Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by OLIVER HILTON ARNO, of 16, Green Street, Boston,
Massachusetts, and ALFRED EUGÈNE PAILLARD, of 680, Broadway, in the City
and State of New York, both in the United States of America, Musical Box
Manufacturers.]
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 improvements in mechanical musical instruments and to
such instruments more particularly that have their sounding devices composed of teeth
or tongues adapted to be vibrated, and the invention consists in a mechanical musical
instrument, in which the sounding devices consist of tongues or teeth, suitably
constructed and arranged to vibrate, of certain construction and arrangement of parts
for operation on said tongues to cause them to vibrate, and thus sound them, all:
substantially as hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a plan view of a mechanical musical instrument constructed and
arranged for operation in accordance with this invention, the said instrument being in
a box or casing with the top or covers removed.
Figure 2 is a central vertical section from front to rear on line 2-2, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a back elevation of the working parts with a portion broken away and
with the case in vertical section.
Figure 4 is a side view of the working parts the side of the case being removed.
Figure 5 is a detail section similar to Figure 2, but showing some of the parts in
different positions.
Figures 6 to 23 both inclusive are views of parts hereinafter more particularly
referred to.
A, A represent two side uprights connected together by a vertical cross board B
and bottom board C, to which the various parts of the instrument are secured and
supported, the whole being arranged to fit and be suitably secured within a box. or.

page_text: casing D, having a bottom E and tops or covers F, the back portion of the casing
being higher than the front portion as shewn.
G is an upright bellows, secured to the backside of the vertical board B, and having
feeders H, H suitably arranged and adapted to be operated from a horizontal shaft J
turning in suitable bearings in blocks a secured to the board B and connected by
pitman rods K, to crank arms L, of said shaft.
This shaft has a gear wheel M which engages with another gear wheel N, of same
diameter on another shaft P, parallel to the shaft J, which shaft P is adapted to
receive a crank handle Q through the casing D, by which it is turned, which turns
the shaft J and operates the bellows and instrument as shewn more particularly in
Figures 1 to 4 and all substantially as is usual in mechanical musical instruments and
needing no more particular description herein.
The vertical board B at its upper edge is widened by side pieces or strips b secured
thereto in any suitable manner, the whole upper surface d forming a raceway over
which travels the perforated music sheet R.
S is the take up roll, and T the music roll and they are both arranged to turn or
rotate by their respective journals ef in suitable bearings in cross arms U, secured to
the board B.
Secured to the take up roll is a gear wheel V, which engages with a pinion or small
gear wheel W on the end of short shaft Y parallel to said roll and arranged to turn in
a suitable bearing g on the board B, and a bearing on the upper end of a bar or
block Z hinged at 7 to a block A¹ of the board B.
On the outer end of this shaft Y outside of the board B is a pulley B¹ which is
connected by a spiral spring wire belt C¹ with a pulley D¹ loose on the driving
shaft P, but adapted to be secured thereto when desired, by which belt and gear
connection the take up roll can be turned from the shaft P, see Figures 3 and 4.
The tension of the spiral spring, belt C³, acts to pull the hinged block Z with its
gear wheel W toward the pulley D', thereby disengaging the pinion gear wheel W,
from the gear wheel V, on the take up roll.
E is a lever pivotted at m to the board and terminating just back of the block Z,
having an upwardly extending arm G₁ its end being in position for convenient
operation of the same at the top of the board B.
This lever E¹ has an inclined edge n which when the lever is in its highest position
abuts against a reversely inclined edge q of the block on the upper end of the
hinged block Z, so that when in such position it will hold the block Z forward and
thus its gear wheel W engaged with the gear wheel V, on the take up roll as shewn
more particularly in Figure 7 at F¹ and when the lever is pushed down its inclined
edge n passes below the inclined edge 7 of the swinging block Z which allows the
block because of the tension of its belt C to move back and disengage its gear
wheel W from the take up roll gear wheel V as shewn more particularly in Figure 8
at H¹.
On the other end of the driving shaft P outside of the cross arm U is a pulley J',
and on a short shaft K¹ having its bearing in the cross arm U and a block L¹ its
central axial line in line with the central axial line of the music roll shaft to which
it can be connected for operation thereof and disconnected therefrom is another
pulley M', which are connected together for operation by a spiral spring wire belt N'.
In Figure 11 in detail section is shown the manner of connecting the music roll
journal with the shaft K¹, the journal fhaving a flat tongue s adapted to fit within a
corresponding groove t in the end of the shaft K.
The object of these pulleys and shaft connection is for the purpose of rewinding
upon the music roll, the music sheet after it has been wound upon the take up roll in
the operation of the instrument, to replace it with another music roll and sheet or to
play the tune over again, and it is accomplished as follows.
Press down the lever E¹ and disengage the two gear wheels V, W as described and
then move the driving shaft P longitudinally to the right which disengages the cross
pin u from its socket v in the pulley D¹, engages another cross pin w on the other end
of the shaft P with the pulley J¹ soe Figure 10, so that as the shaft P is turned, the

page_text: on wi De turned and wind upon it the music sheet the take up roll being free
to turn in the right direction to allow the music sheet to unwind therefrom because of
the disengagement of the shaft P with the pulley D¹.
When the music sheet is wound upon the music roll, the gear wheels V, W are
engaged with each other and the shaft P moved to engage with the pulley D¹ and
disengage with the pulley J¹ so that then turning the shaft P, the take up roll will be
turned in the proper direction for the proper operation of the take up roll.
Above the raceway d, and extending over the same is a cap plate Q' having a
longitudinal chamber y in its lower side, and hinged by one end a to the raceway and
when down in position it is secured at its end 6' by a flat vertical spring e¹ secured
at d², and having a socket f¹ which is arranged to pass over a longitudinally projecting
pin g¹ in the end of the cap.
The music sheet travels between the raceway and this cap, which holds the sheet
closely upon the raceway, when removing or inserting the music sheet the cap is
unfastened and turned up.
In the board B, at or near each side edge is a vertical passage R¹, having
communication with the bellows chamber, by a horizontal passage which passages R
open to the surface at each end of the raceway and when the cap is down, each com-
municates with a separate passage in the ends of the cap which passages 11 open into
the chamber y in the cap above the music sheet, see Figure 6.
On the upper side of each horizontal board C, and SP of the upright A¹ is secured a
series of small or pneumatic bellows T¹.
Each of these pneumatic bellows has communication by a separate passage el with a
separate vertical passage or air duct m¹ in the vertical board B see Figure 2 which air
ducts are all in the same vertical plane and open at the raceway in a line as shewn in
detail in Figure 6, in cross section and in plan in Figure 1.
These passages or air ducts m² at their upper ends where they open to the raceway
are reduced in area in cross section as shewn at n' in Figure 2 as thereby the
perforations in the music sheet can be smaller; the larger portions of the air ducts
allowing free passage of the air therethrough to their respective pneumatic bellows.
U is a horizontal rectangular frame preferably of iron of any suitable metal and
secured to the top edges of the front portion of the side uprights by screws r².
On the upper side of the front bar V₁ of this frame U¹ is secured by scrows s¹, a
comb or plate of steel tongues or teeth W¹ which are the sounding devices and are such
as are commonly used in music boxes so called.
Yare steel spring wires or pickers each secured at one end to the back bar t¹ of the
metal frame and so that the free end of each will extend toward a tongue W¹, one
picker to each tongue, and be just under the free end u³ of its respective tongue for it,
when pressed upward, to strike or abut against and snap the end of its tongue causing
it to vibrate and thus sound.
A² is a series of vertical bars or rods arranged in a line in front of the horizontal
partitions C, S and the pneumatic bellows T and below the operating ends of the
pickers, one to each picker, and each arranged to move up and down in guide ways,
one a slot v, in a cross bar or rail B2, secured at each end to a block w¹ on the
uprights A and the other a slot y', in a lower rail C2, secured to the edge ¹ of the
lower board S¹.
The slots y' in the rail are open at the front side, and have a strip or bar D³,
over them to close the same and which is held at each end by a pin a secured in the
rail B2 having
a bent portion 63 the strip D2, having an open slot at each end which
passes over the bent portion 63 of the pin a³ when it is turned for such portion to be
in line with said slot and when turned across said slot, to hold the strip D2 securely
in place.
E2 is a spring secured by one end to the bottom board C, its free end resting and
bearing upon a cross pin c³, on the lower end of a rod A2, one spring to each rod to
hold by its tension the rod down in its proper position.
F2 is a rail extending across and over the springs E² and resting at each end upon
a spiral spring d³ encircling a pin f³ secured in the bottom board C, and projecting

page_text: through longitudinal slots 93, in the rail F2 through which the bent heads h³ of the
pins can freely pass when turned in line therewith, when desirous of removing the
rail, and when turned across the rail to there hold it against the springs; this rail can
be regulated as to its height by turning in or out the pins.
Each rod A2 has a pin or arm 3, projecting horizontally therefrom or substantially
so, toward and a little way over, and in proper position on the rod to bear or rest
upon the upper side at the front end of a pneumatic bellows T¹ one rod to each bellows
the bellows being arranged on their respective boards in such manner that each
bellows will have its rod rest thereon as shewn in Figures 2, 4 and 5 and in regular
order, for instance in Figure 3, more particularly where the first rod A² at the left has
its projecting arm ³ rest and bear upon the first bellows T at the left in the lowest
row or tier of bellows, the second rod by its arm on the first bellows in the second
row or tier, the third rod by its arm on the first bellows in the third row or tier, and
the fourth rod by its arm on the first bellows in the fourth or upper row or tier, and
the fifth rod by its arm on the second bellows in the first row or tier, and so on with the
whole series of rods and bellows, the rods being in regular order or distances apart
in one line and each opposite to the central longitudinal line of its respective
bellows.
Each picker passes through and is disposed within a vertical slot m³ in a cross bar
or rail G2 secured to another cross bar or rail H2 which is secured to the frame U' at
each end.
The lower side of each slot m³ is covered with felt n² or any suitable soft material
on which its picker rests when in its normal position, all being in a same horizontal
line and holding the pickers in proper place under their tongues.
As the picker Y₁ in returning to its normal position after having snapped and
caused the tongue to vibrate would strike the tongue again and interfere with its
proper vibration the picker is arranged to return as follows:-
J' is a wire having a right angular portion ³ disposed in a socket s³ in the rail H
the wire extending upward back of each push rod and at one side of and above its
respective picker Y₁ and having an intermediate angular portion 3 as shewn more
particularly in Figures 17 and 19 for a projecting pin K2 on the push rod A² as it
rises to abut against and move said wire to one side or to the right and move its
picker to one side and off the top end u³ of the push rod, after the picker has snapped
and sounded its respective tongue.
The picker is thus moved laterally from the vertical plane of the tongue by the
wire J2 when its spring power moves it down below the horizontal plane of the tongue
and then back into position under the tongue and over the upper end of the push rod
when it, the rod, has returned to its normal position, which leaves the tongue perfectly
free, so far as the picker is concerned to vibrate as long as it can.
The rail H2 to which the cam wires are secured is attached at each end by screws a
to the uprights U¹ the holes or slots 6 see Figure 19, through which the screws pass
being somewhat larger in diameter than the screws whereby the rail can be adjusted
in a horizontal plane as desired for a regulation of the action of the cam wires on the
pickers.
I is a block of wood, etc., having a piece of felt v³ or other soft and suitable
material on its under side, the block being attached to a wire which is bent as shewn
at w³ Figure 5 and is secured by its end firmly in the push rod.
The wire is bent so that its block by its felt when the push rod is down in its
normal position will rest upon a tongue W₁ and the one that is operated by the picker
operated by the push rod to which it is secured; the block serves as a damper to the
tongue to stop its vibrations after it has been sounded and the push rod has returned
to its normal position.
These dampers can be regulated so as to damp more or less as desired by bending
the wires or in any suitable manner.
In the operation of the instrument turning the shaft P operates the bellows and with
a music sheet properly attached causes it to travel across the raceway and between i
and the cap Q, and as a perforation in said sheet comes over an air duct or passage m

page_text: in the board B, air from the bellows passes to the chamber y in the cap, through the
perforation and down such passage to its respective pneumatic bellows opening it by
raising its upper board, which raises its push rod, which in turn raises its picker, and
causes it to strike and snap its respective tongue which vibrates and sounds when the
picker from the cam wire J2, being pushed to one side by the push rod pin K² as
described, moves the picker to one side and off the end of the push rod which then by
its spring power moves down at the side of the push rod and when the push rod
returns to its normal position from the closing of its pneumatic bellows, because the
perforation in the music sheet has passed by, and the unperforated portion of the
inusic sheet has come over, the air duct or passage, preventing air entering to pass to
its pneumatic bellows, the picker returns to its normal position over and above the
upper end of the push rod ready for another operation of it upon its tongue.
As the push-rod moves up it carries with it the damper, raising it off its respective
tongue, leaving it free to vibrate from the action of the picker thereon, and when the
push-rod returns to its normal position the damper falls with it and rests upon its
respective tongue and stops its vibrations.
The picker is made preferably of spring metal so that it can return to its normal
position itself, and in order to make it more flexible and yielding in its movements, it
is drawn down or reduced in diameter in any suitable manner in a portion of its
length as shewn at d, more particularly in figure 15, which shows a detail side view
of the picker enlarged.
In lieu of such construction the picker can be made in other ways as shewn, for
instance, in Figure 16, which represents in detail, plan and side views of the secured
end of the picker shewing it as cut away on both sides for a short distance, making a
thin, flat, central vertical portion as at 6, and on its top and bottom, making another
thin, flat central horizontal portion as at do, the two portions being at right angles or
substantially at right angles to each other, whereby the necessary freedom of
movement is secured.
In Figure 15, in detail section is shewn how the picker is secured to its support,
the end of the picker passes freely through a socket in the portion of the rail t¹
and abuts against the end of the regulating screw as, the screwing in or out of which
regulates the distance the picker projects under the tongue and when properly
adjusted it is secured from movement by a set screw 15.
The rail G2 is secured to the bar H2 see Figure 20, by the screws m³, which pass
through transverse slots no, by which the rail G2, can be regulated as to its height and
thus regulate the height of the pickers.
M2 is an arm attached to the lever E¹ extending down front of the board B side of
and projecting under the shaft P, as at e Figure 9 so that as the lever is raised to
engage the gear wheels V, W with each other, this block e, will be moved up and be
disposed about said shaft and between the block A¹ on said board, and a flange g¹ on
the driving shaft P, preventing in the operation of the instrument the accidental
longitudinal movement of the shaft and thus disengage said gear wheels and interfere
with a proper working of the instrument.
To hold the gear wheels V, W engaged or disengaged, the lever E¹ can be locked
when in its highest or lowest position by the engagement of a pin secured to the
board B, with one or the other, as the case may be of the right angular extensions m
of a longitudinal slot 4 in the arm G¹ of said lever through which slot the pin projects
as shewn in Figures 7 and 8 more particularly.
Each pneumatic bellows has its usual opening for the escape of air when desired
in its operation, and a more or less number of tiers or rows of pneumatic bellows can
be used as desired.
Arranging the pneumatic bellows in tiers or rows, one above the other as described,
and shewn enables the air ducts and the push rods and other operating parts in
connection therewith to be placed closer in line and more compact so that the
instrument can be made more compact and smaller.
In Figures 12, 13 and 14, is shewn means of regulating and adjusting the picker Y¹
as to its position in relation to the. tongue for the best operation thereof; the picker.

page_text: wire lays within a cross groove to in the bar t¹ and over the series of pickers is placed
a flat bar of metal u secured by screws 5 between the pickers, the bar pressing on
and holding the pickers firmly in their respective grooves, which are shallow for the
pickers to project slightly above the upper surface of the bar t¹.
V2 is a screw, screwing through the portion w, and having a circumferential
groove, in which lays the right angular end y' of the picker, so that turning the
screw V2 in or out will respectively move forward and backward the picker, and thus
its snap or contact with its respective tongue when operating it, be adjusted as
desired.
In Figures 18 and 21 the wire or rod J has a central right angular portion 66,
which is within a socket or bearing d in the push rod and in which it can swing or
swivel one of its arms f and go extending up to and laying against the side of the
picker (in this case the opposite side of the picker to the other views) and its other
arın extending up a short distance and then down as shewn and passing through an
open slot in the board me taking the place of the board H2 shewn in the other
figures and such arm being bent at an angle as shewn at n' in Figure 18.
As the push rod is moved up carrying with it the cam wire and has caused the
picker to snap the tongue, the angular portion n of the cam wire moves into the
slot and abutting against one side is swung to the right on its pivot be moving
the arm to the left and pushing the end of the picker off the end of the push rod
for the picker to move as before described in returning to its normal position;
as the push rod falls to place the cam portion n passes back through the slot hº,
the picker swinging the wire J2 into position for operation again; as shewn in these
two views the picker is moved by the can wire in the opposite direction to that
moved in the other figures and to make the picker move as previously described the
cam portion n should be bent in the reverse direction and its arm ƒ on the opposite
side of the picker.
Where the wire J2 bears against the picker Y', the picker is covered with leather »,
or other suitable material to prevent noise of the parts when operated together.
In Figures 22 and 23 is shewn a modification of operating the picker by the push
rod, figure 22 being a detail front view and Figure 23 a detail side elevation and
partial section.
The free end of the picker passes through and is within a socket of the push rod
projecting beyond it sufficiently for its end to operate on the tongue and the push rod
is free to move at its upper end sideways in the guide way B³, and on one side is a
projection or block us, its upper end being bevelled as shown, the parts operating as
follows: as the push rod is moved up it carries with it the picker, and after the
picker has snapped its tongue its projection u strikes against a pin v of the bar (³,
inmoving the push rod one side with its picker as shewn at w Figure 23, and when the
pneumatic bellows closes, it falls, moving back to its normal position from the action
of its spring E2, as well as the spring of its picker; the push rod has a shoulder on
which bears the free end of the spring y6 secured by its other end in the bar C³, in a
groove a².
As the push rod moves up and to one side it passes from under and by the spring y
which is prevented from moving sideways by the groove a', and when the push rod
falls the springs yo, tends to return it laterally to its normal position.
W2 is a frame, in which is a sheet of glass a through which the operation of the
tongues can be seen and yet keep out the dust and dirt.
The covers F, F to the casing enables easy access to the various parts for the removal
and insertion of a music sheet also for repairs, etc.
The pickers can be arranged to be operated by other means than a perforated music
sheet and bellows as described also in lieu of a crank to operate the shaft J, a spring
or other motor force can be applied thereto.
The operating or vibrating tongues by and through the means of a perforated music
sheet enables any number of tunes to be arranged and played upon such instrument at
a trifling cost as perforated music sheets can be easily and cheaply produced, a great
advantage over music boxes having their vibrating tongues operated by barrels, as the

page_text: expense of preparing a barrel for such instruments necessarily limits the number of
tunes to be played upon such instruments.
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, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a mechanical musical instrument having teeth or tongues for sounding
devices, the combination with a spring picker for operation on a tooth or tongue, of
means for operation on said picker to move it to and snap said tooth or tongue, and
then move it to one side thereof, for said picker to move downward and then into its
normal position, when or after said operating mechanism returns to its normal
position.
Second. In a mechanical musical instrument having teeth or tongues for sounding
devices, in combination with a tooth or tongue, a spring picker for operation thereof, a
push rod for operation of said picker connected to a pneumatic bellows, an air passage
making communication between said pneumatic bellows and an operating bellows and
a perforated music sheet for making and breaking the air communication between said
operating bellows and pneumatic bellows.
Third. The combination with a pneumatic bellows of a push-rod arranged to move
in suitable guide-ways for operation on a picker to vibrate a tongue, and having a
projecting arm 3, which rests or bears on said bellows for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In a mechanical musical instrument having teeth tongues or the like for
sounding devices, the combination with a sounding tooth or tongue of a spring picker
for operation thereof.
Fifth. A picker for sounding a vibrating tongue, made of spring wire or metal and
having a portion along its length reduced in diameter for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The picker Y' made of spring material having two flattened portions d³ ³
substantially at right angles to each other for the purpose specified.
Seventh. In combination with the picker Y adapted to lay within a groove (³, in its
support of a regulating screw V2 and a bar u, and a screw v³, for the purpose
specified.
Eighth. In a mechanical musical instrument having teeth tongues or the like for
sounding devices, the combination with a sounding tooth or tongue, of a picker for
operation thereof rigidly secured by one end to the frame or support and its free end
adapted to move to and snap, and pass to one side of said tooth or tongue and then
down into its normal position.
品
Ninth. In combination with the picker Y', arranged to operate upon the tongue Wi
and secured by one end to a support, of a bar or plate G2 having an opening m³,
through which the picker extends for the purpose specified.
Tenth. The picker Y¹ covered or protected with leather or other suitable material
for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. The combination with a picker for operation on a vibrating tongue, of a
cam wire for operation on said picker substantially as described supported on an
adjustable rail.
Twelfth. The combination with a series of pickers suitably arranged to operate upon
a series of vibrating tongues of a rail or bar provided with slots m³ one for each
picker, the pickers resting upon said rail, and the rail arranged to be adjusted for the
purpose specified.
Thirteenth. In a mechanical musical instrument having teeth tongues or the
like etc, for sounding devices the combination with a push rod Y' for operation on a
picker to snap and sound a tooth or tongue, of means operated by said push rod, to
move said picker after it has snapped and sounded said tooth or tongue, to one side of
said push rod and tooth or tongue for its return to its normal position.
Fourteenth. In a mechanical musical instrument having teeth tongues or the liko
for sounding devices the combination with a push rod for operation on a picker to
snap and sound a tooth or tongue, of a wire or lever pivotted to said push rod or on
an independent support, having an angular or cam portion which in the movement of

page_text: 'said push rod will abut against a shoulder on the frame or support or push rod, and
move said picker by one of its arms to one side or out of operative contact with the
push rod substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifteenth. The combination with a push rod arranged for operation on a picker to
vibrate a tongue of a damper or block secured to said rod and adapted to rest upon
said tongue for the purpose specified.
Sixteenth. The combination with a push rod provided with a spring E2 for operation
on a picker to vibrate a tongue, of a damper or block L2, secured to said rod and
adapted to rest upon said tongue for the purpose specified.
Seventeenth. The combination with a push rod adapted to be operated by suitable
mechanism against a picker for sounding a vibrating tongue provided with a projection
for abutment against a shoulder or pin, of a picker secured at one end and having its
free end engaging with said rod for the purpose specified.
Eighteenth. The combination with a push rod, adapted to be operated by suitable
mechanism against a picker for sounding a vibrating tongue having a socket to, in
which is disposed the free end of the picker for the purpose specified.
Nineteenth. An air duct or passage m¹ leading from a raceway over which a
perforated music sheet is arranged to travel to a pneumatic bellows, having its
opening at said raceway of reduced area in cross section for the purpose specified.
Dated this 12th day of April 1887.