[Bell Historians] Canon removal and faculties

[David Bryant]

> >If bells are hung out it slows them down to a certain extent,
> >then they start to speed up again.
>
> I've heard that this is why the standard practice among German
> bellfounders is to hang their swinging bells on straight headstocks
> without counterweights. The faster rate of swing produces a faster
> rate of striking, which seems to be well liked. I imagine that the
> electric motor controls to manage this on their very large bells must
> be quite cleverly designed to minimize the power required.

Taylor's hung a couple of large single bells for ringing in the early C20
with straight stocks and large wheels. One was the bass of the carillon at
Cobh (since hung dead), the other the single bell at Rugby College Chapel
(since hung for electric slow swinging). More details in my article at
http://www.bellhistorians.org.uk/heavy_single_bells.htm, along with pictures
of the bells. The huge headstock and wheel from the Rugby bell are now in
Taylor's museum.

David