The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-08-04

thieves. One O.: them is designed to
discourage banls sneal<s. The sneak
puts his hand in through the teller's
window and unintentiona1ly actuates
q mechanism which ce uses slide with
spikes to close suddenly upon his paw
and impa1e it. A trap Of somewhat
similar character Is a steel shutter for
\ house window SO disguised with COW
ering and fringe as to look like an or
binary curtain. If burglar tries to
enter at night It shuts down Upon him,
the spikes hidden by the fringe help
ing to hold him fast.
American inventors have been fruit
full of queer ideas in musical instru-
ments. Patents have been sought for
viohns made of metal, of earthenware,
of glass, OF leather, and even of glue.
Plain wood, however, maintains its
place as the accepted material for this
purpose. How many people have ever
heard OF the "doorophone2 1t con,
sists ct frame and sounding board
with tuned wires and little metal balls
suspended. The continuance is hung
upon a door. When the latter is opened
the balls swing back and forth and
strike harmonious chords.
There is a patent device for playing
the banjo by electricity. 1t requires
no skill, the instrument being op-
Grated by n sheet of paper with per-
and breaking of a circuit. Mechanical
fingers thus actuated pick the strings
and depress them at the frets. An
other instrument is SO arranged that
one may play the banjo by manipulate
ing the keys of a keyboard like that OF
a piano on n small scale. The same
idea is varied by q combination of
piano and violin, the strings of the lat
ter being fingered by the use of a
piano-lil<e keyboard. OF course, that
is the difficult part of violin playing,
the handling of the bow being simple
enough. The bow is held in tho
right hand while the fingers of tho left
hand strike the keys.
Within the last few years many
musical instruments that play them
selves have been invented. These
ought to be a godsend in non-musical
households. not to mention the saving
of money for teaching and OF distress
to the nerves of those who are not do
ing the practicing. For example, there
is the piano-organ, which is operated
by strips of perforated paper like an
organette. 1t is either a piano or an
organ, or both together. and it plays
itself much better than most people
who understand the piano could play
it, because the mechanical arrange
ment is made with a high degree OF
musical skill. The performer simply
works the bellows. But there Is a con-
trivance with mechanical hands which
piano and will do the playing.
Another patent continuance for the
piano furnishes the instrument with
auxiliary strings which sound in
sympathy with the ordinary strings,
though they are not struck. Then arc
turned in harmony with the primary
strings, and augment the volume of
80 - f>S~A
holds a note as long as the finger is
kept on the key; the string is kept
vibrating by an electromagnetic. The
Janko keyboard is already becoming
we'll known. Its arrangement enables
the player to reach several octaves
with u single hand, thus rendering
certain effects Of execution possible.
ordinary keyboard. There are several
devices by which the performer is en-
nblcd to irnprovise on the piano, and
to have the appropriations recorded
with self-inking pens or otherwise.
Afterwards the record may be trans
lated into the common notation.
Patents have been granted for maxi
ing innumerable queer things ont OF
paper. such as carpets. electric con-
duits, leadpcncils, roofing material,
car wheels, boats, pals. coffins,
brushes and combs. Mattresses are
manufactured out of paper pulp and
ordinary sponge, springs being imbed-
tlcd in the composition. a cloth paper
for banl1notcs has been invented, the
notion being to render such money less
perishable and more difficult to coun-
terfeit Paper is used nowadays for
architectural decorations, interior and
exterior. COrnices, panels and friezes
arc nodded out of the pulp.
Music boxes nowadays are made in
all sorts of queer shapes. The glass
water bottle on the dinner table plays
a tune while the guest fills his tum.
bier. The cigar holder becomes tune
full when a match is struck upon it.
Toilet sets have music boxes concealed
in them. Fruit plates, on being placed
upon the festive board, start up with
jigs and waltzes. Photograph albums
become harmonious when opened.
Clocks, inseead of striking, emit oper-
attic fragments every hour. Artificial
singing birds, run by cloclxwork with
bellows and whistle. carol melodious-
ly. One may buy an imitation canary.
robin or nightingale, in a cage.
One of the most successful of recent
inventions is process for making arti-
iced beverages. Everybody knows
but the limitations are always satisfac-
they are rolled they arc treated with
and non-absorbent. The same patent
covers mouthpieces for cigarettes,
which are manufactured in a similar