IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRU- MENTS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Quentin de Gromard, of Paris, France,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS."
Sealed the 1st December 1863, and dated the 5th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Quentin de
Gromard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th June 1863.
I, ARTHUR QUENTIN DE GROMARD, of Paris, France, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to a new arrangement of musical instrument provided
with chromatic keyboard, vibrators, reeds, or other sonorous bodies and swell
bellows, and by the said instrument any music written for violencello, violin, or
other instruments of that or other classes may be played in its proper style.
and effect, some of the improvements being also applicable for modifying.
various existing musical instruments. The general shape of the instrument
resembles that of a violencello; the front part of the neck is provided with a
chromatic or semi-toned keyboard having proper depressions, in each of which
acts a bell-crank lever key, each of which keys is connected by a thin wire
passing through a corresponding perforation of a perforated plate to one arm

page_text: of another bell-crank lever or square, the other arm of which is connected to
a valve of india-rubber or other suitable elastic yielding material, for allowing
the wind from a pair of bellows, after having entered into a swell or wind box,
and in the vibrator pipes situated in this box, to cause the vibrating or sounding
of that vibrator or reed of which the valve has been opened. The wind or
swell bellows are situated in the lower part of the instrument; they are separated
from each other by a partition board, and act in succession, a proper recipro-
cating motion being imparted to them by means of a handle from the outside of
the instrument in the manner of a fiddlestick. Each vibrator is fixed in its
own sounding pipe, the latter being fixed in the wind box, and each vibrator
may be provided with a moveable bent wire pressing thereon in order to bring
the vibrator to the required pitch. The sounding pipes are set in series of
horizontal rows or tiers of semi-tones according to the chromatic scale, the
octaves form the vertical rows; the keys of the keyboard are set with their
chromatic or semi-tones in vertical tiers, and the fifths in horizontal ones; by
preference a keyboard of six horizontal and thirteen vertical tiers of .keys is
used. The vibrators or reeds with their pipes may be replaced by flute pipes
with proper perforations and key valves; by preference a scale of four octaves
is used. Instruments of a more complete description may be constructed; these
will be provided at the back of the neck with a set of keys (by preference 7)
to be actuated by the thumb of the left hand of the performer, whilst the
fingers of this hand actuate the keys at the front part of the neck, the thumb
keys serving only for giving one or more octaves, in that case one of the arms
of the above-mentioned bell-crank levers for the valves is provided with one
or more shifting rods fixed to a pin turning in this arm, and which rod, being
connected by a wire to one of the thumb keys, may be worked at pleasure, or
by being stopped cause the valve to open. The valves and springs acting on
them are by preference of india-rubber, the vibrators are of brass or other
suitable metal, and made thinner and narrower towards their free end than at
the seat. Parts of these improvements may be applied to existing instruments:
thus, for instance, the chromatic keyboard, keys, and valves may be applied to
other classes of wind musical instruments, such as flutes, flageolets, hautboys,
and similar instruments, to cornopeans, and even to stringed instruments, in
this latter case hammers being made use of instead of the valves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
QUENTIN DE GROMARD, of Paris, France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Arthur Quentin de Gromard, Her special licence that I, the said
Arthur Quentin de Gromard, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that the said Arthur Quentin de
Gromard, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
These improvements in musical instruments relate to that class in which a
chromatic keyboard, vibrators, reeds, metal tongues, or other sonorous bodies
and swell bellows are made use of, and of which the instrument called
melophone or melophonium is an exemplification, and they consist in certain
new arrangements and combinations of various of the above-mentioned parts,
whereby instruments are obtained which allow the playing in their proper
style and effect of any music written for the principal instruments of orchestras
or musical bands, such as violins, violoncellos, altos, bassos, pianofortes,
expressive organs, melodiums, harmoniums, clarionets, and others. The
general shape of my improved instrument, which I intend to call melodic

page_text: symphonium, resembles that of a violoncello, but if greater strength should be
wished to be given to the crescendos, the breadth or the depth of the lower part
or belly of the instrument may be increased, in order to afford the necessary
room for increasing the size or the number of the bellows. The instrument
may be made of any suitable size, the one corresponding about with that of a
violoncello being preferred. The general arrangement of the instrument is
based on the use, 1ly, of a chromatic keyboard or clavier, which in principle
corresponds with that already made use of in the instrument called melophone
or melophonium, but modified in so far as to render the same really practical,
and allow of applying the same also advantageously to other classes of instru-
ments; 2ly, of a pair of swell or expressive bellows suitably arranged, and
which by a handle are caused to act in such manner as to allow of giving the
most delicate musical nuances in a manner similar to that of a fiddlestick,
such as the crescendos, diminuendos, staccatos, or tremolas; 3ly, of vibrators,
reeds, or metal tongues for giving the required sounds through organ or other
pipes, or other suitable sonorous bodies might also be made use of.
In the annexed Drawings various examples are given of the arrangement
of my improved instruments, and of various parts thereof; in all the Figures
the same letters relate to corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 represents a view of the front or fore part of the instrument which I
consider the most likely to be adopted by the public, and which I will hence-
forth call the normal instrument, being sufficiently complete for being made
use of in an orchestra or band for quartettos, and so on. In this Figure part
of the lid is cut away in order to bring to view various parts of the inside of
the instrument; Fig. 2 represents a back view of this latter, part of the back
of the case being removed; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but of
a more complete instrument, viz., provided with various parts not existing in
the instrument of Figs. 1 & 2; Fig. 4 shows a sectional view, with the
bellows and some other parts removed, of a very simple and small instrument
of only a few octavos, say 2, for instance, which instrument I call sym-
phonietta, and which will be a very cheap and handy instrument for the
traveller for accompaniment or for the musical instruction of children;
Fig. 5 represents on actual size a perspective view of one of the vibrators or
metal tongues or reeds, with the box or casing in which the same is situated;
the Figs. 6 & 7 show side views of part of the keyboard, and Figs. 8 & 9 side
views of two arrangements of keys represented in actual size; the Figs. 10, 11,
12, & 13 show various views of the arrangements and modes of working the
valves; Fig. 14 illustrates the mode of working the valves of the more com-
plete instrument of Fig. 3; whilst Fig. 15 represents a side and partly

page_text: a sectiouar view of the upper
instrument.
end of neck and keyboards of this factor
The normal instrument consists of a box or casing A of wood or other
suitable material, the general shape of which resembles about that of a violon-
cello. The neck A¹ is provided with a keyboard constructed on the principle
of that of the melophone, but considerably improved in its mode of working.
The keys are arranged according to a chromatic scale, and each of them is
connected by a wire a or fine string, shown by a red line in the Drawing, to
the arm b, c, of a bell-crank lever b, c, d, turning on a pin c in the fork of a
support e, whilst the other arm c, d, is connected by a wire f to a valve C,
which by means of a piece of india-rubber g or any other suitable spring is
carried down after having been lifted by the effect of the corresponding key.
Each of these key valves fits exactly on the opening D of a reed box (Fig. 5),
which latter, by means of a vertical partition plate E, is divided in two
alveoles or cells, whilst the vibrator, reed, or tongue F is fixed with one of its
ends over a corresponding slit in the plate E; the wind from the bellows by
opening the valve of a reed box will enter in this latter by the opening D, and
leave by that D', and cause the tongue F to vibrate, the vibrating length of
which latter being regulated as required from the outside of the cell by means
of a wire H, H, bent into a spring, and pressing with its crutched end H² on
the tongue F, whilst the free end H protrudes at the outside of the cell.
Each of the cells corresponds with a note of the scale, and with a valve
actuated by the corresponding key of the clavier, the number of the cells
depending, consequently, on that of the keys. The cells are fixed either
vertically or horizontally on the top board of the wind box, each of them over
a corresponding hole made in this top, so as to oblige the wind from the
bellows, after having entered the box, to enter in the cells and act on those
tongues whose valves were opened by their respective keys.
The instrument, Fig. 3, is provided with two keyboards or claviers, viz., an
auxiliary one at the back of the neck, consisting of 7 keys, and the principal
one on the front part of the neck; this latter clavier corresponding with that
of Figs. 1 & 2, viz., constructed on the principle of the melophone, with
78 keys arranged in 6 longitudinal tiers or rows, each of them sounding the
fifths of the preceding one, and 13 transverse tiers, thus giving the tones and
semi-tones of the chromatic scale. This instrument might be provided with
10 octaves of cells arranged in two stops of 5 octaves each, and which by
proper crossing iniply a total extent of 7 octaves, each stop of 5 octaves being
played by the principal keyboard, to the keys of which the valves are con-
nected. By the effect of the two stops and the registers 15 combinations of

page_text: octaves may be obtained for each note or key of the principal keyboard. The
wires a connecting the keys to the valves pass through corresponding holes
provided in a perforated metal plate A², forming the top of the wind box, and
these wires nearly fit in these holes, so as to prevent any undue escape of the
wind proceeding from the bellows, which latter are situated in the lower part
of the instrument. These bellows are double, that is to say, they form one
pair connected in the shape of a viz., two chambers or compartments
G and G¹, separated from each other by a partition plate G², turning at its
lower end by means of pivots g¹ in proper bearings, and provided at the upper
part with a handle G³ protruding through a curved slit 92 in the lid of the
casing A, so as to allow of imparting a to-and-fro motion to the partition
plate G2, thus permitting to imitate the effect of the fiddlestick, and regulate
in the nicest manner the action of the wind, and consequently the expressive
effects of the sounds emitted by the tongues F; G & G are the valves for
the entrance of the air in the bellows, and G & G those for conducting the
wind in the wind box; the introduction in this latter of the wind from each
of the compartments G & G¹ taking place in turn. In order to allow of
increasing the compass of the bellows more breadth might be given to the
. lower part or belly of the instrument, a swell box or pneumatic lever might
.also be made use of, as will be understood by any one conversant with the
construction of organs..
The principal clavier, of which separate portions are represented in side view
in the Figs. 6 & 7, is composed of a square wooden board A³, provided with
6 longitudinal slits for the keys to work in, and on the top with transverse
undulations or flutings h, for allowing, when lowering a key, that the top of the
head B of this latter should lay flush with the surface of the board, which
arrangement affords great facility for the fingers in moving from one key to
another; each key forms a small bell-crank lever B, C, D¹, turning round a
spindle C in the manner as shown in Fig. 8 or as shown in Fig. 9, which latter
mode is even preferable to that indicated in Fig. 8; a projecting part i, by
striking against the pivot c¹ of the preceding key, prevents the depressed key
from rising higher than should be required; one spindle serves for the keys of
each transverse row of keys to turn on.
In the more complete instrument, of which Fig. 15 represents part of the
neck, a series of 7 keys I are applied in the back of this neck, each key being
actuated by its own lever K turning on spindle j; these keys are worked by
the left-hand thumb of the player, who with the other fingers of this hand
actuates the keys of the principal keyboard; at the free end of each lever K,
the same is provided with a small sliding bolt 1, for allowing momentarily to fix

page_text: one or more of these levers K; each of the said levers is constantly acted upon
from underneath by a spring . The free end of each of the keys I, which I call
thumb keys, is connected by a wire m (shown in the Drawing by a blue line);
to the registers n', n², n³, n', viz., the Irst key to the register n', the 2d to
that n², the 3rd to that n³, the 4th to that n, the 5th to those n¹ & n³, the
6th to those n² & n', the 7th to those n¹ & n. For working the thumb keys
and registers, a small spindle p (Figs. 10 & 11) turns in the small arm of the
valve lever b, c, d, at each end of which spindle is mounted a flyer or lever q, to
the smaller arm of which is fixed the wire a of one of the keys of the principal:
keyboard, whilst before the longer arm of the flier a tumbler or stop.P, p¹,
(Fig. 10) may be placed when it is wished to prevent the flier from turning; this
tumbler P, p', forms itself a lever arm, having its fulcrum in q', and is connected
by a wire m to the registers. Fig. 14 is a plan view showing that, lly, the.
flyers situated to the left-hand side of the valves marked I., 11., III., IV. are
connected together and to the wire extending from the corresponding key of
the clavier; 2ly, the flyers situated at the right-hand side of the valves III.,
IV., V., VI. are likewise connected together and to the wire extending from
the corresponding key of the keyboard; 3ly, the left-hand levers of the valves
V., VI., VII., VIII. are connected in the same manner as explained for
those I., II., III., IV., and 4thly, the right-hand levers of the valves VII.,
VIII., IX., X. are connected in the same manner as explained for those
III., IV., V., VI.; 5ly, the tumblers P, P2, P, P, P8, P10, P1, P1, are con-
nected to the registers n³, n², n³, n', for preventing when required the left-hand
flyers from turning, and the tumblers P¹, P³, P5, P7, P³, P, P13, P¹³, for.
acting in the same manner on the right-hand flyers. As shown in Fig. 10 for
a right-hand tumbler P, the same is provided with a finger p', which on lifting.
the tumbler into the vertical position by means of the wire m', connecting the
same with the register, is caused to rest against the lower or longer arm of the
flyer 1, and thus preventing the same from turning allows that on drawing on:
the wire a, by depressing the corresponding key, the corresponding valve is
caused to lift, and consequently the corresponding tongue made to sound,
whereas had the tumbler not been raised the flyer would simply have turned
round without lifting the valve, and consequently no sound would have been
emitted by the tongue. Fig. 3 shows in what manner the pins fixed in each-
of the registers are connected to the respective flyers. From what has been
just explained it will be understood that each key of the principal clavier will
consequently cause its respective fliers to turn, but that the same will lift the
valve to which the key is connected only when by acting on the required thumb
key the lower arm of the flyer is prevented from turning.

page_text: The valves are covered with soft leather or with india-rubber in order to
obtain a perfect occlusion of the valve hole, and a piece of india-rubber g, or
a spring is made use of for depressing the valve on the said hole.
From various experiments made I have found that, contrary to what has
been hitherto done, the most suitable shape to be given to the metal tongues in
order to obtain grave deep sounds is to have their free end made tapering and
flattened out, and increasing the thickness and breadth of the blade towards
the shoulder or fixed end, or have a small blade s for the wind to strike against
soldered at right angles on the free end of the tongue F.
Instead of providing the instrument with free vibrators or metal tongues,
the same might have sets of clarionet reeds or even of organ pipes applied to
it, each of them corresponding with one of the valves of the wind box; the
instrument might even be provided with sounding strings, as made use of in
pianos or other instruments, and hammers made to act on the said strings by
means of the abové-described claviers.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of the In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be put into effect, I declare
that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the In-
vention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
1ly, the general arrangement of the above-described instruments.
2ly, the improved arrangements of the keys and keyboards.
4ly, the combination of the two described keyboards.
5ly, the arrangement of the key valves.
6ly, that of the bellows and the mode of actuating the same.
7ly, the described arrangement of the tongues or vibrators.
8ly, the application of my improvements to instruments provided, instead of
with vibrators or metal tongues, with clarionet reeds, organ pipes, or even with
strings or other suitable sonorous bodies.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of December, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
year of
Witness,
A. COUVELAIRE.
A. Q. DE GROMARD. (L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Quentin de Gromard, of Paris, France,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS."
Sealed the 1st December 1863, and dated the 5th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Quentin de
Gromard at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th June 1863.
I, ARTHUR QUENTIN DE GROMARD, of Paris, France, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to a new arrangement of musical instrument provided
with chromatic keyboard, vibrators, reeds, or other sonorous bodies and swell
bellows, and by the said instrument any music written for violencello, violin, or
other instruments of that or other classes may be played in its proper style
and effect, some of the improvements being also applicable for modifying
various existing musical instruments. The general shape of the instrument
resembles that of a violencello; the front part of the neck is provided with a
chromatic or semi-toned keyboard having proper depressions, in each of which
acts a bell-crank lever key, each of which keys is connected by a thin wire
passing through a corresponding perforation of a perforated plate to one arm

page_text: of another bell-crank lever or square, the other arm of which is connected to
a valve of india-rubber or other suitable elastic yielding material, for allowing
the wind from a pair of bellows, after having entered into a swell or wind box,
and in the vibrator pipes situated in this box, to cause the vibrating or sounding
of that vibrator or reed of which the valve has been opened. The wind or
swell bellows are situated in the lower part of the instrument; they are separated
from each other by a partition board, and act in succession, a proper recipro-
cating motion being imparted to them by means of a handle from the outside of
the instrument in the manner of a fiddlestick. Each vibrator is fixed in its
own sounding pipe, the latter being fixed in the wind box, and each vibrator
may be provided with a moveable bent wire pressing thereon in order to bring
the vibrator to the required pitch. The sounding pipes are set in series of
horizontal rows or tiers of semi-tones according to the chromatic scale, the
octaves form the vertical rows; the keys of the keyboard are set with their
chromatic or semi-tones in vertical tiers, and the fifths in horizontal ones; by
preference a keyboard of six horizontal and thirteen vertical tiers of keys is
used. The vibrators or reeds with their pipes may be replaced by flute pipes
with proper perforations and key valves; by preference a scale of four octaves
is used. Instruments of a more complete description may be constructed; these
will be provided at the back of the neck with a set of keys (by preference 7)
to be actuated by the thumb of the left hand of the performer, whilst the
fingers of this hand actuate the keys at the front part of the neck, the thumb
keys serving only for giving one or more octaves, in that case one of the arms
of the above-mentioned bell-crank levers for the valves is provided with one
or more shifting rods fixed to a pin turning in this arm, and which rod, being
connected by a wire to one of the thumb keys, may be worked at pleasure, or
by being stopped cause the valve to open. The valves and springs acting on
them are by preference of india-rubber, the vibrators are of brass or other
suitable metal, and made thinner and narrower towards their free end than at
the seat. Parts of these improvements may be applied to existing instruments:
thus, for instance, the chromatic keyboard, keys, and valves may be applied to
other classes of wind musical instruments, such as flutes, flageolets, hautboys,
and similar instruments, to cornopeans, and even to stringed instruments, in
this latter case hammers being made use of instead of the valves.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
QUENTIN DE GROMARD, of Paris, France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Arthur Quentin de Gromard, Her special licence that I, the said
Arthur Quentin de Gromard, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Arthur Quentin de
Gromard, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
These improvements in musical instruments relate to that class in which a
chromatic keyboard, vibrators, reeds, metal tongues, or other sonorous bodies
and swell bellows are made use of, and of which the instrument called
melophone or melophonium is an exemplification, and they consist in certain
new arrangements and combinations of various of the above-mentioned parts,
whereby instruments are obtained which allow the playing in their proper
style and effect of any music written for the principal instruments of orchestras
or musical bands, such as violins, violoncellos, altos, bassos, pianofortes,
expressive organs, melodiums, harmoniums, clarionets, and others. The
general shape of my improved instrument, which I intend to call melodic

page_text: symphonium, resembles that of a violoncello, but if greater strength should be
wished to be given to the crescendos, the breadth or the depth of the lower part
or belly of the instrument may be increased, in order to afford the necessary
room for increasing the size or the number of the bellows. The instrument
may be made of any suitable size, the one corresponding about with that of a
violoncello being preferred. The general arrangement of the instrument is
based on the use, 1ly, of a chromatic keyboard or clavier, which in principle
corresponds with that already made use of in the instrument called melophone
or melophonium, but modified in so far as to render the same really practical,
and allow of applying the same also advantageously to other classes of instru-
ments; 2ly, of a pair of swell or expressive bellows suitably arranged, and
which by a handle are caused to act in such manner as to allow of giving the
most delicate musical nuances in a manner similar to that of a fiddlestick,
such as the crescendos, diminuendos, staccatos, or tremolas; 3ly, of vibrators,
reeds, or metal tongues for giving the required sounds through organ or other
pipes, or other suitable sonorous bodies might also be made use of.
In the annexed Drawings various examples are given of the arrangement
of my improved instruments, and of various parts thereof; in all the Figures
the same letters relate to corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 represents a view of the front or fore part of the instrument which I
consider the most likely to be adopted by the public, and which I will hence-
forth call the normal instrument, being sufficiently complete for being made
use of in an orchestra or band for quartettos, and so on. In this Figure part
of the lid is cut away in order to bring to view various parts of the inside of
the instrument; Fig. 2 represents a back view of this latter, part of the back
of the case being removed; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but of
a more complete instrument, viz., provided with various parts not existing in
the instrument of Figs. 1 & 2; Fig. 4 shows a sectional view, with the
bellows and some other parts removed, of a very simple and small instrument
of only a few octavos, say 2, for instance, which instrument I call sym-
phonietta, and which will be a very cheap and handy instrument for the
traveller for accompaniment or for the musical instruction of children;
Fig. 5 represents on actual size a perspective view of one of the vibrators or
metal tongues or reeds, with the box or casing in which the same is situated;
the Figs. 6 & 7 show side views of part of the keyboard, and Figs. 8 & 9 side
views of two arrangements of keys represented in actual size; the Figs. 10, 11,
12, & 13 show various views of the arrangements and modes of working the
valves; Fig. 14 illustrates the mode of working the valves of the more com-
plete instrument of Fig. 3; whilst Fig. 15 represents a side and partly

page_text: a sectioual view of the upper end or neck and keyboards of this latter
instrument.
The normal instrument consists of a box or casing A of wood or other
suitable material, the general shape of which resembles about that of a violon-
cello. The neck A¹ is provided with a keyboard constructed on the principle
of that of the melophone, but considerably improved in its mode of working.
The keys are arranged according to a chromatic scale, and each of them is
connected by a wire a or fine string, shown by a red line in the Drawing, to
the arm b, c, of a bell-crank lever b, c, d, turning on a pin c in the fork of a
support e, whilst the other arm c, d, is connected by a wire f to a valve C,
which by means of a piece of india-rubber g or any other suitable spring is
carried down after having been lifted by the effect of the corresponding key.
Each of these key valves fits exactly on the opening D of a reed box (Fig. 5),
which latter, by means of a vertical partition plate E, is divided in two
alveoles or cells, whilst the vibrator, reed, or tongue F is fixed with one of its
ends over a corresponding slit in the plate E; the wind from the bellows by
opening the valve of a reed box will enter in this latter by the opening D, and
leave by that D', and cause the tongue F to vibrate, the vibrating length of
which latter being regulated as required from the outside of the cell by means
of a wire H, H', bent into a spring, and pressing with its crutched end H2 on
the tongue F, whilst the free end I protrudes at the outside of the cell.
Each of the cells corresponds with a note of the scale, and with a valve
actuated by the corresponding key of the clavier, the number of the cells
depending, consequently, on that of the keys. The cells are fixed either
vertically or horizontally on the top board of the wind box, each of them over
a corresponding hole made in this top, so as to oblige the wind from the
bellows, after having entered the box, to enter in the cells and act on those
tongues whose valves were opened by their respective keys.
The instrument, Fig. 3, is provided with two keyboards or claviers, viz., an
auxiliary one at the back of the neck, consisting of 7 keys, and the principal
one on the front part of the neck; this latter clavier corresponding with that
of Figs. 1 & 2, viz., constructed on the principle of the melophone, with
78 keys arranged in 6 longitudinal tiers or rows, each of them sounding the
fifths of the preceding one, and 13 transverse tiers, thus giving the tones and
semi-tones of the chromatic scale. This instrument might be provided with
10 octaves of cells arranged in two stops of 5 octaves each, and which by
proper crossing imply a total extent of 7 octaves, each stop of 5 octaves being
played by the principal keyboard, to the keys of which the valves are con-
nected. By the effect of the two stops and the registers 15 combinations of

page_text: octaves may be obtained for each note or key of the principal keyboard. The
wires a connecting the keys to the valves pass through corresponding holes
provided in a perforated metal plate A2, forming the top of the wind box, and
these wires nearly fit in these holes, so as to prevent any undue escape of the
wind proceeding from the bellows, which latter are situated in the lower part
of the instrument. These bellows are double, that is to say, they form one
pair connected in the shape of a viz., two chambers or compartments
G and G¹, separated from each other by a partition plate G², turning at its
lower end by means of pivots g¹ in proper bearings, and provided at the upper
part with a handle G³ protruding through a curved slit 92 in the lid of the
casing A, so as to allow of imparting a to-and-fro motion to the partition
plate G2, thus permitting to imitate the effect of the fiddlestick, and regulate
in the nicest manner the action of the wind, and consequently the expressive
effects of the sounds emitted by the tongues F; G & G are the valves for
the entrance of the air in the bellows, and G & G those for conducting the
wind in the wind box; the introduction in this latter of the wind from each
of the compartments G & G¹ taking place in turn. In order to allow of
increasing the compass of the bellows more breadth might be given to the
lower part or belly of the instrument, a swell box or pneumatic lever might
also be made use of, as will be understood by any one conversant with the
construction of organs.
The principal clavier, of which separate portions are represented in side view
in the Figs. 6 & 7, is composed of a square wooden board A³, provided with
6 longitudinal slits for the keys to work in, and on the top with transverse
undulations or flutings h, for allowing, when lowering a key, that the top of the
head B¹ of this latter should lay flush with the surface of the board, which
arrangement affords great facility for the fingers in moving from one key to
another; each key forms a small bell-crank lever B, C, D¹, turning round a
spindle C in the manner as shown in Fig. 8 or as shown in Fig. 9, which latter
mode is even preferable to that indicated in Fig. 8; a projecting part i, by
striking against the pivot c¹ of the preceding key, prevents the depressed key
from rising higher than should be required; one spindle serves for the keys of
each transverse row of keys to turn on.
In the more complete instrument, of which Fig. 15 represents part of the
neck, a series of 7 keys I are applied in the back of this neck, each key being
actuated by its own lever K turning on spindle j; these keys are worked by
the left-hand thumb of the player, who with the other fingers of this hand
actuates the keys of the principal keyboard; at the free end of each lever K,
the same is provided with a small sliding bolt 1, for allowing momentarily to fix

page_text: one or more of these levers K; each of the said levers is constantly acted upon
from underneath by a spring . The free end of each of the keys I, which I call
thumb keys, is connected by a wire m (shown in the Drawing by a blue line)
to the registers n¹, n², n³, n', viz., the 1rst key to the register n¹, the 2d to
that n2, the 3rd to that n³, the 4th to that n', the 5th to those n¹ & n³, the
6th to those n² & n', the 7th to those n¹ & nr. For working the thumb keys
and registers, a small spindle p (Figs. 10 & 11) turns in the small arm of the
valve lever b, c, d, at each end of which spindle is mounted a flyer or lever q, to
the smaller arm of which is fixed the wire a of one of the keys of the principal
keyboard, whilst before the longer arm of the flier a tumbler or stop P, p¹,
(Fig. 10) may be placed when it is wished to prevent the flier from turning; this
tumbler P, pl, forms itself a lever arm, having its fulcrum in q¹, and is connected
by a wire m to the registers. Fig. 14 is a plan view showing that, 1ly, the
flyers situated to the left-hand side of the valves marked I., 11., III., IV. are
connected together and to the wire extending from the corresponding key of
the clavier; 2ly, the flyers situated at the right-hand side of the valves III.,
IV., V., VI. are likewise connected together and to the wire extending from
the corresponding key of the keyboard; 3ly, the left-hand levers of the valves
V., VI., VII., VIII. are connected in the same manner as explained for
those I., II., III., IV., and 4thly, the right-hand levers of the valves VII.,
VIII, IX., X. are connected in the same manner as explained for those
III., IV., V., VI.; 5ly, the tumblers P, P2, P4, P, P8, P10, P1, P1, are con-
nected to the registers n³, n², n³, n, for preventing when required the left-hand
flyers from turning, and the tumblers P1, P3, P5, P7, P³, P", P13, P15, for.
acting in the same manner on the right-hand flyers. As shown in Fig. 10 for
a right-hand tumbler P, the same is provided with a finger p', which on lifting
the tumbler into the vertical position by means of the wire m¹, connecting the
same with the register, is caused to rest against the lower or longer arm of the
flyer 7, and thus preventing the same from turning allows that on drawing on
the wire a, by depressing the corresponding key, the corresponding valve is.
caused to lift, and consequently the corresponding tongue made to sound,
whereas had the tumbler not been raised the flyer would simply have turned
round without lifting the valve, and consequently no sound would have been
emitted by the tongue. Fig. 3 shows in what manner the pins fixed in each
of the registers are connected to the respective flyers. From what has been
just explained it will be understood that each key of the principal clavier will
consequently cause its respective fliers to turn, but that the same will lift the
valve to which the key is connected only when by acting on the required thumb
key the lower arm of the flyer is prevented from turning.

page_text: The valves are covered with soft leather or with india-rubber in order to
obtain a perfect occlusion of the valve hole, and a piece of india-rubber g, or
a spring is made use of for depressing the valve on the said hole.
From various experiments made I have found that, contrary to what has
been hitherto done, the most suitable shape to be given to the metal tongues in
order to obtain grave deep sounds is to have their free end made tapering and
flattened out, and increasing the thickness and breadth of the blade towards
the shoulder or fixed end, or have a small blade s for the wind to strike against
soldered at right angles on the free end of the tongue F.
Instead of providing the instrument with free vibrators or metal tongues,
the same might have sets of clarionet reeds or even of organ pipes applied to
it, each of them corresponding with one of the valves of the wind box; the
instrument might even be provided with sounding strings, as made use of in
pianos or other instruments, and hammers made to act on the said strings by
means of the above-described claviers.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of the In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be put into effect, I declare
that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the In-
vention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
1ly, the general arrangement of the above-described instruments.
2ly, the improved arrangements of the keys and keyboards.
4ly, the combination of the two described keyboards.
5ly, the arrangement of the key valves.
6ly, that of the bellows and the mode of actuating the same.
7ly, the described arrangement of the tongues or vibrators.
8ly, the application of my improvements to instruments provided, instead of
with vibrators or metal tongues, with clarionet reeds, organ pipes, or even with
strings or other suitable sonorous bodies.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Quentin de Gromard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
A. COUVELAIRE.
A. Q. DE GROMARD. (L.s.)