Patent GB-189905569-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Automatic Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Inventor: BRACHHAUSEN GUSTAV ADOLF
Filed: 1899-03-14
Granted: 1899-07-22
Abstract: 5569. Brachbausen, G. A. March 14. Automatic instruments.- The invention relates to a musical box in which tunesheets are used for operating star-wheels which strike the sounding teeth. The action is entirely automatic, so that, when started by hand or by the insertion of a coin, a tune-sheet is placed in position and restored to its holder at the end of the tune and another put in its place, and so on continuously. Means are also provided for enabling any desired tune to be selected and to be repeated as often as desired. The tune-sheets are stored in a carriage where they are supported by vertical rods 69 The carriage is moved on rails by a cam driven by a train of wheels 87, 85, which is actuated in ordinary circumstances by a cam on a spring barrel 39 by a lever 91 and a pawl and ratchet device; but as the carriage requires to be either manually or mechanically actuated, a pawl device is provided for preventing the former operation from taking place while the latter is proceeding. The cam which immediately operates the carriage is shaped so that it brings the tune-sheets successively into a position such that they can be engaged by lifting-jaws 101, which are raised at the proper moment by straps 104 passing over pulleys 105. The tune-sheet 9 is guided into position by a fixed shield 24, and at the same time the star-wheels are protected by a movable shield, the two together preventing the sounding- teeth from being operated while the tune-sheet moves into its place. It is also guided by a roller 30 mounted on a carriage 29 sliding on a rod 31. This roller acts by its weight and gives the requisite bend to the tune-sheet. Before this operation, in fact before the previous tune-sheet is restored to its place, a presser rod 14 furnished with discs 15 is moved outwards by a rock-shaft 37, and, when the tune-sheet has reached its operative position, it is moved inwards again by the same agency, a pivot 13, also moved by the rockshaft, being pushed forwards through a hole in its centre. The whole of these movements are effected by the spring drum 39. At this point, a notch in the edge of the drum 39 acts on a catch which engages with the governor 59 of the drum and stops it, while at the same time it releases a similar catch from the governor of the drum 38, and allows it to move and rotate the tune-sheet. When the tune-sheet is rotated, the drum 38 behaves in a similar way, and releases the governor of the drum 39, which, as it proceeds to rotate, performs a reverse series of operations; that is to say, it withdraws the pivot 13, moves the presser-bar 14 outwards, and allows the lifting-jaws 101 to fall, thus restoring the tune-sheet to its place in the storing carriage. The jaws 101, instead of falling by their weight, may be positively lowered as well as raised. The wheel which drives the tune-sheet acts against a resilient abutment, which receives its teeth and gives if the teeth do not properly engage with the tune-sheet, injury being thus avoided. The coin-receiving device consists of a pan 4 with a hole just small enough to prevent coins of the right size from dropping through. The pan is carried by a rod 171 which is pivoted on a rod connected with the catch which releases the operating-drum by the weight of the coin. When the instrument has been started, the rod 171 is rotated so that the coin is tipped sideways out of the cup. A hand device for starting may be provided. It is capable of two positions, in one of which the same tune is played continuously. Connected with the train of wheels 85, 87 is the pointer of a dial which indicates the tune being played.