Improvements in Mechanisms for Turning Christmas Trees or other Articles with Musical Accompaniment.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanisms for Turning Christmas Trees or other
Articles with Musical Accompaniment.
1, JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT, Machine manufacturer of Stuttgart, 59 Böhlinger
Strasse do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention of which the following is a description, consists of mechanism by
means of which it is possible to turn a Christmas tree with accompaniment of music.
In order to make the description more clear, I refer to the accompanying sheet of
drawings in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the several views.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the mechanism with the top plate y left away for the sake of
clearness.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figs. 3 & 4 show detail views of the mechanism.
Referring to fig. 1: When the spring is wound up it sets the shafts n n' n² n³ in
motion by means of the various cog wheels shown in dotted lines. The cog wheel on
shaft n³ drives the shaft o by means of the endless screw on the same-and with shaft o
the fan D.
The motion is transmitted to the horizontal shafts f and f' by means of the bevel
wheels gg and 2. These shafts have their bearings f¹in the moveable plates pp
which are pivoted on the pins r r and may be moved by the crank axles a a' moving
in the slits s s.
On the ends of the shaftsff which run in their bearings on the moveable plates pp
are fixed the spur wheels g' g¹. These gear into the cog wheels on the pin barrel M
of the music work. On the crank axle a is the button by means of which it can be
turned. That part of the crank axle a' (fig. 2) which stands above the frame plate y
of the mechanism, is tubular and the rod b slides in it. Between this rod b and the
tubular part of the axle a¹ is a small spring a which prevents the rod from slipping
about too easily in the tube. On one end of the rod b is the button and on the other
end the spring m.
When the button b¹ is pressed down, the spring m is pressed on to
the fan shaft o. and acts as a brake-stopping the mechanism-as shown in dotted
lines in fig. 2.
In this mechanism it is possible to arrange any number of music works radially
around (in the drawing 4 are shown).
By means of the crank axle a or a' is is possible to place any one of the music works
into gearing.
The spike n on which the tree is placed revolves by means of the gearing
wheels xxx shown in dotted lines in fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 show the working of the crank axles a and a' in the slits ss of the
plates pp.
These plates are pivoted at rr and may be turned in both directions as shown by
Each of the cog wheels g gl may be geared into either of the two music
works which are placed within its radius.
the arrows.
To set the mechanism in motion, the spring must be wound up, the required music
work set in gear and the button 6 raised so that the spring m stands away from the
fan shaft. The tunes may be changed whilst the mechanism is.in motion, the tree
being.continually.turned round on its spike n'.
Dated Berlin,this 27th day of March 1889.
JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT.
By A. Kuhnt & R. Deissler,
38, Alexander Strasse, Berlin C, Germany, Agents for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanisms for Turning Christmas Trees or other
Articles with Musical Accompaniment.
I, JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT, Machine Manufacturer of 59, Böhlinger Strasse,
Stuttgart, Kingdom of Wurtemberg, German Empire, 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:-
My invention of which the following is a description, consists of a mechanism by
which it is possible to turn a Christmas tree or any other article, such for instance as
a pyramid for exhibiting cards or other articles in shop windows with accompaniment
of music
In order to make the description more clear, I refer to the drawings sent in with
provisional specification and to the accompanying sheet, in which similar letters denote
similar parts throughout the several views.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the mechanism with the top plate y left away for the sake of
clearness.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figs. 3 & 4 show detail views of the mechanism.
Figs. 5 & 6 show an arrangement for facilitating the winding up of the mechanism.
Referring to fig. 1: When the spring is wound up, it sets the shafts n n' n² ² in
motion by means of the various cog wheels shown in dotted lines. The shaft a³ drives
the shaft o by means of the endless screw on the same, and with shaft o the fan D.
The motion is transmitted to the horizontal shafts and by means of the bevel
wheels gg and gg. These shafts have their bearings in the moveable plates PP
which are pivoted at rr and may be moved by the crank axles a a' moving in the
slits s s.
On the ends of the shafts ff which run in their bearings f1f1 on the moveable
plates ppare fixed the spur wheels g'g'. These gear into the cog wheels on the
pin barrel M of the music work. On the crank axle a is the button by means of
which it can be turned. That part of the crank axle a', fig. 2, which stands above the
frame plate y of the mechanism is tubular and the rod slides in it. Between this
rod and the tubular part of the axle a' is a small spring e', which prevents the rod from
slipping out too easily in the tube. On one end of the rod b is the button and on
the other end the spring m. When the button is pressed down the spring m is
pressed on to the fan shaft o and acts as a brake-stopping the mechanism as shown
in dotted lines in fig. 2.
In this mechanism it is possible to arrange any number of music works radially
around (in the drawing 4 are shown). By means of the crank axle a or a¹ it is
possible to place any one of the music works into gearing.
The spike n¹ on which the tree is placed, revolves by means of the gearing
wheels shown in dotted lines in fig. 1.
Figs. 3&show the working of the crank axles a and a¹ in the slits ss of the
plates pp. These plates are pivoted at and may be turned in both directions as
shown by the arrows. Each of the cog wheels g¹g may be geared into either of the
two music works which are placed within its radius.
To set the mechanism in motion, the spring must be wound up, the required music
work set in gear and the button 6 raised so that the spring m stands away from the
fan shaft. The tunes may be changed whilst the mechanism is in motion, the tree
being continually turned round on its spike n¹.
In figs. 5 & 6 a modification is shown; in this modification instead of driving the
musical works from a gearing wheel on shaft n', that is the shaft on which the tree is
mounted, I drive them from the intermediate spindle n' by means of gearing wheel N'
on spindle by which means I achieve a steadier and more even working of the music.
Further in these two figures I show an arrangement by means of which the winding
up of the mechanism is considerably facilitated.
?"

page_text: The crown wheel B is mounted on the main spring spindle E and in frame A fitted to
the upper frame plate y, and in which spindle D runs having pinion E mounted thereon.
Spindle D has a slit in its end over which a key fits for winding up the mechanism.
This arrangement has many advantages, in the first place the winding up of the
mechanism is considerably facilitated, then, when any of the teeth or pins of either
wheels get broken off, they may easily be replaced without necessitating entirely new
wheels, lastly when the works stand in a position, not easily accessible-which often
happens in the case of Christinas trees, where it is not possible to get at the work
without brushing under the tree-a lengthening piece consisting of a piece of tube
having pins passed diametrically through it at each end may be placed over the end
of spindle D and the key then placed on its other end.
Under the term "other articles" in the claims I understand pyramids for exhibiting
cards etc. in shop windows, fruit or flower stands for table decoration at festivities,
in short any articles for decorative purpose the effectiveness of which would be increased
by their being slowly revolved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A mechanism for rotating Christmas trees and other articles and at the same
time operating one or more musical work or works consisting of a main spring, slowly
rotating the tree spike by intermediate gearing, the adjustable frames p p containing
horizontal shafts ff each operating either of two musical works M M by intermediate
gearing, substantially as described.
2. In a mechanism for rotating Christmas trees and other articles, the combination
of frames pivoted at having horizontal shafts ff driven by intermediate bevel
wheels gg, shafts r r and pinions, from the tree spike spindle n' and adjustable by
cranks a a¹ and handles we in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
3. In a mechanism for rotating Christmas trees and other articles, the combination
of a main spring and tree spindle having intermediate gearing and of the adjustable
driving mechanism for the music works driven from intermediate spindle n² in the
manner substantially as described.
4. In a mechanism for rotating Christmas trees and other articles the combination
of crown wheel B, mounted on main spring spindle E and in frame A, with pinion C
and shaft D in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
5. In a mechanism for rotating Christmas trees and other articles the combination
of the tubular part of crank a above frame y in which rod b slides being held in
place by spring, rod b having spring m on its lower end which serves as a brake
for stopping the mechanism, by arresting fan shaft o, in the manner described.
Dated Berlin, this 29th day of November 1889.
JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT.
By A. Kuhnt & R. Deissler,
38, Alexander Strasse, Berlin C, Attorneys.