Year: 1889

page_text: I GEORG CHRISTOPH SCHEINERT of 264 Koepenickerstrasse in the City of Berlin, in
the Empire of Germany, Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My invention relates to an improved musical box, to be worked by hand and
principally destined as a toy, which box, however, may as well be constructed to
perform veritable musical pieces of a certain class.
The sounds in this musical box are produced by metal reeds suitably arranged on a
sounding board, the free ends of which reeds are struck and made to vibrate by
suitable projections carried by a rod to which a reciprocating movement is imparted
either by hand or by suitable mechanism.
To enable my invention to be better understood, I will proceed to explain the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the box, and
Figure 2 is a horizontal cross section along the line xx of Figure 1.
In a box A of any convenient size and shape, and formed of any suitable
material, such as sheet metal, wood, or other, preferably sonorous material, a sound
board B is secured at a proper height, preferably about midway, said sound board
having its central part cut away, leaving a circular, square or other conveniently
shaped space. Radial recesses are cut into the said sound board, from the inner
edge of the same, and over each of said recesses a metal reed, or tongue C is
;

page_text: secured to the hoard by its rear end, projecting a little beyond the inner edge of
the board with its fore end.
In the centre of the opening of the sounding board, a pin or stud D, secured
to the bottom of the box A, projects upwards, said pin being preferably of square
or angular cross section. The said pin D serves as a guide to a shell or sleeve F
projecting upwards through the cover or lid of the box A. The upper end of said
shell or sleeve carries a knob for the purpose of pushing the said sleeve down,
or the latter may be provided with other convenient means for imparting to it a
to-and-fro motion on the pin D. Such means may consist of a lever, eccentric or
crank-handle. Below the sleeve F a spiral spring E may preferably be wound
around the pin D, for the purpose of returning the sleeve upwards, after each
depression of the same.
To the said sleeve or shell F a number of projections G are secured, and so
arranged, that during the descent of the said sleeve F, said projections strike
against the ends of the reeds opposite to them. The said reeds are properly tuned
and the series of projections G, at the same level around the sleeve F, corresponds
to those reeds which, when vibrated will produce an accord or harmony. In the
drawings four reeds Care shown to be simultaneously struck by four projections G
forming a spur around the sleeve F. On the return or upward motion of the
sleeve F, the same reeds are struck once more from below by the same projections G,
and made to sound again.
Another set of projections G¹ is secured to the same sleeve F at a different level, the
projections of this set being arranged opposite to the other reeds C, which have not
been struck by the set G, and on forcing the sleeve F farther down, the second
set will cause the other reeds C, which also produce an accord, to sound during
the descent and return of the sleeve. If there are more reeds on the sounding
board B, or if only three reeds are struck at a time the number of sets of projections
may be increased.
The sleeve F is prevented from turning on the pin D, either by the angular cross
section of said pin, or by other means, such as a groove and stud, or the like, for the
purpose of securing the contact of the projections with those reeds which are to be
sounded by them.
By moving the sleeve F up and down by determined measures, music pieces of a
certain kind, such as chorals, may be easily performed.
The same effect might be obtained by introducing the sleeve F through the bottom
of the box and securing the stud D to the top, or by constructing the box in the shape
of a cylinder, either vertical, horizontal or otherwise.
Instead of providing a hollow sleeve guided on a pin or stud, as described, the
projections may instead be secured to a reciprocating rod or stem guided within a shell
or tube, or by other suitable guides.
It is not absolutely necessary that the projections or pins G G¹ should strike several
reeds at a time; the said pins or projections might as well be distributed on the length
of the sleeve or rod F, to strike the reeds singly; by disposing the said pins in such
manner that the reeds are made to sound in a determined succession, while the sleeve
or rod descends, a melody could be produced. In this case the sleeve or rod F may
have a little play to turn in its guides, so that during the return motion the
pins G pass the reeds; otherwise the notes of the melody would be produced in
reverse order while the sleeve is lifted.
Several sounding boards may be arranged in the same box, at different levels, the
reeds of every sounding board being struck by pins or projections on the same sleeve,
or of another sleeve arranged either inside the first sleeve, or beside the same.
Or the box may contain one or more sounding boards, each provided with several
openings independent of each other, each being surrounded by a set of reeds, with a
central pin or sleeve provided to actuate them.
The box A, or its cover, is provided with one or more orifices of sufficient area to
allow the sounds produced within the box to come forth and be properly heard.

page_text: 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 is :-
In a musical box, the combination, with one or more sounding boards, each having
an opening or openings cut out, and a number of tuned reeds secured to it, of one or
more sleeves or rods properly guided within said opening or openings and arranged
to receive a to and fro motion, said sleeves or rods carrying each a series of projecting
pins or rigid blades, which enter into contact with the reeds to sound the same, as the
sleeve or rod is moving, substantially as described.