving hammer or hammers in connection with a train of gearing for operating a hammer in sounding a bell, and the same is hereby disclaimed.
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