The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-02-27
INSPIRED MOMENTS.
How They are to be Utilized by Elee-
tricity-An Invention Of Great In
terest to the Musical World.

N 49, -
exhibition in New Haven. 1t is at
tached to the organ in Willis Shelton
lalI. and consists of chemical tele-
graph operated by electricity, furnished
/ bv a carbon battery of six cells. Be-
meath each pedal and each key of the
three manuals Tor rows of keys as a
brass spring, so placed that whenever
/ the KEY is struck the key below It Is
pressed down upon the metal plate, and
/ held in tha, position as long as the Ike!
remains down. To each of the stops a
similar spring is so attached that when
it is brought into play the spring comes
| in contact with metal plate.
OF these springs there are 24S, in the
various parts of the organ. Each one
connected by means of wire, with a re-
cording machine, which stands near the
organ; and the mntal plates are connec-
New Haven Journal sGys of tie ma
chine:
sewing machine stand, and has a very
simple and unpre:ending appearance. AT
one end of the stand isthe clock work of
1rass, standing about ten inches hign,
and operated by power furnished by a
weight of seventy five pounds. The fly
CT this machine makes about l 800 rev.
olutions while the large drum on which
the weight cord is rolled is making one
This clock work is used to cause the
revolution of two brass cylinders, two
and a quarter inches in diameter and
twenty inches in length, which carry be-
tween them strip of paper whose width
is equal to the width of the cyl.
inders. This paper is dampened with q
chemical solution of such a nature that i
is discolord by current of electricity
Against one of these rollers, or agains
the paper as it passes over the roller
presses the end of each of the 248 wires
The points consist of hardened stee
wire and touch the cylinder in a hori
zontal line parallel to its axis, and arr
about one-sixteenth of an inch part
We have thus established between eacl
of the out-posts, as the keys and stop
of the organ may be called, and the cen
tral office, communication by a sepa
rate line of wire. Each of those out
posts has'desjgnated to it Longitudinal
division of the paper about One-sixteentl
of an inch in width. Now, 1t is easy to Sc
that in as much as the brass cylinders o
the machine are connected with the bat
terry by a wire, whenever a key is press
ed down or a stop drawn out, and tn
spring connected with it comes in con
tact with the metal plate and thus
brought in connection with the batter
circuit will be established and a
electrical current will pass from tn
wire points through the paper, whic
will be discolored whenever the curren
strikes it. The cylinders meantime re
volve at a constant speed, and tn
lenghth of time the key or stop
kerr in action will be represente
DY the 1SDSln VI lHC Va III
discoloration in the division of the pa
} per corresponding to that key or stol
We have now a record of every Dlovt
ment the organisit has made while Z
his instrument No matter how quic
he strikes key, nor how many his MIN
BILE fingers gallop over, every movemer
must be recorded by slight blue lin
in the paper in the machine. WheneN
= er he draws out a stop the wire poir
corresponding begins to leave the mar
! behind it, as this is continued until tt
i stop is pushed in, when the circuit
: broken and the discolo-ation ceases.
1t only remains now to inquire whetl
= er these humorous blue lines of varyir
= length can be read, and translated I'M
a musical language which shall be Il
, telligible to all who can read music
To facilitate this the wire points repr
senting the keys on each manual a
placed together and are arranged
groups, each cluster representing one o
tave, the distance between the octaves b
ing about twice that between the keys
The stops belonging to each manual a
also placed by themselves. Then the
is prepared by a gague marked wi
lines corresponding to the wire poin
and the name of the stop or the name
- the note represented by the key, wi
which each wire is connected, is i
scribed on the gauge in connection wi
the appropriate line. Placing this aero
:. the paper which has passed through t
machine, taking care that the end of &
- gague is exactly even with the marg
- of the paper, the identity of the keys
stops is established. The lengths of t
notes of course determined by the leng
: of the line representing it.
Evidently this is an invention of sol
importance. To the musical world,
lg pecially, this account will appeal wi
Ok great interest. The writer proceeds:
>, Through the invention and constrr
ton of SO simple, yet effective means
> recording music as it is played, mar
- the originator as man of great geni'
vet there are numerous details about {
~ ~ machine equally ingenious. The ce
= I trivance for starting and stopping t
clock work of the machine is very CO
- pactly and skillfully constructed. Be
ing on one of the main shafts of the n
, chine is steel brake which is brout
- down upon the shaft with great force
- an iron magnet which is charged W
~ electricity through wire running fir
- the main battery. By means of a SIN
key the circuit between this magnet a
the battery is opened or closed, and
the brake is brought down upon the a
- to stop the machine, or released, and
an clockwork started. The spring bene
Ia the KEYS are also most shillfully
an ranged. 1t was feared that if they "
go SO placed that their elasticity musi
,,r,a, than, N