Improvements in Reed Musical Instruments Played upon by Air Currents.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification-Left, 27th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reed Musical Instruments Played upon by Air
Currents.
GEO. CROSLAND TAYLOR Ravenscar Helsby Cheshire Electrical Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
Instead of using strings of catgut, or metal wires which require continually
retuning, the harp, or instrument, is made with a plate, or plates, having a reed or
reeds of metal, glass, or wood, fixed thereon; these keep their tone as in concertinas,
melodions. These reeds are attached to a larger surface, bow or case, or V shaped,
or concave surface.
This apparatus when placed in a draught of air or natural wind, impinges the air
on the reeds, causing them to vibrate, and sound. Reeds arranged in cords or
musical combinations produce harmonic sounds.
The apparatus is intended to be fixed, or hung in a fixed position exposed to the
winds, or placed in connection with a ventilator, or mounted as a revolving or fixed
weather cock in connection, or combination with advertisements, thereby drawing
attention to the same.
Stops, or shutters, or slides to various reeds may be attached actuated by
electricity or otherwise.
Dated this Tenth day of Avril 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Reed Musical Instruments Played upon by Air
Currents.
I, GEORGE CROSLAND TAYLOR of Ravenscar Helsby in the County of Cheshire
Electrical Engineer & Manufacturer, 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 :-
Instead of using strings of catgut, or metallic wires, for acolian harps as is
usually done, which continually require retuning.
The harp, or musical instrument, is made with a plate, or plates, having a reed,
or reeds of metal, glass, or wood, fixed thereon, metallic reeds of, brass; phosphor
bronze, aluminium bronze, are to be preferred.
These reeds keep their tone as in concertinas, melodions.
These reeds are attached by nails, screws, or bolts & nuts, to a larger surface,
bow, or case, or V shaped or concave surface.
The V shaped or concave surface, or if necessary half hexagonal surface, with
reed, or reeds, thereto fixed may be combined with a tube or pipe of wood, metal,
or paper, round, or square section, or otherwise rising from or placed behind the
reeds, thereby the tube acts as a resonating tube, and accentuates the sound, or
sounds, or vibrations, of reeds, and combines the various tones of the set of reeds
on plate, or plates, thereby improving the tone, and the loudness, as is well
understood in organs.
.
Metal plate, or plates, placed at various angles to the plates with reeds, upon
the V or concave surfaces, may be used to impinge the air currents in a more
direct manner on to the reeds, thereby increasing the sensitiveness of the reeds to
the air currents.
A. muumber of V-shaped, or concave surfaces, with reeds of various tones, or keys,

page_text: and with or without a resonating tube, or tubes, may be combined, so that when
hung upon a wire or string in the wind, the instrument turns around, and plays
one by one the various tones.or chords, thereby producing a change of tones or
chords no matter from which direction the wind current comes.
This apparatus when placed in a draught of air or natural wind, impinges the air
on the reeds causing them to vibrate and sound. The apparatus is intended to be
fixed or hung in a fixed position, or free to rotate, exposed to the winds, or placed
in connection with a ventilator, or mounted as a revolving, or fixed weathercock, in
connection, or combination with advertisements..
EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1. Fig. 1. (vertical elevation) Fig. 2. (section) Fig. 3. A A. shews top &
bottom pieces, D D sides. CC. slots in sides D D. FF, are plates in position,
ends of reeds pointing outwards. E E, the outer wind deflector plates,-C, the inner
V shaped wind deflector plate. Fig. 3. F, shews style of plate with reeds, one or
more reeds can be put upon a plate, tuned as desired. This design is intended to
be fixed for wind to blow on to deflector G.
Sheet 2. Fig. 1. (vertical elevation) Fig. 2. (section). A A shews top & bottom
pieces. D D D D (Fig. 2) the 4 wings or sides. B. staple to attach string or
wire to, to revolve around thereon. CCCC. slots, two in each wing D, can be
made with one or more slots as desired. F F F F F F F F. (Fig. 2) plates
in position with reeds thereon. E E E E. (Fig. 2) deflector plates. This instru-
ment revolves, before the wind, thereby the various reed sets play by turn in their
various keys.
Sheet 3. Fig. 1. (vertical elevation) Fig. 2. (section). A A shews top
& bottom pieces, through the top A (Fig. 1) passes the (organ) pipe H.-
DDD D. (Fig. 2) are 4 wings, or sides, joined on the corners of pipe H. Inside
base A which also forms one end of pipe H. is the pyramid, or circular shaped
deflector G at top of pipe H (Fig. 1) are the wind deflector surfaces I, I,
to draw air out of pipe H, at B B (Fig. 1.) are staples, to attach string,
cord, or wire to, to hang instrument upon, so as to revolve before the wind,
thus presenting the reed plates F F F F F F F F (Fig. 2) fastened
over the slots C C C C C C C C (Fig. 2) behind the wind deflectors EE EE
successively to the prevailing wind. The pipe H is made usual way organ
pipes are the slots. CCCCCCCC are cut in the 4 sides of the pipe near
base. Pipe may be made various sections, and one or more reeds attached
thereon. The pipe H. imparts richness & volume to the tone.
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. Combination of reed, or reeds, on-plates of metal, glass, or wood, played upon
by wind, or air currents as described.
11. Combination of reed, or reeds, on plates of metal, glass, or wood, mounted
on shaped or concave surfaces, with or without,. metal impinging air plates and
with or without, resonating tubes, or pipes, played upon by wind, or air currents as
described.
III. Combinations of reed musical instruments as described, with advertisements
to draw attention to the same.
Dated this 26th day of August 1891.
GEORGE CROSLAND TAYLOR,
Ravenscar, Helsby, Cheshire.