Improvements in Winding Up Devices for Musical Boxes, Orchestrals, and the like Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Winding Up Devices for Musical Boxes, Orchestrals,
and the like Instruments.
We, CARL ALBERT ROEPKE, and ROEPKE AND COMPANY LIMITED, of
31, Lees Street, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Musical
Instrument Manufacturers, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of musical boxes, orchestrals
and the like instruments which are worked by a spring or weight and wound up by
a crank handle or key.
As such instruments are now constructed, the said crank handles or keys are
adapted to be taken off and are thus liable to get lost and the instrument itself is
easily overwound.
The object of our invention is to remedy these defects and thus prevent
annoyance and breakages in overwinding the instrument or winding up in the
wrong direction.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood we have caused to
be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like part in the various figures, Fig. 1 being a side view and Fig. 2 a
longitudinal section of our improved means for winding up the said spring or
weight.
In carrying out our invention we dispense with the said crank handle or key and
employ in lieu thereof means for turning the said spring or weight winding up
shaft, which are permanent and not adapted to be removed and which prevent
the instrument being overwound or damage thereto by winding in the wrong
direction.
To this end we employ upon the spring or weight winding up shaft a a sleeve b
having a flange 61 near its outer end and at its inner end slots c adapted to engage
correspondingly shaped projections a' on the shaft a and thereby couple the sleeve b
to the latter. Upon the outer end of the sleeve we employ a disc d having a
knob d' over which is secured a ring e, preferably to the outside of the case of the
instrument, which ring may be formed with a flange el and prevents the disc d
being removed from the sleeve b, b', or winding up shaft a. To the outer end of
the sleeve b we secure, by means of a screw g, a plate f, whereby the disc d can be
drawn tight against the flange 61 of the sleeve b. When rotating the disc d by
means of its knob d', the shaft a will join in the rotation until the spring or
weight of the instrument is wound up sufficiently.
If the rotation of the
disc d is continued the resistance of the said spring or weight will cause
it to slip between the flange b' and plate f and thus disengage it from the
sleeve b, b', i.e. the shaft a which also the case when turning the disc in the
wrong direction. The amount of grip upon the disc d, by the flange b' and plate f,
can readily be regulated in accordance with the strength of the spring or the size
of the weight of the instrument as may be required by tightening or turning back
the screw g.
We may remark that the portion of the disc d, d', around the flange b' and plate f
may be formed with one or more arms as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, the outer

page_text: ends of which or a rim formed thereon being adapted to run in the ring e, e¹; or
the disc d, d', may be formed sectional as will be readily understood.
A modification of our invention consists in dispensing with the sleeve b, b¹ and
forming or furnishing the shaft a itself with the flange, plate and screw b',
J & g respectively as will be readily understood, the sleeve b, b, being only
-employed for convenience in fitting the instrument to the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is-
1st. In musical boxes, orchestrals and the like instruments, a winding up device
consisting of a disc d, d' carried directly or indirectly by the spring or weight
winding up shaft a in combination with a ring e, e' secured over the said disc, all
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In a winding up device constructed as specified in the preceding claim, the
disc d, d¹ gripped upon the winding up shaft a by a laterally stationary flange 61
and adjustable plate f for the purpose and in the manner substantially as herein-
before set forth.
Dated this 31st day of December 1896.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to
Applicants.