The Siren Board

Before there were sirens and diaphones, bells were used for a wide variety of outdoor signaling purposes, from religious and civic events to emergencies and evacuations. While in America, most churches have single bells (or horrible electronic substitutes), European churches often have several bells which are sounded in different combinations and sequences for various purposes. They are rung almost entirely by electric motors or magnetic repulsion systems, while most American churches still use hand-pulled ropes. I would love to have bells like this at my church, but they are very expensive.

Here are some videos of bell control systems in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The flashing lights indicate the impulse of the motor, first one direction and then the other. Austrian bells often have a "clapper-starter" (Kl?ppelf?nger), an electromagnet which holds the clapper until the bell is swinging at full speed. These are controlled by two-position switches. The first position starts the motor and the second releases the clapper.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dePZmaA5 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e991Dis2 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0z1WC9XUW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gJTWhQO ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yvUJXYD ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8hhmhcR ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwqElss0 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv2LJCQE ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiKeY-IQ ... re=related[/url]