A very ingenious contrivance is adopted to facilitate the introduction of the player’s left arm into the arm of the figure. To permit this, the arm of the figure requires to be drawn backwards; and for the purpose of concealing, and at the same time explaining this strained attitude, 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 every thing 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. 73.
Fig. 74.
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 intelligible, I shall add the following more detailed explanation of the figures.
Fig. 66 is a perspective view of the automaton seen in front with all the doors thrown open.
Fig. 67 is an elevation of the automaton, as seen from behind.
Fig. 68 is an elevation of the front of the chest, the shaded figure representing the inclosed player in his first position, or when the door A is opened.