Ci talk:10AF027160D02E6A
What is a 转铃?
CC-CEDICT says "bicycle bell (with revolving cap)".
But I am suspicious. A revolving cap? I've been riding a bicycle for about 50 years and I've never seen a bell with a revolving cap. On the other hand, I'm very familiar with the traditional bicycle bell with rotating internal parts, described in Wikipedia":
The bicycle bell was invented by John Richard Dedicoat, and patents for bicycle bells appear as early as 1877. The most common bells are actuated by a thumb-operated lever that is geared to rapidly rotate two loosely slung metal discs inside the bell housing. Said discs repeatedly rattle and strike the bell to produce a sound not unlike that of an electric bell. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_bell
Here's a video clip that shows very clearly how the traditional bicycle bell works: Inside a Bicycle Bell [26 seconds in length] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvTscGX2YL0
Checking online, I found that zdic defines 转铃 as 通过按手带动铃盖转动而发出响声的自行车车铃.
According to that, the sound is indeed produced by the spinning of the bell housing (铃盖).
So that's two dictionaries telling me it's the housing that spins! On the other hand, I'm pretty sure the person who wrote the CC-CEDICT definition based it on zdic.
Checking other dictionaries:
New Century: rotary bell
New Age: a kind of bicycle bell that spins as it rings
I get the impression these guys have only a vague idea of what it is, but at least they don't claim the bell housing revolves.
Contemporary: 自行车车铃的一种，按动时铃盖转动发声 revolving bell for bicycles
There's that revolving bell housing again! (铃盖转动)
Well, here is a 转铃 for sale. The webpage has a video showing the operation of the bell, and photos of the internal mechanism. It says 内里结构，双向打铃, which means that the mechanism is for striking the bell housing, not for sending it spinning around.
JcSp双面转铃铛 怀旧经典转铃老式自行车传统复古单车铁铃铛 https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?ft=t&spm=a21m2.8958473.0.0.371d75d0rwc7S1&id=522001232671
Since some bicycle bells have a clapper mechanism and make a "ding" sound rather than the traditional "thring", I suggest defining 转铃 as "bicycle bell (with a rotating internal mechanism)".