Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
I, FERDINAND MARTIENSSEN 88 Ritterstr. Berlin Germany Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a musical instrument in which the tunes are played by
means of perforated sheets of paper or cardboard, the sounds being effected by
small tongues of metal.
In the drawing
Fig. 1. shows a top view of the invention with the tune leaf laid in place and the
cover opened in order to show the notes.
Fig. 2. is a view from underneath.
Fig. 3. is a section on line v-w Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. is a section on line x-y Fig. 3.
Fig. 5. is a detail view of the invention.
The object of the present invention is to provide a musical instrument in which
the disadvantages of those instruments in use up till now are avoided.
The first of these disadvantages is, that the tongues producing the tones are
situated inside the instrument, whereby it is impossible to repair or tune the sanie
conveniently or quickly. Then in the instruments in use up till now, the paper or
card on which the tune is perforated, must always be of the same thickness or the
instrument will not operate properly.
These inconveniences are avoided by my new and original construction of the
music works. My instrument consists principally of two parts, an upper and an
under part.
The first or under part A is the case in which the three bellows B. C. D and the
wind chamber E are arranged. The arrangement of these bellows differs from
that of other instruments in that the mouth piece of the suction bellows C is
situated at the bottom, facilitating the air inlet.
The practical advantages of this arrangement are that the air is not, as up
till now, sucked in through the perforations of the tune sheet, and that the
instrument can be worked much more easily. Further, in playing the shrill tones
are avoided, so that the instrument has a full, pleasant sound.
The air sucked in by the bellows Centers the wind chamber E and is then
passed out by means of bellows B & D.
The air outlet takes place through the holes G in the cover F of the case A.
The roller H is also arranged in the cover F on spring bearings. On one end of
this roller, outside the case is attached the crank lever J and on the other end
inside the case, the driving rod K, for the bellows. The other end of rod K is
attached to the bellows D at the upper end of the same. The under parts of
bellows B and D are connected by rod L.
The holes M M are provided for the escape of the superfluous wind i.e. that
wind which would otherwise be pressed against that part of the tune sheet which
is not perforated.
The second and principal part of the instrument is that part containing the
sounding tongues which lie open on the same and the spring seated sounding
board.
This part consists of a frame N in which the sounding board O is guided and
pressed downwards by the springs P. The holes Q in this board correspond with
the orifices G in the cover of the case. On the upper side of the sounding
board is situated the support R for the vibrating tongues S which latter may be

page_text: inclosed by a cover. The roller V, revolving in its bearings U which are mounted
on springs, is also situated in the frame N. This roller presses on roller H
when the two parts of the frame are closed on each other and fastened together
by means of the catch W.
By arranging the vibrating tongues as a separate whole and making the sounding
board loose all the faults of the musical works till now in use, are eliminated.
Should either of the tongues get out of order or out of tune, it is only necessary to
open the cover T, take out the tongue in question and repair the same, or replace
it with a new one. It is evident that such repairs may be accomplished easily and
quickly, a great advantage compared with the method of placing the tongues out
of reach, which has been the case up till now.
The second advantage is that tune sheets of various thickness may be employed;
owing to the rollers H & V being mounted in spring bearings as also the sounding
board and thus allowing the admission of sheets of any thickness.
The instrument works in the following manner. The cover, hinged to case A
is thrown back when it takes the position shown in Fig. 5. The front end of
the tune sheet is then laid on the roller H and the cover closed and fastened
by catch W. The roller V now presses on roller H, whereby the tune sheet is
held fast between the two. On turning the handle J the rollers move the tune
sheet forwards, at the same time the bellows B and D are worked by the con-
necting rods K and L, driving out the wind pressed into chamber E, by bellows C.
The bellows B and D work alternately as the connecting rods are so arranged
that when bellows B are opened, D are closed on a perforation of the tune sheet
coming between the holes G, Q, the tongue in question will vibrate, so that the
tune perforated on the tune sheet is played.
Dated this 16th day of May 1890.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments.
I, FERDINAND MARTIENSSEN 88 Ritterstrasse Berlin Germany Manufacturer,
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:
My invention relates to a musical instrument in which the tunes are played by
means of perforated sheets of paper or cardboard, the sounds being effected by
small tongues of metal.
In the drawings left with my Provisional Specification
Figure 1 shows a top view of the invention with the tune leaf laid in place and
the cover opened in order to show the notes.
Figure 2 is a view from underneath.
Figure 3 is a section on line v-w, Fig. 1.
Figure 4 is a section on line a―y, Fig. 3.
Figure 5 is a detail view of the invention.
The object of the present invention is to provide a musical instrument in which
the disadvantages of those instruments in use up till now, are avoided. The first
of these disadvantages is, that the tongues producing the tones are situated inside
the instrument, whereby it is impossible to repair or tune the same conveniently
or quickly. Then in the instruments in use up till now, the paper or card on
which the tune is perforated, must always be of the same thickness or the instru-
ment will not operate properly.
These inconveniences are avoided by my new and original construction of the
music works. My instrument consists principally of two parts an upper and an

page_text: under part. The first or under part A is the case in which the three bellows B, C, D,
and the wind chamber E are arranged. The arrangement of these bellows differs
from that of other instruments in that the mouth piece of the suction bellows C is
situated at the bottom, facilitating the air inlet. The practical advantages of this
arrangement are that the air is not, as up till now sucked in through the perforations
of the tune sheet, and that the instrument can be worked much more easily.
Further in playing the shrill tones are avoided, so that the instrument has a full,
pleasant sound. The air sucked in by the bellows C enters the wind chamber E
and is then passed out by means of bellows B & D. The air outlets takes place
through the holes G in the cover F of the case A. The roller His also arranged
in the cover F, on spring bearings. On one end of this roller, outside the case is
attached the crank lever J and on the other end inside the case, the driving rod K
Figure 5 for the bellows. The other end of the rod K is attached to the bellows D..
at the upper end of the same. The under parts of bellows B and D are connected
by rod L.
The holes M, M. are provided for the escape of the superflous
wind, ie, that wind which would otherwise be pressed against that part of the tune
sheet which is not perforated.
The second and principal part of the instrument is that part containing the
sounding tongues which lie open on the same and the spring seated sounding
board.
0
This part consists of a frame N, in which the sounding board O is guided and
pressed downwards by the springs P. The holes Q in this board correspond with
the orifice G in the cover of the case. On the upper side of the sounding board is
situated the support R for the vibrating tongues S, which later may be enclosed by
a cover. The roller V, revolving in the bearings U which are mounted on springs
is also situated in the frame N. This roller presses on roller H when the two
parts of the frame are closed on each other and fastened together by means of the
catch W. By arranging the vibrating tongues as a separate whole and making
the sounding board loose all the faults of the musical works till now in use are
eliminated. Should either of the tongues get out of order or out of tune, it is only
necessary to open the cover T take out the tongue in question and repair the same
or replace it with a new one. It is evident that such repairs may be accomplished
easily and quickly, a great advantage compared with the method of placing the
tongues out of reach, which has been the case up till now. The second advantage
is that tune sheets of various thickness may be employed, owing to the rollers H & V,
being mounted in spring bearings as also the sounding board and thus allowing the
admission of sheets of any thickness. The instrument works in the following
manner. The cover hinged to case A is thrown back when it takes the position
shown in Figure 5. The front end of the tune sheet is then laid on the roller H,
and the cover closed and fastened by the catch W. The roller V now presses on
roller H whereby the tune sheet is held fast between the two. On turning the
handle J the rollers move the tune sheet forwards, at the same time the bellows B
& D are worked by the connecting rods K & L driving out the wind pressed into
chamber E, by bellows C. The bellows B & D work alternately, as the connecting
rods are so arranged that when bellows B are opened, D, are closed. On a per-
foration of the tune sheet coming between the holes G, Q, the tongue in question
will vibrate, so that the tune perforated on the tune sheet is played.
. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
.
(1) In mechanical musical instruments in which tune sheets are employed, the
arrangement of the vibrating tongues as a separate independent whole, in com-
bination with a movable sounding board mounted on springs in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as described.
(2) The combination of sounding board O mounted on springs P in the frame N,

page_text: thus permitting the employment of tune sheets of any thickness with the vibrating
tongue board R, S, above the sounding board and thus outside the instrument case,
in the manner and for the purpose described.
(3) Reversing the bellows C in the manner substantially as described.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.