Year: 1886

page_text: I NATHANIEL JOHN HOLMES of Pembroke Lodge, Lewisham, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 consists in an improved arrangement of parts whereby I am able
to combine a sound or two or more sounds of different pitch into series of groups
of various periods of duration, and the recurrence of which shall be automatically
repeated in given intervals of time, and by which the succession of sounds either of
a single intonation or of two or more intonations shall be interchangeable and
capable of being combined in any desired sequence of intervals and periods of
duration upon the same apparatus.
For this purpose I employ in one forin of the apparatus to regulate the periods
or intervals of time at which these groups of sound recur, a worm wheel A. and
endless screw B, fig. 3. The teeth on the worm wheel represent seconds of time,
or any other required interval. This worm wheel has pins c, d, on its face, fig. 2,
so disposed as to produce the necessary sequence of intervals and periods of the
duration of sound, and such pins may be interchangeable in their sequence and
intervals; the outer row representing a sound of one intonation and the inner row
that of another interval. As the wheel A revolves the pins successively raise one
or more levers a and b, shown in figs. 3 and 4 according as the sounding
apparatus is simple or compound in tone. The raising of the lever or levers opens
the wind valve Ċ in connection with the sounding apparatus D, figs. 4 and 5, and
as the lever or levers remain raised during the passing of the pin or pins the
required interval of time, the sound is of the corresponding duration. The
sequences between the intervals of sound are therefore regulated by the pinning of
the disc of the worm wheel which is interchangeable so that either one or more
groups of sound can be compassed in the revolution of the worm wheel as desired.
The wind chest W and pallet arrangement of the sounding apparatus may be in
accordance with any of the ordinary methods of construction in general use for
sounding apparatus.
Another form consists in cutting upon one face of the disc of the worm wheel A
three grooves 1. 2. 3. Fig. 1. at such a distance apart as may represent two seconds
or other interval of time between each groove in the onward revolution of the

page_text: wheel by the action of the worm B. The width of these grooves are likewise
regulated to produce sounds of the required duration in seconds or parts of a
second. Into these grooves slide two series of metal plugs shown at N, the outer
series representing sound intonations of one pitch, and the inner series another.
The disposition of these plugs into the grooves to produce a required combination
of sounds is shown in Fig. 2. As the wheel A revolves the two levers a, b, figs. 3
and 4 fall successively into the grooves where-ever a space passes into which a plug
has not been fixed, and by the motion thus imparted to the tail end of the levers a, b,
the wind valves C communicating with the sounding apparatus D, figs. 4 and 5,
are opened. The general form of the complete apparatus is shown in figs. 6 and 7:
Motion is given to all these several parts by the mechanical action of the hand in
the compression of the air into the reservoirs R, or by other continuous power if
necessary.
Another of my improvements consists in a new form of reed with duplex
vibrating tongues to produce sounds of great intensity and carrying power. In
this improvement the reed consists of two distinct chambers f, f, shown in section
fig. 9, within the general reed frame b, shown in elevation fig. 8, and transverse
section fig. 10. Two vibrating striking tongues a, a, are fixed respectively over
each of these two chambers and furnished with tuning slides d, d, shown in detail
fig. 11, the upward or downward pressure of which upon the vibrating tongues are
regulated by the revolution of the nuts c, c. The two compartments of the reed
frame f, f, communicate with, and vibrate direct into the acoustic tube D, so that
the sound undulations both simultaneously set up pass direct into the trumpet
tube D. As these two vibrating tongues a, a, do not produce an absolute equality
of wave length within the tube D, and the difference of this. pulsation can be
accurately adjusted by the tuning stops d, d, a tone of great pungency and
carrying power is produced. The general arrangement of this duplex vibrating
reed in connection with the sounding tube D is shown in Fig. 12.
In these my improvements it is unnecessary to confine myself to any particular
form or arrangement of parts so long as the essential features embracing the
novelties of my invention as set forth are retained necessary to produce the
"grouping and automatic succession of sound groups of varying pitch and intervals
of time, and that the vibration of duplex tongues of unequal length producing
dissimilar sound waves within a divided reed speaking directly into the sounding
tube shall be maintained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Such an arrangement of mechanical parts that I am able to form groups of
sound signals either simple or compound of given duration, and automatically
recurring at definite periods of time; and that the same may be interchanged into
any required combination and at any given intervals for the purpose of sounding
specific groups of audible signals, either simple or compound at sea or on land,
whether such apparatus be actuated by hand or other motor power.
And I further claim the employment of duplex tongues vibrating into a divided
or double reed chamber in such a manner as to produce sound undulations of
unequal wave lengths simultaneously within the same acoustic tube for the purpose
of producing sound signals of great intensity and power.