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Aladdin Heat Deflectors (Smoke Bells)
What we today call smoke bells were officially called heat deflectors by Aladdin until at least 2000. I will use the term "smoke bell" instead of the proper "heat deflector" name because smoke bell is in common usage today and I don't want to cause confusion.
Incandescent mantle lamps work by the burner creating enough heat to cause the mantle to glow. A properly adjusted mantle lamp burner can produce a flame of around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot burned gases flow up the chimney straight towards the ceiling unless there is something present to disrupt and disperse the column of hot gases. If the top of the lamp chimney is within five or six feet of the ceiling, the heat reaching the ceiling can be enough to damage the ceiling paint or start a fire. Back before World War II when the standard house ceiling height was twelve feet high, heat scorching the paint on a ceiling was only an issue with hanging lamps and not table lamps. With a smoke bell installed the top of the hanging lamp should be at least 24 inches below the ceiling. Smoke bells came standard on Aladdin hanging lamps and were an option on the tall student lamps. In 2014 Aladdin introduced a smoke bell that fits on top of a chimney for use with table lamps.
Bill Courter properly pointed out that "The Aladdin lamp does not make smoke. The lamp makes heat which incandescences the mantle. The term" smoke bell" was not used by The Mantle Lamp Company of America. The term smoke bell described glass or metal devices hung over the chimney of early non-Aladdin lamps. The term smoke bell, however, is used by collectors of Aladdin lamps today." Note that Aladdin introduced a product they named a smoke bell in 2014. This page uses the term "smoke bell" so as to confirm with today's common usage.
Scallop smoke bell for model 1 through 6 hanging lamps
including the model 3 & 4 narrow frame and model 6 125-A hanging lamps.
3-1/4 inch diameter at outside of scallops, 3/4 inch high
Note that there are some brass smoke bells that are duplicates to the early steel smoke bells.
These were sold by the American lamp Supply, "NO. 102-1A Smoke Bell" for a short time in the mid 1980s.
Introduced in winter 1984
they may have come on early brass tilt frame hanging lamps sold by the American lamp Supply.
Top view
Side view
Bottom view
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heat/smoke bell for parlor lamps, student lamps, and double chandelier lamp #112
This tripod device mounts to the top of the chimney. 3 inches dia., dome 1 inch high, with legs 3-1/8 inches high OR 2-½ inches high above stop.
Charles H. Smith’s patent 1148
Diagonal view
side view
Top view
Photos of these heat bells by Bill Courter
Note this is a reproduction and not an original |
Heat/smoke bell for single chandelier lamp #113
Brass, 3-inches dia., 1 ¼ inches high. Hanging then 2 ¼ inches high
Diagonal view
Top view
Photos of this heat/smoke bell by Bill Courter
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Model 7 & 8
The drawing is from the model 7 hanger patent.
Since Aladdin used up parts on hand when they transitioned to a new model lamp,
it is very likely that early model 7 hanging lamps came with the model 1-6 smoke bell..
courtesy of Bill Courter
An Aladdin company picture of the later model 7 & 8 smoke bell.
courtesy of Bill Courter
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Believed to be an original model 7 & 8 smoke bell
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Picture of the smoke bell used on the model 12 four post hanger
and the model B tilt frame hanger.
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THEORY NOT PROVEN FACT:
The smoke bell used on the model 12 four post hanger and the subsequent model 12 and model B tilt frame hangers look identical to the model 7 & 8 smoke bell pictured in Aladdin factory photographs. When Aladdin started making the model 9 through 11 smoke bell they designed and used a new different smoke bell. When they designed the model 12 four post hanger, the model 11 smoke bell was not a good fit, so my theory is that they dusted off the old model 7 & 8 smoke bell tooling, drilled a single hole in the center top and mounted it upside down to get a good fit with the four post hanger. Then they continued using that smoke bell tooling through the tilt frame production. Reuse of existing tooling would be economical and would explain why the smoke bells look identical.
Sombrero shaped smoke bells are models 9-11
3-1/2 inches diameter, 5/8 inches high
Side view
Angle top view
Bottom view
Photos by Steve Fowler |
Model 12 four post smoke bell
3-1/8 inch diameter, 3/4 inch high
This smoke bell hangs from a single hole in the center with the bulge facing downward.
photo by Steve Fowler
Model 12 smoke bell mounted in the four post hanger, B-1214.
courtesy of Bill Courter
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Model B tilt frame smoke bell
3-1/8 inch diameter, 3/4 inch high
This smoke bell is the model 12 four post smoke bell turned over and with a second hole drilled.
It was used on model B tilt frame hangers through WWII. The tilt frame hanger with this smoke bell appears in the 1946 model year catalogue,
and was replaced with a new smoke bell and hanger for the 1947 model year.
All tilt frame lamps (pre-model 23) sold world wide used this smoke bell.
Aladdin factory drawing
courtesy of Bill Courter
Model B tilt frame B-210, B-216, B-222 war years hanging lamps
Because brass was a restricted material, smoke bells manufactured during World War II
were made of black oxidized stamped steel
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Aladdin UK glass "heat protector" chimney mounted smoke bell from mid 1930s
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Smoke bell used on the 1936 - 1937 Model B bead chain hanging lamp
B-212, B-213, B-214, B-215
3/4 view
Side view
top view showing copper rod and nut
Smoke bell attached to canopy of B-214 model B hanger
courtesy of Bill Courter
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Combination smoke bell and top of hanger 1939 - 1941 chain hanging lamp
B-219, B-220, B221
cast iron, 2-1/2 inch high, 4-3/8 inch diameter
side view
top view
Smoke bell and top of Aladdin B-220 model B hanger
courtesy of Bill Courter
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Aladdin Australia model 12 "Carry and hanging" lamp smoke bell
from the late 1920s and early 1930s.
4-3/8 inch diameter, 1-1/2 inch high
top view
side view
Bottom view
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During World war II brass became a restricted material and smoke bells for the model 12 hand carry
lamp were stamped from steel.
86 mm (3.36 inches) by 8mm (0.31 inches) stamped from steel
top view
Bottom view
Side view mounted in hanger
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Smoke bell for Australian hanging lamps
Shaped like the US model 12 & tilt frame model B smoke bells but with the outer rim folded up.
85 mm diameter (3.35 in), 20 mm (0.79 in) tall, nickel plating on brass.
top view
bottom view
side view
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This smoke bell was introduced along with a new hanger for the 1947 model year
and is correct for post war model B, Nashville and Brazil model C hanging lamps model 21 & 21C and model 23 hanging lamps that do not have tilt frame hangers.
3-7/8 inch diameter, 3/4 inch high. Hanger arm is 2-7/8 inches overall length
top view
Side view
Bottom view
Smoke bell mounted on post WWII B-210 hanger
courtesy of Bill Courter
The model 23 chain hanging lamp, BH-2400 used this smoke bell hanging from the canopy with 4 chain links, about 3-3/4 inches chain length. |
Smoke Bell for BH-23 brass tube hanger
I don't have one to measure and properly photograph yet but it looks like the smoke bell for a model B tilt frame hanger.
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Smoke bell for the brass model 23 tilt frame hanger and
# 102-1a
3-1/4 inch dia., 7/8 inch high. Brass 'S' hook, 7/8 inch long. Eye at top of smoke bell is thick brass wire bent into a loop with a
half twist on the underside. Rolled edges.
diagonal view with hook
top view You can see the rolled edge
side view
bottom view You can see how the looped wire eye is anchored to the smoke bell
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Model 23 chimney mounted smoke bell - Aladdin catalogue number R960B
This Chimney mounted smoke bell, introduced in 2013 will fit all Aladdin lamps plus most mantle lamps of other brands produced after World War I.
This will diffuse the hot gas coming out of the chimney over a wider area to prevent ceiling paint scorching.
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In 2018 Aladdin introduced a combined smoke bell and insect screen
17213 ALADDIN BUG SCREEN/ HEAT DEFLECTOR
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Contents > Aladdin heat (Smoke) bells
