Alarm Bell / School Bell
Bells as an alarm system. In earlier times bells were used as an alarm system that could be heard often for miles, for such events as fires, or invasions, etc.. One such ringing was called the Tocsin, which is a method of ringing all bells as quickly as possible - all at once.

The funeral toll is another type of bell ring rung by Churches locally or nationally at a prescribed time for funerals of state. The funeral toll is a uniform somber striking of a large bell at a slow tempo.

Additionally, bells are used to signal the passage of time. Certain two to seven, (or more) bell combinations can provide the ringing sequence of the hourly clock chimes and their subdivisions followed by the hour strike.

One of the more well known and liked clock chimes is the Westminster clock chime melody with its 16 notes of which the original is located in England at Westminster Palace. The big bell that rings the hour is named Big Ben.

Most of the time, only the full hours are rung, sometimes in two series of rings, the peak, (on the hour), and the repeat, (a couple minutes after the hour for those who missed the actual hour strike!).

In certain situations, the bells are silenced at night to preserve the quiet.