Mechanism for Turning Christmas-trees and other articles with or without Musical Accompaniment.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1893--Accepted, 25th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Mechanism for Turning Christmas-trees and other articles with or
without Musical Accompaniment.
I, JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT, of 95 Tübingerstrasse Stuttgart, in the Kingdom
of Würtemberg, in the German Empire, Manufacturer of Automatic Musical
Toys, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to such mechanisms by means of which a christmas-tree
or any other article-as, for instance, pyramids covered with various articles in
shop-windows-may be turned with musical accompaniment, and the object of my
invention is to construct the mechanism in such way, that the music may be
stopped at any moment, whilst the tree or other article continues to rotate.
Another object of my invention is to arrange the part to which the tree is secured
in such manner, that it may be easily taken off from the spike by which it is
supported, and the tree secured to the said part while the same is removed from
the mechanism, whereby any injury to the latter is prevented efficiently.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by means of which prefer to
carry my invention into effect, said mechanism being for its greater part con-
structed as described in the Patent granted to me Mar. 29, 1889, No. 5428. This
preferred form of my invention is illustrated by the accompanying sheet of
drawings, on which :
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved mechanism, the fan D being removed.
Fig. 2 is an upper view of the same.
Like parts are indicated by like letters in both views.
The top plate y and bottom plate y' are connected by four vertical
columns, one of which, 23, serves at the same time for holding the outer
extremity of the spring a. The inner end of said spring is secured to shaft E,
to the under extremity of which is attached the main driving-wheel. The upper
end of said shaft extends upwardly through the top plate and through a strip of
metal F, the two ends of which are bent rectangularly upward so as to form
bearings for a shaft G, which is split at its free extremity to receive a handle H.
A large crown-wheel B is firmly secured to shaft E and gears with a small
crown-wheel C, the latter being fastened on shaft G. The main-driving wheel *
engages with the trundle mounted on the spindle n, the latter carrying also a
cog-wheel. This cog-wheel engages with the toothed wheel, keyed to the
under end of the spike n', and also meshes with a trundle 2 on axle n. On the
latter I also provide a cog-wheel, which meshes with a trundle on shaft n³,
said shaft carrying also a worm-wheel for rotating the fan D by means of
A trundle ¹ sits on the shaft r, having a cog-wheel x. The latter
engages with teeth on the periphery of the metal-disc a, which is provided with
projecting offsets adapted to operate steel-tonguest by coming in contact with the
small toothed wheels w loosely mounted on shaft s. The construction of this part
of the mechanism is not novel, being used currently for music-boxes, and I there-
fore have claimed the said construction only in combination with a mechanism for
turning christmas-trees and the like.
Worm 0.
Stopping the work or releasing it is effected by a rod b, having a knob b' at its
upper extremity, and a double flat spring m at its under extremity.
Said rod may be shoved up and down within the hollow column 63, and a flat
cylindrical spring inserted in said column prevents the rod 6 from spontaneous
displacement. Now by shoving the rod b down the double spring m grasps the
shaft of screw o, thus effecting either slower working of the work or perfect
stopping.

page_text: The spike n
is conical in shape, as shown, and adapted to receive the
support A, which is provided with a corresponding conical bore. Thus it is
possible to take the support A off the spike n', and to secure the tree or other
article to be turned-the form of the support A shown being specially designed for
the reception of a christmas-tree or a pyramid-without any liability of the
mechanism to injury, whereas, when the mechanism is constructed without the
removable support A, it is necessary to force the spike n¹ directly into the stem of
the christmas-tree, and the mechanism is easily injured by the efforts made in
securing the tree. The friction between the conical sides of the spike n¹ and
support A is sufficient to cause the latter to partake of the rotation of the
former:
The operation of the whole device needs but slight explanation. The spring a
is wound up by means of the handle H. By means of the various cog-wheels and
trundles described above, motion is transmitted from the shaft E to the spike n¹
and to the metal-disc a, thus the christmas-tree or other article placed on support A
is rotated with musical accompaniment. When wishing to stop the music, while
the tree is kept turning, I simply remove the metal-disc a. My invention
also permits to play an unlimited number of airs by employing different metal-
discs a.
Dated this 12th day of May 1899
JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT,
By John P. O'Donnell,
2. Great George Street, Westminster, London, S.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Mechanism for Turning Christmas-trees and other articles with or
without Musical Accompaniment.
I JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT, of 95, Tübingerstrasse Stuttgart in the Kingdom
of Württemberg, 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:-
My invention relates to such mechanisms, by means of which a christmas-tree or
any other article, as, for instance, pyramids covered with various articles in shop-
windows may be turned with musical accompaniment, and the object of my inven-
tion is to construct the mechanism in such way, that the music may be stopped at
any moment, whilst the tree or other article continues to rotate. Another object
of my invention is to arrange the part to which the tree is secured in such manner,
that it may be easily taken off from the spike by which it is supported, and the tree
secured to the said part while the same is removed from the mechanism, whereby
any injury to the latter is prevented efficiently.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by means of which I prefer to
carry my invention into effect, said mechanism being for its greater part constructed
as described in the Patent granted to me Mar. 29, 1889, No. 5428. This preferred
form of my invention is illustrated by the drawings annexed, on which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved mechanism, the fan D being removed.
Fig. 2 is an upper view of the same.
Like parts are indicated by like letters in both views.
The top plate y and bottom plate y are connected by four vertical columns = z¹
,one of which, 3, serves at the same time for holding the outer extremity of
the spring a. The inner end of said spring is secured to shaft E, to the under
extremity of which is attached the main driving-wheel ³. The upper end of said
shaft extends upwardly through the top plate and through a strip of metal F, the
two ends of which are bent rectangularly upward so as to form bearings for a
shaft G, which is split at its free extremity to receive a handle H. A large

page_text: crown-wheel B is firmly secured to shaft E and gears with a small crown-wheel C,
the latter being fastened on shaft G. The main-driving wheel x engages with the
trundle mounted on the spindle n, the latter carrying also a cog-wheel. This
cog-wheel * engages with the toothed wheel x, keyed to the under end of the
spike n', and also meshes with a trundle a on axle n². On the latter I also provide
a cog-wheel, which meshes with a trundle on shaft n³, said shaft carrying
also a worm-wheel for rotating the fan D by means of worm o. A trundle ¹
sits on the shaft r, having a cog-wheel x. The latter engages with teeth on the
periphery of the metal-disc a, which is provided with projecting offsets adapted to
operate steel-tongues t by coming in contact with the small toothed wheels w loosely
mounted on shaft s. The construction of this part of the mechanism is not novel,
being used currently for music-boxes, and I therefore have claimed the said
construction only in combination with a mechanism for turning christmas-trees and
the like.
Stopping the work or releasing it is effected by a rod b, having a knob b¹ at its
upper extremity, and a double flat spring m at its under extremity.
Said rod may be shoved up and down within the hollow column b³, and a flat
cylindrical spring inserted in said column prevents the rod 6 from spontaneous
displacement. Now by shoving the rod 6 down the double spring m grasps the
shaft of screw o, thus effecting either slower working of the work or perfect
stopping.
The spike n' is conical in shape, as shown, and adapted to receive the support A,
which is provided with a corresponding conical bore. Thus it is possible to take
the support A off the spike n', and to secure the tree or other article to be turned
the form of the support A shown being specially designed for the reception of a
christmas-tree or a pyramid-without any liability of the mechanism to injury,
whereas, when the mechanism is constructed without the removable support A, it
is necessary to force the spike n' directly into the stem of the christmas-tree, and
the mechanism is easily injured by the efforts made in securing the tree. The
friction between the conical sides of the spike n' and support A is sufficient to
cause the latter to partake of the rotation of the former.
The oneration of the whole device needs but slight explanation. The spring a
is woun/up by means of the handie H. By means of the various cog-wheels and
trundles described above, motion is transmitted from the shaft E to the spike n¹
and to the metal-disc a, thus the christmas-tree or other article placed on support A
is rotated with musical accompaniment. When wishing to stop the music, while
the tree is kept turning, I simply remove the metal-disc a. My invention also
permits to play an unlimited number of airs by employing different metal-discs a.
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 turning christmas-trees and other articles, consisting of a
spring motor with a suitable gearing, the last wheel whereof, x, engages with teeth
on the periphery of an exchangeable metal-disc a, adapted to operate steel-tongues t,
substantially and for the purpose set forth.
2. In the mechanism, claimed under head 1: The removable support A provided
with a conical bore corresponding to the conical spike n', substantially as described
and for the purpose set forth.
JOHANNES CARL ECKARDT,
By John P. O'Donnell,
70 & 71, Palace Chambers, Westminster, London, S. W.,
Agent for the Applicant.