An Improved Metronome.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889.
An Improved Metronome.
Wė, HENRY WISSEMAN and GUSTAV SCHIRMER, both of No. 37 Union Square
New York in the United States of North America, Merchants, 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 :-
The object is to produce a device whereby the time of a musical composition will
be automatically visibly and audibly marked for the guidance of persons performing
such composition.
The nature of the invention consists in the details of combination and construction
substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and
subsequently pointed out in the claim. Fig. 1 is a front view illustrating our inven-
tion without the dial. Fig. 2 is a back view of the same. Fig. 3 is an edge view of
the same. Fig. 4 is a view of the door with a part of the mechanism. Fig. 5, 6
and 7 are detail views illustrating the dial clasp. Fig. 8 and 9 are detail views
illustrating the escapement..
A, A, designates the case or cover of the device, and A¹ the door thereof. Within
this case is fixed a frame work, illustrated by d, d. In this frame is journalled a
shaft a, upon which is mounted the spur wheel c, and the spring b. This shaft is also
a winding post, upon which is mounted the usual winding ratchet a¹, and pawl a¹¹.
The shaft, is also journalled in said frame upon which is mounted the spur wheel 9,
and the pinion e, engaged by the spur wheel c. The shaft i is journalled in the said
frame and upon it are mounted the spur wheels k, and t, and the pinion i, engaged
by the spur wheel g. Upon the shafts_p, and p¹ also journalled in said frame, are
mounted the cog wheels l, m, and o. Upon these shafts p and p¹ are also mounted
the escapement arms n, and n¹. Upon the shaft q, which has adjustable bearings in
said frame, is mounted the escapement wheel w which is an oscillating pallett consisting
of two noched rings, mounted on said shaft q. and adapted to receive, detain and
release, the ends of the escapement arms n. n¹. The pendulum is carried by the bent
rod s, which is attached to the shaft q, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The pendulum C, is
connected to this rod s by the rod C₁ so that by its oscillations it will also oscillate
the shaft q. the wheel w. to receive and release the said escapement arms. A head u*
upon the end of the bent rod s, carries the regulator. This regulator consists of
the staff D and the head D, mounted on one end thereof. This staff is adjustably
secured in the head ux by the screw D¹. The bracket u¹ is attached to the back side
of the dial ¹. In this bracket and passing through the dial is journalled the shaft vll.
Upon this shaft is mounted the pinion u, which is engaged by the spur wheel t. Upon
this shaft is also mounted the index hand v. The hand v, and the pinion u are always
held in proper place by the spring ull wound around said shaft . The dial the
index band v, the bracket u', the shaft v, the spring u and the pinion 2, are all
fastened together so that they may be taken out, and put in at pleasure. There are a
number of these dial plates having pinions of different sizes, whose centres are set
away from the centre of the dial to correspond to their different radii, and corre
spondingly different divisions upon the dial. These dials are made interchangeable,
and in order to facilitate this the dial is held in place by the spring clasps x, x, which
are fastened to the sides of the frame A, as illustrated in detail in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, in
which A illustrates the casing of the machine, x' the dial, the clasping pin and the
clasp. The escapement wheel w, consists of two collars mounted upon the shaft 9. In
each of these collars is cut a notch w¹. These notches are arranged on opposite sides
of the shaft. The arms n, n', of the escapement beat these collars alternately and as
the pendulum oscillates, are alternately released by the arm coming into the notch to'
and passing the collar. The whole device is actuated by the spring 6, which may be

page_text: wound up in any common and well known way. Upon the door A¹ is a graduated
scale represented by F, of Figure 4. The whole device to be as illustrated in the
drawings.
n
To uso tbis device a dial having the proper number of divisions to note the time
required is put on, the staff D¹¹ is then set with its end to the number in the graduated
scale F corresponding to the number of beats required per minute. The device is
then wound up and set going. At each stroke of the pendulum the escapement aris
will beat the escapement wheel, and the index hand move from one division of the
dial to another, these strokes and motions being always isochronous. And thus as the
beat of the escapement can be distinctly heard, the time will be audibly marked by
the escapement and visibly marked by the index hand. This will continue until the
spring is entirely run down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
The combination with a covering case and a metallic frame secured therein, of a
spring actuated train of wheels mounted on shafts journalled in said frame, and
escapement consisting of a notched collar mounted upon an oscillating rod, and
alternating beaters driven by said wheels a pendulum and adjustable regulator substan-
tially as described, a graduated scale arranged to give facility for properly adjusting
said regulator, a dial index hand and mechanical connections by which the hand is
moved on said dial, as specified, and spring clasps whereby said dial is detachably
fastened, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of June 1809.
on IT SI A
QUDU LOONA
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C., Patent Agent.