Im-. PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INSTRUMENTS FOR FACILITATING VOCAL INSTRUCTION AT SCHOOLS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Réné Couty and Julés Richard, Pianoforte:
and Harmonium. Manufacturers, of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol,'
Paris in the Empire of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Réné Couty and
Jules Richard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 15th July 1868....
We, RENÉ COUTY and JULES RICHARD, Pianoforte and Harmonium.
Manufacturers,, of No.. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris, in the Empire
of France, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-.
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INSTRUMENTS FOR FACILITATING VOCAL
INSTRUCTION AT SCHOOLS," to be as follows:---
The object of the present Invention is to facilitate vocal instruction:
at schools and render the task less irksome by lessening the fatigue
of the instructor, whose voice after prolonged exercise is not so likely.
to be in tune, and therefore unable to give the exact pitch of the note
desired to be sung.

page_text: Our Invention consists of a rectangular box divided into three com-
partments, outside or on the surface of the first of which, a gamut or
scale of do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do, is printed or lithographed; in the
second the notes similar to those of an harmonium or accordion are
arranged; and the third constitutes the air chamber, which latter is put
in communication with a bellows by means of a small gutta percha
or india-rubber tube. This apparatus is or may be hooked or hung
against the wall of the school or other room, and the bellows which
is worked by the foot is fixed to the floor. The keys are circular like
those of the accordion, and are arranged on the lithographed or printed
lines and spaces of the scale, each one having printed on it the note
with which it corresponds, so that on the instructor or pupil pressing
on one of the keys, say for instance the first, do, that note vibrates by
aid of the bellows, so that the pupil may learn and sing the notes
of the gamut with the instrument, without the assistance of the instructor's
voice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Réné Couty and Jules Richard in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RÉNÉ
COUTY and JULES RICHARD, Pianoforte and Harmonium Manufacturers,
of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris, in the Empire of France, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Réné Couty and Jules Richard, Her
special licence that we, the said Réné Couty and Jules Richard,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Réné Couty and Jules Richard, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF

page_text: INSTRUMENTS FOR FACILITATING VOCAL INSTRUCTION AT SCHOOLS,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Réné Couty and Jules
Richard, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Réné Couty and Jules
Richard, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and ac-
companying Drawings, that is to say:-
The object of the present Invention is to facilitate vocal instruction
at schools and render the task less irksome by lessening the fatigue of
the instructer, whose voice after prolonged exercise is not so likely to
be in tune and therefore unable to give the exact pitch of the note
desired to be sung.
Our Invention consists of a rectangular box divided into three com-
partments A', A", A", see Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying
Drawings. Outside or on the surface of the first of these, a gamut or
scale of do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do, is printed or lithographed, see
Figure 1; in the second the notes or reeds E, Figure 4, similar to those
of an harmonium or accordion are arranged; and the third constitutes
the air chamber, which latter is put in communication with a bellows,
Figure 6, by means of a small gutta percha or india-rubber tube. This
instrument is or may be hung or hooked against the wall of the school
or other room, and the bellows which is worked by the foot fixed to
the floor. The keys B, Figure 1, are circular like those of the accordion,
and are arranged on the lighographed or printed lines and spaces of the
scale, each one having printed on it the note with which it corresponds,
so that on the instructer or pupil pressing on one of the keys, say for
instance the first, "do," that note vibrates by the aid of the bellows,
so that the pupil may learn to sing with the instrument the notes of
the gamut without the aid of the instructer's voice.
By the foregoing description it will be seen that this instrument
advantageously supplements the instructer's voice, whilst itself indicating
sufficiently the first rudiments of music.

page_text: In more fully describing the Drawings we may mention that the
Figure 1 represents the exterior surface of the instrument bearing the
printed gamut; Figure 2 is a side view of the box; Figure 3, a vertical
interior section of the same; Figure 4, a front view of the 1st com-
partment; Figure 5, a front view of the second compartment;. Figure 6,
the bellows.
A', A", A, the three compartments; B, the notes; C, levers bearing
the notes; D, valve hammers; E, the reeds of metal;f, air reservoir;
F, opening to let the air out.
Having thus described our Invention, what we claim and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is, the instrument herein-before described and
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings,, reserving to ourselves the
right of increasing the gamut or scale, and consequently the dimensions
of the instrument.
In witness whereof, we, the said Réné Couty and Jules Richard,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine.
Witness,
E. HÉBRÉ.
RÉNÉ COUTY.
(L.S.)
JULES RICHARD. (L.S.)