Improvements in Musical Instruments with Sounding Teeth.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Musical Instruments with Sounding Teeth.
I, PAUL LOCHMANN of Gohlis-Leipzig in the German Empire, Merchant, 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
This, invention relates to musical instruments of the kind that are furnished with
steel sounding teeth or tongues impinged against by pins projecting from a note disc.
As in such instruments, for correctly playing, the pins must strike in regular order
against the steel sounding teeth, there is a prescribed maximum diameter of note
disc, and with this, also a maximum number of sounding teeth. If it be required to
augment the number of these latter beyond such. maximum number, the use of note
discs is excluded.
The object of the invention is to remove this disadvantage so as to allow of the
number of sounding teeth to be doubled in making the note disc operative on both
sides, instead of on one side only and in employing two combs or sets of sounding
teeth, that is to say, one set on each side of the note disc, one of which is tuned a
little higher or lower than the other, by which arrangement of note disc and combs a
fuller and more sonorous tone is obtained. .In music works of this kind the
utilisation of both sides of the note disc simultaneously is of considerable value as
the single sounds are not sufficiently pronounced.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a front view of the musical instrument
works of this invention; Fig. 2, a plan thereof; Figs. 3 and 4 shew the method of
attaching the note disc to an intermediate disc.
a is a bed plate carrying the sounding combs b, b, which have room between them
for the passage of the double note disc e, e, but not for the passage of the pins in the
same without striking the sounding teeth of combs b, b.
Between the two discs of
which the double note disc e, e, is formed is a disc c fixed on spindle d. It serves as
a carrier or driver for disc e, e, by means of projecting parts h, h, which take into a
guide slot in each part of double disc e, e, the pins in which project outwards
right and left, and upon the turning of the spindle a impinge against the teeth of
the two combs b, b, either direct, or they may act thereon through a suitable
mechanism.

page_text: The spindle d is set in motion in a known manner by a clockwork g as also is
spring drum i thus operating the works of the instrument.
Instead of the middle disc c with a note disc e fixed on each side thereof as shewn in.
the drawing, one disc only may be employed furnished on each side with projecting
pins, and instead of the note disc having inserted pins, these may be formed thereon:
by punching them out of the metal of which the disc is made, further two note discs
may be coupled together and the middle disc done away with.
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:
1. In order to obtain a fuller tone from musical instruments having steel sounding
teeth by playing simultaneously on two combs or sets of sounding teeth, the arrange-
ment or a double note disc, or of two note discs furnished with projecting pins on
each of two opposite sides, or of one note disc furnished with projecting pins on
each of its two sides, in combination with the arrangement of two sounding combs
impinged against by the pins direct or operated by them through a mechanism,
substantially as described as shewn.
2. In musical instrument works of the kind referred to in order to fix in position
the two parts of a double disc the arrangement of disc c fixed on driving spindle and
provided with lugs or projecting parts h, h, for engaging double disc, in combination
with the arrangement of a slot in each of the disc parts which serves both as a guide
for lugs h, h and for the reception of the sounding comb corresponding thereto
substantially as described and shewn.