Damping Mechanism for Musical Boxes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1896-Accepted. 15th Aug
1805
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Damping Mechanism for Musical Boxes.
1, CHRISTIAN ALBERT JENSEN of 77 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a communication
to me from abroad by the Firm of Otto Helbig & Polikeit of 59 Schenkendorfer-
strasse Leipzig, Germany, Musical Instrument Makers) to be as follows:-
:-
This invention refers to a damping mechanism for the voice tongues or comb
teeth of musical boxes, which tongues are lifted by small tooth wheels striking
against them and then automatically touch them sideways. The damping
mechanism consists of a flat twisted spring which when impelled tangentially by
the tooth wheel obtains a lateral motion away from the tongue.
The
The tongues are fixed to the box in the usual manner. During the time of
striking the next tooth finds its place against the damping spring in such manner
that the tooth is moved in front of the twist part of the spring and glides off that
part a little moment after the striking. In this case the spring comes with its
broad head against the side of the tongue. To produce a better action or stronger
damping effect the head may be covered with some soft material.
characteristic feature in this damping mechanism is mainly that the spring is
twisted in its length direction about 45°. If now by its twisted head a movement
tangential to the tooth wheel is effected then the head or its damping surface is
moved sideways. This lateral movement arises from the twistel form of the
spring. In this way the tooth wheel acts only at the circumference of the teeth
but not laterally while by the tangential movement of the spring or its twisted
angle the head receives a lateral motion.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1905
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
Damping Mechanism for Musical Boxes.
I, CHRISTIAN ALBERT JENSEN of 77 Chancery Lane London Chartered
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me from abroad by the Firm of Otto Helbig & Polikeit of 59 Schenkendorfer-
strasse Leipzig Germany Musical Instrument Makers) and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention refers to a damping mechanism for the voice tongues or comb
teeth of musical boxes, which tongues are lifted by small tooth wheels striking
against them and then automatically touched sideways. The damping mechanism
consists of a flat twisted spring which when impelled tangentially by the tooth
wheel obtains a lateral motion away from the tongue.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1 shows in elevation the striking-wheel, the damper and the tongue of a
musical instrument.

page_text: Fig. 2. the damper drawn separately;
Figs. 3 and 4 show a cross section and an elevation of one form of damper.
Fig. 5. is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 shows the damper in plan to an erlarged scale.
Fig. 7. is a section on the line x-x of Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 is a section on the line y-y of Fig. 2 and
Fig. 9 is a section on line - of Fig. 2.
The damping mechanism may be applied to tongued instruments of any kind,
the construction shown on the drawing Fig. 1 being that of a common tongued
instrument, the single tongues a of which are struck by small tooth wheels b
fastened on to an axle c. The axle c may be mounted in a small bracket and
may be revolved in any convenient manner. Shortly before and a short time after
the striking of the tongue a, the tooth wheel b effects the damping by means of
its star shaped cogs. This damping is caused by a spring h fastened in the
bedplate f. The spring consists of a lower part h (Figs. 1-9.) which is fastened
to the bed plate f in an angle of, for instance, about 45 degrees (Fig. 9). Some-
what above the fastening in the bedplate f the spring his twisted so that the
part (Fig. and 8) forms an angle of say 90° degrees to the bed plate f.
Above the twisted part ¹ the spring is shaped in form as shown in Figures 1. 2.
7 and 8.
This spring terminates in a flat part 2 which takes against the upper edge of
the tongue a. Shortly before one cog of the wheel strikes the tongue a, the
following cog of the same wheel comes into contact with the twisted part ¹ of
the damping spring thus keeping the part 2 away from the tongue a see dotted
lines Fig. 6. While, therefore, a cog of the wheel 6 causes the damping spring to
move away the part 2 thereof is kept away from the tongue. The flat part h
may consist, as shown in the construction illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, simply of
metal, or, as represented in the modified form Fig. 3 and 4, it may be provided
with a cushion or pad p of some material rendering the damping more effective.
In the case of this modification the edges of the part 2 may conveniently be bent
over to clasp the pad p.
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 as the invention communicated to me is :-
1. Damping mechanism for tongued musical instruments consisting of a spring h
having a twisted part and flat part 2 said spring being fastened to the
foundation or bed plate in such manner that the damping spring is normally in
contact with the tongue a but is momentarily moved away from same just before
the tongue is struck retained there a sufficient time for the sound to be made, and
then released to perform its function substantially as described and shown.
2. The constructions of damping mechanism shown on the drawings.
Dated this led day of Lul. 1906
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.