Improvements in and relating to Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
INGT
STREET
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
SUTER
Improvements in and relating to Mechanical Musical Instruments.
I, FERDINAND PIETSCHMANN, of the Berlin Musical Instruments Manu-
facturing Company, Limited, of 28 Brunnen-strasse Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, 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 :-
My invention relates to mechanical musical instruments of the kind or class
wherein the operation of the reeds is controlled by means of a perforated music
sheet.
In mechanical musical instruments as hitherto constructed, wherein the sounds
are produced by the vibration of reeds rivetted or otherwise secured to a metal
plate, there is a free or open space extending over all the reeds, so that the sound
of each reed, whether produced by means of wind, or by suitable mechanism is not
greater in volume than that produced by the vibration of the reed itself.
Now one object of my present invention is to increase the volume or strength and
improve the quality of the sounds produced by the vibration of the reeds whether
such vibration is effected by mechanical means, such as push-points or the like, or
by wind.
Another object of my said invention is to provide improved means for enabling
the perforated music sheet, whereby the instrument is operated to resist the pressure
of the said push-points or of the wind, for feeding or moving the said music sheet
forward, and for working the bellows when such are employed, and my said inven-
tion also comprises other improvements hereinafter set forth.
By my present invention, am enabled to provide a mechanical musical
instrument which is extremely simple in construction, and which, while occupying
a comparatively small space will produce sounds of great volume.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure is a plan partly in horizontal section through the bridge or frame
hereinafter described.
Figure 2 a vertical section on the line, Figure 1.
"
Figure 3 a vertical section on the line y, Figure 2, illustrating a mechanical
musical instrument having my improvements applied thereto, wherein the reeds are
vibrated by means of wind produced by a bellows.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the said instrument.
Figure 5 is a front elevation, and
Figure 6 a horizontal section on the line, Figure 5, both drawn to an enlarged
scale, showing details of construction hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
a, a are the reeds which are mounted on a reed plate A. To concentrate or
intensify and increase the volume of the sounds, and to give them a superior
metallic tone, I arrange over or in combination with each of the reeds aa species
of sound-pipe B which I term a trumpet" and the dimensions of which correspond
to the length of the respective reeds and the elevation of the sounds produced
thereby. This series of sound-pipes or "trumpets" is arranged over the set of
reeds on the plate A, and is preferably in the form of a piece or strip of
corrugated sheet-metal, the width of each of the corrugations, at its base, being
equal to the distance between two adjacent reeds. One of the longitudinal edges
of the said piece or strip of corrugated sheet-metal is preferably bevelled so that
the length of the corrugations diminishes gradually in accordance with the decreasing
size of the reeds a. The strip of corrugated sheet metal is so placed upon the reed-
plate A that each of the reeds a is enclosed in one of the corrugations thereof,
which form the trumpets or sound pipes B. The said sound-pipes or trumpets

page_text: however, may be formed separately and arranged side by side or parallel to cach
other. The rear edges of the pipes or trumpets, or of the corrugations are fitted
into correspondingly shaped recesses in a block or har C firmly secured to the
reed-chest D, the pipes or trumpets or the corrugations are thus brought into
contact with the metal reed-plate A so as to practically separate the spaces within
the said sound pipes or trumpets from each other. To form a better contact
between the said sound-pipes or trumpets, or corrugations and the metal reed-plate,
a thin layer of wax, or a strip of paper, pasteboard or wood is sometimes arranged
between the said pipes or trumpets or corrugations and the surface of the said reed-
plate A. The said pipes or trumpets or corrugations may be of any suitable shape
in transverse section.
The wind, having passed one or other of the reeds, comes in contact with the
opposite wall of the corresponding pipe or trumpet B, whereby it is carried beyond
the reed-plate A. the sound produced being thus concentrated or intensified and
increased in volume.
In mechanical musical instruments as hitherto constructed wherein a perforated
music sheet is employed, the music sheet is held down by a suitable support to
enable it to resist the pressure of the wind or of the push-points. The support
heretofore usually employed in musical instruments of this kind or class, consists of
a plain or slotted iron bar or guard so arranged that it can be turned across the
width of the music-sheet and can be locked in its lowermost position by means of a
suitable catch or bolt.
When the feeding of the music sheet is performed by elastic rollers the upper
feeding roller is usually carried in bearings provided within the said bar or guard,
while the lower feed roller, together with driving mechanism of any suitable con-
struction, is arranged inside the box or case of the instrument.
This arrangement is objectionable for the following amongst other reasons, viz. :—-
The imperfect support afforded to the music sheet, the defective feed or forward
movement imparted to the said music sheet, and the difficulty of obtaining access to
the feed mechanism for inspection or repairs.
To provide for supporting the music-sheet, and enabling the same to resist the
pressure of the wind or of the push-points which strike the reeds, I employ a
suitable abutment or support which carries the mechanism for moving or feeding
the music-sheet and also the crank for working the bellows when such are employed,
that is to say, the said feed mechanism and the mechanism for working the bellows
are arranged above or outside the box or case of the instrument and within a bridge
or frame hereinafter described which serves as a support for the music-sheet.
F is a bridge or frame which extends over the top of and across the box or
case E. The said bridge or frame F is hinged at to the said box or case E and
is provided with a hook, catch or fastener which is adapted to engage with a
lug or eye upon the said box or case E as shown more clearly in Figure 4. A
latch, bolt or other convenient fastener may, however, be employed for securing or
locking the said bridge or frame F in position. I also provide one or more springs
arranged under the rear end of the bridge or frame F for causing the latter to rise
into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 when the locking-hook, catch
or fastener is released; or a spiral spring wound on the pivot of the hinge f, or
other suitable means may be provided for the like purpose. e is a hooked or bent
rod or wire, the hooked portion whereof is adapted to engage with the top of the
box or frame E and limit the upward movement of the bridge or frame F.
G is the driving shaft or spindle which is supported in suitable bearings in the
frame F and is provided with a crank-handle y. is a crank fixed upon the said
driving shaft G. is a rod one extremity of which is coupled to the crank g' and
the other extremity of which is connected to the bellows I, so that the said crank
will operate the bellows as required when the crank-handle y is turned to rotate
the crank-shaft G and crank g'.
His a feed-roller also supported in suitable bearings in the frame or bridge F
and arranged parallel to the driving-shaft G and at a suitable distance therefrom.

page_text: h, h are springs which act upon the roller H and upon the shaft or spindle G, so as
to press them against the music-sheet as hereinafter described. That portion of
the roller H and of the said driving shaft or spindle G (which acts as a feed roller)
intended to come in contact with the music sheet are preferably covered with india-
rubber or other suitable material so as to increase the gripping power thereof
and prevent slip. k, kare perforations or slots formed in the top of the box or
case E, and communicating with the reed-chest D, as shown more clearly in
Figure 3 or (when the said reeds are operated mechanically) the said slots permit
the push-points of the levers to project therefrom, as the music-sheet L is passed or
fed over or across them. I are strips or pieces placed parallel to each other and
firmly secured to the upper part of the box or case E, for guiding or directing the
music-sheet during its movement across the said box or case.
To place the music sheet in position on the apparatus the hook or catch is
released and the bridge or frame F is automatically raised or thrown up by means
of the springs b, the driving shaft or spindle G and guide roller H, carried by the
said bridge or frame, being raised or lifted therewith. The music-sheet is then
placed in position as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 between the guide strips
or pieces and the bridge or frame F, is closed and locked in position, the driving
shaft or spindle G and guide-roller H being simultaneously forced or pressed down
on the surface of the music-sheet by the pressure of the springs h. On turning the
crank-handle the music is fed forward by the frictional contact of the driving
shaft or spindle G and at the same time the bellows I are worked or operated
through the crank g' and connecting rod i. The connecting rod i is so coupled to
the cranky as to be capable of yielding or giving sufficiently when the bridge or
frame F is raised or thrown up.
دل
The supports for enabling the music-sheet to resist the upward pressure of the
wind or push-points being applied at both sides of and parallel to the series of
slots kare therefore very effective for that purpose.
A considerable advantage afforded by my improvements is that the whole or the
greater portion of the mechanism for feeding or moving the music-sheet and working
or operating the bellows is arranged upon the outside of the box or case of the
instrument, thereby enabling the said box or case to be made of considerably
smaller dimensions, and also rendering all parts of the driving mechanism readily
accessible for inspection or repairs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood that I
claim :-
:-
First. The combination, with the reed-plate or reeds, of sound-pipes or trumpets
(whether formed integrally with or separately from each other), substantially as
hereinbefore described and for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination, with the reed-plate or reeds, of separate sound-pipes
or trumpets, or a corrugated strip of metal, of varying length corresponding to the
length of the reeds, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Third. The combination, with the box or case enclosing the bellows, of a bridge
or frame connected by a hinge-joint to the said box or case and supporting the
mechanism for feeding the music-sheet through the instrument and for working the
said bellows, substantially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Fourth. The combination, with the said bridge or frame, of means for auto-
matically throwing up or raising the same when unlocked, substantially as described.
Fifth. The improved musical instrument constructed substantially as described
with.reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.