Automatic Bell Ringer

Also removed today was the automatic bell ringer.

This assembly is the pedestal for the automatic ringer. Notice the hammer on the lower right hand side?

This pedestal sat in the upright position beside the bell and the hammer struck the bell on the outside surface in a pre-determined code. The City was divided into districts with each distric having it's own code or series of rings. In this manner the volunteers would know in what area of the city to respond to the alarm.

Also, the bell had an internal clapper that could be rung by hand when needed. The rope for this ran all the way to the engine room floor and was hidden from view in the ceiling of the radio room. To access the rope one needed to get a step ladder and move a ceiling tile to one side. Mostly this was used for funerals as I explained in an earlier post.