Improvements in Mechanical Toys and Musical Instruments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Toys and Musical Instruments.
I JOHN BRIERLEY HOWARD of Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax in the County
of York, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has
been communicated to me by the Firm of Uhlig and Schwerin, of Leipzig-Gohlis
in the Empire of Germany, Musical Instrument Manufacturers, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved musical instrument and mechanical toy
designed more specially for the amusement of children, and consists of a doll or
mechanical figure sitting before a piano or organ, and the doll moves its head arms
or hands in a manner adapted when playing such an instrument.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in
which
Fig. 1 represents a cross section through the frame of a pianoforte provided
inwardly with tongues a roller with spikes a clockwork and mechanism for
moving the arms and head of the mechanical figure shown in the drawing.
Fig. 2 shews a view from above of the instrument represented partly in section
en line y y of Fig. 1 the body of the figure being removed the arms only remaining
in place.
According to this invention the frame A is constructed according to the usual
design of a pianoforte, and is provided internally with an ordinary musical
mechanism lying against the back B of the instrument the spikes of the cylinder S
(Fig. 2) striking against the tongues (Fig. 1) according to the time to be
produced.
Filled on the shaft e of the cylinder S are two star wheels a and a' said wheels
being keyed on the shaft at a distance from each other. Both wheels a and a¹ are
of different diameter and their purpose is to strike against the strings, wires or iron
straps b and attached to a fixed point of the wall B and connected with the
arms d d of the figure F. The arms d d' are provided with ball and socket joints
or are made in any other way easily movable with respect to the upper part of the
body of said figure. Supposing that the cylinder S moves in the direction of the
arrow (Fig. 1) the strings or wires b, b, and at the same time the arms d, d¹ are
moved with different motions relatively to each other in accordance with the
diameter of the star shaped wheel.
By this motion the hands of the arms d, d' are moving horizontally over the
keys F of the piano. At the same time a turning of the head c of the figure F
which sits on D takes place. The head c is fitted on a rotary shaft c¹ provided
below with a crank n. Connected eccentrically with the crank n is the wire g
placed in contact with the star shaped wheel a' is spring mounted at h. By turning
the star shaped wheel a¹ the wire g is moved slightly backwards by means of each
single spike operating on the guide block i and after, each spoke has slipped over
this point the wire g springs back owing to its own strength and this action of the
wire g sets the crank n the shaft e and the head of the doll in motion.
The main purpose of the invention, that is imitating the movements of a person
playing the piano may be attained in other known ways with the aid of the star
wheel and cylinder motion.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
A musical instrument with a mechanically operated doll the arms and the
movable head of which are connected with the mechanism of the clockwork in such
a manner that according to the time or rythm of the melody or correctly adapted
motion of the doll or figure sitting before said instrument takes place.
Dated this 16th day of March 1896.
JOHN BRIERLEY HOWARD,
Applicant.