IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO MUSICAL BOXES, ALBUMS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Ferdinand Hoppe, of 31, Cheapside, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO MUSICAL BOXES, ALBUMS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES." -A com-
munication from abroad by Carl Heinrich Schwarz, of Berlin, in
the Kingdom of Prussia.
Scaled the 2nd November 1869, and dated the 10th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Ferdinand
Hoppe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th May 1869.
I, ROBERT FERDINAND HOPPE, of 31, Cheapside, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
TO MUSICAL BOXES, ALBUMS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
ARTICLES," (a communication), to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in so adapting musical boxes, albums, and
other articles of a similar description that in addition to the ordinary
mechanism for playing tunes an arrangement is effected for the display
of photographic portraits, views, and other pictures, which are made to
revolve underneath the lid or cover of the musical box or album and be

page_text: seen through an opening in the same, and so continue to revolve as long
as the music is playing. This is effected in the following manner :-
The ordinary musical box possesses a roller or drum which revolves,
and is the principal feature of its mechanism.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to render this revolving
drum available, and to do so a drum of corresponding size and made of
wood or any suitable material is fixed at the other end of the box;
around these two drums or rollers an endless band is passed composed of
any suitable material, and on this band the photographic portraits, views,
or other pictures are placed, this being immediately beneath the cover
of the box or album, in which an opening is made for viewing the
pictures.
Now upon the mechanism being wound up in the ordinary way the
musical drum begins to turn, and consequently causes the endless band
to revolve around it and the opposite drum, and to continue so to revolve
as long as the music is playing. The passing of the band round the
musical drum does not in any way affect the music, and does not inter-
fere with the teeth on the same. The extra or supplementary drum is
placed in a small frame and furnished with springs so as to keep the band
in proper tension while turning,
The opening for displaying the pictures may be made either on
the outside of the box or album, or the interior, as may be desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Ferdinand Hoppe in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
FERDINAND HOPPE, of 31, Cheapside, in the City of London; send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Ferdinand Hoppe, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Ferdinand Hoppe, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Ferdinand.
Hoppe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
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 APPLICABLE TO MUSICAL BOXES, ALBUMS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES," a communication to me from abroad by Carl Heinrich
Schwarz, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Ferdinand Hoppe, my executors.
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, 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 Robert Ferdinand. Hoppe, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention consists in so adapting musical boxes, albums, and
other articles of a similar description that in addition to the ordinary
mechanism for playing tunes an arrangement is effected for the display
of photographic portraits, views, and other pictures, which are made to
revolve underneath the lid or cover of the musical box or album and be
seen through an opening in the same, and so continue to revolve as long
as the music is playing. This is effected in the following manner; and
that this Invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the
accompanying Drawings:-
The ordinary musical box, Fig. 1, possesses a roller or drum A which
revolves and is the principal feature of the mechanism.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to render this revolving
drum available, and to do so, a drum of corresponding size B, and made
of wood or any suitable material is fixed at the other end of the box, and
around these two drums or rollers an endless band C is passed, composed
of any suitable material, and on this band the photographic portraits,

page_text: views, or other pictures are placed, this being immediately beneath the
cover of the box or album D, in which an opening E is made for viewing
the pictures.
Now upon the mechanism being wound up in the ordinary way
the musical drum begins to turn, and consequently causes the endless
band to revolve around it and the opposite drum, and to continue so to
revolve as long as the music is playing. The passing of the band round
the musical drum does not in any way affect the music, and does not
interfere with the teeth on the same. The extra or supplementary drum B
is placed in a small frame and furnished with springs so as to keep the
band in proper tension while turning.
The opening for displaying the pictures may be made either in the
outside of the box or album, or the interior, as may be desired.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents an ordinary musical box, shewing the application of
the revolving band with portraits thereon.
A, the ordinary metal drum with teeth acting upon the metal comb
H in the usual way; B is the supplemental drum of wood or other
suitable material; C, the revolving slide or band; D, the lid of the box;
E, opening in lid, with glass in same, for viewing the pictures when the
lid is closed; F, the wooden frame for fixing drum (B); G, G,
springs to keep the band in proper tension when turning; L is an
ordinary arrangement for causing the music to play upon opening the
box.
Fig. 2 shews the application of the same principle to albums, the
whole of the mechanism as before described being contained in about
one-half of the same I, I, which is devoted to its reception and having
imitation edges to represent the ordinary leaves. The other half of the
album K, K, consists of the usual leaves for the reception of portraits
or views; when closed it presents the appearance of an ordinary
album.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention I declare that
what I claim as my Invention and desire to be secured to me by
the herein-before recited Letters Patent is, the application of the endless
revolving band C, C, the supplemental drum B, the tension and fixing
frame E, the springs G, G, and the application generally of these

page_text: arrangements to musical boxes, albums, and other similar articles for
the exhibition of revolving portraits, views, and other pictures, sub-
stantially as described in this Specification, and shewn on the accompany-
ing Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Ferdinand Hoppe, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
ROBERT FERDINAND HOPPE. (L.S.)