Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE
Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
We, HANS VON PÖLLNITZ and FRANZ LOUIS BAUER, of the Firm of
Komet Musikwerke, Pöllnitz & Bauer, Manufacturers, of Friedrichstrasse 4,
Plagwitz-Leipzig, in the Kingdom of Saxony, do hereby declare the nature of
his invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to that class of mechanical musical instruments, which
re used in conjunction with perforated music sheets, and more particularly to the
mechanism for acting on the vibrating tongues or reeds of such instruments.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a side elevation of reed-operating
mechanism embodying our invention, the bearings being omitted for the sake of
clearness.
Figs. 3 and 4 show such a mechanism together with the bearings for the moving
parts,
Figs. 5 and 6 represent a duplex apparatus.
The small tooth-wheels A which act on the vibrating tongues 0 are mounted
on a horizontal shaft B, Fig. 2, and are guided at the top in the plate C of the
framework, (Fig. 3), while at the bottom and at the sides they are guided between
discs D arranged in pairs right and left of said tooth wheels.
The said dises D'are mounted on a horizontal shaft E in such a manner, that
they must take part in its rotary motion, but are capable of lateral displacement
on the shaft.
The discs D are pressed apart and against the sides of the tooth wheel by
helical springs F coiled around the shaft E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so
that the said wheels may be turned by turning the discs D, in consequence of
which the teeth of the wheel enter the slots of the music sheet N and the tongues O
are set in motion.
The pressure of the discs against the wheels has the further effect, that after
the vibrating tongues have slipped off and become clear of the wheels, the latter
will not continue their motion with a jerk, and thereby strike against the music
sheet, but will turn gently until they rest against the music sheet. The discs
therefore act as a brake.
For supporting and guiding the mechanism, we employ a framework composed
of two principal parts, namely the upper part C mentioned above and the lower
part G (Figs. 3 and 4).
Each of these parts contains a row of slots, those in the lower part G being
wider than those in the upper part C.
Immediately below the upper part C, there are bearings H for the shaft B of
the operating wheels B. The driving shaft E runs in two bearings (one of
which is shown in Fig. 3) and is set in motion by the going-work or driving
mechanism in any convenient manner.
An angle irou K forins a rigid connection between the upper and the lower part.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent a modification of the apparatus described above.
Two sound-producing mechanisms are arranged along different radii of the
circular music sheet, and the shafts E of the same are geared together by means
of spur-wheels M or equivalent means, so that by turning one of the shafts E,
the two mechanisms are caused to act simultaneously.

page_text: The two driving shafts E need not be parallel, as shown by Fig. 6, but may
form any convenient angle with each other, in which case the tooth gears M would
have to be modified to correspond.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. In mechanical musical instruments provided with a slotted music sheet, and
with vibrating tongues, the combination of the tooth wheel adapted to actuate the
vibrating tongues, with a row of discs mounted in pairs on a revolving shaft, and
springs adapted to press the said discs against the tooth wheels, substantially as
described and for the purposes specified..
2.In apparatus substantially as specified for operating the vibrating tongues
of mechanical musical instruments, a framework for the working parts, com-
prising an upper part C provided with narrow slots, and a lower part G provided
with wide slots.
3. A duplex apparatus of the type specified above, the two mechanisms being
arranged along different radii of a circular music sheet and connected so as to work
at the same time.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1895.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.