I 84 SCIENTIFIC RECREATIONS. 



mechanical accordeon, manufactured by the Autophone Company, of Ithaca, 

 New York. 



The principle of the instrument is represented in fig. 1 8 6, and is 

 extremely simple. An upright frame carries within it on one side a bellows, 

 and on the other a flexible air chamber, which serves as a reservoir. 



The upper portion contains a set of stops like an accordeon, but the 

 escape of the air through the small vibrating plates can only take place by 

 the upper surface of the frame work, upon which slides a thin plate of Bristol 

 board pierced with holes at convenient distances, and set in motion 

 by the mechanism shown in the annexed diagram (fig. 187). 



The figure represents an axle furnished with a series of " washers," 

 'vhich, acting upon the plate, cause it to move round. It is the bellows 



Tig. 1 86. The Autophone. 



movement that turns the axle by the aid of two " catches," B and C, which 

 work upon a toothed wheel fixed upon it. 



The "catch" B moves the paper on which the tune is "perforated," 

 when the bellows is empty, the other catch when it is distended ; but a counter 

 catch, D, represented by the dotted lines in the illustration, is so arranged 

 that the paper cannot pass on except the tooth of the catch D is opposite 

 a hole pierced upon the plate above. In the contrary case there is no 

 movement of the paper during the dilatation of the bellows. The effect of 

 this very ingenious arrangement is to give to the "musical" band of "board" 

 an irregular movement, but it economises it in the case of sustained notes. 

 The whole action of the instrument depends upon the correct working of the 

 bellows. 



The effect, from an artistic point of view, certainly leaves something to 

 be desired, but the instrument is cheap, and not cumbersome, and the 



