oak box with bell-like gong inside?

[ltltp7]

My father recently purchased an antique bell-like gong encased in a solid oak box.  It is about 6 inches high, 12 inches long and 12 inches in width.  It has a slit in the side of the box where a prong type lever comes out and pressing this lever down causes a mallet to strike the bell-like gong inside.  There are 4 little pegs on the bottom telling me it is to set on top of something and is not to be mounted, but that is all I can figure out.  Is it some type of dinner gong?  I would really like to know.......can anyone help me?

[Michelle Staley]

A photo please