Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
I, CLAUDE GAVIOLI, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
My invention relates to mechanical musical instruments played by means of
perforated paper.
Perforated paper has already been employed for causing the air which traverses
the holes to set the reeds of an organ in vibration without the aid of valves designed
to intercept the sound, the paper itself performing this duty each time when the
unperforated part closes in its passage the orifice of the air conduit.
This arrangement is very simple but presents inconveniences due to the great
length and width of the paper for playing an instrument, even in the case of a very
limited gamut, for in order that the air traversing the holes in the paper shall be
ample for causing the reeds to sound, especially those for the low notes, very large
holes are needed, and therefore much paper for a short piece of music. It is
moreover necessary to employ quite a special form of wind-chest.
Owing to these inconveniences, and the liability of the large sheets of paper to
being torn, use has been made of perforated card board which does not operate by
the action of the air, but, like the barrel of an organ, by means of a clavier which
opens the valves of the instrument. The consequent complication of the mechanism,
the adjustment of the clavier, and the resistances to be overcome in the operation
of instruments acting at a high pressure especially for playing the low notes also
present difficulties which remain to be surmounted.
In the improved mechanical instrument I use perforated paper of nearly the
same dimensions as those customary for the cardboards. I obviate the employment
of the clavier with its complicated mechanism and can easily play the most difficult
notes, without the use of a particular form of wind-chest or an arrangement of
valves other than that generally provided in these instruments.
I have solved this problem by the use of two different air pressures, one of
which is designed for sounding the reeds or pipes, whilst the other, which is much
higher (say three times, or higher still if necessary) than that usually employed
for actuating the perforated strip of music acting through the medium of a very
simple device.
The mechanical musical instrument constructed according to my said invention
comprises two pairs of double-acting bellows, one pair being comparatively large
and the other small. The mechanism for actuating the small bellows is connected
with the large bellows through the medium of an arm and a horizontal rod. This
rod and the rod for actuating the large bellows are attached to a crank of the
driving shaft which receives a handle for turning the same. By their alternating
movements these two pairs of bellows draw in the air and force it into their
respective reservoirs placed behind the instrument and adjoining the vertical
partition which is provided with passages conveying the air from the large reservoir
to the wind chest containing the reeds and the air from the small reservoir at a high
pressure to operate the mechanism for the perforated paper. The air from the
small reservoir is conducted to the paper through a bridge-piece forming a conduit
and connected at its extremity with the orifice terminating upon a tablet through
which it receives the air. A suitable space is left between the tablet and the
bridge-piece for the passage of the paper. In the aforesaid bridge piece is formed
a longitudinal cavity covered with a slide which has a slit in it, and the edges of

page_text: which are forced down upon the paper by the pressure of the air so as to prevent
the escape of the latter.
The two rows of small holes in the aforesaid tablet correspond to those in the
paper and each time they are uncovered in the passage of the paper the compressed
air traversing conduits formed in the tablet opens the valves which correspond to
the several notes played by the instrument.
The tablet is composed of three thicknesses of wood, the middle one of which
has conduits designed to convey the compressed air to a series of small pockets
arranged upon a thickness of wood attached to the outer part of the wind-chest.
These pockets are formed by a slide which covers holes or cavities corresponding
to the number of valves to be opened. The air is conducted to these pockets
through a small vertical conduit. When the pockets are puffed up, which takes
place each time the paper allows the passage of the compressed air, they operate
levers which are articulated at their lower extremity and carry at the upper
extremity a valve for the note to be sounded. This effect is likewise produced in
the case the valves for the low notes which are arranged behind the tablet in boxes
occupying the length of the instrument.
Air has already been used for operating piano and other keys through the
medium of small bellows provided with several valves serving for the inlet and also
for the outlet of the air In my instrument the valves are dispensed with, and the
outlet of the air from the small pockets is effected through a small hole which is
continually open. By the high pressure to which I subject the air, and the
emission of air in greater quantity than that which escapes through the small hole,
I obtain the force necessary for raising the valves and thus obviate the complication
of the mechanism.
The strip of perforated paper, which passes between the tablet and the bridge-
piece is carried away by means of two rollers covered with india-rubber as used in
other instruments of this kind. One of these rollers is set in motion by a toothed
wheel fixed to a copper tube which is covered with the india-rubber. This wheel
turns upon a fixed axis, and is actuated by a pinion fixed to the crank shaft. The
above-mentioned roller is supported by an iron rod provided with two arms receiving
the journal at either extremity of the roller. A spring wound around the iron
rod presses the strip of paper between the two rollers for causing it to be carried
away. To the middle of the said iron rod is fixed an arm which serves for causing
the roller to recede through the medium of a lever by turning the same every time
when the strip of paper is to be withdrawn or put in again.
To facilitate the transport of the perforated strips of paper belonging to the
instrument I provide at the upper part of the box of the instrument a suitable
space for the reception of the said strips.
Of course the proportions of the instrument can be varied according to the
number of notes to be played without departing from the nature of my said
invention.
Dated this 16th dow of Janne 1201
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
I, CLAUDE GAVIOLI, of 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
.invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly: 5
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
1
My invention relates to mechanical musical instruments which are designed to be
played by means of perforated paper.

page_text: Perforated paper has already been employed for causing the air which traverses
the holes to set the reeds of an organ in vibration without the aid of valves
designed to intercept the sound, the paper itself performing this duty each time
the unperforated part thereof closes the orifice of the air conduit.
This arrangement is very simple but presents inconveniences due to the great
length and width of the paper for playing an instrument, even in the case of a
very limited "gamut" for in order that the air traversing the holes in the paper
shall be ample for causing the reeds to sound, especially those for the low notes,
very large holes are needed, and therefore much paper for a short piece of music.
It is moreover necessary to employ a special form of wind-chest.
Owing to these inconveniences, and the liability of the large sheets of paper
being torn use has been made of perforated cardboard, which does not operate by
the action of the air, but like the barrel of an organ, by means of a clavier which
opens the valves of the instrument. The consequent complication of the mechanism,
the adjustment of the clavier, and the resistance to be overcome, in the operation
of instruments acting at a high pressure especially for playing the low notes also
present difficulties which have to be surmounted.
In the improved mechanical instrument I use perforated paper of nearly the
same dimensions as those customary for the cardboards. I obviate the employ-
ment of the clavier with its complicated, mechanism, and can easily play the most
difficult notes, without the use of a particular form of wind chest or an arrangement
of valves other than that generally provided in these instruments.
I effect this object by the use of two different air-pressures, one of which is low
and the other high. The low pressure serves for sounding the reeds or pipes, whilst
the other, which is much higher (say three times as high or even higher if
necessary) serves to actuate the valves corresponding to each note. This last
effect is produced by means of small pockets of hide placed above the perforated
paper and connected with the valves by levers. The high pressure wind is con-
ducted below the paper and passes through the openings or perforations in the
corresponding pockets which are thereby inflated and act upon the valves. In
other words the low pressure acts directly upon the reeds or pipes for sounding
them, whilst the high pressure acts by means of the perforated paper (passing
through the latter) upon the small pockets for operating the valves.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice the said figures being hereinafter
referred to.
The mechanical musical instrument constructed according to my said invention
comprises two pairs of double-acting bellows, one pair A being comparatively
large and the other B small. The mechanism for actuating the small bellows is
connected with the large bellows A through the medium of an arm C and a
horizontal rod D. This rod and the rod E for actuating the large bellows A are
attached to a crank of the driving shaft T which is adapted to receive a handle for
turning the same. By their alternating movements these two pairs of bellows
draw the air through the openings F and force it into their respective reservoirs
placed behind the instrument and adjoining the vertical partition G which is
provided with passages for conveying the air from the large reservoir H to the
wind chest I containing the reeds, and the air from the small reservoir K at a
high pressure to operate the mechanism for the perforated paper. The air from
the small reservoir K is conducted to the paper through a bridge-piece L
forming a conduit and connected at its extremity with the orifice M terminating
upon a tablet Figure 1 through which it receives the air. A suitable space is left
between the tablet and the bridge-piece L for the passage of the paper. In the
aforesaid bridge-piece L is formed a longitudinal cavity covered with a piece of
leather which has a slit in it Figure 4 and the edges of which are forced down
upon the paper by the pressure of the air so as to prevent the escape of the
atter.
The two rows of small holes in the aforesaid tablet 04. correspond to those in the

page_text: paper, and each time they are uncovered in the passage of the paper the compressed
air traversing conduits formed in the tablet O' opens the valves O which correspond:
to the several notes played by the instrument.
The tablet O' Figures 1 and 3 is composed of three thicknesses of wood, the
middle one of which has conduits (indicated in dotted lines) designed to convey.
the compressed air to a series of small pockets arranged upon a thickness of wood-
attached to the outer part of the wind-chest. These pockets are formed by a hide
which covers holes or cavities corresponding to the number of valves to be opened'
seen in section at P. Figure 3. The air is conducted to these pockets through a
small vertical conduit, when the pockets are puffed up, which takes place each
time the paper allows the passage of the compressed air, they operate levers R
which are articulated at their lower extremity and carry at the upper extremity a
valve for the note to be sounded. This effect is likewise produced when the valves
for the low notes are arranged behind the tablet in boxes occupying the length of
the instrument, as shown at S, Figures 1 and 3.
Air has already been used for operating piano and other keys through the
medium of small bellows provided with several valves serving for the inlet and
also for the outlet of the air. In my instrument the valves are dispensed with,
and the outlet of the air from the small pockets is effected through a small hole
which is continually open. By the high pressure to which I subject the air, and
the emission of air in greater quantity than that which escapes through the small
hole I obtain the force necessary for raising the valves and thus obviate the
complication of the mechanism.
The strip of perforated paper which passes between the tablet and the bridge-
piece L is carried away by means of two rollers U and V covered with india-
rubber as used in other instruments of this kind. One of these rollers U is set in
motion by a toothed wheel Figures 2 and 3 fixed to a copper tube which is covered
with the india-rubber. This wheel turns upon a fixed axis x Figure 3 and is
actuated by pinion Y fixed to the crank shaft. The above mentioned roller is
supported by an iron rod Z provided with two arms for receiving the journal at
either extremity of the roller. A spring wound around the iron rod presses the strip
of paper between the two rollers for causing it to be moved thereby. To the
middle of the said iron rod Z is fixed an arm which serves for causing the roller to
recede through the medium of a lever a Figure 2 by turning the same every time
when the strip of paper is to be withdrawn or put in again.
To facilitate the transport of the perforated strips of paper belonging to the
instrument I provide at the upper part of the box of the instrument a suitable
space for the reception of the said strips.
The proportions of the instrument can of course be varied according to the
number of notes to be played without departing from the nature of my said
invention.
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.
'
First. In a mechanical musical instrument in which the tunes are produced by
means of perforated paper the combination of two bellows with different
pressures which by acting upon the mechanism for operating the perforated music
sheet causes the sounding of the particular note of the instrument as above
described.
Second. In a mechanical musical instrument as above described the combination,
with the bellows of small pockets with holes for storing up the air, the said pockets
being formed by strips of leather, the inflation of the same being effected each
time the perforated paper allows the passage of the air and causing at the same
time the action of the articulated parts which carry at their extremity the valve
for the particular note to be sounded, the same mode of action being used for the
low notes as for the high ones; the air being allowed to pass from the said

page_text: pockets through a continually open orifice with which they are provided as
above specified.
Third. In a mechanical musical instrument the above described formation of
bellows having a double body.
Fourth. In a mechanical musical instrument the combination, with the elements
above specified, of the device enabling the keeping of the music sheets in the
instrument and the transport of the same with it, the whole as hereinbefore described
and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 30th day of October 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.