AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CHANGING THE BARRELS OF MUSICAL BOXES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Charles Lecoultre, of the Town of
Geneva, Switzerland, Musical Instrument Maker, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CHANGING THE BARRELS OF MUSICAL BOXES."
Sealed the 17th August 1869, and dated the 26th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Charles
Lecoultre at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th June 1869.
I, FRANÇOIS CHARLES LECOULTRE, of the Town of Geneva, Switzer-
land, Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CHANGING THE BARRELS OF
MUSICAL BOXES," to be as follows:-
Hitherto when it has been desired to change the barrels of a musical
box, this has been effected by lifting out the one to be removed and
dropping in the one which is to replace it, a method requiring great
care, and considerable practice to avoid breaking the teeth of the comb
by contact with the pins of the barrel.

page_text: My improved method permits the changing of the barrel to be effected
by every person without any difficulty or possibility of injury to the
musical box, and consists in supporting the barrel on a slide, upon which
it may be drawn horizontally out of the box by either end, or by the back
or front, the desired substitution be effected and the substituted barrel
be then pushed in on its slide in the same manner as a drawer is pulled
out and pushed in.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this my
Provisional Specification, I have illustrated a practical application of
my improved method to the removal and introduction of a barrel by the
end of a musical box.
Fig. 1 showing the barrel in the box, and Fig. 2 the same drawn out
to be removed and replaced by another.
The action is as follows:-Unscrew the key A and pull the barrel out
of the box on its slide until arrested by the stop, (as at Fig. 2,) press
upon the springs B, B, to throw up the bridges F, F, change the barrel,
lower the bridges F, F, place the pin D in front of the needle C, and by
means of the key A push the slide back into the box until the pin D
enters the movement, (as at Fig. 1,) then screw up the key A and set the
instrument playing by means of the knob or stud H. Any desired tune
may be played by bringing the index carried by stud G on the corres-
ponding number of the indicating plate. J, stud for setting to same
air; I, wind up. The piece K, takes into E. The slides are beneath
the plate and the barrel, and are dovetailed into each other, lengthening
like the tubes of a telescope. These details must necessarily be some-
what modified if it be preferred to draw the barrel out of the front or
the back of the box.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said François Charles Lecoultre in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th November 1869.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said François Charles Lecoultre, Her special
licence that I, the said François Charles Lecoultre, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said François Charles
Lecoultre, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CHANGING THE BARRELS OF MUSICAL BOXES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said François Charles
Lecoultre, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said François Charles Lecoultre, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawing, and to the figures and letters of reference placed
thereon.
Hitherto when it has been desired to change the barrel of a musical
box, this has been effected by lifting out the one to be removed
and dropping in the one which is to replace it, a method requiring
great care and considerable practice to avoid breaking the teeth of the
comb by contact with the pins of the barrel.
My improved method permits the changing of the barrel to be effected
by every person without any difficulty or possibility of injury to the
musical box, and consists in supporting the barrel on a slide, upon
which it may be drawn horizontally out of the box by either end,
or by the back or front, the desired substitution be effected, and the

page_text: substituted barrel be then pushed in on its slide in the same manner as
a drawer is pulled out and pushed in.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing I have illustrated a practical
application of my improved method to the removal and introduction of
a barrel by the end of a musical box.
Fig. 1, showing the barrel in the box, and Fig. 2 the same drawn out to
be removed and replaced by another, and Figs. 3 and 4 the application
of my method to a musical box forming part of a writing desk or
Davenport.
The action is as follows:-When it is desired to change a barrel un-
screw the key A, and pull the barrel out of the box on its slido T until
arrested by the stop (as at Fig. 2,) press upon the springs B, B, to
throw up the bridges F, F, change the barrel, lower the bridges F, F,
place the pin D in front of the needle C, and by means of the koy A
push the slide back into the box until the pin D enters the movement,
(as at Fig. 1,) then screw up the key A and set the instrument playing
by means of the knob or stud II. Any desired tune may be played by
bringing the index carried by stud G on the corresponding number of
the indicating plate. J, stud for setting to same air; I, wind-up. The
picce K takes into E. The slides are beneath the plate and the barrel,
and are dovetailed into each other, lengthening like the tubes of a
telescope; S, indicates the position of the slides beneath the plate, and T
that of the slide beneath the barrel, and which draws out with it. These
details must necessarily be somewhat modified if it be preferred to draw
the barrel out of the front or the back of the box.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is performed, I desire it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated
on the annexed Sheet of Drawing, as such may be varied without
departure from the principle of my Invention, and that I claim,-
The use of the method of changing the barrels of musical boxes by
carrying the barrel on a slide so that it may be drawn out and pushed
into the box from either end or from the back or front, substantially as
described.

page_text: I also claim the use of the special arrangement of the indicator G,
for the purpose herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said François Charles Lecoultre, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine.