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The circuit shown in Fig.

1 provides a mechanical means of striking two gongs or chimes in sequence one when the
doorbell is pressed, the other when it is released. This it does by briefly activating two solenoids in succession or
even two motors to which suitable hammers are attached. It is a circuit which was rejected by a publisher, for the reason
that it was thought to be too complex which really it is. I had been designing various embodiments of the same idea,
and this embodiment was not the most elegant. Having said this, it works perfectly well.
The circuit is unusual from the point of view that it is based on two pulse shorteners, IC1a and IC1b. These are
essentially two monostable timers with special arrangements at their inputs. Of critical importance, in these circuits, is
that the potential between S1 and R1 should change fairly rapidly when S1 is pressed, and that the trigger inputs of
IC1a and IC1b should be suitably biased.
C2 serves to debounce pushbutton switch S1 however, its value cannot be too high, due to the requirements of the
pulse shortener circuit. TR1 and R2 serve as an inverter. IC1a is effectively a negative-edge-triggered monostable
timer, so that when pushbutton switch S1 is pressed, IC1as output goes high, TR2 conducts, and solenoid SOL1 is
activated. D1 suppresses back-EMF, which could potentially destroy the IC.
When pushbutton S1 is released, C2 rapidly discharges through R1. IC1b is effectively a positive-edge-triggered
monostable timer, so that when IC1bs output goes high, TR3 conducts, activating solenoid SOL2. D2 is again
provided to suppress back-EMF. R9 and R10 are not strictly necessary in the circuit, but limit damage in the unlikely
event of the failure of TR2 or TR3.
Unless a large battery is used for B1, C1 is needed to provide the whack required for solenoids SOL1 and SOL2. If the
pulses which activate SOL1 and SOL2 seem to be too long or too short (they are less than a tenth of a second each as
shown), the values of R7 and C5, respectively R8 and C6, may be adjusted according to the formula t = 1.1 R C
seconds. TR1 is a miniature MOSFET. If an equivalent is required, it may be replaced with the same MOSFET as is
used for TR2 and TR3. If TR2 and TR3 are not to be found, rough equivalents may be used, on condition that their gate
voltage is at least a quarter below the supply voltage.
Ideally, solenoids SOL1 and SOL2 would be 12V push-action types, or pull-action types which have a thrust pin at the
back. However, plain pull-action types should work if they are touching the chimes or gongs when the circuit is at rest
(they would then pull back, bounce, and strike). Small DC motors may be used with hammers attached, with suitable
series resistors if required. These would likely need longer timing periods for monostable timers IC1a and IC1b.
The circuit may use the (original) bipolar version of the 555 timer IC, or its more recent CMOS equivalents. If a CMOS
equivalent is used, standby current is likely to be below 2mA. That is, an AA alkaline battery pack would last about two
months on standby. For longer periods, a regulated power supply is recommended. The supply voltage will ideally be
12V, but may be reduced to 9V.

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