of the Cylinders of Barrel Organs.
Year: 1886

page_text: of the Cylinders of Barrel Organs.
I EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Fel. Inst. P.A. do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to
me from abroad by Johann Friedrich Ferdinand Grabau of Leipzig in the Empire
of Germany) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the transposition or setting
of the cylinders of barrel organs, for the purpose of setting up a new piece of
music when desired. The apparatus consists of a lifting and pressing disc which
is provided with a number of horizontal lifting teeth of gradually increasing
heights which teeth act against one end of the axle of the roller in such a manner
that when the pressing disc is turned the teeth or projections push the rollers
sideways in equal measure to the height of the lifting teeth, and the cylinder
remains always in contact with the lifting teeth of the pressing disc by the action
of a spring.
The apparatus is shown in Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawing Figures 1
and 2 showing in vertical section and plan respectively a barrel organ provided
with the setting apparatus for the cylinders with the covering removed.. Figures 3
to 5 show the setting apparatus separately and in two different positions.
Figures 6 to 9 show an arrangement of setting apparatus wherein the construction
is slightly varied the lifting teeth being on a sliding plate instead of being
mounted upon a disc. Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the
figures.
.
The cylinder A is as usual laid removable in the bed plate D. Its axle arms a'
and a² are of metal and are preferably made of small diameter. The end a³ of the
axle is acted upon by a spring e provided with a peg e¹ the spring e being secured
to the bed plate D and constantly tending to push the cylinder A in the direction
of the arrow Figure 2. In this manner the end a¹ of the cylinder axle is caused
to constantly press against the face of the lifting and pressing disc 6 which as is

page_text: shown in Figures 1 and 2 is so pivotted on the last block that the axle arm a
lies always against one of the lateral lifting teeth.
The pressing disc 6 Figures 3 to 5 turns on a bolt 63 fixed on the block k and
carries on the side turned towards the cylinder the lifting teeth b' of gradually
increasing heights and on its circumference the cogs 62. The number of the cogs
and lifting teeth is the same and correspond with the number of the pieces of
music which are arranged for on the cylinder; in the present case 4. Each lifting
tooth answers to a different piece of music. If now the pressing disc b is
rotated the whole row of the lifting teeth b¹ will act upon the axle arm a¹ and
the cylinder A will be moved correspondingly to their increasing heights, in the
opposite direction to that of the arrow Figure 2 until the lowest lifting tooth
following on the highest lifting tooth of the disc b the cylinder A under the action
of the spring e will be again pushed back into its original position.
The turning of the pressing disc b takes place by means of a pawl consisting of
two parts a spring actuating spindle c¹ and c² a swing pawl. The parts c¹ and c²
are connected by means of a pin. The part or spindle c¹ passes through the
covering of the barrel organ and is provided above with a button or knob c³ it
being guided by the angle plate e8 and is by means of a spiral spring c, which lies
on the one side against c³, and on the other side against a pin c passing through
the spindle c¹ constantly pressed upwards. In Figure 4 the lower end of the
spindle c is connected by a pin with the pawl c² and as in the raised position at
Figure 4. The spring c presses the pawl c2 against a peg c which on the
depression of the pawl mechanisin serves as a guide to the part c², in such manner
that the latter takes hold just in front of the cog 62 of the pressing disc b. and the
latter on the further depression of c¹, c² is thereby turned in the direction of the
arrow Figures 4 and 5 the distance of one tooth 62. Any slipping off of the part ca
from the cog 6 is prevented by means of a peg c. In order to retain the disc b in
position after the partial revolution has taken place a spring d is provided, its
free end pressing on the circumference of the disc b. After the depression of the
pawl c c it again resumes its normal position as at Figure 4 by the action of
the spring c³.
.
In this manner, in order to set up a different piece of music i.e. in order to
displace the roller A it is only necessary to press down the head or knob c³ of the
pawl spindle c¹ and this apparatus permits this shifting of the roller even during
the playing of the instrument. Instead of the pressing disc provided with lifting
teeth a removable plate b¹ provided with teeth or heels of different heights may
be used.
Figures 6 to 9 show this setting apparatus for the cylinder. The plate b
actuates the axle arm al of the cylinder in a similar manner as before described.
The different heels of the plate bi Figure 6 like the lifting teeth previously
described correspond for the different pieces of music to the required displacements
of the cylinder A which with its axle arm a¹ lies against the shelved edges or
heels of the plate b¹. Through the movement of the plate b in the direction of the
arrow Figure 6 the cylinder A is displaced in a corresponding ratio to the height
of the heels.
The plate 61 is on a frame 6 Figure 8 with which it may conveniently form one
piece, and which bears on a fast pivot or bearing piece b. The frame b slides on
the inner side of the case of the barrel organ and is with the assistance of a pivot 66
passing through a slot and provided with a button at 68 moved or operated from
the outside. Between the pivot bª and the button b³ is inserted a spring 67, the
object of which is to allow to the button 68 a slight to and fro motion. The plate b
after each movement is held fast, by the neck of the button 68 being caused by the
spring b' to take into one of the notches f¹ provided in the slot of the plate f
The button 68 must therefore be able to rise and sink a little in the to and fro
movement in the slot of the plate.
As shown in Figure 1 there is by the side of the cylinder A a second cylinder B
which however only serves as a reserve cylinder and for the increase in the number

page_text: of the pieces which the barrel organ is intended to play. When the cylinder B is
to be exchanged and put in the place of the cylinder A the case of the organ is
provided with two covers so as to be able to take out the cylinder A and to put
the cylinder B in its stead.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim as
the invention communicated to me is:
1. In apparatus for the transposition or setting of the cylinders of barrel organs,
the arrangement of the pressing disc provided with lifting teeth and cogs or ratchet
teeth and the pawl mechanism in connection with springs for keeping the cylinder
axle up to the pressing disc all substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
2. In apparatus for the transposition or setting of the cylinders of barrel organs
the pressing plate provided with heels or lifting teeth the said plate being operated
by stud arm passing through the organ case which stud arm carries a button
secured onto an interposed spring and which rests upon a guiding slot provided
with notches substantially as described and shown with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.