Year: 1885

page_text: I, ELLIS PARR, of Long Lane, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention has for its object a novel combination of apparatus by
which any desired tune may be played without any technical skill on the part of
the person using the apparatus, whilst the tune so played may be changed and
varied indefinitely.
In order to put my invention in operation I take a box or case of wood or other
suitable material, and I divide this box into two parts by means of a rigid
diaphragm.
Across this diaphragm, extending for its full diameter or for only half the
diameter, I fit and fix a row of small tubes or chambers, each containing a musical
reed or vibrating tongue which can be sounded by causing air under sufficient
pressure to pass through, each chamber being fixed above a small hole in the
diaphragm, through which hole air can be so made to pass when desired.
The tongues or reeds in the row are arranged in regular musical progression so
as to form a complete octave, or more or less than an octave, and it is evident that
by uncovering the holes in the diaphragm in the proper order and causing air to
pass through them any desired tune may be produced, whilst chords may be
obtained by uncovering two or more of the holes simultaneously. Instead of one
row of tongues, two or more may be used.
In contact with the diaphragm, at the opposite side of the latter to the chambers
or tubes, I arrange a circular disc of paper, cardboard, wood, metal, or other
sufficiently strong and light material, fitting upon the end of a central spindle
which is made to revolve at right angles to the diaphragm so that the dise turns
with it but can be readily removed or replaced when desired. This disc is
perforated with a series of holes in concentric circles, as many in number as there
are holes in the diaphragm and vibrating tongues or reeds, each circle corresponding
with one of the holes.
When the disc is turned therefore the several holes in the diaphragm are
uncovered in such order and in such manner as may be due to the special arrange-
ment of the holes in the disc, and as every time a hole is uncovered a special note
is sounded it is evident that by a proper arrangement of the holes in the disc any
desired tune may be played so long as air under pressure is supplied to the
apparatus and the rotation of the disc is continued. In order to so supply air

page_text: under pressure, I connect a flexible tube to a pipe or nozzle opening into the inside
of the box at one side of the diaphragm, the other end of the tube being provided
with a mouthpiece held in the mouth of the person using the apparatus, who blows
into it with any desired force, and to effect the rotation of the disc I prolong the
spindle which drives it through the box and provide it with an external handle by
which it can be turned round, or I fit it with toothed wheels and pinions or pullies
and cords to the prolonged axle of one of which such external handle is fitted.
By simultaneously blowing into the flexible tube and at the same time turning
the handle, the tune corresponding with the perforations in the particular disc used
will be played, and by varying the force of blowing and the speed with which the
handle is turned, any desired expression or loudness or softness of sound can be
readily imparted to the music, which is thus made more or less effective according
to the skill of the performer.
In pieces of music of very great length it may be sometimes advisable to use
perforated strips instead of discs, the strips being drawn across the row of holes in
the diaphragm by means of a drum or cylinder turned by hand, and instead of the
breath a bellows may be used worked by the performer to force in the air.
By opening the box or case the perforated disc can be instantly removed, and a
different one substituted.
Instead of causing the perforated disc to revolve by hand in the manner described,
I sometimes connect to the end of the flexible tube in the box or case a hollow
re-action wheel or tube made to revolve by the re-action of the air issuing from it,
and connected to the perforated disc in such manner that the latter is caused to
revolve simultaneously at the proper speed.
Apparatus constructed according to my invention by which the supply of air in
the first place and the rotation of a perforated disc in the second place are both
effected by the performer in such manner as to obtain the greatest possible effects
of expression, according to his skill and taste, is very cheap, simple, and effective,
whilst the perforated discs can be produced at little cost in endless variety, and can
be instantly changed one for the other so as to vary the tunes when desired.
1
ALL Jf Santambor 1985

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Playing Tunes.
I, ELLIS PARR, of Long Lane, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, 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, and accompanying drawing (that is to say) :-
My present invention has for its object a novel combination of apparatus by
which any desired tune may be played without any technical skill on the part of
the person using the apparatus, whilst the tune so played may be changed and
varied as often as desired.
My invention relates to improvements in automatic musical wind instruments in
which the tune is played by means of air acting upon vibrating tongues or reeds,
or upon pipes or whistles, the proper order, combination, and duration of notes to
produce any particular tune being determined by means of changeable discs or
strips of properly perforated material such as paper, by which the admission of air
to the reeds or pipes is effected.
I take a box or case of wood or other suitable material, and rectangular, circular,
or of other convenient shape, and I divide this box into two parts by means of a rigid
diaphragm across which, for its full diameter or for only half its diameter, I fit and
fix a row of small tubes or chambers each provided with a musical reed or vibrating
tongue of the ordinary well known kind which can be sounded by causing air under
sufficient pressure to pass through, each chamber being fixed against and com-
municating with a small hole in the diaphragm, through which air can be made to
pass in the manner hereinafter described when desired. The tongues or reeds in
the row of chambers, or the whistles or pipes if used, are arranged preferably in
regular musical progression so as to form a complete octave or more or less than an
octave, and it is evident that by uncovering the holes in the diaphragm in the
proper order and causing air to pass through them any desired tune will bo
played, whilst chords may be produced by uncovering two or more of the holes
simultaneously,
In contact with the diaphragm, at the opposite side of the latter to the chambers
or tubes, and with the intervention of packing as hereinafter described by which
the contact may be made sufficiently air-tight, I fit a circular disc of paper,
cardboard, wood, metal, or other sufficiently strong and light material, fitted upon
a central spindle which made to revolve at right angles to the diaphragm, so
that the disc turns with it but can be readily and quickly removed or replaced
when desired. This disc is perforated in the usual way with a series of holes, in
concentric circles, as many in number as there are holes in the diaphragm and
vibrating tongues or reeds, each circle corresponding with one such hole.
If the disc is made to revolve the several holes in the diaphragm are uncovered
in such order and in such manner as may be due to the special arrangement of the
holes in that particular disc, and as every time a hole is uncovered a special note is
sounded it is evident that by a proper arrangement of the holes in the disc any
desired tune may be played so long as air under pressure is supplied to the
apparatus and the rotation of the disc is continued at the proper speed. In order

page_text: to so supply air under pressure, I connect a flexible tube to a pipe or nozzle opening
into the box at one side of the diaphragm, the other end of the tube being provided
with a mouthpiece held in the mouth of the person using the apparatus, who blows
into it with any desired force, and to effect the rotation of the disc I prolong the
spindle which drives it through the box and provide it with an external handle by
which it can be turned round, or preferably I fit it with toothed wheels and pinions,
or pullies and cords, to the prolonged axle of one of which such external handle
is fitted.
The arrangement of the tube into which air is blown by the mouth as described
is applicable more especially to small instruments, but where larger ones are used,
the tube may be connected to a bellows or forcing apparatus worked by hand.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, figure 1 being a
perspective view of an entire instrument, figures 2 and 3 vertical sections, and
figure 4a plan with the lid of, the box open. Figure 5 represents one of the
moveable perforated discs.
a is the box or case, shewn rectangular in plan, and with openings through the
sides at b, b, b. Its top or upper surface has through it a series of small
openings c, c, c, radiating from the centre, as shewn in figures 2 and 4, and each of
these openings communicates with one of the tubes or chambers d, d, containing a
vibrating tongue or reed or other device by which a musical note is produced when
air is blown into the chamber. e is a vertical spindle revolving in bearings at the
centre of the box its upper end projecting through the top of the box and carrying
and driving the loose perforated disc e¹, the spindle e being shewn driven by a
toothed wheel f, and endless screw g upon an axis h which projects through the
side of the box and is fitted with a handle i by turning which the disc e¹ can be
made to revolve at any desired speed.
k is a moveable lid or cover to the box a, having a radial groove or channel
which when the lid is shut is exactly above the row of holes o the moveable disc e¹
being interposed between them, and I fix upon the lower side of the lid / round
the channel or groove la piece of cloth or leather m which when the lid k is closed
presses with moderate force against the disc e¹ so as to make a sufficiently air-tight
joint between them. m¹ is a similar piece of packing having holes corresponding
with those c in the diaphragm and making a joint against the lower side of the
disc e¹.
A tube n communicates with the channel or groove through the lid k, and a
flexible tube o is fitted upon the tube n, an elastic expanding part p being
preferably provided either upon the tube as shewn, or connected with the box, or
the chamber 7, for equalizing and rendering continuous the pressure of the air.
The disc e¹ is perforated with holes suitably arranged, (as indicated in figure 5)
so that when it is made to revolve by the handle i or other means and air is blown
through the tubes o and n into the channel 1, the holes c are uncovered and the air
admitted through them into the chambers d at the proper times and in the proper
combination to produce the desired tune.
When it is desired to change the tune, the lid or cover k is opened and the disc e¹
can then be instantly removed and a fresh one substituted for it. The elastic
expanding part p upon the tube o causes the supply of air to continue whilst the
performer is taking breath for a fresh supply, and a valve may be arranged outside
the part p to prevent the return of air.
The lid or cover k need not close the whole of the top of the box a, but may be
only sufficiently large to carry the cloth or leather packing m which surrounds the
groove or channel and it may be hinged to the side of the box and held down in
contact with the disc e¹ by means of a spring or screw with any desired force.
Instruments constructed according to my invention in the manner described and
shewn in the drawing may be made at very small cost, the moveable disc e' being
made to rotate by a handle and a comparatively small number of vibrating reeds,
tongues, or other musical devices being used, whilst the rotating disc e¹ is of card-
board or thin metal, and the air is blown in by the mouth' of the player, and such

page_text: instruments are capable of considerable effect and expression, though they need be
but of small size.
Where greater effect and volume of sound are required the instrument may be of
any desired size, and a large number of vibrating tongues, reeds, or other devices
may be used, and the air required may be forced through the pipes n and o by a
bellows worked by the hand or foot of the player who will still be able to give the
desired expression by varying the pressure of the air and the speed of rotation of
the disc; and instead of the expanding part p of the tube o, a wind chest loaded
with a weight or spring may be used. The disc e¹ instead of uncovering the holes c
directly, may operate upon levers connected with valves which uncover the openings
to the chambers d.
Additional chambers d and holes c may be arranged upon the other side of the
central spindle e, the musical notes produced by them being properly determined,
and additional concentric rings of perforations affecting them being arranged upon.
the disc e¹ between those affecting the chambers d shewn in the drawing; care
being taken in perforating the disc e' to arrange the several perforations in their
proper relative positions.
The air may be forced into either the upper or lower part of the apparatus, the
holes c and vibrating reeds or tongues being properly arranged.
I am aware that musical instruments in which tunes are automatically produced
by means of changeable revolving disca, have been already made and used; and that
musical instruments in which such tunes are produced by forcing air through a
tube into chambers which are uncovered by a flexible perforated band passing over
moving cylinders or drums have also been used; but such methods have been
expensive, heavy, and complicated, and I do not claim them as my invention, but
having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of the box or case a, holes c communicating with chambers d,
spindle e driving changeable perforated disc e¹, lid or covering piece k containing
channel, packing m, m³, and tubes n and o arranged and operating substantially
for the purpose and in the manner described and shown.
2. In combination with the box or case a, and changeable perforated disc e¹, the
flexible tube o baving an elastic expanded part p and outer valve, through which
air is blown, into the instrument, substantially as and for the purpose described
and shewn in the drawing.