IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL BOXES AND OTHER SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Weill and Henry Harburg, both of.
Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers and.
Importers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL BOXES
AND OTHER SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS."-A communication from abroad by.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Weill and Henry
Harburg at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th February 1875.
We, LOUIS WEILL and HENRY HARBURG, both of Hatton Garden,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers and Importers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL
BOXES AND OTHER SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS," communicated to us from abroad
by Louis Auguste Grosclaude, of Geneva, in Switzerland, to be as
follows:-
:
The object of this Invention is to construct musical boxes and such

page_text: like instruments in such manner that the barrel shall be shifted at
pleasure to any required tunc of its series of tunes, and shall indicate
the corresponding name or title of such tune, and likewise its corre-
sponding number in the series. For this purpose a lever fitted with
a catch, spring tongue, or engaging picce is disposed in the box, so that
it can be readily moved by hand in order to engage a ratchet wheel
or similar contrivance which acts upon the barrel and shifts it to the
position corresponding with any required tune of the series. The same
action may, by means of gear wheels, shift an axis or stud on which
are marked (or which carries a band or strip marked with) the numbers
of the tunes, so that the action of shifting the barrel to the required
position shifts this stud to the corresponding position and shows the
required number.
A roller supported in suitable bearings is marked with or carries a
band or strip marked with the names or titles of the tunes of the series.
This roller is connected with the barrel by rods, springs, or similar.
appliances so that as the barrel is moved the roller revolves to assume
a corresponding position and presents at an aperture in a frame, plate,
or tablet the name or title of the tune. Or the engagement and
operation of this name roller may be effected directly from the catch
lever first herein described. And in one modification the numbered
stud may be worked by and in combination with the namo roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Weill and Henry Harburg in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 9th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, LOUIS
WELLL and HENRY HARBURG, both of Hatton Garden, in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturers and Importers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year a
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Louis Weill and Henry

page_text: Harburg, Her special license, that we, the said Louis Weill and Henry
Harburg, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Louis Weill and Henry Harburg, our executors, admini-
strators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL
BOXES AND OTHER SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS," communicated to us from abroad
by Louis Auguste Grosclaude, of Geneva, in Switzerland, upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Louis Weill and Henry
Harburg, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us or them, 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 Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Harburg, on behalf of
myself and the said Louis Weill, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
3
The object of this Invention is to construct musical boxes and such
like instruments in such manner that the barrel or cylinder shall be
shifted at pleasure to any required tune of its series of tunes, and shall
indicate the corresponding name or title of such tune, and likewise
its corresponding number in the series. For this purpose a lever fitted
O with a catch, spring, tongue, or engaging piece is disposed in the box,
so that it can be readily moved by hand in order to engage a ratchet
wheel or similar contrivance which acts upon the barrel and shifts it
to the position corresponding with any required: tune of the series.
The same action may, by means of gear wheels, shift an axis or stud
on which are marked (or which carries a band or strip marked with)
the numbers of the tunes, so that the action of shifting the barrel to the
-

page_text: :
required position shifts this stud to the corresponding position and shows
the required number.
A roller supported in suitable bearings is marked with or carrics a
band or strip marked with the names or titles of the tunes of the series.
This roller is connected with the barrel by rods, springs, or similar
appliances, so that as the barrel is moved the roller revolves to assume
à corresponding position, and presents at an aperture in a frame, plate,
or tablet the name or title of the tune. Or the engagement and
operation of this name roller may be effected directly from the catch
lever first herein-before described. And in one modification the
numbered stud may be worked by and in combination with the name
roller.
I now proceed with reference to the Drawings annexed to describe.
in what manner the Invention may be carried into practical effect.
The several figures represent parts of a musical box with the im-
provements applied thereto, the parts having a distinct reference to
the Invention being shewn in detail. The case or box is shewn in
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 4*.
Figure 1 is a plan of the working parts of the instrument removed
from the box.
Figure 2, an elevation (right hand) shewing the apparatus for
changing the airs or tunes; Figure 3, a fragmentary view in side
elevation of the same; and Figure 4, an elevation shewing the reverse-
or opposite side of the change apparatus, and parts in immediate con-
nection with the cylinder or barrel.
"
Figure 4* is a similar view shewing the handle for changing the
airs; it is in its "raised or inactive position instead of in the "down"
or active position.
The general construction, excepting as to the new fittings, appliances,
and contrivances, is of the ordinary construction. a is the base plate
or frame carrying the working or moving parts; 6 is the spring barrel
and wheel attached; c is the handle for winding up; and d, pinion
driving the shaft or axis on which the cylinder e slides; also driving
the wheel f, and by means of the pin f* the cylinder or barrel e; g is
the comb. The wheel is the stopping and starting. wheel, which is 3

page_text: controlled in the ordinary manner by the lever or handle f*, and which
(by a train of wheels) drives the flyers h. The wheel falso carries
round with it bodily on a travelling axis the ratchet wheel or "changer"
close up against the crown or face ratchet teeth of which the
3 ordinary stud or projection e* of the cylinder bears, or is pressed by
the spring or shifter k. The "changer" i has also ratchet teeth on its
edge for engaging with or striking against the hooked catch, spring
tongue, or engaging piece 7 when the same is presented to its action,
and is controlled by the bent lever or change handle m by which it may
be placed in the "down" or active position, as shown in Figure 4, or
the "up
or inactive position, as shown in Figure 4*.
"
.
When the instrument is playing and the hooked piece is lifted by
means of the handle m and left "up," the same tune will be con-
tinuously played; but when depressed or lowered and left."down"
the changer i will at each revolution strike against it and become turned
partially round and shift the cylinder, and so change the tune. Also,
when the cylinder is at rest and the changer is in position for
engaging with the piece (as it is arranged to be at the termination
of each air) the working to and fro of the change handle m as many
times as may be necessary will produce the proper number of shifts,
slidings, or partial revolutions of the cylinder or barrel e to cause it to
play the particular air desired without playing the intermediate tunes
of the series. The spring 1x and tail or wire & enable the hook or piece
to yield and pass over the extremities of the edge ratchet teeth of the
changer and get underneath them successively, accordingly as the change
handle m is worked. The tail or piece allows the hooked piece to fall
only to the required extent.
We now proceed to explain the fittings or apparatus for indicating
the serial number or name or title of the particular tune playing, or next
to be played.
Figure 5 is a detached view in plan of the name plate, tablet, or
board p with opening p* formed therein for exhibiting the name roller q;
Figures 6 and 6* are side and end elevations of the same, and of the
remainder of the indicating apparatus..
Figure 7 is an inverted plan; Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the same
arrangement in plan, but representing the moving parts in its altered

page_text: position. The name plate, tablet, or board is shewn in the proper
inclined or canted position in Figures 1 and 2 as applied to a complete
instrument, and held in place by brackets or supports z. The barrel
or cylinder e, shown in Figures 7 and 8, controls the indicating
apparatus, and works the same accordingly as the cylinder is shifted
or slided; & is a spring, one end of which is fixed to the name plate,
tablet, or board, and the other attached to a cord 8* coiled in one
direction round and secured to the axis q* of the name roller which
is supported in bearings q³, q'; * is another cord also secured to
the said axis similarly coiled, but in the opposite direction; and attached
to a crank lever t, constantly pressing against the shorter arm of this
lever, is an arm upon or projection from the sliding rod or bent piece
which slides.in guides u*. One extremity of this rod or piece u bears
constantly against one end of the cylinder e by the force of the spring s
tending to uncoil the cord 8* to coil the cord t*, and to pull the lever t
and rod u into the extreme position, Figure 7. The opposite extreme
position, Figure 8, is produced by the superior force exerted in sliding
or shifting the cylinder, and between these positions others will be
produced according to the position of the cylinder; each position will
present to view through the opening in the name board p a different
portion of the surface of the name roller q, and on such portion appears
the corresponding serial number or title of the tune being played; a
printed label placed on the roller serves this purpose.
Our Invention is also applicable to musical clocks, piano organs,
orchestrians, and other similar instruments.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim,---
First. Constructing and arranging musical boxes and other similar
instruments so that the barrel or cylinder may be shifted at pleasure
to any particular tune of its series of tunes without playing the inter-
mediate tune of its series.
Second. The indicating the name or title of the tune, and its corre-
sponding number in the series of tunes on a name roller or barrel
caused to revolve by or from the moving or working parts of the
instrument.

page_text: Third. The general arrangement and combination of parts represented
ŉ the Drawings as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harburg, for myself and
on behalf of the said Louis Weill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
ERNEST DE PASS,
Patent Agent,
68, Fleet Street,
London.
HENRY HARBURG. (L.S.)