WE 554 bell insert?

[Mr. Bones]

Greetings!

     I had some spare time to tinker tonight (dangerous! ), so I was giving a whack at improving the rather lacking ringer volume of my 12/61 WE554 that serves kitchen wall duty. It just didn't sound off nearly so brashly as a 500 series ought, by far, when set on 'Louder'...

     I started with the 'usual suspects';wires etc., physically damping the gong(s), gong orientation / spacing...found a couple contact spots on the lh gong, fixed them. It made a negligible difference, when testing. Rats.

     I then tried adjusting the lh gong outward, with similar results. Very little discernible increase, and still way shy of what a 500 series should output, db-wise.

     I pulled the lh gong off, to try and discern the eccentric point, and found a (to me), unusual device nestled in the gong. I have enclosed pics. Surely, some of you have encountered these, before, but I am curious as to what their intended function was/is. First time I've ever seen one.

     It is made out of extremely light-gauge aluminium, indicating a lack of desire for resonance, as  I see it. Or is there another explanation?

     Afterwards, for the record, I moved the bias spring from the lh notch, to the rh notch, and got a most-satisfying increase in volume. Do y'all think tired, weak ringer? I kind of lean towards that, but certainly want better-informed suppositions, and hypotheses than my own.

Thanks, in advance! Best regards!

[G-Man]

Simply a standard resonator for a C-type ringer.

[Mr. Bones]

G-Man, thanks for the assistance! I appreciate the input and experience. Guess I'll put it back in tomorrow.

Best regards!

Terrence

[G-Man]

To expound a bit further:

BELL LABS Regarding The C4 Ringer-

The gongs are lower in pitch than the old ringer, and I think more pleasing in tone. The two gongs are separated in fundamental frequencies so as to E a musical sound. The frequency of one is, I think, about 1240 and the other, 1590. One of those is E flat, I believe, and the other is G above high C.

Another important design feature in this ringer, introduces for the first time as part of the design, is a resonator. The resonator is built right in the ringer. It is a little aluminum detail that fits under the gong. It is built in as part of the ringer, and all ringers are so equipped.
Probably you will recall that in the old design, resonators were added in the field as and where required.

The left diagram is for the old ringer. I mentioned that the fundamental of the new ringer was lower: note here that the old frequencies are 1620 and 1970; now they are 1240 and 1590.
Notice that the fundamental is very much lower in output level than the overtone. As you know, on a bell we do not have harmonics. We have overtones. They are not harmonically related. We have what they refer to in bell language as ''partials." We do not have a thing like the second harmonic and third and so on, as you have in the vibrating string. For that reason, it is more important than ever to bring out this fundamental frequency of the bell in order to get a pleasing sound.

The dotted lines represent what we did in the field by the application of a resonator to the present ringer; in other words, we built up the fundamental tremendously. The resonator itself on that ringer increased the fundamental output level about a hundred times; in other words, it moved up about 20 db.

The diagram of the new ringer (on the right) shows some gain in total output over the present ringer, and the fundamental here, you see, is very much higher than the fundamental in the old ringer. I am going to ring it, and I believe, you will like the sound of it. There have been very few criticisms of the sound of the ringer.

We have one other feature, a ringer adjustment. We are planning to permit the subscriber to change the level of his ringer. We get about 15 db range in volume level by the manipulation of a little wheel that is in the bottom of the set. We move one gong in its relation to the clapper ball. At the same time, we move a cam that provides a stop for the stop rod.

You know, when you ring a ringer, you don't hit the gong with a clapper bell, but in a sense you throw the ball against the gong. You swing the clapper rod up against a stop, and then the ring is obtained by the inertia effect after it hits that stop, swinging the ball over and hitting the gong. That is what gives you that clear signal. If the ball simply came over and hit gong, you wouldn't get that clear tone. We have gone to the extreme in this ringer of putting the clapper ball loosely on the clapper rod. In other words, we get a little throw of that clapper ball at the last instant, just before it hits the gong; and that results in a very pleasing tone.

The ringer control is down on the bottom of the set. We wanted it out of the way so that youngsters and others wouldn't fiddle with it too much; but we wanted it in a place where they could get at it if they wanted to. There is a little cam arrangement right at the bottom. I can turn it. There are three steps, or four including the last position, and that gives about 15 db of adjustment.

[Mr. Bones]

G-Man,

     Many thanks, once again, for the additional, very comprehensive information. I absolutely live for such things, and appreciate it greatly!

     It is always so helpful to me to have historical background, context, etc. Just the way my mind works.

     Have a great weekend, Sir!

Best regards,

Terrence