AUTOMATON CHESS-PLAYER. 



331 



a pipe is ingeniously placed in the automaton's hand. 

 For this reason the pipe is not removed till all the other 

 arrangements are completed. When everything has been 

 thus prepared, the pipe is taken from the figure, and the 

 exhibitor winds up as it were the inclosed machinery, for 

 the double purpose of impressing upon the company the 

 belief that the effect is produced by machinery, and of 

 giving a signal to the player to put in motion the head of 

 the automaton. 



Fig. 68. 



Fig. 69. 



This ingenious explanation of the chess automaton is, 

 our author states, greatly confirmed by the regular and 

 undeviating mode of disclosing the interior of the chest ; 

 and he also shows that the facts which have been observed 

 respecting the winding-up of the machine " afford positive 

 proof that the axis turned by the key is quite free and 

 unconnected either with a spring or weight, or any system 

 of machinery." 



In order to make the preceding description more intel- 

 ligible, I shall add the following more detailed explana- 

 tion of the figures. 



Fig. 61 is a perspective view of the automaton seen in 

 front with all the doors thrown open. 



Fig. 62 is an elevation of the automaton, as seen from 

 behind. 



