An Improved Toy or Musical Instrument.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1894.
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Toy or Musical Instrument.
I, HENRY PARSON, of Oxford Villa, Bracknell, Berks, Surgeon, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a toy or percussive instrument for producing rhythmic
sounds in imitation of those of a castanet.
The instrument consists of a drum-head or sound-board mounted on a rim within
which are mounted hammers carried by a tubular spindle loose upon a fixed spindle
mounted in the rim and provided with a handle, the tubular spindle having a small
pressure piece or nib acting as a short lever arm, by pressing upon which with the
thumb or finger in alternately opposite directions, a sharp to-and-fro motion may
be imparted to the tubular spindle so as to cause the hammers to alternately strike
the drum-head or sound-board and produce the rhythmic sounds desired.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1894.
H. PARSON,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I HENRY PARSON, Surgeon, of Oxford Villa Bracknell Berkshire 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 a toy or musical instrument of a percussive character,
for producing sounds.
The instrument consists of a nib N or other similar projection, formed on or
attached to an axis A, and acting as a short lever which is operated upon by the
thumb or finger, and made to impart a sharp to and fro movement to beaters B or
hammers, attached on either side of the axis, and making them strike on a drum-
head D or other resonant article, and thus producing sounds varying in character
according to the article operated upon.
The instrument is held by means of a handle H.
In the drawing annexed it will be seen that the beaters B are attached to a
moveable axis A and beneath the beaters at a distance of about inch is placed a
drumhead D which limits the to and fro movements, and gives out a sound when
struck by the beaters. It will be seen that by taking the apparatus in the hand,
and applying the thumb firmly to the nipple N, and moving the thumb to and fro,
as soon as the nipple N has passed over the centre of the axis in either direction,
the power becomes suddenly increased, and a sharp rap will be given by the beaters
on the drumhead. This movement when made rapidly in time with a tune, will
produce sounds similar to those of the castanets.
If a loose jointed toy figure be suspended over the apparatus and one foot be
LD.

page_text: fastened on either side of the axis, it will be readily seen that the figure will receive
a dancing movement keeping time to the rapping of the beaters, or the feet of the
figure may be made to take the place of the beaters.
Fig. 1 represents the instrument as a toy having a round cylinder of tin with a
diaphragm of thin hard wood. The axis is of wire having a crank bend to form
the nib N, the beaters being attached at right angles to the nipple N. The handle
is of bent wire.
Fig. 2 represents another form of the instrument, having a hollow axis moving
on a solid one, and the nipple being placed outside.the cylinder.
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. A novel method of operating beaters on a resonant article or of knocking
resonant articles together, by means of a short lever on a moveable axis operated
by the thumb or finger.
2. A novel method of working toy figures by the same means.
Dated this 17th day of October 1894
HENRY PARSON.