IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGUINETTES OR MECHANICAL ORGANS AND IN MUSIC TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1884

page_text: I GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI of 124 Leipzigerstrasse, Berlin in the
Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGUINETTES OR MECHANICAL ORGANS AND IN MUSIC TO BE
USED THEREWITH,” (A communication to me from abroad by Heinrich Lorentz of
the City of Stettin'in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany) to be as follows:→
This invention relates to a mechanical organ in which the notes are sounded by
means of a smooth music tablet or sheet or one provided with straight parallel ribs
in straight lines over the levers which are connected to the keys or valves, such
sheet or tablet being moved over the levers. These latter are depressed by pro-
jecting pieces or parts provided on the smooth music sheet or in the grooves of
the ribbed sheet: The notes belonging to a piece of music are arranged in two rows
in order not to make the sheet too long, one row for the forward stroke and one
for the back stroke of the sheet; the latter is therefore during the playing on the
instrument given a there and back motion, and so that each point of it describes a
path of the form of a right angled triangle.
The music sheet or tablet is made of smooth or corrugated sheet metal or
cardboard, wood or the like. The notes are applied to it within the corrugations
in the form of projections in parallel rows side by side, and in such manner that
one set of rows of notes comes over one set of levers to the valves for the forward
stroke, while another intermediately situated set of rows of notes serves for the
return stroke. The music sheet. receives its reciprocating motion from a frame
provided with two tooth racks opposite each other and from a pinion between
them, and so that either one or the other rack is brought in gear with the pinion.
The music sheet is so fixed on the frame that a rib on it, fits in a corresponding
groove in the frame and is held therein by a cross bar which may be a piece of
Tiron and which can be turned up out of the way round a pivot at one end and
is held down by a catch or nose with spring at the other end. The pinion is fixed
on a spindle on which is fixed a worm wheel gearing with a worm on a spindle.

page_text: This latter is turned by a handle under the organ thus causing the pinion to move
the frame and music sheet in one direction. The frame has on its underside two
short guide pegs which work in a groove in the cover of the instrument. There is
a second groove parallel to the first groove, and these two grooves are at each end
and in the middle of their length connected by cross spaces..
When the frame slides underneath into the nearest groove, it will stretch the
springs by its two studs coming in contact with them and at the end of its path is
pressed from same to the right into the outer groove, as the guide pegs coming to
the cross spaces do not offer any resistance to the springs. By this however the
frame engages with its left side with the pinion and on the pinion being further
turned continues its travel upwards again. When the frame bas come to the top,
and stretched the springs by its studs it will by them be drawn again to the left.
The action is repeated in this manner continually. It will be seen that the
movement of the frame is directed by the grooves. The motion of the frame from
'one groove to another is equal to the distance of 4 corrugations of the sheet of
music. From this it follows that the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, etc groove or corrugation of
the sheet play by the forward movement and the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, rete corrugation
by the backward movement.
The frame is, covered on one side by a plate; on which also are fixed the
springs.
In order that the sheet of music always may have a firm hold on the levers to
the valves, it is pressed on to the same by a lover clamp.
The levers are movably connected to the tail end of the valve; they are further
above and below guided into corresponding slots. As soon as a raised part in the
music sheet moves away over the valve lever, the latter is depressed, the valve
opened and the note sounds.
When two different tunes or pieces are to be put on the same side of the music
sheet the valve levers are placed either in twos or singly as far from each other,
as is necessary for the grooves or corrugations for the notes of the second piece.
Now when it is desired to play the second piece, not to be obliged to fix the music
sheet on the frame in another position, the levers are made to shift. For this
purpose the tail ends of the valve are made stirrup shaped so that the lever may
be moved sideways on the small bridge of the stirrup. The moving is effected by
an adjusting lever, which is connected to the bar, in which the under ends of the
valve levers are guided. If the adjusting lever is moved to the right the valve
levers, follow the movement until they engage with the notes of the second piece.
Before the moving of the valve levers can be effected, they must be brought out
of contact with the music sheet which takes place by that, the lever which is
situated over all the tail ends of the valve are pressed down. For this purpose
the adjusting lever is slotted at one end and is movably fixed at that end round
a pin.

page_text: I, GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI of 124 Leipzigerstrasse Berlin in the
Kingdom of Prussia Germany do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGUINETTES OR MECHANICAL ORGANS AND IN MUSIC TO BE
USED THEREWITH” (À Communication to me by Heinrich Lorentz of the City
of Stettin in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany) 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 a mechanical organ in which the notes are sounded by
means of a smooth music tablet or sheet or one provided with straight parallel ribs
in straight lines over the levers which are connected to the keys or valves, such
sheet or tablet being moved over the levers! These latter are depressed by pro-
jecting pieces or parts provided on the smooth music sheet or in the grooves of the
ribbed sheets. The notes belonging to a piece of music are arranged in two rows
in order not to make the sheet. too long, one row for the forward stroke, 'and
one for the back stroke of the sheet; the latter is therefore during the playing on
the instrument given a there and back motion, and so that each point of it describes
a path of the form of a right angled triangle. On the accompanying drawing is shown
such a mechanical apparatus applied to a "street organ' Figure 1 is plan of the
music sheet with appertaining parts Figure 2 a section on line A, B, Figure 1, and
Figure 3 a section on line C, D Figure 1. Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal
section of a modified form of the apparatus, and, Figure 5 is a plan of the valve u.
The music sheet or tablet E is made of smooth or corrugated sheet metal, or
card-board, wood or the like; The notes a are applied to it within the corrugations
in the form of projections in parallel rows. side by side, and in such manner that
one set of rows of notes comes over one set of levers b to the valves-Figure 2, for
the forward stroke, while another intermediately situated set of rows of notes serves
for the return stroke.
33
The music sheet E receives its reciprocating motion from a frame e provided with
two tooth racks opposite each other and from a pinion i between them and so that
either one or the other rack is brought in gear with the pinion. The music sheet
is so fixed on the frame that a rib on it d, Figure 2, fits in a corresponding groove
in the frame e and is held therein by a cross bar which may be a piece of T iron
and which can be turned up out of the way round a pivot g at one end and is held
down by a catch or nose h with spring at the other end. The pinion is fixed on a
spindle on which is fixed a worm wheel k gearing with a worm m on a spindle l.
This latter is turned by a handle under the organ, thus causing the pinion i to
move the frame e and music sheet E in one direction. The frame e has on its
underside two short guide pegs p p Figure 1, which work in a groove p¹ in the
cover of the instrument.
There is a second groove p² parallel to the first groove, and these two grooves are
at each end and in the middle of their length connected by cross spaces q qt q²
When the frame e slides underneath into the nearest groove p¹, it will stretch the
springs o o by its two studs n n coming in contact with them and at the end of its

page_text: i
path is pressed from same to the right into the outer groove p² as the guide pegs p p
coming to the cross spaces g and g² do not offer any resistance to the springs o o
By this however the frame e engages with its left side with the pinion i and on
the pinion being further turned continue its travel upwards again. When the
frame e has come to the top and stretched the springs r, r, by its studs n n, it will
by them. be drawn again to the left. The action is repeated in this manner
continually. It will be seen that the movement of the frame e is directed by the
grooves p¹ p². The motion of the frame from one groove p¹ to another p² is equal
to the distance of 4 corrugations of the sheet of music E. From this it follows that
the 1st 3rd 5th 7th etc groove or corrugation of the sheet play by the forward
movement and the 2nd 4th 6th 8th etc corrugation by the backward movement.
The frame e is covered on one side by the plate. 8, .on. which also are fixed the
springs and o.
.
In order that the sheet of music E always may have a firm hold on the levers.b
to the valves, it is pressed on to the same by a lever clamp-t¹ movable at t
The levers b are movably connected to the trail end of the valve u Figure 3; they
are further above and below guided into corresponding slots. As soon as a raised
part in the music sheet E moves away over the valve lever b, the latter is depressed!
the valve u opened and the note sounds.,
F
In Figure 4 an arrangement is made whereby two different tunes or pieces are
put on the same side of the music sheet. The valve levers b then are placed either
in twos or singly as far from each other, as is necessary for the grooves or corru-
gations for the notes of the second piece. Now when it is desired to play the second
piece, not to be obliged to fix the music sheet E on the frame e in another position
the levers bare made to shift. For this purpose the tail ends of the valve u, Figure 5,
are made stirrup shaped, so that, the. lever b may, be moved sideways on the small
bridge u¹ of the stirrup. The moving is effected by an-adjusted lever F (Figures 4
and 3 in dotted lines) which is connected to the bar G, in which the under ends of
the valve levers b are guided. If the adjusting lever F is moved to the. right
(Figure 4) the valve levers-b follow the. movement until they, reach the dotted
position, shown.in. Figure 4, when they engage with, the notes of the second, piece.
Before the moving of the valve levers b can be effected, they must be brought, out
of contact with the music sheet E, which takes place by that, the lever F which.is
situated over all the tail ends u of the valve is pressed down. For this purpose.the
adjusting lever F is slotted at one end as shown at Figure, 2-in.dotted lines and is
movably fixed at that end round a pin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention,
and in what manner the same. is to be performed, I declare that..what, I claim as
the invention communicated to me is
"
First In mechanical musical instruments. the arrangement of a flat smooth
music.sheet E or provided with straight parallel corrugations in. which the notes
are arranged as projections or hollows in parallel lines and. which moves in a
straight line over the valve, levers,b which sound the notes, and in such! manner
that every point of the music sheet describes a path of the shape of a rectangle..
Second: In mechanical musical instruments a flat smooth.or corrugated music
sheet in which the notes are arranged in parallel lines.
Third-The shifting of the valve lever b by the lever F.