Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments with Tone Producing Reeds.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments with Tone
Producing Reeds.
I, WILHELM ALFRED SEIFERT, of 9 Post Strasse, Leipzig Plagwitz, in the
German Empire, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to an arrangement presenting this advantage or improve-
ment over similar mechanisins heretofóre known, that the spindle on which the
plucking wheels are mounted is made to revolve, instead of being stationary, and
the plucking wheels, instead of being set in motion by the tune-sheet, are set in
motion by the spindle. Furthermore, movement is imparted to the time sheets by
toothed feed-wheels, and not by rubber or cloth feed-rollers as heretofore, and for
which purpose the time-sheets are provided with perforations wherein the teeth of
such feed-wheels engage.
A spring is arranged to act as a damper for the comb or steel reeds Z. Such
spring consists of two parts operating jointly, that is to say the damper proper D,
and the resilient presser F, which latter is operated by the tone producer or
plucking wheel R. The two parts, taken together, form one complete device, but
considered separately, their shape and position in relation to the corresponding
tone-producer of plucking-wheel R is such that, whereas one of them, F, is
influenced by the said tone producer while it is in motion, the other, D, can in no
case come into contact with the plucking wheel R.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the mechanism while at rest, and
Figs. 4 and 5 represent it while the damper is applied.
Fig. 3 is a plan corresponding to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Figs. 6 and 7 show the complete apparatus in continuous operation.
Fig. 8 is a front view of one of the plucking-wheels which is mounted loose upon
its spindle and is adapted to revolve freely between two discs or plates S, S, which
are rigidly mounted on the same rotatory spindle.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 shows one of the tune-sheet feed wheels; and
Fig. 11 shows a tune (or music) sheet provided with perforations, either square
or circular, for the teeth of the feed-wheel to engage in.
The tune sheet N travels over the two teeth 1 and 2 of the plucking wheel R,
and receives motion from the teeth of the feed-wheel T, which engage with its
perforations P. So long as the plucking wheels meet no openings (or "notes")
in the tune sheet, moving in contact therewith, they slide along such sheet, which
retains them in position upon the constantly rotating spindle W on which they are
loosely mounted (see the position of the plucking wheel R in Fig. 1), but when an
opening P, or "note," comes up to a point over the tooth 2 of the plucking-wheel,
this wheel is moved by the revolving spindle, so that the tooth 2 enters the opening
of the tune sheet, which carries it further along with it. The tooth 3 of the tone
producing or plucking wheel R then engages with the part F of the damper and shifts
it aside, and the part D, as it participates in such movement of the part F, comes into
contact with the comb or reed-plate Z, thereby moderating its vibration. As soon
as the tooth 3 of the tone producer R engages with the point of the reed, it releases
the resilient presser F (Fig. 6) which, together with the damper D, returns to
its position of rest. After the reed has been sounded by the plucking-wheel R,
the tooth 3 of such wheel assumes its position under the tune or music sheet N,

page_text: and the said plucking-wheel again revolves loosely upon its spindle W, until it
meets another opening or "note," in which its tooth 3 can engage.
The plucking wheels R, with their respective discs, are located in the spaces
formed between the bearings of the spindle as shewn in Fig. 3. The loose
revoluble wheels R, which are mounted close to and between each pair of discs S,
secured to the revolving spindle, are caused to rotate by said discs when moving,
if the tune sheet N does not keep the teeth of the plucking wheels down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The construction of mechanical musical instruments having tone producing
reeds, in such a manner that the plucking-wheel spindle is made to revolve, and
the plucking-wheels are set in motion by the said spindle, and not by the tune
sheet, substantially as set forth.
2. The construction of mechanical musical instruments, of the class above
mentioned, whereby the tune sheets are fed by toothed feed wheels adapted to
engage in perforations formed in the said sheets, substantially as described.
3. The combination, with mechanical musical instruments, of the class above
mentioned, of the spring device D, F, constructed and arranged to operate sub-
stantially as herein described, and for the purposes set forth.
4. My improvements in mechanical musical instruments with tone producing
reeds, substantially as described and shown in the annexed drawings.
1000.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.