AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EMIL CAPITAINE of 89 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention (as communicated to me) for
"AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT "and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
These improvements have reference to the construction of hand or mechanically
played organs or harmoniums and consist :-
Firstly: In the application of an endless metallic band provided with peculiar
projecting parts by means of which the valves are opened and shut.
Secondly In the method of mounting the endless metallic band, and,
Thirdly In an arrangement for regulating the tension of the endless metallic
band.
The said Invention will be readily understood with the aid of the accompanying
Drawing, in which, Fig. 1. is a part sectional side elevation of such an instrument
provided with these improvements; Fig. 2 a plan of the same, and Fig. 3 a repre-
sentation on a larger scale of a portion of the endless metallic band with one of the
aforesaid peculiar projecting parts.
The reeds, the bellows and the inechanism for operating this latter are not shewn
in the Drawing for the reason that they do not form part of, and are not required
for the purpose of describing the Invention; such parts may be similar to those
usually employed in instruments of the kind.
On the cover plate P are fixed two upright frames H which carry the rollers
A, B, so that they may readily turn on the pivots A', A¹, and B', B' projecting from
their ends, in the recesses or bearings a, a, and b, b, in the upright frames H. On
the pivot B of the roller B is fixed a spur wheel F which is engaged by the
screw S through the intermediate spur or worm wheel E. The screw S is fixed on
the shaft U, this being caused to turn by means of the crank handle U¹ or by other
mechanical means, when upon every revolution of the shaft U the spur wheel or
worm wheel E is turned a distance of one tooth and consequently thereon motion
is communicated to the spur wheel F and roller B.
The endless metallic band Z is arranged to pass over and be carried by the
rollers A and B. Beneath the roller B are fixed any suitable number of double
armed levers V so as to be capable of oscillating freely in the brackets V¹; at the

page_text: one end they have a projecting stud or pin and at the other they are connected
each one to a valve W. The rollers A, B, and the endless metallic band move in
the direction indicated by the arrow J.
Now, when any one of the projecting parts x-on the passage of the metallic
band Z over the rollers A. B,-comes in contact with one of the studs v, this latter
is pressed down and at the same time the opposite end of the lever V is raised
carrying with it one of the valves W which is thereby opened, the result being-as
in the case of the ordinary harmonium-that the reed sounds.
In order to maintain the endless metallic band tightly strained, a bar Cof
suitable section is mounted on two springs f (only one of which is shewn in the
Drawing) one on each side of the cover plate P between the upright frames H, the
springs keeping the cross bar pressed against the endless metallic band.
The recesses b, b, are horizontal whilst those indicated at a, a¹, all, are vertical.
When it is desired to remove the endless metallic band Z, from the rollers and
replace it by another, the roller A is lifted out of its bearings, the roller B then
withdrawn horizontally and the change of bands effected, the roller A being placed
in the differently spaced recesses or bearings according to the length of endless
metallic band used, whilst the roller B always occupies the same position.
In order that the studs v may be pressed down without undue check or friction
the peculiar projecting parts x are made of the gradually sloping form as shewn in
Fig. 3 of the Drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
t
1. In organs or harmoniums the employment of an endless metallic band with
gradually sloping projecting parts for lifting the valves, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
2. In organs or harmoniums the endless metallic band Z in combination with the
straining bar C pressed upward by the springs f, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
3. In organs or harmoniums the vertical and horizontal recesses or bearings,
a, a, a, and b, b, in combination with the rollers A, B, and pivots A¹, B',
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
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