AN APPLIANCE FOR AUGMENTING THE SOUND OF THE NOTES.OF A HARMONICAN OR OF A GONG
Year: 1884

page_text: :
PROTONAL SPECIFICATION.
WO RICHMOND PLANT of Nelson Street South, Mechanician and EDMUND PERRY
of Icknield Port Road Hardware Dealer both of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for AN APPLIANCE FOR
AUGMENTING THE SOUND OF THE NOTES.OF A HARMONICAN OR OF A GONG to
be as follows:-
.
-
:
This our Invention relates to the construction combination or arrangement of
parts forming a resonant chamber with a vibrating metallic plate or bar applied
thereto, the object of the said chamber being the producing increasing or modifying
of musical sounds the same being applicable to musical purposes in part and also
to bells or gongs and other analogous purposes.
We will describe our Invention thus:-
We construct the said resonant chamber of any desired shape or configuration
and capacity according to the purpose of application, it may be a closed chamber
with one or more holes as sound holes of any required form at its end or side, or
other position, or may be open at one or both ends and in various other ways.
The said resonant chainber we may construct of wood metal or any material we
find by practice most suitable to our requirement.
This said resonant chamber receives a plate or bar preferably of the oblong form
as used in the harmonicon constructed of any metal or alloy or other suitable
material.and of any desired form the same being supported or suspended at two
points and in such a manner that it will withstand repeated blows without being
loosened or detached and at the same time the points of support or suspension
shall be free to vibrate, to effect this the points of suspension shall be at or near
the transverse nodal lines always providing that the chamber is so constructed that
the reflected or induced wave shall not interfere with but reinforce the next
succeeding wave proceeding from the plate or bar.
Our aim and object being the construction of a chamber (which we designate a
resonant chamber) and of such capacity that the column of air which it contains
shall vibrato in unison or nearly so with and reinforce the note given out by the
bar or plate.

page_text: We RICHMOND PLANT of Nelson Street South Mechanician and EDMUND PERRY
of Icknield Port Road Hardware Dealer both of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "AN APPLIANCE FOR
" and
AUGMENTING THE SOUND OF THE NOTES OF A HARMONICON OR OF A GONG
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This our Invention relates to the construction combination or arrangement of
parts forming a resonant chamber with a free vibrating metallic plate or bar,
applied thereto, the object of the said chamber being the producing, increasing or
nodifying of musical sounds, the same being applicable to musical purposes in
part; and also to bells or gongs and other analogous purposes.
We will describe our Invention thus :-
We construct tho said resonant chamber of any desired shape or configuration
and capacity according to the purpose of application.
It may be a closed chamber with one or moro holes as sound holes, of any
required form at its end or side or other position; or it may be open at one or both
ends, and in various other ways.
The resonant chamber we may construct of wood, metal, or any material we find,
by practice most suitable to our requirement.
This said resonant chamber receives a plate or bar (preferably of the oblong form
as used in the harmonicon) constructed of any metal or alloy, or other suitable
material and of any desired form, the same being supported or suspended at two
points, and in such a manner that it will withstand repeated blows without being
loosened or detached and at the same time the points of support or suspension
shall be free to vibrate. To effect this, the points of suspension shall be at or near
the transverse nodal lines; always providing that the chamber is so constructed
that the reflected or indorced wave, shall not interfere with, but reinforce the next
succeeding wave proceeding from the plate or bar.
Our aim and object being, the construction of a chamber (which we designate a
resonant chamber) and of such capacity that the column of air which it contains
shall vibrate in unison, or nearly so, with and reinforce the note given out by the
bar or plate.
And in order that this our said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed with a more explanatory description
aided by the accompanying Drawings.
Our Invention relates (as before stated) to an appliance for augmenting the
sound of the notes of a harmonicon, or of a gong; and consists in the application
of an air chamber (which we designate a resonant chamber) to a free vibrating
plate or bar, for the purpose of augmenting and reinforcing the sound of the note
given out by such plate or bar when the said plate or bar is struck with a suitable
hammer or mallet, or otherwise put in a state of vibration.
The plate or bar which originates the note may be of any desired shape o
configuration but preferably of the oblong form, as in the notes of a harmonicon
and may be constructed of metal, glass, or other suitable material.
This plate or bar is suspended at, or by one or both of its transverse notes to
resonant chamber, or to a support sufficiently near such a chamber or to and in

page_text: such a manner that the column, or volume of air, contained in the said chamber
shall cause a reinforcement of the note produced by the vibrations of the plate
or bar.
The resonant chamber may be constructed of wood, iron, or any other suitable
-material, and may be of any desired shape or configuration according to the purpose
of application.
:
It may be a closed chamber, with one or more sound holes communicating with
the outer air, or a chamber having one large opening, or aperture, with the
vibrating plate or bar bridging or spanning, such aperture in such a manner that
the ventral segment of the bar, where the amplitude of vibration is greatest, that is
to say, between its transverse nodal lines shall be opposito to it (the said aperture)
or any other shape or form that may be found most suitable to the required
purpose providing always that the said chamber is so constructed that the column
or volume of air which it contains shall have the same period of vibration as has
the plate or bar to which it is applied, that is to say, the vibrating plate and the
column or volume of air contained in its corresponding resonant chamber shall each
perform the same number of vibrations in a given time, or as near the same number
as may be necessary to produce the necessary quality of tone, for example, the
normal tone of a given chamber is found to bo D. The plate or bar proper, and
suitable for such chamber in order to develope the most perfect resonance and
fulness of tone, must therefore give out the same note D.
The great fulness of tone, however resulting from the exact isochronism of the
vibrations of the plate, and its chamber, may not be always desirable, as in the case
where the Invention is to be used in lieu of table, or other gongs or bells, where a
more prolonged note may be preferred.
To produce this prolonged note we (1) construct the resonant chamber in such
a manner that its period of vibration does not exactly coincide with that of its
plate or bar; or (2) we may obtain the same rosult by altering the pitch of the
note given out by the plate or bar.
There may be a difference of a semitone or more between the note of a given
plate and that of its corresponding chamber, without seriously injuring the
resulting tone, for example, a plate whose normal tone is C, may have a chamber
applied to it whose normal tono may be Cit, or D; or other note immediately
above, or below that of its plate or bar.
Conversely, a chamber whose normal tone is C may have a plate applied to it
whose normal tone is Cit, or D, or other note immediately above or below it, or
it may carry, two or more such plates. The chamber is tuned to the required note
by opening or closing the sound hole or holes or in various other ways.
In cases however, where a very full note of short duration is required as in some
musical applications it is necessary that perfect isochronism in the vibrations of the
plate, and its resonant chamber bo secured.
To produce the fullest and most sonorous tone, it is also necessary that,
(1) The plate or bar, be broard in order that it may agitate as much air as
possible.
(2) That the central or full ventral segment of the said plate or bar, be opposite
the aperture in the resonant chamber.
(3) That the points of suspension or attachment of the plate be sufficiently
elastic to admit of its free vibration; and at the same time sufficiently,
strong to allow of repeated blows of a hammer or striker.
(4) That the plate or bar be struck at its centre or at either of its ends, that is
to say, as far from its nodes as possible.
To still further develope the tone, we may attach two or three resonant chambers
to the vibrating plate or bar, that is to say, we may place a chamber under the
central or full ventral segment; and also a chamber under one or both of the ends
or half ventral segments, the volume of air contained in such of the said chambers

page_text: Fig. 5 parts detached.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
F is the free vibrating plate or bar constructed of iron, steel, bellmetal, glass, or
other suitable material; it has a perforation at the centre of each of its transverse
nodal lines, by means of which it is attached to the resonant chamber-E is the
resonant chamber which may be constructed of wood or metal, or other material—
Its shape is shewn in all the Figures and its substance in Figs. 2 and 4.
It is provided with two lugs G G, by means of which it is secured or affixed, in
a desired position according to its application.
There is one aperture in this chamber as shewn in the sections at H and the
vibrating plate or bar is placed symmetrically over or opposite this aperture in
such a manner that its full ventral segment, where the amplitude of vibration is
greatest rests directly over the centre of the aperture.
The dotted lines at F in Fig. 1 shew the directions in which the segments of the
plate move during vibration, the point where the amplitude of vibration is greatest
being on the line A. B.
The plate is attached to its chamber at its transverse nodes, and rests upon, or
against, two pads or cushions "O" of cloth, or wood, covered with cloth, india-
rubber, or other material of an elastic or yielding nature; these pads are perforated
in the centre, and a screw passes through the plate and pad, or cushion, and is then
screwed securely into a small shelf at each end of the resonant chamber, as shewn
at L, L Fig. 2.
To prevent the jarring of the plate against the metal screw, we place in each
case, a small flanged collar, or tube, on the said screw (see R Fig. 5) in such a
manner that the small part of collar goes into the hole of the node of the plate F;
whilst the flange fits down on the surface of the plate, in which position it is
securely held by the screws. This small collar is made preferably of indiarubber,
and in the case where the pad or cushion is of the same material inay be made in
the same piece, (see J: Fig. 5) the flange of collar being squeezed or forced through
the hole at the node of the plate.
We may construct the resonant chamber of sheet, or plato brass, or other metal,
or material, of a hemispherical, conoidal, ovate, or other form the plate being
opposite the large, or open end of the chamber; or in other positions.
We may, for table, call gongs and similar uses, construct the chamber approaching
the form of a violin or guitar with one or more sound holes of "f" or other shape,
and in various other ways.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which
the same may be carried practically into effect, we wish it to be distinctly under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details hereinbefore described

page_text: since they may be considerably modified without departing from the principle of
the Invention.
We declare that what we claim is :-
The application of a resonant chamber to a free vibrating plate, or bar, that is to
say, the combination of such a plate and chamber for the purposes substantially
herein before set forth, and illustrated.

page_text: In the matter of an application by Richmond Plant and Edmund Perry for leave to
amend the Specification of Letters Patent Nº 5320 dated 22nd March 1884.
I hereby grant leave to the said Richmond Plant and Edmund Perry to amend
the said Specification in the manner proposed.

page_text: We RICHMOND PLANT of Nelson Street South, Mechanician and EDMUND PERRY
of Icknield Port Road Hardware Dealer both of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for AN APPLIANCE FOR
AUGMENTING THE SOUND OF THE NOTES OF A HARMONICAN OR OF A GONG to
be as follows:-
This our Invention relates to the construction combination or arrangement of
parts forming a resonant chamber with a vibrating metallic plate or bar applied
thereto, the object of the said chamber being the producing increasing or modifying
of musical sounds; the same being applicable to musical purposes in part and also
to bells or gongs and other analogous purposes.
We will describe our, Invention thus:
We construct the said resonant chamber of any desired shape or configuration
and capacity according to the purpose of application, it may be a closed chamber
with one or more holes as sound holes of any required foriu at its end or sido, or
other position, or may be open at one or both ends, and in various other ways.
The said resonant chamber we may construct of wood, metal, or any material wo
find by practice most suitable to our requirement.
This said resonant chamber receives a plate or bar (preferably of the oblong form
as used in the harmonicon) constructed of any metal or alloy or other suitablo
material and of any desired form, the same being supported or suspended at two
points and in such a manner that it will withstand repeated blows without being
loosened or detached, and at the same time the points of support or suspension
shall be free to vibrate; to effect this the points of suspension shall be at or near
the transverse nodal lines always providing that the chamber is so constructed that
the reflected or induced wave shall not interfere with, but reinforce the next
succeeding wave proceeding from the plate or bar.
Our aim and object being the construction of a chamber (which we designate a
resonant chamber) and of such capacity that the column of air which it contains
shall vibrate in unison or nearly so, with, and reinforce the note given out by the
bar or plate.

page_text: We RICHMOND PLANT of Nelson Street South Mechanician and EDMUND PERRY
of Icknield Port Road Hardware Dealer both of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "AN APPLIANCE FOR
AUGMENTING THE SOUND OF THE NOTES OF A HARMONICON OR OF A GONG" and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This our Invention relates to the construction combination or arrangement of
parts forming a resonant chamber with a free vibrating metallie plate or bar
applied thereto, the object of the said chamber being the reproducing, increasing or
modifying of musical sounds; the same being applicable to musical purposes in
part; and also to bells or gongs and other analogous purposes.
We will describe our Invention thus:-
We construct the said resonant chamber of any desired shape or configuration
and capacity according to the purpose of application. It may be a closed chamber
with one or more holes as sound holes, of any required form at its end or side or
other position; or it may be open at one or both ends, and in various other ways.
Theis resonant chamber we may construct of wood, metal, or any material we find
by practice most suitable to our requirement.
This said resonant chamber receives a plate or bar (preferably of the oblong form
as used in the harmonicon) constructed of any metal or alloy, or other suitable
material and of any desired form, the same being supported or suspended at twe
points, and or near its transverse nodes in such a manner that it will withstand
repeated blows without being loosened or detached: and at the same time the
points of support or suspension shall be free to vibrate; To-effect this, the points
of suspension shall be at or near the transverse nodal lines; always providing that
the chamber is so constructed that the reflected or indoreed induced wave, shall
not interfere with, but reinforce the next succeeding wave proceeding from the
plate or bar.
Our aim and object being the construction of a chamber (which we designate a
resonant chamber) and of such capacity that the column volume of air which it
contains shall vibrate in unison, or nearly so, with and reinforce the note given
out by the bar or plate with which it is combined.
And in order that this our said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed with a more explanatory description
aided by the accompanying Drawings.
Our Invention relates (as before stated) to an appliance for augmenting the
sound of the notes of a harmonicon, or of a gong; and consists in the application
combination of an air chamber (which we designate a resonant chamber) to with a
free vibrating plate or bar, for the purpose of augmenting and reinforcing the
sound of the note given out by such plate or bar when the said plate or bar
is struck with a suitable hammer or mallet, or otherwise put in a state of
vibration

page_text: The plate or bar which originates the note may be of any desired shape or
configuration, but preferably of the oblong form, as in the notes of a harmonicon,
and may be constructed of metal, glass, or other suitable material.
This plate or bar is suspended at, or by one or both of its transverse notes nodes
to a resonant chamber, or to a support sufficiently near such a chamber er-te and in
such a manner that the column or volume. of air contained in tho said chamber
shall cause a reinforcement of the note produced by the vibrations of the plate
or bar.
The resonant.chamber may be constructod of wood, iron, or any other suitable
material, and may be of any desired shape or configuration according to the purpose
of application. It may be a closed chamber, with one or more sound holes com-
municating with the outer air, or a chamber having one large opening, or aperturo,
with the vibrating plate or bar bridging or spanning such aperture in such a
manner that the ventral segment of the bar, where the amplitude of vibration is
greatest, that is to say, between its transverse nodal lines,shall be opposite to it
(the said aperture) or any other shape or form that may be found most suitable to
the required purpose: providing always that the said chamber is so constructed
that the column or volume of air which it contains shall have the same period of
vibration as has the plate or bar to with which it is applied, combined that is to say,
the vibrating plate and the column or volume of air contained in its corresponding
resonant chainber shall each perform the same number of vibrations in a given
time, or as near the same number as may be necessary to produce the necessary
desired quality of tone; for example, the normal tone of a given chamber is found
to be D The the plate or bar proper and suitable for such chamber in order to
develope the most perfect resonance and fulness of tone, must therefore give out
the same note D.
The great fulness of tone, however resulting from the exact isochronism of the
vibrations of the plate and its chamber, inay not be always desirable, as in the case
where the Invention is to be used in lieu of table or other gongs or bells, where a
more prolonged note may be preferred.
To produce this prolonged note we (1) construct the resonant chamber in such
a manner that its period of vibration does not exactly coincide with that of its
plate or bar; or (2) we may obtain the same result by altering the pitch of the
note given out by the plate or bar. There may be a difference of a semitone or more
between the note of a given plate and that of its corresponding chamber, without
seriously injuring the resulting tone, for example, a plate whose normal tone is C,
may have a chamber applied to it whose normal tone may be Cit, or D; or other
note immediately above, or below that of its plate or bar.
Conversely, a chamber whose normal tone is C may have a plate applied to it
whose normal tone is CHI, or D, or other note immediately above or below it, or
it may carry two or more such plates. The chamber is tuned to the required note
by opening or closing the sound hole or holes, or in various other ways.
In cases however, where a very full note of short duration is required, as in some
musical applications, it is necessary that perfect isochronism in the vibrations of the
plate and its resonant chamber be secured.
To produce the fullest and most sonorous tone, it is also necessary, that
(1) Theat the plate or bar be broard, in order that it may agitato as much air as
possible.
(2) That the central or full ventral segment of the said plate or bar, he opposite
the aperture in the resonant chamber..
(3) That the points of suspension or attachment of the plate be sufficiently
elastic to admit of its free vibration; and at the same time sufficiently
strong to allow of repeated blows of a hammer or striker.
(4) That the plate or bar be struck at its centre or at either of its ends, that is
to say, as far from its nodes as possible.
To still further develope the tone, we may attach two or three resonant chambers
to the vibrating plate or bar, that is to say, we may place a chamber under the

page_text: Fig. 5 parts detached.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
F is the free vibrating plate or bar constructed of iron, steel, bellmetal, glass, or
other suitable material; it has a perforation at the centre of each of its transverso
nodal lines, by means of which it is attached to the resonant chamber-E is the
resonant chamber which may be constructed of wood or metal, or other material-
Its shapo is shown in all the Figures and its substance in Figs. 2 and 4. It is
provided with two lugs G G, by means of which it is secured or affixed in a any
desired position according to its application.
There is one aperture in this chamber as shewn in the sections at H, and the
vibrating plate or bar is placed symmetrically over or opposite this aperturo in
such a manner that its full ventral segment, where the amplitude of vibration is
greatest, rests directly over the centre of the aperture.
The dotted lines at F in Fig. 1 shew the directions in which the segments of the
plate move during vibration, the point where the amplitude of vibration is greatest
being on the lino A. B.-
The plate is attached to its chamber at its transverse nodes, and rests upon, or
against, two pads or cushions O, 0, of cloth, or wood covered with cloth, india-
rubber, or other material of an elastic or yielding nature; these pads are perforated
in the centre, and a screw passes through the plate and pad, or cushion, and is then
screwed securely into a small shelf at each end of the resonant chamber, as shown
at L, L Fig. 2.
To prevent the jarring of the plate against the metal screw, we place in each
case, a small flanged collar, or tube, on the said screw (see RK Fig. 5) in such a
manner that the small part of collar goes into the hole of at the node of the plate F,
whilst the flango, fits down on the surface of the plate, in which position it is
securely held by the screws. This small collar is made preferably of indiarubber,
and in the case where the pad or cushion is of the same material may be made in
the same piece, (see J. Fig. 5) the flange of collar being squeezed or forced through
the hole at the node of the plate.
We may construct the resonant chamber of sheet or plate brass, or other metal,
or material, of a hemispherical, conoidal, ovate or other form, the plate being
opposite the large or open end of the chamber; or in other positions.
We may, for table, or call gongs and similar uses, construct the chamber
approaching the form of a violin or guitar, with one or more sound holes of "f" or
other shape, and in various other ways.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which
the same may be carried practically into effect, we wish it to be distinctly under-
stood that we do not coufine ourselves to the precise details hereinbefore described

page_text: since they may be considerably modified without departing from the principle of
the Invention.
Wo declare that what we claim is
The application of a resonant chamber to a free vibrating plate, or bar, that is to
say, the combination of such a plate and chamber for the purposes substantially
herein before set forth, and illustrated.