The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-01-14
MUSIC ROxRs
Something About the Construction OF
the Delightful InstrGzneafs.
w., y,~k


Something About the Construction OF
the Delightful I1struneats.
New York Times.
Has it ever occurred to anybody to
raise the question why American ingen-
uity and skill are not turned to popular
iZiRg the music-box? That instrument
is so peculiarly an article of luxury that
probably not one in five of even music
loving persons ever see a. the price rang
Ing from $1o0 TO 81 900. and even 81 500.
Yet il Is literally what its direct and
graphic name implies. For purity of,
rome perhaps nothing equals IL, unless
its rival Is the facet of glass. Its sweet
ness, delicacy and peculiarly bubbling
limpidity charm every ear to which the
slightest musical sensibility has been
given, and even the cheap instruments
which can render but two or three airs
seductive. The mechanism of its con-
struction is of the simplest character. A
brass cylinder having Its circumference
studded with short steel pins is slowly
reyolved by a train of wheels actuated by
a spring, and these points successfully
catch and lift the teeth of q fixed steel
comb" the teeth of which are weighted
on one side, so that when re-
leased by the cylinder-which acts like
a cam-each tooth is set in vibration by
beyeled on each side to . narrow point,
SO that the fine spurs on the cylinder
may pass between the teeth. except when
the right spur comes around. One mar
row stripalong the length of the cylinder
(Which strip marks the end of each air
or strain) is bare of spurs, and the
change of air is effected by simply slid
ing the cylinder little TO bring the
spurs into new position relative TO the
teeth. The spurs or pins themselves are
disposed over the surface of the cylinder
in most irregular manner, apparently
without the least order or design; but If
there were no design the box would give
forth only a tumble of sounds. One air
requires certain number of spurs, dis.
posed in certain relative positions, and
when this air is to be played all other
spurs pass between the teeth of the
comb; each shifting of the cylinder
brings different set of spurs into posi-
ton TO catch the teeth, and throws out of
action the set last used. The clock
work and the construction of the comb
itself are easy matters of detail, and the
cylinder is not the puzzle it
with fine lines at distances
apart exactly corresponding to the dis
lance between the ends of the teeth in
the comb; hence whenever any one of
these lines comes Just opposite the end
of any particular tooth, every spur in
that line will sound that tooth, and the
order of the soundings with reference 10
the other notes will depend upon the
position of those spurs in their circle.
OF course, each shifting of the cylinder
TO the right or left brings new set of
circles and spurs into gear and throws
others out, so that different teeth arc
touched: by having new cylinders to H.
sert, the same box can be made 70 play
an Indefinite number of tunes. (Almost
the same mechanism is used in the tor
ture box known as the street-organ, ex
cept that, in. order to produce a pro-
longed note the lifting spur is made of
fiat strip of metal in the form of three
sides of rectangle Of varying length.)
1t would be impossible by verbal des-
cription 10 convey 3 clear idea of the
method of setting the little spurs in
place on the cylinder for the processes
are all well adopted to American ways
Of manufacture. By the aid Of machin.
cry, applied with the skill which is
Enthusiastically American, this most
exquisite of melodious delights might
be produced, it seems to as, at such
prices as to popularize its use.