THE AUTOMATON FLUTE-PLAYER.
(The Masterpiece of Vaucanson.)
A figure is made of about quarter life size. (Vaucanson’s stood five feet and a half.) In it and its pedestal are contained these works:—A strong spring, which, when wound up, moves nine bellows, three rows of three each. One set is soft, one medium, and one forte. Three separate reservoirs receive the air from each series, each by a valve letting it then into a single pipe ending in the figure’s mouth.
The same spring makes a barrel, on which is mounted an air, as usual in organs, revolve. Its pins set three levers in play, which connect, by chains, with the three valves, and so control the force required, whether natural, forte, or piano.
Another lever moves a chain which opens or shuts a tongue in the figure’s mouth, in order to emit or stop all sounds.
Of four other levers, one opens the lips, one closes them; one draws them back, and one moves them forward.
Seven other levers communicate with the seven fingers, which do all the fingering, and make them move properly.
As there will be breaks in the direct line of action, use bell-levers where required.
Explanation of the Action.—To sound the mi base, the cylinder-pin for that note would move that lever of the right third finger, which opens the first flutehole; another pin moves the lever of the tongue; a third, the piano valve; a fourth is the lip-opener, and a fifth draws the lips back from the flutehole. In all, five movements, executed at the same time.