aelflaed wrote:

The link appeared to work by pasting it into a browser, despite not making a picture here. But thanks. I will have to look into photobucket or similar.

That's likely because you are logged into Facebook already - I get a page asking me to log in. Using Google Photos I take the precaution of logging out before previewing the post to make sure the link will work for everybody.

You can access the bell striker mechanism easily enough by just moving the carriage all the way to the left (press the margin release when you do this). The set-up in the photos is exactly what yours should look like; that particular bell is very loud despite the surface rust that I need to address.

As for sourcing a replacement spring, it all depends on how much effort you want to put into it. There are online retailers that specialize in springs, and you should be able to find one that is almost identical (of I'd have to measure the spring for you to provide specs). You certainly don't have anything to lose by experimenting with similar springs that you might find around the house, which might just need to be cut to the correct length and its ends bent to hook through the assembly's levers. However, I don't think the spring found in a pen would work. Those springs are compression springs, and the one for the bell's hammer is a tension spring, which works in the opposite manner ("someone elsewhere" is giving poor advice ).

I don't know where you live (you can add your city to your profile), but I've had luck using hardware supply stores in my area (Toronto, Canada) that sell bags of springs that are a mixture of all sizes and types. Specialty fasteners stores might have an even better selection. If you have any of the big box home supply stores in your area there might be something in their hardware section. Again, it all depend on how much effort you want to put into it.