Device for Actuating Steel Tongues in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A. Device for Actuating Steel Tongues in Mechanical Musical
Instruments.
I, JOHANN LUDWIG MÜLLER of Plagwitz-Leipzig, in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
The object of this invention is a device for actuating steel tongues, in mechanical
musical instruments, by the action of peculiarly co-operating parts.
The improved device is in the main as follows:
The music sheet lever is revolubly lodged, so as not to be displaceable, on a pin
or pivot and has a disc adapted to move in a circular recess of a ring or plate. The
latter and the music sheet lever are held together and in a given position by means
of a leaf spring provided laterally below the lever. This peculiar connection of
the ring revoluble about said disc and the music sheet lever revoluble about
the pin results in. an, eccentric pendulum movement of the sounding nose provided
at the ring, whereby a proper sounding of the tongue is attained.
The device works as follows:
.
The music sheet lever is held down by the music sheet and the sounding nose is
raised. As soon as a music sign arrives above. the nose. of the lever, the lever rises
by the action of the spring, and the disc makes an oscillatory movement about the
pin, so that the nose of the ring is removed from the tongue and subsequently
moved downward by the abutting of a nose, provided rearwards on the lever, against
the edge of the ring. When this is done, the music sheet lever is completely fallen
into the music sign and now begins to move out, whereby the tongue is sounded.
By the edge of the music sign, the lever is first moved down without the ring about
its pivot, whereby the general position of the ring is altered relatively to the tongue.
As soon as the lever on its descent comes in contact with the respective edge of the
ring, the sounding nose of the ring, which is now below the tongue, is moved
upward. Thereby the tongue is raised, and after the nose of the lever has com-
pletely left the music sign, the tongue is actuated and sounded.
Dated this 10th day of November 1891
HUELSER & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Actuating Steel Tongues in Mechanical Musical
Instruments.
I, JOHANN LUDWIG MÜLLER, of Plagwitz-Leipzig, in the German Empire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for actuating the steel tongues of mechanical
musical instruments, and is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Actuating Steel Tongues in Mechanical Musical
Instruments.
I, JOHANN LUDWIG MÜLLER, of Plagwitz-Leipzig, in the German Empire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for actuating the steel tongues of mechanical
musical instruments, and is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and
r
Fig. 2 a plan of mechanism embodying my invention.
Fig. 3 is a separate view of the operating lever.
Fig. 4 is a separate view of the ring used in conjunction with the said lever.
Figs. 5 to 9 show, consecutive positions of a modified lever a and the parts con-

page_text: Fig. 10 is a plan showing the damper mechanism, and the striking mechanism,
shown in Figs. 5 to 9.
Fig. 11 is an end or front elevation of levers a and damper springs, shown in
Figs. 5 to 9.
Fig. 12 shows the construction of dampers on a larger scale.
Fig. 13 and 14 are separate views of an operating lever a and ring r.
The following description relates more particularly to Figs. 5 to 14.
"
The operating lever a is pivoted on a pin and provided with a disc s fitting into
the circular opening g of a ring r, which acts as a striking. lever. This combination
of the striking ring with the music sheet lever a adapted to oscillate on the point b
has for its effect an eccentric pendulous motion of the striking tooth i formed on the
ring r, so as to act on the vibrating tongue z in the desired manner.
The striking ring has also a recess x adapted to receive the arm h of the
lever a.
:
The lever a is set in motion by the travelling music sheet acting on the tooth n.
By means of the disc-shaped extensions this motion is communicated to the ring r,
as far as the arm h in the recess x will allow it, that is to say, the pendulous motion
of the ring is limited by the arm h, in order to produce a more accurate effect.
By the arm' the ring is securely pressed downward and also placed into its
highest position in a reliable manner, as illustrated by Figs. 5 to 7.
The striking ring r serves at the same time to act on the damper as follows.
Above the vibrating steel tongue z is mounted a spring m carrying a damper,
and which may be shifted sideways by a slight pressure. The vertical spring fis
provided with a bend or crank arm p (Fig. 12), which comes into contact with the
striking ring (or with its projecting nose), as soon as the vibrating tongue is to be
struck.
.
During the up motion of the striking ring, the projecting nose i of the same slides
upon the crank-arm of the spring f, so that the latter presses the damper_spring.m
sideways, until the note has been sounded (or the tongue has been struck); when
the lever a enters a slot of the music sheet, the ring ceases to act upon the
spring, the latter is therefore released and allows the damper spring m to act
again upon the vibrating tongue.
The spring serves also as a lateral guide for the striking ring; the damper is
arranged in such a manner, that it can be easily replaced by a fresh damper, when
desired.
In the position represented by Fig. 5, the lever a is held down by the music.
sheet N, and the striking tooth or nose i is lifted.
I
.
I
As soon as a slot of the music sheet reaches the tooth n of the lever a (Fig. 6),
the spring begins to act, by pressing the lever a upward, and causing its disc s to
oscillate on the fulcrum b. Consequently, the nose i of the ring passes beyond
the reach of the tongue z, and as the lever a continues to ascend, the arm h guided
in the recess (Fig. 6) presses the tooth i downward. When this has taken place,
the tooth n of the lever a has reached its highest position in the slot of the
travelling music sheet, and the said lever begins to descend, during which period
the vibrating tongue is struck.
The down motion of the lever a is produced by its contact with the edge k of the
slot in the travelling music sheet; at first the arm h moves' in the recess without
acting on the ring, by pivoting on the fulcrum '6 in the direction of the arrow,
Fig. 8, whereby also the general position of the ring r with regard to the vibrating
tongue z is changed. As soon as the arm h impinges against the rear edge of the
recess (Fig. 8), the nose i which is now situated under the tongue z, ascends, and
thereby lifts the latter. The sound is produced, when the lever a has passed out of
the slot of the music sheet (Fig. 5)
During the down motion and in the lowest position of the nose i, the damper.
mechanism described above is called into action, but during the up motion, (while
the said nose acts on the steel tongue) the damper mechanism is out of reach.
The whole mechanism is simple in construction, noiseless and reliable in action.

page_text: In the construction represented by Figs. 1 to 4, the lever a and ring r have
a somewhat different shape. The lever comes into contact alternately with the
upper edges c and d of the ring; the damper e is mounted on a blade secured
to the ring r, and the guide spring f is also differently shaped.
The lever comes into contact alternately with the upper edges c and d of the
ring; the damper e is mounted on a blade secured to the ring r, and the guide
spring is also differently shaped.
This form of my mechanism is inferior to that described above; and I do
not claim any exclusive right to the use of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Mechanism for striking the vibrating tongues of mechanical musical instru-
ments, comprising a lever a provided with a tooth n and arın h, and with a disc s
adapted to swing like a pendulum about the fulcrum b; a striking ring r mounted
on the discs and provided with a striking tooth i and recess ; and springs f and f¹,
the whole being arranged in such a manner that, when the tooth n enters a slot of
the music sheet, the tooth i passes clear of the vibrating tongue z, and that the said
tongue is caused to vibrate, when the lever a descends under the pressure of the
music sheet, substantially as described:
2. The combination of a striking mechanism as specified above, with a damper
mechanism comprising a horizontal spring m provided with a damper and actuated
by the springpressed sideways by the striking ring, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of August 1892.
J. L. MÜLLER,
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.