Manual Chimes - are played from a clavier, each bell generally having its own handle.
The handle has a connection to a rod, flexible cable or the like which
goes all the way to the clapper of the bell. The handle is usually pressed
with appropriate vigor to play the notes. Often, there is a spring or
counterweight arrangement to quickly release the clapper from the bell to allow
quicker repeated notes.
The cable passes thru one of more floors from the clavier into the bell tower
thru a raised area called an umbrella. There are often soldered 3-6" pipes
here to keep the rain out of the lower levels. It continues to a higher
level to a transmission which redirects the cables over pulley wheels to the
correct bells. Often, just below the pulley, the cable is attached to a
chain, which goes over the pulley to the clapper.
There is usually extra chain so that adjustments can be made to get the right
distance needed to ring and release the clapper quickly. When fully depressed,
there should be about an inch space between the clapper and the bell. This
means that you have actually thrown the clapper into the bell when ringing.
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