Improvements in Musical Instruments or Chiming Apparatus, the Hammers of which are Operated by Electricity.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan.. 1887
Complete Left, 25th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Nov.. 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Instruments or Chiming Apparatus, the
Hammers of which are Operated by Electricity.
I, JOHN HARRINGTON of the Enamel and Cradle Spring Works, Coventry in the
county of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention to
be as follows:-
In carrying my present invention into effect I employ tubes for producing the musical
sounds or chimes, which tubes are supported in the manner described in the specifi-
cation of former Letters Patent granted to me dated October 28, 1884 No. 14270.
According to my present invention I operate the hammers by electro magnets and
armatures which magnets are placed in connection with a battery when required by
suitable contacts operated by buttons or keys played by hand in like manner to that
employed in playing other keyboard musical instruments.
Or the contacts may be operated by a pin or other barrel or by perforated paper,
cards or other material operated by hand or otherwise as may be desired.
J. HARRINGTON.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Instruments or Chiming Apparatus, the
Hammers of which are Operated by Electricity.
I, JOHN HARRINGTON of the Enamel and Cradle Spring Works, Coventry in the
County of Warwick, 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, reference being had to the
accompanying drawing and to the figures and letters marked thereon:-
In carrying my present invention into effect I employ tubes for producing the
musical sounds or chimes, which tubes are supported in the manner described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me dated October 28th 1884
No. 14,270.
According to my present invention I operate the hammers by electro-magnets and
armatures which magnets are placed in connection with a battery when required by
suitable contacts operated by buttons or keys played by hand in like manner to that
employed in playing other keyboard musical instruments. Or the contacts may be
operated by a pin or other barrel or by perforated paper, cards or other material
operated by hand or otherwise as may be desired.
In the accompanying drawing I have represented one method of carrying my present
invention into effect. The drawing represents a cross section of a musical instrument
in which the hammers are operated by electro-magnets and armatures placed in
connection with a battery by means of contacts operated by keys played by hand in
like manner to that employed in playing other keyboard musical instruments.
a represents one of a series of tubes for producing musical sounds or chimes, which
tubes are hung from a bar b by cord or gut c in a similar manner to that described
in the Specification of the before mentioned Letters Patent.
d represents a hammer the spring arm d³ of which is fixed to a bar e.
The spring
arm d¹ carries an armature d² which is attracted by the electro-magnet whenever
the latter is placed in communication with the battery g by the depression of a key h.
The electro-magnet is connected at one pole by a wire with the battery
terminal g and at the other pole by a wire with a terminal k fixed to the wood
cross bar and such terminal k is connected by a wire with a contact piece ² also
fixed to the cross bar 1. represents a key which is pivotted to the insulated metallic
frame m, which by the wire n is in connection with the battery terminal 9. The
key is provided with a contact piece at which by the depression of the key is
placed in contact with the contact piece k² thereby completing the electric circuit
when the armature d' will be attracted to its magnet and thereby cause the hammer d
to strike the tube a. On the key h being released by the player, a spring h² raises
the key and thereby separates the contact pieces 2 and h' whereby the electric circuit
is broken and the armature, no longer being attracted by its magnet f, the hammer d
will be removed from the tube a by the action of the spring arm d¹ which then returns

page_text: to the position shown in the drawing in which position it rests against a suitably
cushioned cross bar o.
The rear ends of the keys h rest in their normal position on a cushion p in order to
prevent noise on their return to such position.
It will be evident that other arrangements of electrical connections may be adopted
and that instead of employing keys of the character shown in the drawing, buttons,
levers or treadles, worked by the hand or foot, may be the operating means whilst
the apparatus above described but slightly modified, as will be readily understood may
be employed in combination with a pianoforte or organ.
Or the contacts may be operated by automatic apparatus working by the aid of a
pin or other barrel or by perforated paper, cards or other material operated by hand
or otherwise as may be desired.
I have not thought it necessary to illustrate any other arrangement than that
shown in the accompanying drawing as the modifications above referred to will be
readily understood by a competent mechanic.
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 :-
'-
A musical instrument consisting of a number of tubes a and hammers d electrically
connected to keys, buttons or levers played by hand or by automatic mechanism, and
either separate from or combined with other musical instruments substantially as
herein described.
Dated this 25th day of October 1887.
JOHN HARRINGTON.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.