IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KNOWN AS THE PYROPHONE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
** IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KNOWN AS THE PYROPHONE.”
-A communication from abroad by Georges Eugène Frédéric
Kastner. of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd December 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KNOWN AS THE
PYROPHONE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a former application for Letters Patent,
No. 3879, dated November 11th, 1874, for improvements in the musical
instrument known as the pyrophone which may be briefly described as
consisting of a scries of glass or other tubes in which two or more separate
.

page_text: flames of suitable size are introduced at a point about one-third of the
length of the tube from the bottom, said flames vibrating in unison, and the
sound continuing so long as the flames are separated, but ceasing imme-
diately they are brought in contact. Although this mode, by producing-
an interference of the vibrating flame is the one which I employ by
preference as being the most practical, I may however obtain the same
result by the method hereafter described, by which I am enabled to
produce in the same tube not only its fundamental tone but also the
sharp semitones and intermediate tones. To this end a hole is made in
the tube at one-third of its length from the top, and as the flames must
be placed on the tube at about one-third of its length from the bottom
this hole will thus be equidistant from the top of the tube and from the
flames, that is to say, at the point at which is formed what is termed a
node. By uncovering this hole by means of a key for example, the
sound will cease, as the flames will then be placed in the same conditions
with regard to the tube as if they had been displaced from the position
which they must occupy in order to produce the sound, as before explained.
Immediately the hole is closed the sound will be produced.
If instead of the hole being located at one-third of the length of the
tube it be placed at half this distance or one-sixth, the opening of the
hole will no longer cause a cessation of the sound, but will produce a
sharp or somitone higher than the fundamental sound of the tube.
The greater the size of the tube the greater should be the size of the
flames, and vice versa. The smaller the flames the greater are the
number of vibrations, and the more rapid and acute they become.
From this it will be understood,―
1st. That if with a glass tube, in which are one or more vibrating
flames producing the fundamental tone of the tube, it be desired to
produce the first harmonic of this tube it is simply necessary to gradually
diminish the size of the flames within a given limit, at same time 3
lowering the burner and the flames to a point at one-sixth of the length
of the tube in order that the phenomena of interference may be produced
under their normal conditions according to the general principle before
stated.
2ndly. That if the division of the nodes and antinodes of the waves 3
of air in the tube be varied the same tube may be made to produce

page_text: 3rdly. That if holes be made in the tube at proper intervals the air in
the tube instead of producing harmonics will produce vibrations in pro-
portion to the flames, and if the dimensions of the flames be slightly
increased or diminished these vibrations will produce sounds intermediate
of the harmonics. Thus a tube having several tubes may be made to
constitute a kind of gas "clarionet," the opening and closing of the
holes therein as well as the height and position of the flames being
governed by any suitable mechanism for establishing the required
relations between opening and closing of the holes and the size and
position of the flames.
4tlily. In some cases even without altering the position of the flames
a higher but less powerful tone may be obtained. The holes may also
be made in the lower third of the length of the tube instead of in the
upper third of its length.
› SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT KNOWN AS THE PYROPHONE," a
communication to me from abroad by Georges Eugène Frédéric Kastner,
•

page_text: Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Alexander Melville Clark, 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, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a musical instrument termed the pyrophone,
for which Letters Patent were granted to Thomas James Smith, dated
May Thirty-first One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, No. 1648,
and to Alexander Melville Clark, dated November Eleventh One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-four, No. 3879. The principle of this instru-
ment may be briefly stated thus:-If in a tube of glass or other material
two or more flames separated or isolated from one another and of suitable
size be introduced and placed at a point about one-third of the length of
the tube from the lower end, these flames vibrate in unison. This effect
continues so long as the flames remain separate, but the sound ceases
immediately the flames are brought in contact. Although the method
of causing an interference of the vibrating flames is the one which
would be employed by preference as being the most practical, the same
result may however be obtained by the means herein-after described,
which also enables me to obtain in one and the same tube not only its
fundamental tone but also the sharp semitones and intermediate tones.
To this end a hole is made in the tube at one-third of its length from the
upper end, and as in accordance with the principle above stated the flames
must be placed at a height in the tube of about one-third of its length
from the bottom, this hole will therefore be equidistant from the top of
the tube and from the flames, that is to say, at the point where there is
what is termed a node. Thus by uncovering this hole by means of a
key for example, the sound will cease since the flames will then be
under the same conditions with regard to the tube as if they were placed
at an improper height, and immediately the hole is closed the sound will
be reproduced.

page_text: If instead of the hole being located at a distance of one-third it be
placed at half this distance, that is to say one-sixth part of the length
of the tube from the top the opening of the hole will no longer causo
a cessation of the sound but will produco a sharp or semitone higher than
the fundamental tone of tho tube.
The greater the size of the tube the greater should be the size of the
flames, and vice versa. The smaller the flames the greater are the
number of vibrations, and the more rapid and acute they become.
From the foregoing it will be understood,―
First. That if in a glass tube, wherein are one or more vibrating
flames producing the fundamental tone of the tube, it be desired to
produce the first harmonic of this tube it is simply necessary to gradually
diminish the size of the flames to a certain extent, but it is necessary at
same time to lower the burner and the flames to a point at onc-sixth
of the length of the tube in order that the phenomena of interference
may be produced and regain their normal conditions, and this according
to the general principle before stated.
Secondly. That if the division of the node and antinodes of the waves
of air in the tube be varied the same tube may be made to produce several
harmonics.
Thirdly. That if holes be made in the tube at proper intervals the air
in the tube instead of producing harmonics will produce vibrations in
relation to the flames if the latter be slightly increased or diminished in
size, which vibrations will thus produce sounds intermediate of the
harmonics. Thus a tube having several holes may be made to constitute
a kind of gas "clarionet," the opening and closing of these holes as well
as the height and position of the flames being governed by any suitable
mechanism for establishing the required relations between the opening
and closing of the holes and the size and position of the flames.
Fourthly. That in some cases even without altering the height of the
flames a higher but weaker tone may be obtained. I also reserve the
right to make the holes in the lower third of the length of the tube
instead of in the upper third of its length.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, effecting

page_text: the production and the cessation of the sound in the tubes of the musical
instrument known as the pyrophone by means of one or more holes
made in the tubes at certain heights and closed and opened by means of
keys or equivalent devices, as herein-before described. Also the
obtaining by means of holes not only the fundamental tones of each
tube but also the sharps, semitones, and all intermediate tones as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and-seventy-
five