Improvements in Polyphones and like Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1899 --Accepted, 31st Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Polyphones and like Mechanical Musical
Instruments.
A communication by THE FABRIK LOCHMANN' SCHER MUSIKWERKE ACTIEN
GESELLSCHAFT, of 17, Langestrasse, Leipzig-Gohlis, in the Empire of Germany,
Musical Instrument Makers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., Agent for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
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 polyphone or like mechanical musical instrument or
apparatus in which the changing of the separate note discs is automatically
effected by means of the driving mechanism and in which the instrument is
so arranged that after selection of a piece of music from the programme placed
at a suitable point the note disc holder can be adjusted to the desired programme
number.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a sectional front view of the musical instrument;
Fig. 2 a sectional side view of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 a plan view of Fig. 1, whilst,
Figs. 4 to 11 are various details of construction of the instrument.
The separate note discs N, in contrast to the usual constructions and for the
sake of advantages which consist of a simpler construction and consequently
cheaper construction, are stored according to the present invention in a stretched
condition necessary for working, and conveyed in front of the operating device.
For this object a support T is provided for each note disc N on which support
the note disc in a stretched condition is revolubly mounted. A note disc
holder B which is movable on rails by means of rollers consists of vertical
drawn steel tubes s which are firmly mounted in a stable frame R. The note
disc holders T are suspended in guide pieces D and the latter are vertically
adjustable on the tubes s.
A crank K situated outside the case G is firmly connected with a pin z which
carries in the interior of the casing a bevel wheel k which is in engagement with
a bevel gear k¹ mounted on a screwed spindle A. The latter is revolubly
mounted in bearings 7 and and carries a screw nut m. fixed to the frame R.
For indicating the piece to be played a bar a with consecutive numbers is
screwed on the note disc magazine B whilst in the wall of the case a suitable
opening O is provided behind which move the numbers having reference to the

page_text: items of the programme. The bar a is provided with notches, the distance
apart of which is equal to that of the .note discs and the before mentioned numbers.
In these notches i a fixed spring pin d engages which fixes the position of the
magazine B.
The raising of a note disc N in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1
is effected by a counterweight Q by means of a cord S carried over guide rollers e,
the speed of the descending weight being regulated from the main wheel H
by means of a slide L. The weight is selected of such a weight that it just
draws upwards the note disc N together with the parts connected therewith such
as the support T guide pieces D, catch M etc. 11 the weight of the last named
parts be called Q₁ there need only be taken into account for raising the weight Q
by the driving mechanism, which corresponds to the lowering of the note disc N,
the difference between the weights (Q and Q).
The
A toothed sector Z pivoted on a spindle, Fig. 5, gears with a pinion h
firmly connected with the cord pulley y and receives its movement from the
slide L which is pivoted to it. On the rotation of the main wheel H the roller c
attached thereto travels along the straight surface f of the slide L thereby
moving the toothed sector Z. The cords S are attached on the double cord
pulleys y and the latter are mounted loosely revoluble on the shaft. g.
opening and closing of the note holder E is also operated from the main wheel H
by two pins n and n¹ arranged thereon moving alternately a toothed wheel w,
at suitable intervals. A cam wheel p is firmly connected with the wheel w,
attached to
against the excrescences and recesses of which cam wheel a roller
the note holder is pressed by means of a spiral spring a. The note holder
itself has for instance the form shown in Fig. 1 and is pivotally mounted at ..
Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically the separate phases of movement in succession.
Section I-II. The raising of the note disc N into the dotted position (Figs. 1, 5
and 8) during which time the note holder E is held open and the note operating
wheel is at rest.
Section II-III. The closing of the note disc holder by means of the pin n
(Fig. dotted lines). After the note disc holder E has been closed and the note
disc N brought into engagement with the operating wheel V, the said wheel V
revolubly mounted on trunnions V (Figs. 4 and 9) is coupled with the spindle g
of the driving mechanism by the clutch being moved and thereby the note
disc N is set in rotation.
Section III-IV. Duration of the time of playing of the instrument. In the
position IV the driving wheel V is again uncoupled by means of the pin n².
Section IV-V. Opening of the note holder E.
Section VI. Lowering of the note disc N.
In order to obtain a reliable resting of the note sheet N on the operating
wheel V and to avoid any damaging of the former, a guide roller u having an
annular groove is mounted with a spring action on the note holder.
Figs. 9 and 10 show the arrangement for throwing into and out of action the
note discs operating wheel V. The axially adjustable coupling piece or clutch C
is mounted on the shaft g by means of a tongue and groove and is provided
with a pin t, which corresponds to a pin t¹ on the operating wheel V. The dis-
placement of the part C is effected from the wheel J by a forked spring F
(Fig. 10) having a rectangular pin 2 which is operated at suitable intervals by
means of cam excrescences and depressions formed on the wheel J.
The note disc lifter shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is carried laterally on the wall of
the casing and consists of a lifter M provided with projections and v¹, which
lifter is connected by means of a cord S with the counterweight Q and the
driving gear. The guide piece D is suitably bevelled off at d. On the lifter M
moving in the direction indicated by the arrow the projections
and engage
at d and consequently carry the guide piece D and the note disc N with them.
In order to allow of cylindrical tubes being used, extensions g¹ are provided

page_text: on the guide pieces which extensions lodge in notches in the bar a and thereby
afford a firm support to the separate devices. After the raising of the note disc
carrier said device receives a sure guidance by means of the lifter M.
The note disc carriers T, as was already herein before mentioned, are pivotally
connected to D so that after the note disc has been raised up in front of the
sounding mechanism, the carriers T may execute the necessary movements for
permitting the note sheet to be turned. By means of a spring the carriers T
are held in the initial position and secured against turning. On the opening
of the note holder this spring causes the note discs carrier to be turned back
into the position necessary for conveying it downwards.
In order to secure the note disc holder against displacement during the
playing of the separate note discs, a spring lever X arranged on the lifter M,
which lever, after the lifter M has been raised, is acted on by the contacts of
provided on the guide piece, and inserts itself between the bars s of the magazine B
(Fig. 1).
The mode of working of this improved arrangement of instrument is as
follows:
When a piece of music has been selected on the programme arranged at any
suitable place independently of the mechanism by turning the crank K the note
holder B is so adjusted by means of the screw spindle A that the desired number
on the programme is shown at the aperture 0. Thereupon by the insertion of
a coin or or by means of some other suitable device the driving mechanism is
set in action.
When the driving mechanism is set in action, the note sheet N is moved by
means of the counterweight Q into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1
and brought by the note holder under the action of the cam wheel on the
central spindle U and brought into engagement with the operating wheel V.
The operating wheel V is then coupled with the spindle by the action of the
driving mechanism, and thereby the note sheet is set in rotation and the desired
piece of music is audibly rendered. On the conclusion of the piece of music,
this coupling is released, the note holder is opened by the cam wheel p, the
note-disc-carrier T is lifted off the sounding mechanism by means of a spring
and the respective sheet of music returned to the storage receptacle B.
musical mechanism is constructed in a casing G.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, declare that what I claim is:-
1. A polyphone or mechanical musical mechanism with note discs which can
be automatically changed characterized by a note disc (N) which is held in a
stretched condition being raised, after the operating mechanism has been started,
by a descending weight (Q) the speed of descent of which is regulated from the
driving mechanism, and lowered again by means of a slide piece (L) operated
by an eccentric roller (c) mounted on the driving mechanism main wheel, (H),
and by means of a toothed sector (Z) pinion (h) and pulling device whilst at
the same time the placing of the note disc on the spindle (1) takes place by
means of the note holder (E) through a cam-wheel (1) which receives its move-
ment from pins (nn) on the driving mechanism main wheel (H) substantially
as described.
2. In a mechanical musical mechanism such as described, the gripping of the
note discs (N) in carrier bars (T) of suitable curvature which are suspended in
guide pieces (D) on tubes or bars and are pivoted and vertically movable whereby
the note discs may be moved without further firm pressing on, within reach of
the operating (sounding) device, substantially as described.
3. In a mechanical musical mechanism such as described, the securing of the
note disc magazine (1) against displacement of the separate note discs (N)
during the playing, by arranging a spring lever (X) on the lifter (M) which

page_text: lever after the raising of the lifter (M) is, by means of a projection (2) situated
on a guide piece (D) inserted between the tubes or bars (s) and thereby any
displacement of the magazine (B) is prevented substantially as described.
4. In a mechanical musical device of the kind described in Claim No. 1 the
adjusting and displacing of the note-discs magazine (B) by means of a screw
spindle (A) operated by means of a crank, or the like, and a transmission gear,
whereby in each case the number referring to a given item in the programme
which is placed at some visible place, is exhibited at an aperture (0) in the
wall of the case and thus the piece of music to which the number refers is
indicated, substantially as described.
5. In a mechanical inusical device of the kind described, the arrangement for
throwing into and out of action the wheel (V) for operating the note-discs at
a certain time, said arrangement consisting of a clutch or coupling piece (C)
which is axially adjustable and is rotated with the shaft (g) by means of a tongue
and groove connection, being so displaced by means of a spring (F) having a
contact piece (n²) engaged by cam excrescences and depressions on the driving
mechanism wheel (J) as to bring its pin (t) within reach of a pin (¹) fixed on
the note disc operating wheel (V), and retain the latter during the playing of
the music, but to again release it afterwards, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of December 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.